Source: https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/extreme-heat-hammers-us-coasts-153054/
The summer of 2026 will go down as a summer of climate shocks. “Climate shocks are deviations from normal environmental patterns in the form of droughts, floods, heat waves, or other extreme events that have been exacerbated by climate change” (Saving Ourselves, p. 3).
While I write this newsletter, the US and Europe continue to suffer through what is likely to be the hottest summer ever recorded. The heat in Europe in June broke records and led to more than 10,000 excess deaths. There are currently 955 active wildfires burning across Canada and wildfire smoke is making the air quality dangerous for millions of people (including those of us living in the DC Area).
While this summer of climate shocks definitely seems apocalyptic, there’s no question that, unless the world starts addressing the climate crisis at the level that is required, it’s going to get a lot worse.
This week, the US National Academies of Sciences released a report on Attribution of Extreme Weather and Climate Events and Their Impacts. The report provides an overview of the science of measuring the degree to which climate change has exacerbated extreme events like heatwaves, droughts, and storms. Although the report is already under attack from the fossil fuel industry, the findings are unequivocal and can be used as an important tool to hold the industry accountable while our world warms.
I was invited to share my research with the panel as they were creating the report. During my presentation, I referenced the growing body of research that documents how people who experience the climate crisis first hand are more likely to support climate action, to believe climate science, and to be more civically engaged.
Although much more research is needed to understand this process, as well as the ways that misinformation and disinformation are being used to distract people from the role that climate change is playing in extreme events (stay tuned!), my theory of social change, runs through climate shocks and how it can build collective capacity for social change. In other words, even though it’s bad and it’s getting worse, I am optimistic that this apocalyptic moment will help build the political will that is needed to push back against fossil fuel interests and the tech oligarchs that currently have a stranglehold on decisionmaking around the world.
I provide an overview (and explain why I’m an Apocalyptic Optimist) in my TED Talk, which was filmed in October 2024:
Dana R Fisher 