UCS Climate &amp; Accountability Campaigns

theguardian.comTrump’s cuts have exposed US to ‘cascade’ of El Niño dangers, experts warnPresident has taken an axe to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, stalling climate research on and response to extreme weather events

1/4 A historic El Niño is unfolding as NOAA faces major cuts. Since Jan 2025, the agency has lost over 3,000 employees (~20% of its workforce). Today, the agency has only filled 525 new hires, leaving a 2,500 person deficit.

blog.ucs.orgThe Trump Administration Threatens NOAA—Again—as Extreme Weather LoomsSee UCS's NOAA tracker for what's at stake and how the agency is affected by cuts.

3/4 However, staffing shortages, disruptions to observations, and cuts to research continue to impact NOAA's capability to deliver on accurate and life-saving information as communities prepare for the effects of El Niño.

docs.google.comOctober 2026 - NOAA Funding Landscape (consolidated)

4/4 At UCS, we're tracking the changes to NOAA's budgets, staffing, datasets, and services. Our NOAA tracker helps show what's at stake for the communities that depend on this essential public science.

2/4 NOAA forecasts a strong-to-very-strong El Niño through winter. That could increase the risk of heavy rainfall, flooding, and landslides in parts of the US. The need for reliable forecasts and early warnings is critical.

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

theguardian.comTrump says government to ‘terminate’ Biden-era methane emissions rulesCritics warn of climate danger as president in Texas claims change will save companies and consumers billions

The Trump administration yesterday accelerated its assault on public health by rolling back a rule requiring oil and gas companies to detect and limit leaks of methane – a highly potent heat-trapping gas that worsens climate change – and other dangerous air pollution. 🧵

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

The 2026 UNEP Emissions Gap Report released today underscores the huge gulf between current country commitments to cut heat-trapping emissions and what’s needed to limit overshoot of global warming above 1.5°C. 🌏 Download here: bit.ly/4jzJpTk

commondreams.org75% of Likely US Voters Oppose Giving Big Oil Immunity From Climate Lawsuits | Common DreamsEven 67% of Republican voters think states should be allowed to sue oil companies for climate damage. But Trump and GOP lawmakers are pushing to kill these suits for good.

In a poll released last week by Data for Progress, 75% of likely voters said they would oppose legislation that would give fossil fuel companies “legal immunity from having to pay for the damages they have caused by worsening climate change.”

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

Aaron Regunberg

@aaronregunberg.bsky.social

New piece in @truthout on some recently revealed documents showing just how much companies like Exxon knew about climate, and just how much they lied. truthout.org/articles/new...

truthout.orgNew Documents Expose Exxon’s Attempt to Suppress Damning Climate EvidenceA paper from 1992 shows the oil company anticipating how the melting of Arctic ice sheets could impact its bottom line.

fossilfreememo.substack.comThe Faces of the People v. Big OilOn Monday, October 5th, more than 100 people gathered outside the U.S.

"Outside the Supreme Court, this was about more than a lawsuit. It was about people whose lives have been upended by fire and drought, and who came to the nation’s highest court hoping to be heard." #ClimateAccountability #ExxonKnew

heated.worldExxon scientist says the company knew its algae biofuel ads were BSIn newly reported deposition testimony, a company scientist calls Exxon’s claims “patently false”—and says he warned them before they went public.

"This new deposition is just the latest piece of evidence that Exxon knew it was promising more than its algae research could deliver... It shows how Exxon used advertising as a tool to mislead consumers about the risks of its business model." #ExxonKnew

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

En la última entrega de nuestra serie “El crimen del siglo”, revelamos con pruebas documentadas el fraude cometido por las grandes petroleras, por medio de sus grupos de fachada, para sembrar mentiras sobre el cambio climático. Escucha aquí: https://act.ucs.org/3Wu6FZ3

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

Climate Central

@climatecentral.org

The U.S. is warming in every congressional district — but how much has your corner of the country changed? A new #ClimateCentral analysis finds 2.8°F of warming on average across all 435 districts since 1970. 🔎Find your district and explore the data: www.climatecentral.org/climate-matt...

