Chris Mooney
@chriscmooney.bsky.social
Climate journalist, teacher, professor of practice @uvaenvironment.bsky.social. Former WaPo climate writer. Views are my own. For my latest work: https://reportearth.substack.com/
8. And this may be contributing to a surprising effect. Antarctic *grounded ice loss*, the kind that contributes to sea level rise, has also seemingly paused its decline, at least in the last few years.
October 24, 2025 at 2:58 PM
8. And this may be contributing to a surprising effect. Antarctic *grounded ice loss*, the kind that contributes to sea level rise, has also seemingly paused its decline, at least in the last few years.
7. Antarctic sea ice, in contrast, is clearly down lately, though this is a rather recent development.
October 24, 2025 at 2:57 PM
7. Antarctic sea ice, in contrast, is clearly down lately, though this is a rather recent development.
5. In fact, there is really not a downtrend in September, the month of lowest ice annual concentrations, between 2007 and the present.
October 24, 2025 at 2:55 PM
5. In fact, there is really not a downtrend in September, the month of lowest ice annual concentrations, between 2007 and the present.
4. But this September, Arctic sea ice extent was merely the 11th lowest on record (when considered on a monthly average basis, rather than when looking at the single lowest daily extent).
This is a bit surprising.
This is a bit surprising.
October 24, 2025 at 2:54 PM
4. But this September, Arctic sea ice extent was merely the 11th lowest on record (when considered on a monthly average basis, rather than when looking at the single lowest daily extent).
This is a bit surprising.
This is a bit surprising.
3. Start with sea ice. We’ve just seen another September, the month when sea ice peaks in the Antarctic and reaches its lowest annual point in the Arctic.
October 24, 2025 at 2:52 PM
3. Start with sea ice. We’ve just seen another September, the month when sea ice peaks in the Antarctic and reaches its lowest annual point in the Arctic.
1. We’re living through a very hot year (again). Right now, 2025 looks like it could come in as the 2nd or 3rd hottest year on record
October 24, 2025 at 2:50 PM
1. We’re living through a very hot year (again). Right now, 2025 looks like it could come in as the 2nd or 3rd hottest year on record
Here’s a chart that combines together newspaper jobs with other print publishing sectors, also now updated (though the most recent data are just a tiny stretch at the end)
September 5, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Here’s a chart that combines together newspaper jobs with other print publishing sectors, also now updated (though the most recent data are just a tiny stretch at the end)
And, newspaper jobs! Job levels are looking really flat in 2025. I continue to wonder if this will be the year where finally, we don’t see a significant loss. That would be unusual.
September 5, 2025 at 5:13 PM
And, newspaper jobs! Job levels are looking really flat in 2025. I continue to wonder if this will be the year where finally, we don’t see a significant loss. That would be unusual.
We also have new data on Arctic sea ice. It looks like August was the 7th lowest extent on record.
September 5, 2025 at 5:12 PM
We also have new data on Arctic sea ice. It looks like August was the 7th lowest extent on record.
And here's the U.S., where the decline is not quite so sharp, and there was a recent uptick in July, likely tied to coverage of the Texas floods
September 5, 2025 at 5:11 PM
And here's the U.S., where the decline is not quite so sharp, and there was a recent uptick in July, likely tied to coverage of the Texas floods
The change in the UK is particularly striking.
September 5, 2025 at 5:09 PM
The change in the UK is particularly striking.
First, what’s new: I took a look at climate change coverage around the world, and it shows an apparent downturn since the 2021 Glasgow COP in Western countries. Specifically, in Europe, North America, and Oceania. More discussion here
reportearth.substack.com/p/the-growin...
reportearth.substack.com/p/the-growin...
September 5, 2025 at 5:08 PM
First, what’s new: I took a look at climate change coverage around the world, and it shows an apparent downturn since the 2021 Glasgow COP in Western countries. Specifically, in Europe, North America, and Oceania. More discussion here
reportearth.substack.com/p/the-growin...
reportearth.substack.com/p/the-growin...
1/ I’ve updated my newspaper jobs graphic with the latest data from the BLS.
July 8, 2025 at 4:45 PM
1/ I’ve updated my newspaper jobs graphic with the latest data from the BLS.
