Search Climate Insights Directory

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) reviewed 107 unique documents from 2,984 public comments regarding the EPA's 2024 Cumulative Impacts (CI) Framework. The analysis identifies five core themes for a robust CI program: legal authority, program execution, community engagement, assessment methodology, and ensuring outcomes. The report notes that the second Trump administration has undermined these efforts by rescinding environmental justice executive orders, disbanding advisory councils, and eliminating the EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights.

The document outlines the health risks of wildfire smoke, specifically PM2.5 particulates, and provides guidance for reporters on highlighting vulnerable populations and using tools like the Air Quality Index (AQI). It notes that wildfire smoke can be up to 10 times more harmful in the short term than industrial pollutants and cites a study estimating 70,000 annual deaths in the US by 2050.

The report analyzes a severe heatwave in July 2026 characterized by record-shattering Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) values across the eastern US and Canada. Attribution analysis indicates that while the atmospheric circulation pattern (a 'heat dome') is characteristic of the region, the intensity of the event was substantially increased by a background climate that has warmed by 1.4°C due to fossil fuel combustion. The study emphasizes that humid heat extremes are an emerging risk, as WBGT is increasing more rapidly than absolute maximum or minimum temperatures. It also highlights the disproportionate vulnerability of low-income residents, outdoor workers, and those in historically redlined urban districts, while noting the critical role of heat action plans and cooling centers in mitigating mortality.

The report proposes optimizing the limited supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by targeting its use at airports with the highest contrail and particulate matter (PM) impacts. Analysis of 16.6 million flights in 2024 reveals that 2% of flights generate 80% of contrail-related warming. In the U.S., JFK, LAX, and O'Hare are identified as primary targets, while Heathrow, Istanbul Airport, and Paris CDG are the top candidates in Europe. The study finds that a 50% SAF blend can reduce LTO particulate emissions by 26-28% and contrail-related warming by 30-40%. While airport-wide targeting is simplest, time-based and flight-based strategies are more fuel-efficient. Implementation faces logistical hurdles, particularly at airports using hydrant fuel systems, but the report suggests these can be overcome through policy incentives and infrastructure investment.

The document is a formal statement by a coalition of state attorneys general and local officials opposing federal legislation that would shield fossil fuel companies from state-level lawsuits regarding climate deception and consumer protection violations.

The guide outlines ten ways US cities can advance electric mobility through permitting reform, building codes, targeted public charging, and shared e-mobility services to ensure an equitable transition.

The report introduces Green Economic Populism (GEP), a framework that argues the affordability crisis is a structural challenge intensified by the climate crisis. It posits that reducing dependence on volatile fossil fuels can lower costs for working people across energy, food, health, housing, and transportation. The document provides polling data showing that 70% of US voters believe economic policy can simultaneously lower costs and reduce emissions, and 55% want coordinated policies to address both. It highlights successful political campaigns and labor actions in cities and states such as New York City, Seattle, New Jersey, Georgia, and Missouri that centered the intersection of climate action and material needs, such as rent stabilization, utility price controls, and decarbonized public infrastructure.

The report highlights that over 66 million people in the US live near freight facilities, with higher concentrations of warehouses linked to increased cancer risks and air pollution. It advocates for Indirect Source Rules (ISRs), which require facilities to mitigate the 'indirect' emissions they attract, citing California's WAIRE program as a successful model for increasing zero-emission vehicle adoption and infrastructure.

The document reports that November 2025 was the third warmest on record globally and the fourth warmest for the contiguous U.S. It highlights a long-term trend of warming winters in the U.S., where the coldest day of the year has warmed by approximately 7°F since 1970. The briefing also notes significant regional anomalies, such as extreme warmth in Texas and heavy rainfall in southern California, while discussing the ongoing La Niña advisory and its expected impacts on weather patterns through early 2026.

The report proposes a Gas System Analysis (GSA) framework to counter rising consumer costs and risks associated with massive gas infrastructure investments. It outlines a three-part process: depicting current system characteristics, defining future scenarios (including business-as-usual and alternative pathways), and forecasting impacts on costs, emissions, and public health. The framework aims to prevent stranded assets and support the transition to clean heat through electrification and non-pipeline alternatives.

The report finds that 86% of analyzed global marathons will see a decline in the odds of optimal running conditions by 2045. While elite women are more resilient to heat, elite men are most affected, particularly at the Tokyo Marathon, which is projected to see the largest decline in ideal conditions among the Abbott World Marathon Majors. The analysis highlights that the 2025 Tokyo and Berlin Marathons experienced unusual heat made two to three times more likely by climate change. Shifting race start times to sunrise is identified as a potential adaptation to increase the likelihood of optimal temperatures for most runners.

