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Climate and Environment: A Daily Junction Guide

Climate coverage connects physical science with the decisions that follow from it: energy, buildings, transport, food, nature, public health and adaptation. Daily Junction uses this guide to join reporting that may sit across the Environment, Science, Business and Politics desks.

Browse the coverage

• Climate change and environment — the main topic hubs.
• Energy — supply, prices, technology and policy.
• Net zero — targets, delivery, business changes and public debate.
• Environment section and Science section — reporting and explainers.
• Weather — current UK forecasts, separate from long-term climate trends.

Weather is not climate, but they are connected

Weather describes short-term conditions; climate describes patterns over longer periods. A single hot, cold, wet or dry event does not by itself prove or disprove a climate trend. Attribution research asks how warming changed the probability or intensity of a specific event, with uncertainty stated rather than hidden.

UK observations and warnings come from the Met Office, environmental data and regulation from bodies including the Environment Agency, and global assessments from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Energy statistics and policy are published through GOV.UK.

Questions to ask of a climate claim

1. Is the source measuring emissions, temperature, cost, capacity or a modelled scenario?
2. Is the comparison global, national or local?
3. What time period and baseline are being used?
4. Does the claim include the full system or only one stage?
5. Are uncertainty and trade-offs visible?

Next: Health and NHS guide · UK politics guide · All topic guides