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Curated Climate News

It Was a Week of Contradictions

Dear Friends,

In September, the climate world descended on New York City for the 18th annual Climate Week. Several C-Change Conversations members attended, and we were honored to present at several events. 

It was a week of contradictions. 

On one hand, the U.S. energy leaders like Secretary of Energy Chris Wright promoted fossil fuels, telling us that energy security can only be obtained by investing more in these power sources. In his address to the United Nations, the president of the United States also emphasized the need to grow fossil fuel usage and reissued an old – and inaccurate – claim that the climate has not been heating up at all and has been, in fact, cooling.

But during the same timeframe, climate change was unsheathing its claws. On the Sunday of that week, during an extreme heat wave in Nashville, the astroturf reached 157°F at the Titans/Eagles football game, causing players’ cleats to melt. A few days before, a tropical depression in the Pacific morphed into a category 5 hurricane in less than 24 hours, the second-fastest intensification on record. And it’s official: July, August, and September were each the hottest ever recorded in the contiguous United States. Extreme heat and hurricane intensification are hallmarks of climate change, and September’s events are harbingers of the challenges that will worsen more in the future as climate pollution continues and temperatures rise. 

The juxtaposition of these two realities indicates how challenging our situation is. According to a new U.N. study, we are now certain to miss the 1.5°C climate goal and will need to both stop emitting greenhouse gases as quickly as is feasible and remove carbon from the atmosphere on a grand scale to avoid “catastrophic” levels of warming. Yet despite the clear need for action, our political systems aren’t up to the task. Instead of supporting a disciplined transition toward cleaner tech, the U.S. is doubling down on the very products that are causing climate change – and the pain and economic loss that come with it. 

We can do better. Other countries are doing better. And the good news underscored at Climate Week? Energy security comes from energy sovereignty, the ability to make and control the energy you need, while avoiding price shocks from globally traded fossil fuels. And wind, solar, and batteries can help deliver that in spades, usually at lower prices than fossil fuels. That new reality – that clean energy provides safer and more affordable energy – gives us a winning hand. We just need to start playing it.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Biggins
President and Founder

Notable Quote
“I think this summer was a summer of truth. The recent summer months have been, as we heard from the scientists, the hottest on record, but may be the coolest for the years to come.” 
— Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission 
News of Concern

Unfortunately, as noted above, the U.S. is not recognizing that moment of truth: last month the administration repealed carbon emission limits for power plants and scaled back fuel-efficiency regulations for light trucks and new cars. Both moves will significantly drive up greenhouse gas emissions, but the fuel-economy rule is particularly bedevilling because it hampers American competitiveness in the global car market. Combustion engine cars reached their peak sales globally in 2017 and have been declining steadily since. In contrast, global sales of electric vehicles are skyrocketing – buoyed by declining battery costs and escalating gas and diesel costs – and the International Energy Agency projects they could comprise the majority of new car sales as early as the mid 2030s. Redirecting policy support from EVs to combustion engine cars in the U.S. is like doubling down on building DVD players when digital streaming was ascending – it locks us into antiquated technology.  

There were many areas of concern in September: 

■  The world is experiencing a “Super El Niño” at a time when climate change is already pressuring communities. In California, sea levels have risen 6-9 inches since preindustrial times, and some coastal homes were already tumbling into the sea. Now El Niño is delivering a series of Kelvin waves – pulses of water that could suddenly raise sea level an additional 6-12 inches – threatening much greater swaths of the coastline. Scientists warn the Kelvin waves give us a preview of what regular sea levels could be later in the century due to climate change. 

■  Climate change is impacting water sources in other ways as well – warmer temperatures are melting glaciers and thawing permafrost, which can cause deadly flooding like the event that devastated Nepal in September.  This is a growing threat across mountain regions globally.

■  This incredibly hot summer in Europe was not an outlier. Scientists expect 2027 to be just as hot, and future summers even hotter as climate change ratchets up. And in many places that means it’s getting drier as well – in fact, scientists are concerned that climate change could help make the megadrought that has plagued our Southwest permanent.

■  China may lead the world in renewable energy growth, but it’s also emitting the world’s most-potent, longest-lived greenhouse gas at an alarming rate. Sulfur hexafluoride is used in electrical circuit breakers and high-voltage equipment. China apparently vents much of it into the air when that equipment is no longer in use and in quantities that can equal the annual emission of 29 million gas-powered vehicles.

As it turns out, our brains really don’t love the heat. Scientists have found that rising air temperatures negatively impact our brain chemistry and function. To put it bluntly – extreme heat is making us dumber. However… 

News of Hope

… Cleaner air makes us smarter. Studies looked at how children’s cognitive development was impacted by prenatal exposure to air pollution (a byproduct of climate change, because higher temperatures contribute to increased levels of smog). Not surprisingly, less exposure to pollutants equaled better brain function. 

When we understand how climate change impacts our brains – and so many other aspects of our lives – we’re more inclined to talk about it and act to bring about solutions.

In other hopeful news:

■  The Senate is finally tackling the thorny problem of permit reform for the electricity system, including the grid and more. U.S. electricity demand and prices are soaring, in part due to AI data center expansion, but our antiquated grid can’t bring on new electricity generation fast enough. Part of the problem is that it can take decades to get approval for new power lines, and natural gas pipelines often face years of environmental litigation. The new bipartisan Senate proposal attempts to broker a way forward to increase electricity generation and control escalating costs. While we are not endorsing the specific proposal, we are excited that Congress is finally focusing on permitting reform, as it has become the “third rail” of energy politics.

