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This is the same DeSantis who signed a bill into law that forbade Florida municipalities from getting off fossil fuels and turning to wind and solar instead by restricting land use, banning fracking, or interfering with pipelines. The law was supported by the Florida Natural Gas Association.

Past Presentation | A Climate of TRUST is the story of the scientists who developed the scientific prescriptions necessary for climate recovery, the attorney who figured out the legal basis for the right to a healthy atmosphere, and one of OUR CHILDREN'S TRUST's attorneys who is supporting these youth in court.

Optimism doesn’t always lead to action on climate change, whereas pessimistic outlooks can sometimes help

As day eight begins in Baku, leading economists say finding the required $1tn a year ‘is feasible’, even as negotiators run into a ‘valley of death’ amid deadlock in climate talksCop29 negotiations aren’t moving fast enough, according to one of the Pacific leaders attending the summit in Baku.Surangel Whipps Jr, the president of the republic of Palau, has written an op-ed for the Guardian in which he describes the relentless invasion of his country’s coastlines by rising seawater and calls for bolder action by negotiators. He says:The importance of these issues to Pacific countries cannot be understated. Around the world, conversations on global security often revolve around invasions, acts of terrorism and threats to peace. For us, the climate crisis is our invasion. It’s a relentless, unyielding force that attacks our food security, our economy, our culture and our very existence.We want to access sufficient, predictable, grants-based climate finance to address our climate change needs and priorities. These climate finance mechanisms should be scalable, contextual, flexible and predictable. Continue reading...

A study reveals that nitrogen emissions have a cooling effect on the climate, but their overall environmental impact, including pollution and exacerbation of global warming,...

The Trump administration has told world financial institutions that the U.S. is pulling out of the landmark international climate Loss and Damage Fund

COP29 could make carbon markets permanent. Indigenous leaders are calling for a moratorium before it's too late.

What, exactly, is climate anxiety? And how should we cope? Environmental reporter Rosanna Xia explores the many dimensions to our existential dread.

Now Playing | This film introduces Evangelical Christians working for action on climate change and the environment. They explain how they became passionate about the environment, their fears about the future of our planet, and how their passion is based on their deep faith and love for creation. They call on all other Evangelicals to join them.

Recent resarch highlights the immense biodiversity of California and its susceptibility to climate threats like heat, wildfires, and shifting ecosystems. The study emphasizes the importance...

We mourn glaciers and forests lost to climate change. Why not streets and sewers?

Now Playing | The fossil fuel industry is building a global threat in the oil fields of West Texas. Miguel Escoto, who has lived close to this region his whole life, witnesses the industry’s villainy for the first time by viewing oil and gas site emissions through optical gas imaging cameras, becoming a stand-in for a world that has yet to grasp the gravity of the Permian Climate Bomb.

