Episodios

  • Extreme Heat Wave Grips Nearly Half of US, Highlighting Climate Crisis and Policy Challenges

    Extreme Heat Wave Grips Nearly Half of US, Highlighting Climate Crisis and Policy Challenges
    Jun 28 2025
    Almost half of the United States is currently experiencing a dangerous and early-season heat wave, with communities across the central and eastern regions facing temperatures well above average for this time of year. According to Climate Central, the heat wave, unfolding from late June and forecast to persist into early July, is affecting approximately 174 million people, making it one of the most widespread extreme heat events in recent memory. Analysis shows that human-caused climate change has made this extreme heat at least three times more likely compared to previous decades. Cities including New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Washington DC, Louisville, Detroit, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Richmond, and Waterloo are all under advisories for multiple days of major to extreme heat risk. In some areas, particularly Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota, daytime highs have soared 20 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit above the 30-year average. The Midwest, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and much of the East Coast are recording daytime highs exceeding 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, with humidity making heat index values surpass 105 degrees. Overnight temperatures are also unusually high, remaining 15 to 20 degrees above normal, which increases the danger because people cannot cool down, and this is setting records for warmest overnight lows in several regions. The National Weather Service attributes the intense heat to a massive high-pressure system that has shifted from the Southwest to dominate the eastern half of the country, creating a large heat dome.

    Meanwhile, there are significant policy developments affecting the US climate response. According to Politico, the recent absence of US officials at midyear international climate talks has been met with regret and concern by many countries, as global leaders grapple with the vacuum left by Washington’s subdued participation. This lack of engagement comes amid moves by the current administration to roll back key environmental protections. ABC News reports that environmental advocates are alarmed at the administration’s plan to repeal protections for 58 million acres of national forests, warning that opening these lands to development could have major ecological repercussions. At the same time, public support for renewable energy appears to be waning according to a new poll, with interest in solar, wind, and green energy tax credits declining, especially among Democrats and independents.

    On the broader global front, new scientific research highlighted by ScienceDaily warns that the world may be less than four years away from exceeding the remaining carbon budget to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, underscoring the urgency for dramatic emissions reductions worldwide. Researchers are also sounding the alarm about ocean color changes linked to warming, which could signal more profound and far-reaching shifts in Earth’s climate systems. These developments highlight the interconnectedness of climate events, policy choices, and scientific findings in the rapidly evolving landscape of climate change.
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    3 m
  • Scorching Heat Wave Grips Nearly Half of the US as Climate Change Fuels Extremes

    Scorching Heat Wave Grips Nearly Half of the US as Climate Change Fuels Extremes
    Jun 25 2025
    Nearly half the population of the United States is currently experiencing a significant early season heat wave, according to Climate Central. Between June twentieth and the twenty-fourth, unusually high temperatures have blanketed the central and eastern United States, marking the hottest stretch so far this year. Human-caused climate change has made this extreme heat at least three times more likely for nearly one hundred seventy four million people, illustrating how global warming is directly affecting daily life across vast regions of the country. States like Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota are seeing temperatures running as much as twenty to twenty five degrees Fahrenheit above the average recorded from nineteen ninety one to twenty twenty. As the heat wave expands, cities like New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. are facing multiple days of major to extreme heat risks. Daytime highs across the Midwest, Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, and along much of the East Coast have exceeded ninety five to one hundred degrees, with heat index values topping one hundred five degrees in some regions. This combination of extreme heat and high humidity has sharply increased the threat of heat-related illness, especially since overnight low temperatures—often a time when people and infrastructure cool down—have remained fifteen to twenty degrees above normal, sometimes staying between seventy five and eighty five degrees in places accustomed to much cooler nights. The National Weather Service has issued warnings for a prolonged period of hazardous temperatures, and records for both daytime highs and warmest minimum temperatures are likely to fall across several states.

    The underlying cause has been a persistent high-pressure system, which has already delivered excessive heat to the Southwest and is now forming a heat dome over the eastern half of the country. According to meteorologists, these patterns are becoming more common as greenhouse gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere, accelerating climate change and boosting the odds of severe weather extremes. Meanwhile, globally, June twenty twenty five is seen as a milestone month for climate ambition, with momentum building toward COP thirty and new research initiatives aiming to bolster climate action, energy transition, and corporate accountability, reports the NewClimate Institute. While the Pacific Ocean has settled into neutral conditions, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the pattern of extreme temperatures, particularly in the United States, continues to underscore the urgent need for adaptation and mitigation efforts as scientific consensus shows that climate impacts are intensifying both nationally and around the world.
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    3 m
  • Sweltering Heat Wave Grips Nearly Half of the US, Fueling Climate Change Concerns

