Climate Science Weekly — 2026-06-05

Key Research & Findings

Worst-Case Climate Scenario Shelved as "Implausible"

• Published in: Multiple peer-reviewed sources and UN climate bodies
• Key finding: International climate scientists have decided the RCP 8.5 (Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5) model is no longer useful for policy planning because it assumes implausibly high emissions pathways that no longer align with current global trajectories
• Why it matters: This represents a major recalibration of climate research priorities. Rather than studying increasingly unlikely catastrophic scenarios, scientists are now focusing modeling efforts on emission pathways that remain physically possible but still represent serious warming risks

1 sources

csmonitor.com

csmonitor.com

Sea Level Rise Accelerating Due to Ocean Warming and Melting Ice

• Published in: ScienceDaily (May 22, 2026)
• Key finding: Warming seawater is the biggest factor driving sea level rise, while melting glaciers and polar ice sheets are increasingly pouring more water into the oceans each year
• Why it matters: Scientists can now fully explain what's driving accelerating sea level rise, enabling better projections for coastal communities facing inundation risks

1 sources

sciencedaily.com

sciencedaily.com

Climate Data & Observations

NASA's temperature records confirm that the past three years represent the warmest period in at least 146 years of instrumental observations, underscoring the acceleration of global warming trends despite the scientific community's shift away from extreme scenario modeling.

Policy & Action

• SEC Proposes Rescission of Climate Disclosure Rules: The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a notice on June 3, 2026, proposing to rescind amendments requiring registrants to provide climate-related information in securities filings under both the Securities Act of 1933 and Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This move introduces regulatory uncertainty around corporate climate transparency in financial markets.

• Global Environment Facility Council Calls for Unified Climate Action: At the 71st Council Meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan (June 2, 2026), leaders emphasized that global environmental governance cannot afford fragmentation, signaling concerns about competing climate frameworks.

• UK Sets "Next Achievable and Pragmatic" Emissions Target: Britain has announced a new long-term emissions reduction target building on existing frameworks to encourage continued clean energy transition benefits for families and businesses.

What to Watch Next

• Upcoming Climate Conferences: Three COPs are converging simultaneously, requiring unified global coordination on climate action and fossil fuel transition mechanisms
• SEC Climate Rule Finalization: The proposed rescission of climate disclosure rules will enter a comment and review period, with potential legal challenges and industry responses expected
• Arctic Methane Emissions Monitoring: Azerbaijan's methane emissions assessments will continue tracking policy effectiveness in hydrocarbon-producing economies

Data Sources: NASA GISS, NOAA NCEI, Federal Register, Carbon Brief, ScienceDaily, CSMonitor