Most weeks, bad climate news feels like a deluge. But even in the midst of the storm, there's always good news too. Hang on to your seats, here we go!

✅ Good news: New Carbon Brief analysis finds China’s emissions have flattened and may even be starting to decline. Combined with their previous analysis showing China's clean energy exports cut global emissions 1% in 2024, and you can see there's reason for hope.

⚠️ Not-so-good news: The U.S. EPA has rescinded the Endangerment Finding, the science-based determination that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions threaten public health. Why does this matter? It's the legal backbone that allowed GHGs to be regulated under the Clean Air Act.

💰 What you can do: Where you bank may matter more than you think. Ask questions, choose climate-aligned institutions, and - if needed - move your money with help from Bank.Green and Bank for Good.

Here’s a snapshot of this week’s Talking Climate: the good, the not-so-good, and what you can do. For the full story, give the newsletter a read - and if it’s useful, please share! We can’t do this alone, but we can do it together. talkingclimate.ca/p/have-china…

What do the Winter Olympics, Bad Bunny, and “Grey’s Anatomy” have in common?

This week I’m delighted to welcome climate columnist Sammy Roth as guest editor of Talking Climate. He's spent over a decade writing on climate, culture, and clean energy, and his stories always inspire and surprise!

🌟 Good news: Climate storytelling is finally breaking into mainstream culture, thanks to Winter Olympians, Hollywood story-lines and Super Bowl halftime shows.

📉 Not-so-good news: Climate still appears in only a tiny fraction of film and TV content. Fossil fuel sponsorships remain widespread in sports, from Olympics to baseball, and climate journalism is shrinking in many major newsrooms.

🎯 What you can do: Support the culture and media you want to see. Watch, share, subscribe, and speak up — because entertainment companies, sports leagues, and news outlets pay attention when audiences demand change.

Read more here on smart ways to help climate storytelling reach the audiences it deserves: talkingclimate.ca/p/climate-th…

Since the United States Environmental Protection Agency issued its Endangerment Finding in 2009, the scientific evidence connecting greenhouse gas emissions to health impacts from climate change has only grown stronger.

Over the past two decades, I’ve contributed to this body of research myself: quantifying the risks posed by rising CO₂ levels to people, infrastructure and the natural systems we depend on, and authoring multiple U.S. National Climate Assessments.

These authoritative and exhaustive reports helped build the scientific foundation that underpins the Endangerment Finding, and their conclusions weren’t based on ideology. They were rooted in rigorous, peer‑reviewed evidence; evidence that has only become clearer with time.

Research today shows that climate change is increasing the risk of allergies, dementia, fertility, heart disease, mortality and so much more. Maintaining science‑based policies isn’t just prudent—it’s the reliable foundation we need to build a safer, healthier and more resilient future.

Read more of my statement here: nature.org/en-us/newsroom/epa-…

🏂 Good news: Winter athletes are becoming powerful climate advocates because they’re seeing the changes firsthand. From Olympians to fans, groups like Protect Our Winters are pushing sports organizations and policymakers to cut emissions and protect the winters their sports depend on.

⛷️ Not-so-good news: Climate change is rapidly whittling down locations where Winter Olympics can reliably be held. By mid-century, only a handful of locations may be cold enough—and most would rely on artificial snow.

🧊 Inspiration: Glaciologist Dr. Heïdi Sevestre just kite-skied 4,000 km across Antarctica to collect critical ice data. Her example shows how science, courage, and communication can come together—even at the coldest edge of the planet.

What happens to winter sports in a warming world, and how can those of us who love snow and ice use our voices to catalyze change? Read more in this Winter Olympics edition of Talking Climate: talkingclimate.ca/p/can-the-wi…

The energy transition is happening, faster than many realize. This week, I look at how clean energy is surging, where we can get it wrong, why silence on climate is spreading, and what we can do about it.

🌞 Good news: Renewables are now so cheap they’re “virtually unstoppable.” Wind and solar plus storage are outpacing fossil fuels globally as well as in the US, UK, Australia .... simply because they make economic sense.

⚠️ Looks like good news, but isn’t (unless we do it right): Where we build clean energy matters. Poor siting can harm ecosystems and communities: and this week, approval of a new pumped storage facility in WA that threatens the Yakama Nation's sacred site embodies this risk.

🤐 Not-so-good news: “Climate hushing” is on the rise as political and industry leaders avoid the topic altogether, even at major global forums. But silence doesn’t neutralize climate risk; it just delays action when we can least afford it.

💬 What you can do: In an era of climate hushing, talking about climate change matters more than ever. Start with shared experiences, local impacts, and hopeful solutions. Our voices are still the most powerful climate tool we have!

talkingclimate.ca/p/climate-hu…

🐘 Good News: What if wildlife isn’t just impacted by climate change, but part of the solution? From forest elephants and sea otters to whales, penguins, and beavers, animals help store carbon, cool the planet, and keep ecosystems functioning. Protecting biodiversity isn’t separate from climate action: it’s central to it.

🐧 Not-So-Good News: Climate change is exacerbating the biodiversity crisis: skewing sex ratios in reptiles, shifting breeding seasons for penguins, and unraveling food webs species have relied on for millennia. These aren’t distant risks; they’re happening now.

💪 What We Can Do: Personal choices matter—not because they “fix” climate change on their own, but because they shift norms, start conversations, and inspire collective action. This January, choose sustainable habits that fit your life, share why they matter, and help catalyze systemic change.

Read more and share what you learn! talkingclimate.ca/p/animals-ar…