Grist

In the direct wake of an extreme weather event, information systems are scrambled and chaos reigns, providing a unique opportunity for misinformation and conspiracies to spread. It is a phenomenon that Grist reporters have witnessed with increasing alarm in recent years: NOAA scientists have long had to fact-check false claims that geoengineering or the U.S. government creates and steers hurricanes. People often refuse to evacuate a storm because they’ve heard that the FEMA will steal their property. And after Hurricane Helene in 2024, federal disaster response efforts were disrupted by rumors of a militia attack on FEMA employees. As climate change fuels more extreme weather events, this problem is only getting worse. Today, Grist launched a new series, “Distorted: Truth and Trust in an Age of Climate Disasters,” that aims to understand and combat this trend. Here's what you can expect from this series over the next several months: • Deeply reported stories with community engagement and training. It will trace the pathways through which mis- and disinformation spreads before, during, and after extreme weather. • We will be giving readers the tools to navigate disrupted information systems, and help them better identify what’s real and what’s fake when disaster strikes. • We will use learnings from the series to work with trusted messengers on vetting information and preventing the spread of misinformation during a disaster. • Grist is also using this project to ensure our work is more easily identified as independent, responsible journalism.  •All stories and resources in this series will be available to republish. The project is made possible thanks to support from the CO2 Foundation. More on the series here: https://lnkd.in/e5aCYg-S

When extreme weather strikes, misinformation can spread just as quickly as the storm. Rumors, communication outages, and heightened fear can make it harder to separate fact from fiction. Join Grist and #ClimateCentral this week for a virtual conversation with meteorologists, journalists, and researchers about how to communicate more accurately and thoughtfully before, during, and after extreme weather events. 📅October 28, 2026 ⏰1 PM ET / 10 AM PT We'll answer your questions and share practical tips for navigating these conversations, whether you're communicating with the public, colleagues, friends, or even family.

CalMatters and Grist are pleased to announce the hire of reporter Katie Rodriguez to cover the impacts of climate change in California’s Central Valley, from agricultural impacts to the energy transition. “The best way to cover a community is to have a reporter there on the ground,” said Kristin Go, editor-in-chief at CalMatters. “Katie’s experience will help us better tell the stories of how the Central Valley — which is crucial to California’s economy — are dealing with everything from water scarcity to the future of agriculture.” The hire marks the continued expansion of Grist’s Local News Initiative, which aims to bolster coverage of climate change in communities across the United States through partnerships with local newsrooms. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ecynqEaw

Extreme weather events provide unique opportunities for misinformation to spread widely: rumors swirl on social media, telecom lines go down, and people’s worst fears and angers come to the surface. Join Grist and Climate Central, Inc. for a virtual conversation with meteorologists, journalists, and researchers about how we can communicate more accurately and thoughtfully before, during, and after extreme weather. We’ll answer your questions and offer tips for your future conversations — whether they’re public or private, online or offline. Date: October 28 at 1 p.m. ET Location: Virtual Register here: https://lnkd.in/gHeq2G9q

How did we get to a place where fossil fuels are embedded in everything we do and use, and even seen as vital to American identity? It wasn’t by chance. There’s a well-documented history showing that Exxon and other oil giants understood the dangers of global warming by the 1970s based on their own research, and still spent decades publicly downplaying, or outright denying, the science. But the story of how oil and gas companies coaxed Americans into accepting — even desiring — a life built on fossil fuels has largely escaped attention, buried in the pages of obscure trade journals. Grist’s Kate Yoder dug into the previously untold history of how oil and gas companies strategized throughout the early-to-mid 20th century to manufacture what became the idea of the American Dream, making their products aspirational and core to the American experience. Read the full investigation: https://lnkd.in/e4HNnfFE

Local journalism helps communities understand the decisions that shape their lives. The The Telegraph newspaper (Macon, Georgia) and Grist brought residents, journalists and energy experts together to discuss one of the most consequential issues facing Georgia households: the cost of electricity. The conversation explored energy affordability, growing demand from data centers and the role of Georgia's Public Service Commission, with a particular focus on transparency and making complex information accessible to the public. As panelist Marqus Cole of Georgia Interfaith Power & Light emphasized, greater transparency gives communities the information they need to make decisions about developments affecting their future.

What's at stake for energy and climate this election season? Join Grist and Interlochen Public for Michigan’s Energy Future: Affordability and Climate Resilience, a live virtual conversation exploring the challenges facing Michigan and the decisions shaping its energy future. 🎤 Featuring Vivian La of Grist & Interlochen Public Radio, Daniel Brown of Huron River Watershed Council, and Wenona Singel of MSU Law, moderated by Ellie Katz of IPR. 📅 Tuesday, October 20 | 12:00 p.m. EDT 🔗 Register to join us: https://luma.com/gxrzqjg9 #Climate #Energy #Michigan #ClimateResilience #Affordability

Earlier this month, after a series of stops and starts, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced changes to a long-running program that is supposed to help farmers and rural small businesses stand up renewable energy projects. The new rules effectively make any solar power development ineligible for funding through the Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP. It’s the latest of multiple rollbacks by the second Trump administration that advocates say are essentially making the program unusable. Installing solar systems on farmland can cost tens of thousands of dollars upfront, which many agricultural producers may not have or may be reluctant to spend, given their low profit margins. REAP has long provided financial support to farmers to build out renewable energy systems on their land. These projects often provide multiple benefits to participants. First, they can help lower utility bills for agricultural producers and rural businesses by providing their operations with additional power. But farmers and business owners are also able to sell excess energy back to the grid. By cutting costs or padding revenue, these systems can be a lifeline at a time when farmers are facing escalating costs for things like fertilizer, fuel, labor, and seeds, making it difficult to make ends meet. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g7GhGpEQ

We are thrilled to share that Grist has picked up two National Edward R. Murrow Awards! The first goes out to the entire Grist team for winning the General Excellence award in the Small Digital Organization category. This award celebrates the work of our entire newsroom. And a special congratulations goes to Grist's Sachi Mulkey for winning Best Hard News for her piece on Trump's attacks on science during his first 100 days in office. Thank you, Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA).

Climate change is terrible. But working on the solutions could be delightful. Our fantastic Climate Week NYC event featured a live Science Friday taping with Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. In this clip, alongside host Flora Lichtman, Ayana talks about why we need to do a better job explaining that climate solutions can be fun and gratifying — and pitches a new tagline for climate work. Listen to the full conversation soon on the Science Friday podcast. This event took place at Symphony Space and was supported by Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), The Wilderness Society, Alnoba Lewis Family Foundation, and University of Washington College of the Environment