EurekAlert! Climate Change - Latest News Releases

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 29-Apr-2025 17:08 ET (29-Apr-2025 21:08 GMT/UTC)

Climate change and innovative paths to a more sustainable future

Shanghai Jiao Tong University Journal Center
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The challenges posed by climate change and greenhouse gas net-zero transition are discussed. Several key technology areas which require innovation are briefly reviewed in this article, including renewables, energy storage, distributed energy resources, CO₂ utilization, agriculture, and the synergy between Al and energy transition. The shift in mindset from “re-cycling” to “re-using” and a redefinition of “wealth” for a more sustainable future are also proposed.

Journal: Frontiers in Energy

New study finds overfishing has halved shark and ray populations since 1970

Simon Fraser University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new analysis published in the journal Science reveals that overfishing has caused populations of chondrichthyan fishes – sharks, rays, and chimaeras – to decline by more than 50 per cent since 1970. To determine the consequences, a team of researchers developed an aquatic Red List Index (RLI) which shows that the risk of extinction for chondrichthyan has increased by 19 per cent. The study also highlights that the overfishing of the largest species in nearshore and pelagic habitats could eliminate up to 22 per cent of ecological functions.

Chondrichthyans are an ancient and ecologically diverse group of over 1,199 fishes that are increasingly threatened by human activities. Overexploitation by target fisheries and incidental capture (bycatch), compounded by habitat degradation, climate change and pollution, has resulted in over one-third of chondrichthyans facing extinction. Here, the RLI was used to track the status of these species over the past 50-years.

Journal: Science

Floods, insufficient water, sinking river deltas: hydrologists map changing river landscapes across the globe

University of Massachusetts Amherst
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study by researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and University of Cincinnati and published in Science has mapped 35 years of river changes on a global scale for the first time. The work has revealed significant effects on both downstream (44% decrease in water flow) and upstream (17% flow increase) rivers, including flooding, ecosystem disruption, hydropower development interference and insufficient fresh water supplies.

Journal: Science
Funder: NASA Headquarters

Surveys show full scale of massive die-off of common murres following the ‘warm blob’ in the Pacific Ocean

University of Washington
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Colony surveys of common murres, an Alaskan seabird, show the full effects of the 2014-16 marine heat wave known as “the blob.” Analysis of 13 colonies surveyed between 2008 and 2022 finds that colony size in the Gulf of Alaska dropped by half after the marine heat wave. In colonies along the eastern Bering Sea, west of the peninsula, the decline was even steeper, at 75% loss. No recovery has yet been seen, the authors write.

Journal: Science

Heatwave led to catastrophic and persistent loss of Alaska’s dominant seabird

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The 2014-2016 Pacific marine heatwave wiped out more than half – roughly 4 million – of Alaska’s common murre (Uria aalge) seabirds, representing the largest documented vertebrate die-off linked to warming oceans, according to a new study. “Although research on the impacts of global warming on marine birds has clearly suggested major shifts in species’ ranges and abundance, documented changes have been gradual (years to decades),” write the authors. “To our knowledge, this study is the first to show that climate impacts can be swift (1 year) and intense (eliminating half of the population).” Marine heatwaves – intense, prolonged, and expansive ocean warming events – are becoming increasingly common due to climate change. They are profoundly reshaping marine ecosystems globally. These heatwaves lead to mass mortality of key habitat-forming species like kelps and corals, triggering cascading trophic effects that alter ecosystem productivity, displace lower-trophic-level species, and amplify food shortages for top predators. Although many upper-trophic-level species suffer from reduced reproductive success, increased mortality, and even mass die-offs due to marine heatwaves, broader population impacts are poorly understood. Heather Renner and colleagues evaluated the impact of the largest recorded marine heatwave in the northeast Pacific, which took place from late 2014 to 2016, on Alaska’s population of common murre seabirds. Analyzing colony counts before that period (2008-2014), and after (2016-2022), Renner et al. documented a 52-78% population decline across 13 murre colonies, equating to the loss of 4 million birds within the span of less than 2 years. According to the authors, this represents the largest documented wildlife mortality event in the modern era. Moreover, the findings reveal no evidence of population recovery since, suggesting potential long-term ecosystem shifts and an overall diminished capacity to support historical seabird populations. “We suggest that the pronounced decline of an abundant and widespread upper trophic predator to less than half of its former population size in Alaska may signal a new threshold of response to global warming,” write Renner et al.

Journal: Science

New chemical structures developed at Oregon State show vastly improved carbon capture ability

Oregon State University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Oregon State University researchers have synthesized new molecules able to quickly capture significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the air, an important tactic in climate change mitigation.

Journal: Chemistry of Materials
Funder: DOE/US Department of Energy, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust

Aldabra Atoll's remarkable shoreline resilience over 51 years

University of Zurich
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Despite sea level rise in Western Indian Ocean, more than 60% of Aldabra Atoll's shoreline remained unchanged from 1960 to 2011, based on aerial and satellite image analysis. On average, the shoreline changed at a rate of 0.25 ± 0.36 meters per year, with significant localized erosion trends. The international team led by University of Zurich and Seychelles Islands Foundation researchers highlight Aldabra Atoll's resilience and its ability to maintain its shoreline despite the threats to reef island processes. They emphasize the key role of non-climate factors, such as sediment supply in driving changes to the shoreline. Additionally, they stress the importance of long-term monitoring and the critical role of Aldabra's protection status in preserving its natural dynamics.

Journal: Scientific Reports

Researchers reveal key factors behind Japan’s plastic waste removal rates in rivers

Tokyo University of Science
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Plastic pollution is a growing problem in Japan, prompting cleanup efforts to recover plastic litter from water bodies. However, research on recovery rates from different river basins remains limited. In a recent study, researchers from Japan conducted a nationwide analysis of plastic litter recovery in over 100 river basins, shedding light on the impact of climate change, population density, and natural disasters. Their findings will help inform future cleanup strategies and improve plastic management.

Journal: Marine Pollution Bulletin
Funder: Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan, The River Foundation, Japan

How volcanologists can improve urban climate resilience

Portland State University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

City-level strategies to cope with climate change can benefit from the insights of volcano scientists, who have long customized hazard information and communications for local communities.

Journal: Eos

Water and forests in the South

USDA Forest Service ‑ Southern Research Station
Reports and Proceedings

Climate and land use change have and will continue to alter streamflow regimes and water quality through the 21st century, with consequences for drinking water treatment costs, flood protection, and other ecosystem services, according to the new Southern Forest Outlook report. The report is designed to inform forest sector decisionmakers and the interested public about observed trends, anticipated futures, and critical issues based on authoritative synthesis and interpretation of existing science, data, and 50-year projections.

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