Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

As Charles County, Maryland, pauses new data center development to review its planning process, YPCCC’s study finds that 74% of registered voters support requiring new data centers to offset their electricity use by investing in rooftop solar and weatherization for local homes.

Only about one-quarter of the 2,500 online articles about last month’s heatwave mention the words “climate” or “global warming.” Less than 5% of stories included information about the UK’s climate goals. theguardian.com/environment/20…

At London Climate Action Week, Antonio Guterres warned that climate adaptation remains chronically underfunded, urging finance leaders to embed climate risk into economic policies using a broad mix of tools. reuters.com/sustainability…

Mato Grosso has committed to a phased reduction of native firewood use for boilers, reducing the maximum permitted share to 50% in 2030, 40% in 2031, 30% in 2032, 10% in 2033, and eliminating its use by 2034. reuters.com/business/envir…

One of the core principles of the Endangered Species Act is the protection it gives to certain animals and the ecosystems they live in. Last week, the Interior Department said that such protections are no longer legally binding. nytimes.com/2026/07/10/cli…

China’s latest blueprint for building a new energy system from 2026-2030 unveils its plans to encourage direct connections of green power to emerging industries such as data centers, energy-intensive industries, and export-oriented companies. reuters.com/business/energ…

A proposed bill in New Zealand is designed to limit who can sue for climate change-related damages and centralize oversight with the government. A similar bill in the U.S. has not seen widespread support but could be adopted by individual states. forbes.com/sites/jonmcgow…

New Delhi, India, one of the most polluted cities in the world, has finalized a $1.59 billion policy which offers $1,060 to scrap old cars for electric vehicles and waives road tax and registration fees for vehicles worth more than $31,000. reuters.com/world/india/ne…

Air conditioning and building efficiency stocks rose this week as Europe faced its second major heat wave in two months. The U.K. set its all-time June heat record. More than 85% of EU buildings were built before 2001 and were not designed for today's climate.

As electricity demand from data centers grows, FERC's latest order highlights ongoing questions about grid costs, while YPCCC’s study finds that 40% of registered voters think a local data center would increase their electricity bills by "a lot."

Since the 1960s, the Federal government has required cars to reduce the emission of toxic chemicals from exhaust. Last week, the president pardoned several people who violated the law and asked the EPA to rewrite the statute altogether. nytimes.com/2026/07/03/us/…

NEW: Our latest Climate Change in the American Mind: Beliefs & Attitudes report is out today! One key finding: 76% of Americans say they're interested in news stories about how global warming is affecting the cost of living. Read the report for much more: climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/c…

Adults ages 65 and older accounted for 85% of the nearly 1,000 excess deaths during France's record-breaking heat wave. The largest increases occurred in areas under the country's highest-level heat warnings, with the largest rise in deaths in private homes.

Florida's new law restricting state and local net-zero emission policies comes as YPCCC’s Spring 2026 study finds that 49% of registered voters think global warming should be a high or very high priority for the president and Congress.

In late June, the surface temperature of Earth’s oceans in the polar regions was the highest ever recorded, breaking records set in 2023. Warmer oceans can contribute to more intense tropical storms and heat waves in coastal areas. theguardian.com/environment/20…

Our most recent publication finds most Indians are unfamiliar with the term "global warming". When asked to say the first word or phrase that came to mind, 58% were unable to give a specific response or said “don't know”. Read more: climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/m…

European and island nations are calling for a clearer process to advance the roadmap, while some countries have raised concerns about its economic implications. climatechangenews.com/2026/06/12/eur…

Lake Mead is approaching a water level that could slash the Hoover Dam's hydropower output by 70%. Further drought on the Colorado River could put millions of Americans in the Southwest at risk of power outages. insideclimatenews.org/news/12062026/…

Months after a jet fuel leak from Joint Base Andrews contaminated Maryland’s Piscataway Creek, local groups are testing the water and questioning oversight, echoing the 79% of Americans worried that climate-driven threats like water pollution could harm their communities.

A new WMO report projects a 75% likelihood that average global temperatures from 2026 to 2030 will exceed the 2.7°F (1.5°C) Paris Agreement threshold. There is a 91% probability that at least one of those years will surpass that level.