Dr. Katharine Hayhoe

Hope isn’t something we wait for: it's something we create. This week's Talking Climate news illustrates why it matters so much, and how innovation and courage can help!

💧 Good news: A solar-powered system can pull drinking water directly from the air—up to 1,000 liters of clean water a day, even in dry areas where billions of people already face water scarcity.

🧠 Not-so-good news: Climate change is increasingly affecting people's mental health, from Madagascar to Appalachia. In the U.S. alone, rising heat could lead to hundreds of millions additional days of anxiety and depression each year by end of century.

🚶 Inspiration: Three members of New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light recently completed a 320-mile pilgrimage from the oil-producing Permian Basin to the state capitol in Santa Fe to call for climate action.

Read more in this week’s edition, and don't forget to share! https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/pulling-clean-water-fromair

This week in Talking Climate: why a warming world can mean worse winter weather, and how one of the world's biggest cities just cleaned up its air 184 years ahead of forecast. Read on!

🌫️ Good news: London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone cut pollution in half and brought the city into legal air quality compliance 184 years earlier than forecast, proving that climate policy is health policy.

❄️ Not so good news: While average snowfall is declining in many places, a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture: which can mean heavier snow and more dangerous winter extremes where temps stay below freezing. Climate change isn’t eliminating winter; in some places, it’s intensifying it.

🤝 What you can do: One of the most effective climate actions individuals can take is joining a climate group. Collective action reminds us we're not alone, and drives systemic change. Use my lists to find your perfect fit ... and share your favourite climate group below! https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/why-winters-are-riskier-in-a-warmer

The U.S. is stepping back from global climate policies at the very moment the global clean energy transition is accelerating.

Christiana Figueres, former UN climate leader and architect of the Paris Agreement, explains why this attempt to double down on fossil fuels is economically and technologically out of step with the rest of the world — and why it won’t stop the broader shift already underway. Instead, it leaves the U.S. trailing behind; and catching up in a global clean energy race is far harder than leading it.

Subscribe to my Patreon or Substack to watch the full interview about policy, outrage, optimism, and the spiritual grounding we need to navigate moments like this.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/152164025
Substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-189401659

Most weeks, bad climate news feels like a deluge. But even in the midst of the storm, there's always good news too. Hang on to your seats, here we go!

✅ Good news: New Carbon Brief analysis finds China’s emissions have flattened and may even be starting to decline. Combined with their previous analysis showing China's clean energy exports cut global emissions 1% in 2024, and you can see there's reason for hope.

⚠️ Not-so-good news: The U.S. EPA has rescinded the Endangerment Finding, the science-based determination that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions threaten public health. Why does this matter? It's the legal backbone that allowed GHGs to be regulated under the Clean Air Act.

💰 What you can do: Where you bank may matter more than you think. Ask questions, choose climate-aligned institutions, and - if needed - move your money with help from Bank.Green and Bank for Good.

Here’s a snapshot of this week’s Talking Climate: the good, the not-so-good, and what you can do. For the full story, give the newsletter a read - and if it’s useful, please share! We can’t do this alone, but we can do it together. https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/have-chinas-carbon-emissions-peaked

The US NSF has put out a "dear colleagues" letter that is essentially a yard sale list for the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

It asks questions such as, "who'd like to take over some of NCAR's programs?," and, "Is anyone interested in commercial use of the Mesa Lab?

If you have any thoughts about this that you'd like to share, you can send them to NSF_NCAR@nsf.gov

Here is the letter: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/information/dcl-nsf-intent-restructure-critical-weather-infrastructure

What do the Winter Olympics, Bad Bunny, and “Grey’s Anatomy” have in common?

This week I’m delighted to welcome climate columnist Sammy Roth as guest editor of Talking Climate. He's spent over a decade writing on climate, culture, and clean energy, and his stories always inspire and surprise!

🌟 Good news: Climate storytelling is finally breaking into mainstream culture, thanks to Winter Olympians, Hollywood story-lines and Super Bowl halftime shows.