■  In a huge step forward for clean energy, Fervo Energy became the first company to sell enhanced geothermal energy onto the grid. Enhanced geothermal injects fluid miles below the surface, captures the Earth’s heat, then uses it to turn turbines for electricity generation. This new approach enables geothermal energy production far beyond volcanic areas and provides carbon-free, round-the-clock energy.  

■  We talk a lot about worrisome climate tipping points that will have far-reaching and irreversible impacts on the world. Fortunately, hopeful tipping points are emerging as
well – for example, solar is now the cheapest source of electricity in the world and is growing at unprecedented levels. Access to clean power enables areas like transport, heating and cooling, and manufacturing to electrify and decarbonize, creating positive economic changes while also lowering pollution levels.  

■  It takes a lot of space to build a solar array, and that’s not always easy to come by in smaller countries. We loved reading that Japan is repurposing parts of its small island on a grand scale, turning its defunct golf courses into solar farms.

■  On another small island filled with apartment dwellers, charging an electric vehicle can pose a major challenge. In response, New York City is stepping up for its EV-driving residents, installing hundreds of curbside chargers to make it easier to own these nonpolluting automobiles.

■  Did you know cement making is responsible for 8% of the world’s carbon emissions? This new method could literally change the foundation of construction, drastically reducing the carbon output of cement by using an electrochemical process and renewable electricity during production.

Notable Graph

As climate change drives up our global temperatures, we’re being exposed to more extreme heat for longer periods of time – heat that even the healthiest of us can’t tolerate. And that could be many more people than you’d expect: this NPR study estimates that heat is killing five times more people in the U.S. than official CDC records show, at a rate of about 9,000 deaths per year. 

 

Notable Video

As we said above, tipping points are those moments when a final shift occurs to create an unstoppable change on a larger scale. Experts are concerned that we are approaching such a moment with the AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation). This excellent video by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research explains how the AMOC works, why experts are concerned about how climate change is disrupting it, and what that would mean for our civilization as we know it today.

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Pam Parsons October 15, 2026 0
Hot desert
Curated Climate News

How Hot Is Too Hot

Dear Friends,

How hot is too hot? More of us are about to find out.

We are reaching temperature thresholds around the world – including in our own country – where even the healthiest humans couldn’t survive outside over an extended period. When it gets too hot and humid, our sweat can’t evaporate fast enough to cool us down, no matter how young or healthy we are.

Because of climate change, that kind of heat is happening more often and it impacts more than just our health – it lowers productivity, harms crops, dries up water resources, and supercharges hurricanes.

And countries are feeling the climate change bite to their economies – especially this year as El Niño amplifies disruptions. The unprecedented heatwaves in Europe this summer are projected to wipe out roughly $208B of GDP, essentially negating the EU’s expected economic growth.

Here in the U.S., we’re weathering an increasingly ironic scenario – even as we were enduring the hottest month ever recorded in the lower 48 (July), we’re embarking on the biggest natural gas buildout ever in order to power new data centers. Some of the AI generation is still speculative and may not be built, but the sheer number of proposed natural gas additions is so high we can be confident that much more natural gas will be used in the future – and that our emissions will climb significantly.

In the long term, this will lock in more climate damage. In the shorter term, this rapid increase in demand is expected to strain supply and send prices higher. So, as we turn on our air conditioners more often to beat the heat in the future, the costs of our electricity will spike even higher.

We are in for a rough patch. Our grid is modernizing too slowly to meet AI’s breathtakingly large electricity demands (one AI center purports to need power capacity equal to that of New York City). While data center operators say they’d rather plug into the grid than build their own gas plants on site – connecting to the grid would be cleaner and cheaper – our system is constrained by physical bottlenecks, outdated regulations, and politics. And, as you’ll read below, it’s not improving quickly.  

So, let’s root for the new technologies, some outlined below, that can pave the way to a different, more sane, and affordable energy system. If we don’t, today’s hot temperatures will simply be a precursor to tomorrow’s hotter ones. 

Sincerely,
Kathleen Biggins
Founder and President

Notable Quote

“El Niño is a giant hammer that the climate gets hit with, so it is going to scramble a lot of different things.”
– Zeke Hausfather, Berkeley Earth scientist

News of Concern

We’re barreling toward irrevocable shifts in our natural world – changes driven by our continued reliance on fossil fuels that we won’t be able to undo, even when we manage to curtail our emissions. A heartbreaking example: the wildfires raging across the west in our country are burning so hot that they are turning our great forests into stunted shrublands – and the trees that once thrived there won’t return. This will have far-reaching impacts, from a drier landscape with a scarcer water supply for both humans and wildlife to decreased carbon absorption, which means more heat-causing emissions escaping into our atmosphere.
 
In other concerning news:

■  China’s use of coal power is rising after a decade of decreases, as El Niño heat is straining the country’s hydropower facilities and the war with Iran has hindered imports of liquified natural gas. This is disheartening because China – the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter – had generated more electricity from renewables than coal for the first time last year.
 
■  On a good news/bad news note, batteries are transforming our grid – enabling us to use cheaper, cleaner energy for more parts of the day and providing more stability – but we aren’t getting them onto the system fast enough. Bottlenecks in building grid infrastructure, like transformers and switch plugs, have created a five-year wait before new projects can hook in. This is a big deal – there’s 750 gigawatts of storage (the equivalent of 700 nuclear plants) waiting to get connected.
 