    Sweltering Heat Wave Grips Nearly Half of the US, Fueling Climate Change Concerns
    Jun 21 2025
    Nearly half the United States is currently gripped by a dangerous, climate change-driven heat wave, with experts attributing the intensity and frequency of these extreme events to human activity. According to Climate Central, an early-season heat wave beginning June twentieth is bringing the hottest temperatures of the year so far to the central and eastern regions of the country. The heat started intensifying across the Plains before spreading to the Midwest, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and much of the East Coast. This event is expected to continue beyond June twenty-fourth, impacting an estimated one hundred seventy-four million people, nearly half the nation’s population. Meteorologists note that the temperatures in parts of Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota are running twenty to twenty-five degrees Fahrenheit above the average recorded between nineteen ninety-one and twenty twenty. As the high-pressure system, which has lingered over the Southwest for weeks, shifts to form a heat dome over the eastern half of the country, cities including New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Washington DC, Louisville, Detroit, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Richmond are forecast to experience multiple days of major to extreme heat risk. Daytime highs are expected to exceed ninety-five to one hundred degrees Fahrenheit, and high humidity will drive the heat index above one hundred five, significantly raising the risk of heat-related illness. Overnight lows, projected to remain fifteen to twenty degrees above normal, may break record high minimum temperatures from the Plains to the Great Lakes.

    This intense and prolonged heat arrives on the heels of a spring that, despite a cool May in some regions, still ended up warmer than average across the country. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center had forecasted well above average June temperatures for most of the United States, except parts of the southern and central Great Plains. While the South and East have seen plenty of rainfall and some improvement in drought conditions, the Pacific Northwest and Northern Plains are facing below average precipitation, raising concerns about drought expansion as the summer progresses.

    Globally, June twenty twenty-five has marked a milestone month for climate ambition, with international events like the Global NDC Conference in Berlin and a global summit on climate change and human rights hosted by the University of Oxford. These gatherings are focused on accelerating climate commitments ahead of COP30 later this year. As authorities and experts warn, recurring patterns of extreme heat, shifting precipitation, and regionally variable drought are clear signals of a rapidly changing climate, fueling urgent calls for innovation, adaptation, and robust policymaking in the United States and around the world.
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    3 m
  • "Navigating the Climate Crossroads: US Faces Soaring Temps, Shifting Drought Patterns, and Evolving Energy Landscape"

    "Navigating the Climate Crossroads: US Faces Soaring Temps, Shifting Drought Patterns, and Evolving Energy Landscape"
    Jun 18 2025
    The United States is entering the summer of 2025 facing a number of significant shifts and challenges related to climate change. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center, June is forecast to bring well above average temperatures across much of the country, with the exception of some areas in the southern and central Great Plains where temperature outcomes are more uncertain. The precipitation outlook is split, with much of the southern United States expected to see above average rainfall, while the Pacific Northwest and parts of the Northern Plains are most likely to experience drier than normal conditions. Drought improvement is projected in the East and parts of the Central Plains, thanks to recent abundant rainfall, but drought is likely to persist or even expand in the Pacific Northwest, Northern Plains, and California, where June is typically dry and above normal temperatures are expected. Arizona is also likely to see ongoing drought conditions, as the anticipated rainfall may not be sufficient for significant improvement, reflecting an emerging pattern of divergent climate impacts across regions.

    Meanwhile, the political and economic landscape for climate action in the U S remains complex. A surge in data center construction, rising natural gas exports, and proposals to cut clean energy tax breaks are raising concerns that American energy bills could rise significantly in the near future. The New York Times highlights that analysts view these trends as potential drivers of higher costs for consumers, while clean energy advocates warn that rolling back incentives could undermine progress on emissions reduction. Nonetheless, bipartisan support for community solar is emerging in states like Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, and Ohio, where Republican lawmakers are sponsoring initiatives to expand access to affordable, clean power. Thirteen House Republicans have also urged the Senate to preserve some of the green tax credits established under the 2022 climate law, reflecting a nuanced and evolving political stance.

    Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels in the United States have reached new seasonal highs according to reporting by The Hill, signaling persistent challenges in curbing greenhouse gas emissions. In a related study reported by The Guardian, if emissions from the US power sector were treated as a country, it would rank as the sixth largest emitter globally, raising questions about the adequacy of current regulatory responses.

