The next phase of climate attribution
Attribution science has transformed our understanding of how anthropogenic emissions shape extreme weather events, yet the field remains constrained by repeatedly demonstrating anthropogenic influence. We propose a normative shift that acknowledges the scientific consensus that anthropogenic climate change has fundamentally altered the atmosphere-ocean system. Incorporating this normative shift into how we design and conduct attribution science will be key for combatting climate disinformation and advancing climate justice.
Authors
- J. Reyes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3432-9731)
- Noah Walker-Crawford (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1467-2348)
- Christopher W. Callahan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8819-9442)
- Marc J. Alessi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5400-008X)
- Joyce Kimutai (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9066-5975)
- Erika Spanger (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2907-8322)
- L. Delta Merner
- Carly A. Phillips
Institutions
- Union of Concerned Scientists (US)
- Kenya Wildlife Service (KE)
- Indiana University Bloomington (US)
- Imperial College London (GB)
- London School of Economics and Political Science (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Climate Action
- Published
- 2026-09-25
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44168-026-00432-9
- Primary Topic
- Climate Change Communication and Perception
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00