Given the ongoing global extinction crisis, preserving genetic diversity is critical for long-term ecosystem resilience. A large, openly available DNA barcoding database could support this goal by allowing the identification of ‘genetic hotspots’ for conservation planning. We studied 77 woody species in the Monte Desert, South America’s largest dryland, using ITS2 and rbcLa markers to identify haplotypes for each species. We modified a previously published genetic diversity criterion, which prioritizes uniqueness, to also consider species ubiquity. We then mapped this genetic diversity metric, calculated Faith’s phylogenetic diversity (PD) index and overlaid our map with protected areas and permanent plantations. We identified five robust genetic hotspots, three of which coalesced into a central ‘mega-hotspot’. Alarmingly, most hotspots lay outside existing protected areas, and two overlapped with permanent plantations. As expected, high PD did not consistently align with high genetic diversity or species richness, suggesting that in the Monte Desert current protected areas overlook key genetic and PD. Our study highlights the importance of integrating DNA barcoding from understudied geographic regions into conservation plans.

Many young people feel distressed about climate change, and pessimistic about what the future holds. Gaps in education about climate change contribute to limited understanding of opportunities for climate mitigation and adaptation, and to a pervasive “discourse of doom.” Here we describe a “game for change” co-designed by climate and education researchers and young people, that aims to shift narratives about climate changed futures toward an active, adaptation-oriented focus.

The Heat Is On is designed to be played by high school classes. Set in 2050, the game takes place on a fictional island called “Adaptania.” Teams of students play the role of town councillors in communities facing the same challenges that Australian towns are experiencing as the climate heats up, including flooding, heatwaves, bushfires, inequality, health issues and economic challenges. By focussing on decision-making for adaptation and resilience, The Heat Is On enables participants to envision climate-changed futures in which communities can thrive. Students learn how to plan and collaborate to prepare for diverse and cascading impacts of climate hazards. We explore the potential for games in climate education, focussing on The Heat Is On as a case study, and share initial learnings from its development and implementation in schools.

Mountainous regions host globally unique biodiversity, but face growing threats from climate and land-use change. The Alps stand out as a key mountain range in Europe, where the ski industry is extensive and impacts ecosystems and their associated biodiversity. However, climate change is projected to reduce natural snow precipitation, thus understanding snow dynamics and the ski industry’s role is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies. Ski-piste creation generally has detrimental consequences for mountain biodiversity, yet pistes often retain substantial snow throughout spring that, when melting, may create favourable foraging conditions for mountain birds. This study investigates whether ski-pistes provide suitable foraging habitat and explores their broader importance for mountain avifauna. Field surveys in spring 2023 in the western Italian Alps recorded 17 bird species using the melting snow on ski-pistes as a foraging habitat. Snow presence was a significant factor influencing bird presence. Birds systematically selected areas with intermediate snow cover interspersed with muddy patches, a microhabitat that likely has a high availability of invertebrate prey emerging from the soil. Given that snow is retained on ski-pistes for longer than on the surrounding habitat, the pistes may represent a useful source of food for mountain birds in spring. However, this needs to be considered in relation to the negative impacts of skiing on alpine biodiversity, which may include a likely increased reliance on artificial snow in response to the projected decline in natural snow precipitation under climate change. Understanding these effects is essential to ensure that future conservation strategies support mountain bird communities without exacerbating the environmental costs associated with artificial snow production.

Theories of liberal justice depend upon ideas of how much we can expect ordinary people to be motivated by the moral interests of others; there are limits to the motivational power of such notions as altruism and sympathy. This means, however, that the theories of justice we have may have difficulty in understanding how to rightly respond to the moral claims that might emerge in the face of widespread migration in response to climate change. This essay argues that liberal states may face a dilemma in response to this migration—one in which a state must do what cannot be justified toward either the migratory or the sedentary. This claim, further, might represent a new site of intergenerational injustice, in which future generations are given political problems to which our best theories of political justice can provide little assistance.

