Daily updates on climate change and the global economy.

Daily updates on climate change and the global economy.
Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.

Daily updates on climate change and the global economy.
Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.

Daily updates on climate change and the global economy.
Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.

Daily updates on climate change and the global economy.
Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.

Many thanks to my friend, Barry Smiler, for being May’s sponsor. Do take a look at his website, which nicely complements mine: Climate News · Research · Perspectives. He recently upgraded the site and welcomes any feedback you’d care to offer.


“Updated ERA5 daily global temperature plot. 2026 just set a new record for day 134: 15.922°C

“Previous record: 15.798°C in 2024.

“That’s extraordinary by itself — but even more so because this is happening before El Niño has really found its footing. The warming baseline is doing a lot of heavy lifting now.” [The Global Warmer]

https://x.com/TheGlobalWarmer/status/2057146643078652414


“There are few modern comparisons to this big blob of warmth across the undersea Pacific — called a Kelvin wave.

“Its intensity rivals what occurred at this time in 1997. But there is more warm water available in 2026 that could further boost El Niño’s eventual strength.”

[Ben Noll]

https://x.com/BenNollWeather/status/2057089541983637720


“Climate change is destroying Arctic cultural heritage sites…

“In this study, researchers explored preservation patterns at the 17th-century whaling site of Likneset in the Svalbard archipelago. Comparing the results of excavations from the 1980s to those from the 2010s, the team observed a significant increase in erosional damage to grave sites along the coastline.”

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1128153


“The Arctic’s vanishing caribou…

“These large, migratory animals are facing a catastrophic decline that could destroy not just the species but a connection to thousands of years of history for local Arctic communities. In the mid-1980s local surveys counted around 470,000 adult Bathurst caribou. Last year that figure had fallen to just over 3,600.”

https://www.ft.com/content/884c848a-d682-4ca9-a3a2-5cbe1bfe4710?syn-25a6b1a6=1


“One of the fastest warming regions of the Arctic is around the Barents Sea.

“April 2026 was yet another month with unusual temperature anomalies around that area (>5°C above the 1981-2010 climatological average).” [Zack Labe]

https://bsky.app/profile/zacklabe.com/post/3mmbubxqgkc2b


“EXTRAORDINARY, HISTORIC HEAT IN NORTHERN RUSSIA.

“Insane heat 5C+ warmer than JULY averages up to 60 latitude: 33.0 [91.4F] Micurinsk, 32.0 Vohma, 31.6 Vologda etc. Records smashed everywhere both of High Max and High Min.” [Extreme Temps]

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2056762932231327759


“Moscow Bakes in Record Heat Just Weeks After Late-Spring Snowstorm…

“Meteorologists say the unseasonable high temperatures are being caused by a stagnant, high-pressure atmospheric blocking system centered over the Ural Mountains… Meanwhile, southern Russia has been battered by severe thunderstorms, flash floods and mudslides…”

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/05/19/moscow-bakes-in-record-heat-just-weeks-after-late-spring-snowstorm-a92794


“EXCEPTIONAL 30C [86F] IN FINLAND.

“Insane heat wave in NE Europe with 30.2C [86.4F] in FINLAND well above 60 latitude. The record earliest 30C in Finnish history is 19 May. May records broken: 29.3CJoensuu, 28.6C Kajaani, Sotkamo, Valtimo, Tohmajarvi, Juuka Niemela etc.. Historic.” [Extreme Temps]

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2057175804610535540


“Estonia’s “forest people” are watching their woods disappear.

“…under the growing demand for wood biomass. Considered by the EU as a renewable energy source, the large-scale logging is leading to a loss of biodiversity. And Estonian forests are now producing more emissions than they can absorb.”

https://voxeurop.eu/en/estonia-forest-people-woods-deforestation-logging-biomass/


“Scientists say four-day moorland blaze was UK’s first megafire [NE Scotland]…

“A wildfire that burned for four days across parts of the Highlands and Moray last year was the UK’s first megafire, researchers say. They said the fire on Dava Moor almost torched as much land as typically burns across the UK in an entire year.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8d80g8y166o


“UK ‘built for climate that no longer exists’ and needs urgent changes to survive global heating, report warns…

“Air conditioning should be installed in all care homes and hospitals within the next 10 years, and in all schools within 25 years, according to the Climate Change Committee (CCC)… The government should also set a maximum temperature for working…”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/20/uk-built-for-climate-that-no-longer-exists-and-needs-urgent-changes-to-survive-global-heating-report-warns


“British farms face ‘unviable’ future as climate extremes intensify.

