During this year’s global election supercycle, as it was called, national elections were held in a record number of countries, accounting for roughly half the world’s population. This scenario made the prospects for a climate turnaround, or at least the beginnings of one, seem especially promising. The human race is growing increasingly concerned about climate change, and 2024 was a global opportunity to elect leaders who were serious about addressing the greatest threat we face as a species.
That’s not how it worked out.
“It’s quite clear that in most advanced economies the big loser of the elections has been climate,” Catherine Fieschi, an expert in European politics, told The Guardian last month.
This bitter pill was made more galling by the degree to which environmental issues generally — not just climate but also pollution, deforestation, biodiversity loss, etc. — hardly registered in the run-up to our own elections. And yet when the environment was actually on the ballot in the form of initiatives that fostered conservation or climate resilience, it did very well.
The Republican preparations have taken place at Mr. Vance’s home in Cincinnati and in online sessions with members of his own inner circle and Jason Miller, a Trump campaign strategist. Mr. Vance’s team also pointed to his frequent media interactions on the campaign trail as helpful prep for the debate spotlight. Mr. Vance has offered a potential preview of his debate strategy by repeatedly questioning Mr. Walz over his military service and attacking him as an out-of-touch liberal.
One hindrance to urgent environmental action is the number of urgent issues on the table right now. Being seriously concerned about climate change and biodiversity loss doesn’t mean the environment is a voter’s primary concern. When every political issue of our day is a five-alarm fire, the slower-burning devastation of the natural world, even as it is visibly accelerating, is rarely at the center of public discourse.
You’ll find truly brilliant environmental reporting in The Times, of course. (If you don’t want to miss the latest, be sure to sign up for the Climate Forward newsletter and for David Wallace-Wells’s Opinion newsletter.) Other national outlets with vibrant coverage of the intersection of humans and the other-than-human world include The Washington Post, ProPublica and, especially, The Guardian.
But to get an even closer look at what’s happening at every level, you’ll need to choose a few environment-specific news sources to follow, too. These organizations are capturing local and regional news about climate and environmental justice that often flies under the national radar. Here’s a noncomprehensive list of my favorites:
Canary Media. This nonprofit focuses on the transition to renewable energy across the globe — and across industries like transportation and electrification. It provides not just news but also informed analysis of the effectiveness of green technology. Big bonus: In a seemingly endless barrage of bad news, this site often reports on encouraging developments in the effort to decarbonize. Who could fail to love a news source with headlines like “This Chart Will Cheer You Up”?
We are having trouble retrieving the article content.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
sbo99 slotWant all of The Times? Subscribe.ii89ph