■  Our electricity bills are soaring, and new research shows current federal energy policies curtailing renewables and supporting fossil fuels will both drive up emissions and make power even more expensive, with U.S. households potentially spending an extra $650 billion over the next 15 years.
 
■  In another bad news/good news story, the Trump administration announced new tariffs on solar components last month that will slow solar’s skyrocketing growth (it’s currently the fastest form of new generation in the country despite policy pullbacks) but will also shore up American manufacturers to protect supply chains in the future.

News of Hope

Fortunately, we continue to push the envelope on developing ways to tackle climate change. Cities and companies, large and small, are thinking outside the box and embracing clean energy. And climate scientists are persisting in their research and communication efforts even after the government scuttled their programs. A particularly bright note here is the nonprofit climate.us, created after the Trump administration shut down NOAA’s climate.gov.
 
There’s so much good news to share this month:
 
■  New York City is exploring opportunities to beat the heat, including a huge air-exchange system that could capture and store the sweltering heat of the summer subways for warming buildings in the winter and embracing apartment-sized home batteries that residents can plug their air conditioners into at peak times to reduce both their costs and the strain on the grid on extremely hot days.
 
■  Boston is also turning its attention to novel clean-power sources, testing three thermal-energy projects that would use its rivers for heating and cooling. Because water temperatures fluctuate less than air, the rivers could support efficient heat pump systems that proponents claim could supply a “near-infinite” source of energy in the future.

The “most magical place on Earth” has just pulled another rabbit from the hat. Disney World is now capable of powering its entire resort – including all of the parks and hotels – with 100% solar energy during daytime hours.  Source: The Walt Disney Company   
   
And there was more good news in June:

■ The UK and Google are working together in a landmark effort to evaluate if altitude adjustmentsfor planes flying over the Atlantic Ocean could lessen the aviation industry’s impact on the climate. “Operation Blue Skies” will analyze if the shifts can decrease contrails, which trap heat and contribute to global warming.

■  Wildfire survivors are some of our fiercest fighters in reducing our risk from these deadly disasters. They’re building companies and pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into creating technology to combat wildfires, from drones to tracking balloons to systems that disrupt the oxygen in a blaze.

■   Americans are flocking to heat pumps (which provide both heating and cooling) for their homes, with sales outpacingfossil fuel furnaces by 32% in the first quarter of the year and almost beating out AC units. Farmers are embracing heat pumps as well, with milk and cheese producers reporting heat pumps can cut electricity use in half.

■  A hearty cheer to this innovation – a Heineken brewery is replacing natural gas boilers with heat batteries for manufacturing some of its beers. The batteries use clean energy to generate high heat, which is stored in special bricks, then used to generate the clouds of steam necessary for brewing the beer.       

Notable Graphic

Growth of renewable power remains strong in the United States. Solar and storage made up 91% of all new energy generation capacity in the first quarter of 2026 (with solar accounting for 60%). Current federal policies that favor fossil fuels are slowing our momentum – growth was down 27% from last year. But even with these headwinds, solar is expected to continue to grow rapidly. Experts project it could surpass natural gas as the primary power generator around mid-century.

Notable Video

Wildfire smoke has engulfed swaths of the country this year, sometimes traveling for thousands of miles from the source of the blaze. It’s becoming a more-common occurrence as climate change heats the air, shifts rainfall patterns, and dries out land to create tinderbox conditions. This graphic visualization drives home the sheer scope of how the smoke travels through the air.    

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Pam Parsons September 1, 2026 0
windsock
by Kathleen BigginsC-Change Blog

The Winds of Change

The Winds of Change are Stiffening

By Kathleen Biggins

At a time when caring for the climate seems downright quaint and out of date, when the drumbeat of climate denial sounds steadily and loudly, when federal policy is squashing and delaying renewable energy projects, it may seem incongruous to herald that progress is being made. But when we consider the big picture, the winds of change are stiffening. Let’s take a closer look at some positive trends at home and abroad.

Demographics are changing. Younger Republicans are substantially more concerned about climate change than their parents and grandparents. They also support fossil fuels less and support clean energy more. As younger voters become a larger share of the electorate, today’s partisan divide on climate change is unlikely to remain as stark as it is today.

Political backlash is growing against high electricity costs – and renewables can help. Artificial intelligence and data centers are dramatically increasing electricity demand, driving up costs and leading to political fallout in both conservative and liberal areas. We simply can’t meet the demand without new power generation. 

In the near-term, reliance on natural gas, historically the primary electricity source in the U.S., is expected to increase – especially at off-the-grid power generators at data center sites. But it is significantly hampered by delays and cost: new gas-fired plants now take five to seven years to come online and are three times more expensive to build than a decade ago due to supply chain and workforce shortages. In addition, fuel prices are expected to rise significantly as we export more liquefied natural gas onto the global market and due to geopolitical disruptions. 

At the same time, we have an enormous backlog of cheaper clean-energy projects waiting in our transmission queue. Approximately 95% of all sidelined capacity consists of wind, solar, and battery storage – roughly 2.6 terawatts of potential generation, and more than twice the generating capacity of our current U.S. grid. Harnessing this clean energy is the quickest and cheapest way to add capacity to our grid.