“British farms could become unviable in the worst years of climate disruption unless urgent action is taken to protect food production from heat, flooding and drought, the government’s climate advisers have warned.”

https://www.farminguk.com/news/british-farms-face-unviable-future-as-climate-extremes-intensify_68518.html


“Record (literally) Heat Dome for May builds over West-Central Europe the next several days.

“Peak temperatures will reach 15° above normal in Spain, France and Germany as well as surrounding areas [including parts of UK]. Maximum temperatures will reach 39°C/ 102°F into next week, with the highest in SW Spain.” [Jeff Berardelli]

https://x.com/WeatherProf/status/2057074452395872766


“May heatwave! The 1st near-heatwave of the season starts tomorrow. This translates in the Alps by an ‘explosion’ of snow/ice melting.

“Snow depth is -25% / normal. With this event, we’ll reach melt levels similar to the record 2022!” [Melaine Le Roy]

https://x.com/subfossilguy/status/2057012153874317742


“Swiss glacier shows instability near disaster‑hit Blatten.

“Almost a year after the glacier collapse that destroyed the Swiss mountain village of Blatten, another ice giant in the same Alpine valley threatens to partially collapse. Authorities have stepped up monitoring but say the risk remains limited.”

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/glaciers-permafrost/swiss-glacier-shows-instability-near-disaster%E2%80%91hit-blatten/91446693


“A state of emergency to tackle drought [Greece].

“Island municipalities grappling with chronic water scarcity are taking measures to speed up the process of renting desalination units… Astypalaia has become the sixth Greek island after Symi, Patmos, Leros, Meganisi along with part of Corfu to declare a state of emergency due to water shortages from 2025.”

https://www.ekathimerini.com/in-depth/society-in-depth/1304104/a-state-of-emergency-to-tackle-drought/


“Inside Portugal’s huge operation to beat wildfires with Black Hawks, bulldozers and firefighters…

“Devastating wildfires gripped Portugal in 2025, when more than a quarter of a million hectares of land burned. With fears that this year could be even worse, Portugal has mounted an intensive nationwide operation to clear fallen trees and dry leaves – the tinder that wildfires thrive on.”

https://www.euronews.com/2026/05/20/storms-set-stage-for-wildfires-how-portugal-plans-to-face-a-terrible-summer


“EXTRAORDINARY: ALMOST 50 DEGREES [122F]. Worst African heat wave in history:

“49.3C Aswan EGYPT, 49C Dongola SUDAN, 48.0C Faya CHAD HOTTEST DAY EVER: Records of Hot nights as well: 32.0 Shalatin, 30.8 South Valley, 30.2 Kufra LIBYA.”

[Extreme Temps]

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2056810605508538666


“SUMMER NIGHT IN SOUTH AFRICA:

“It’s almost winter in South Africa, yet tonight it was an insanely mid summer night in Cape Town with a minimum of 19.9C [67.8F]. Record May High Minimums were broken nearby: 18.2 Slangkop, 17.2 Robben Island. More summer warmth tomorrow.” [Extreme Temps]

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2056715772425060520


“Wheat production in Iraq’s Diyala has dropped by 50–55% this season after severe water shortages forced authorities to reduce cultivated areas…

“Director General of Diyala Agriculture Directorate Iyad Al-Jubouri told Shafaq News that severe water shortages at the start of the season forced authorities to reduce the areas allocated for wheat cultivation.”

https://shafaq.com/amp/en/society/Wheat-production-falls-by-50-in-Iraq-s-Diyala


“Sandstorm covers Baghdad as hundreds across Iraq suffer breathing problems.

“As the storm moved across the country’s center and southern regions, 837 individuals had breathing issues over the course of two days, according to Iraq’s health ministry. The majority of recorded cases were related to suffocation and respiratory distress…”

https://www.iraqinews.com/iraq/sandstorm-covers-baghdad-as-hundreds-across-iraq-suffer-breathing-problems/


“Tajik scientists warn of alarming glacier melt in Pamir Mountains.