Resiliency. As the climate around us changes, this concept is dominating conversations from the water cooler to the C-suite. But what does it really mean? Weather can be one of the biggest impact on business efficiency and operations, yet it remains an underappreciated risk in the boardroom. The growing frequency and severity of natural disasters and extreme weather events, as reported by the World Economic Forum, can upend even the best-laid business plans. The time has come for a radical shift in how we approach weather preparednessand build resilience. As the co-founder and CEO of Tomorrow.io, a leading weather intelligence and climate resilience platform, I’ve seen this firsthand during my time in the military, and my cofounders and I realized that the weather industry was behind. With the accelerating impacts of climate change, this presented an enormous challenge. We’re now on a mission to help businesses and governments turn the weather from a risk to a revenue driver by building resilience. Why businesses need better weather intelligence The business case for better weather intelligence is compelling. According to Moody’s, trillions of dollars in global sectors’ debt are highly exposed to environmental risks each year. In 2023 alone, Tomorrow.io customers were under threat from weather 2 million times, meaning we identified specific operational impacts and provided actionable guidance to mitigate the associated risks. For companies operating on thin margins in weather-sensitive industries, even small improvements in forecast accuracy can translate into significant gains. JetBlue, for example, saved $4 million per year by optimizing operations based on precision forecasts. A leading rideshare company leveraged our platform to pre-position vehicles ahead of demand spikes, leading to a 12% increase in ride requests. Even cash-strapped local governments have realized up to $15,000 in savings per winter storm through data-driven resource allocation. Yet despite these compelling proof points, the vast potential of weather intelligence remains largely untapped. Too many organizations still treat weather as an uncontrollable external factor, reacting to disruptions after the fact rather than proactively managing risk. We see this pattern play out with disturbing regularity, whether it’s hurricanes, floods, wildfires or winter storms. Post-event rescue and recovery efforts, while noble and necessary, are a poor substitute for data-driven preparedness. It’s time for a paradigm shift from post-event response to pre-event resilience, both to save lives and to protect bottom lines. We can now leverage weather technology for planning The good news is that a solution is within reach. By harnessing next-generation space technology, advanced AI, and the power of cloud computing, we can democratize access to hyperaccurate, hyperlocal, and hyperrelevant weather insights on a global scale. Armed with this intelligence, businesses can optimize staffing, inventory, and logistics to minimize disruptions and maximize profitability. Governments can stage emergency assets with pinpoint precision to protect lives and livelihoods. We’re now seeing how these solutions can impact people’s lives and the bottom line. Our weather intelligence platform is powered by a constellation of cutting-edge radar satellites, proprietary AI, and the world’s most accurate weather models—we’re bringing an unprecedented level of precision and actionability to weather forecasting on a global scale used by industry leaders like JetBlue, Fox Sports, Uber, Ford, and the U.S. Air Force. Extreme weather may be inevitable, but business disruption and economic losses don’t have to be. As climate change continues to accelerate, the imperative for better weather intelligence has never been greater. It’s time for boardrooms and situation rooms alike to put weather at the center of their operational strategy. With the right technology and the right mindset, we can turn the weather from the biggest business risk to the biggest business opportunity. The choice is ours. Shimon Elkabetz is CEO and cofounder of Tomorrow.io.

Melting polar ice due to climate change is redistributing Earth’s mass, slowing its rotation and slightly extending the day, as highlighted by ETH Zurich’s studies...

Lizards in France have grown lighter in color and so are many insects and birds across the globe. The effects of a changing climate are plainly visible throughout the animal kingdom

Now Playing | In collaboration with communities across British Columbia, the Youth Climate Corps challenges what resilience looks like through youth led, locally designed, climate action initiatives.

Solutions to the problem of climate change have never been more clear. But the scale of the problem keeps getting bigger.

In Utah, a traditionally conservative state, the growing concerns over climate change are beginning to reshape the political conversation, with bipartisan support emerging for addressing the issue. Marcus Baram reports for Capital & Main.In short:Climate change impacts, including severe heat waves, droughts, and the shrinking of the Great Salt Lake, have heightened climate awareness among Utah's residents, with significant numbers recognizing it as a serious problem.Political candidates, acknowledging this shift, are incorporating climate action into their platforms, with initiatives ranging from clean energy support to air quality improvements.The dialogue around climate change in Utah reflects a broader national trend of increasing environmental awareness and a demand for sustainable policies.Key quote: "For voters, climate has become a bigger issue than it has been in the past." — Josh Kraft, government and corporate relations manager for Utah Clean Energy.Why this matters: With climate impacts too visible and too serious to be ignored or obscured by fossil fuel money, public support for sustainable policies and climate action is growing louder with much of the impetus for action coming from younger voters. And yet, climate denial lives on.

Rising temperatures will push people north, and America’s economic center might move with them.

