🥤 Climate Change Increases Sugar Intake

🥤 Climate Change Increases Sugar Intake

As the climate changes and temperatures warm, you’ll be more likely to reach for a sugary drink. Researchers found that sugar intake rises in the summer, and the spike in consumption is largely driven by consuming more sugary beverages like sodas, energy drinks, and sweetened juices. A recent study found that with each degree Celsius of warming, sugar consumption increased about 0.7 grams per day. As temperatures continue to rise across the United States, the average American could consume over a pound of additional sugar per year by 2100. That would be the equivalent of more than 4 billion cans of coke for the American population. Scientists are worried about the link between higher temperatures and higher sugar intakes due to the myriad of health issues that can stem from both impacts.

Alejandra Borunda, NPR

💦 Filtering Seawater to Help Overcome Water Shortages

The practice of desalination has been used in the Persian Gulf for decades with 65 of the 100 largest plants in the Persian Gulf region, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. But as droughts have intensified due to climate change, it is becoming a last-ditch solution for countries that depend on natural rainfall. Of the 100 largest plants planned or in the works, 63 are outside of the Persian Gulf. Algeria is planning nine and Egypt has three. Iraq recently signed a contract to build one of the world’s largest desalination facilities. Jordan, one of the most water-stressed countries on Earth, is planning a mega-plant and a 250 mile pipeline that would bring desalinated drinking water to its capitol. By 2031, Morocco will have four of the 10 largest facilities on Earth, with two supplying water directly to farms and the others to provide drinking water to cities.

Chico Harlan and Nada Talbi, The Washington Post

🌏 Third-Warmest Summer for Northern Hemisphere

New data analyzed by the Copernicus Climate Change Service shows that this summer, June to August 2025, was the third-warmest on record for the Northern Hemisphere, surpassed only by the two previous summers in 2024 and 2023. Globally, August 2025 was the third-warmest on record with an average surface air temperature of 61.88F. Average global sea surface temperatures between the latitudes of 60N and 60N was 69.48F, the third-highest value on record for August. Antarctic sea ice coverage in August was the third-lowest value on record. Scientists note that global air and sea surface temperatures fell short of record highs likely due to recent La Nina in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in a short-lived drop in global average temperatures. They warn that the decrease in global temperatures in likely only temporary and that human-caused greenhouse gas emissions will continue to fuel the long-term warming trend.

ABC News Climate Unit

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Check out the blogs from August:

• NEW FORECASTWATCH REPORT: Analysis of 2024 One-to-Five Day Out Forecasts

• Record Humidity in July for 18 States

• New BBC and Met Office Partnership

• Using Medical Technology to Improve Weather Forecasting