photo essays on climate change

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This article was contributed by Amanda Lenhardt in support of The Overseas Development Institute.

Growing up in a small town in Northern Canada, climate change wasn’t something I thought of often. And once I did learn about the global impacts of a changing climate a little later in life, the topic seemed too daunting to fully process. I tend to think of myself as an optimist, of the opinion that through thoughtful action we can see the positive changes we want for the world. The environment was always my one exception though, and while I’m typically up for a good challenge, I chose to work on global poverty issues because this seemed more within the realm of the possible than anything related to climate change.  

It wasn’t until a recent trip to Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in West Africa, that some light was shed on my gloomy outlook for the future of the planet. It was there, at the front lines of the fight against climate change, that I witnessed people taking up the task that I had been too timid to even consider. 

Amidst all the talk of climate change, for most people dominating the discussion, climate change is a distant concept - either it's something of concern for the future, or something experienced elsewhere. For farmers in Northern Burkina Faso on the edge of the Sahel desert though, climate change is a daily reality.  The temperaments of the climate dictate whether the season’s crops will yield enough food for families to eat, and whether enough will be produced to sell in order to afford to send kids to school or attend to health needs.

Last year, like many years in recent memory, the rains came late. Uncertainty has become the new normal for those living off of an unforgiving landscape where population pressures, deforestation and unsustainable farming practices have paved the way for the Sahel desert to creep ever closer. 

But farmers in Northern Burkina Faso are not sitting idly as the climate changes around them. For many years they have been adapting farming techniques to conserve water and regenerate soil in an effort to reclaim land from the desert and to adapt to changing weather patterns. 

Over the last 25 years, around 200,000 to 300,000 hectares of desertified lands have been reclaimed in Burkina Faso through the labour and investments of smallholder farmers, and with the support of national NGOs, international donors and government services. 

The use of improved farming techniques has meant that more food is produced and that families’ periods of food shortage have been significantly reduced. Although drought remains a threat year-on-year, the devastating famines experienced in the 1970s have so far been averted.  

However these gains are fragile, and many of the poorest farmers are unable to take on any further investment or dedicate any additional labour to continue to help the region adapt. More needs to be done to translate promises made by the world’s leaders into practical and effective support for families on the front lines of the fight against climate change.  

I left Burkina Faso feeling both humbled by the tireless efforts of people who are combatting desertification and climatic change, but also with a newfound optimism for the efficacy of actions towards a more sustainable world.  For those of us feeling overwhelmed by what that task might entail, one way to start is to extend support to those who’ve already taken up the challenge, as their fight is also our common fight. 

To find out more about how farmers in Burkina Faso are finding solutions to climate change, take a look at this short film:

Defend the Planet

Photo Essay: The real faces of climate change

Nov. 26, 2015

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• Ian van Coller archive page

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Photo essay: Climate change is a women’s issue

Date: 08 November 2017

The planet is under threat. From human-caused greenhouse gas emissions to the overexploitation of the earth’s natural resources, unsustainable production and consumption patterns pose a risk to all of humanity. As early adopters of new agricultural techniques, first responders in crises, entrepreneurs of green energy, or decision-makers at home, women are agents of change who must equally be part of the solution towards a sustainable future. Learn more about the topic and how UN Women and its partners are paving the way towards change >>

• ‘One Woman’ – The UN Women song
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Documenting the Swift Change Wrought by Global Warming

Photographer Peter Essick has traveled the world documenting the causes and consequences of climate change. In a Yale Environment 360 photo essay, we present a gallery of images Essick took while on assignment in Antarctica, Greenland, and other far-flung locales.

By Peter Essick • December 18, 2013

Photo Essay

For 25 years, photographer Peter Essick has traveled the world for National Geographic magazine, with many of his recent assignments focusing on the causes and consequences of climate change. In a Yale Environment 360 photo essay, we present a gallery of images Essick took while on assignment in Antarctica, Greenland, and other far-flung locales. The photographer says that what most struck him was the dedication of the scientists who have committed themselves to documenting the effects of global warming.

“Everyone I talked to felt that they were uncovering evidence for climate change and that the threat for the future was increasing,” says Essick.

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Climate change is a women’s issue

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Video: Sky News/Film Image Partner

We owe it to ourselves and to the next generation to conserve the environment so that we can bequeath our children a sustainable world that benefits all. Wangari Maathai Environmental activist

The planet is under threat

From human-caused greenhouse gas emissions to the overexploitation of the earth’s natural resources, unsustainable production and consumption patterns pose a risk to all of humanity.

Photo: Yuyao city, Zhejiang province, 2013. Credit: Xinhua / eyevine/Redux

The world’s poorest are often hardest hit

A changing climate affects everyone – but it’s the world’s poorest and those in vulnerable situations, especially women and girls, who bear the brunt of environmental, economic and social shocks.

Photo: Bangladesh, 2011. Credit: Kadir van Lohuizen/NOOR/Redux

Climate-induced disasters exacerbate entrenched gender inequalities

Often, women and girls are the last to eat or be rescued; face greater health and safety risks as water and sanitation systems become compromised; and take on increased domestic and care work as resources disappear.

Photo: Haiti, 2016. Credit: UN/MINUSTAH/Logan Abassi

Climate's impact

In many developing countries, women and girls often carry the burden of water and fuel collection and food provision.

Let’s look closer at an example

Photo: Jammu, Kashmir, India, 2016. Credit: Jaipal Singh/EPA

Combined hours spent fetching water every day in 25 sub-Saharan African countries

Data: Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation , 2012 Update, UNICEF, WHO

This is my routine three times a day…I have to fetch water for our use and for the goats and sheep too, as they are too weak to walk

Paulina Epung’u

Mother of seven in Kenya’s drought-stricken District Turkana

Photo: Kenya, 2017. Credit: UN Women/Kennedy Okoth

Climate change increases the risk of droughts

Droughts can destroy crops, soils, flora and fauna, intensify food scarcity, and worsen the situation of women and girls, particularly in already fragile places.

Photo: Llapallapani, Bolivia, 2016. Credit: Josh Haner/The New York Times/Redux

The various consequences of drought

• Violence against women
• Maternal deaths
• Child Marriage
• Malnutrition
• Illegal land grabbing
• Sanitation & hygiene
• Living conditions
• Food security
• Fuel supplies
• School attendance

We have no other spare or replacement planet. We have only this one, and we have to take action. Berta Cáceres Honduran indigenous and environmental rights activist

Implementing change

The time to act is now.

As early adopters of new agricultural techniques, first responders in crises, entrepreneurs of green energy, or decision-makers at home, women are agents of change who must equally be part of the solution towards a sustainable future.

Here’s how UN Women and its partners are paving the way

Photo: Mali, 2013. Credit: World Bank/Dominic Chavez

Sustainable solutions

The situation

Today, greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels remain primary energy sources. Women disproportionately bear the burden of energy poverty.

1 . 1  billion

People lacking access to electricity.

3  billion

People still cooking and heating their homes with solid fuels.

4 . 3  million

Deaths linked to household air pollution generated by solid fuels in 2012.

Data: Access to electricity , The World Bank; World Health Statistics 2017, Monitoring Health for the SDGs , World Health Organization. Photo: Vietnam, 2011. Credit: UN Photo/Kibae Park

The response

UN Women and UN Environment have joined forces under a global programme to promote women’s entrepreneurship for sustainable energy. The programme will initially roll out in Senegal, Morocco, Myanmar, India, Indonesia and Bolivia.

Women in India estimated to gain access to clean, renewable energy as part of current programme efforts

Photo: Liberia, 2015. Credit: Thomas Dworzak/Magnum Photos for UN Women

Gender-responsive action

Parts of Africa and Western Asia are confronting a humanitarian crisis brought on by drought.

3 . 4  million

People lacking food security out of the 5.6 million affected by drought.

3 6 , 9 8 8

Pregnant and lactating women requiring treatment for malnutrition.

Data: 2017 Flash Appeal, September-December 2017 , ReliefWeb;  Kenya: US$106 million needed to step up drought response in the critical months ahead , UN OCHA. Photo: Yemen, 2016. Credit: Tyler Hicks/The New York Times/Redux

UN agencies have mobilized to provide shelter, water, food, sanitation, emergency relief and protection services. In Kenya, for instance, UN Women is working with the government’s drought agency to address women’s unique needs.

$ 1 0 6  million

2017 flash appeal by 46 humanitarian agencies to reach 1.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance as a result of drought in Kenya

Data: 2017 Flash Appeal, September-December 2017 , ReliefWeb;  Kenya: US$106 million needed to step up drought response in the critical months ahead , UN OCHA. Photo: Kenya, 2015. Credit: Dai Kurokawa/EPA

Climate resilience

Global warming, rising temperatures and sea levels, and extreme weather events are threatening island nations and coastal communities, putting the livelihoods of millions at risk.

Additional climate-related deaths per year expected between 2030 and 2050 from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress.

Data: Climate change and health , World Health Organization. Photo: Texas, USA, 2017. Credit: Andrew Burton/The New York Times/Redux

In Seychelles, women-led Wildlife Clubs, supported by a UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme, are teaching future generations about mangrove conservation and ocean sustainability. In Bangladesh, UN Women has strengthened disaster response systems across the country’s 10 most climate-vulnerable districts.

Bangladeshi women trained under UN Women- supported efforts to respond to disasters.

Credit: UN Women/Ryan Brown

Together, we can achieve a sustainable future for all.

Step it up for gender equality..

• PHOTOGRAPHY

Peter Essick’s Journey into Environmental Photojournalism

As both a picture and environment editor at National Geographic I live a hybrid life. On one hand I try to imagine how we can visualize—in fresh and compelling ways—the goings-on in our world for the stories we publish. On the other hand I’m deeply involved in conceiving and helping create many of our projects about global environmental change. I thrive where these two spheres intersect.

This intersection might best be described as “environmental photojournalism”—a combination of documentary photojournalism and environmental journalism. It’s a two-fold discipline inspired and informed by scientists who study patterns of change on our planet, largely brought about by humanity’s expanding presence. It also encompasses the finest traditions of world-class documentary photography—trying to eloquently make visual sense of our world so readers can better understand how to find their own place in it.

