Climate Crisis Research Articles

Football on the frontlines: the unjust burden of the climate crisis on Pacific Island nations

ABSTRACT Oceania is a region which contributes little to anthropogenic causes of climate change yet bears many of its most immediate burdens. This can be demonstrated through football in the region as several member associations of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) are threatened by rising sea levels, floods, heat and other climate harms while lacking the organisational capacity to adapt to climate change. Using a climate justice lens to understand this disparity, this study provides a climate impact assessment to the OFC and its member associations. Focus groups and interviews with key stakeholders were used to assess organisational climate capacity with a goal of addressing the climate changed future of football in this region. Findings suggest all member associations are at risk of high heat and coastal flooding while others may face heavy rains and wildfires. Member associations are highly aware of their climate risks but lack many of the organisational resources necessary to adapt. This inherently demonstrates the injustice faced by this region as it is an immediate victim of climate change.

Effect of a portion-size default nudge on meat consumption and diner satisfaction: controlled experiments in Stanford University dining halls

Reducing meat consumption, especially in high-intake countries such as the United States, is crucial in mitigating the climate and biodiversity crises and improving public health and animal welfare. Choice-architecture interventions or nudges in the food domain, such as choice defaults (e.g., reduced default portion sizes), can be powerful levers of behavior change. However, evidence remains limited in large-scale, real-life settings, and little is known about potential effects on diner satisfaction and backfiring effects that reduce or even reverse the desired behavior. These uncertainties have posed substantial barriers to scalability and wider adoption by the food service industry. In our single-blinded, quasi-experimental, pre-registered field interventions in Stanford University dining halls with staff-served portions, a 25% reduction in the serving spoon size (Study 1, 24 days, 364 diners, made-to-order burritos) produced a non-significant trend of 18% less meat served per day without reducing overall diner satisfaction (p = 0.059, d = 0.64) but with a wide CI that included the null (- 49.2, 1.07). A more substantial 50% reduction in serving spoon size (Study 2, 29 days, 1802 diners, varying menu items) did not reduce the amount of meat served (p = 0.60, d = 0.20), triggered backfiring effects, and significantly decreased diner satisfaction. Combining the two studies, the intervention did not significantly reduce meat consumption. While the trends in our findings are consistent with the ‘norm range model’—i.e., that moderate portion reductions may decrease intake but drastic reductions may prompt compensatory eating—key differences and contextual nuances between the two studies help explain the mixed results. Future studies on the ‘norm range’ of default portion size nudges to reduce meat consumption across different menu items and food service models is suggested to increase our understanding of effective and scalable interventions that facilitate collective shifts towards more sustainable dietary behaviors.

Reimagining Ecofeminism: Religious Hermeneutics and Ecotheology as Conceptual Tools for Intergenerational Climate Ethics

The climate crisis is now a defining challenge of the Anthropocene era, underscoring humanity’s profound impact on Earth’s ecosystems and the ethical responsibilities that accompany this influence. This paper explores how religious and philosophical frameworks can provide transformative approaches to the climate crisis, particularly through the lens of intergenerational ethics. Ecofeminism critiques humanity’s exploitative relationship with nature, advocating for an ethos of respect and intrinsic appreciation—a perspective that has evolved into fourth wave feminism, embracing digital activism and intersectionality. Similarly, Pope Francis’ ecotheology calls for a “conversion of heart” that redefines humanity’s relationship with the environment, urging us to view nature not as a mere resource for exploitation but as a fraternal partner deserving of care and respect. Hans-Georg Gadamer’s “hermeneutics of appreciation” further complements this perspective by demonstrating how language and dialogue shape our attitudes and behaviors toward nature. Moreover, contemporary ecofeminist voices have exemplified how historical insights are extended through modern, intergenerational climate justice initiatives. By integrating ecofeminism, Gadamerian hermeneutics, and Pope Francis’ ecotheology, this paper proposes a comprehensive framework for addressing the ethical, spiritual, and philosophical dimensions of the climate crisis. It emphasizes the need for a fraternal and inclusive relationship with nature, aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 13 on climate action. This interdisciplinary approach contributes to the scholarly discourse on religion, spirituality, and sustainability, offering novel insights for meaningful ecological change in a rapidly evolving global context.

