Search Climate Insights Directory
98 results
Electric School Buses
As of June 2024, the U.S. has 12,174 committed electric school buses, representing a 19-fold increase since June 2019. While these vehicles currently make up only about 3% of the national fleet, over 234,000 students now ride them, with the highest adoption rates in the West and South regions. The transition is largely driven by the EPA's Clean School Bus Program, which provides $5 billion from 2022 to 2026 to reduce the 8.4 million metric tons of carbon pollution emitted annually by school bus fleets and mitigate health risks associated with diesel exhaust.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Clean energy investment in every state
Clean energy investment in the U.S. more than tripled between 2018 and 2023, reaching nearly $248 billion annually. Investment is concentrated in the South and West, with zero-emission vehicles, solar power, and wind power serving as the primary drivers of growth across different regions and states.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Briefing
2024 Fall Package
Analysis of 242 U.S. cities shows that fall temperatures have increased by an average of 2.5°F since 1970, with the most intense warming occurring in the Southwest. This trend is characterized by a higher frequency of above-normal temperature days, which prolongs risks related to heat-related illness, wildfires, and allergies, while also affecting agricultural growing seasons and energy demand for cooling.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Briefing
Extreme Precipitation in a Warming Climate
Climate change is increasing the intensity of extreme precipitation across the U.S., with the Northeast and Midwest seeing the largest increases since 1958. Under 2°C of global warming, 85% of U.S. counties are projected to experience a 10% or higher increase in precipitation on the heaviest 1% of days. This intensification contributes to flash flooding and landslides, disproportionately affecting racial minorities and those in mobile homes, particularly in the South and rural areas. Between 1988 and 2021, warming-induced rainfall intensification caused an estimated $84 billion in inland flood damages.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Weather-related Power Outages Rising
Between 2000 and 2023, 80% of major U.S. power outages were caused by weather, with a significant increase in frequency during the last decade. Severe weather, winter storms, and tropical cyclones are the primary drivers, with Texas and the Southeast region among the most affected. The document highlights the vulnerability of aging infrastructure and the disproportionate impact on marginalized and medically vulnerable populations, while suggesting grid hardening, microgrids, and emissions reductions as paths toward resilience.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Seasonal Allergies
Climate change, driven by carbon pollution, is extending the growing season and increasing pollen production, which worsens seasonal allergies and asthma for millions of children in the U.S. Higher CO2 levels and warming temperatures lead to earlier and longer allergy seasons, potentially increasing asthma-related emergency room visits. Children are particularly vulnerable due to their development and higher time spent outdoors, with certain regions like the Northeast and Ohio Valley expected to see the highest rates of affected children.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Snowfall Trends
Climate Central analyzed 2,041 U.S. monitoring stations from 1970 to 2023, finding that 64% of locations experienced a decrease in annual snowfall. The report highlights regional disparities, noting that while the western U.S. faces shrinking snowpack and increased snow drought, the Great Lakes region sees a trend toward more lake effect snow due to reduced ice cover, though the overall snow season is projected to shorten. These shifts threaten water security in the West, the winter recreation industry in the Northeast, and aquatic ecosystems in the Northern Great Plains.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Warmest Winter Days
Analysis of 240 U.S. weather stations shows that 86% of locations have experienced an increase in unusually warm winter days since 1970, with the most significant rises occurring in the Upper Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast. Winter is the fastest-warming season for 74% of the analyzed locations. These trends are accompanied by a decrease in freezing nights, shorter cold snaps, and a rise in the temperature of the coldest day of the year. The document notes that winter warming affects agriculture, water supplies, public health via allergy and mosquito seasons, and winter sports.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Billion-Dollar Disaster Seasons
The U.S. experienced a record 28 billion-dollar disasters in 2023, causing over $93 billion in damages. Since 1980, tropical cyclones have been the costliest events, while severe storms are the most frequent. The document details how warming temperatures intensify specific hazards—such as increasing rainfall intensity and fueling stronger tropical cyclones—and notes that the average time between such disasters has shrunk from 82 days in the 1980s to 12 days in 2023.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
2023 Winter Package
Climate Central's analysis of U.S. locations from 1970 to 2022 shows that winter is the fastest-warming season for 74% of analyzed sites, with average winter temperatures increasing in 97% of locations. This warming is characterized by more warmer-than-normal days, fewer freezing nights, and shrinking cold snaps, particularly in the Northeast and Upper Midwest. These trends affect critical sectors including the $27 billion fruit and nut industry, western water supplies, and residential energy use.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Severe Storm, Supercell, and Tornado Trends
