Our Scans · (LF.13) Climate Action · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

• [New] Future air pollution controls will fundamentally reshape oceanic nitrogen deposition, with cascading consequences for marine productivity and climate feedbacks, highlighting the need for coordinated NH3 and NOx management across the Earth system. EurekAlert!
• [New] Establishing a resilient supply chain is essential for the United States to meet its climate goals and deploy an average of 40 gigawatts direct current of solar generation per year through 2025 and ramp up to 100 GWdc per year by 2030. Energy.gov
• [New] The second half of 2026 will almost certainly see the start of El Nino, a natural climate phase when warm water expands across the equatorial Pacific Ocean, heating the entire planet. New Scientist
• [New] 2026 will be the hottest year on record, thanks to both climate change and a powerful El Nino effect that will raise temperatures further. New Scientist
• [New] If the accelerated warming rate continues, global warming of 2 °C will be reached as soon as the 2030s, but it depends on the continued growth of climate forcing. Climate Uncensored
• [New] By 2030, AI implementation could reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by up to 4%, highlighting AI's significant potential to combat climate change. Scientific Research Publishing
• [New] Planet Tracker recommended that, to avoid climate, regulatory, and reputational risks, banks should recognize methane as a material financial risk and set quantitative methane targets that include borrowers' scope 3 emissions, covering both financed and facilitated lending. Food Dive
• [New] Urban agriculture could support more resilient urban food systems, as cities face mounting pressures posed by a growing population, climate change, and food supply disruptions. CNS Media
• [New] In Europe, grid investment frameworks are being structured to clear growing queues of renewables projects waiting for grid connections, queues that are more than three times the capacity needed for the EU to meet its 2030 energy and climate targets. Persistence Market Research
• [New] There is concern that a two-pronged attack from climate change and the arrival of the warming El Nino weather pattern later in 2026 could increase the likelihood and severity of forest fires. BBC News
• [New] Driven by rapid urbanization, ASEAN could face up to 120 days per year with temperatures above 35 °C by 2050, posing significant risks to human health, energy security, economic productivity, and climate resilience. ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE)
• [New] Canada's first Investment Summit and the forthcoming Sustainable Finance Summit will position Canada to compete for global capital and build a climate-competitive economy. Yahoo Finance
• [New] Small island nations are highly susceptible to climate change, with Tuvalu expected to be submerged by 2100 due to rising sea levels. WSLS 10
• [New] El Nino events tend to push up global temperatures, with some climate experts saying an event later in 2026 could help set global heat records in 2027. The Guardian
• [New] Seasonal forecasts from the Copernicus Climate Change Service indicate a likely transition to El Nino conditions later in 2026, a development that could have far-reaching climate implications. Healthwise
• [New] Warming water temperatures caused by climate change pose a substantial risk to local tuna populations, threatening Kiribati's economic backbone. BBC News
• [New] Climate change adaptation has become a central concern for national governments as extreme weather events and systemic risks intensify globally. SpringerLink
• [New] The conflict in the Middle East is shaking global stability, while rising costs, climate risks and job uncertainty are already weighing on daily life. ST
• [New] The Australian government last year published its National Climate Risk Assessment, showing food systems already face increased risks. SBS News
• [New] By 2030, nature-based solutions will be delivered at pace to support landscape-scale adaptation to and mitigation of climate change impacts. GOV.UK
• [New] The window for action is narrowing, but Europe has an opportunity to reinforce its decarbonization leadership and pursue rapid, coordinated and health-centred climate action to protect lives, reduce inequalities and build a resilient, low-carbon future. Euronews
• The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) finds that the IMO's adoption of the NZF could decide whether the shipping sector's emissions would be consistent with global temperature rise being held near 2 °C - or allowed to drift toward 4 °C under a business-as-usual trajectory by 2050. Climate Analytics
• Atlantic Ocean currents that are vital for keeping Earth's climate in check will halve in strength by 2100 and may be closer to collapse than first thought, a new study finds. Live Science

Last updated: 04 May 2026