October 12, 2026 - Daniel Swain - A quick recap of the forecast vs real-world evolution of El Niño 2026 thus far An El Niño event officially developed in the tropical Pacific Ocean earlier this summer, and it has strengthened almost continually since that point. In fact, as of mid-October, the 2026 El Niño event has already become the strongest on record #

Before celebrating the benefits of the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026, we need an honest accounting of its tradeoffs, especially how much additional fossil fuel development the...

The governor finished strong on clean energy — with one big exception.

There's only one markup of note, but it's a killer.

Antarctica’s winter sea ice has peaked at its third-lowest level on record, falling a million square kilometres – or almost 400,000 square miles – short of the long-term average, scientists have confirmed. Confirmation of the peak meant the four lowest years on record for the continent’s sea ice – a vital component of the planet’s climate and critical for marine life – had all occurred in the past four years. Satellites have been watching the continent’s sea ice since 1979, and this year data showed the sea ice peaked on 14 September at 17.59m square kilometres, about a million square kilometres short of the average maximum or an area roughly twice the size of Spain. Dr Walt Meier, a senior scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado, said the centre had held off in declaring the maximum because there was a “lot of potential variability” at this stage in the continent’s sea ice cycle. But the levels of sea ice had been falling since 14 September and he now thought “the maximum has been reached”. Antarctica’s sea ice goes through an enormous annual swing, melting through summer to below 2m sq km in...

It has become routine for Trump to spend the weekend posting wildly on social media, and this weekend was no exception.

In California’s Sacramento Valley, a grower was cited for multiple pesticide safety violations in a stone fruit orchard. In the sweeping farmlands near the Central Coast, a seed supplier that cultivates peppers, vegetables and fruit was hit with more than two dozen pesticide safety violations, some of them serious offenses that caused health or environmental hazards. And in the San Joaquin Valley, an agricultural retailer with a history of pesticide safety violations was cited for failing to provide protective equipment for workers and post emergency medical information in the fields. In all, nearly 18,000 regulatory actions were taken by county pesticide safety inspectors across California from the start of 2020 through June 2025. Fewer than 30% resulted in fines, though, according to state enforcement records. The regulatory system designed to protect farmworkers from pesticides is enforced haphazardly across California. Even in cases where regulators found that companies endangered workers or committed multiple violations, few were penalized for all their citations. Instead, they received warnings or notices to correct problems for cases in which they were not penalized, an investigation by Capital & Main has found. In interviews, dozens of farmworkers reported suffering from nausea, burning eyes or irritated throats due...

ICE says it has no updated information on the number of miscarriages after 3 October 2025. Lawmakers, advocates and immigration attorneys have raised alarms that pregnant detainees are not receiving b...

The more scientists look for chemicals that can increase breast cancer risk, the more they find. Hundreds of potential breast carcinogens lurk in consumer goods, food, drinking water, pesticides, drugs and building materials, scientists reported in a peer-reviewed study published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Exposure to these chemicals is ubiquitous, the authors warn, yet biomonitoring efforts are failing to measure people’s exposures to most chemicals or assess risks from compound exposures. Chemicals found in and derived from fossil fuels accounted for some of the largest production volumes and environmental releases of potential breast carcinogens, said lead author Jennifer Kay, a research scientist at the Silent Spring Institute, which works to reduce toxic threats to women’s health. She called widespread use of petrochemicals, particularly to make plastic, “a huge problem.” Bisphenols and phthalates, chemicals produced at high volumes for plastics, can damage DNA, trigger cell division and increase breast cancer risk or severity. Most breast cancers occur in women 55 and older, as cells lose their ability to repair genetic damage and start dividing abnormally. Breast cancer rates have been rising in recent years for all women, with steeper increases among younger women. These trends cannot be explained...

The latest in a recurring series of live, virtual, & interactive #weather and #climate-focused "office hours" hosted by Dr. Daniel Swain. 9/22/2026 topic: I'...

The Trevor Project is a non-profit suicide prevention organization that provides 24/7 crisis support services, research, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ young people.

YouTube video by California State Library Multimedia

Tracing fossil fuel disinformation.

The great writer of rural America spent a lifetime defending the land, the local, and the human.

Ezra Levin of Indivisible explains the urgency of coordinating civic action ahead of the midterm elections.

Trump administration proposes new rule to dismantle requirement for datacenters to publicly report air pollution

Australia’s certified organic sector has for the first time passed the $1 billion mark in annual direct sales, highlighting growing demand from consumers and the growing contribution and opportunity for organics within Australian agriculture and food production. The Australian Organic Market Report 2026, released today by Australian Organic Limited (AOL), values certified organic domestic retail sales and exports at $1.02 billion in FY2024/25. Domestic certified organic retail sales for take home consumption reached $657.6 million, up 11.9 per cent on the previous year, while certified organic exports were valued at up to $364 million. Australian Organic Limited Chief Executive Officer Jackie Brian said passing $1 billion was an important marker for an industry and that the report showed strong consumer demand for certified organic products with significant untapped potential. Jackie said: “Certified organics is already a substantial Australian industry, with domestic retail sales growing almost 12% and Australian organic exported to more than 40 markets around the world, but the bigger story is the opportunity still in front of us. “For farmers, certified organic production provides an opportunity to build healthier soils, protect biodiversity, strengthen animal welfare outcomes and support human health, while accessing premium markets and connecting with consumers...