Clean energy is now the cheapest energy. Wind and solar are now the lowest-cost sources of new electricity generation in almost all of the United States and around the world. Conservative states such as Iowa, South Dakota, and Kansas generate at least half of their electricity from wind while maintaining some of the nation’s lowest electricity prices. Texas, long identified with oil and gas, has become one of the world’s renewable energy leaders, generating more than one-third of its electricity from wind, solar, and battery storage. Those resources have significantly reduced wholesale electricity costs and improved grid reliability while providing billions of dollars in income to rural landowners and local communities.

These energy savings are getting too big to ignore. The world saved $480B last year by using more renewable energy instead of burning fossil fuels. And these savings are not one-and-done; sunbeams and wind currents are “free,” so renewable generation will continue to displace fossil fuels and provide savings in future years. 

Climate change is no longer an abstract discussion. In the 1980s, the U.S. experienced $1B weather and climate disasters three times a year – we are now averaging roughly one every two weeks. Unsurprisingly, a large majority of Americans report experiencing an extreme weather event during the past year. Research also suggests that people who experience these events are more likely to recognize the role climate change plays in making many of these disasters more frequent or more severe.

Cleantech is getting more politically savvy. Many Republican lawmakers privately acknowledge the scientific consensus on climate change, yet have faced strong political incentives to avoid publicly embracing climate policy. Following the successful playbook of fossil fuel companies, many cleantech leaders are increasingly investing in relationships across the political spectrum, working to make clean-energy innovation a “purple” issue versus a “progressive” one. 

Clean energy is taking the high ground. Another longstanding criticism – that pursuing clean energy condemns poorer communities to “energy poverty” – is steadily losing credibility.

Across Africa and other developing regions, distributed solar power is bringing electricity to communities that otherwise might wait decades for centralized transmission infrastructure. Instead of relying on imported fossil fuels with volatile prices, families gain access to affordable, locally generated electricity. In fact, Africa – where the vast majority of people without energy access live – is becoming one of the fastest-growing renewable markets. 

The same principle applies in the United States. Wind and solar development is creating new income streams for farmers, ranchers, and economically struggling rural communities, particularly across states like Texas, as well as creating opportunities for lower future utility costs nationwide. 

Other countries are moving quickly and benefiting from the transition. China and India continue to consume enormous quantities of fossil fuels as their economies expand, but last year both decreased fossil fuel electricity generation as they rapidly deployed renewable energy, batteries, and modern electric grids.

India, the world’s fastest growing economy and third-largest emitter,  produced three times as much new clean energy than was needed to fully power that growth, allowing it to actually lower its emissions last year while its economy expanded. 

And China, the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, last year installed half of all new global clean-energy capacity. These additions mean that, as of this year, China now has more generation capacity in renewables than in fossil fuels.

Worldwide, carbon intensity – the greenhouse gas emissions produced per unit of economic output – has continued to decline as clean energy expands. North America was a notable exception in 2025, with emissions and carbon intensity increasing, driven largely by surging electricity demand from AI infrastructure and increased fossil fuel generation in the United States. In fact, last year our increased demand exceeded our clean-energy additions – North American carbon emissions rose 3.2%, driven primarily by the U.S. and accounted for 47% of global emissions growth.

And so here we are. History is filled with moments when a determined minority delayed critically needed change. Current climate policy in the U.S. will likely be remembered as one of those moments. But the winds of change are strong, and this recent doubling down on fossil fuels and climate denial could be the last hurrah of a fading system fighting against an inevitable future. 

Kathleen Biggins is Founder and President of C-Change Conversations.

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Pam Parsons August 28, 2026 0
Panels 260
B-Change Blogby Karen Dougherty

Balcony Solar: A Trending Climate Solution

JULY 2026

By Karen Dougherty

Have you been curious about solar energy for your home but aren’t ready for a major financial commitment? Is your roof covered in shade but you have a sunny porch? Or are you renting a place and wish you could get into the clean-energy game? If any of these are true for you, balcony solar might be calling your name.
 
Balcony solar (also known as plug-in solar) is trending. This may have something to do with skyrocketing energy prices and accelerating demand due to the explosion of data centers. Nobody wants to see energy costs rise, but the more they do, the more benefit there is to powering part (or all) of your home with the sun.

WHAT IS BALCONY SOLAR?
 
Just as the name suggests, balcony solar panels are small enough to go on your porch…or fence, shed, wall, or yard. They plug right into a standard outlet and supply electricity directly to your home’s circuits. In other words, you can access solar without needing a contractor or big investment. Cool, right?
 
The units use a tiny device called a microinverter to convert the sun’s energy into usable electricity for your apartment or home. The power goes straight into your home’s wiring and helps run the always-on appliances like your fridge, Wi-Fi router, laptop chargers, lights, and electronics.
 
Already booming in other countries, balcony solar has recently started gaining popularity in pockets of the United States. 
 
PROS

■  Lower investment than rooftop solar – substantially lower up-front cost vs. rooftop solar, and  you can also start with one panel and add on
■  Renter-friendly – the unit moves with you
■  Easy setup – kits are light and install easily with minimal tools
■  Lower electric bills – can reduce power bills by 10 to 25%
■  No roof required – perfect for apartment, condos, duplexes, and shaded roofs
■  Slows climate change – the more clean energy we use, the less fossil fuel energy we need
■  Can act as a backup power source – when you pair with a battery, you can maintain some power during an outage

CONS

■  Not sufficient to power a whole home – more “trim your bill” than “go fully off-grid”
■  Needs decent sunlight – north-facing balconies or heavily shaded areas won’t work
■  Legal rules are still messy in the U.S. – some states explicitly allow solar panels, some are considering laws, and others are vague or restrictive
■  Landlord or HOA drama may still occur – even where state law allows solar panels, building rules may not
■  Savings are modest – think “helps with the utility bill,” not “break up with my energy utility”
 
WHAT IS THE COST?
 