📉 Not-so-good news: Climate still appears in only a tiny fraction of film and TV content. Fossil fuel sponsorships remain widespread in sports, from Olympics to baseball, and climate journalism is shrinking in many major newsrooms.

🎯 What you can do: Support the culture and media you want to see. Watch, share, subscribe, and speak up — because entertainment companies, sports leagues, and news outlets pay attention when audiences demand change.

Read more here on smart ways to help climate storytelling reach the audiences it deserves: https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/climate-through-sports-media-and

One of the most common objections I hear to climate action is: “But what about China?”

The person making this argument usually goes on to claim that China is doing nothing, while everyone else is making sacrifices. But that’s not what the data show.

Here’s the reality:

* As the U.S. doubles down on fossil fuels and blocks new wind and solar projects, its emissions are ticking up.

* In contrast, China’s emissions appear to have peaked — and may now be starting to decline.

* Last year, China installed a full half of all the world's new wind and solar energy.

* Over the past two years, China installed more new solar power each year than the U.S. has installed in total across its entire history.

* China's clean exports alone are cutting CO2 outside its borders by 1% year on year.

Of course no country can fix climate change on its own. But just as it's a global problem, progress in one place helps everyone.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-chinas-co2-emissions-have-now-been-flat-or-falling-for-21-months/

Since the United States Environmental Protection Agency issued its Endangerment Finding in 2009, the scientific evidence connecting greenhouse gas emissions to health impacts from climate change has only grown stronger.

Over the past two decades, I’ve contributed to this body of research myself: quantifying the risks posed by rising CO₂ levels to people, infrastructure and the natural systems we depend on, and authoring multiple U.S. National Climate Assessments.

These authoritative and exhaustive reports helped build the scientific foundation that underpins the Endangerment Finding, and their conclusions weren’t based on ideology. They were rooted in rigorous, peer‑reviewed evidence; evidence that has only become clearer with time.

Research today shows that climate change is increasing the risk of allergies, dementia, fertility, heart disease, mortality and so much more. Maintaining science‑based policies isn’t just prudent—it’s the reliable foundation we need to build a safer, healthier and more resilient future.

Read more of my statement here: https://www.nature.org/en-us/newsroom/epa-repeal-endangerment-finding/

For a long time, Twitter was the best place to share and find the latest science. Until the algorithm changed, that is.

Overnight, my posts went from thousands to dozens of views, while the trolling I received skyrocketed. Instead of tens of hateful replies, I started getting thousands of them.

Where were scientists supposed to go? I tried Mastodon, LinkedIn, and other platforms: but nothing really clicked. Then along came Bluesky.

It takes a while to regrow a community: but a new survey of 830 scientists by @whysharksmatter@bird.makeup and Julia Wester now finds that "for every reported professional benefit that scientists once gained from Twitter, scientists can now gain that benefit more effectively on Bluesky than on Twitter."

If you're interested, you can find me (and my 20+ climate starter packs) here: https://bsky.app/profile/katharinehayhoe.com

Read more about their study here: https://academic.oup.com/icb/article-abstract/65/3/538/8196180?login=false

🏂 Good news: Winter athletes are becoming powerful climate advocates because they’re seeing the changes firsthand. From Olympians to fans, groups like Protect Our Winters are pushing sports organizations and policymakers to cut emissions and protect the winters their sports depend on.

⛷️ Not-so-good news: Climate change is rapidly whittling down locations where Winter Olympics can reliably be held. By mid-century, only a handful of locations may be cold enough—and most would rely on artificial snow.

🧊 Inspiration: Glaciologist Dr. Heïdi Sevestre just kite-skied 4,000 km across Antarctica to collect critical ice data. Her example shows how science, courage, and communication can come together—even at the coldest edge of the planet.

What happens to winter sports in a warming world, and how can those of us who love snow and ice use our voices to catalyze change? Read more in this Winter Olympics edition of Talking Climate: https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/can-the-winter-olympics-be-saved

The energy transition is happening, faster than many realize. This week, I look at how clean energy is surging, where we can get it wrong, why silence on climate is spreading, and what we can do about it.