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

blog.ucs.orgTwo High Courts Grapple With Climate AccountabilitySince 2015, over 215 climate cases against governments have reached these apex courts, with more than half resulting in outcomes positive for climate action.

Together, these cases illustrate two key fronts in climate accountability: "Whether decision-makers must confront the full emissions consequences of fossil fuel extraction, and whether fossil fuel companies can be held responsible for the financial costs of climate harms linked to their conduct."

washingtonpost.comThe U.S. just experienced its warmest and most humid September on recordAcross the contiguous United States, September 2026 ranks as the warmest September on record, dating back to at least 1895.

1/ We know, we know: talking about all these broken records is starting to make us sound like a broken record. But the U.S. hasn’t seen a string of record-breaking months like this. The last time was 1907, and back then record-keeping was new and breaking records was easy.

The Washington Post@washingtonpost.com

Another month, another temperature record. Across the contiguous United States, September 2026 ranks as the warmest September on record, dating back to at least 1895, according to data.

4/ This record-breaking warmth is mainly due to fossil fuel-driven climate change slowly warming the planet for decades.

5/ But the developing Super El Niño in the eastern Pacific Ocean is also starting to release a significant amount of heat into the atmosphere, adding an extra shot of warming to the Earth’s average temperature.

The Washington Post@washingtonpost.com

Another month, another temperature record. Across the contiguous United States, September 2026 ranks as the warmest September on record, dating back to at least 1895, according to data.

ncei.noaa.govMonitoring the U.S. Temperature and Precipitation in September 2026The average temperature for the CONUS in September was 69.4°F, 4.6°F above the 20th-century average. It was the warmest September in the 132-year record, surpassing the previous record set in 1998 (68...

2/ In July, August, and September 2026, the contiguous United States broke its monthly temperature records. Check out the latest data on September:

ncei.noaa.govMonthly Climate Reports | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)A collection of monthly summaries recapping climate-related occurrences on both a global and national scale

3/ Globally, sea surface temperatures reached a new all-time high for September. Warmer oceans release a significant amount of heat and moisture into the atmosphere, leading to more heat and precipitation extremes globally.

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard Big Oil's arguments to escape trial in Boulder, Colorado's climate deception lawsuit. “To the people of Boulder: Science and justice are on your side,” said Gretchen Goldman, President and CEO of @ucs.org.

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

"The Marshall Fire left lasting scars on our community and shattered my sense of safety,” said Madison Schink, who still experiences anxiety after the fire and now lives near a Suncor refinery. “There’s no doubt in my mind that Big Oil has fundamentally altered how I experience everyday life.”

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

“Before there’s a case number, there’s a life that matters,” said Zaire Calvin, who lost his sister, Evelyn McClendon, in the Eaton Fire. “We can build another house. We can’t bring back my sister’s life.” From Altadena to Boulder, communities deserve their day in court to hold Big Oil accountable.

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

“I believe my state has a right and duty to protect my health and hold corporations like Suncor responsible for the damage they've caused,” said Alina Miranda, who lost her home and pets in the Marshall Fire. “The Supreme Court should not take away the ability of my local government to protect me.”

The year: 1988. The company: Exxon. Their fear: “a worldwide consensus that action is needed” to mitigate the effects of greenhouse gases – with "substantial negative impacts" on business. Exxon responds by revving up a disinfo campaign like never before. New internal docs offer new insight 🧵

ucs.orgExperts File Friend-of-the-Court Brief in Suncor v Boulder Documenting Companies’ Climate DeceptionExperts File Friend-of-the-Court Brief in Supreme Court Case Documenting Suncor Energy and ExxonMobil Decades of Climate Deception

The new documents exposing ExxonMobil's misleading claims about CCS are cited in a friend-of-the-court brief @ucs.org filed in Suncor v. Boulder. The brief outlines ExxonMobil & Suncor's concealment & denial of the hazards they knew would result from the normal use of their fossil fuel products.

ucs.orgDecades of DeceitWhy the case against the major fossil fuel companies for fraud and climate damages is so strong.