Beyond Entertainment and Philosophy: Climate Crisis and Social Responsibility in Eason Chan's "Fear and Dreams" Concert

Eason Chan's "Fear and Dreams" tour has become an immersive experience that combines philosophical reflection and visual art in the context of the increasingly severe global climate crisis. In recent years, extreme weather events have become more frequent, and the threat of climate change has become more pronounced, especially in 2025, with numerous unusual phenomena, further sounding the alarm for environmental protection. Against this backdrop, the concert, through meticulously designed stage elements and music, explores the fears and dreams within the human heart while profoundly reflecting on environmental issues. The stage design, combining light and shadow, installations, and projections, presents both the crisis and hope brought about by climate change, symbolizing the deterioration of the natural environment and the urgent need for ecological protection. The performance not only conveys emotions through music but also strengthens the spread of environmental protection ideas through visual expression, awakening the audience's awareness and action regarding climate change. This performance provides an innovative example of combining art and environmental protection, showcasing the unique power of art in enhancing social consciousness and promoting the integration of culture and ecological protection, offering important insights for future cultural dissemination and environmental protection.

Arts-based approaches to evaluating impact: a case study of youth perspectives towards Smart Local Energy Systems

ABSTRACT The need for citizen voice in policy feedback operations is increasingly recognised amongst policymakers. As the climate crisis becomes more urgent, young people are often excluded from conversations about energy policy that will affect their future ways of living. This article presents an example of an innovative methodological approach to evaluating young peoples’ involvement in policymaking feedback processes based on the discoveries made during a performance-based practice research case study. Referring to previous working models, reflections are offered about how Evaluative Performance can be used in valuing young peoples’ responses to new innovations in Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES). This article makes three key claims: Evaluative Performance as a method and approach can provide insight into how a group of young people, whilst acting as consultants, might respond to energy policy innovations such as SLES; understandings of the wider affordances of arts-based approaches within an experimental evaluative context mean they have potential applications beyond the cultural sector; and Evaluative Performance can facilitate understandings of how staging and directorial choices impact theatre audiences’ experience of the ‘real’ and (re)presented words of research participants.

GREEN SPORTS PRODUCT CONSUMPTION

The escalating climate crisis over the past decades has increasingly impacted the sports sector, particularly the activities of sports equipment and sportswear manufacturing companies. Globally, companies striving to meet the growing consumer demand and expectations are causingsignificant environmental impact through the mass production of sports goods and apparel. This impact manifests in extensive waste generation, CO2 emissions, the release of harmful chemicals, wastewater discharge, excessive water and energy consumption, and the relentless exploitation of natural and fossil resources.In recent years, a shift has gained momentum, aiming to promote sustainable economic and socialpractices, with an increasing number of sports equipment and sportswear manufacturers joining thismovement. The sportswear industry has a significant impact on both social and natural environments, making it inevitable for companies to take radical steps to reduce their ecological footprint. For years, several international manufacturers have been implementing numerous sustainability initiatives, striving to adopt water- and energy-efficient, CO2- and waste-reducing manufacturing methods and processes to minimize the environmental impact of their products. These efforts are aimed at making the world a better place for people and the planet, standing up for important social issues, and ensuring fair and ethical working conditions for their employees.The demand for green sports product consumption is gaining increasing popularity, particularly abroad, leading to noticeable transformations and developments. Consumers are increasingly favoring conscious, responsible consumption, reflected in the growing demand for clothing made from organic cotton, bio-based materials, and sustainable, recycled materials. Moreover, they are paying more attention to ensuring that the sports products they purchase are produced with minimal environmental impact and ethical manufacturing practices. Sports equipment and sportswear manufacturing companies are adapting to these changing consumer trends by offering a broader and more diverse range of eco-friendly sports products, equipment, and apparel to meet the growing interest in environmentally responsible options.The aim of this study is to examine consumer behavior and attitudes regarding the purchase of sustainably produced sports products, equipment, and apparel, using a population survey. The survey investigated consumer demands, preferences, motivations, and awareness related to green sports products, as well as the factors influencing purchasing and payment willingness and decisions for sustainably produced goods.