Among the most memorable environmental photojournalism projects I’ve been involved with have been collaborations with photographer Peter Essick. We first teamed up nearly 20 years ago on a project about non-point source water pollution —the kind that flows into rivers, bays, and the sea from fertilized lawns, farms, paved highways, and parking lots. This diffuse runoff pollution contributes to “hypoxic” or dead zones like those we find in the Chesapeake Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico near the Mississippi River delta.

Since that first story, Peter and I have traveled the road of environmental photojournalism together, teaming on 14 stories with subjects as diverse as nuclear waste, paleoclimatology, America’s wilderness, and the chemical pollution cocktail we each carry inside us .   We collaborated on a 74-page climate change project in September 2004, and in 2010 we explored Greenland as it “greens up” in the face of rising global temperatures.

In 2009 Peter created a powerful photo essay on the impact of tar (or oil) sands mining in Alberta , and he recently photographed a beautiful black and white essay on the Ansel Adams Wilderness of California . He is incredibly versatile.

Peter has just released a new book called “Our Beautiful, Fragile World” —a retrospective of his 25 years as a photographer who’s been deeply engrossed in documenting the resilience of the natural world at the nexus of increasing encroachment and impact from expanding human activity.

I recently interviewed Peter about his origins and trajectory as an environmental photographer:

DENNIS DIMICK: You were a business major in college, then went to graduate school at Missouri for photojournalism. How did you get interested in photography?

PETER ESSICK: My father was a science teacher and a lover of the outdoors. We went on a lot of trips, hiking, skiing, river rafting when I was growing up and he always took pictures with his trusty Nikon F to show his classes. So my father taught me how to use a camera, but it wasn’t until I took a photography class in high school that I really fell in love with the medium.

DENNIS: Who are your inspirations? Photographically? Environmentally?

PETER: Ansel Adams was my biggest inspiration starting out. I learned much of what I still know from his Basic Photo series. I also liked Eliot Porter for his color work. I admire many contemporary photographers who are pushing boundaries in the digital era. However, I still find myself drawn to photographs that are timeless, and the understated work of photographers like Robert Adams or Atget.

My father used to quote John Muir a lot. I inherited a complete set of Muir’s writings from him, and I have read many of the classic thinkers on wilderness, from Aldo Leopold to Edward Abbey. Finding Beauty in a Broken World   by Terry Tempest Williams is sort of my guiding light for what a good environmental photograph should be.

DENNIS: People are always interested in finding out how photographers are able to get assignments from National Geographic . How did you make your connection?

PETER: When I was at the University of Missouri I was selected as a summer intern based on a portfolio I had submitted. It was how I got my foot in the door and I am still very thankful that   National Geographic gave me that opportunity. It was truly life changing in every way.

DENNIS: Was there an event or situation that caused you to focus on environmental issues?

PETER: The assignment I did for a National Geographic special issue on water in 1993 was my first exposure to photographing an important environmental issue. I found I liked the intellectual challenge and the work seemed worthwhile beyond just the artistic value.

DENNIS: What have been your favorite or most rewarding projects?

PETER: My favorite place of any that I have visited is Patagonia in the southern part of Argentina and Chile. The high desert, blue lakes, dramatic peaks of the Andes and the amazing clouds and weather are all a dream for a landscape photographer. The gauchos are also great subjects. Close runner-ups would be the Ansel Adams Wilderness, California, and Yoho National Park, British Columbia.

Overall, the most rewarding story I have done is about climate change in 2004. That is one I can look back on and feel good that I was able to do that story. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As Yogi Berra would say, those don’t come along too often.

“My best motivation to do environmental stories is when I see children like the boy looking out the window in Butte and wonder about the world we are leaving for them.” —Peter Essick

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DENNIS: How about most challenging? The first project you and I did together was on non-point source water pollution, and just this year you took a new look at the impacts of fertilizer —an important aspect in the original story. We also did a project on “toxic people” —or the chemical pollution inside us, and then there was nuclear waste. None of those projects were easy, right?

PETER: In general, environmental stories are more difficult than landscape stories because of problems getting access to sites and finding people who will agree to be photographed. On the positive side, I found it exciting to work on a story like non-point source water pollution because it had never been done before and there were no other past stories to live up to. Stories on pollution or waste I find fascinating for the dystopian elements, and they usually have visual potential, too.

DENNIS: What did you learn about yourself and your work while editing this book and reviewing the photographs?

PETER: I feel I have a unique story to tell with this book. When I have been able to break through all the noise to try to be heard, I have been getting a good response. The combination of a photojournalist and environmentalist seems like a logical one, but it really isn’t all that common. I learned how to write about my photographs doing this book.

I often walk up Stone Mountain near my home in Georgia for exercise, and I found I got a lot of ideas while walking up and down the trail.

“Many of my successful photographs are the result of discovering a scene and then going back several times to get the best picture possible. This photograph is the result of having an idea and then executing it despite the obstacles.” —Peter Essick

DENNIS: What do you tell young photographers who come to you interested in pursuing the kind of work you have done?

PETER: Many people contact me saying they are interested in becoming a National Geographic photographer and I have taught many workshops on nature photography. However, very few young photographers seem as interested in doing environmental stories. I feel going forward we will need more photographers doing this work, and that is one of the reasons that I produced this book.

DENNIS: What kinds of projects would you like to do that you have not had a chance to pursue? Or put another way, what’s next for Peter?

PETER: This book and one coming out in the spring on the Ansel Adams Wilderness have opened up a lot of opportunities for me. I am doing lots of lectures, workshops, some exhibits. And I’m planning to keep making new nature and environmental photographs. I recently bought an Ebony view camera and have been using it to make 4×5 collodion wet plates. The images seem to have a lot of potential to evoke a passage of time that is unique to the process. In many ways, it feels like now I am reaching back to look forward.

Peter Essick’s new book, “Our Beautiful, Fragile World” is published by Rocky Nook Books. See more work on his website and follow him on Twitter and Instagram .

Dennis Dimick can be found on Flickr , Twitter , and Instagram .

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Photo essay: Nine women leading the fight against climate change in Lebanon

Date: Friday, 4 March 2022

On International Women’s Day, the United Nations in Lebanon celebrates the contribution of women and girls who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all through a virtual photo exhibition featuring nine women climate action activists . Nadida Raad, Caroline Chaptini, Maya Nehmeh, Aaida Ghadban, Myriam Ghsoub, Carole Ayat, Mona Fawaz, Nouhad Awwad and Najat Saliba who are taking innovative actions for climate adaptation across the country. Their work is contributing to a greener, more equitable and prosperous future for Lebanon. 

Driving energy initiatives for change

“Energy poverty unfortunately impacts more women than men, therefore as women, we need to have an active role in shaping energy public policy” - Carol Ayat

Carol Ayat is an energy finance professional, an investment banker, and a Senior Fellow at the American University of Beirut Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs.  She is on the board of the Lebanese Oil and Gas Initiative “LOGI” and advocates for producing electricity in a sustainable way. She believes green energy is about creating an ecosystem and improving the well-being of citizens. Ayat says “In Lebanon, the heavy reliance on fossil fuels for electricity production has had a detrimental impact on public finances and our balance of payments; and lately we faced shortages of fossil fuels which threatened energy security. Energy security - the association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption - is critical for any country to become more energy independent from foreign countries.”   Read Carol’s story>>

Recycling, upcycling and making Lebanon clean 

“If I collect five tons of plastic for every project I complete, and if I realize three projects a year, this means that, at the individual level, I can prevent 15 tons of plastic from ending up in forests, streets, and at sea, over the course of one year. It gives me a lot of joy to know that I am making Lebanon cleaner.” - Caroline Chaptini

Caroline Chaptini is a recycling artist, holder of three Guinness World Records in 2020. Even though she does not consider herself an environmental activist, her work has inspired many young people to pay more attention to waste management and to join recycling initiatives. She says “I set my first Guinness record at 36. I never imagined myself doing something even close to recycling. Since then, I truly believe that you can create something out of nothing. Ten years ago, I got divorced. People used to refer to me as ‘the divorcee’. Ever since I embarked on this journey, I became ‘the woman who has won three World Guinness Records.” Read Caroline’s story>>

Sprouting rooftop gardens make for a greener Al Rashidieh Palestinian refugee camp

“Our environment is our life. Pollution leads to diseases and the spread of viruses which will endanger our health. We can take the right steps to keep our communities clean.”  - Aida Ghadban

Aida Ghadban is a Palestinian refugee living in Al Rashidieh camp. Aida helped train over 100 women to grow their own vegetables on their home’s rooftops. Aida says “They learned useful tips including the distance between plants per row, and how to repel insects. Every day I would visit these women at home, to make sure they are taking good care of their plants and watering them”. This activity was a turning point for these women. “It gave them a sense of freedom and they regained self-confidence, they felt they were giving back to their community. They were happy to accomplish new tasks, beyond routine house chores.” Read Aida’s story>>

Reshaping the quality of life in Lebanon

“Climate action is not simply about choosing our carbon footprints but understanding our role as human beings on this planet, with much more humility.” - Dr Mona Fawaz

Mona Fawaz is a professor in urban Studies and planning at the American University of Beirut and co-founder of the Beirut Urban Lab, a collaborative and interdisciplinary research space producing scholarship on urbanization. Fawaz is the author of over 50 scholarly articles, book sections, and reports. “In Lebanon, people have been encouraged to abuse the environment. When buildings are audited, it is common to find that about 40% of the uses can be curtailed. With the public policy to deliberately subsidize fuel, people did not care about electricity’s cost. One of our ongoing projects with a lab at MIT is investigating urban and housing regulations. We are trying to recommend urban regulations that size buildings in relation to solar capacity, so urban neighborhood can secure a minimum electric lifeline through affordable solar energy.” Read her story>>