Jade Sasser’s latest book explores the racial dimensions of climate anxiety and its impact on reproductive decisions. Victoria St. Martin reports for Inside Climate News.In short:Jade Sasser’s new book, “Climate Anxiety and the Kid Question,” investigates how climate anxiety influences reproductive choices, especially among women of color.Survey results indicate that women of color are more likely to have fewer children due to climate concerns compared to other groups.The book emphasizes the need to include marginalized communities in climate anxiety research to understand their unique experiences.Key quote: “Climate anxiety is a normal, natural response to climate change. Let’s fight and solve climate change, and then you won’t have the thing to be anxious about.” — Jade Sasser, environmental scientistWhy this matters: Understanding how climate anxiety affects mental health and reproductive decisions, especially in marginalized communities is important for crafting inclusive climate policies that consider the diverse experiences of all communities. Read more: Feeling anxious about climate change? Experts say you're not alone.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is preparing to fend off a familiar challenge to the state's landmark carbon program.

Feminism gives us the analysis, tools and movement to create a better climate future for everyone. It’s time to embrace it

As teams travel thousands of miles to compete, the cost to the planet rises. But sports offer a unique opportunity to advocate for sustainable experiences. The post College Athletics: Game Day for Climate Action appeared first on The Revelator.

In Costa Rica’s Cordillera de Talamanca, a team of researchers from the Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED), Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) has uncovered a vibrant yet vulnerable world of biodiversity. Their study, titled “Flora of High-Mountain Tropical Peatlands: Threats and Management Measures, Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica,” identified […] The post How Climate Change Threatens Costa Rica’s Peatlands appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Now Playing | "It's really hard being a fire family. Every day it's getting worse." -Brett, wife of Marin County Battalion Chief in California.Every day, Americans who live close to the land and sea face the dangers of climate change—from a firefighter in California, to a beekeeper in Arizona, to a climate refugee losing her home in Florida. The changing climate affects our food systems, water and way of life. These American families are in the trenches sacrificing everything while facing depression, PTSD, and suicide—collateral damage of a crisis unchecked. Award-winning filmmaker, Peter Goetz, captures America's faces and voices, shot in 2020 leading up to the presidential election. Goetz and the Biden campaign made history, producing the first national climate spot to run during a presidential election. But this film dives deeper into the American climate crisis to explore the lives of the people who are sounding the alarm, worried about their grandchildren’s future, asking, "If not us, then who?" This is a story of the resilience, perseverance, and ingenuity of the American people. Ever hopeful, they collectively take on a common enemy. As the young, Navajo solar visionary Brett Issac insists, "We've got to turn this train around before it's too late."

What should The Times ask change experts, world leaders and policymakers at its Climate Forward conference on Sept. 25?

Researchers across MIT are working on ways to boost food production and help crops survive drought.

Human rights groups have called for a review of how countries are chosen to host the COP climate summits.

Nearly three years in the works, the Harris County Climate Justice Plan is a 59-page document that creates long-term strategies addressing natural resource conservation, infrastructure resiliency and flood control.

Morgan Stanley on Thursday announced its departure from a coalition of banks that aims to target net-zero emissions through lending and investment, the fifth group to do so in recent weeks. “Morgan Stanley has decided to withdraw from the Net-Zero Banking Alliance. Morgan Stanley’s commitment to net-zero remains unchanged. We aim to contribute to real-economy...

The University of Florida is hosting a Hackathon in collaboration with IBM that began Sep. 13 until Nov. 29. Teams will present technology solutions to address one of six environmental challenges, including power consumption and agriculture.

In a sweeping movement, 45 states have rallied behind the Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program, embracing more than $250 million in federal grants to combat greenhouse emissions, with only five states sitting out.Tracy J. Wholf reports for CBS News.In short:The program, spurred by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, funds strategies for reducing climate pollution while promoting economic opportunities in clean industries.Despite all states being eligible, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, South Dakota, and Wyoming opted out, forfeiting a $3 million allocation each, though cities within these states still participated.This initiative supports public health by reducing environmental pollution and aims to cover more than 96% of the U.S. with climate action plans.Key quote:"The diversity of ideas and ambitious initiatives from all across the country reflect the seriousness that states and metropolitan areas are bringing to the work of cutting pollution, acting on climate change, and meeting their local objectives."— Jennifer Macedonia, deputy assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and RadiationWhy this matters:In the last few years it’s become increasingly evident that climate-driven disasters are affecting public health. The EPA’s climate grant funding encourages states to engage in an inclusive approach, advocating for partnerships across governmental levels, non-profits, and the private sector to pool resources and expertise for greater impact.