Assessing Environmental Health and Hygiene: A Study of Public Restroom Conditions at the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympics

Background: We explored the perceptions, value, and social visibility of public toilets by comparing the implementation of public restrooms at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. We specifically examined how sociocultural factors influenced restroom policies and development. Methods: We conducted a survey of the history of public toilets as a form of public hygiene management in Japan and France during the Olympics. The analyses compare Paris’s eco-friendly and Tokyo’s culture-oriented approaches. Results: The 2020 Tokyo Olympics demonstrated how public restrooms can promote cleanliness and hygiene. However, the 2024 Paris Olympics adopted a practical, eco-friendly approach in response to the climate crisis. Thus, the public restrooms in both cities provided novel examples of public health policies, integrating scientific and cultural perspectives. Conclusion: Although Tokyo successfully implemented its sanitation culture in its public restrooms, challenges related to sustainability remained. In Paris, the perceptions of public restrooms have not yet been fully addressed. Nevertheless, the innovative approaches of both cities are expected to yield constructive outcomes for the 2028 Games, demonstrating the future value of such policies.

From neologism to promising research agenda? The global polycrisis and IR

Over the past two decades, the frequency and intensity of global mega-shocks – such as the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, record levels of forced migration, and the crisis of multilateralism – have increased markedly. In this context, the term ‘polycrisis’ has gained growing prominence. While rooted in complexity theory, the concept remains underexplored and underutilized within International Relations (IR) scholarship. This article examines the analytical value of the polycrisis perspective and identifies necessary refinements to enhance its utility. The discussion begins by introducing the concept, defining its core characteristics, and evaluating its analytical contributions. Empirically, the article applies the polycrisis framework to analyze shifts in the global order and the war in Ukraine, a contemporary crisis with significant polycrisis links. The findings suggest that while the polycrisis concept provides a valuable complexity-driven lens to enrich IR analysis, its foundational theoretical assumptions often require modification. Drawing on the notion of restricted complexity, the article proposes adjustments to strengthen the theoretical coherence and practical applicability of the polycrisis framework in IR.

Reconsidering Time, Space and Subjectivity: Freedom to Stay and the Refrains of Institutional Psychotherapy RedeckerEva vonBleibefreiheitFrankfurt am Main: S. Fischer Verlag, 2023, 160 pp. ISBN: 978-3103974997

This article highlights the importance of the concept of ‘freedom to stay’ ( Bleibefreiheit ) as developed by philosopher Eva von Redecker, facing the accelerated climate crisis, the unbroken dynamics of capitalism, and the growing right-wing extremism. ‘Freedom to stay’ means the ecological autonomy to remain in places that allow for the collective production of critical subjectivity. While von Redecker unfolds this concept in dialogue with feminism and critical theory (from Simone de Beauvoir and Hannah Arendt to Rahel Jaeggi), the present article highlights the importance in this context of ‘vitalist Marxism’ in the sense of Georges Canguilhem and Gilles Deleuze, as well as institutional psychotherapy in the sense of Jean Oury and Félix Guattari. Only when the ‘fullness of time’ von Redecker invokes so elegantly is explicitly linked to the institutional struggles for social time can discourses about the ‘freedom to stay’ become crucially convincing.

Promoting individual and collective pro-environmental behaviors: The role of Sense of Responsible Togetherness and Sense of Community

Climate crisis represents a challenge for modern communities to be addressed through both individual and collective pro-environmental behaviors (PEB). Therefore, the present study proposes a theoretical model of community-related assets that may promote citizens’ engagement in pro-environmental collective and individual PEB. 427 Italian citizens answered an online questionnaire detecting their Sense of Responsible Togetherness (SoRT), Sense of Community (SoC), pro-environmental Civic Engagement Behaviors (CEB), individual PEB, and interest in collective initiatives about the use of renewable energy sources. A multiple sequential mediation model was run using Structural Equation Modeling. The results suggest that SoRT fosters active engagement in pro-environmental collective actions, up to supporting individual PEB. Conversely, a paradoxical effect emerges as to SoC as a disengagement trigger for both individual and collective PEB. Therefore, promoting feelings of responsibility toward one’s community may represent a more effective resource than enhancing individuals’ affective bond to it to address the climate crisis.