🌞 Good news: Renewables are now so cheap they’re “virtually unstoppable.” Wind and solar plus storage are outpacing fossil fuels globally as well as in the US, UK, Australia .... simply because they make economic sense.

⚠️ Looks like good news, but isn’t (unless we do it right): Where we build clean energy matters. Poor siting can harm ecosystems and communities: and this week, approval of a new pumped storage facility in WA that threatens the Yakama Nation's sacred site embodies this risk.

🤐 Not-so-good news: “Climate hushing” is on the rise as political and industry leaders avoid the topic altogether, even at major global forums. But silence doesn’t neutralize climate risk; it just delays action when we can least afford it.

💬 What you can do: In an era of climate hushing, talking about climate change matters more than ever. Start with shared experiences, local impacts, and hopeful solutions. Our voices are still the most powerful climate tool we have!

https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/climate-hushingthe-quiet-trend-undermining

🐘 Good News: What if wildlife isn’t just impacted by climate change, but part of the solution? From forest elephants and sea otters to whales, penguins, and beavers, animals help store carbon, cool the planet, and keep ecosystems functioning. Protecting biodiversity isn’t separate from climate action: it’s central to it. 🐧 Not-So-Good News: Climate change is exacerbating the biodiversity crisis: skewing sex ratios in reptiles, shifting breeding seasons for penguins, and unraveling food webs species have relied on for millennia. These aren’t distant risks; they’re happening now. 💪 What We Can Do: Personal choices matter—not because they “fix” climate change on their own, but because they shift norms, start conversations, and inspire collective action. This January, choose sustainable habits that fit your life, share why they matter, and help catalyze systemic change. Read more and share what you learn! https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/animals-are-climate-action-heroes

This week’s Talking Climate is a mega-edition, a deep dive into the hot and contentious topic of AI and climate.

💚 Good news: AI and machine learning are already helping scientists process vast amounts of data, improve climate and energy modeling, protect wildlife, detect wildfires, and more. It can even accelerate the low-carbon transition, if used wisely.

😡 Not-so-good news: Today’s AI systems are driving rapid growth in energy and water use, are largely powered by fossil fuels, and are concentrating pollution and health burdens in vulnerable communities ... all while operating with little transparency or oversight.

⚖️ What you can do: The deeper I go, the more I realize the real issue isn’t whether individuals choose to personally use AI nor not. Rather, it’s how these systems are built, powered, and regulated -- because AI isn't going away and tech won’t regulate itself.

✊🏼 Bottom line? Public pressure and smart policy are essential if AI is going to support, rather than undermine, a livable climate. Which means that, once again, our voices are the most powerful force we have to shape the future we want to live in.

If you’ve been wondering whether AI is a climate villain, a climate tool, or both, this edition’s for you. I've included many links to other resources, references and experts so you can go as deep as you'd like.

As always, share what you learn - and let me know what you think! https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/when-ai-hurts-the-climateand-when

The clean energy transition is moving faster than many people realize—but it can also be slowed more easily than most of us expect.

🚘 Good news: More than one-quarter of vehicles sold globally are now electric, and some of the biggest growth is being seen in countries like Vietnam and Turkey.

✋ Not-so-good news: Clean energy progress can be slowed by just one determined opponent and the resulting delays can be costly. A four-year delay in one wind project opposed by one determined retiree resulted in emissions equivalent to those of 2 million gas-powered cars in a year 🤯

🏘️ What you can do: Local decisions matter. Town halls, hearings, and public comments shape our future: and they only work if people show up. You don’t need to be an expert; your voice can make a real difference.

As always, please read and share! https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-does-change-148237933?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_fan&utm_content=web_share

This has been an extraordinarily hard year for science, both globally and especially in the United States.

In this week’s Talking Climate, I unpack why recent cuts to scientific programs and data don’t only affect climate research in the U.S. They weaken the knowledge infrastructure we rely on to protect public health, manage risk, and make good decisions around the world.