Climate change can lead to increased pest migration and more frequent outbreaks by altering pest life cycles and habitats. Farmers facing increased temperatures or rainfall resort to more pesticides, emphasizing the need for adaptive pest management. This article evaluates the economic benefits of farmer networks for pest management by applying an economic model of social learning to a pilot network in Iowa. Our results show significant variation in the network’s effectiveness. We find that networks are particularly valuable for farmers facing high pest infestation risks, offering over $300 per acre in value against the impacts of extreme heat.1

The global food system puts enormous pressure on the environment. Managing these pressures requires understanding not only where they occur (i.e., where food is produced), but also who drives them (i.e., where food is consumed). However, the size and complexity of global supply chains make it difficult to trace food production to consumption. Here, we provide the most comprehensive dataset of bilateral trade flows of environmental pressures stemming from food production from producing to consuming nations. The dataset provides environmental pressures for greenhouse gas emissions, water use, nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, and the area of land/water occupancy of food production for crops and animals from land, freshwater, and ocean systems. To produce these data, we improved upon reported food trade and production data to identify producing and consuming nations for each food item, allowing us to match food flows with appropriate environmental pressure data. These data provide a resource for research on sustainable global food consumption and the drivers of environmental impact.

This study examined the impact of a short-term climate literacy (CL) course on pre-service teachers (PSTs) at a local college in Israel. Thirty-six science and communication PSTs participated. Using a mixed methods approach, pre and post-course questionnaires and assignment responses showed significant improvements in climate change knowledge and environmentally responsible behaviour (ERB) after the course. PSTs’ attitudes were key predictors of their ERB. The qualitative analysis supported these findings, revealing that the participants who were able to express complex climate knowledge also intended to reflect more environmentally responsible behaviour. 52.2% of participants with complex climate knowledge used diverse knowledge types to express ideas, reflecting a real commitment to environmental attitudes and personal behaviour. While 65% raised climate awareness within their families, only 33% discussed it, during their practicum, with students. Overall, the course significantly enhanced PSTs’ climate literacy in knowledge, attitudes and behaviour, even as a limited workshop. According to the findings, courses that promote climate literacy are necessary. The findings of this study indicate that a well-established short-term intervention may affect participants regarding a significant issue like climate change.

Fruit growth is driven by the interaction of environmental cues and phytohormonal signals. Biophysical models have captured the general trend of fruit growth but often overlook the regulatory role of phytohormones. This study integrates a biophysical framework with the quantitative response of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) in fruit. ABA dynamics are incorporated as a ripening signal, influencing sugar uptake, respiration, hydraulic conductance and transpiration processes. The model has been primarily tested on blueberries, a fruit with well-characterised ABA responses. Simulations show predictive accuracy and explanatory capability for fruit mass under variable climatic conditions. Notably, the model effectively simulates the impacts of environmental stresses such as heat, cold and drought, capturing the resulting physiological delays in fruit growth. Our research underscores the potential of integrating phytohormonal responses into biophysical models, providing key insights into fruit growth dynamics and practical guidance for optimising crop management under increasing climate uncertainties.

Plastics and climate change are inseparable issues, both materially and geopolitically. Plastics are derived almost entirely from fossil fuels and have an enormous greenhouse gas footprint. Aligning with the Paris Agreement requires rapid, dramatic decreases in plastic production, contravening the industry’s plans to continue expanding production. The oil, gas and petrochemical industry wields substantial power in both the climate and plastics treaty negotiations and has used that power to stymie progress in both. Rather than repeat the failures of the climate negotiations, plastics negotiators should seek to create a “plastics club” for ambitious action.

This article explores the potentials of intergenerational collaboration as a long-term research strategy for shifting social and political imaginaries around climate change. It brings together academics and youth researchers who began working together on the Climate Change and Me project in 2014, along with colleagues who joined them for a public panel, book launch and exhibition ten years later. Climate Change and Me was the first large-scale study of climate change education applying a child- and youth-framed methodology, and has led to numerous exhibitions, curriculum resources, digital platforms, and publications co-created with children and young people. This article gives voice to young people’s reflections on the impact of their involvement with this project a decade on, drawing on the transcript of a public panel conversation at the Design Hub Gallery in Naarm (Melbourne). It explores how young people’s early experiences as child researchers have intersected with political, social and educational change across time, while opening new conversations with intergenerational colleagues working in related areas of climate justice education, activism and research.