Mapping food businesses with regenerative potential in the Amazon and Central American Dry Corridor

The global food system plays a pivotal role in environmental challenges, being a major contributor to climate change, the primary driver of tropical deforestation, and responsible for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. In response to these challenges, a regenerative approach to food businesses has emerged as a promising framework for driving environmental change and addressing the climate crisis. However, there is a gap in information across Latin America regarding the number, location, and activities of food businesses adopting a regenerative approach, hindering a better understanding of this trend and limiting its potential support in the region. This article presents the results of a mapping effort using specific criteria and analytical frameworks to build a better understanding of how regenerative food business models are evolving in Latin America. The mapping was conducted across six countries in the Central American Dry Corridor and five in the Amazon Biome. The process involved using the Google search engine with 77 keyword combinations, complemented by information from 50 key informant interviews. A total of 181 businesses with a potentially regenerative focus were identified. Of these, 64 were explicitly using the term “regenerative,” with its usage being more prevalent in the Central American Dry Corridor than in the Amazon. Notably, businesses using the term were non-associative enterprises. In contrast, associative enterprises such as cooperatives and associations, although not employing the term “regenerative,” played a critical role in socio-cultural and environmental conservation of territories, particularly when led by indigenous or other local traditional populations. Furthermore, the participation of women in leading these businesses was higher than in other traditional businesses, though it still reflected global gender imbalances in leadership positions compared to men. This study provides one of the first comprehensive mappings of regenerative food businesses in the Amazon and CADC, offering valuable data from Latin America. The findings reveal the distribution, characteristics, and diverse ways businesses engage with regenerative practices, underscoring the need for further research beyond the explicit “regenerative” term to fully capture the scope of initiatives driving socio-environmental transformation in the region.

Revisiting agroecological transitions in Rwanda a decade later: the role of local knowledge in understanding the crop diversity–food security–land degradation nexus

The challenge of achieving food security amidst broken food systems, the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, degrading land, and growing social inequity remains a critical development priority in alignment with the Vision 2030 agenda. While crop diversification is a cornerstone of agroecological transitions and food security, global food systems have often overlooked its potential, largely due to insufficient local participation and the reliance on blanket policies unsuitable for heterogeneous contexts. This article revisits agroecological transitions in Western Rwanda a decade after data collection, assessing the enduring relevance of local knowledge in understanding the crop diversity–food security–land degradation nexus. Using a systematic knowledge-based approach (AKT5), data were collected from 150 smallholder farmers through a Paired Catchment Assessment. Findings from the 1995–2015 period revealed a decline or disappearance of “low-value” crops, driven by the Crop Intensification Program (76%), land shortages (55%), and abandonment of slow-growing crops (49%). As a result, 83% of farmers reported food insecurity, primarily manifesting as seasonal food shortages (51%). Perennial crops emerged as critical for bridging hunger gaps, while reduced crop diversity forced many farmers to rely on off-farm food sources. The original analysis identified seven agroecological principles integral to the crop diversity–food security nexus: soil health, biodiversity, synergy, economic diversification, social values and diets, co-creation of knowledge, and participation. These findings varied significantly by land degradation status, emphasizing the importance of context-specific solutions. This study also showed that farmers have become more dependent on sourcing food off-farm, with food produced on-farm supporting farmers for an average of 6.6 months annually in 2015 compared to 10.1 months in 1995. This underpins the need to leverage ecological rather than administrative boundaries, ensuring connectivity within food systems, and fostering equitable trade mechanisms for smallholder farmers if agroecological transitions are to be realized. A decade later, the findings of this study were reflected upon and validated through recent literature, which underpins the validity of local knowledge in understanding of agroecological transitions. This advocates for stronger integration of local knowledge, stakeholder collaboration to promote the co-design of tailored context-appropriate, inclusive, and sustainable policy frameworks to foster sustainable food systems across scales.