Dr Basani Baloyi argues that unpaid care work is an invisible economic powerhouse that sustains global systems but remains excluded from GDP calculations. The address highlights Brazil's National Caregiving Policy and South Africa's G20 priorities as models for transformation. It asserts that investing in care infrastructure—guided by the ILO's 5R framework—would generate significant GDP returns, create millions of jobs, and address the looming demographic crisis of an aging global population.

Climate Central's analysis of 65 major U.S. cities reveals that approximately 76% of the 6.2 million K-12 public school students in these areas attend school in 'extreme urban heat zones,' where the built environment adds at least 8°F of additional heat. The average student in these cities attends school in a neighborhood that is 8.3°F hotter due to the built environment, with the highest average additional heat found in New York City (9.6°F). The report highlights that children are particularly vulnerable to heat-related health risks, which can impair academic achievement and development, while noting that 41% of public school districts need to update or replace HVAC systems in at least half of their schools.

The document outlines the significance of the U.S. rail network for commerce and passenger travel, noting that rail can help decarbonize transportation by displacing emissions from other modes. It highlights the role of the surface transportation bill in funding rail modernization through electrification, track expansion, and safety improvements.

The report argues that private equity firms are increasingly treating the US education sector as a "return-generating machine," leading to tuition hikes in childcare, the defunding of public schools through "school choice" vouchers, and the influence of corporate interests on classroom curricula. It highlights the role of firms like Leeds Equity Partners in owning companies across multiple stages of a child's education and calls for greater regulation and transparency to protect students and educators.

Climate change in Illinois is manifesting as increased precipitation, rising temperatures, and intensified summer droughts, leading to significant infrastructure damage and public health risks. Since the 20th century, average annual precipitation has risen by 12-15%, while extreme events have increased by 40%, causing frequent flooding and sewage overflows in cities like Chicago. Rising temperatures are most pronounced in winter, with a predicted average increase of up to 9°F by 2100, which threatens agricultural yields—potentially reducing corn yields by 23-34% by mid-century—and necessitates an estimated $6.1 billion for school air conditioning by 2025. Additionally, intensified summer droughts threaten crop yields and river navigation, notably impacting barge transportation on the Mississippi River, while increasing the risk of wildfires and health issues from Canadian wildfire smoke.

GreenLatinos' 2025 Impact Report details a year of advocacy against federal environmental rollbacks and the implementation of community-led resilience projects. Key achievements include securing $10B in Proposition 4 funds in California, passing the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act in Illinois, and managing over $30 million in funding for urban forestry and community grants. The organization mobilized over 250 environmental justice organizations to respond to EPA rollbacks and expanded its 'Climate Lotería' project to combat Spanish-language climate disinformation. Its Urban Greening Initiative diverted over 611,000 pounds of organic waste and planted hundreds of trees across Chicago, Los Angeles, and Albuquerque.

The Latino Climate Justice Framework 2025-2028 outlines systemic inequities facing Latino/a/e communities, including higher energy burdens, exposure to fossil fuel pollution, and lack of access to nature. It proposes specific policy objectives across energy justice, climate resilience, worker protections, and migration rights, while warning against 'false solutions' like carbon capture and storage. The framework emphasizes the need for equitable clean energy transitions, the protection of climate-displaced persons, and the liberation of Puerto Rico from restrictive energy and economic policies.

In 2024, the GreenLatinos Sustainable Cities Urban Greening Initiative distributed $2.65 million in grant funding to 12 awardees across Albuquerque, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The program utilized a community advisory board of 18 leaders to ensure funding decisions reflected the needs of affected communities. Funded projects include community gardens, composting initiatives, and riverfront revitalization. The initiative also integrated advocacy, bringing awardees to Washington, D.C. to engage with federal agencies and elected officials on topics such as urban heat, polluted sites, and language justice in urban greening outreach.

The report details how private equity firms profit from the detention and sheltering of immigrants in the United States through contracts for facility management, healthcare, telecommunications, and biometrics. It highlights specific instances of fiscal mismanagement and poor conditions in facilities managed by private equity-backed companies, such as DocGo and GardaWorld. The document also examines the expansion of surveillance through biometric systems like HART and the role of private equity in border militarization and deportation logistics.