Learn more about the fossil fuel industry's 60+ year history of climate deception & delay in our 2025 report "Decades of Deceit." With the harms of climate change mounting, fossil fuel companies MUST be held accountable for their ongoing efforts to spread disinformation and obstruct climate action.

insideclimatenews.orgNew Documents Add to Evidence in Climate Deception Case Against ExxonMobil - Inside Climate NewsCourt filings by the Massachusetts attorney general’s office include previously undisclosed documents, revealing new details about internal deliberations at the oil giant.

New internal industry documents have been uncovered through Massachusetts' climate accountability lawsuit against ExxonMobil. They add to the body of evidence showing Big Oil's early knowledge of the dangers their products posed to the global climate and human wellbeing. Via @insideclimatenews.org.

blog.ucs.orgCongress Releases New Evidence of Big Oil Climate DisinformationOil company executives acknowledged in internal documents that their climate pledges are no more than a public relations ploy.

The court filings also shed further light on ExxonMobil's #greenwashing, such as last decade's PR campaign touting "green" algae biofuel despite internal knowledge that the technology was unlikely to deliver results, and overblown claims about carbon capture & storage. This builds on past findings ⬇️

blog.ucs.orgThe Fossil Fuel Industry’s State-by-State Strategy to Squash Accountability LawsuitsAs the US Supreme Court considers Suncor v. Boulder—a key climate accountability case—documents obtained by the Union of Concerned Scientists reveal that some groups involved in the climate disinforma...

New blog from Laura Peterson publishes emails obtained through an open records request and reveals that some groups involved in the disinformation campaign at the heart of Boulder’s climate accountability lawsuit are shopping legislation to shield the fossil fuel industry from liability.

propublica.org“Economic Civil War”: States Push Laws to Shield Oil and Gas Companies From AccountabilityMost of the 15 bills being considered are part of a coordinated effort by groups linked to right-wing activist Leonard Leo.

Analysis of the newly obtained emails sent by fossil fuel lobbyists to state legislators builds on a recent @propublica.org investigation showing that immunity bills introduced in a handful of state houses have stemmed from a network of groups connected to right-wing operative Leonard Leo.

secure.ucs.orgTell Your State Officials You Support Holding the Fossil Fuel Industry AccountableWrite today and tell your state attorney general and governor you support efforts to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for its climate deception and damages.

People across the country who care about protecting democratic norms from the overreach of corporate interests should stay alert for these bills. No industry should be above the law. Reach out to your state officials to let them know you want them to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable:

desmog.comAmerican Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) Background The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is an organization designed to link state legislators with corporations and create templates fo...

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) actively recruited sponsors this year for draft legislation that would not only bar future lawsuits against fossil fuel corporations and polluter-pays bills, but also nullify ongoing suits representing millions of people harmed by climate change.

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

nytimes.comOpinion | The Science That Has Oil Companies Running Scared (Gift Article)However the U.S. Supreme Court rules, the work of holding oil companies accountable for climate change has a bright future.

Fossil fuel companies are angling to evade accountability through the Supreme Court—but the facts are simply not on their side. Even with the Trump admin's full backing of the industry, “the age of accountability for the fossil fuel industry has just begun.”

The Super El Niño is breaking charts as well as records, including Climate Reanalyzer's, which previously went to 30 degrees C but had to be updated today. SSTs in this part of the Pacific are in unprecedented territory - and rising - roughly two months before the typical El Niño peak.

climatereanalyzer.orgClimate ReanalyzerSea surface temperature (SST) data visualizations

More from Climate Reanalyzer, produced by the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine:

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

Replying to @ucs.org

They are part of a major rally outside the US Supreme Court as oral arguments begin in a historic climate deception lawsuit against ExxonMobil & Suncor Energy. #SuncorvBoulder Learn more:

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

🚨 HAPPENING NOW AT THE SUPREME COURT 🚨 UCS President & CEO @gretchentg.bsky.social and former Washington Governor @govjayinslee.bsky.social are joining forces with survivors of devastating wildfires from Colorado and California.

1/ A very active Eastern Pacific Hurricane season: 20 named storms, of which 9 became hurricanes & 7 major hurricanes, due to a strong El Niño on top of background human-induced climate change. Hurricane Polo (#17) has slammed Baja California and is heading to New Mexico/Texas this week.

