To mitigate glacier melt, artificial covering methods, such as high-albedo geotextiles, have been employed, primarily in small-scale applications like ski resorts. However, their effectiveness and feasibility at larger scales remain poorly understood. This study simulates how full-coverage of glaciers with geotextiles influences mass balance across individual glacier (Urumqi Glacier No.1, UGN1) and the entire watershed of the Urumqi River in the Tianshan Mountains, combining the COupled Snowpack and Ice surface energy and mass-balance model in PYthon (COSIPY) simulations with long-term observational data covering the period 1988–2018. Modeling results indicate that, under idealized covering scenarios simulated for the period 1988‒2018, geotextiles could substantially reduce glacier ablation, with a simulated reduction of 28% at the UGN1 and 35% at the basin scale. These simulations assume continuous coverage with high-albedo geotextiles (albedo = 0.70) under present-day climatic conditions, without accounting for seasonal removal or material degradation. The simulated mitigation effect varies across sub-basins, with reductions ranging from 23%‒42%, influenced by local climatic and topographic conditions. Sensitivity analyses reveal that a 10% increase in geotextile albedo improved the simulated melt reduction by up to 48% at the basin scale, while a 10% decrease still retained a 20% mitigation effect at the glacier scale. Despite these benefits, large-scale deployment faces prohibitive economic costs, logistical challenges, and environmental risks. This study highlights the need for an integrated, multi-scale approach that combines global decarbonization efforts with targeted, science-based local interventions, rather than relying solely on artificial coverings. These findings provide a scientific basis for policymakers to balance immediate protective measures with long-term climate mitigation strategies.

Extratropical cyclones (ECs), crucial drivers of midlatitude precipitation, play an important role in shaping the surface mass balance (SMB) of the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS). However, the influence of global warming on the change of EC’s contribution to the SMB remains uncertain. Through a series of idealized simulations involving increased sea surface temperatures and reduced AIS surface elevations, this study reveals that warming tends to shift ECs poleward. This shift amplifies cyclone track density around the AIS, leading to enhanced EC-induced precipitation, predominantly as snow. This additional snowfall offsets some AIS melting induced by warming. Yet, as surface temperatures rise, particularly during the austral summer with reduced AIS elevations, the protective effect diminishes due to increased runoff and rainfall when AIS elevation decreases to 25% of its original height. These findings illuminate the dual role of ECs in moderating and exacerbating AIS mass loss under future warming scenarios, offering critical insights into their impact on the AIS's long-term evolution.

Existing studies have not characterized the temporal patterns and underlying drivers of temperature-related mortality across Chinese provinces. We utilized data from the Global Burden of Diseases Study (GBD) 2021 to analyze the tempo-spatial changes in mortality burden attributed to low and high temperatures from 1990 to 2021 and employed a random forest regression model to investigate the impact of socio-economic and demographic factors on these changes. We found that total deaths attributable to non-optimal temperatures rose from 0.376 million in 1990 to 0.589 million in 2021, of which 0.542 million were cold-related and 0.049 million heat-related, while males and those aged 70+ years bore disproportionately higher burdens. Nevertheless, age-standardized mortality due to non-optimal temperatures declined by 50.8% (95% uncertainty interval (UI): 40.8, 58.5), with cold- and heat-related mortality decreasing by 51.8% (95% UI: 42.5, 59.8) and 35.5% (95% UI: 0.7, 56.0), respectively. Eastern China, notably Shanghai, exhibited the most pronounced decline (−61.0%, 95% UI: −70.4, −49.5). In addition, we identified GDP, air-conditioner ownership per 100 households, sex ratio, and health facilities as primary drivers of the cold-related mortality, whereas air-conditioner ownership per 100 households and medical-bed availability per 10,000 persons chiefly influenced heat-related trends. Our findings underscore the importance to promote health equity and reduce regional disparities in temperature-related mortality burdens. Future strategies should focus on improving heat-health surveillance, expanding early warning and response systems, and implementing targeted adaptation measures for heat-vulnerable communities.