Professor John Smol of Queen's University has been awarded the prestigious Mohn Prize for 2026 for his groundbreaking research on environmental changes in the Arctic. Recognised for his leadership in palaeoecological studies, Smol has developed innovative tools to measure long-term changes in Arctic freshwater ecosystems, including the impacts of pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. With over 700 scientific articles, 24 books, and numerous accolades, including being named an Officer of the Order of Canada, Smol is a leading figure in Arctic research. The award will be presented during Arctic Frontiers in Tromsø in February 2026, where Smol will also participate in discussions and seminars.

A recent study by the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar and Northeastern University highlights how climate change impacts pollination systems in the tropics, Mediterranean, and temperate zones. Using climate projections and simulations across 11 ecological networks, the study indicates that tropical plant-pollinator systems exhibit the highest sensitivity to rising temperatures, while temperate species may cope better. Analysis of conservation strategies to support pollination systems across these regions indicates a failure of a one-size-fits-all template and suggests designing region-specific strategies to effectively protect biodiversity and pollination services in the face of future warming.

The largest annual meeting focused on weather, water, and climate sciences, the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) will be held 25–29 January, 2026, in Houston, Texas. 

Avenas has won first place in the Rhodium Ventures 2025 startup competition, organized by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem School of Business and Rhodium Ventures, in partnership with Earth & Beyond Ventures, Kyocera and the MAAYAN Student Foundation. The startup secured an investment commitment of up to NIS 6.5 million from the Earth & Beyond Ventures fund, subject to a due diligence process.

A new study highlights how Indigenous leadership, science and business can unite to protect coastal ecosystems while building long-term environmental and cultural knowledge. Published in Ocean & Coastal Management, the study found the 300 hectares of mangrove forest on the Barron River estuary around Cairns Airport – on the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef – stores more than 2,000 tonnes of carbon annually, making ongoing care and monitoring of these and other coastal wetlands important for slowing climate change.

UC Davis researchers analyzed 1.4 million truckloads of tomatoes to find that California’s $1 billion processing tomato industry likely will be able to withstand higher temperatures and traffic congestion.

Infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue, and tuberculosis are considered to pose as great a challenge to global health as new or emerging pathogens, according to a major international study led by the University of Oxford, commissioned by Wellcome.