I also share good news from Sweden, where smart policy has turned waste into heat and power, reminding us that the most effective solutions often solve multiple problems at once.

And, as always, there's a "what you can do" ... which this week is to start a conversation about how weather and climate science supports our everyday lives. And NCEI director Deke Arndt is ready to help!

Why is this so important? Because when we take science for granted, we're witnessing in real time how much easier it becomes to lose it.

Read more: https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-silencing-us-147583209?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_fan&utm_content=web_share

This week, I’m setting aside Talking Climate’s usual format to share joyful stories of people taking action for climate and nature—because sometimes what we need most is a reminder that solutions are already underway.

🇿🇦 In South Africa, SeaH4 is producing sustainable biofuel from algae that can be used in conventional engines to help decarbonise shipping and aviation.

🇮🇳 In India, faculty and students at Azim Premji University are turning climate data into an embodied experience by performing the story of India’s heat waves through dance.

🇦🇱 In Albania, after 12 years of tireless advocacy, two activists succeeded in protecting the entire Vjosa River, creating Europe’s first Wild River National Park.

🇦🇺 In Australia, a humorous new series, The New Joneses, follows hosts traveling the country by EV to explore climate solutions.

🇨🇦 In Canada, nineteen-year-old Fatih Amin, shaped by climate impacts he witnessed growing up in Bangladesh, is catalyzing youth-led climate action.

🇵🇪 In Lima, Peru—one of the world’s driest cities—an engineer is using fog-catching nets to pull clean water from the air for communities that need it most.

We can’t fix climate change alone—but we don’t have to. Millions of people are already working on it, and when we add our voices and our hands, action accelerates.

Don’t forget to share what you learn here this week. Two great conversation starters are, “Did you know…?” or “You wouldn’t believe what I read…?” Give it a try! https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/climate-inspiration-around-the-world

This week’s Talking Climate newsletter is guest edited by my friend @Bill McKibben — one of the most influential climate activists of our time and a lifelong voice for hope, honesty, and collective action.

In his issue, Bill shares:

🌞 Good news: Australia is rolling out free midday electricity thanks to a solar boom—an extraordinary glimpse of what a clean energy future can look like.

⚠️ Not-so-good news: Why the U.S. risks turning its back on that future, just as the rest of the world races ahead.

🤝 What you can do: How local and state action can help “simplify solar” and make affordable clean energy accessible to more people.

As Bill often reminds us: “The most important thing an individual can do right now is not be such an individual.” If you’re looking for clear-eyed honesty, big-picture hope, and practical ways forward, this one’s for you.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 🎄🎁

https://open.substack.com/pub/talkingclimatenewsletter/p/a-climate-reality-check-from-bill?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

The Trump administration says it will dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research, a cornerstone for American climate and weather science. I went on NPR today to explain what this could mean for climate research. Listen here: https://www.npr.org/2025/12/18/nx-s1-5648395/trump-moves-to-dismantle-a-global-mothership-of-climate-research

If you are in the US and you would like to send a message to your elected representative about this, American Geophysical Union has a template here: https://agu.quorum.us/campaign/151565/

Climate action is happening all around us — in communities, classrooms, churches, and unexpected corners of the world. Here are a few stories of hope, concern, and practical choices we can make together.

🌱 Good News: Innovations in clean energy are accelerating every day, from a solar-powered heated blanket invented by a 12-year-old Scottish student to keep unhoused people warm, to more churches going carbon-free every week.

⚠️ Not-So-Good News: Experts in climate science, health, and risk recently issued the UK’s first-ever National Emergency Briefing on the climate and nature crisis, highlighting escalating risks to food, health, national security, and biodiversity and more.

✈️ What You Can Do: If you’re traveling this season, consider thoughtful choices like staying local, choosing lower-carbon options, or flying direct when necessary. For now, offsetting travel emissions can help support community-centered climate projects ... while we're waiting (and advocating for) for a comprehensive, long-term fix!