Preserving Lebanon’s trees

“We want people to understand that forestry can be a woman’s job.” - Maya Nehme

Maya Nehme, 41, is the Director of Lebanese Reforestation Initiative, a local NGO which aims at conserving and expanding Lebanon's forests through a community-based approach and public-private partnerships. As wildfires in Lebanon have exponentially increased since 2019, reforestation, forest management, wildfires management and land use planning, are needed more than ever. In Lebanon, the number of women specialized in forestry, is not significant, even though the three major NGOs working in forestry, are led by women. “There is a gap in academia, as the Lebanese University is the only higher-education institution to provide a master’s degree in forestry. My team of experts includes more women than men, while this sector is traditionally dominated by men, worldwide,” says Nehme. “Over the years, we’ve seen heads of municipalities focusing on the need to include more women force in local committees, which we willingly do. This is a success on its own.” Read her story>>

Thinking green leads to acting green

“Even if Lebanon’s coast is not as contaminated as we might think, the situation will deteriorate, if we do not act fast. We need to protect our sea life.” - Myriam Ghsoub

Myriam Ghsoub, 29, is a research consultant at the National Center for Marine Sciences in Lebanon. A firm believer in science, she seeks to understand the global environmental changes caused by human activities which are threatening the physical, economic, and food security of local communities, as well as resources for global businesses. She says, “at the Center, we consider ourselves to be the family of the sea”.  For Ghsoub, an effective response to environment challenges is linked to early detection. Local communities are the main actors in the mitigation of emergency incidents, such as oil spills. Volunteers can be mobilized in cleanup campaigns. Change starts with us. We do not have to be decision-makers. Change can begin at home.” Read her story>>

Pedalling climate action 

“What sort of world are we bringing children into? We must start the change, individually. We need to act now before it is too late. Let us adopt and promote environmentally friendly commute options, such as walking (when possible), cycling, using the bus, or even carpooling.” - Nadida Raad

Nadida Raad, 34, is a co-founder of The Chain Effect, a non-profit organization that promotes the use of the bicycle as a means of transport in Lebanon through street art, public interventions, community projects and city planning. The Chain Effect also addresses the ever-growing problem of mobility and lack of public spaces. Over the past years, their “Bike to Work” events have gathered hundreds of participants. She says, “creating a cycling culture, requires involvement of the community.” Read Nadida’s story>>

Redefining the concept of empowerment and sustainability

“It is proven that green spaces can absorb air pollution. I realize that we cannot remove the diesel generators now, but what we can do is create a culture of green spaces, especially in villages.” - Najat Saliba

Najat A. Saliba, 57, is the co- founder and Executive Director of Environment Academy (EA), an environmental movement led by the American University Beirut (AUB) in collaboration with communities across the country aiming to find transformative and just solutions to environmental breakdown in Lebanon. Dr. Saliba and the team at EA work on climate action with communities in times of unprecedented national crisis. She says, “This is how the Environment Academy came to life; it started from deep frustration with conventional development models and science being silenced. We need to be part of the solution.” Read Najat’s story>>

Boosting the role of youth in environmental issues

“Young children are very enthusiastic about finding solutions to climate change and to tackle the problem of pollution. Older generations seem more reluctant to take action, as they ask for concrete evidence that human activities are contributing to climate change.” - Nouhad Awwad.

Nouhad Awwad, 31, is the founder of the Lebanese national chapter of the Arab Youth Climate Change and project campaigner at Greenpeace MENA, supporting the implementation of the Ummah For Earth project, a global alliance-led initiative working to empower Muslim communities on climate action. From beach cleanups to planting trees to representing Greenpeace MENA and the Ummah For Earth Alliance at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Nouhad has been engaging youth in environmental issues since the age of 15. In 2015, at the age of 25, Nouhad established the Lebanese national chapter of the Arab Youth Climate Movement to create early awareness on climate change of young children, at schools. Read her story>>

VIEW THE VIRTUAL PHOTO EXHIBITION HERE>>

• Publications

May 10, 2024

See the ‘Tragic Beauty’ in Shorelines Marred by Climate Change

A stunning photography collection underlines how climate change is altering the world’s coastal and lakeside environments

By Riis Williams

Four photographs by Diane Tuft, entitled Epitaph, Silent Sea, Diversion and Paradox ( clockwise from top ). Epitaph depicts the Florida Keys on July 25, 2018, and the other three images show the Great Salt Lake.

Walking along Kolatoli Beach in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, environmental photographer Diane Tuft noticed the damp sand was textured with peculiar little bumps scattered along the shore. Tuft, fascinated with the unusual scene, whipped out her camera and took a picture.

She soon learned the pellets were signs of sand bubbler crabs. When water surges over the beach during high tide, the crabs stay hidden underground. Once the sea retreats, the centimeter-wide crustaceans emerge, eating bits of plankton and spitting up “bubbles” of sandy leftovers. But as sea levels rise and Kolatoli is more frequently submerged, catching the crabs in action is becoming a rarity.

Balls of sand made by sand bubbler crabs on Kolatoli Beach in Bangladesh.

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Tuft’s photograph of the sand bubbler crabs is among dozens of images in her new book, Entropy , which aims to highlight the vanishing beauty and simultaneous devastation of the world’s coastal communities as climate change manipulates the once reliable behavior of Earth’s oceans and lakes. Featuring close-up and aerial photographs from six diverse locations experiencing severe droughts, floods, erosion or storms—with poems and essays by Westminster University biology professor Bonnie Baxter and artist Stacey Epstein — Entropy is Tuft’s way of encouraging art lovers to engage in conversations about climate change.

Scientific American spoke with Tuft about her process in creating Entropy, the role of photography in climate communication and why water best represents the extremity of the climate crisis.

[ An edited transcript of the interview follows. ]

States of Transformation depicts the Great Salt Lake.

Why is climate change your chosen subject of photography?

I’d say nature has always been a driving force of mine. I grew up pretty poor and didn’t have any toys, and so my toys were nature. I’d go outside and play with sticks and stones in the river and create little art installations. Then in college I bought my first [film] camera and started taking pictures of trees and other things in nature. When I finished school I moved to New York [City] to work in mathematics and with computers, and I got married and had kids. When my youngest daughter turned 15, I decided that I needed to do something just for myself, and I started more seriously painting and sculpting and taking photographs.... In 2005 I bought a color digital camera and went to photograph [land artist Robert Smithson’s] Spiral Jetty sculpture [in Salt Lake City, Utah]. When I got back to New York and uploaded the pictures on the computer, they were much more vibrant than I saw with my own eyes. So I did some research and contacted Bonnie Baxter at Westminster University. She explained that the Great Salt Lake absorbs and reflects a lot of ultraviolet light because of its unique environmental conditions. At 4,200 feet above sea level, the lake is unusually close to the sun and therefore absorbs a lot of UV radiation—which my digital camera picked up. I thought, “Oh, my gosh. That’s crazy. Where else can I find ultraviolet light?” That’s when I became interested in the climate change element. As our ozone layer gets thinner and thinner, more ultraviolet light and radiation is hitting the Earth.... So I began looking into weather and climate patterns and thinking of how I could start to document it.

Why does the word Entropy encapsulate this collection of photographs?

I learned about the word entropy from Robert Smithson. He died in 1973 at 35 years old, but even then, when people weren’t talking much about climate change, he understood that something was happening and the landscapes were really changing. He says the word entropy quite a few times in his [posthumously published] book Robert Smithson: The Collected Writings , when he’s talking about molecular changes and the chaos of molecules. Water is the perfect example of this. Its molecular structure is chaotic and shifting all the time from frozen to liquid to vapor. So for me, entropy [in this book] is all about the changing of water.

Paradox depicts the Great Salt Lake.

In 2017 you released your book The Arctic Melt: Images of a Disappearing Landscape , which highlights how climate change is affecting the world’s tundra. How did that project inform your process for Entropy?

We know scientifically that the ocean is expanding and we’re having real problems. Thermal expansion is occurring—the ocean is literally getting warmer —and mountain glaciers and ice sheets are melting , and fresh water is spilling into the ocean and making it rise. But my goal with these projects, which I make up entirely on my own, is to prove it visually. So to do that [for The Arctic Melt ], I went to one of the northernmost glaciers in the world in Svalbard, Norway, on a Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker, to photograph what was happening. Then I thought, okay, this is the proof.... Now, I want to show how coastal erosion and floods are impacting ... people in coastal communities.

Epitaph depicts Newfound Harbor Key in the Florida keys.

How did you decide what locations to photograph?

I couldn’t just go to one place. I needed to show what’s happening all around the world because there’s oceans everywhere, right? I chose [three] places in the U.S.: the Florida Keys, Chesapeake Bay and the Great Salt Lake. Then I went to the Pacific Ocean to visit the atoll nations—the Marshall Islands and Kiribati —and then finally Bangladesh. It’s all of these coastal places that are suffering from droughts or severe flooding and erosion. I mean, Kiribati was [one of the first nations] to bring attention to climate change because it was getting flooded constantly with king tides. Its [former president] was so frightened that his country was going to be destroyed that he basically [had Kiribati’s government buy land on an island in Fiji] to move citizens there. It wasn’t a very popular notion because no one wants to leave their home, but they technically still have that [land] just in case. So I really wanted to see what their situation was. I mean they’re in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, so if anyone is suffering [from sea-level rise], it’s them.

Spiral Jetty depicts the Great Salt Lake in June 2005 ( left ) and August 2022 ( right ).

Many images in the book, including its cover, are of Utah’s Great Salt Lake. Why did you choose to focus on this location?

I’ve kind of become a sort of spokesperson for the Great Salt Lake. When I bring it up, I feel like most people I talk to don’t even know where it is or don’t worry about it. But what’s happening to it really is so important. The lake carries all of these minerals, and many of them are toxic, such as arsenic. As the lake becomes depleted, parts of it become really dry. Then when the wind blows, these minerals in the sand become airborne and cause many people in the area to have health issues . I mean, the lake in 2022 was about two thirds the volume when I first saw it [in 2005]. So I felt that it’s unfortunately a prime example of how these environments are suffering.

Passages depicts the Great Salt Lake.

How do you try to balance conveying both beauty and devastation in your photographs?

