Climate

Congrats: If You’re Reading This, You Just Survived One Of The Hottest Years Ever
“Temperatures will keep rising as long as we keep increasing greenhouse gases,” one climate scientist said.

The Federal Government Is Still Undercounting Extreme Weather And Climate Deaths
NOAA announced that at least 688 people died from extreme weather in 2021, but BuzzFeed News has shown that the true toll is much higher.

“This Is Climate Change Barging Through The Front Door”: Water Scarcity Is Forcing Changes In How The Colorado River Is Shared
Huge decisions will be made in the next few years about who gets water from the shrinking Colorado River. Basin tribes are fighting to get their share.

We Don’t Know How Many People Are Killed By Extreme Weather. This Means Even More People Will Die.
No one is accurately measuring how many people are dying from climate change and extreme weather. This is a fatal mistake that takes pressure off political leaders.

We’re Talking About The Cost Of Climate Change All Wrong
Failing to act on climate change, climate experts warn, will cost even more money. So we tried to calculate just how much.

How Climate Change Is Changing The Coastline Of The Chesapeake Bay
"If the projections are right, then we're already committed to a heartbreaking amount of loss, like a truly devastating amount of loss."

The World Is On Track To Warm 3 Degrees Celsius This Century. Here’s What That Means.
Our current coastlines gone. Bangkok underwater. Massive declines in the fish population. More droughts, downpours, and heat waves.

People In Arizona Are About To Face The West’s First Major Water Crisis
Under the first-ever federally declared water cuts, Arizona will lose 20% of its supply from the Colorado River in 2022.

Congress Might Blow Its Biggest Opportunity To Tackle The Climate Crisis
“If you add it all up, this would be the single largest thing the federal government has ever done to deal with climate change,” one researcher said.

Extreme Heat Has Killed Hundreds Of Workers. The US Government Is Finally Doing Something About It.
Extreme heat is now the leading weather-related killer in the US.

Carlton Waterhouse Is Fighting For Environmental Justice At The EPA — And Getting Called A “Racist”
Ahead of his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, the environmental lawyer has become a target of the far right’s bogus narrative around race.

These Updating Maps Show Where Hurricane Ida Could Hit Hardest
The Category 4 storm is expected to cause catastrophic wind damage and life-threatening flooding.

These Photos Show The Extensive Damage Caused By The Deadly Tennessee Floods
At least 22 people were killed after flash floods in Tennessee this weekend. Others are still missing.

These Updating Maps Show Where Storm Henri Could Hit Hardest
Henri came ashore as a strong tropical storm on Sunday afternoon, threatening widespread flooding.

Inside "The Very Secret History" Of The Sunrise Movement
Internal memos show that activists of color within the Sunrise Movement have privately alleged mistreatment for years — as the climate group publicly fought for racial justice.

“It Is Unequivocal”: Humans Are Driving Worsening Climate Disasters, Hundreds Of Scientists Said In A New Report
The highly anticipated United Nations report on climate change details both the increasingly dire crisis facing the world and what's needed to stop it.

People — Not Just The Megadrought — Are Driving The West’s Water Crisis
The shrinking Colorado River is becoming an urgent water crisis for millions of people in the West. “The question is, how intense does that crisis get?” one river scientist said.

Photos Of The Deadly Flooding In China
Record rainfall fills Zhengzhou's streets and subway stations, leaving at least 25 people dead and thousands stranded and wading in chest deep water.

Devastating Photos Of The Floods In Germany That Have Killed Over 100 People
More than 100 people were killed as parts of Germany received over a month of rainfall in 24 hours.

In Case You Had Any Doubts, Scientists Found Climate Change Was Definitely Behind The Deadly Pacific Northwest Heat Wave
“This is something that nobody saw coming, that nobody thought possible,” one scientist said.

The Mega Heat Dome Over The Pacific Northwest Has Brought Death, Fire, And Misery
“It is typical for three to four sudden death calls to come in each day in the city. But to have 53 in one day is unprecedented... it is truly gut-wrenching.”

Track The Brutal 2021 Wildfire Season With These Updating Charts And Maps
2021 is shaping up to be another dangerous year for wildfires. Follow the latest data on the fires, air quality, and fire risk across the US.

A Record-Breaking Heat Wave Sent Hundreds Of People To The Hospital In Washington And Oregon
The heat has cracked and buckled streets, impacted flights, and closed down businesses.

The EPA Just Announced A $50 Million Push To Help Underserved Communities Tackle Pollution And Get Jobs
“This is the most aggressive approach to tackling environmental injustice and equity issues,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan told BuzzFeed News.

The Pacific Northwest’s Upcoming Heat Wave Could Be Especially Deadly
Extreme heat has killed more than 11,000 people across the US since 1979, and heat waves are only getting worse.

This Louisiana Town Is A Bleak Forecast Of America's Future Climate Crisis
In one year, people in southwestern Louisiana lived through five major disasters on top of a pandemic. Another bad hurricane season is already here, and thousands still have holes in their roofs.

The Controversial Keystone XL Pipeline Is Dead
The oil sands pipeline faced fierce opposition since it was first proposed in 2008.

Beto O'Rourke And Texas Democrats Are Demanding An Investigation Into The True Death Count Of The Winter Storm
No Republicans returned requests for comment.

The Texas Winter Storm And Power Outages Killed Hundreds More People Than The State Says
A BuzzFeed News analysis shows the catastrophic failure of Texas’s power grid in February killed hundreds of medically vulnerable people.

The Mushroom Scammer: Fake Identities, Twisted Science, And A Scheme To Save The World
Joseph Kelly has an easy fix to the climate crisis — and he’ll take down anyone who tries to stop him from selling it to you.