Jonathan Mingle
@jmingle.bsky.social
climate/energy journalist
author of GASLIGHT and FIRE AND ICE
words in @nytimes.com @nybooks.com @yalee360.bsky.social
@undark.org and more
website: jonathanmingle.com
signal contact: jmingle.74
author of GASLIGHT and FIRE AND ICE
words in @nytimes.com @nybooks.com @yalee360.bsky.social
@undark.org and more
website: jonathanmingle.com
signal contact: jmingle.74
Pinned
Jonathan Mingle
@jmingle.bsky.social
· Feb 19
Celebrating the 2025 Reed Environmental Writing Award winners
The Southern Environmental Law Center congratulates this year’s winners of its 2025 Phillip D. Reed Environmental Writing Award. Through their work, winners Jonathan Mingle, Jared Kofsky, Maia Rosenfe...
www.southernenvironment.org
I'm truly honored that my book GASLIGHT has been named winner of the 2025 Reed Environmental Writing Award presented by @selc.bsky.social.
Its David v. Goliath tale of grassroots power overcoming corporate energy interests seems more relevant than ever.
www.southernenvironment.org/news/celebra...
Its David v. Goliath tale of grassroots power overcoming corporate energy interests seems more relevant than ever.
www.southernenvironment.org/news/celebra...
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
“Other major cities such as Cape Town, South Africa, Mexico City and Jakarta, Indonesia, as well as parts of California, are also facing day zero scenarios as they sink and run out of water.”
Amid a deepening ecological crisis and acute water shortage, Tehran can no longer remain the capital of Iran, the country’s president has said. www.scientificamerican.com/article/iran...
Iran’s Capital Is Moving. The Reason Is an Ecological Catastrophe
The decision to move Iran’s capital is partly driven by climate change, but experts say decades of human error and action are also to blame
www.scientificamerican.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:20 PM
“Other major cities such as Cape Town, South Africa, Mexico City and Jakarta, Indonesia, as well as parts of California, are also facing day zero scenarios as they sink and run out of water.”
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
It’s almost like something dramatically changed after the Industrial Revolution! (figure via Ed Hawkins)
November 18, 2025 at 4:53 PM
It’s almost like something dramatically changed after the Industrial Revolution! (figure via Ed Hawkins)
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
Cuts to NIH grants have disrupted at least 383 clinical trials, with infectious disease research hit especially hard. A stark example of the real-world repercussions of Trump and co.'s health policy 🧪 my latest:
NIH grant cuts have disrupted hundreds of clinical trials, study finds
The second Trump administration has been defined by widespread cuts to federal spending, including at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). | The second Trump administration has been defined by wid...
www.fiercebiotech.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Cuts to NIH grants have disrupted at least 383 clinical trials, with infectious disease research hit especially hard. A stark example of the real-world repercussions of Trump and co.'s health policy 🧪 my latest:
Even Fortune Magazine has gotten the memo:
the angry mobs will have pitchforks in one hand and be waving their monthly electric bills in the other
fortune.com/2025/11/14/e...
the angry mobs will have pitchforks in one hand and be waving their monthly electric bills in the other
fortune.com/2025/11/14/e...
November 14, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Even Fortune Magazine has gotten the memo:
the angry mobs will have pitchforks in one hand and be waving their monthly electric bills in the other
fortune.com/2025/11/14/e...
the angry mobs will have pitchforks in one hand and be waving their monthly electric bills in the other
fortune.com/2025/11/14/e...
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
Climate effects aside, just the sheer scale of our emissions are astounding. Humanity makes more CO2 every year than all other materials we produce combined
1) Fossil fuel
Still no peak. Emissions are projected to increase by 1.1% in 2025, reaching 38.1 GtCO2. An all time high.
Still no peak. Emissions are projected to increase by 1.1% in 2025, reaching 38.1 GtCO2. An all time high.
November 13, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Climate effects aside, just the sheer scale of our emissions are astounding. Humanity makes more CO2 every year than all other materials we produce combined
Inevitable outcome.
Ever since McAuliffe stood w/ Dominion's CEO in 2014 and declared its Atlantic Coast Pipeline would be "an energy superhighway to fuel our new economy ...the safest, most environmentally responsible, locally cooperative pipeline ever built in US history."
A natural born shill.
Ever since McAuliffe stood w/ Dominion's CEO in 2014 and declared its Atlantic Coast Pipeline would be "an energy superhighway to fuel our new economy ...the safest, most environmentally responsible, locally cooperative pipeline ever built in US history."
A natural born shill.
