Climate Change Is Being Left Out of the Story

Our director’s latest opinion piece argues that many major U.S. television news outlets report on extreme weather – such as floods, wildfires, heat waves, and storms – without consistently explaining the role that climate change plays in making these events more frequent or severe. Advances in attribution science now allow researchers to better connect specific weather events to human-caused climate change, yet this information is often omitted from coverage.

Recent cuts to climate journalism at organizations including CBS, The Washington Post, and NPR, reflects a broader retreat from reporting on the issue. Some Democratic leaders are intentionally downplaying climate change because they believe emphasizing it could alienate swing voters ahead of elections.

A Call for Stronger Climate Action

The main barrier to addressing climate change is political will, not technology. Renewable energy has become increasingly affordable and countries investing in clean energy are better positioned to handle energy disruptions. We need more public engagement and political action; society still has the tools to reduce emissions and limit future climate-related disasters if leaders and the media confront the issue more directly.

You can read more about David Helvarg’s latest article on the LA Times.