    Internationally, climate change remains at the forefront of diplomatic and scientific agendas. The United Nations recently hosted major meetings in Bonn to promote renewable energy adoption, while the University of Oxford’s Global Climate Summit earlier this month convened global leaders to address the intersection of climate change and human rights. Growing recognition of the need for coordinated action is emerging worldwide even as skepticism and misinformation pose ongoing obstacles. Together, these developments reflect both the complexity and urgency of the climate crisis as the US and the world navigate an era of increasingly visible and interlinked environmental, economic, and social challenges.
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    4 m
  • Extreme Weather Challenges and Climate Action Across the U.S. as Drought, Wildfires, and Heatwaves Persist

    Extreme Weather Challenges and Climate Action Across the U.S. as Drought, Wildfires, and Heatwaves Persist
    Jun 14 2025
    In the United States, the past week has brought a wave of significant developments related to climate change as communities grapple with the ongoing impacts of extreme weather and shifting environmental patterns. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, nearly 30 percent of the contiguous U.S. remains in drought, though this represents an improvement from the previous month. Notably, drought conditions have lessened in some southern and eastern regions following abundant spring precipitation, but substantial areas in the West, including California and the Pacific Northwest, are bracing for the persistence or even worsening of dry conditions as summer begins. The Climate Prediction Center reports that above-average temperatures are expected to dominate most of the Lower 48 states in June, especially in the Northwest and Northeast, while the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies face the threat of lower-than-average rainfall. Drought is likely to persist in Arizona and develop further in parts of California due to the climatologically dry nature of early summer in the region.

    Wildfire risk remains elevated, with significant wildland fire potential forecast for June across the Pacific Coast, Northwest, Southwest, and into the southern Plains and Southeast. These fire concerns are tied closely to the pattern of hot, dry weather and carry implications for local air quality and public safety. Meanwhile, states are beginning to respond proactively to climate risks. California has launched a first-of-its-kind solar project by installing panels over more than a thousand feet of canals, aiming to generate substantial clean electricity, conserve scarce land and water, and improve water quality, according to reporting from the League of Conservation Voters. In Nevada, lawmakers have enacted a new requirement for its two largest counties, Clark and Washoe, to address extreme heat in their long-term development strategies, a move designed to protect residents from intensifying heatwaves.

    Across the nation, calls for continued federal support for clean energy initiatives are growing. More than 170 local officials from 45 states recently signed a letter urging Congress to safeguard clean energy tax credits that support job creation and green infrastructure. Globally, June has also been marked by significant climate action, with the University of Oxford hosting a summit on the intersection of climate change and human rights, timed around World Environment Day. Scientists continue to warn of global consequences: atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have reached new highs, while a warming planet intensifies hurricanes and drought-fueled wildfires, highlighting the urgent need for adaptation and mitigation on both national and international fronts, as reported by ABC News.

    Across the United States, emerging patterns point to hotter temperatures, localized drought relief, persistent Western dryness, and a rising urgency among local leaders and legislators to take bold steps for climate resilience and energy transition. As 2025’s summer unfolds, the country faces a critical juncture balancing immediate weather challenges and the need for long-term strategies to address climate change.
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    4 m
  • "Pivotal Moment for US Climate Policy: Rollbacks, Drought, and Global Dialogue"

    "Pivotal Moment for US Climate Policy: Rollbacks, Drought, and Global Dialogue"
    Jun 11 2025
    Recent climate change news in the United States has highlighted ongoing policy shifts, extreme weather patterns, and global events that frame the conversation on climate action. In early June, the United States Environmental Protection Agency announced the rollback of critical power plant carbon regulations and reopened loopholes concerning mercury pollution. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, these changes could weaken the limits on climate and air toxins from power plant smokestacks, potentially increasing greenhouse gas emissions and endangering the health of millions. The Environmental Defense Fund further reports that these proposals would allow more mercury, arsenic, and climate pollution, putting more communities at risk.

    Simultaneously, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s climate information portal, Climate dot gov, may soon go offline as staff resources decline, potentially reducing public access to vital climate data in the near future. This development comes at a time when up-to-date climate information is more critical than ever.

    The latest climate outlooks from NOAA and the Climate Prediction Center show that above average temperatures are expected across nearly all of the contiguous United States during June. The Northwest and Northeast are likely to see particularly high temperatures, continuing a spring season that was already warmer than normal in most areas despite some cooler weather in the central part of the country in May. At the same time, drought is expected to persist or worsen in the Southwest, Pacific Northwest, and northern Rockies, with new drought areas developing in parts of California and the Northern Plains. In contrast, the East and some central regions are likely to see drought improvement thanks to above-average rainfall.

    Wildfire risk remains elevated for June across the Pacific Coast, Northwest, Southwest, southern Plains, upper Mississippi Valley, and Southeast. These fire concerns are compounded by ongoing drought, warmer weather, and dry conditions especially in the West, highlighting the interconnected challenges driven by climate change.

    On the international stage, the University of Oxford hosted a global summit on climate change and human rights in partnership with the United Nations during the first week of June, bringing together global voices to address the intersection of climate justice and policy. Later this month, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will hold its 62nd session in Bonn, Germany, continuing the momentum of global climate negotiations.