I think of it all as tragic beauty. I love landscape photography, and I want to bring to the forefront that something beautiful is also disappearing by capturing it before it goes. Take my photographs of the Great Salt Lake, for instance. It’s the same lake and the same area, yet they look very different from each other after just [17 years]—both [are] beautiful, but a lot has changed.... And, you know, it’s frightening, too, and can sometimes be difficult to understand. So my art, as far as I’m concerned, is a way for people to look at something that can feel extremely abstract. It’s something that hopefully encourages them to ask questions. It’s about generating a new dialogue among people who are drawn to art and aren’t necessarily reading Scientific American or thinking about what’s going on with the climate all the time.

A salt field on Kutubdia Island in Bangladesh.

What role do you think photography can play in climate communication that videography and written words cannot?

Videography can be useful, but then someone has to sit down and watch something or go to the theater. And with written words, someone has to sit down and read something. So I think that if I can communicate with a [medium] that is easily and readily available—such as a book that everyone can just have on their table—then that’s powerful. I just hope that when people pick it up and flip through the pretty pictures, they start to wonder what it is they’re actually looking at. When they see the title, Entropy , and the different names of the pictures,I hope they wonder why exactly I chose those words and these places. In the end, I believe this is the most accessible form of climate change communication, and I hope that people just enjoy and think about it.

Happy, faithful and tied to nature: life adapting to the climate crisis – photo essay

Activists are pushing for action at the upcoming Cop28 summit as the way of life on Pacific islands such as Kioa in Fiji are reshaped by climate change

W hen Poiongo Lisati returned to her home of Kioa after decades away, she welcomed the shift in the pace of life. The 58-year-old left the busyness of Fiji’s capital Suva for the island of about 400 people, who live off the land they are deeply connected to. But some changes she noticed were stark.

“When I left the island, a good part of the beach was there,” Lisati says. “But when I came back after 40 years … around six metres or more had been washed away.”

Lisati saw other changes: king tides now swept to the flats of the island and the water reached closer to the villages. Coconut and pandanus plants, relied on for food and medicine, no longer grew on the beachfront. Months that were once hot and dry had become colder and windier.

Above: Kioa island, Fiji, at sunrise. Below: A resident of Kioa strips the thorny edges from the fronds of pandanus palms. It is one of many steps in the process of preparing the fronds to be woven into traditional baskets, floor mats and ceremonial skirts.

Like islands across the Pacific, climate change is reshaping life in Kioa. The tiny Fijian island has experienced increasingly frequent and more intense cyclones, disrupting crops. Fish, a staple of the local diet, live further out from the shore. In the past, residents would go fishing on the coast; now they must head out to deeper waters to get their catch. Corals have bleached and some fish no longer survive in the reef.

This week the Cop28 climate summit begins in the United Arab Emirates, aiming to build consensus for limiting global warming. Maina Talia, a climate activist who also works on development projects in Kioa, says the region had a “big win” at last year’s summit in securing a loss and damage fund to support nations experiencing increasingly severe climate impacts.

“Now we need to see commitments from governments, including Australia, to make significant contributions to that fund,” he says.

Churchgoers leave Sunday morning service in Kioa.

Talia lives in Tuvalu and works regularly with his community on Kioa. Last year he visited more than a dozen times. The two places are tightly bound: in the 1940s a group of men from Tuvalu purchased Kioa over fears their homeland was becoming too crowded. Later that decade some families migrated from Tuvalu to start life in Kioa. Talia calls both places home.

He says almost all the food people eat in Kioa comes from their garden. The islanders are “totally reliant on subsistence farms so the change in weather patterns challenges the way they do their traditional planting”.

“These people are very close to nature. They are tied to the environment,” Talia says. “They are happy people.”

Above: A cook chases a chicken out of the kitchen of the Kioa community hall. Below: Children leave school for lunch break on Kioa.

Earlier this year Pacific activists and civil society groups met in Kioa to formalise the Kato Fund, a development launched at the Cop27 summit to enable better access to climate finance. Talia was one of the organisers of the Kioa talks. Now, he wants “more ambition from Australia” at the Cop28 summit, which begins on 30 November.

“Phasing out fossil fuels urgently must be their highest moral obligation to the region and the world – it can’t wait.”

As he pushes for action on the climate crisis, Talia also works on projects that help Kioa adapt to a changing environment. They have built a seawall on the island – which is 18.6 sq km and around 120m above sea level – to battle erosion. A “mini-fishery” fitted with solar panels, freezers and an ice maker gives them more steady stocks of fish. After they fish, the men fill two big freezers with leftover catch, taking it to a nearby island to sell.

Maina Talia (wearing light blue shirt, third from the right) stands with Kioa elders as they prepare to receive Tuvalu’s climate change minister, Seve Paeniu, to the island for climate talks earlier this year. Talia says climate change has ‘disturbed the traditional way of living on Kioa’.

“That’s how we generate income,” he says. “Because of the change of climate and weather patterns … people who have refrigerators now will store them in case of bad weather.”

Children play in the shallows and aboard a boat on a rainy afternoon on Kioa.

For the men, the day starts in the plantation; after that they fish, sometimes into the evening. The women weave handicrafts, baskets and mats. They sell their wares to tourists, who arrive most weeks from neighbouring islands.

Above: Alfred Kaisami in the doorway of his home. Below: A Kioa resident makes traditional fresh flower garlands, ‘salusalu’, and crowns for guests attending climate action meetings.

At night, Talia says, the men drink kava and the women get the children ready for school. There’s a primary school on Kioa for about 80 children, while older children travel to a nearby island for secondary school. After school they play and later a bell will chime for evening devotion. Religion is a big part of life on the island, and time is given to hymns, recital and prayers through the day. Lisati says it is mostly Methodist, but other religions are practised as well.

Above: The Kioa island choir welcomed guests as they arrived for climate talks earlier this year. Below: People attend a church service on Sunday morning in Kioa.

Talia says the island is known across Fiji for its hardwood and the elders have been approached by many logging companies. But they turn them away over fears of what cutting down trees might do to their water sources.

“[Elders] don’t want to engage in logging,” he says, explaining that many on the island don’t want life to change.

Lisati says it’s “good to back home”. She lives with her sister in Kioa and connecting with family is central to life on the island.

“In Suva, life was very, very busy. Now I’m back on the island the pace is very different, it’s more relaxed.

“Irrespective of what climate change is doing to us … it’s home for me and I’m happy to be home.”

Andrew Quilty travelled to Kioa, Fiji on the Rainbow Warrior with Greenpeace Australia Pacific.

• Pacific project
• Pacific islands
• Climate crisis
• Asia Pacific

Most viewed

How to create a photo essay

By Marissa Sapega

According to LDV Capital, there will be 45 billion cameras in the world by 2022 . The proliferation of smartphones with hi-res cameras — coupled with our obsession with documenting the mundane on social media — has led to a glut of images shared on the web .

We're talking 3.2 billion images shared online every single day.

A decade ago, observers were predicting that this would spell the end of professional photography. But as we all know from our Instagram feeds, the need for professional photography — properly produced, contextualised, and published — has never been greater.

With the emergence of next generation digital publishing platforms, we're seeing a new era for photographic essays. Many of the most powerful examples are from journalism, where immersive photos are transforming long-form journalism into a more dynamic and interactive experience.

But powerful photos — coupled with immersive, interactive digital storytelling techniques — are being increasingly incorporated in marketing and communications across multiple industries, from brands to nonprofits. 

In this guide, we'll cover:

• The main types of photo essays
• The new era of photo essays
• Tips for making thoughtful and powerful photo essays
• How to make a compelling photo essay
• We'll also provide a range of photo essay examples as we go

If you're looking for more examples, check out our roundup of photo essay examples .

Let's dive in!

What do the BBC, Tripadvisor, and Penguin have in common? They craft stunning, interactive web content with Shorthand. And so can you! Publish your first story for free — no code or web design skills required. Sign up now.

Types of photo essays

There are two primary types of photo essays: thematic and narrative.

Thematic photo essays

Thematic essays focus on a topical story (like a natural disaster). One example of a great thematic essay comes from NBC News Olympics photos: Emotion runs high .

This piece encapsulates the overall gloom of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics — through a series of powerful behind-the-scenes photographs of athletes in varying levels of distress — but does not focus on a particular subject. 

Another example of a great photo story comes from the BBC. In “ From Trayvon Martin to Colin Kaepernick , they tell the story of how Black Lives Matter became entwined with sports. 

Narrative photo essays

Narrative photo essays take the story a step further and tell a specific story through images. 

One striking example is SBS's 28 Days in Afghanistan . This narrative essay documents photojournalist Andrew Quilty's time in the war-ravaged nation through stark photographs and supplementary text.

What is a photo essay in 2023?

A traditional photo essay aims to replace the written word with photographs. Done poorly, it is nothing more than series of images lumped together. Done well, though, the photojournalist or artist takes the reader on an engaging journey.

The main difference between photo essays of yore and photo essays in 2023 is the sophistication of digital publishing. With the rise of digital storytelling platforms, we're seeing a rise in truly interactive and immersive digital photo essays. 

Today, many digital photo essays include quotes and text to supplement the visuals and are formatted using interactive scrollytelling techniques. Scrollytelling is a form of visual storytelling that leverages user engagement (scrolling) to reveal images and text in an interesting and dynamic way. The interactivity compels the viewer to continue consuming the content, and creators have a wide latitude when designing the overall effect.    

Given the benefits of a more dynamic and interactive form of photo essays, it’s easy to see why they have become so popular in recent years. But as with any photo essay, creating an exceptional digital photo essays requires planning, structure, and know-how.

Let's take a closer look with ten tips for great photo essays.

Looking to learn more about interactive visual storytelling? Check out our guide, 8 tips for powerful visual storytelling .

10 tips for great photo essays

1. Create visual structure

An authentic photo essay requires visual markers to help transform a collection of images into a narrative. For example, photo chapter headings in Growing up young introduce each new girl in the story.

Similarly, in SBS’s photojournalism story — 28 days in Afghanistan , mentioned above — each dated header delineates a part of the story, providing an easy-to-follow chronological structure and pace.

Daniel Boud intersperses his own thoughts in between a haunting series of photographs of the iconic Sydney Opera House as it underwent a restoration during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic in The Sydney Opera House at Rest .

Text can add depth to the photo essay—but take care where you add it. It should support and enhance the final product, not overshadow it.

2. Make it interactive

In 2023, the best photo essays are interactive. 