Typical U.S. balcony solar kits cost between $500 to $1,500 depending on size and energy output. European systems are much cheaper because the market is more mature, but U.S. prices are coming down.
 
How much can people save? There are lots of variables, like system sizes and electricity rates, but the short answer is: noticeable but not life-changing money.

Typical estimates are about 10 to 25% savings, depending on the size of the solar unit. The payback period depends on the cost of electricity where you live, but typically lands between two to five years. As energy prices go up, this time goes down.
 
WHERE IS BALCONY SOLAR ALLOWED?
 
One challenge is many states have antiquated laws requiring balcony solar to have the same permits and fees as commercial solar farms. This is a case of rules not keeping pace with technology – many states are in a “legal gray area” where the laws don’t clearly permit or ban plug-in solar yet. Because of broad interest, things are rapidly changing. Eight states have laws allowing residents to use plug-in solar, and many others have active legislation or regulatory discussions underway.

States where plug-in solar is approved:
■  Colorado
■  Connecticut
■  Maine
■  Maryland
■  New Hampshire
■  Utah (first state to explicitly legalize it, in 2025)
■  Vermont
■  Virginia

States with active legislation (stay tuned – this is a fast-moving target):
■  Arkansas
■  California
■  Delaware
■  Georgia
■  Hawaii
■  Idaho
■  Illinois
■  Indiana
■  Iowa
■  Massachusetts
■  Michigan
■  Minnesota
■  Missouri
■  New Jersey
■  New York
■  North Carolina
■  Ohio
■  Oklahoma
■  Oregon
■  Pennsylvania
■  Rhode Island
■  South Carolina
■  Washington
■  West Virginia
■  Wyoming

WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
 
If you want to give balcony solar a try, do a bit of research to make sure it’s allowed in your state. And keep checking, because things are moving fast. If legislation is in process, consider firing off an email to your state representatives voicing support.
 
Before buying, you will also want to consider the size of the unit that best matches your budget, as well as the size of your sunny spot. When dealing with electricity, safety is obviously important, so look for a unit that is UL-certified. And finally, don’t forget to check with your HOA or building manager.
 
In a nutshell, balcony solar could be a simple way to dip your toe into the solar game, be part of the solution to climate change, and save some money along the way. Triple win!

In addition to volunteering for C-Change, Karen blogs about climate change at unheating.com. 

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Pam Parsons July 19, 2026 0
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Curated Climate News

We need to understand the risks of climate change and the emerging innovations

JUNE 2026

At a time when the world’s climate systems are flashing red, many Americans seem to be responding with a shrug – or with willful avoidance of the topic. Media climate desks have been disbanded, liberal politicians have dropped the issue, consumers are understandably focused on soaring energy costs, and the federal government is pretending climate change doesn’t exist and perversely boosting coal (the most expensive and carbon intensive fuel of all). It’s like we are collectively reverting to childhood, shutting our eyes so the boogeyman can’t get us. 

But, unfortunately, closing our eyes doesn’t mean the boogeyman isn’t coming – and this one is coming with a vengeance. So far this year, temperatures are trending higher (France just hit its hottest day ever recorded), early wildfires are more widespread and destructive, and water supplies are at record lows). And the
extremes – heat, drought, and, conversely, excessive rain – are bedeviling farmers and endangering food supplies. 

And remember, our climate woes today will look like child’s play tomorrow. To get a sense of what we may be setting into motion, let’s look at conditions the last time emissions were this high: three million years ago, when temperatures were 4.5-7.4°F hotter than our pre-industrial temperatures and oceans were at least 16 feet higher with large parts of the Atlantic coast, the Carolinas, and Florida under water. 

The good news is that despite this environment of “climate malaise,” more Americans than ever are worried about climate change and a strong majority – 63% in a recent Gallup poll – want our government to do more about it. Companies, including American icons like GM, are reimagining how our energy systems will run in the future. Investors are piling into cleantech, with global investments hitting $2T in 2025, more than double investment in fossil fuels. And electrification – using electricity for transport, industry, heating, and power – is advancing globally at a blistering pace and is three times more efficient than using fossil fuels for most of the same tasks.  

So, let’s shake off our malaise and get cracking. Let’s open our eyes to what’s happening, so we can understand both the real risk of climate change and the promise of the innovation around us. The only way to chase that boogeyman away is to meet him head on. 

Sincerely,
Kathleen Biggins
Founder and President

Notable Quote

“The current El Niño is … riding on top of a substantial amount of global warming. This means that the actual temperatures in affected regions could well be unprecedented, as the warming from El Niño is being topped up by climate change.”  – Adam Scaife, a climate scientist at the U.K.’s national weather service

News of Concern

El Niño has officially arrived – and the likelihood that it will become a rare “super” El Niño is looking more and more likely. El Niño is a Pacific weather pattern that affects the whole globe, increasing temperatures and causing extremes in both rainfall and drought. This El Niño is beginning when our oceans are already 0.9°F warmer than normal and forecasters believe there’s a high chance that sea surface temperature rise will exceed 3.6°F this year. That means more storms in the southern U.S., hotter weather in the Pacific Northwest, and less snow in Canada – all of which will impact our weather and our economy.