    Altogether, recent developments point to a critical juncture for climate policy and its impacts in the United States. The combination of shifting regulations, persistent drought, increased wildfire risk, and ongoing global discussions underscores the need for informed action and robust public engagement as the effects of climate change become ever more apparent across the country and around the world.
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    3 m
  • Escalating Climate Impacts Strain US Communities as Weather Forecasting Capacity Declines

    Escalating Climate Impacts Strain US Communities as Weather Forecasting Capacity Declines
    May 31 2025
    Recent reports highlight escalating impacts and debates around climate change in the United States as the nation heads into another summer of record temperatures. According to the World Meteorological Organization, there is now an eighty percent chance that at least one of the next five years will set a new global temperature record, surpassing the highs of twenty twenty four, with a seventy percent chance that the five year average from twenty twenty five through twenty twenty nine will exceed one point five degrees Celsius above pre industrial levels. This trend is mirrored in the United States, where shifting weather patterns and intensifying events are already straining communities and resources.

    In Texas, Public Health Watch reports that the state is expected to experience the nation’s highest increase in damages due to climate change, with models projecting hurricane wind speeds in the twenty fiftys to be fourteen percent higher than today. Louisiana is also forecasted to see a significant rise in extreme weather, with these trends likely to drive further insurance industry turmoil and higher costs for residents. Meanwhile, the American South continues to experience more frequent and more intense storms, flooding, and heat waves.

    One emerging concern is the declining capacity to forecast and respond to these severe weather events. Skeptical Science reports that deep funding cuts and layoffs within the US meteorology and climate research community have already degraded the quality of forecasts, just as hurricane season begins. Legally mandated climate assessments are being delayed or canceled, raising alarms among scientists and public safety officials. In response, meteorologists and climate experts are launching a major public information campaign, the Weather and Climate Livestream, running through the end of May into early June. The event, which brings together experts from across the country, aims to educate Americans about the importance of weather and climate research and the risks posed by weakened forecasting systems.

    Globally, concern is mounting over the loss of glacier mass if the Paris Agreement warming targets are exceeded, as reported by Science Daily. The United Nations also warns of six looming climate tipping points that could push the world into irreversible change if global emissions are not curbed soon.

    A pattern is emerging of increasing risk across much of the United States, particularly in southern and coastal states, coupled with growing challenges to maintaining the scientific capacity needed for timely and accurate climate and weather information. As public debate intensifies and natural disasters grow more severe, the urgency for coordinated action continues to rise both within the United States and worldwide.
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  • Michigan Tackles Landfilled Food Waste and Climate Change Impacts

    Michigan Tackles Landfilled Food Waste and Climate Change Impacts
    May 28 2025
    This week in climate change news, Michigan's position as the eighth-ranked state for landfilled food waste came into focus, with these discarded materials contributing significantly to climate-warming methane emissions. A 2023 law now requires Michigan counties to develop organic material recovery plans to address this environmental challenge.

    The battle over climate accountability continues to gain momentum across the United States. Following Vermont and New York's passage of "climate Superfund" legislation, eleven additional states have introduced similar bills this year. These laws aim to make major oil companies financially responsible for climate change damages.

    In Arizona, Oatman Flats Ranch has completed a notable transformation, becoming the Southwest's first Regenerative Organic Certified farm. The ranch is being viewed as a potential model for southwestern farmers seeking sustainable solutions for agricultural operations in a warming climate.

    Indigenous communities in Canada are facing serious challenges as warming temperatures cause the disappearance of vital ice roads that serve as critical lifelines for First Nations peoples. The gradual collapse of these winter transportation routes is occurring alongside what many describe as insufficient governmental assistance.

    The latest ENSO update released on May 8 indicates neutral conditions, while the U.S. climate outlook for May 2025 suggests changing patterns that extend beyond typical weather variations.

    Environmental advocates expressed concerns about a partisan reconciliation bill that cuts funding for environmental protections and eliminates penalties for fossil fuel companies that fail to reduce methane pollution. The League of Conservation Voters criticized the legislation for undermining clean energy progress and potentially increasing pollution while raising energy costs for Americans.

    Senate Republicans recently passed Congressional Review Act resolutions attempting to eliminate EPA state preemption waivers for California's vehicle pollution limits, including Advanced Clean Trucks and Advanced Clean Cars II rules.

    Looking ahead, the United Nations announced that World Environment Day 2025 will focus on tackling plastic pollution, coming two months before countries meet again on climate issues. Meanwhile, the GenZero Climate Summit 2025, themed "Overcoming Paralysis," will take place from May 5-8, focusing on moving beyond inaction and indecision on climate initiatives by addressing policy uncertainty, financial constraints, and weakened trust in carbon markets.
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