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The document provides an introductory overview of wind and solar energy, detailing how photovoltaic and turbine technologies convert natural elements into electricity. It highlights the transition from utility-scale to rooftop installations, the challenge of intermittency, and the significant cost reductions in solar and battery technology between 2009 and 2019. The text argues that renewables support more jobs per unit of electricity than fossil fuels and are essential for reaching net-zero emissions to avoid dangerous global warming.

The document provides an overview of nuclear energy as a low-carbon, high-capacity power source, detailing its current contribution to the U.S. electricity mix and the challenges facing its growth. It highlights the aging state of the U.S. nuclear fleet, the lack of a permanent radioactive waste disposal solution, and the high costs and delays associated with new construction. The brief also explores emerging technologies, such as Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Generation IV reactors, as potential paths to maintain nuclear power's role in a decarbonized economy.

Hourly rainfall intensity in 126 U.S. cities has increased by an average of 15% since 1970, with the heaviest 1% of downpours intensifying most in the Northeast (+60%) and Midwest (+45%) between 1958 and 2021. Future warming of 2°C is projected to increase precipitation during the heaviest events by an average of 17% across U.S. counties. The document highlights that flood risks disproportionately affect people of color, those in mobile homes, and Black communities along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, noting that rainfall changes between 1988 and 2017 caused approximately $73 billion in flood damages.

Climate Central analysis reveals that human-caused climate change is the primary driver of spring warming in 98% of 241 analyzed U.S. cities between 1970 and 2025. On average, spring temperatures in these cities rose by 2.6F, with the most significant warming occurring in the Southwest, South, and Southeast. The analysis indicates that 69% of these cities had all of their spring warming explained by human-caused climate change. This trend is associated with an increase in warmer-than-normal spring days, which the report links to prolonged allergy seasons, heightened wildfire risk, and reduced snow-fed water supplies in the western U.S.

The document outlines how to use FloodVision to communicate flood risks, detailing specific scenarios for storm surge and sea level rise, guidelines for the ethical depiction of private property, and technical caveats regarding the tool's 'bathtub model' approach.

The document details how rising temperatures and more frequent heat waves in the U.S. disproportionately affect children's health and development. It highlights physiological vulnerabilities, the impact of urban heat islands on marginalized communities, and provides guidance for caregivers to mitigate heat-related illnesses.

Climate Central has released CoastalDEM v2.1, a near-global digital elevation model (DEM) for ocean coastal areas. Developed using a new neural network architecture and NASA's ICESat-2 satellite lidar as ground truth, the model significantly reduces vertical bias compared to its predecessor and other leading publicly available DEMs. It is specifically optimized for the 0-5m elevation band to better evaluate coastal flood risk from sea level rise.

Research indicates that under a 3°C warming scenario, approximately 800 million people—about 10% of the global population—would live on land below projected multi-century high tide lines. The risk is most concentrated in Asia, with China, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia among the most endangered nations. Limiting warming to 1.5°C through the Paris Agreement could reduce the affected population to 510 million, potentially saving roughly 50 major cities from needing unprecedented defenses or abandonment.

The report warns that under a 3°C warming scenario, approximately 800 million people (10% of the global population) would live on land below the projected high-tide line. It highlights that Asia is the most exposed region, with China, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia facing significant risks. The document argues that adhering to the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C target could reduce this exposure by approximately half, potentially saving many coastal megacities from abandonment or the need for unprecedented flood defenses.

The report identifies 5,500 hazardous facilities along U.S. coasts at risk of 100-year coastal flooding by 2100 under a high-emissions scenario. It highlights a significant environmental justice gap, finding that poorer and marginalized communities are 15-41% more likely to live near these at-risk sites. The analysis emphasizes the danger of 'NaTech' disasters, where natural events trigger technological failures, leading to toxic contamination of floodwaters.