The article discusses the role of lakes as sentinels of climate change, highlighting their sensitivity and rapid response to climatic changes. Key response variables within lakes, such as water temperature, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and plankton composition, are identified as effective indicators of climate change. These variables reflect physical, chemical, and biological responses to climate, but their efficacy is influenced by regional climate, catchment characteristics, and lake mixing regimes. The complexity of lake ecosystems, including internal feedbacks and the influence of the catchment, poses challenges in interpreting these indicators. The paper also addresses the impact of confounding factors, such as eutrophication and acidification, on the detection of climate signals. Despite these challenges, lakes remain valuable sentinels due to their widespread distribution and ability to integrate information about changes in the catchment. The authors emphasize the importance of understanding the mechanisms linking climate variables to lake responses and the need for multiple indicators to capture the complexity of climate change effects.The article discusses the role of lakes as sentinels of climate change, highlighting their sensitivity and rapid response to climatic changes. Key response variables within lakes, such as water temperature, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and plankton composition, are identified as effective indicators of climate change. These variables reflect physical, chemical, and biological responses to climate, but their efficacy is influenced by regional climate, catchment characteristics, and lake mixing regimes. The complexity of lake ecosystems, including internal feedbacks and the influence of the catchment, poses challenges in interpreting these indicators. The paper also addresses the impact of confounding factors, such as eutrophication and acidification, on the detection of climate signals. Despite these challenges, lakes remain valuable sentinels due to their widespread distribution and ability to integrate information about changes in the catchment. The authors emphasize the importance of understanding the mechanisms linking climate variables to lake responses and the need for multiple indicators to capture the complexity of climate change effects.