Climate Change Weekly

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito will not take part in a major climate change case when it is heard next week. The case is one of the most significant climate-related disputes to reach the Court, and his absence leaves eight justices to decide it, raising the possibility of a 4-4 split that would leave lower court rulings in place. No reason for his non-participation has been given in the announcement.

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has recused himself from a major climate-change case scheduled to be heard next week, according to the Washington Times. The recusal means the remaining eight justices will decide a dispute with significant implications for climate regulation. No reason for the step-aside was given in the report, and it is not yet clear how his absence might affect the outcome or the court's ruling.

Designers and organizers at Paris Fashion Week are grappling with how longer, hotter summers are reshaping the event. The shift raises questions about scheduling, seasonal collections, and clothing suited to warmer weather, as the fashion calendar and traditional autumn and winter show lineups increasingly clash with the realities of a changing climate.

Minnesota's iconic autumn foliage is peaking later than it used to, and climate change is the reason. Warmer fall temperatures are slowing the process that turns leaves brilliant reds and oranges, pushing peak color weeks past traditional dates. The shift concerns tourism operators who rely on fall color season, as well as ecologists tracking how changing rhythms affect trees and wildlife across the state's forests.

Atlanta has launched its inaugural Climate Week, a series of events focused on how climate change is affecting the city and the wider region. Discussions are expected to cover local impacts such as extreme heat, flooding and air quality, along with steps communities and officials can take to adapt. As the first edition of the event, it marks a new effort to put Atlanta in the national conversation on climate action.

Food Tank has published its weekly news roundup highlighting three food and climate stories: medically tailored groceries being used to support health outcomes, efforts to restore and protect dryland forests, and the development of climate-resilient seeds to help farmers cope with changing weather. The roundup gathers reporting on how food systems intersect with public health, land restoration and adaptation to climate change.

Florida Climate Week is underway, drawing attention to the environmental challenges facing the state, including rising seas, warming waters and coastal erosion. Events across the week also highlight ocean research being conducted in Florida, with scientists and organisations using the occasion to discuss the impacts of climate change on the region's ecosystems and coastal communities.

Paris Fashion Week is being reshaped by increasingly hot summers, as designers and the wider fashion industry adapt collections, fabrics and show scheduling to a warming climate. The trend highlights how climate change is now influencing not just what clothes look like, but when and how they are made and presented on the global stage.

A German-language photo challenge under the tag FotoVorschlag is circulating with the theme 'Things the world doesn't need'. Participants are invited to share photographs of unnecessary objects, with many tying the prompt to climate change and overconsumption. The theme has drawn engagement from photographers using everyday images to comment on waste and sustainability.

New York Climate Week is under way, drawing attention to how discussions around climate change and energy are shifting. Observers note the conversation increasingly centres on the transition to cleaner energy sources, the role of businesses and governments, and how climate commitments are being put into practice. The annual gathering brings together policymakers, companies and campaigners in New York City.

During New York Climate Week, commentary argues that corporate and political messaging around climate action is obscuring the reality of the crisis. Critics contend that green pledges and promotional spin do not change physical outcomes, invoking the phrase 'you can't fool Mother Nature' to stress that emissions cuts must match the scale of warming, not just the rhetoric surrounding it.

The Heartland Institute has released issue 593 of its Climate Change Weekly newsletter, presenting a review of 2026 science stories it says casual readers may have missed. The roundup collects climate research and developments the free-market think tank highlights for its audience, consistent with its longstanding critical stance on mainstream climate alarm and related policy.

Sea levels along the US West Coast are forecast to rise by up to a foot this month as a series of Kelvin waves, pulses of unusually warm water moving eastward across the Pacific, reach the shoreline and push northward. Scientists warn the warming could intensify beach erosion and coastal flooding in areas already vulnerable because of climate change and El Niño conditions, raising concern among residents and coastal communities about damage and inundation in the coming weeks.

Melbourne has just recorded its warmest week ending 5 October since 2023, with an average temperature of 15.3°C — 1.6°C above the seasonal norm of 13.6°C. Long-term data for the city shows a warming trend of about +0.25°C per decade, putting the latest spike in the context of gradual climate change in southern Australia.

Pacific Island climate advocates made their voices heard strongly this week, declaring 'We will not be sacrificed' as they pressed for urgent global action on climate change. The region, among the most vulnerable to rising seas and extreme weather, has long warned that inadequate emissions cuts threaten its very existence, and leaders and communities are demanding their concerns be heard by the international community.

Riverside Church in New York, Columbia University's Climate School and the Center for Earth Ethics opened Climate Week with an event featuring former Vice President Al Gore, focused on mobilizing public action on climate change. The gathering paired religious and academic institutions with political advocacy, emphasizing grassroots mobilization alongside policy work during the annual climate summit period.

Unseasonably warm weather is changing how designers and attendees dress at Paris Fashion Week, with heavy fur pieces and winter layering giving way to lighter styles. The shift raises questions about the practicality of traditional autumn and winter runway fashion as temperatures stay high across Europe, and it is prompting discussion about how climate change is influencing fashion weeks.

The University of Michigan Law School is marking Climate Week with a guided overview of climate law, walking audiences through the legal frameworks shaping climate policy and action. The feature ties into Climate Week events taking place globally, where law schools, companies and governments are highlighting how legislation and litigation are becoming central tools in addressing climate change.

During Climate Week NYC, the Pulitzer Center highlighted the role of environmental journalism in driving collective action on climate change. The discussion emphasized how reporting connects communities, exposes environmental harms, and supports coordinated responses to the climate crisis, as leaders, journalists and activists gathered in New York for the annual summit.