One great example of an interactive photo essay is WaterAid’s essay, Water and Climate . This photo essay highlights the people climate change has impacted most brutally, including a video, stark close-up photography, and graphics to get its point across. 

The photo essay uses minimal text, preferring to allow the images to speak for themselves. As a user scrolls, it exposes them to more content. Each visual and supplemental text further immerses the viewer into the story until the end, where they encounter a call to action to join WaterAid in helping those in need.

Nonprofits like WaterAid often use interactive photo essays to compel people to act , because they work. Half the battle of convincing someone to part with their money is creating an emotional connection with them—something a photo essay does particularly well.

3. Produce more content than you need

Have you ever seen how much film footage ends up on the cutting room floor for the average movie (known as the shooting ratio)? It’s a lot.   

Why is this? First, filmmakers know that many of the shots they take will be either poor-quality or simply not up to their exacting standards. Second, if a director included all the footage they took throughout the entire production in the final product, her movie would be a bloated mess.

The editor’s job is to strip away the dead weight to reveal a clean, refined, final product that keeps viewers raptly engaged. However, an editor may struggle to do his job if the director has not provided enough usable footage.

The same principles apply to creating an exceptional photo essay. Always assemble more visuals and content than you think you’ll need so you can use the cream of the crop for the final product. Shedding content may be difficult, but it’s necessary, so be prepared to edit your piece without mercy.

Publishing photos on the web, but confused about the range of file formats? Check out our guide to file formats .

4. Use only the best photos

A photo essay is not an excuse to throw together all the imagery you have. Just like any good story, it needs a focused and compelling narrative that keeps things connected. Each image needs to bring something to the table. 

Remember that photo quality plays a significant role in the overall caliber of a photo essay. If your iPhone isn’t doing your subject justice, don’t be afraid to pull in a professional to make your work come alive.

A great example of this comes from Sky Sports. In their photo essay, Pictured: Diego Maradona , they had to be ruthless when deciding upon the imagery to include.

They no doubt had hundreds — perhaps thousands — of photos to choose from from the many photo shoots in Maradona's life. Yet they knew that each one had to be poignant and compelling in its own way. 

5. Don’t be afraid to edit your photos

Not everyone can be Ansel Adams or Annie Leibovitz. Happily, with the readily available photo-editing software like Photoshop and high-quality cameras on every smartphone, you don’t need to be. Do your best to acquire top-quality photos, but don’t be timid about improving them!

Thanks to heavy exposure to advertising, viewers today now expect doctored images. Whether you’re refining a photo for a flawless finish or adding a touch of grittiness, use this expectation to your advantage. Dial up the contrast, crop out unnecessary elements, and use filters if they suit your needs.

6. Visit the archives

With so many gleaming, airbrushed-to-perfection photographs online today, exposure to imagery that’s not polished within an inch of its life can be a refreshing change. 

For example, take a look at Mancity’s My Debut Trevor Francis (v Stoke 1981) , which exclusively uses archival images. Not only was this a necessity (the focus was on a decades-old football match), but it lent the entire piece a tattered legitimacy. You wouldn’t expect “Insta-worthy” images because that’s not the experience the author is trying to convey.

7. Storyboard before building

You wouldn’t build a house without drafting a blueprint, would you? (Well, not unless you weren’t too invested in the end-product.) Much like a blueprint, a storyboard helps you convert the vision inside your head into a concrete plan for construction. It can also contribute to your shot list for your photography project. 

Storyboarding forces you to take a step back and evaluate how each element fits into the larger narrative. You may find that half your content is no longer necessary, and that’s okay. It may seem like a barrier to “getting to the fun part” of adding fancy flourishes and creative details, but it’s a critical step for building a good photo essay that genuinely influences viewers.

8. Experiment!

While there are certainly best practices to follow when creating a photo essay, no “one true path” will culminate in perfection every time. Photo essays are a way to express a story; such art is not limited to a template or cookie-cutter outputs.

So, mix it up! Test out different photos, filter effects, text, quotes, and visuals. Pretend you’re playing with a Rubik’s cube when you’re storyboarding and shuffle the content around with abandon. There is no right way to draft a photo essay, and you’ll never settle on one that you believe best conveys your story without a bit of experimentation. (Of course, your first iteration may end up being your best, but at least this way you won’t have any doubts.)

9. Combine data and maps

Adding hard metrics and maps to a photo essay can help support a narrative in ways that photographs can’t. In this essay on segregation in Detroit , NBC included interactive maps of the city that underscored the severity of Detroit’s redlining policy. 

These maps drive home this multimedia photo essay’s primary takeaway: Detroit’s enforced segregation has resulted in almost a century of lower quality of life for its black residents.

10. Get inspired

No matter how compelling the vision in your head is, you can still benefit from a little inspiration. If you're looking for photo essay ideas, consider: 

• Focusing on a single subject for a day (known as a day in the life photo essay).
• Document local events, such as art shows, protests, or community gatherings — this is an endless source of photo essay topics.
• Capture social issues from your local area.
• Start a photo series, in which you document the same specific subject over a period of time.
• Research the great photo essayists from history, such as W. Eugene Smith, and James Nachtwey.
• Dive into the archives of the great photo essay magazines, such as National Geographic and Life Magazine.
• Do some research on your potential subject. This will help you formulate different angles from which to approach your photo essay.
• Sign up to Shorthand's newsletter , which rounds up the best visual stories on the web every other week. 

Now, let's dive into how to make a stunning photo essay using Shorthand.

How to make a stunning digital photo essay

Traditionally, photo essays on the web were little more than a series of images pasted into a blog post. Because most blogs are structured primarily for words, these photos essays didn't do justice to their source media. 

However, as web browsers became more powerful and bandwidth increased, a range of content platforms — including no-code digital storytelling platforms like Shorthand — have evolved to make it easier to create stunning visual stories. We've linked to many of these in this guide. 

In this section, we're going to run through how to make a photo essay using Shorthand. If you're not a Shorthand customer, you can sign up here and follow along.

1. Create a new story

In your Shorthand dashboard, click 'New Story.' If you'd like, you can choose from any of our templates to help you get started. For now, though, we're going to start with a blank canvas.

The template chooser

2. Add your title image

Every photo essay needs a stunning title image to hook the reader. Depending on what kind of photo essay you're creating, this could be a photo of the subject or theme of the piece. You can also choose to add a title, subtitle, and author. 

3. Add a text section

Every photo essay needs a written introduction, to help contextualise the images that follow. Simply click 'New Section' and 'Text', before pasting in your introductory copy.

Adding a Text section.

4. Add your first photo

Now it's time to add the first photo in your essay. Simply click 'New Section' and 'Media.' In photo essays, hierarchy is critical, so make sure you've thought about which photo is most appropriate at the top of your essay. In Shorthand, your photo will appear in all its  full-screen glory.

Image in a 'Media' section.

5. Add a Reveal section

You also have the option of adding a 'Reveal' section, which allows you to add text that floats over your images. This text can act as a commentary or de facto caption for each photo in your essay.

Simply click 'New Section' and 'Reveal.' You'll be able to also upload a version of the image for mobile, and set focus areas to make sure the most important parts of your image are shown.

A 'Reveal' section with accompanying text box.

6. Add transition effects

Depending on the nature of your photo essay, you may wish to add transition effects between some images. A ‘Reveal’ section is the best way to achieve this. You'll have the option of choosing from several types of transitions that occur as your reader scrolls from one full-screen image to the next, and each image can have its own text box, too.

Testing a Reveal section in the Shorthand editor

7. Add Scrollmation effects

If you want to use images in concert with large amounts of text, then consider using Shorthand's Scrollmation feature. This allows you to transition through a range of images as the reader scrolls down a column of text. 

To do this — you guessed it — simply click 'New Section' and 'Scrollmation' or 'Background Scrollmation.' 

The difference between the two is simple: In a Scrollmation section, the text appears in a column beside your images, while in a Background Scrollmation section,  images fill the screen and the text column appears over the images. A sequence of related images can give the effect of animation triggered by the reader’s scrolling.

A Scrollmation section within the editor

Background Scrollmation in the editor

8. Add a Media Gallery

If you have many different images, and want to create a mosaic effect in your essay, then you can use a media gallery. To do this, simply click 'New Section' and 'Media Gallery.' 

You can then upload your images, and experiment with their size and arrangement to achieve your intended effect.

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9. Preview your story

Photo essays — more than many other genres of content on the web — can run into problems with different screen sizes. Before you publish, make sure you test your story using Shorthand's preview option. 

You'll be able to see what your story looks like on desktop, mobile, and tablet viewports, and make adjustments as needed. You can also share your preview link with collaborators, and get pre-publication feedback and quality-assurance.

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10. Publish 🚀

The final step is to publish your essay to the world! You now have an immersive, potentially interactive photo essay — without writing a line of code. 

Contemporary photo essays are creative endeavours rife with opportunities for interactivity. Organisations and artists alike use them as modern, impactful vehicles to convey powerful stories. Try creating one for yourself using Shorthand for free today!

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News from the Columbia Climate School

Photo Essay: Climate Change, Sea Level and the Vikings

Kevin Krajick

A thousand years ago, powerful Viking chieftans flourished in Norway’s Lofoten Islands, above the Arctic Circle. In an environment frequently hovering on the edge of survivability, small shifts in climate or sea level could mean life or death. People had to constantly adapt, making their living from the land and the sea as best they could. By plumbing the bottoms of deep lakes near key archaeological sites, scientists from Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and other institutions are trying to understand how the Vikings did it.   READ THE FULL SCIENTIFIC STORY

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Congratulations to our Columbia Climate School MA in Climate & Society Class of 2024! Learn about our May 10 Class Day  celebration. #ColumbiaClimate2024

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• UN Women HQ

Photo essay: Nine women leading the fight against climate change in Lebanon

Date: Saturday, 5 March 2022

On International Women’s Day, the United Nations in Lebanon celebrates the contribution of women and girls who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all through a virtual photo exhibition featuring nine women climate action activists . Nadida Raad, Caroline Chaptini, Maya Nehmeh, Aaida Ghadban, Myriam Ghsoub, Carole Ayat, Mona Fawaz, Nouhad Awwad and Najat Saliba who are taking innovative actions for climate adaptation across the country. Their work is contributing to a greener, more equitable and prosperous future for Lebanon.