South–South cooperation: What can we learn from South–South security cooperation?

Abstract To solve contemporary humanitarian, poverty, and climate crises we need to involve new or more actors and come up with innovative forms of collaborations, partnerships, finance, and solutions adapted to local circumstances. This is one of many reasons for growing interest in South–South security cooperation (SSSC). This concluding article seeks to draw parallels between the growing literature on SSSC and the broader body of literature on South–South cooperation to explore how and to what extent they enrich each other and further our understanding of South–South engagements. The article highlights the heterogeneous and relational nature of SSSC and points to a two-speed global South where larger, (geo)politically more potent and richer countries in the global South assist or export models to, or intervene in, smaller, politically and economically less powerful states. It also highlights internal power dynamics in the global South and carves out the complex ways in which traditional, historically informed power relations also affect the actions of Southern actors.

Shedding light on land use change for solar farms

Abstract To address the climate and ecological crises, land-based mitigation efforts are required, with the deployment of renewable energy infrastructure playing a significant role. Land use change for solar farms has been rapidly accelerating worldwide and this is projected to continue. Quantifying historic land use change for solar farms is essential to provide a robust evidence base given growing concerns around land use competition and to reliably estimate the land required for projected solar photovoltaic energy developments. Using the UK as a study nation, we quantify land take for solar farms over time and space, grounded in spatial solar farm, land cover and agricultural land classification datasets. Specifically, we resolve uncertainties around how much land has been converted to solar farms across the UK, estimate land use change for solar farms on high grade agricultural land and project further land take for a range of solar photovoltaic deployment targets. We show that solar farms occupy around 0.06 – 0.07% of the total UK land area and most land for solar farms was previously agricultural land, with around 65% arable and 30% improved grassland. To meet the most ambitious solar photovoltaic targets, up to 0.72% of the UK land area may need to host solar farms by 2050. Future land pressures could be eased through multiple land use options, such as combining agriculture and solar farm deployment or embedding biodiversity conservation within solar farms, but this will rely on the development of appropriate policies and industry motivation.

Diversity of public attitudes regarding the impact of wind energy facilities on landscapes: A photo Q-methodology approach.

Diversity of public attitudes regarding the impact of wind energy facilities on landscapes: A photo Q-methodology approach.

The Influence of Green Human Resource Management Practices on Millennial Turnover Intentions in Shanghai, China

This research investigates how four essential Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices—Green Recruitment and Selection, Green Training, Green Involvement, and Green Rewards—influence the turnover intentions of millennial employees in Shanghai, China. Data were collected from 393 millennial employees in Shanghai through a questionnaire survey and analyzed using SmartPLS 4. The findings indicate that each of these GHRM practices significantly reduces employees' turnover intentions. Additionally, green rewards indirectly decrease turnover intentions through the serial mediation of employee engagement and job satisfaction, highlighting the effectiveness of green rewards in reducing turnover rates among millennials in Shanghai. Amid the global climate crisis, companies must balance environmental responsibility with reducing millennial turnover. This study explores how GHRM practices impact millennial employee behavior and turnover intentions in Shanghai, offering practical recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and academics, and addressing a gap in current research.

Food security challenges and adaptation strategies in china amidst global climate change

Abstract In recent years, the urgent issue of how climate change affects food security has emerged as a significant concern. This paper highlights the complex interplay between food security and global climate change by examining the role of climate change in the food system, the interrelationship between food security and global climate change, and adaptation strategies to address these challenges. With a comprehensive analysis focused on China, this study systematically examines the complex dynamics linking food security and global climate change. The findings reveal important insights: (1) Global climate change is exacerbating insecurity in the food system and increasing its impact on Chinese food production; (2) Food demand emerges as the main driver of global climate change, while redistribution of food production factors exacerbates the climate crisis. (3) A synergistic and sustainable response can be achieved through a multi-pronged approach to addressing global climate change while ensuring food security and micro level, resilience. To effectively combat global climate change and ensure food security, this study highlights the critical importance of using micro-technologies for grain storage, prioritizing ecological building, pursuing a market-based approach at the macro level, and improving the food policy framework. In the context of global climate change, this study argues for a paradigm shift in food security research and a transition from a singular disciplinary, dimensional, and resource-centered approach to a multidisciplinary, multifactorial, and systematic integration of research. This transformative approach aims to promote a low-carbon and efficient food system that’s resilient to the challenges of global climate change.