In a country where the pickup truck is a symbol of the working class, Australia's move toward fuel emissions standards signifies a major policy shift, reflecting global environmental concerns.Michael E. Miller reports for The Washington Post.In short:Australia's lack of fuel emissions standards has placed it alongside countries like Russia and Turkey, contributing to higher pollution levels from older, less efficient vehicles.The proposed regulations aim to align Australia with international standards by 2028, allowing high-emitting vehicles but offsetting them with cleaner models or facing penalties.Critics label the initiative as a "ute tax," predicting price hikes for cars, though the government and some think tanks argue the impact on prices will be minimal.Key quote:"It’s astounding that we haven’t done it until now. It’s the lowest of low-hanging fruit."— Matt Grudnoff, economist at the Australia InstituteWhy this matters:Fuel emissions standards are essential for reducing the carbon footprint of the transportation sector, which is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. By enforcing stricter regulations, governments can compel automotive manufacturers to innovate and develop more fuel-efficient and less polluting vehicles, such as hybrids and fully electric cars.A children's health expert, seeing our kids imperiled by fossil fuels and climate change, calls for a kids-first revamp of energy policies.

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the annexation of Nicoya County, Coopenae, the Environmental Bank Foundation (FUNBAM), and the Volunteer Fire Brigade (AAAS Tamarindo) have joined forces to initiate the Bicentennial Forests Project. In the first stage, 1,000 endemic trees will be planted in San Francisco Park, part of the Baula Marine Reserve, at the […] The post Reforestation Initiative Tackles Climate Change in Guanacaste appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Culebra Island, located near Puerto Rico, boasts diverse marine ecosystems with extensive coral reefs protected by various reserves. Despite their ecological importance, these reefs face...

Nations aren't required to report their military climate pollution under the Paris Agreement. Experts say that should change

Most Americans are willing to take steps to help address climate change, a new survey finds.Why it matters: While some Americans still haven't accepted climate change's impact, most believe it's a major threat.What they did: Environmental company Veolia and French research and consulting firm Elabe polled 2,000 U.S. adults online between Oct. 17 and Nov. 6, 2023, as part of their "Barometer of Ecological Transformation," a regular report on global views surrounding climate change.What they found: 61% of Americans feel vulnerable to a lower quality of life due to climate change, while 57% worry about climate-related health risks, per the survey.61% of Americans are open to drinking recycled wastewater in the face of water shortages, 74% would eat food grown using recycled water, and 82% would pay more to filter microplastics out of their drinking water.The margin of error for the U.S. data is 1-2.2 percentage points.What they're saying: "If you had to retain one thing from this barometer, it's that Americans are craving action now — they're ready for it and looking for it," Veolia CEO Estelle Brachlianoff tells Axios.Reality check: Personal behavior changes and interventions are great, but truly addressing climate change requires action on the part of governments and big corporations.What's next: People may become even more likely to embrace climate adaptations as they see firsthand evidence of a changing planet, like hotter summers, more wildfire smoke and so on."Maybe this is the one thing joining humanity across the globe," Brachlianoff says. "We've all lived it, you know — at times it takes shocks."

David Voreacos, Bloomberg legal reporter, discusses the conviction of New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez. Environmental law expert Pat Parenteau, a professor at the Vermont Law & Graduate School, discusses the climate change litigation filed by young people. June Grasso hosts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some climate experts say carbon removal start-ups will limit global warming, but significant questions remain

Carbon capture and storage is one of the least effective and most expensive emissions reduction methods.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury aims to reduce global mercury emissions, but a recent study suggests these efforts may not be enough. Researchers found that soil holds far more mercury than previously estimated, particularly in plant-dense areas and regions with permafrost. As climate change promotes vegetation growth, this could lead to increased soil mercury levels, [...]