Driving energy initiatives for change

“Energy poverty unfortunately impacts more women than men, therefore as women, we need to have an active role in shaping energy public policy” - Carol Ayat

Carol Ayat is an energy finance professional, an investment banker, and a Senior Fellow at the American University of Beirut Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs. She is on the board of the Lebanese Oil and Gas Initiative “LOGI” and advocates for producing electricity in a sustainable way. She believes green energy is about creating an ecosystem and improving the well-being of citizens. Ayat says “In Lebanon, the heavy reliance on fossil fuels for electricity production has had a detrimental impact on public finances and our balance of payments; and lately we faced shortages of fossil fuels which threatened energy security. Energy security - the association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption - is critical for any country to become more energy independent from foreign countries.” Read Carol’s story>>

Recycling, upcycling and making Lebanon clean

“If I collect five tons of plastic for every project I complete, and if I realize three projects a year, this means that, at the individual level, I can prevent 15 tons of plastic from ending up in forests, streets, and at sea, over the course of one year. It gives me a lot of joy to know that I am making Lebanon cleaner.” - Caroline Chaptini

Caroline Chaptini is a recycling artist, holder of three Guinness World Records in 2020. Even though she does not consider herself an environmental activist, her work has inspired many young people to pay more attention to waste management and to join recycling initiatives. She says “I set my first Guinness record at 36. I never imagined myself doing something even close to recycling. Since then, I truly believe that you can create something out of nothing. Ten years ago, I got divorced. People used to refer to me as ‘the divorcee’. Ever since I embarked on this journey, I became ‘the woman who has won three World Guinness Records.” Read Caroline’s story>>

Sprouting rooftop gardens make for a greener Al Rashidieh Palestinian refugee camp

“Our environment is our life. Pollution leads to diseases and the spread of viruses which will endanger our health. We can take the right steps to keep our communities clean.” - Aida Ghadban

Aida Ghadban is a Palestinian refugee living in Al Rashidieh camp. Aida helped train over 100 women to grow their own vegetables on their home’s rooftops. Aida says “They learned useful tips including the distance between plants per row, and how to repel insects. Every day I would visit these women at home, to make sure they are taking good care of their plants and watering them”. This activity was a turning point for these women. “It gave them a sense of freedom and they regained self-confidence, they felt they were giving back to their community. They were happy to accomplish new tasks, beyond routine house chores.” Read Aida’s story>>

Reshaping the quality of life in Lebanon

“Climate action is not simply about choosing our carbon footprints but understanding our role as human beings on this planet, with much more humility.” - Dr Mona Fawaz

Mona Fawaz is a professor in urban Studies and planning at the American University of Beirut and co-founder of the Beirut Urban Lab, a collaborative and interdisciplinary research space producing scholarship on urbanization. Fawaz is the author of over 50 scholarly articles, book sections, and reports. “In Lebanon, people have been encouraged to abuse the environment. When buildings are audited, it is common to find that about 40% of the uses can be curtailed. With the public policy to deliberately subsidize fuel, people did not care about electricity’s cost. One of our ongoing projects with a lab at MIT is investigating urban and housing regulations. We are trying to recommend urban regulations that size buildings in relation to solar capacity, so urban neighborhood can secure a minimum electric lifeline through affordable solar energy.” Read her story>>

Preserving Lebanon’s trees

“We want people to understand that forestry can be a woman’s job.” - Maya Nehme

Maya Nehme, 41, is the Director of Lebanese Reforestation Initiative, a local NGO which aims at conserving and expanding Lebanon's forests through a community-based approach and public-private partnerships. As wildfires in Lebanon have exponentially increased since 2019, reforestation, forest management, wildfires management and land use planning, are needed more than ever. In Lebanon, the number of women specialized in forestry, is not significant, even though the three major NGOs working in forestry, are led by women. “There is a gap in academia, as the Lebanese University is the only higher-education institution to provide a master’s degree in forestry. My team of experts includes more women than men, while this sector is traditionally dominated by men, worldwide,” says Nehme. “Over the years, we’ve seen heads of municipalities focusing on the need to include more women force in local committees, which we willingly do. This is a success on its own.” Read her story>>

Thinking green leads to acting green

“Even if Lebanon’s coast is not as contaminated as we might think, the situation will deteriorate, if we do not act fast. We need to protect our sea life.” - Myriam Ghsoub

Myriam Ghsoub, 29, is a research consultant at the National Center for Marine Sciences in Lebanon. A firm believer in science, she seeks to understand the global environmental changes caused by human activities which are threatening the physical, economic, and food security of local communities, as well as resources for global businesses. She says, “at the Center, we consider ourselves to be the family of the sea”. For Ghsoub, an effective response to environment challenges is linked to early detection. Local communities are the main actors in the mitigation of emergency incidents, such as oil spills. Volunteers can be mobilized in cleanup campaigns. Change starts with us. We do not have to be decision-makers. Change can begin at home.” Read her story>>

Pedalling climate action

“What sort of world are we bringing children into? We must start the change, individually. We need to act now before it is too late. Let us adopt and promote environmentally friendly commute options, such as walking (when possible), cycling, using the bus, or even carpooling.” - Nadida Raad

Nadida Raad, 34, is a co-founder of The Chain Effect, a non-profit organization that promotes the use of the bicycle as a means of transport in Lebanon through street art, public interventions, community projects and city planning. The Chain Effect also addresses the ever-growing problem of mobility and lack of public spaces. Over the past years, their “Bike to Work” events have gathered hundreds of participants. She says, “creating a cycling culture, requires involvement of the community.” Read Nadida’s story>>

Redefining the concept of empowerment and sustainability

“It is proven that green spaces can absorb air pollution. I realize that we cannot remove the diesel generators now, but what we can do is create a culture of green spaces, especially in villages.” - Najat Saliba

Najat A. Saliba, 57, is the co- founder and Executive Director of Environment Academy (EA), an environmental movement led by the American University Beirut (AUB) in collaboration with communities across the country aiming to find transformative and just solutions to environmental breakdown in Lebanon. Dr. Saliba and the team at EA work on climate action with communities in times of unprecedented national crisis. She says, “This is how the Environment Academy came to life; it started from deep frustration with conventional development models and science being silenced. We need to be part of the solution.” Read Najat’s story>>

Boosting the role of youth in environmental issues

“Young children are very enthusiastic about finding solutions to climate change and to tackle the problem of pollution. Older generations seem more reluctant to take action, as they ask for concrete evidence that human activities are contributing to climate change.” - Nouhad Awwad.

Nouhad Awwad, 31, is the founder of the Lebanese national chapter of the Arab Youth Climate Change and project campaigner at Greenpeace MENA, supporting the implementation of the Ummah For Earth project, a global alliance-led initiative working to empower Muslim communities on climate action. From beach cleanups to planting trees to representing Greenpeace MENA and the Ummah For Earth Alliance at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Nouhad has been engaging youth in environmental issues since the age of 15. In 2015, at the age of 25, Nouhad established the Lebanese national chapter of the Arab Youth Climate Movement to create early awareness on climate change of young children, at schools. Read her story>>

VIEW THE VIRTUAL PHOTO EXHIBITION HERE>>

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What is climate change mitigation and why is it urgent?

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• Climate change mitigation involves actions to reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions from human activities.
• Mitigation efforts include transitioning to renewable energy sources, enhancing energy efficiency, adopting regenerative agricultural practices and protecting and restoring forests and critical ecosystems.
• Effective mitigation requires a whole-of-society approach and structural transformations to reduce emissions and limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
• International cooperation, for example through the Paris Agreement, is crucial in guiding and achieving global and national mitigation goals.
• Mitigation efforts face challenges such as the world's deep-rooted dependency on fossil fuels, the increased demand for new mineral resources and the difficulties in revamping our food systems.
• These challenges also offer opportunities to improve resilience and contribute to sustainable development.

What is climate change mitigation?

Climate change mitigation refers to any action taken by governments, businesses or people to reduce or prevent greenhouse gases, or to enhance carbon sinks that remove them from the atmosphere. These gases trap heat from the sun in our planet’s atmosphere, keeping it warm. 

Since the industrial era began, human activities have led to the release of dangerous levels of greenhouse gases, causing global warming and climate change. However, despite unequivocal research about the impact of our activities on the planet’s climate and growing awareness of the severe danger climate change poses to our societies, greenhouse gas emissions keep rising. If we can slow down the rise in greenhouse gases, we can slow down the pace of climate change and avoid its worst consequences.

Reducing greenhouse gases can be achieved by:

• Shifting away from fossil fuels : Fossil fuels are the biggest source of greenhouse gases, so transitioning to modern renewable energy sources like solar, wind and geothermal power, and advancing sustainable modes of transportation, is crucial.
• Improving energy efficiency : Using less energy overall – in buildings, industries, public and private spaces, energy generation and transmission, and transportation – helps reduce emissions. This can be achieved by using thermal comfort standards, better insulation and energy efficient appliances, and by improving building design, energy transmission systems and vehicles.
• Changing agricultural practices : Certain farming methods release high amounts of methane and nitrous oxide, which are potent greenhouse gases. Regenerative agricultural practices – including enhancing soil health, reducing livestock-related emissions, direct seeding techniques and using cover crops – support mitigation, improve resilience and decrease the cost burden on farmers.
• The sustainable management and conservation of forests : Forests act as carbon sinks , absorbing carbon dioxide and reducing the overall concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Measures to reduce deforestation and forest degradation are key for climate mitigation and generate multiple additional benefits such as biodiversity conservation and improved water cycles.
• Restoring and conserving critical ecosystems : In addition to forests, ecosystems such as wetlands, peatlands, and grasslands, as well as coastal biomes such as mangrove forests, also contribute significantly to carbon sequestration, while supporting biodiversity and enhancing climate resilience.
• Creating a supportive environment : Investments, policies and regulations that encourage emission reductions, such as incentives, carbon pricing and limits on emissions from key sectors are crucial to driving climate change mitigation.