Here's a graphic I made based on the 1.5C carbon budget figures in the study to try to capture this
June 23, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Here's a graphic I made based on the 1.5C carbon budget figures in the study to try to capture this
8. There’s also been a turn towards climate data journalism, but again, this is more at the big outlets, not the small ones, because it’s very time and resource intensive.
June 16, 2025 at 1:09 PM
8. There’s also been a turn towards climate data journalism, but again, this is more at the big outlets, not the small ones, because it’s very time and resource intensive.
7. But local and regional outlets have not necessarily followed. Probably, in many cases, they can’t. This is where capacity is smaller in general and where many of the biggest job losses likely occurred.
June 16, 2025 at 1:08 PM
7. But local and regional outlets have not necessarily followed. Probably, in many cases, they can’t. This is where capacity is smaller in general and where many of the biggest job losses likely occurred.
6. However, more recently, several major media outlets and especially major newspapers have ramped up coverage with a climate focus in particular.
June 16, 2025 at 1:06 PM
6. However, more recently, several major media outlets and especially major newspapers have ramped up coverage with a climate focus in particular.
5. This means environmental journalism was hard hit when the newspaper industry lost several hundred thousand jobs following the Great Recession. So the field became, to a significant extent, the province of freelancers and online publications.
June 16, 2025 at 1:05 PM
5. This means environmental journalism was hard hit when the newspaper industry lost several hundred thousand jobs following the Great Recession. So the field became, to a significant extent, the province of freelancers and online publications.
4. First: To a significant extent, climate journalism comes out of environmental journalism, which is historically print based. In the early 2000s, U.S. newspapers were far more likely than U.S. television stations to employ an environmental journalist
June 16, 2025 at 1:02 PM
4. First: To a significant extent, climate journalism comes out of environmental journalism, which is historically print based. In the early 2000s, U.S. newspapers were far more likely than U.S. television stations to employ an environmental journalist
Huge water losses in the Colorado River basin. My latest on Substack reportearth.substack.com/p/huge-water...
June 2, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Huge water losses in the Colorado River basin. My latest on Substack reportearth.substack.com/p/huge-water...
8. In 2020 global emissions also plunged, but that was due to Covid. Everybody knew it was a unique event. They quickly got back to prior levels and as of 2024, are still rising.
May 13, 2025 at 7:45 PM
8. In 2020 global emissions also plunged, but that was due to Covid. Everybody knew it was a unique event. They quickly got back to prior levels and as of 2024, are still rising.
I’ve just updated my graphic showing newspaper industry jobs over the last 35 years, based on the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of course, there isn't much change to speak of.
May 5, 2025 at 1:25 PM
I’ve just updated my graphic showing newspaper industry jobs over the last 35 years, based on the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of course, there isn't much change to speak of.
Newspaper jobs down again -- to an estimated 85,000 jobs in Feb 2025 -- after a small apparent uptick at the start of Trump's new term. Source: www.bls.gov/web/empsit/c...
April 5, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Newspaper jobs down again -- to an estimated 85,000 jobs in Feb 2025 -- after a small apparent uptick at the start of Trump's new term. Source: www.bls.gov/web/empsit/c...
Climate science studies published per year: over 14,000. (And this may be a conservative estimate.)
In my latest post at Substack, I discuss what this means for climate science communication and climate journalism --
reportearth.substack.com/p/the-overwh...
In my latest post at Substack, I discuss what this means for climate science communication and climate journalism --
reportearth.substack.com/p/the-overwh...
March 22, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Climate science studies published per year: over 14,000. (And this may be a conservative estimate.)
In my latest post at Substack, I discuss what this means for climate science communication and climate journalism --
reportearth.substack.com/p/the-overwh...
In my latest post at Substack, I discuss what this means for climate science communication and climate journalism --
reportearth.substack.com/p/the-overwh...
My latest Substack post is about the rapid growth of climate science and global science generally, and what it means for those of us trying to communicate and explain it all -- reportearth.substack.com/p/the-overwh...
March 21, 2025 at 7:47 PM
My latest Substack post is about the rapid growth of climate science and global science generally, and what it means for those of us trying to communicate and explain it all -- reportearth.substack.com/p/the-overwh...