Giving Indigenous communities greater control over their lands significantly improves conservation results, according to a new study in One Earth. Anita Hofschneider reports for Grist. In short:Researchers analyzed 648 studies of conservation areas, comparing the ecological and social outcomes based on the degree of Indigenous involvement.The study found that recognizing Indigenous autonomy leads to significantly better environmental and social results than merely treating them as stakeholders.Examples include successful conservation in Chile’s Los Lagos Indigenous Marine Areas and ineffective efforts in China’s Hainan province due to lack of Indigenous involvement. Key quote: “The findings reveal that more equitable governance, based on equal partnership or primary control for [Indigenous peoples and local communities], are associated with significantly more positive ecological outcomes.” — Study authors Why this matters: Indigenous communities have long been the stewards of vast tracts of land, preserving biodiversity and maintaining ecological balance through traditional knowledge and sustainable practices. Studies indicate that these lands support healthier ecosystems and store more carbon, an important factor in mitigating climate change. However, these benefits are jeopardized when Indigenous land rights are overlooked or violated. Related EHN coverage: Opinion: Protecting Indigenous children means protecting water Colonialism, the climate crisis, and the need to center Indigenous voices Hands on the land, heart in community: Returning cultural fires

Cutting down emissions of planet-warming methane from oil and gas production was supposed to be relatively simple. It hasn’t worked that way.

