Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

09/04/2026

The Boulder lawsuit was filed in 2018 against ExxonMobil and Suncor, two oil companies, over damages related to global warming. The ruling could have major implications for whether climate lawsuits can proceed across the U.S. The dispute centers on whether state law can be used to address climate-related harms by requiring major fossil fuel companies to pay for some of the damage caused by their products. The case could also have significant implications for state-level corporate regulations and whether international companies can be held liable for local impacts. Beyond the legal arguments of the case, there is broad support among Americans to hold fossil fuel companies liable for the impacts of global warming. According to YPCCC data, 66% of American voters say corporations and industry should do either “much more” or “more” to address global warming. You can learn more about the case at
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/23082026/suncor-v-boulder-supreme-court-climate-case/

Alternative Text: An image of the Supreme Court with a text overlay containing the words, “A climate lawsuit from Boulder County Colorado will be heard by the Supreme Court in October.”
https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/climate-change-in-the-american-mind-politics-policy-spring-2026/

09/03/2026

Brazil's Supreme Court is set to weigh a series of cases that could reshape protections for the Amazon rainforest and the Indigenous communities that depend on it. The cases include Indigenous land rights, recent rollbacks on environmental safeguards and a new environmental licensing law that fast-tracks permits for mines, highways and industrial plants.

The Amazon helps regulate climate and rainfall patterns globally and stores vast amounts of carbon. Its protection is widely considered critical to limiting global warming. The expansion of cattle ranching and soybean production is Brazil's leading cause of deforestation. From January through July 2026, China bought 50% of Brazil's beef exports and 70% of its soybean exports, reflecting the scale of agricultural demand driving pressure on the forest.

Environmental advocates describe the Supreme Court as the last line of defense against the weakening of environmental protections in Brazil, after lawmakers overrode presidential vetoes on several key measures.

YPCCC research finds that 96% of Brazilians say climate change is happening, and 77% say protecting the environment is more important than economic growth, even if it means lower economic growth and job creation.

YPCCC report on Brazil:https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/climate-change-in-the-brazilian-mind/

09/02/2026

More than 100 people have died in flooding in India's Assam state this year, in what officials have described as its worst flooding in about six decades. More than 700,000 people have been displaced, with farmland submerged and roads and infrastructure damaged. In one village, floodwaters rose from knee-deep to neck-deep in about 30 minutes, with no warning reaching residents in time.

While flooding is frequent in Assam, about 40% of whose land is vulnerable to inundation from the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries, experts say increasingly intense rainfall, deforestation, wetland loss and rapid urbanization are making floods more unpredictable and destructive. A World Weather Attribution report found that local vulnerabilities worsened the impact of the flooding. As global temperatures rise, India's monsoon rains are becoming more erratic and intense, creating conditions for more deadly floods.

Experts are calling for a shift from flood control infrastructure toward better early warning systems, scientific risk mapping and restoration of forests, wetlands and floodplains. "True adaptation requires moving towards living with rivers through wetland restoration and proactive early action before floodwaters strike," said Emmanuel Raju, director of the Copenhagen Centre for Disaster Research.

YPCCC research finds that 71% of Indians are worried about severe floods. Climate and weather risks are not abstract concerns for many Indians, but part of daily life, with most respondents in a recent YPCCC survey saying they had personally experienced at least one extreme weather event in the past 12 months.

YPCCC research on climate opinions across India:https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/climate-awareness-india/

YPCCC report on climate impacts in India:https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/climate-impacts-india/

09/01/2026

Last week, the federal government announced that Nevada, Arizona, and California must reduce their use of Colorado River water amid a stark drought in the Western U.S. Each of these states had previously agreed to voluntarily reduce their water use from the Colorado in attempts to stabilize the river’s watershed. Much of the difference will be made up through groundwater pumping, which could impact aquifers in the Southwestern States. The announcement from the Bureau of Reclamation also included steeper long-term cuts for all the states that rely on the Colorado River over the next decade, depending on water levels in the river over the next two years. Nevada’s lawsuit argues that the burden of compliance falls unfairly on it, Arizona, and California compared to the states on the upper parts of the river. Regardless of how the lawsuit turns out, there is expected to be turmoil over the Colorado River as its flows lessen in connection with low rainfall and snowpack associated with global warming. You can learn more at:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/climate/colorado-river-water-cuts-drought.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/climate/nevada-sues-colorado-river-cuts.html

Alternative Text: An image of the Colorado River with a text overlay containing the words, “Nevada sued the federal government after the Bureau of Reclamation announced strict cuts in Colorado River water.”

08/30/2026

Multiple rounds of severe storms brought significant flash flooding and destructive winds to parts of the Midwest and East earlier this month. A slow-moving front interacting with warm, moisture-laden air produced rainfall rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour during the most intense downpours.

