In an era of misinformation around climate science, UCLA’s award-winning Degrees: Climate Change Insights newsletter has made dependable, trustworthy information on the environment and climate change directly accessible by the media and the public.
Each edition provides timely perspectives and new angles on current climate stories in the news, with commentary from UCLA’s top environmental researchers and policy experts. By proactively sharing ideas and quotes regularly, the newsletter keeps UCLA’s deep expertise on reporters’ radars and has become a trusted, go-to resource.
Below, you can browse more than a year’s worth of Degrees newsletters covering everything from the recent Los Angeles fires and the federal actions against the National Weather Service to sustainability issues around the 2028 Olympics and ongoing efforts to combat the effects of extreme heat.
Similarly, Daniel Swain, a prominent climate scientist with UCLA and the University of California’s Agriculture and Natural Resources, and a frequently called-upon expert on by the media, brings his knowledge directly to reporters and the public with his regular YouTube “Office Hours” videos. Swain, who combines a folksy delivery with the power of social media, has emerged as his generation’s voice on the urgency of combating climate change. You can watch his “Office Hours” videos here.
Degrees: UCLA Climate Change Insights
Cruel summer: March heat wave is a reminder to the West
April 1, 2026
This Earth Month, UCLA experts share concerns about summer heat, from a potential El Niño to longer heat waves and risks of atmospheric sulfur injections.
EPA revokes its own endangerment finding, weakening pollution protections
February 11, 2026
UCLA experts can provide commentary about the administration’s decision to repeal a landmark 2009 decision.
Latest UN climate conference comes at a critical juncture
October 28, 2025
UCLA experts can provide commentary about COP30 in Brazil and what the U.S. withdrawal means for other countries’ pledges.
Texas floods, the National Weather Service and disaster alerts
July 11, 2025
UCLA experts can provide commentary on the importance of robust emergency plans for climate-driven disasters, climate change’s role in increasing flash flood events and the importance of a well-funded National Weather Service.
EV fast chargers are pollutant hot spots
July 3, 2025
Scientists found the air around EV fast chargers had around twice as much fine particulate matter compared to general urban levels.
How watching birds for 10 minutes a week can help climate scientists this summer
June 27, 2025
UCLA’s annual Project Phoenix aims to document how birds change their behavior when there’s more wildfire smoke.
L.A.’s post-fire rebuilding: Water edition
UCLA water and climate researchers provide comprehensive responses to questions about water for firefighting in urban environments.
Federal weather service firings: People will die in extreme weather
Swain addresses the mass firings at the National National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service.
L.A. fires caused up to $164 billion in damage, UCLA report finds
UCLA Anderson Zhiyun Li and William Yu economists say the fires could also cause a loss of $4.6 billion to the Los Angeles County’s GDP.
L.A. fires: Vegetation 25% drier due to climate change
UCLA climate scientists’ analysis links climate change to about a quarter of the extreme vegetation dryness when the Palisades and Eaton fires began.
UCLA braced for extreme Santa Ana winds
Jan. 7, 2025
University teams are working to mitigate the potentially destructive and life-threatening impacts of the dangerous conditions.
UCLA experts on Malibu’s Franklin fire
UCLA experts on wildfires, climate change, Santa Ana winds and wildfire smoke are available to add context to the Franklin fire.
Can COP29 convince countries to pay for climate change disasters?
Nov. 21, 2024
UCLA environmental law expert Cara Horowitz, fresh from the COP29 climate change conference in Baku, outlines the difficulties in the climate finance discussion.
Analyzing Trump’s Cabinet picks
Nov. 14, 2024
By favoring loyalty over job experience, the president-elect’s picks could hinder his efforts to roll back climate-related regulations.
Mountain fire ‘a suburban firestorm’ due to Santa Ana winds
Nov. 7, 2024
California chapparal fire burns into urban Ventura County, showing need for strategies beyond fighting ‘forest’ fires.
Climate policy and the 2024 election
Oct. 25, 2024
UCLA experts talk post-election climate policy.
Will humans ever be able to control the weather?
Oct. 25, 2024
Daniel Swain discusses weather modification, as well as contrails, conspiracies and solar radiation management.
How the conservative Project 2025 could ‘wreak havoc’ – on a Trump administration
Sept. 26, 2024
UCLA experts discuss post-election predictions for the presidential candidates, who have stark differences in their climate policies.