Former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe is the latest prominent Democrat to join Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future, a fossil fuel industry front group that seeks to influence liberals to embrace methane gas as clean, climate-friendly energy
Former Gov. McAuliffe joins pro-natural gas group as national co-chair • Virginia Mercury
Terry McAuliffe to promote natural gas as a route to long-term energy reliability as renewable energy sources are built out.
virginiamercury.com
November 12, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Inevitable outcome.
Ever since McAuliffe stood w/ Dominion's CEO in 2014 and declared its Atlantic Coast Pipeline would be "an energy superhighway to fuel our new economy ...the safest, most environmentally responsible, locally cooperative pipeline ever built in US history."
A natural born shill.
Ever since McAuliffe stood w/ Dominion's CEO in 2014 and declared its Atlantic Coast Pipeline would be "an energy superhighway to fuel our new economy ...the safest, most environmentally responsible, locally cooperative pipeline ever built in US history."
A natural born shill.
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
A normal day in Delhi with the government AQI readings showing around 400, but it looks and feels way more beyond that. This should be a health emergency anywhere in the world, but in Delhi, however, this is a period of forced adaptation imposed upon us by government.
#airpollution #health #delhi
#airpollution #health #delhi
November 2, 2025 at 10:20 AM
A normal day in Delhi with the government AQI readings showing around 400, but it looks and feels way more beyond that. This should be a health emergency anywhere in the world, but in Delhi, however, this is a period of forced adaptation imposed upon us by government.
#airpollution #health #delhi
#airpollution #health #delhi
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
Wow and I always thought the most damning citation of Larry Summers was the epigraph from *Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor* (2011)
November 12, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Wow and I always thought the most damning citation of Larry Summers was the epigraph from *Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor* (2011)
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
NEW: Global fossil fuel use will peak before 2030 – unless 'stated policies' are abandoned
Contra some terrible news coverage, IEA World Energy Outlook shows coal near peak, oil peaking by 2030 & gas by 2035 (see chart)
What's going on? 🧵 + cool charts
www.carbonbrief.org/iea-fossil-f...
Contra some terrible news coverage, IEA World Energy Outlook shows coal near peak, oil peaking by 2030 & gas by 2035 (see chart)
What's going on? 🧵 + cool charts
www.carbonbrief.org/iea-fossil-f...
November 12, 2025 at 9:02 AM
NEW: Global fossil fuel use will peak before 2030 – unless 'stated policies' are abandoned
Contra some terrible news coverage, IEA World Energy Outlook shows coal near peak, oil peaking by 2030 & gas by 2035 (see chart)
What's going on? 🧵 + cool charts
www.carbonbrief.org/iea-fossil-f...
Contra some terrible news coverage, IEA World Energy Outlook shows coal near peak, oil peaking by 2030 & gas by 2035 (see chart)
What's going on? 🧵 + cool charts
www.carbonbrief.org/iea-fossil-f...
And it's going to make large swaths of America *uninsurable* long before they become physically uninhabitable.
www.nybooks.com/online/2023/...
www.nybooks.com/online/2023/...
November 10, 2025 at 9:25 PM
And it's going to make large swaths of America *uninsurable* long before they become physically uninhabitable.
www.nybooks.com/online/2023/...
www.nybooks.com/online/2023/...
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
The Post (me and @kcrowebasspro.bsky.social) analyzed the social media posts and appearances of prominent politicians across the country.
We found that no one is talking about climate change anymore. In 2025, mentions are 60% lower than in 2024.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
We found that no one is talking about climate change anymore. In 2025, mentions are 60% lower than in 2024.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
November 10, 2025 at 4:24 PM
The Post (me and @kcrowebasspro.bsky.social) analyzed the social media posts and appearances of prominent politicians across the country.
We found that no one is talking about climate change anymore. In 2025, mentions are 60% lower than in 2024.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
We found that no one is talking about climate change anymore. In 2025, mentions are 60% lower than in 2024.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
Useful summary of where things stand here from NYT, but hooboy... this glaring error jumped out at me before they fixed the headline.
Emissions are still going up!
Small detail that's, uh, somewhat important if you're trying to frame the climate story circa 2025.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Emissions are still going up!
Small detail that's, uh, somewhat important if you're trying to frame the climate story circa 2025.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
November 7, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Useful summary of where things stand here from NYT, but hooboy... this glaring error jumped out at me before they fixed the headline.
Emissions are still going up!
Small detail that's, uh, somewhat important if you're trying to frame the climate story circa 2025.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Emissions are still going up!
Small detail that's, uh, somewhat important if you're trying to frame the climate story circa 2025.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
The data center backlash has 2009 early days Tea Party vibes.
Except with much more potential broad-based support since, as @heatmap.news own polling has shown, its seems like just about *everyone* hates data centers.
Definitely going to see more politicians try to catch this wave.
Except with much more potential broad-based support since, as @heatmap.news own polling has shown, its seems like just about *everyone* hates data centers.