“Tajik scientists have warned that glaciers in the Pamir Mountains are melting at an alarming rate, including in high-altitude areas previously considered relatively stable, following the country’s first direct winter glacier measurements since independence.”

https://anewz.tv/region/central-asia/20262/tajik-glaciers-melting-rapidly-scientists-warn/news


“Northern India swelters as temperatures hit record highs…

“”The hot weather has caused us a lot of trouble. Even in the evening, it would still be 42 or 43 degrees Celsius, and on Tuesday, the temperature hit 46 degrees. Workers cover their heads up like this to shield from the sun, try to stay in the shade as much as possible, and cut back on time outdoors.””

https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/5872246-northern-india-swelters-as-temperatures-hit-record-highs


“48C heatwave: Banda forced into 10 AM shutdown as mercury breaches record marks…

“With temperatures soaring to a record 48.2 degrees Celsius [118.8F] on Tuesday, Banda in Uttar Pradesh’s Bundelkhand region has emerged as the hottest place in the country, triggering an unprecedented heat crisis that has brought daily life to a halt by mid-morning.”

https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/India/48c-heatwave-banda-forced-into-10-am-shutdown-as-mercury-breaches-record-marks/ar-AA23E8Rz


“Bangladesh salt farmers struggle as climate shifts disrupt harvests.

“…in recent years, unpredictable weather — such as increased rainy days and cold waves — has been disrupting salt production, forcing farmers to quit their generational livelihoods.”

https://news.mongabay.com/2026/05/bangladesh-salt-farmers-struggle-as-climate-shifts-disrupt-harvests/


“Record Rainfall Kills 21 in China as Massive Storm System Floods Cities…

“Damage was particularly severe in central Hubei province. Swollen rivers overflowed onto roads, transforming entire downtown areas into vast lakes, while vehicles were seen being swept away by rushing waters.”

https://en.sedaily.com/international/2026/05/20/record-rainfall-kills-21-in-china-as-massive-storm-system


“Breaking News! The 24-hour rainfall recorded at the Xiashuang AWS in Yangchun, Guangdong, reached 1057.5mm [41.6 inches], marking the first time in May that China has experienced an extreme rainstorm with more than 1000 mm of rainfall in 24 hours!”

[Jim Yang]

https://x.com/yangyubin1998/status/2057111999587471736


“HISTORIC HEAT IN JAPAN:

“Japanese climatic history is being rewritten with dozens of records smashed every day and there is no end in sight to this unprecedented spring heat wave. Next night will be insanely hot with Mins locally >25C [77F]. It’s like August.” [Extreme Temps]

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2057016766643998799


“Japan is gripped by mass allergies. A 1950s project is to blame…

“Every spring (which is already arriving earlier in Japan due to climate change) you’ll see people of all ages wearing masks on the streets of cities across the country. The reason: hay fever, driven by all the pollen… Aiming for rapid reforestation, the government chose to plant reams of only two different native, fast-growing evergreen species…”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20260515-the-1950s-blunder-which-causes-mass-hay-fever-in-japan


“ENDLESS RECORD HEAT IN INDONESIA:

“Absolute insanity going on in Indonesia (and ALL tropical countries in the world). Records smashed in pieces everywhere every single day of 2026 (and 2025, 2024 and 2023). Today the victim was Jambi which had its hottest May day ever with 35.4C [95.7F].” [Extreme Temps]

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2056749991889080581


“Two killed as landslide strikes North Sumatra after heavy rainfall.

“Authorities said search operations for both victims were carried out under difficult conditions and with extreme caution, as the nearby hillside remained unstable and continued to pose a risk of further landslides.”

https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2026/05/21/two-killed-as-landslide-strikes-north-sumatra-after-heavy-rainfall.html


“Indonesians sue government over deadly Sumatra flood response.

“Survivors of Indonesia’s deadly Sumatra floods are suing the government over what they say was an inadequate disaster response. As Al Jazeera’s Jessica Washington reports, they’re seeking a court order to declare the floods a national disaster and improve recovery efforts.”

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/video/newsfeed/2026/5/21/indonesians-sue-government-over-deadly-sumatra-flood-response


“SOUTH AMERICA UPSIDE DOWN. Cold in the tropics, record warmth in Patagonia.

