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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.
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Document type: Briefing
Heat Season Power Outages
The United States saw a 60% increase in major weather-related power outages during the heat season between 2014-2023 compared to 2000-2009. The South region experienced the highest number of these events, with Texas and Michigan recording the most outages at the state level. These outages compound health risks for vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and children, particularly when overlapping with extreme heat waves. Proposed solutions for grid resilience include the implementation of microgrids, smart grid technologies, and physical hardening of infrastructure.
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Document type: Fact sheet
El congresista Raúl Grijalva defiende proyecto de ley para cerrar la brecha natural en las afueras de Phoenix
GreenLatinos supports the Great Gila Bend National Monument Establishment Act, arguing that the conservation of the Great Gila Bend region is essential for public health and the protection of threatened biodiversity, particularly for marginalized communities in Arizona who lack access to nature.
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Document type: Statement
Urban Heat Hot Spots in 65 Cities
Climate Central analyzed the urban heat island (UHI) index across 65 major U.S. cities, finding that 68% of the 50 million residents in these cities live in areas where the built environment increases temperatures by 8°F or more. The study identifies albedo, green space, and population density as the primary drivers of this effect. It also highlights a link between historical redlining and current heat disparities, noting that in 84% of 179 analyzed cities, historically redlined areas experience hotter summers than non-redlined areas.
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Document type: Research paper
Climate Shift Index Alert
The Southwest United States experienced an extreme heat event from June 6 to June 13, 2024, with human-caused climate change making high temperatures at least five times more likely. The event caused record-setting temperatures in cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas, led to numerous hospitalizations for heat exhaustion, and contributed to wildfires in California.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Plugging into Mobility Needs at Lower-Income Multifamily Housing
The document argues that current EV charging infrastructure is concentrated in high-income areas, creating a barrier to adoption for lower-income multifamily housing residents. Based on engagement in Portland, Atlanta, and Phoenix, it recommends that stakeholders prioritize community engagement, affordability, multimodal solutions, and inclusive local partnerships to ensure an equitable transition to transportation electrification.
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Document type: Report
Connecting the Dots: Local U.S. television coverage of extreme weather and climate change
The report finds that while only 5% of event-related local television segments provided climate change context, these segments reached over 17 million people across the 50 largest U.S. media markets. Audiences surged during extreme events, with local television viewership doubling in Orlando during Hurricane Ian and increasing 78% in Los Angeles during Tropical Storm Hilary. Extreme heat events, specifically the July 2023 heat streak in Phoenix, were most frequently linked to climate change, accounting for 48% of all climate-contextualized segments. Analysis of closed captioning shows that 96% of contextualized segments highlighted major impacts in categories such as health and safety, vulnerable communities, power supply, the economy, and travel disruption.
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Document type: Executive summary
2024 Spring Package
Since 1970, spring temperatures in the contiguous U.S. have increased by an average of 2°F, with the most significant warming occurring in the Southwest. Analysis of 239 locations shows that 96% of cities experienced warming, with some locations in Nevada, Texas, and Arizona exceeding 6°F. This trend is characterized by an increase in warmer-than-normal spring days, which contributes to earlier snowmelt, prolonged allergy seasons, and extended agricultural growing seasons.
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Document type: Fact sheet
What Makes Yale Climate Connections Stories Work
The document details how Yale Climate Connections (YCC) utilizes personal narratives, evidence-based 'climate framing', and diverse voices to bridge the psychological distance of climate change. It emphasizes the use of the 'Six Americas' segmentation to tailor content, the importance of centering hope through problem-solution narratives, and the strategic use of succinct 90-second radio stories to reach a broad national audience, including conservatives and opinion leaders.
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Document type: Guide
A Path through Carbon Markets Turmoil
The voluntary carbon market (VCM) is currently hindered by subjective data, lack of transparency, and burdensome processes. To realize its potential for climate finance, the market must shift toward objective measurement using digital and satellite technologies, adopt transparent pricing, and establish a consensus on credit quality through improved certification and governance models.
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Document type: Executive summary
2023 Fall Package
Analysis of 241 U.S. locations from 1970 to 2022 shows that fall temperatures have increased by an average of 2.4°F in 232 cities, with the most intense warming occurring in the Southwest. This trend is characterized by an increase in above-normal fall days, which prolongs risks related to heat-related illness, wildfires, and allergies, while increasing energy demand for cooling.
