The hottest Environmental justice Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Climate & Environment Topics

Notes on winter

The Crucial Years • 2720 implied HN points • 08 Feb 26
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. Winter offers special pleasures — the slick freedom of skating and skiing, the hush of fresh snow, and a playful elegance you don’t get in other seasons.
  2. Climate change is eroding winter: Arctic sea ice loss, fewer freezing days, and declining snowpacks are shortening the season and threatening winter landscapes and sports.
  3. People and institutions are pushing back — athletes, activists, businesses and technologists are advocating for climate action and building alternatives like EVs, new batteries, and more solar to help protect winters and public health.

Pretend you're running for Congress

The Crucial Years • 1783 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. Keep the energy message simple: talk about affordability and the basic promise that clean energy is cheap, creates jobs, and can lower electric bills, using clear examples people understand.
  2. Policy is currently increasing electricity demand (think data centers and AI) while blocking cheap wind and solar, which drives up prices and effectively makes working families subsidize fossil fuel interests.
  3. Clean energy is winning globally — faster EV adoption, cheaper and more efficient solar like perovskites, big green finance, and new recycling tech mean we should accelerate renewables and protect public health rules now.

Leader’s with Blind Spots: Climate Change’s Human Toll

Adetokunbo Sees • 104 implied HN points • 21 Feb 26
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. Leaders who downplay climate risks and choose short-term economic gains over mitigation drive higher emissions and worsen environmental damage.
  2. Both historical and recent leadership choices have caused large environmental and human costs, and projections show hotter temperatures, higher seas, longer heatwaves, and economic losses by mid-century.
  3. Grassroots activism, informed voting, and public awareness campaigns are practical ways to push leaders toward stronger climate action and reduce future harm.

Pouring Literal Gasoline on the Fires of Hate

The Crucial Years • 827 implied HN points • 05 Dec 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. Someone is literally pouring gasoline on fires of hate, signaling a direct and dangerous escalation that intensifies harm.
  2. The line "Not a metaphor, not at all" emphasizes that the action is meant to be taken literally rather than figuratively.
  3. The full discussion is behind a paid subscription, so detailed coverage is available only to paying readers.
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Will they ever pay a price?

The Crucial Years • 2062 implied HN points • 25 Jul 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. Many people feel frustrated by the lack of accountability for powerful figures, who seem to escape consequences for their actions. However, there are signs that pressure is building for change, both globally and in the U.S.
  2. A recent ruling from the International Court of Justice highlights that countries may be held accountable for not protecting the environment. This could open the door for nations affected by climate change to seek reparations.
  3. There's a growing push for renewable energy and climate justice as more people realize the urgency of the climate crisis. The world is moving towards cleaner energy solutions, even as some resist change.

Pushing Back, Short-Term and Long

The Crucial Years • 3667 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. This is a tough time for climate and social justice activists, with funding cuts causing chaos and uncertainty.
  2. There's a rising movement and resolve against harmful policies and actions, with people actively rallying and making their voices heard.
  3. Despite the challenges, the cost of clean energy is falling, giving us a promising opportunity to shift toward renewable resources and fight for change.

How We Make Progress Now

The Crucial Years • 3607 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. The new administration's actions have quickly reversed many climate policies, making it crucial to organize and push back against these changes over time.
  2. While traditional protests have been important, the current political climate may require fresh strategies and new ways of engaging people to create real change.
  3. There's a strong shift towards renewable energy that can be leveraged, as public support for clean energy is growing despite efforts from opposition.

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen again in 2025

Sustainability by numbers • 339 implied HN points • 04 Nov 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has decreased, with 5,800 square kilometers cleared in 2025, which is an 11% drop from the previous year. This shows some progress in protecting the forest.
  2. While deforestation rates are falling, wildfires have caused significant damage to the forest, leading to degradation even when trees are not permanently lost. This makes the Amazon weaker and more vulnerable.
  3. Brazil's leadership change has had a direct impact on deforestation rates, with policies under President Lula da Silva leading to a rapid decline compared to the previous administration. However, the goal remains to eventually stop all deforestation.

Climate superpowers

The Crucial Years • 1036 implied HN points • 21 Feb 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. One way to inspire others for climate action is through music. Antonique Smith's new version of 'Love Song to the Earth' aims to unite people and inspire hope.
  2. Jessie Diggins uses her platform as a champion skier to advocate for climate change awareness. She believes athletes can lead conversations about protecting the planet.
  3. Connecting climate change to everyday lives is crucial. People need to understand how pollution affects their health and environment, especially in communities of color.