It’s a weird time for religion in the United States. Christians are on track to become a religious minority in the country within a few decades but also, soon, to wield incredible power in a second Trump administration—thanks not least to a neo-Crusader defense secretary nominee, Christian nationalists likely leading the Office of Management and Budget as well as the House of Representatives, and an array of powerful Christian judges appointed in Trump’s first term whose numbers will only grow in his second. Meanwhile, amid a devastatingly grim Advent season for other communities, Latino Christian leaders interviewed by Axios “say they will unpack the Holy Family’s immigration plight during Christmas services to offer hope for immigrants” facing ICE raids and deportations in the new administration. White Protestants and Catholics voted by large margins for Trump; Black Protestants, Jews, atheists, and agnostics voted overwhelmingly against him. Muslim voters outraged by Biden’s support for Israel’s slaughter in Gaza abandoned the Democrats at striking rates, many voting instead for Jill Stein.So while the ranks of the religiously unaffiliated or even nonreligious may be growing, the relevance of religion to politics clearly persists. And that means religion is relevant to climate change too.The Pew Research polls in 2022 found that moderately or highly religious people were much less likely to rate climate change as a serious problem than atheists were. But the surveys also showed huge numbers of religious people to be concerned. Growing numbers of religious leaders and groups—even among white evangelicals—are pushing for policies protecting the climate and environment.To learn about the contours of the growing religious advocacy for climate and environmental protection, I called up the Reverend Susan Hendershot, an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and president of Interfaith Power and Light, a group focused on engaging people of faith in environmental causes and climate action. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.How do you perceive your job in terms of engaging religious communities in climate advocacy?Interfaith Power and Light started in 2000 because our founder was seeing a disconnect between what she was hearing from environmental organizations, in terms of climate change and care for the earth, and the fact that she was not hearing that in her place of worship. For her, it became a mission to say that as faith communities, we are called to care for creation and we need to find ways to live that out: It’s not just talking about it, it’s doing something. From the start, there was a focus on greening houses of worship as an act of faith. So everything from energy efficiency upgrades to installing solar in houses of worship. And the other side of that has been the focus on policy advocacy, to say personal action is important and it gets us a certain way down the road as part of civil society, but unless we have the right policies in place, we can’t actually make the progress that we need to make. It’s centered on spiritual values and on the moral opportunity to take action—to say people of faith are and should be leaders in working for climate and environmental justice. But this is focused on people from many different religious backgrounds, right?We say we work with people of all spiritual traditions and no spiritual traditions, recognizing that there are a lot of spiritual but not religious folks that are out there and that is a growing percentage. We want to make sure that there’s a big tent out there that’s for everyone who wants to take action from a place of spiritual values.Climate anxiety is on the rise. What does the lens of faith or spiritual values have to offer the climate fight, in your view?I see faith communities and leaders having three roles in the climate movement. The first one is pastoral, because there’s a lot of climate anxiety and grief out there, whether it’s people who have suffered from a climate disaster who are recovering and need a support system or young people who are considering whether they even want to have a family because do you want to bring children into a climate-changed world? So that pastoral role is really, really important. Faith leaders are trained to work with people who are suffering, grieving, in trauma.The second role I see as the practical role, which is offering leadership within their own faith community, working to move climate solutions forward in their houses of worship: renewable energy systems, energy efficiency, electric vehicles. Just serving as models in the community of what’s possible. The third role is the prophetic role. We have to talk about this. One of the things Katharine Hayhoe says as a climate scientist and person of faith is that the most important thing you can do for climate change is to talk about it, because part of the problem is it’s not being discussed enough. Pastors are called to use their prophetic voices in their places of worship to move people to action. How does the fragmentation of religious groups right now complicate your work? I’m thinking about the very prominent evangelical voices allied with Trump who see fossil fuels as part of a kind of a nationalist vision. I like to use Yale Climate Communication’s “Six Americas” study as an example. If you compare when they first started doing those studies to now, over time there has been an increase in the people who are alarmed and concerned about climate change and a really big decrease in those who are what we would call doubters. There are folks who have a lot of influence and power who are pushing fossil fuels and looking to continue to have an “all of the above” energy strategy—we see that in the news media every day now—but the reality I think is that for most folks on the ground, they are grappling with the real climate challenges that they’re facing every day. It used to feel sort of far away, like you’re talking about polar bears and ice caps. Now we’re seeing floods and droughts, and farmers are seeing changes in their growing seasons for their crops. That makes it more real to people. I think those powerful voices pushing fossil fuels will be drowned out by the realities on the ground.So how do you envision people of faith being mobilized for climate policy advocacy?The Inflation Reduction Act was the result of many years of advocacy amongst people from all walks of life across the country, and this money is starting to make a real difference on the ground. There’s a lot of money going into nonprofits, including houses of worship, who are installing solar and other energy efficiency systems and getting rid of their gas appliances and so on. One of the things that we found in our recent solar survey is that there are about 2,500 communities of faith around the country that have installed solar, with more coming through the direct pay mechanism with the IRA. We have a few congregations that have received their payment for direct pay, and many many more that have applied, and others that are in the exploratory phase. This trend is competitive with businesses like Starbucks and Walmart and all these other businesses that get a lot of attention around their solar installations.That’s also happening on the consumer level—faith communities are made up of people, many of whom have homes, and they’re also looking for ways they can adapt, use this federal funding to make these improvements in their own homes that improve their lives, their bottom line, as well as the health of their families.The next piece of work is to protect what those incentives are and have done so that they won’t be rolled back or clawed back. There’s a lot of personal connection to that for folks, whether that’s because they live near drilling sites and they don’t want to see methane rules rolled back because it’s improving the health and air quality in their community, or folks who are saying we don’t want to roll back the direct pay portion of the IRA funding because that’s a way that’s helping faith communities install solar and be able to put more money into the mission and serve their communities. I think part of the opportunity here is to make those connections for individuals that are personal for them—whatever that means for them or their family.Good News/Bad NewsThe BBC has put together a list of “seven quiet breakthroughs for climate and nature in 2024.” They include the U.K. finally closing its last coal-fired power plant and deforestation in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil falling to a nine-year low.Driven by the climate crisis, the country’s home insurance problem is growing. Nonrenewal rates (that’s when an insurance company drops a home that was previously covered) rose in 46 states in 2023, according to data obtained by the Senate Budget Committee. Read The New York Times’ feature on this or check out their accompanying data visualization to see where insurers are dropping coverage in your state.Stat of the Week$100 per yearThat’s the possible extra cost to American consumers of increasing liquefied natural gas exports (as the Trump administration plans to do), according to a new study released by the Department of Energy this week. It also found that the LNG exports could lead to an extra 1.5 gigatons of greenhouse gases by 2050.What I’m ReadingAs Clock Ticks to Act on the Climate Crisis, N.C. Activists Target a ‘Carbon Plan’At Inside Climate News, Lisa Sorg profiles the activists fighting a longtime villain in the environmental justice movement, Duke Energy, which has released a “carbon plan” that involves building numerous natural gas plants while keeping their coal plants open for years, completely missing the company’s 2030 emissions-reduction goals. Some of these activists, like 74-year-old Bobby Jones, have been fighting Duke Energy for years.“I know my children and grandchildren will not be the ones who can afford clean water and clean air,” Jones said. “They will be the ones relegated to cancer alleys. So I’ve got to fight. And I’ve got to encourage others to fight. Because we already see climate change. We don’t have to wait for it to happen.”Jones often thinks of the final words of [environmental justice advocate] John Gurley, as cancer had hollowed out his body. “The last conversation we had, we were talking about Duke Energy. And he said, ‘Bobby, hold them accountable.’”Read Lisa Sorg’s full report at Inside Climate News.This article first appeared in Life in a Warming World, a weekly TNR newsletter authored by deputy editor Heather Souvaine Horn. Sign up here.

