Chris Mooney
@chriscmooney.bsky.social
Climate journalist, teacher, professor of practice @uvaenvironment.bsky.social. Former WaPo climate writer. Views are my own. For my latest work: https://reportearth.substack.com/
13. For an archive of more charts like these, see here
! /end reportearth.substack.com/p/reporteart...
! /end reportearth.substack.com/p/reporteart...
ReportEarth chart archive
Since I began this Substack in March, I've been making lots of charts. Now they can all live in one place.
reportearth.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 3:03 PM
13. For an archive of more charts like these, see here
! /end reportearth.substack.com/p/reporteart...
! /end reportearth.substack.com/p/reporteart...
12. Further explanation in my latest Substack story here reportearth.substack.com/p/dont-bet-a...
Don't bet against physics
Don't be surprised by short term fluctuations in Earth systems as the planet warms. In the long term, heat is hard to overcome.
reportearth.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 3:02 PM
12. Further explanation in my latest Substack story here reportearth.substack.com/p/dont-bet-a...
11. But the scientific expectation remains the same: Warming will continue. That means the Earth, in the long run, will keep losing ice.
Don’t bet against physics.
Don’t bet against physics.
October 24, 2025 at 3:01 PM
11. But the scientific expectation remains the same: Warming will continue. That means the Earth, in the long run, will keep losing ice.
Don’t bet against physics.
Don’t bet against physics.
10. So what’s the upshot here?
Even with record global warmth, the planet’s ice regions do not necessarily march in lockstep. The whole system is very complex.
Even with record global warmth, the planet’s ice regions do not necessarily march in lockstep. The whole system is very complex.
October 24, 2025 at 3:00 PM
10. So what’s the upshot here?
Even with record global warmth, the planet’s ice regions do not necessarily march in lockstep. The whole system is very complex.
Even with record global warmth, the planet’s ice regions do not necessarily march in lockstep. The whole system is very complex.
9. Increasing snowfall appears to be behind this, and the new sea ice configuration could be at play in the overall weather situation. reportearth.substack.com/p/whats-happ...
What's happening in Antarctica
Is the massive southern continent really gaining ice? Or poised to lose massive amounts? Clearing up some stuff this week.
reportearth.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:59 PM
9. Increasing snowfall appears to be behind this, and the new sea ice configuration could be at play in the overall weather situation. reportearth.substack.com/p/whats-happ...
8. And this may be contributing to a surprising effect. Antarctic *grounded ice loss*, the kind that contributes to sea level rise, has also seemingly paused its decline, at least in the last few years.
October 24, 2025 at 2:58 PM
8. And this may be contributing to a surprising effect. Antarctic *grounded ice loss*, the kind that contributes to sea level rise, has also seemingly paused its decline, at least in the last few years.
7. Antarctic sea ice, in contrast, is clearly down lately, though this is a rather recent development.
October 24, 2025 at 2:57 PM
7. Antarctic sea ice, in contrast, is clearly down lately, though this is a rather recent development.
6. What’s up with that? Well, recent scientific papers suggest an ice “regime shift” happened in 2007 and also that, well, natural variability can do this, even on a warming Earth.
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
Regime Shift in Arctic Ocean Sea‐Ice Extent
A regime shift occurred in 2007 in the September Arctic sea-ice extent, from a downward trend (1979–2006) to no trend (2007–2024) The period of no trend is inconsistent with a linear model of dec...
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:56 PM
6. What’s up with that? Well, recent scientific papers suggest an ice “regime shift” happened in 2007 and also that, well, natural variability can do this, even on a warming Earth.
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
5. In fact, there is really not a downtrend in September, the month of lowest ice annual concentrations, between 2007 and the present.
October 24, 2025 at 2:55 PM
5. In fact, there is really not a downtrend in September, the month of lowest ice annual concentrations, between 2007 and the present.
4. But this September, Arctic sea ice extent was merely the 11th lowest on record (when considered on a monthly average basis, rather than when looking at the single lowest daily extent).
This is a bit surprising.
This is a bit surprising.
October 24, 2025 at 2:54 PM
4. But this September, Arctic sea ice extent was merely the 11th lowest on record (when considered on a monthly average basis, rather than when looking at the single lowest daily extent).
This is a bit surprising.
This is a bit surprising.
3. Start with sea ice. We’ve just seen another September, the month when sea ice peaks in the Antarctic and reaches its lowest annual point in the Arctic.
October 24, 2025 at 2:52 PM
3. Start with sea ice. We’ve just seen another September, the month when sea ice peaks in the Antarctic and reaches its lowest annual point in the Arctic.
2. But what is going on with the world's polar ice? It is a bit complicated.
October 24, 2025 at 2:51 PM
2. But what is going on with the world's polar ice? It is a bit complicated.
Next week, we’ll be learning about August 2025’s global temperatures. Stand by.
Again, all my charts are at the chart archive on Substack, here:
reportearth.substack.com/p/reporteart...
Again, all my charts are at the chart archive on Substack, here:
reportearth.substack.com/p/reporteart...
ReportEarth chart archive
Since I began this Substack in March, I've been making lots of charts. Now they can all live in one place.
reportearth.substack.com
September 5, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Next week, we’ll be learning about August 2025’s global temperatures. Stand by.
Again, all my charts are at the chart archive on Substack, here:
reportearth.substack.com/p/reporteart...
Again, all my charts are at the chart archive on Substack, here:
reportearth.substack.com/p/reporteart...
Here’s a chart that combines together newspaper jobs with other print publishing sectors, also now updated (though the most recent data are just a tiny stretch at the end)
September 5, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Here’s a chart that combines together newspaper jobs with other print publishing sectors, also now updated (though the most recent data are just a tiny stretch at the end)
And, newspaper jobs! Job levels are looking really flat in 2025. I continue to wonder if this will be the year where finally, we don’t see a significant loss. That would be unusual.
September 5, 2025 at 5:13 PM
And, newspaper jobs! Job levels are looking really flat in 2025. I continue to wonder if this will be the year where finally, we don’t see a significant loss. That would be unusual.
We also have new data on Arctic sea ice. It looks like August was the 7th lowest extent on record.
September 5, 2025 at 5:12 PM
We also have new data on Arctic sea ice. It looks like August was the 7th lowest extent on record.
And here's the U.S., where the decline is not quite so sharp, and there was a recent uptick in July, likely tied to coverage of the Texas floods
September 5, 2025 at 5:11 PM
And here's the U.S., where the decline is not quite so sharp, and there was a recent uptick in July, likely tied to coverage of the Texas floods
The change in the UK is particularly striking.
September 5, 2025 at 5:09 PM
The change in the UK is particularly striking.
First, what’s new: I took a look at climate change coverage around the world, and it shows an apparent downturn since the 2021 Glasgow COP in Western countries. Specifically, in Europe, North America, and Oceania. More discussion here
reportearth.substack.com/p/the-growin...
reportearth.substack.com/p/the-growin...
September 5, 2025 at 5:08 PM
First, what’s new: I took a look at climate change coverage around the world, and it shows an apparent downturn since the 2021 Glasgow COP in Western countries. Specifically, in Europe, North America, and Oceania. More discussion here
reportearth.substack.com/p/the-growin...
reportearth.substack.com/p/the-growin...