Photo: Stephane Bellerose/UNDP Mauritius

Photo: La Incre and Lizeth Jurado/PROAmazonia

What is the 1.5°C goal and why do we need to stick to it?

In 2015, 196 Parties to the UN Climate Convention in Paris adopted the Paris Agreement , a landmark international treaty, aimed at curbing global warming and addressing the effects of climate change. Its core ambition is to cap the rise in global average temperatures to well below 2°C above levels observed prior to the industrial era, while pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C.

The 1.5°C goal is extremely important, especially for vulnerable communities already experiencing severe climate change impacts. Limiting warming below 1.5°C will translate into less extreme weather events and sea level rise, less stress on food production and water access, less biodiversity and ecosystem loss, and a lower chance of irreversible climate consequences.

To limit global warming to the critical threshold of 1.5°C, it is imperative for the world to undertake significant mitigation action. This requires a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent before 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century.

What are the policy instruments that countries can use to drive mitigation?

Everyone has a role to play in climate change mitigation, from individuals adopting sustainable habits and advocating for change to governments implementing regulations, providing incentives and facilitating investments. The private sector, particularly those businesses and companies responsible for causing high emissions, should take a leading role in innovating, funding and driving climate change mitigation solutions. 

International collaboration and technology transfer is also crucial given the global nature and size of the challenge. As the main platform for international cooperation on climate action, the Paris Agreement has set forth a series of responsibilities and policy tools for its signatories. One of the primary instruments for achieving the goals of the treaty is Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) . These are the national climate pledges that each Party is required to develop and update every five years. NDCs articulate how each country will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhance climate resilience.   While NDCs include short- to medium-term targets, long-term low emission development strategies (LT-LEDS) are policy tools under the Paris Agreement through which countries must show how they plan to achieve carbon neutrality by mid-century. These strategies define a long-term vision that gives coherence and direction to shorter-term national climate targets.

Photo: Mucyo Serge/UNDP Rwanda

Photo: William Seal/UNDP Sudan

At the same time, the call for climate change mitigation has evolved into a call for reparative action, where high-income countries are urged to rectify past and ongoing contributions to the climate crisis. This approach reflects the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which advocates for climate justice, recognizing the unequal historical responsibility for the climate crisis, emphasizing that wealthier countries, having profited from high-emission activities, bear a greater obligation to lead in mitigating these impacts. This includes not only reducing their own emissions, but also supporting vulnerable countries in their transition to low-emission development pathways.

Another critical aspect is ensuring a just transition for workers and communities that depend on the fossil fuel industry and its many connected industries. This process must prioritize social equity and create alternative employment opportunities as part of the shift towards renewable energy and more sustainable practices.

For emerging economies, innovation and advancements in technology have now demonstrated that robust economic growth can be achieved with clean, sustainable energy sources. By integrating renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind and geothermal power into their growth strategies, these economies can reduce their emissions, enhance energy security and create new economic opportunities and jobs. This shift not only contributes to global mitigation efforts but also sets a precedent for sustainable development.

What are some of the challenges slowing down climate change mitigation efforts?

Mitigating climate change is fraught with complexities, including the global economy's deep-rooted dependency on fossil fuels and the accompanying challenge of eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. This reliance – and the vested interests that have a stake in maintaining it – presents a significant barrier to transitioning to sustainable energy sources.

The shift towards decarbonization and renewable energy is driving increased demand for critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth metals. Since new mining projects can take up to 15 years to yield output, mineral supply chains could become a bottleneck for decarbonization efforts. In addition, these minerals are predominantly found in a few, mostly low-income countries, which could heighten supply chain vulnerabilities and geopolitical tensions.

Furthermore, due to the significant demand for these minerals and the urgency of the energy transition, the scaled-up investment in the sector has the potential to exacerbate environmental degradation, economic and governance risks, and social inequalities, affecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and workers. Addressing these concerns necessitates implementing social and environmental safeguards, embracing circular economy principles, and establishing and enforcing responsible policies and regulations .

Agriculture is currently the largest driver of deforestation worldwide. A transformation in our food systems to reverse the impact that agriculture has on forests and biodiversity is undoubtedly a complex challenge. But it is also an important opportunity. The latest IPCC report highlights that adaptation and mitigation options related to land, water and food offer the greatest potential in responding to the climate crisis. Shifting to regenerative agricultural practices will not only ensure a healthy, fair and stable food supply for the world’s population, but also help to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  

Photo: UNDP India

Photo: Nino Zedginidze/UNDP Georgia

What are some examples of climate change mitigation?

In Mauritius , UNDP, with funding from the Green Climate Fund, has supported the government to install battery energy storage capacity that has enabled 50 MW of intermittent renewable energy to be connected to the grid, helping to avoid 81,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. 

In Indonesia , UNDP has been working with the government for over a decade to support sustainable palm oil production. In 2019, the country adopted a National Action Plan on Sustainable Palm Oil, which was collaboratively developed by government, industry and civil society representatives. The plan increased the adoption of practices to minimize the adverse social and environmental effects of palm oil production and to protect forests. Since 2015, 37 million tonnes of direct greenhouse gas emissions have been avoided and 824,000 hectares of land with high conservation value have been protected.

In Moldova and Paraguay , UNDP has helped set up Green City Labs that are helping build more sustainable cities. This is achieved by implementing urban land use and mobility planning, prioritizing energy efficiency in residential buildings, introducing low-carbon public transport, implementing resource-efficient waste management, and switching to renewable energy sources. 

UNDP has supported the governments of Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Indonesia to implement results-based payments through the REDD+ (Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries) framework. These include payments for environmental services and community forest management programmes that channel international climate finance resources to local actors on the ground, specifically forest communities and Indigenous Peoples. 

UNDP is also supporting small island developing states like the Comoros to invest in renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure. Through the Africa Minigrids Program , solar minigrids will be installed in two priority communities, Grand Comore and Moheli, providing energy access through distributed renewable energy solutions to those hardest to reach.

And in South Africa , a UNDP initative to boost energy efficiency awareness among the general population and improve labelling standards has taken over commercial shopping malls.

What is UNDP’s role in supporting climate change mitigation?

UNDP aims to assist countries with their climate change mitigation efforts, guiding them towards sustainable, low-carbon and climate-resilient development. This support is in line with achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to affordable and clean energy (SDG7), sustainable cities and communities (SDG11), and climate action (SDG13). Specifically, UNDP’s offer of support includes developing and improving legislation and policy, standards and regulations, capacity building, knowledge dissemination, and financial mobilization for countries to pilot and scale-up mitigation solutions such as renewable energy projects, energy efficiency initiatives and sustainable land-use practices. 

With financial support from the Global Environment Facility and the Green Climate Fund, UNDP has an active portfolio of 94 climate change mitigation projects in 69 countries. These initiatives are not only aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also at contributing to sustainable and resilient development pathways.

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Ho Tuan Anh delivers goods with his new e-motorbike. Photo by: Phan Huong Giang/UNDP Viet Nam

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The Picture Show

Photos: see the northern lights from rare solar storm.

Geoff Brumfiel

Christchurch, New Zealand: People look at the Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, in Rolleston on May 11, 2024. Sanka Vidanagama/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

The largest geomagnetic storm in nearly two decades is hitting Earth's atmosphere . It's producing a beautiful glow in the sky all over the world.

A sunspot has sent a stream of charged particles towards Earth.

As those particles hit the Earth's atmosphere they will be heated and start glowing producing beautiful aurora.

South looks north, as solar storm brings auroras

Lisa Upton is with the Southwest Research Institute. Social media is already filling with photos from places like Finland, Russia, Germany and New Zealand, which catches the same effect in the southern hemisphere. It's not clear how far down in the U.S. the aurora will spread, but Upton is keeping an eye out in Colorado.

Space weather forecasters expect the solar storm to peak overnight, but it will last throughout the weekend.

Brunswick, Maine: The northern lights flare in the sky over a farmhouse, late Friday, May 10, 2024. Robert F. Bukaty/AP hide caption

Brunswick, Maine: The northern lights flare in the sky over a farmhouse, late Friday, May 10, 2024.

Estacada, Ore.: In this image taken with a long exposure, cars pass by as people look at the night sky towards the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, on Friday, May 10, 2024, in Estacada, Ore. Jenny Kane/AP hide caption

Lake Berryessa, Calif.: The blinking lights of a plane streak through the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, which is visible on May 11, 2024. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images hide caption

London, Ontario: People stop along a country road near London, Ontario to watch the Northern lights or aurora borealis during a geomagnetic storm on May 10, 2024. Geoff Robins/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

Brandenburg, Germany: Light green and slightly reddish auroras glow in the night sky. Patrick Pleul/dpa/picture alliance/Getty Images hide caption

Brandenburg, Germany: Light green and slightly reddish auroras glow in the night sky.

Whitley Bay, England: People visit St Mary's lighthouse in Whitley Bay to see the aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights. Ian Forsyth/Getty Images hide caption

Crosby Beach, Liverpool, England: The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, glow on the horizon at Another Place by Anthony Gormley. Peter Byrne/PA Images/Getty Images hide caption

Crosby Beach, Liverpool, England: The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, glow on the horizon at Another Place by Anthony Gormley.

Saxony-Anhalt, Schierke, Germany: Northern lights can be seen from the Brocken. The natural spectacle is particularly intense on Saturday night. Matthias Bein/dpa/picture alliance/Getty Images hide caption

Rochester, N.Y: Northern Lights light up the sky on May 11, 2024. Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu/Getty Images hide caption

Hesse, Germany: Northern lights appear in the night sky over the Pferdskopf near Treisberg in the Hochtaunus district of Hesse. Lando Hass/dpa/picture alliance/Getty Images hide caption

Mount Mitchell, N.C.: Unusual sun activity created a G5 Geostorm on Earth sparks northern lights on May 10, 2024. Peter Zay/Anadolu/Getty Images hide caption

London, Ontario: Northern lights or aurora borealis illuminate the night sky near London, Ontario, during a geomagnetic storm on May 10, 2024. Geoff Robins/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

Debrad, Slovakia: Northern lights illuminate the sky May 11, 2024. Robert Nemeti/Anadolu/Getty Images hide caption

Eindhoven, Ukraine: Northern lights illuminate the sky in Eindhoven, Ukraine, May 10, 2024. Nikos Oikonomou/Anadolu/Getty Images hide caption

Liseleje, Denmark: Northern lights illuminate the sky in Liseleje, Denmark on May 11, 2024. Mohamed El-Shemy/Anadolu/Getty Images hide caption

Markville, Minnesota: The northern lights glow in the sky over St. Croix State Forest late Friday, May 10, 2024. Mark Vancleave/AP hide caption

Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine: Northern lights light up the sky May 11, 2024. Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu/Getty Images hide caption

Skidmore, Missouri: Old tombstones stand against the northern lights at a cemetery early Saturday, May 11, 2024. Charlie Riedel/AP hide caption

Middletown, California: Northern lights illuminate the night sky over a camper's tent north of San Francisco on May 11, 2024. Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

Middletown, California: Northern lights illuminate the night sky over a camper's tent north of San Francisco on May 11, 2024.