The document reports a significant increase in billion-dollar severe storms in the U.S., with a shift in tornado activity toward the Southeast and Mid-South. It highlights the vulnerability of mobile home residents and projects a nationwide increase in supercell frequency and a shift toward more winter and early spring storms by the end of the century.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Transforming Existing Buildings from Climate Liabilities to Climate Assets
The document examines how selecting materials with low embodied carbon or carbon-storing properties during building retrofits can prevent emissions spikes and transform buildings into carbon sinks. It analyzes exterior insulation systems and affordable multifamily housing projects in the Northeast to demonstrate that sustainable material substitutes are currently available to help meet 2030 decarbonization goals.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Fastest Warming Seasons
Climate Central's analysis of 246 U.S. locations since 1970 reveals that winter is the fastest warming season for 74% of these sites, particularly in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions. While winter warming disrupts snowfall and water supplies, other regions experience faster warming in different seasons: western U.S. locations often see faster spring and fall warming, while parts of Washington, Oregon, Texas, and Florida experience the most rapid summer warming. These shifts contribute to increased wildfire risks, altered agricultural cycles, and higher energy demands for cooling.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Surging Weather-related Power Outages
Between 2000 and 2021, the U.S. experienced 1,542 major weather-related power outages, with 83% of all reported major outages attributed to weather. The average annual number of these events increased by approximately 78% in the 2011-2021 decade compared to 2000-2010. Severe weather, winter weather, and tropical cyclones were the primary drivers, with the Southeast, Midwest, and Northeast regions most affected. To address these vulnerabilities, the document suggests solutions such as microgrids, smart grid technologies, grid hardening, and bidirectional charging for electric vehicles.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Impact Potential of New Round of Clean Car Standards for Latino Communities
The statement advocates for rigorous light-duty vehicle (LDV) standards and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure investment to address the disproportionate exposure of Latino/a/x communities to vehicle pollutants. It highlights that transportation is the largest source of pollution fueling the US climate crisis and notes significant health disparities, such as higher asthma rates among Hispanic children and increased fine particulate matter exposure in California and the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic regions. The document supports the February 2022 "Revised 2023 and Later Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards" as a critical step toward a clean transportation future.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Statement
More educational outreach on extreme heat needed in the Midwest and Southwest
Analysis of FEMA heat data and Yale Climate Opinion Maps reveals a positive correlation (r = 0.12) between extreme heat exposure and worry about global warming in the U.S. However, a specific group of 217 counties—primarily in the Midwest and South—exhibit high exposure but lower-than-average worry. These counties, representing 6.4 million people, are characterized by higher proportions of white residents, rural populations, and 2020 Republican voters compared to the national average. The authors argue that these gaps in risk perception increase vulnerability to heat-related illness and death, necessitating tailored educational outreach and policy responses.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Research paper
More Extremely Hot Days
Analysis of 246 U.S. locations shows that 74% have experienced an annual increase in extremely hot days since 1970, with Austin, TX seeing the largest increase. The document highlights that extreme heat risks are higher in traditionally cooler regions due to lack of acclimatization and infrastructure, and that vulnerable populations including children, seniors, and low-income households are disproportionately affected.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Why Procurement Matters
The report examines pathways to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete in the Northeastern US, emphasizing the role of government procurement in driving market demand for low-carbon alternatives. It details technical solutions like supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), the process and cost of carbon reporting via EPDs, and the associated economic and health impacts.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Biden Takes First Step to Protect Vital Climate Forests
President Biden has ordered federal agencies to conduct a one-year inventory of mature and old-growth forests on federal land to identify threats and inform future protection policies. Earthjustice argues that protecting these forests is critical for climate mitigation, noting that federal forest lands sequester 35 million metric tons of carbon and that logging is the primary driver of forest carbon loss across the United States. The organization advocates for a nationwide rule to safeguard these forests from logging and the continued defense of the Roadless Rule.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Briefing
Wetter Rainfall Hours in a Warming Climate
Climate Central's analysis of 150 U.S. weather stations shows that 90% experienced an increase in hourly rainfall intensity between 1970 and 2021, with an overall average increase of 13%. This trend is linked to the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, where warmer air holds more moisture, increasing the frequency and intensity of heavy downpours. Such extremes contribute significantly to flash flood risks, accounting for approximately one-third of U.S. flood damages ($73 billion) from 1988 to 2017. Future projections suggest that U.S. flash floods could intensify by 8% by 2100 under high-emission scenarios, with the Southwest and central U.S. identified as high-risk areas.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report