In other concerning news we’re watching: 

■   Natural gas flares – the gas burned off during processing – rose to the highest level since 2019. The U.S. is among the top producers of flares, which pump carbon into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. 

■   According to a new report from the United Nations, the amount of electricity gobbled up by data centers around the world might be equal to that of the sixth-largest power-consuming country by 2030. 

■   At a time when electricity demand is skyrocketing, the Trump administration continues to cancel wind projects. But we are encouraged by one energy development company that took the payout – Invenergy said it will use that money to invest in next-gen geothermal development.

■   We’ve talked a lot about how climate change is coming for the things we value – and now our beloved tomatoes (and all of the products they’re in, like ketchup and sauce) are on that list as drought and heat impact crops around the world. 

News of Hope

It’s a welcome sign that renewable energy is getting big enough and politically savvy enough to start challenging candidates who are vehemently against clean energy. Stealing a page from the fossil fuel industry, a new PAC is supporting Republicans who may not be full-throated supporters of renewable energy, but who are more moderate than their opponents. In other words, the PAC is retaliating against those who are gunning for the renewables industry and is aimed at making clean-energy support important on both sides of the aisle.

Here’s some good news for our coral reefs: a new study has identified more than 5,800 square miles of ocean where local conditions will slow climate change’s impact and allow some coral to survive longer. Coral reefs, which are bleaching at a rapid rate due to rising sea temperatures, are crucial to the health of the ocean and to our economy.

And there was more good news in June:

■   The Trump administration announced a $17.5 billion loan for building large nuclear reactors, with the hope they can be built faster than in the past and come online by the mid-2030s. The driving force behind the funding is to provide more power for data centers, but utility and energy companies should also benefit from an influx of clean power on the grid.

■  The data center buildout is increasing support for novel approaches to add grid flexibility and meet higher peak power demands. Sunrun, Tesla, and Renew Home – the top providers of rooftop solar, home batteries, and smart thermostats in the U.S. – are teaming up to create a massive virtual power plant (a network of home-based smart thermostats, EV chargers, smart appliances, and home batteries) that are contracted to send power back to the grid when needed. Harnessing this “distributed power” (aka power in our homes) more widely could result in $10B in savings to U.S. utility customers annually and can provide new energy resources more quickly than building new plants.
 
■   Seven Northeast states are suing the Trump administration for paying TotalEnergies $1B to scrap offshore wind projects. States claim the administration’s move will squander billions already spent in economic investments, raise electricity costs, and kill thousands of green-energy jobs. Their goal is to strike down the administration’s agreement for canceling the offshore leases.

■   One of the biggest challenges of climate change is how it is impacting our water
supplies – in many cases, higher temperatures and evaporation levels are leading to less water for farms, energy production, and people. California is expanding a pilot program to put solar panels above irrigation canals that can both generate significant amounts of clean energy and save billions of gallons of water by protecting the canals from evaporation.

Notable Graph

For the first month ever, wind and solar generated more electricity than gas globally in April. Part of this is due to gas disruption from the Iranian war but the shift may be more permanent than many people think, as countries move toward clean-energy sources that are cheaper and more secure. For contrast, just five years ago, natural gas provided almost twice as much electricity as wind and solar, indicating how rapidly renewable energy is shaping the power mix worldwide.

Source: Monthly electricity data, Ember. “Other renewables” includes hydro, bioenergy, and smaller generators such as geothermal. “Other fossils” includes oil and other fossil generators  

Notable Video

As summer settles in, so does the humidity for much of the country. The number of dangerous humid heat days has more than doubled since the 1970s – and is affecting more locales than ever – increasing our risk of heat-related health issues like heat stroke and heart attacks. Climate Central explains why humid heat is so dangerous.

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Pam Parsons July 3, 2026 0
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Ask a Climate ExpertQ&A

What Would Happen if AMOC Collapsed Completely?

By Michael Mann

Climatologist and geophysicist ​Michael Mann is a presidential distinguished professor in the department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania and the director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media. Dr. Mann received his M.S. degree in physics from Yale University, and a Ph.D. in geology & geophysics from Yale University. His research interests include the study of Earth’s climate system and the science, impacts, and policy implications of human-caused climate change. He is author of more than 200 peer-reviewed and edited publications, numerous op-eds and commentaries, and six books.

Question:

What happens if AMOC [Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation] collapsed completely, happened suddenly, and circulation stopped completely and the ocean cooled to full potential. From a physics point of view, if energy is not transferred by the ocean, it builds up and should be transferred somehow, perhaps using the atmosphere.

Answer:

The short answer is that a slowdown, or possible collapse, of the AMOC would not have the dramatic impacts that are depicted in popular movies and renditions (e.g. “Day After Tomorrow”). There would probably be cooling of the sea surface temperatures in the subpolar North Atlantic (including Iceland), but simply less warming in eastern North America and western Europe – as it would offset some of the more globally pervasive warming regionally. 

There would be less ocean mixing in parts of the North Atlantic and decreased marine productivity (which would be very bad for global fish stocks), increased sea level rise along parts of Mid-Atlantic coast, and regional changes in atmospheric circulation that could lead to more warming in some places and cooling in others.

The question is on target in that there is a tendency for compensation. If you slow down the current and get cooling up north, you increase the sea surface temperature gradient between the mid-latitudes and pole, increasing mid-latitude storm activity, which transports more heat poleward in an attempt to even out the gradient.