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Document type: Fact sheet
More Extremely Hot Days
A Climate Central analysis of 241 U.S. locations shows that 195 (81%) have experienced an increase in the annual number of extremely hot days since 1970, with an average increase of 11 days. The report highlights that extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related fatalities in the U.S. and disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and people of color living in urban heat islands. Specific cities like Austin, Texas, and San Angelo, Texas, have seen significant increases of 47 and 39 additional extremely hot days annually, respectively.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Building Community Resilience
This report by the Union of Concerned Scientists highlights the challenges and successes of frontline communities in the US and Puerto Rico in building climate resilience. It identifies four key themes: displacement, government negligence, funding inequities, and the effectiveness of community-driven solutions. The authors argue that while scientific solutions exist, a lack of political will and bureaucratic barriers hinder progress. The report provides specific recommendations to shift toward inclusive, community-led adaptation strategies that respect tribal sovereignty and prioritize the lived experiences of marginalized populations.
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Document type: Report
More risky heat days in 232 US locations
Climate Central analyzed 247 U.S. locations from 1970 to 2022, finding that 232 locations experienced an increase in annual 'risky heat days'—days where temperatures exceed the local minimum mortality temperature (MMT). On average, these locations saw an increase of 21 such days per year. While increases occurred in every U.S. region, the South and Southeast were hotspots, with 91% of the 22 locations seeing the highest increases (40+ days) located there. The analysis emphasizes that extreme heat is the deadliest natural hazard in the U.S. and disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including children, seniors, and low-income communities of color.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Fewer Frigid Nights
Since 1970, 204 U.S. locations have seen a decrease in annual freezing nights, with an average reduction of 13 nights. Warming has been most rapid during winter and at night, with nighttime lows warming 25% faster than daytime highs since 1900. Projections indicate that by 2040, every state in the contiguous U.S. and Alaska will experience a drop in below-freezing days under a medium-high emissions scenario, with 23 states potentially seeing three to four fewer weeks of freezing days by mid-century. While this may reduce heating costs and cold-exposure risks, it threatens snow-fed water supplies, winter recreation economies, and fruit crop yields.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Arizona Climate Impacts and Costs
The report details how the climate crisis is accelerating in Arizona, leading to increased drought, extreme heat, and flooding. It quantifies specific impacts—such as a 71% decline in Lake Mead's volume since 2000 and nearly 500 heat-related deaths in Maricopa County during the summer of 2023—and outlines the extensive infrastructure, public health, and water management costs required for adaptation.
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Document type: Report
Daily Heat Records Rising
Climate Central's analysis of 247 U.S. locations shows a significant shift toward heat records over cold records, with 96% of locations setting more heat records in the 2010s compared to 54% in the 1910s. From January 2020 to November 2022, 91% of analyzed locations saw more record heat than cold, with some cities like Tampa and Miami setting only heat records. The report links these local trends to global warming, noting that daily heat records in the U.S. have become at least twice as frequent as cold records, increasing risks for health, ecosystems, and infrastructure.
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Document type: Research paper
2022 Fall Package
Since 1970, fall temperatures in the contiguous U.S. have increased by an average of 2.7 °F, with warming observed in 97% of 245 analyzed cities. The most significant warming occurred in Nevada, Texas, and Arizona, with Reno, Nevada, recording the highest increase at 7.7 °F. This trend has led to a higher frequency of above-normal fall days, affecting 74% of analyzed cities. These temperature shifts extend health risks from extreme heat, prolong pollen and wildfire seasons, allow disease-carrying insects to persist longer, and disrupt ecological events such as bird migrations and fruit ripening.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Policy Opportunities to Increase Material Circularity in the Buildings Industry
The document argues that while current building codes focus on operational emissions and 'Buy Clean' policies target material production, there is a gap in mitigating end-of-life climate impacts. It proposes five policy interventions for municipalities: planning permit incentives for adaptive reuse, design standards for future adaptability in new construction, improved C&D waste management ordinances, deconstruction ordinances for historic buildings, and the implementation of material passports for public buildings.
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Document type: Policy brief
Achieving Multiracial, Multiparty Democracy
The report argues that US democracy is in peril due to election subversion, restrictive laws, and a dysfunctional party system. It advocates for a bottom-up approach to reform, emphasizing the role of local community organizations in relational organizing to engage underrepresented voters. Key recommendations include securing election integrity through data transparency, reducing voter suppression via institutional reforms like universal vote-by-mail, and expanding representation by increasing the size of legislative assemblies and adopting more proportional electoral systems.
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Document type: Report