Definitely going to see more politicians try to catch this wave.
Did you know a former White House climate advisor flipped a GOP stronghold in Virginia by running entirely on putting a stop to more AI data centers?
For @heatmap.news I profiled John McAuliff and a campaign that will be a roadmap for all future anti-AI politicians moving forward.
For @heatmap.news I profiled John McAuliff and a campaign that will be a roadmap for all future anti-AI politicians moving forward.
This Virginia Election Was a Warning for Data Centers
John McAuliff ran his campaign almost entirely on data centers — and won.
heatmap.news
November 7, 2025 at 4:08 PM
The data center backlash has 2009 early days Tea Party vibes.
Except with much more potential broad-based support since, as @heatmap.news own polling has shown, its seems like just about *everyone* hates data centers.
Definitely going to see more politicians try to catch this wave.
Except with much more potential broad-based support since, as @heatmap.news own polling has shown, its seems like just about *everyone* hates data centers.
Definitely going to see more politicians try to catch this wave.
This is exactly the sentiment I heard over and over while reporting on the broad grassroots opposition to a proposed fossil gas pipeline in rural Virginia.
Much of organizers' energy at first went into simply convincing their neighbors that the project wasn't inevitable.
That they had some agency.
Much of organizers' energy at first went into simply convincing their neighbors that the project wasn't inevitable.
That they had some agency.
"'There’s been this air of inevitability around data centers and AI and all this new tech stuff coming out — how it’s going to happen, so either get out of the way or get run over,' he said.
'And our job is to try and remind people in power of their humanity, at the end of the day.'"
🫡
'And our job is to try and remind people in power of their humanity, at the end of the day.'"
🫡
The Data Center Backlash Is Swallowing American Politics
Activists on both the left and the right are pushing back against AI development.
heatmap.news
November 7, 2025 at 2:47 AM
This is exactly the sentiment I heard over and over while reporting on the broad grassroots opposition to a proposed fossil gas pipeline in rural Virginia.
Much of organizers' energy at first went into simply convincing their neighbors that the project wasn't inevitable.
That they had some agency.
Much of organizers' energy at first went into simply convincing their neighbors that the project wasn't inevitable.
That they had some agency.
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
You mean... let FERC rubber-stamp them?
With a 99.5% approval rate?
And tell opponents to go pound sand?
With a 99.5% approval rate?
And tell opponents to go pound sand?
November 6, 2025 at 8:11 PM
You mean... let FERC rubber-stamp them?
With a 99.5% approval rate?
And tell opponents to go pound sand?
With a 99.5% approval rate?
And tell opponents to go pound sand?
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
By this time next week, the estimated deaths due to the illegal destruction of USAID and the shuttering of its aid efforts will breach 400,000.
More than 260,000 will be children.
Source: www.bu.edu/sph/news/art...
More than 260,000 will be children.
Source: www.bu.edu/sph/news/art...
Tracking Anticipated Deaths from USAID Funding Cuts
Brooke Nichols has launched online tracking tools that capture estimated increases in mortality and disease spread for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other diseases as a result of the near-total...
www.bu.edu
November 5, 2025 at 10:28 PM
By this time next week, the estimated deaths due to the illegal destruction of USAID and the shuttering of its aid efforts will breach 400,000.
More than 260,000 will be children.
Source: www.bu.edu/sph/news/art...
More than 260,000 will be children.
Source: www.bu.edu/sph/news/art...
In fact I agree so hard that I wrote a book making precisely that case in 2015.
Soot melts glaciers, disrupts monsoons critical to food security, kills millions per year. Tackling it offers climate/health win-wins.
Happy to send you a copy, @billgates.bsky.social!
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
Soot melts glaciers, disrupts monsoons critical to food security, kills millions per year. Tackling it offers climate/health win-wins.
Happy to send you a copy, @billgates.bsky.social!
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
November 5, 2025 at 5:44 PM
In fact I agree so hard that I wrote a book making precisely that case in 2015.
Soot melts glaciers, disrupts monsoons critical to food security, kills millions per year. Tackling it offers climate/health win-wins.
Happy to send you a copy, @billgates.bsky.social!
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
Soot melts glaciers, disrupts monsoons critical to food security, kills millions per year. Tackling it offers climate/health win-wins.
Happy to send you a copy, @billgates.bsky.social!
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
100% agree with Zeke's core critique of the Gates memo here: climate mitigation and poverty alleviation are not zero-sum!
And his point that solutions like rural electrification, clean cookstoves, and cutting outdoor and indoor air pollution will both slow climate change and save millions of lives.
And his point that solutions like rural electrification, clean cookstoves, and cutting outdoor and indoor air pollution will both slow climate change and save millions of lives.