3/ At the same time, many of these locations are also experiencing moderate to exceptional drought. Dallas had no measurable rain for 67 days (July 16th – September 20th), which is tied 2nd for consecutive days without measurable precipitation.

blog.ucs.org“Hydroclimate Whiplash”: How Extreme Rainfall and Drought Are LinkedThe same atmospheric conditions that cause droughts can also produce extreme rainfall. Marc Alessi explains the whiplash.

4/ These long dry spells, followed by short, intense precipitation events, are classic hydroclimate whiplash signals, a consequence of human-induced climate change, as our colleague Dr. Marc Alessi writes. Act now to protect NOAA/FEMA from Trump budget cuts: secure.ucs.org/a/2025-prote...

Make Polluters Pay International

2/ Remnants of Hurricane Polo will interact with a frontal system moving over the Southwest and Texas, bringing multiple inches of rain in the span of a few days over these areas. Flash Flood watches have been issued across a large swath of the country as a result.

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

@makepolluterpayint.bsky.social

22 Sept

This is huge! The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has just used his final General Assembly speech to world leaders to pay tribute to our #MakePollutersPay movement. “You are on the right side of history – keep going.” This movement is powerful. We are changing politics. Get involved!

blog.ucs.orgHurricanes, Nor’easters, Subtropical Storms! What’s the Difference?Different types of storms explained.

This weekend the NE US is facing a strong, rare Sept Nor'easter. Wind damage & coastal flooding (worsened by sea level rise) are expected. In this 2025 blog, UCS’s @marc-alessi.bsky.social, explains how nor'easters are being influenced by warmer oceans, courtesy of climate change.

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

thepeoplevbigoil.orgJoin Us: Oct. 5 | The People v. Big OilBig Oil knew and lied. Now, they need to pay. Join us in Washington, D.C, to make our voices heard.

1 Sept

On October 5, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy’s arguments to escape trial in the City and County of Boulder, Colorado’s climate deception lawsuit. Join us in Washington, D.C., to show support for Boulder and all communities seeking accountability.

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

Make Polluters Pay International

@makepolluterpayint.bsky.social

insideclimatenews.orgAn Environmental Defender Is Murdered Every Three Days - Inside Climate NewsAt least 124 people were killed in 2025 for protecting their homelands, forests, farms and waterways from pollution and other harms, according to a new report.

🌍 Today at the UN, we presented 2 million+ signatures calling for fossil-fuel companies to pay for the climate damage they cause. The powerful response: “Polluters must pay… We are with you. Use every tool at your disposal to hold the polluters accountable. You are on the right side of history."

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted

Katie Surma

@katiesurma.bsky.social

15 Sept

At least 124 environmental defenders were killed in 2025. Organized crime, extractive industries and authoritarian governments all contributed to the violence, a new report says. insideclimatenews.org/news/1509202...

Voluntary standards put forward by bodies like GHG Protocol, Science-Based Targets Initiative & International Standards Organization play an important role in helping companies understand their climate impact and make choices that benefit their bottom lines and protect the health of people & planet.

smithschool.ox.ac.ukGoverning climate credibility: Reviewing the governance of sustainability and climate standard organisationsMatilda Becker and Alexis McGivern reflect on a first-of-its kind governance review of five leading sustainability and climate standards setters that identifies opportunities to strengthen transparenc...

A recent report by Oxford University found that while most standards organizations have well-defined governance policies, execution and evaluation of those policies aren’t always easy to verify.

standardsgovernance.orgPrinciples for Good Governance in Corporate StandardsAn open letter calling on corporate standards bodies to commit to ten principles of good governance.

UCS has joined 43 other orgs in calling for standards bodies to follow 10 principles to strengthen their own governance and credibility. The principles cover financial transparency, transparent decision-making criteria, and respect for scientific & legal foundations, among other recommendations:

That’s why strong governance of these standards is important. This means decision-making must be transparent and accountable to prevent undue industry influence and conflicts of interest.

UCS Climate & Accountability Campaigns reposted