 

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Pam Parsons June 13, 2026 0
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Curated Climate News

No Need to Worry About Climate Change! Fact or Fiction?

May 2026

Everyone relax! The scientific scenario predicting a grim climate-damaged future has been discredited and retired. No need to worry!

That’s the pablum coming from some conservative media. 

Scientists did retire the RCP 8.5 scenario – the “worst-case” climate scenario heralding a potential 3.5–5.5°C (8–10°F) increase by 2100. This grim scenario focused on what could happen if the population kept growing at past rates (it hasn’t) and countries tripled their fossil fuel usage to grow their economies (they aren’t). 

Things have changed a lot since 2011, when the first scenarios – a worst-case, best-case, and two in-between cases – were laid out. At that time, emissions had risen 30% in the prior decade, and China was undergoing an accelerated economic transformation powered by fossil fuels. Today, both China (the world’s biggest emitter) and India (the world’s newest economic powerhouse) are using “electrotech” – the combination of clean energy and electrification – to help grow their economies in a less-carbon-intensive way. They are still using fossil fuels and emitting greenhouse gases, but at a lower rate than projected in the past. And other countries, including the U.S., are integrating more electrotech into their energy systems. The net result?  We no longer have to increase fossil fuel usage in order to have economic growth.

But before we celebrate too much, we should note the best-case scenario – that we could keep global average temperature gains below 1.5°C – is likely off the table as well, with most scientific assessments predicting we are heading toward a 2.7°C (5°F) increase (absent dramatically scaled-up efforts to curtail carbon pollution). 

Some sobering thoughts on that newer trajectory: that number includes the average temperatures of the oceans and the land, so land temperatures will be significantly higher. In addition, the heating won’t magically stop rising at century’s end. The RCP 8.5  “extreme” temperature increases are now considered unlikely for century’s end but are plausible for 2150. And even at the more moderate 3-degree increase, experts warn of a vastly different planet, with billions of people exposed to lethal heat and humidity, and the potential extinction of a quarter of all known plants and animals. 

So yes, it is good news that scientists have concluded that the most dangerous scenario is off the table. Maybe, as critics claim, it was too pessimistic to start. Maybe, as supporters say, the worst-case scenario was an important tool to explore what could happen if we didn’t act. And definitely, it shouldn’t have been incorrectly referred to or considered as the “business as usual” trajectory. 

But in the most important ways it doesn’t matter. We are still heading into a much more dangerous and less economically secure future. And this hullaballoo around the projected scenarios is distracting from the climate realities right now: March was the hottest ever recorded, the worst spring drought on record is threatening U.S. crops, and the water woes in the Southwest are becoming epic, to name a few.

So let’s focus on what really matters: not far-away projections but down-home realities. Climate change isn’t safe now and won’t be in the foreseeable future. Retiring the top scenario doesn’t change that.  

Sincerely,
Kathleen Biggins
Founder and President

Notable Quote
“In paleo-climate terms, New Orleans is gone; the question is how long it has.” 

— Jesse Keenan, an expert in climate adaptation at Tulane University and co-author of a recent paper on sea level rise

News of Concern

This hits hard: New Orleans, one of our most iconic cities, is predicted to be surrounded by water by the century’s end, and experts have warned the city that relocation should start now. And sadly, NOLA isn’t an outlier. Indonesia is already in the process of relocating all government functions out of Jakarta, where a third of the city is predicted to be submerged by 2050.  Many vulnerable cities – including Miami, Shanghai, Bangkok, and Venice – are bedeviled by a one-two punch: rising sea levels and severe land sinkage occurring as water is pumped from underground aquifers. 

We were also concerned to read:

  • As bacteria and other pathogens evolve to survive higher temperatures and changing rainfall patterns, some are becoming more resistant to antibiotics. Experts say this could have sweeping, negative health ramifications for both people, animals, and crops.  

  • Water prices are skyrocketing as extreme rainstorms devastate our reservoirs and pipes, and severe drought and snowpack loss endanger our water supplies. The EPA has estimated we’ll need to invest $625B over the next two decades to secure our supply of safe drinking water. 

  • In a rare move, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) issued its highest-level warning for our grid, citing widespread outages and fluctuations caused primarily by large-power consumers like data centers.   

  • The AI buildout is causing headwinds for the clean-energy transition, as big tech, utilities, and cities pull back on climate goals as they scramble to find new power and to keep retail energy costs down.

For many of us, standing over the kitchen sink to bite into a juicy peach is the epitome of summer. So we were devastated to read that the snap of freezing temperatures that followed an unseasonal warmup this spring has decimated peach crops in New Jersey (as well as apples and many other fruits up and down the East Coast). Climate change is pushing spring thaws earlier, encouraging early blossoms that are more vulnerable to late winter frosts.  

News of Hope

In May, the U.N. General Assembly voted to back a world court opinion that all countries are legally obligated to address climate change. One of the most interesting “yea” votes? China. The U.S. voted “nay” alongside Russia, Israel, Iran, Belarus, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Liberia. The vote reflects the growing international consensus that addressing climate change has moved from being a political choice to becoming a nation’s legal responsibility. 

In other positive news: 

  • The U.S. announced the discovery of a huge quantity of lithium – enough to provide over 300 years’ worth of supply – under the East Coast. We have been dependent on China for this important element of our cleantech, and this new find significantly enhances our energy security.   

  • The world’s biggest battery began operating in South Dakota last month. Antora’s thermal battery, which stores energy in carbon then releases it as heat for industrial processes or to generate electricity when needed.  Astonishingly, the project went from initial construction to delivering energy in under 12 months. 