Cities across West Virginia, Ohio, and Indiana experienced significant flooding. Over a million homes and businesses lost power across four states in one night alone, with Virginia accounting for most of the outages. A tornado also touched down about 50 miles southwest of Chicago, damaging homes and derailing a train.

Scientists say extreme rainfall events like this are becoming more common as the atmosphere warms. A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, allowing storms to release heavier rainfall in shorter, more intense bursts. Research from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication finds that 58% of Americans think global warming is affecting flooding, while 64% are at least a little worried that flooding will harm their local area.
https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/climate-change-in-the-american-mind-beliefs-attitudes-fall-2025/toc/2/

08/29/2026

Air pollution remains an important public health issue, particularly for people who are more vulnerable to poor air quality. A report from Inside Climate News examines how residents in Washington, D.C., including older adults, children, and people with underlying health conditions, can face increased health risks during periods of elevated air pollution and extreme heat.

The article highlights how factors such as neighborhood characteristics, access to resources, and environmental conditions can influence exposure to air pollution. As temperatures rise and air quality fluctuates, public health officials and local organizations continue working to better understand who is most affected and how communities can prepare for periods of poor air quality.

The issue also connects to broader public concerns about air pollution. According to the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication's Climate Change in the American Mind Spring 2026 study, 77% of Americans say they are worried their local area might be harmed by extreme weather-related impacts like air pollution. Together, the article and the survey finding highlight the growing conversation about air quality, public health, and community resilience. To learn more, click here: https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/climate-change-in-the-american-mind-beliefs-attitudes-spring-2026/

08/28/2026

For the past few decades, Florida has been one of the fastest-growing states as people have flocked to cheap land and sunny shores. Increasingly, though, people are moving away from the coast as hurricanes become more frequent. Since 2020, 15 of the 20 fastest-growing cities in Florida were located in noncoastal counties. The southern tip of the state in Miami-Dade County and Broward County almost saw population decline, but immigration from Latin countries prevented cities like Miami and Fort Lauderdale from shrinking as residents moved out. Climate change is causing sea levels to rise, which makes flooding during storms more likely and devastating. This has not only displaced homeowners who used to live directly on the coast, but also raised homeowners insurance rates to levels that have become unaffordable for most Floridians. YPCCC data shows that 57% of residents in Florida think global warming is already harming people in the U.S. A majority of Floridians also think global warming is affecting rising sea levels (54%) and hurricanes (57%). You can learn more at: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/20082026/florida-threats-lead-to-climate-migration/

Alternative text: An image of a flooded Florida suburb with a text overlay containing the words, “Inland counties in Florida are seeing record growth as residents move inland to escape rising sea levels.”
https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/ycom-us/

08/27/2026

In all states and districts, more than three-quarters of Indians are worried about global warming. Learn more with our updated India Climate Opinion Maps:

India climate change beliefs

08/27/2026

Across Europe, record-low river levels are disrupting both energy production and critical supply routes. The Danube has fallen to a record low, with water levels in Budapest dropping to just 4 inches, shattering the previous record of 13 inches set in 2018. With less water available for cooling, the Paks nuclear power plant, which generates nearly half of Hungary’s electricity, is now operating at roughly 10% capacity. Romania has also resorted to using explosives to blast through rock and redirect Danube water to its sole working nuclear reactor.

The Rhine is facing a parallel crisis. At the chokepoint of Kaub in western Germany, water levels have fallen to 9 inches, breaking the previous record of 9.3 inches set in 2018. Commercial ships have had to reduce cargo loads by as much as 80% to avoid running aground, disrupting supply chains across the continent.

Europe is the planet’s fastest-warming continent. Five distinct heat waves have struck large parts of the Rhine basin this year alone. Scientists warn that as greenhouse gas emissions continue, water crises like these will become more severe and more frequent.

Europe also has the world’s highest levels of climate awareness. A 2023 YPCCC survey found that 85% of respondents in Hungary and 76% in Germany said they knew at least a moderate amount about climate change, with majorities reporting that level of knowledge in 27 of 31 European areas surveyed. But as Europe’s rivers reach historic lows, that awareness is increasingly being tested by the realities of a warming climate.

https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/international-public-opinion-on-climate-change-2023/

08/26/2026

Colombia recorded its lowest deforestation levels in two decades between 2022 and 2025 according to official data from the Environment Ministry and the nation’s Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies. Forest loss fell to 295,249 acres in 2025, marking a 31% drop from 2021 and surpassing the government’s annual reduction goal for the fourth consecutive year.

While overall trends show significant progress, deforestation levels in 2025 saw a slight uptick from the 2024 figure of 280,731 acres, with more than 190,000 acres cleared in the Amazon region in both years. Government findings reveal that ​land grabbing for cattle ranching and unplanned infrastructure are the primary drivers of deforestation in the country.

Public support for the environment is high in Colombia, with 92% of residents worried about climate change.

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/colombias-2025-forest-loss-hits-two-decade-low-government-says-2026-08-01/