If you’re reading this, chances are good that you read other stories about climate change too. Looking around at the news yesterday, you may well have stumbled onto any number of Earth Day–inspired cases for optimism: “tiny climate actions” like adjusting the thermostat and propagating your plants, profiles of environmental do-gooders, steps to becoming the “best planetary citizen possible.” Those kinds of cheery spreads are standard fare for Earth Day. But they feel more than a little discordant with the drumbeat of decidedly awful climate news coming from both the planet itself and a White House attempting to dismantle clean air regulations, defund scientific research, claw back climate funds approved by Congress, and potentially even strip environmental groups of their nonprofit status.Many people, though, are hearing less about all of the above. Media Matters recently found that corporate broadcast news coverage of climate change fell by 25 percent last year compared to 2023. While climate coverage at national outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post has surged by as much as 300 percent since 2012, according to one recent academic study, smaller outlets around the country haven’t kept pace; smaller, predominantly state and local outlets expanded their climate coverage by about half as much over the same time period. The growing numbers of people who tend to get their news from other sources, meanwhile—including social media platforms—are hearing a lot of nonsense. An analysis published this week by Yale Climate Connections found that eight of the 10 most popular online shows—including those hosted by Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson—have “spread false or misleading information about climate change.” A report from the British news site Tortoise Media—analyzing the climate-related output of more than 300 influencers—likewise shows that climate-skeptic posts on YouTube grew by 43 percent between 2021 and 2024. On X (formerly Twitter), such content ballooned by 82 percent over the same time period. As much as 40 percent of it posits that climate change is merely an excuse for some shadowy network of conspirators to control the population and/or bring about “communism.”Given that one in five people in the United States regularly get their news from social media, that means a lot of people are getting bad information about the climate crisis. That’s especially true of young people. A Pew poll released late last year found that 37 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds here regularly get news from “news influencers,” who tend to lean right if they have any obvious political affiliations. Survey results released in early 2024 by the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that nearly a third of U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 view climate change as “harmless,” including 39 percent of teen boys. The same poll found 33 percent of teenagers—and 40 percent of teen boys—said climate change policies “do more harm than good.”Academics and philanthropists have spent more than a decade theorizing about the best ways to convey information about climate change to the general public: the merits of projecting hope instead of “doomerism” and of showcasing actually existing climate solutions. Nobody seems to have cracked the code, though. Growing awareness of the climate crisis—and consistently positive polling about how many people want their governments to do more about it—still hasn’t translated into many governments actually taking said action, at least not at anywhere near the scale the crisis requires. Big national outlets have invested in telling more good-news stories to readers who already care about climate change, while right-wing YouTubers broadcast lies and conspiracy theories to huge audiences. If you’ve made it this far, you can count yourself among the relatively small number of people who regularly read climate coverage beyond the headlines. Thank you! Accordingly, you probably don’t need me to sugarcoat the conclusion with a half-baked case for optimism: This isn’t good.