“The warmth was specially extraordinary in CHILE. Records of May highest Temperatures smashed in pieces: 24.1C [75.4F] Puerto Varas, 25.2C Temuco AP, 23.9C Osorno, 22.3C Puerto Montt, 24.5C Nueva Chaiten, and many more.” [Extreme Temps]

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2057279475893633415


“A sudden rainstorm accompanied by fierce winds strikes the city of “Nova Friburgo” in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“The storm lasted only 15 minutes, but it uprooted trees and roofs, causing floods and a complete power outage after the sky suddenly darkened.” [Arab Storms]

https://x.com/Arab_Storms/status/2057166401052500464


“Meet Peru’s potato guardians, fighting to protect the country’s beloved tubers against climate change…

“Globally, potatoes are the fourth-largest food crop after wheat, rice and maize. They’re calorie-dense and rich in vitamin C and potassium, and are becoming known as a superfood – plus they’re adaptable to poor soils. Yet even this hardy crop is vulnerable.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/south-america/peru/peru-potato-guardians-climate-change-b2956687.html


“HISTORIC HEAT WAVE IN COLOMBIA:

“Colombia is with an unprecedented heat wave and it’s smashing record after record every day since weeks. Today Temperatures >40C [104F] in Valledupar, breaking the May record, after the records broken yesterday.”

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2057276857817407953


“Climate Change in Colombia: Challenges and Realities amid El Super Niño Phenomenon…

“Climate change has become an urgent concern in Colombia. The rising average temperature of the country, increasing extreme weather events, and changing rainfall patterns are unmistakable signs that the climate is changing.”

https://colombiaone.com/2026/05/19/climate-change-colombia-challenges-realities-nino-nina-phenomena/


“ABSOLUTE INSANITY IN HONDURAS – NATIONAL MAY RECORD BROKEN FOR THE 10TH TIME IN 19 DAYS…

“42.8C [109F] again at Choluteca – MAY RECORD AGAIN AND HONDURAN HOTTEST MAY DAY IN HISTORY.” [Extreme Temps]

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2057002048617365606


“EXTRAORDINARY HEAT ALLOVER NORTH AMERICA. Records from Canada to Costa Rica.

“In particular, history was rewritten again in MEXICO – 42.3C Salina Cruz HOTTEST DAY IN HISTORY… Hottest night in history at Puerto Angel
Min 28.6C/84F.” [Extreme Temps]

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2057203839137206358


“NE HISTORIC MAY HEAT – 101F in 3 NE States:

“Delaware (state hottest May day), New Jersey and Pennsylvania tons of Monthly records including: NJ: 99 Newark, 98 Mc Guire, 97 Belmar, PA: 98 Philadelphia, 97 Reading, NH: 97 Manchester, DE: 97 Cheswold, MA: 98 Harvard, 97 Chicopee, 96 Orange.” [Extreme Temps]

https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2056868105154863536


“Record Heat Forces New England to Tap Oil to Power the Grid.

“An unseasonably early heat wave forced New England’s electric grid to burn oil for power generation. Grid operator ISO New England issued an “abnormal conditions” alert, causing oil-fired plants to generate over 700 megawatts of electricity to meet surging air conditioning demands.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-20/record-heat-forces-new-england-to-tap-oil-to-power-electric-grid


“Severe weather hits states from coast to coast.

“From extreme heat in the east to a tornado outbreak in the midwest to growing wildfires in California, extreme weather is putting millions at risk. NBC News’ Shaquille Brewster reports from the storm zone.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/severe-weather-hits-states-from-coast-to-coast-263611461784


“A massive amount of rain fell during the evening rush on Wednesday night, causing flash floods across parts of downtown and midtown Atlanta.

“Rescue after rescue was caught on camera as drivers floated in floodwaters on interstates and side streets. At one point, the downtown connector was underwater, bringing the evening commute to a halt…”

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/atlanta-man-saves-woman-trapped-by-flash-floods-middle-downtown-connector/UY2X2SG4XFA6LFH4YTXBVWV2XI/


“Kansas farmers pulled by weather extremes and growing costs, wheat crop could be worst since 1972…

“Record-setting drought and hotter-than-average temperatures mixed with sharp drops have impacted much of the U.S. early this year, including the Plains region. Drought conditions have worsened the spread of the wheat streak mosaic virus and barley yellow dwarf virus…”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/kansas-kan-kansas-state-el-nino-russia-b2980328.html


“A UCLA-led study by Williams et al. (2022) found 2000–2021 was the driest 22-year period in southwestern North America since at least 800 CE.

