Union of Concerned Scientists5 min read
Focusing on Science, Justice, and Systemic Solutions at COP28
UCS President Johanna Chao Kreilick reports on priorities and goals from the first day of the international climate summit COP28.
Union of Concerned Scientists2 min read
2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season—a Wrap (Maybe)
“In the eye of a hurricaneThere is quietFor just a momentA yellow sky When I was seventeen a hurricaneDestroyed my townI didn’t drownI couldn’t seem to die” The above lyrics written by Lin-Manuel Miranda from the musical Hamilton, bring out feelings—
Union of Concerned Scientists6 min readAmerican Government
Federal Grants: Duct Tape or Catalyst for Environmental and Climate Justice?
The latest grant program announced on November 21, 2023, is EPA’s largest grant program dedicated to community-based organizations.
Union of Concerned Scientists6 min readAmerican Government
Biden Administration Faces Stark Choice on Its Biggest Climate Policy
The UN’s Climate Change Conference is just about to kick off in Dubai, juxtaposing the powerful political power of the fossil fuel industry and the desperate need to reduce oil and gas usage as we face an ongoing climate crisis. With the petroleum-do
Union of Concerned Scientists5 min read
Why Do Baby Carrots Drink So Much Water?
Corporate agribusinesses in California's Cuyama Valley are ignoring the science on groundwater use. It's time to boycott their carrots!
Union of Concerned Scientists4 min read
What is the Department of Transportation’s Greenhouse Gas Performance Measure, and Why Does it Matter?
Last week, the Federal Highway Administration finalized an important regulation–the greenhouse gas performance measure. UCS along with more than 100,000 members of the public have written in support of this national rule that will gather the scattere
Union of Concerned Scientists6 min read
Cultural Heritage is a Human Right. Climate Change is Fast Eroding It.
Flooding, coastal erosion, wildfires, thawing permafrost, and extreme weather events are causing unprecedented loss and damage of places and customs.
Union of Concerned Scientists3 min read
Michigan Policymakers Must Keep Working Toward an Equitable Clean Energy Future
Michigan legislators recently passed a series of energy-related bills that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign into law tomorrow. The package represents progress on a number of fronts. It adds Michigan to the growing list of states, including I
Union of Concerned Scientists3 min read
Taking Stock Ahead of UN Climate Conference: Five Things to Watch for at COP28 in Dubai
The annual UN climate conference, COP28, is slated to take place from November 30-December 12 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As the climate crisis continues to deepen, the stakes at these annual negotiations are acutely high. This year, t
Union of Concerned Scientists5 min read
COP28 Global Methane Pledge Efforts Still Not Enough
Methane emissions contribute to climate change and harm our health. Countries must commit to more ambitious reductions at COP28.
Union of Concerned Scientists7 min read
World Leaders Must Protect UN Climate Talks from Fossil Fuel Industry Interference
Without protections against conflicts of interest at COP28, the fossil fuel industry will be out in force.
Union of Concerned Scientists5 min read
Science’s Role in Addressing Loss and Damage from Climate Change
The phrase “Loss and Damage“ has been bandied about in international climate negotiations since 1991 when Vanuatu, a small island nation in the South Pacific, called for developed countries to assist in shouldering the financial burden arising from c
Union of Concerned Scientists4 min read
State and Local Governments Across the Country are Sidelining Science. Here’s What’s Needed
This blog post was co-authored by Martha Kinsella, former senior counsel in the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. It was originally published in the blog STAT on November 10, 2023. By Jacob Carter and Martha Kinsella  In
Union of Concerned Scientists5 min read
Walkable Neighborhoods and Public Transit are Part Of the Clean Energy Transition
Transportation is the largest contributor to US global warming emissions, and we have choices around how we transform it.
Union of Concerned Scientists7 min read
Ask a Scientist: The US Has to Do More to Meet Its Carbon Emissions Reduction Goals
UCS found that the IRA more than doubles the current rate of annual US emissions reductions to roughly 3 percent through 2030. But to lower emissions by 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, the United States would have to cut emissions by more than
Union of Concerned Scientists7 min read
Stepping Up to the Challenge: US Can Meet Climate Goals if Policymakers Take Immediate, Concerted Action
UCS study shows massive economic and health benefits from switch to clean energy, electrification and energy efficiency.
Union of Concerned Scientists4 min readIntelligence (AI) & Semantics
Post-Trump Brain Drain Largely Restored at Key Federal Agencies But More Work Needed on Diversity
One of the first analyses UCS undertook in 2021 was an effort to understand how many federal scientists had left without being replaced during the Trump administration. While not all agencies were equally impacted, the results indicated a steep decli
Union of Concerned Scientists4 min read
New Report Shows the Need for a Food and Farm Bill That Fights Climate Change
The findings are grim. The NCA5 states what has now become obvious: the United States is not shielded from climate impacts, and every sector of the economy and region of the country is experiencing these impacts.
Union of Concerned Scientists4 min readWorld
Biden And Xi At APEC: A Journey Of A Thousand Miles Begins With A Single Step
Will US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping leave our hearts with a little hope after they meet in San Francisco this week?
Union of Concerned Scientists3 min read
Electric Vehicle Sales Continue to Grow, Despite What Some Automakers Are Saying
Is the market really showing a decline in electric vehicle purchases? Or is this a convenient narrative for some automakers to jump on?
Union of Concerned Scientists6 min read
Considering An EV and Live in a Rural Area? Here are Five Things to Know About Charging
Rural drivers need to think through many of the same charging-related questions as any driver does.
Union of Concerned Scientists5 min readAmerican Government
House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Climate Change Playbook: Deny the Science, Take the Funding
It took no time for Mike Johnson to establish a hefty carbon footprint as new Speaker of the House. In the first legislative act under his watch, his Republican majority last month passed an appropriations bill that seeks to gut many federal programs
Union of Concerned Scientists7 min read
Automakers Opt Out of Cleaning Up Their Vehicles…But at What Cost?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently proposed new fuel economy standards that, together with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) greenhouse gas emissions standards, are meant to continue to reduce fuel use fro
Union of Concerned Scientists5 min read
A Diverse Federal Scientific Workforce Benefits All of Us
The US federal scientific workforce should reflect the diversity of the population it serves. UCS has suggestions for how to get there.
Union of Concerned Scientists4 min read
New Analysis: Federal Agencies Need to Recruit More Scientists from Diverse Universities
A number of federal agencies are reporting some promising first steps to develop these types of partnerships.
Union of Concerned Scientists2 min readPolitical Ideologies
The Best “I Voted” Stickers on the Internet: My Favorite Displays of Voting Energy, Diversity, and Pride
Wear your sticker with pride! Political scientists have shown that people are more likely to vote when they think that others around them vote too.
Union of Concerned Scientists5 min readInternational Relations
Climate Litigation and UN Climate Talks: An Important Symbiosis
Climate change, one of the defining challenges of our time, demands multifaceted approaches to drive action and accountability. Two central players in this arena are climate litigators and United Nations (UN) climate negotiators. While they may seem
Union of Concerned Scientists4 min read
Electric Grid Investment in the Public Interest
Local, state and federal governments have a role to play in determining the future of the grid.
Union of Concerned Scientists4 min read
As Loss and Damage Negotiations Come to a Halt, Countries Cling to Hope
Negotiations on Loss and Damage funding for climate-vulnerable countries are breaking down ahead of COP28—although the solutions should be clear.
Union of Concerned Scientists6 min read
Who Are the Major Players in Electric Grid Reliability?
With so many entities working to make sure the grid is reliable, why are we still seeing catastrophic failures of the grid during extreme weather events?
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