Another New Study Links Modern and Past Global Warming to Natural Changes in Cloud Clover, Not CO2

Cloud cover changes are a “top-down dynamical driver” of Earth’s climate.

A July 2026 Environmental Research Letters paper authored by Bellocchi et al. attributes ~80% of the rise in Earth’s absorbed solar radiation since 2000 to declining high-reflectivity cloud cover, primarily from circulation-driven contraction of storm-cloud zones.

The study highlights the climate’s “albedo governance,” suggesting a 1% shift in Earth’s albedo corresponds to a 1°C surface temperature change.

With more cloud cover, more solar radiation is reflected and the surface cools. With declining cloud albedo, which has been observed since 1980, less solar radiation is reflected and the surface warms.

Cloud cover changes are driven by natural atmospheric circulation modes and internal variability. This is supported by reconstruction data showing cloud cover decline has for centuries occurred independently from “greenhouse-gas forcing.”

Image Source: Bellochi et al., 2026

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8 Comments

stevekj

August 13, 2026 6:07 am

“Cloud clover” ?

Scissor

Reply to stevekj

August 13, 2026 6:48 am

I was thinking el falfa will give us lots of snow this winter. In any case, it’s a beautiful cool morning here in Boulder, great for a brisk walk.

Sweet Old Bob

August 13, 2026 6:07 am

Poor Beet on .

This ruins his day.

😉

;

-1

Scissor

Reply to Sweet Old Bob

August 13, 2026 6:58 am

Sadly, as a PhD scientist at a leading environmental institution, I must admit that there are scientists here that are as delusional as Warren. Nevertheless, there are some, like myself, who keep a low profile so as not to get our heads chopped off like a few too honest former colleagues. Still, we plant seeds of truth.

I must say that anyone who believes that consensus carries any weight in a scientific argument is just an idiot. (Enter smart guy to prove this point.) Scientist get paid to publish. They won’t get paid for long if they stray too far from the reservation.

enginer01

August 13, 2026 6:20 am

I mention Svensmark’s recent firing as the last gasp of “it ain’t the clouds/sun” position in Europe.
Willis has mentioned activity in the Equatorial Convergence Zone as a marker of cloud activity

LT3

August 13, 2026 6:25 am

It’s easy to be wrong in this game, but 80% of the SO2 emissions removed from the global shipping fleet starting in 2015 correlates with multiple metrics.

Nicholas Schroeder

August 13, 2026 6:27 am

The elliptical orbit = +/- 41 W/m^2.
The 100 W/m^2 30% albedo uncertainty = 11 W/m^2.
The tilted axis summer to winter = 700 W/m^2.
Together these decide the climate.
1750 to 2011 2 W/m^2 runs nada.

strativarius

August 13, 2026 6:57 am

Guess what the models don’t actually model? Clouds (and plenty more, besides)

Cloud properties and their projected changes in CMIP models with low to high climate sensitivity

a realistic representation of clouds remains challenging.
Projected changes in the cloud properties in future scenario simulations are analyzed by the ECS group.
…
In order to investigate the sensitivity of cloud parameters simulated by the three ECS groups to future warming, we compare the changes in selected cloud properties and cloud radiative effects in future simulations from each group.

There isn’t a cat in hell’s chance that the alarmo-establishment is going to give up demonising Carbon dioxide. The Met Office told me so. The money involved is more than eye watering.