Estacada, Oregon: In this image taken with a long exposure, people look at the night sky towards the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, on Friday, May 10, 2024. Jenny Kane/AP hide caption

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Earth Matters

Citizen scientists capture brilliant photos of the aurora.

On May 11, 2024, the day-night band of VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the Suomi NPP satellite spotted the aurora borealis over the United States during the strongest geomagnetic storm in over two decades. That same night, observers on the ground captured spectacular photographs of the dazzling light. The following photos represent just a handful of those shot by citizen scientists as part of NASA’s Aurorasaurus project , which tracks aurora sightings around the planet.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 15th, 2024 at 6:05 pm and is filed under Ground to Space . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

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Guest Essay

It’s Not Your Imagination. Your Allergies Are Getting Worse.

By Margaret Renkl

Ms. Renkl is a contributing Opinion writer who covers flora, fauna, politics and culture in the American South.

It’s spring, and I love spring more than I love almost anything else about the natural world, but I don’t love the pollen. My eyes itch. My nose is stopped up. First thing in the morning I sneeze. Last thing at night I sneeze. My husband turns away from me to sleep because the pollen grains clinging to my hair make him sneeze, too.

I was never prone to seasonal allergies before I moved to Middle Tennessee, which is not even one of the 10 most challenging places for allergy sufferers in this country. I am now up to three over-the-counter medications a day, and I have developed a tiny dependence on Fisherman’s Friend lozenges, which work a bit like the Vicks VapoRub of my childhood memories. Vicks is still around — the comedian Wanda Sykes has a wonderful bit about it — but Fisherman’s Friend doesn’t announce my presence in advance the way Vicks would.

I also drink gallons of an herbal tea labeled “congestion relief,” though I no longer believe that relief is possible. The hill of spring allergies, which in Middle Tennessee used to be on the downslope by now, has become an all-year mountain, with tree pollen and grass pollen and ragweed pollen rolling together in great clouds from late February right up till Thanksgiving.

But it’s worse in spring. I can stand at my back door and watch a white pine like this one sending out waves of pollen that remind me of the crop-duster scene in “North by Northwest.” In spring, my glasses are coated with pollen outside and in. In spring, my little red Nissan Leaf looks like a little orange Leaf, and the gray boards of our back deck look as though they’ve grown a coating of new moss.

The only relief for any of it is a good soaking rain, but the reprieve of rain is only temporary. Increased rainfall prolongs the blooming season of many trees, grasses and other plants. (Most wildflowers are pollinated by insects and therefore aren’t prime allergy-inducers, but some, like ragweed, are wind-pollinated, which means they literally throw their pollen to the winds — and into human faces.) A prolonged blooming season in turn allows plants to produce more pollen.

Seasonal allergies are nothing new, but they’ve been worsening as the climate grows warmer. The growing season starts earlier now — in North America an average of 20 days earlier — and lasts longer, too, extending the length of time when plants are pumping pollen into the air. And the resulting misery arises not just because there’s more pollen to breathe in or because it’s around for increasingly longer seasons . At least one study has indicated that the more carbon there is in the air, the more potent the pollen itself is .

Hay fever kicks in when the immune system isn’t able to distinguish between a genuine threat (like a virus) and particles like pollen that are harmless. That’s why adults can develop seasonal allergies when they move to a new region and encounter pollens their immune system doesn’t recognize. Now, thanks to climate change, you don’t even need to move: The warmer climate is shifting growing zones northward, allowing plants to extend their natural range .

In human beings, this all adds up to seasonal allergies that are more widespread and more severe , and it’s only going to get worse: One study predicts a 200 percent increase in pollen production by the end of this century. “In 2018, 7.7 percent of American adults experienced ‘hay fever,’” noted the science journalist Yasmin Tayag in The Atlantic last year. “By 2021, that proportion had risen to about a quarter.” The article is titled “ There Is No Stopping the Allergy Apocalypse .”

Weighed against true climate calamities like deadly heat waves and inundated coastal communities, hay fever may seem like little more than an inconvenience. What’s a few weeks — even months — of itchy eyes and runny noses compared with the global population migrations that are coming? But allergies aren’t mere irritants.

Someone who is suffering from seasonal allergies may be less able to exercise, more vulnerable to infection, less productive at work (if not actually absent), more likely to require treatment in an emergency room. Seasonal allergies have been linked to an increase in both the prevalence and severity of asthma, which is particularly worrisome for children .

None of this is surprising to anyone who’s paying attention to the way the changing climate affects everything nowadays. Wherever you live, even if you aren’t evacuating to avoid a hurricane, or keeping a go bag by the door in case of a wildfire, or wondering if it’s time to move to higher ground, climate change is now affecting your daily life. It’s making wine taste different , sleep more fitful , air travel more turbulent . It’s making the very air harder to breathe .

Meanwhile, the planet will continue to warm, and plants will continue to produce more pollen, and in more concentrated doses, for a longer period of time each year. People who suffer from seasonal allergies will feel worse, and people who aren’t currently troubled by allergy symptoms may yet find themselves sneezing and rubbing their eyes. As Ms. Tayag points out in her Atlantic article, “At this point, not much can be done to stop it.”

That’s true, but a lot can be done to keep it from getting incomprehensibly worse. In the doom versus optimism debate about the climate, much of the optimism lies in the way technology, shored up by policy and legislation, is rising to the challenge faster and more effectively than we ever imagined it could. “Stunning, record-breaking gains in wind and solar power around the world,” David Geddes of The Times writes, means that “a full 30 percent of global electricity was generated by renewables last year.” The time we have left to change our climate’s devastating trajectory is dwindling, but we are finally beginning to take the steps necessary to change it.

But we are only beginning, and beginnings can be snuffed out. At his Mar-a-Lago resort last month, Donald Trump told a group of oil executives and lobbyists that they should donate $1 billion to his campaign because he plans to reverse Joe Biden’s clean energy policies, among other environmental protections opposed by Big Oil, if he is returned to the White House.

Margaret Renkl, a contributing Opinion writer, is the author of the books “ The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year, ” “ Graceland, at Last ” and “ Late Migrations .”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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NY must make the electric school bus transition

New York State has mandated that by 2035 all school buses in the state be zero-emission, like the electric buses above.

  Credit: Logan Bus Co. Inc.

This guest essay reflects the views of Bella Cockerell, New York organizing manager for Mothers Out Front, and Joseph Ambrosio, chief executive of Unique Electric Solutions Inc., a Holbrook-based company that repowers diesel buses into electric buses.

When New York’s all-electric school bus legislation passed in 2022, environmentalists lauded it as a visionary plan and a victory in the climate fight, while school administrators and parents cheered the health and safety benefits it would provide for the state's more than 2 million children who ride to and from school each day.

In the two years since that groundbreaking legislation passed, questions have been raised about the feasibility — both financially and operationally — of meeting the 2027 deadline for new purchases and the 2035 deadline for the entire fleet.

These concerns are misplaced, and the urgency remains to address the detrimental effects of diesel-powered buses on the environment and our children's health.

Air pollution inside a diesel bus can be as much as 12 times higher than outside the bus. That’s because when a school bus stops at a traffic signal, is stuck in traffic, or pauses to pick up or drop off students, the filthy tailpipe emissions drift back into the cabin for the children and driver to breathe in.

This is a major contributor to the surging asthma epidemic, which is especially prevalent in low-income communities and communities of color. For these children, that means difficulty breathing, regular visits to the emergency room, and missed classes. In fact, asthma affects 10% of children and is the leading cause of school absenteeism in New York, according to the state Department of Health. In the long term, it contributes to poorer learning outcomes, lower earning potential, and chronic health conditions.

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Alongside the public health benefits of electric school buses are unquestioned environmental benefits. With the transportation sector making up nearly 30% of statewide greenhouse emissions, transitioning our school bus fleet to electric is crucial to the climate fight.

Fortunately, substantial funding is available right now at the state and federal levels for electric school buses and charging stations, as well as for a pragmatic alternative to purchasing new buses — retrofitting existing gas buses to make them electric. Changing over an entire fleet to electric in one year is not always practical; retrofits can address cost concerns and provide more flexibility for a phased transition.

Funds from New York’s Environmental Bond Act and the state's School Bus Incentive Program are already easing the financial burden on school districts, as are the federal bipartisan Infrastructure Act and the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program. The state incentive program alone can provide up to $171,000 for each electric school bus purchased, which would pay for most of the cost of a repower or nearly 50% of a new electric bus. Enough resources exist for school districts to begin the transition immediately.

Even in rural upstate districts, where bus routes face longer commutes and colder temperatures, electric buses have the juice to make these journeys. In Havre, Montana, for example, a sparsely populated rural county, electric school buses have handled temperatures as low as minus-40 degrees.

With school budget votes taking place next week, the time is now for parents to tell their local school officials that they will not stand by while dirty diesel buses compromise their children’s health.

Starting small and learning as we go are key principles. School districts can begin with just a single bus, gaining valuable insights into the operational and logistical aspects.

As the saying goes, “Start small, but start now.”

This guest essay reflects the views of Bella Cockerell, New York organizing manager for Mothers Out Front, and Joseph Ambrosio, chief executive of Unique Electric Solutions Inc., a Holbrook-based company that repowers diesel buses into electric buses.