The Democrats finally come clean on gas

The Crucial Years • 1315 implied HN points • 17 Dec 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. The Democrats have finally acknowledged the negative impacts of natural gas and its exports on climate change. This honesty is an important step for addressing environmental issues moving forward.
  2. Past policies favored natural gas as a cleaner alternative to coal, but high methane leak rates from fracking have shown that it's not a perfect solution for the climate crisis.
  3. The shifting energy landscape is pushing for a focus on renewable sources like wind and solar, instead of relying on natural gas exports, which could harm national and global climate efforts.

Whether the Storm

Field Guide to the Anthropocene • 393 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. In the Anthropocene era, humans must protect and restore the Earth given our excessive impact on its ecosystems.
  2. We need to become rational and compassionate managers of the planet to address climate change and ecological disruptions.
  3. Storms, while disruptive and dangerous, also serve as a reminder of our place in nature and the need to prepare for managing the impacts of extreme weather.

Small Islands

rachaelmeager • 337 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. Forced resettlement of people for conservation can lead to serious ethical concerns, as it may be viewed as a form of genocide by those affected. It's crucial to balance conservation goals with human rights.
  2. Many people engage in activism mainly for emotional reasons, which can lead to a mix of real concern and performative actions that don’t address the actual issues. Understanding our true motives can help us engage more sincerely.
  3. Smaller crises in the world often get overlooked in favor of larger, more dramatic issues. We should pay attention to these smaller problems, as they are real and affect real people, and acknowledging them allows for a better understanding of larger-scale issues.

Back on the march

The Crucial Years • 2421 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. Participants showed up in force for the March to End Fossil Fuels in Manhattan despite the ongoing pandemic.
  2. The event was organized by individuals like Jean Su who worked hard to bring people together, despite differing views.
  3. The march was a public demonstration of determination to continue the fight against climate change, with speakers emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

Sheet cake as ammunition

The Crucial Years • 1464 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. In a polarized society, sometimes fighting in a different, more creative way can be effective.
  2. Using strategic and thoughtful tactics can make a difference in important fights like climate change.
  3. Being considerate of societal impacts and strategic in activism can lead to positive outcomes, even in difficult situations.

Emerging from the Fog

Field Guide to the Anthropocene • 235 implied HN points • 28 Jul 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. The world is facing extreme climate changes due to greenhouse gas emissions affecting temperatures and ecosystems.
  2. Human actions and inactions are contributing to the worsening climate crisis, leading to heatwaves, wildfires, and extreme weather events.
  3. Efforts to address climate change include clean energy initiatives, conservation victories, and legal actions against fossil fuel companies.

Looking for Climate Perps

God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger • 90 implied HN points • 09 Jul 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. Climate change is not just an environmental issue; it's also influenced by social class and power dynamics. The wealthy and powerful often contribute to environmental harm while ignoring the consequences for those less fortunate.
  2. Most people don't have a say in important decisions regarding climate policy. Government and big businesses often make choices that affect everyone, without asking for public opinion.
  3. The effects of climate change disproportionately affect poorer nations and communities. Those who contributed the least to climate change tend to suffer the most from its impacts.

This Must Be Made Personal For Deniers

Surfing the Future • 59 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. Ensuring accountability for systemic crimes is crucial, with heavy financial penalties, especially for those profiting from reprehensible practices like the British empire's opium trade
  2. Uncomfortable parallels exist between historical criminal enterprises like the opium trade, the opioid crisis, and modern fossil fuel industries, hinting at potential criminalization
  3. Legal actions such as climate scientist Michael Mann's successful defamation lawsuit highlight the importance of holding false accusers accountable, pushing for strict consequences against defamers

Weather Permitting

The Crucial Years • 647 implied HN points • 08 May 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. Permitting reform is crucial for building renewable energy efficiently and quickly.
  2. Reforming housing zoning laws can help address high home prices and rents.
  3. When advocating for permitting reform, consider implementing a climate test, fairness test, and promoting public ownership of energy projects.

Free Hong

The Crucial Years • 597 implied HN points • 06 Jun 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental justice
  1. Hong Thi Minh is a brave climate activist from Vietnam who faced arrest for speaking out about climate crisis and coal use.
  2. Telling the truth about climate crisis can be dangerous in countries with oppressive governments, leading to arrests of activists.
  3. Supporting brave activists like Hong through global advocacy and pressure on governments is crucial for protecting human rights and advancing climate action.