As extreme weather events intensify across the globe this summer, U.S. television news coverage has largely avoided linking these crises to climate change, reflecting a significant shift in reporting since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term. While networks continue to provide extensive coverage of geopolitical conflicts, such as missile strikes and bombings in Iran and the Gulf region, their coverage of wildfires, heat waves, flooding, and storms often omits discussion of the underlying role that climate change plays.
This trend contrasts with international outlets like the BBC and some American print and digital media, which have increasingly incorporated scientific findings connecting extreme weather to climate shifts. Advances in climate “attribution science” have improved researchers’ ability to assess how much climate change influences specific disasters—a capability recently affirmed by a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Despite this progress, major U.S. outlets such as CBS and The Washington Post have reduced their climate reporting, including laying off specialized climate teams. National Public Radio has also eliminated its chief climate editor amid broader cutbacks.
This avoidance extends beyond the news media. Some prominent Democratic figures are reportedly minimizing climate discourse ahead of the November midterm elections, fearing that raising the issue could alienate swing voters. Such “climate hushing” comes amid a backdrop of severe climate-driven events worldwide. A heat dome over Europe this summer has been linked to an estimated 10,000 to 14,000 excess deaths across 27 countries. Meanwhile, similar heat extremes are recorded across the U.S., with temperatures reaching 115 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of Montana. Wildfire smoke from Canada and the northern United States further contributes to dangerous air pollution, which a 2024 Yale study connects to nearly 16,000 deaths annually.
Other regional crises include Texas, which is experiencing its second consecutive summer of intense rainfall and deadly floods, and the West Coast, where marine heat waves threaten kelp forests and coral reefs—ecosystems already under severe stress from rising ocean temperatures. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that global ocean temperatures are at their highest levels since measurements began in the 19th century. These conditions exacerbate coastal disasters such as Super Typhoon Bavi, which struck Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands in early July before causing fatal damage in the Philippines.
Despite these challenges, shifts in technology and markets increasingly favor a rapid transition away from fossil fuels toward cleaner energy sources like solar and wind. Nations that have invested in renewable energy, such as China and Spain, have demonstrated greater resilience to recent disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions, including the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran and the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. However, policies under the Trump administration have supported continued fossil fuel development, including a plan to halt offshore wind projects on the U.S. East Coast in favor of expanded oil exploration.
Experts assert that while fossil fuels were foundational to past industrial growth, cleaner and more affordable energy alternatives are now available and necessary to mitigate the growing climate crisis. Political decisions remain the primary barrier to implementing these solutions at scale. Advocates emphasize that democratic engagement and policy change are essential to addressing climate risks that threaten societies worldwide.