There are a lot of things I agree with in Bill Gates' new climate memo, but I think it sets up a false dichotomy between reducing emissions and helping the world's poorest. I've put together a piece with my thoughts over at TCB:
On the Gates climate memo
There is a lot of things I agree with in Bill Gates’ new memo on climate change, but I think it fundamentally sets up a false dichotomy.
www.theclimatebrink.com
November 5, 2025 at 5:35 PM
100% agree with Zeke's core critique of the Gates memo here: climate mitigation and poverty alleviation are not zero-sum!
And his point that solutions like rural electrification, clean cookstoves, and cutting outdoor and indoor air pollution will both slow climate change and save millions of lives.
And his point that solutions like rural electrification, clean cookstoves, and cutting outdoor and indoor air pollution will both slow climate change and save millions of lives.
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
20+ years of climate impacts research in one figure. Climate change hits everything, everywhere, all at once.
From Solomon Hsiang's new NBER paper on empirical methods and economic impacts of climate change: www.nber.org/papers/w34357
From Solomon Hsiang's new NBER paper on empirical methods and economic impacts of climate change: www.nber.org/papers/w34357
November 5, 2025 at 5:16 PM
20+ years of climate impacts research in one figure. Climate change hits everything, everywhere, all at once.
From Solomon Hsiang's new NBER paper on empirical methods and economic impacts of climate change: www.nber.org/papers/w34357
From Solomon Hsiang's new NBER paper on empirical methods and economic impacts of climate change: www.nber.org/papers/w34357
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
Perfect. 60 Minutes edited out an important part of its Trump interview in which he boasts about extracting millions from its parent company on an utterly meritless claim . . . that 60 Minutes selectively edited its Kamala Harris interview.
I see that CBS chose not to air this part. It probably explains much of what they did decide to air.
November 3, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Perfect. 60 Minutes edited out an important part of its Trump interview in which he boasts about extracting millions from its parent company on an utterly meritless claim . . . that 60 Minutes selectively edited its Kamala Harris interview.
the spookiest Halloween content I've encountered today:
📢 New paper out!
🌊 We discuss how well mechanisms of variability in the subpolar gyre are represented in climate models, finding that models that do this best are also the models in which abrupt shifts are found 😬.
It's a technical story, so here's a simple overview 🧵
doi.org/10.5194/esd-...
🌊 We discuss how well mechanisms of variability in the subpolar gyre are represented in climate models, finding that models that do this best are also the models in which abrupt shifts are found 😬.
It's a technical story, so here's a simple overview 🧵
doi.org/10.5194/esd-...
Causal mechanisms of subpolar gyre variability in CMIP6 models
Abstract. The subpolar gyre is at risk of crossing a tipping point under future climate change associated with the collapse of deep convection. As such, tipping can have significant climate impacts; i...
doi.org
October 31, 2025 at 7:22 PM
the spookiest Halloween content I've encountered today:
The Lancet and WHO effectively rebutting Bill Gates' 'climate is not that important' take in real-time:
"This report makes clear that climate inaction is killing people now in all countries. However, climate action is also the greatest health opportunity of our time."
www.who.int/news/item/29...
"This report makes clear that climate inaction is killing people now in all countries. However, climate action is also the greatest health opportunity of our time."
www.who.int/news/item/29...
October 30, 2025 at 4:46 PM
The Lancet and WHO effectively rebutting Bill Gates' 'climate is not that important' take in real-time:
"This report makes clear that climate inaction is killing people now in all countries. However, climate action is also the greatest health opportunity of our time."
www.who.int/news/item/29...
"This report makes clear that climate inaction is killing people now in all countries. However, climate action is also the greatest health opportunity of our time."
www.who.int/news/item/29...
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
A stat we don't talk about enough: Newspapers have lost 77% of their jobs over the last 20 year, more than any of the 532 other industries tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
October 27, 2025 at 11:54 PM
A stat we don't talk about enough: Newspapers have lost 77% of their jobs over the last 20 year, more than any of the 532 other industries tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Reposted by Jonathan Mingle
NHC 5 pm Melissa update for Jamaica:
"Remain in your safe shelter and do not venture outside."
Winds "may cause total structural failure."
Wind speeds are now at *175 mph*.
"Remain in your safe shelter and do not venture outside."
Winds "may cause total structural failure."
Wind speeds are now at *175 mph*.
October 27, 2025 at 9:19 PM
NHC 5 pm Melissa update for Jamaica:
"Remain in your safe shelter and do not venture outside."
Winds "may cause total structural failure."
Wind speeds are now at *175 mph*.
"Remain in your safe shelter and do not venture outside."
Winds "may cause total structural failure."
Wind speeds are now at *175 mph*.