Read more: https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/3-creative-ways-to-use-green-energy

Holidays are often a time for decoration and giving — which means a massive surge in waste and emissions. But they also give us opportunities to choose differently.

In this week’s Talking Climate I explore B Corps doing good and the surprising toll of seasonal waste. I've also collected a host of ideas on how our choices can reduce waste, support communities, and restore nature-- from thrifted treasures to shared experiences, and giving that supports families and ecosystems around the world.

There’s no one “right” way to give; but there are so many ways to give well, and feel good doing it.

https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/simple-ways-to-make-the-holidays?r=2eiy9u&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true

In a world flooded with misinformation, science communication isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s essential. How do we tell what’s credible and what’s not?

Join me and a host of other amazing science communicators today for a live broadcast and Reddit AMA with @newshour, from 11am–2pm Eastern!

Live broadcast: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/watch-live-ask-us-anything-about-fighting-science-misinformation-during-a-special-reddit-ama

Reddit AMA: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1php5zh/were_pbs_news_and_were_trying_a_bold_experiment/

@darkerknight@climatejustice.social comments like the one above are precisely why I don't often engage on Mastodon.

If you want to achieve any goal other than alienating allies, please reconsider. Thank you.

For me, 2025 has felt like a particularly heavy year ... and you might feel the same. So as we head into the holiday season, I wanted to share a few recommendations — books, podcasts, and newsletters — that encourage me, make me think, introduce me to new ideas and solutions, and remind me how hope begins with action.

The “what to do” this week is simple: share one of these resources! If you read one of the books, pass it along, give it to someone for Christmas, or recommend it to a book club. If you enjoy a podcast episode, share it with friends who love podcasts too. And if you find a newsletter you like, post it on social media, share why you appreciate it, and invite others to subscribe.

Have a climate-themed book, newsletter, or podcast you love that isn't listed here? Add it in the comments and share why you'd recommend it! https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/climate-content-for-purpose-courage?r=2eiy9u&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true

“They’ve been warning about disaster since COP1. We’re now at COP30 and the beaches are still there.”

In this week’s Cold Facts, Hot Takes, I unpack some of the most common COP-related troll comments I get each year, from“Scientists fly to climate meetings on private jets!” to “COP is a global elite takeover!”

Here’s the truth. When COP began in the 1990s, you had to be living in a handful of remote places—the Arctic, or a low-lying island—to personally feel the impacts of climate change.

Today, climate impacts are everywhere. We see them in:
✅ Rising insurance rates

✅ The price and quality of all kinds of food including coffee, chocolate, and bananas

✅ Sunny-day flooding forcing coastal cities to raise streets and install pumps

✅ Worsening extreme weather and wildfire-driven air pollution
✅ And countless other examples that you read in Talking Climate each week!

Climate change isn’t distant anymore; it’s shaping our economy, our infrastructure, and our daily lives.

So when someone says “nothing’s happening,” the data tells a different story: the impacts are here, and action is underway.

If you want the full breakdown—including how to talk about these issues with others—the full episode is now live on my subscriber-only Substack and Patreon. I’m running a 20% off holiday sale, so if you’ve been curious, now is the time to try it out! https://linktr.ee/talking_climate

https://youtube.com/shorts/kGJskAUUYjQ?feature=share

Fires, floods, and fossil fuels - COP30 had it all.

✅ Good news: Many countries brought a meaningful contribution to this "annual global climate potluck." For example, Brazil will tag 20 million cattle to stop deforestation, the $5.5 B Tropical Forest Forever Fund launched, and South Korea joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance.

⚠️ Not-so-good: A decade after Paris, we’ve made progress, but not enough. At COP30, a bloc of oil-producing nations led by Saudi Arabia and Russia prevented agreement on phasing out fossil fuels — and without that, we can’t meet Paris goals.

💬 What you can do: COP30 reminded us that momentum comes from the ground up: from communities, cities, and individuals. And how do we get climate action started? By talking about it! https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/what-cop30-got-right-and-what-it