Russian constitutional court is considering claim, which activists hope will raise awareness about emissionsA group of activists are fighting for the right to scrutinise Russia’s climate policies, and in particular its enormous methane emissions, in court.Russia’s constitutional court is considering a claim brought by 18 individuals and the NGO Ecodefense that insufficient action by the Russian state to cut national greenhouse gas emissions is violating their rights to life, health and a healthy environment. Continue reading...

A new draft text released early Thursday which will form the basis of any deal reached at United Nations climate talks on money for developing countries to transition to clean energy and adapt to climate change left out a crucial sticking point: how much wealthy nations will pay

Climate tech has reached a new milestone: attracting seasoned tech executives. Many climate companies are hiring certain senior positions for the first time.

As this year’s temperatures continue to break records, farmworkers who toil in the heat remain one of the groups most vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. But another element of their jobs is making extreme heat even more dangerous: pesticide drift. When it is hotter outside, pesticides tend to evaporate faster, explains Nicole Deziel, an environmental health […]

The Trump-endorsed MAGA conservative keeps flip-flopping on the climate — and SEC filings reveal how hypocritical he really is.

The former president says he wants “clean air and clean water,” but he has rolled back environmental rules and dismissed the scientific consensus on climate change.

Students have big feelings about climate change. Most teachers don’t know how to help.

As climate change threatens the popular beverage, the Italian coffee magnate is seeking to blend sophistication with sustainability.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy vows to put climate change at the heart of the UK's foreign policy.

In its first climate change case, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea determined that a global ocean convention extends to greenhouse gases, meaning countries have an obligation to reduce them

Young climate advocates are challenging the U.S. government in court, demanding accountability for climate change inactions.Ruxandra Guidi reports for High Country News.In short:Young activists, including a notable 23-year-old plaintiff in the Juliana v. United States case, leverage legal battles to hold the U.S. government accountable for climate negligence.These legal challenges, rooted in the Atmospheric Trust Litigation principle, assert the government's failure to protect the constitutional rights of its younger citizens.Historical context shows that youth have always been pivotal in driving significant political movements, emphasizing the enduring power of young voices in societal change.Key quote:“There are simple things you can do in your own homes, like not let the water run, or turn off the lights when you’re not using them. You could teach these things to your children. Every choice we make is for or against our future.”— 6-year-old Xiuhtezcatl MartinezWhy this matters:The impact of youth activism is undeniable. It has reinvigorated older generations of environmentalists, brought climate issues to the forefront of political debates, and even influenced the strategies of nonprofit organizations and advocacy groups. Their call for action is not just about reducing carbon emissions or protecting natural habitats but encompasses a broader vision of social justice, equity, and intergenerational responsibility.Youth environmental activism has moved us forward in many ways—but to maximize this impact we need coalitions that learn from the past in order to prepare for the future.

Just how far can this climate momentum take us?

As climate anxiety grows, Americans are finding comfort and community in climate cafes, spaces dedicated to discussing the emotional toll of environmental change.Lola Fadulu and Emily Schmall report for The New York Times.In short:Climate cafes are emerging nationwide, offering a platform for individuals to express their fears and grief about the climate crisis.These gatherings, inspired by the concept of death cafes, aim to help participants appreciate life while acknowledging environmental challenges.Facilitators trained by the Climate Psychology Alliance lead discussions, emphasizing the mental health impacts of climate change and strategies for emotional resilience.Key quote:"I can’t buy into the narrative anymore that there’s no choice in how this ends and that major corporations have complete control over my future."— Sheila McMenamin, Brooklyn residentWhy this matters:In a world grappling with the realities of climate change, climate cafes provide a unique space for emotional support and collective action. For years Americans have been warned about the dangers of pollution and climate change but one effect is neglected: impacts to our brains.

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