Urgent transition, urgent extraction? Global decarbonization, national governance, and local impacts in the Indonesian nickel industry

Abstract The shift to low-carbon societies will require large amounts of energy transition materials for batteries to support intermittent renewable energy generation. While this energy transition is still at an early phase, the risks of negative social and environmental impacts associated with the extraction of these materials are becoming increasingly apparent. The challenges associated with resource extraction are well documented. However, there are significant gaps in knowledge about how the energy transition reconfigures natural resource governance and how this shapes impacts from resource extraction. This knowledge is critical for understanding the full impact of transition policies, and for identifying opportunities for, and barriers, to more sustainable and just extractive practices. We contribute to addressing this gap by exploring how Indonesian nickel governance has been reconfigured and centralized in the context of early energy transition efforts, and examining the social and environmental impacts this is having in Sulawesi, Indonesia, one of the largest nickel production areas in the world. Drawing on 88 interviews and six focus group discussions with key stakeholders, we show that while this centralization has enabled a 14-fold increase in extraction rates over a 10 year period, it has also resulted in a series of well-known negative social and environmental impacts that degrade important ecosystem services and threaten health, livelihoods, and ways of life. Importantly, these impacts are exacerbated by the rapidly shrinking political space for local participation caused by the centralization of nickel governance, highlighting the tension between urgency in up-scaling extraction of energy transition materials and undertaking a just low-carbon transition. Reflecting and addressing this tension will be essential to designing policies that can achieve just outcomes while successfully addressing the current nature and climate crisis.

A holistic assessment framework for marine carbon dioxide removal options

Abstract Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR) options could potentially play an important role in future CDR policy portfolios. They include, for example, ocean alkalinity enhancement, blue carbon projects such as mangrove cultivation, as well as sub-seabed storage of captured atmospheric CO2. We present a novel assessment framework designed for mCDR options. The framework provides important conceptual advancements to existing frameworks currently used to assess climate options: It clearly distinguishes between and allows for the assessment of both the feasibility and desirability of mCDR options, it makes explicit the evaluative standards upon which the assessment is based and it separates the descriptive listing of information from the evaluation of said information. The assessment framework aims to advance the debate on what role mCDR can and should play in responding to the climate crisis by providing a tool for both policymakers and stakeholders to assess mCDR options in a transparent and comprehensive way.

At the Frontline of Climate Activism: An Ethnographic Exploration of the Gendered Dynamics Within Contemporary Climate Activist Movements in Ireland

Utilising a gender lens, this research explores the dynamics of contemporary climate activism in Ireland. A gendered analysis of climate activism can aid the development of novel understandings of how gender identity and relations inform approaches to tackling the climate crisis. Climate related disasters are increasing in severity and frequency at an alarming rate, resulting in the emergence of new climate movements on a global scale. Broadly, contemporary climate movements aim to hold governments and corporations accountable for climate catastrophe and have played a substantial role in the public push for governments globally to declare a climate emergency. Ethnographic observations followed by semi-structured interviews with members of contemporary climate movements are used to gain insight into how gender is embedded in climate movement identity, participation, and tactics. An ethnographic research approach aligns with previous research studies that commonly deploy ethnographic methods for the in-depth exploration of how gender informs environmental movement activism (Krauss, 1993; Kurtz, 2007; Bell and Braun, 2010; Willow and Keefer, 2015). This research incorporates visual ethnography through photo documentation of the props and banners used during demonstrations. Props and banners can be used by activists as a tool to frame the movements’ identity, motivations and demands and therefore visual documentation and analysis enriches data collection and findings. The theoretical underpinning of this research is informed by feminist interpretations of social movement research, providing a systematic analysis of how social movements are gendered (Kuumba, 2001; Einwohner et al.,2000). This theoretical synthesis combines new social movement theory with ecofeminist theory to develop a distinct gendered analysis of contemporary climate activism.