Celebrating 15 Years of Climate Change News

Back in 2003, the animated film Finding Nemo was hitting theaters, President George W. Bush was in office, and the first ever Climate Change News by EESI was published. Over these past 15 years, we’ve seen many changes, ranging from the doubling of America's renewable energy capacity to the increasing global momentum for climate action. Through it all, EESI’s Climate Change News (CCN for short) has been a weekly source for climate-change related news.

Today, Climate Change News is received by thousands of policymakers, donors, and everyday citizens interested in staying up-to-date on climate-related issues without being overwhelmed. Indeed, Climate Change News does not aim for exhaustiveness, but for maximum relevance. As CCN Editor Brian La Shier puts it, “rather than attempting to capture all the climate change stories, CCN focuses on the most enduring and important pieces, increasing accessibility of these news stories.”

Over the course of nearly 700 newsletters produced by EESI staff and interns over the past 15 years, readers have been able to quickly browse relevant climate news articles, find out about upcoming events, and get climate highlights for that week. As one reader, Mr. Gelvins, noted this year in a GreatNonprofits review, “EESI keeps me updated on climate and other environmental issues in Washington, with just the right amount of depth and breadth. It is absolutely unique—timely, intelligent and focused. I look forward to reading it.” Frank, a Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, writes, "Reading Climate Change News is the first thing on my Monday morning 'to do' list. Since its inception, it has done much to inform my thinking on climate change and development of materials for a class I teach on Energy Technology and Policy."

From its inception in 1984, EESI has been committed to providing accessible, fact-based environmental and climate information to policymakers. Climate Change News plays a key role in that process, as it informs lawmakers and constituents alike. Carol Werner, EESI's Executive Director, noted that while CCN has evolved since its inception, it has been incredibly significant from its start. Indeed, several of the stories from the very first issue were used in Sen. McCain's opening statement for a hearing on climate change in the Senate Commerce Committee, which he then chaired. According to Werner, “His committee counsel, Floyd De Champs, called me to say thanks because it was just what he needed! Several Embassy officials also have told me that Climate Change News is a great source for them, providing key, timely information in a very concise way.” This reflects EESI’s goal to educate policymakers and to be an independent source of credible, non-partisan information on energy and the environment.

Don’t already receive this fantastic, free resource? You can subscribe in under a minute at www.eesi.org/subscribe. See archived issues here, and take a look at the first-ever Climate Change News issue here.

Author: Anna Gallicchio