  • White hydrogen, a natural form of hydrogen that can be extracted and used like natural gas, is having a moment. Major mining and oil companies are jumping on the bandwagon to find ways to safely mine this emissions-free fuel that could be used in place of legacy fossil fuels, including in hard-to-abate sectors like manufacturing and shipping.  

  • China is electrifying its trucking fleet so fast that it’s reshaping global diesel demand. Trucks emit extremely high amounts of greenhouse gases, but most countries have been slow to transition in this sector. But now that China’s models are proving cheaper to operate than diesel trucks, Europe’s imports have skyrocketed. 

  • Ford unveiled an audacious plan to deliver an EV pickup truck priced at only $30,000 next year. In an effort to match China’s manufacturing efficiency, Ford threw out its old playbook, demolished old assembly lines, and reimagined design and manufacturing practices to drive down costs.  

With so much uncertainty about the costs versus the benefits of AI, this is news that could swing it to the bright side. Scientists are working on a “brain chip” that would reduce AI’s energy consumption by up to 70% through a process that mimics how neurons work in the human brain. 

Notable Graph

What will the weather bring for World Cup 2026 as it kicks off in venues across the United States? If the past few tournaments are any indicator, it will be hot – and extreme heat puts both athletes and spectators at risk for heat stroke, dehydration, and heart attacks. 

Notable Video

The circulation of our oceans is vitally important to our climate – but what happens if that system collapses? The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) keeps Europe from becoming a frozen tundra and helps more southern regions receive the rainfall needed to grow crops. Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli explains a new study that shows a slowdown in the AMOC and explains why that matters for the health of the whole planet.

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Pam Parsons June 13, 2026 0
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by Kathleen BigginsC-Change Blog

War, What is it Good For? Maybe the Energy Transition.

by Kathleen Biggins

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Pam Parsons May 13, 2026 0
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B-Change Blog

Volunteering is Good for the Climate and You

MARCH 2026

By Karen Dougherty

The climate is changing before our eyes, and the B-Change blog is here to share ways we can all be part of the solution. Past topics have highlighted changes we can make on our own, but today the focus is on amplifying our individual efforts.

How? In a word: volunteer. You may be thinking that, between work and family commitments, you can’t squeeze in one more thing. If this is you, I’ve been in your shoes. But in reality, committing as little as one hour a month can make an impact. Or maybe you just don’t know where to start. Whether you enjoy interacting with others or prefer sitting at home on your computer, there is a volunteer role for you.

You may have noticed we focus a lot on “win-win” situations here at B-Change. In other words, nearly all of the possible actions to help address climate change also make our lives better. Volunteering is no exception. Many of us feel overwhelmed and frightened by climate change. There is plenty of evidence that action is the antidote to anxiety, so getting involved can help us feel better. Simply interacting with other like-minded people can make us feel understood – and more hopeful about the future.

National Groups

Wondering where to start? There are countless national and local organizations working on this problem from every possible angle. We’ll highlight a few reputable national ones, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. A quick search can uncover even more possibilities.

Climate Changemakers 

What they do:

  • Influence climate policy through nonpartisan advocacy

  • Organize time-efficient activities to make an immediate impact

How you can help:

  • Attend a virtual “Hour of Action” 

  • Follow a weekly “Action Plan”

Citizens’ Climate Lobby

What they do:

  • Facilitate grassroots efforts that focus on climate policy

  • Train volunteers to lobby Congress and build political support

How you can help:

  • Join a local chapter

  • Participate in advocacy activities like meeting with lawmakers and writing letters

RepublicEn

What they do:

  • Engage conservative/right-leaning audiences on climate change, focusing on market-based solutions

  • Build bipartisan support for climate action

How you can help:

  • Sign up to participate in outreach within conservative communities

  • Work on advocacy efforts with Republican policymakers

Climate Action Now

What they do:

  • Focus on community-based climate action and education

  • Coordinate hands-on actions and local sustainability projects

How you can help:

  • Join local workshops or initiatives like environmental cleanups

  • Explore the “Action Carousel,” which offers quick action suggestions

  • Sign up for an “Action of the Day” email

C-Change Conversations

Surprise! How could I not include this one on the list? After all, I believe in it enough to volunteer time here myself.

What they do:

  • Provide nonpartisan, science-based climate change education and communication, with an emphasis on building consensus across the political spectrum

  • Conduct live presentations explaining climate science and impact

How you can help:

Local Groups 

If you prefer to get involved where you live, try searching for groups in your community. Some national organizations have local chapters, and there are also many locally-based organizations looking for help. Here’s an example: I’m passionate about reducing food waste, and keeping food out of landfills happens to be an impactful climate solution. I found a local organization called Feeding Charlotte. They rescue prepared food from commercial kitchens that would otherwise be wasted and deliver it to nonprofits. This helps fight climate change while also feeding hungry neighbors. It also makes me feel like I’m making a tangible difference. A true win-win.

Do you have a specific passion or interest? If so, take a look to see if there’s a connection to a climate organization. If you’re not currently active in one, why not give it a try? As the saying goes, you don’t have to do everything … just don’t do nothing.

In addition to volunteering for C-Change, Karen blogs about climate change at unheating.com. 

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Pam Parsons May 12, 2026 0
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Athens

Georgia Curated Climate News: Here Come the Wildfires!

April

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Pam Parsons May 8, 2026 0
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