“Since then, the region has seen intense drought, with conditions expected to worsen dramatically this summer.” [Colin McCarthy]

https://x.com/US_Stormwatch/status/2057296722267930728


“The American West just saw its earliest snow meltout in the modern record (since ~1980).

“In California, the average snow-monitoring site melted out 43 days earlier than normal. A brutal year for a region already stuck in its worst megadrought in at least 1,200 years.” [Colin McCarthy]

https://x.com/US_Stormwatch/status/2057296718648262832


“Can the West survive ‘drastic’ Colorado River cuts?

“…The Interior Department’s proposal would likely face years of legal challenges, but the system of dams and reservoirs along the river “could cease to function due to lack of water” before the lawsuits play out. So the states must find agreement before the federal government imposes one.”

https://theweek.com/environment/colorado-river-drastic-cuts-water-supply-california-arizona


“San Francisco turns to AI to save whales from ship strikes as deaths soar…

“The system, called WhaleSpotter, scans the bay around the clock for whale blows and heat signatures up to 2 nautical miles away, alerting mariners to slow down or reroute when whales are nearby.”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/20/san-francisco-bay-ai-whales


“Fishermen could soon be allowed to hunt more sharks under Trump team proposal…

“…ocean and conservation groups assert that the updates are not based on what the science shows and could hurt species in the process of recovering after assessments showed a third of all sharks and rays were at risk of extinction.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/noaa-fisheries-trump-shark-fishing-b2979646.html


“Warming oceans are wiping out kelp forests at alarming speed.

“Deep under the cold waters of the Gulf of Maine, giant kelp forests once covered rocky reefs. Long brown seaweed swayed with the ocean currents while fish swam between the plants and lobsters hid underneath.”

https://www.earth.com/news/warming-oceans-are-wiping-out-kelp-forests-at-alarming-speed/


“Rising seawater heat may collapse coral oxygen flow before bleaching appears.

“”Marine heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of global warming, affecting coral reefs worldwide. At the same time, oxygen levels in the oceans are declining. Both changes are critical for marine life, and our study identifies a mechanism that directly links ocean warming and oxygen loss, which in the worst case can lead to rapid coral death…””

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-seawater-collapse-coral-oxygen.html


“Seabird world shrinks as oceans warm, forcing longer flights to survive…

“The first-of-its-kind research, published in Nature Climate Change, found that when temperatures rose rapidly in the past, seabirds did not get smaller, as some fish and other ocean creatures do. Instead, they shrank their territories and flew greater distances to reach suitable habitats.”

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-seabird-world-oceans-longer-flights.html


“Plastic food and drink packaging ‘world’s most common coastal litter’…

““It’s the everyday stuff that we’re using,” said Richard Thompson, the founder of the University of Plymouth’s international marine litter research unit. “Even in countries with fairly advanced waste management, those are the dominant items on the shoreline.””

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/20/plastic-food-drink-packaging-worlds-most-common-coastal-litter


“Extreme weather events are accelerating tidal wetland loss, satellite data show…

“Due to human development and climate change, tidal wetland areas have been shrinking globally. A new study using 40 years of satellite data shows that this loss has been accelerating in the U.S. and that this acceleration is being increasingly driven by extreme weather events.”

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-extreme-weather-events-tidal-wetland.html


“Extreme weather events may leave rivers unable to rebound…

“in most cases, nature is unable to return to its previous state after successive extreme weather events. The consequences range from local extinctions and food chain collapses to permanent changes in the services that rivers provide to human societies.”

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-extreme-weather-events-rivers-unable.html


“Rainforests pushed to breaking point by new demands for resources, report says…

“Fresh demands for critical minerals, biofuels and pulp – used in fast fashion, processed food and packaging – are compounding existing pressures from cattle ranching, monocrops, oil and logging, the analysis finds. Mining, in particular, has a far greater environmental footprint than previously thought…”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/20/rainforests-pushed-to-breaking-point-by-new-demands-for-resources-report-says


“Electrification emerges as COP31 priority…

“The Turkish and Australian COP31 host governments and the International Renewable Energy Agency have called for a stronger global push to run vehicles, industry and buildings on electricity rather than fossil fuels, ahead of this year’s COP31 climate talks.”

https://www.climatechangenews.com/2026/05/20/electrification-emerges-as-turkish-cop31-priority/


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You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.