Get ready for long West Coast heat waves this fall
Sept. 12, 2024
Signals from La Niña suggest we’re in for a hot fall, says UCLA atmospheric scientist and statistician Karen McKinnon.
California legislative ‘drama’ and 2024 climate bills
Sept. 6, 2024
UCLA experts address the unanticipated statehouse drama and Gov. Newsom’s project to lower gas prices through increased oil refinery oversight.
The climate policy at stake in this election: The tax code
Aug. 22, 2024
Clean energy tax credits can make or break megatons of emissions, says UCLA Law professor Kimberly Clausing.
Can L.A.’s car-free Olympics help the climate long-term?
Aug. 15, 2024
The city could go carless for two weeks, but UCLA’s Jacob Wasserman questions whether it can build for more lasting changes.
Solutions to adapt to climate change
Aug. 8, 2024
In a new study, UCLA researchers analyze the most severe climate-driven public health risks in California.
Wildfire smoke can bring ‘lingering symptoms for months’
July 26, 2024
Smoke can spread 10–15 times farther than wildfires, posing big risks for vulnerable people.
Believing heat records and not your local microclimate
July 18, 2024
A UCLA climate expert discusses the heat wave that has baked baked more than nine-tenths of California's land.
‘Predictable and preventable’ heat deaths in prisons
July 12, 2024
Incarcerated people are especially vulnerable to heat, experts say, but new protections exclude prisons.
The Supreme Court is weighing the power of regulators
Overturning what’s known as the “Chevron doctrine” could strip agencies like the EPA of longstanding authority.
The death toll from wildfire smoke
June 7, 2024
A UCLA study shows smoke from increasing wildfires in California caused up to 55,700 deaths over 11 years.
How local journalism boosts support for fixing crumbling infrastructure
May 10, 2024
Strong local newspapers are tied to greater voter support for funding dams, sewers and other projects vital to climate resilience, a new study shows.
EPA in the courts over vehicle emissions, and regulating ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water
April 11, 2024
It’s been a busy week for Environmental Protection Agency watchers. UCLA experts weigh in.
Rain, the L.A. River and UCLA water expertise
Feb. 21, 2024
Two UCLA water experts weigh in on granny flats, water recycling and more.
Was that global warming?
Feb. 8, 2024
UCLA climate scientist Alex Hall says the severity of the storm that recently pummeled California “is entirely what we would expect from climate change.”
Why Texans won’t freeze this time
Jan. 11, 2024
Another polar vortex is coming, but unlike the deadly failure of the electric grid in 2021, Texas’ heat is expected to stay on this time.
YouTube ‘Office Hours’ with Daniel Swain
Southwest’s drought and fire outlook
March 18, 2025
Get updates on the forecast for wildfires, droughts and precipitation in California and the greater Southwest.
The vital role of climate and weather science
March 6, 2025
Daniel Swain discusses the importance of science in support of the nationwide “Stand up for Science.”
Threats to public safety due to mass firing of scientists at federal level
Feb. 19, 2025
Daniel Swain will also review the latest updates related to the Los Angeles–area wildfires.
California storm, risk of flooding and debris slides in burn areas
Feb. 13, 2025
Join Daniel Swain as he monitors a strong storm that’s bringing heavy rain to Southern California.
Why we need the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
Daniel Swain will discuss the vital importance and life-saving role of the federal agency.
Landslide risk after the fires
Jan. 24, 2025
Daniel Swain gives updates on new SoCal fires, landslide risk for burn areas and ongoing risk of fires in February.
Another SoCal fire near Castaic
The Hughes fire, in northern Los Angeles County, started late this morning and has already consumed more than 5,000 acres.
SoCal fires, outlook for wind and rain
Join Daniel Swain for another conversation about the disastrous fires in Southern California.
Fire risk still to come
Jan. 10, 2025
With serious wildfires popping up like a hellish game of whack-a-mole in greater Los Angeles, what’s the fire risk this weekend?
‘Weather control’
Oct. 14, 2024
Separate fact from fiction regarding “weather control” (spoiler: humans can’t control the weather).
‘Most extreme rain’ in 100-plus years
Oct. 1, 2024
Daniel Swain will discuss Southeastern flooding in Helene’s aftermath and another Southwest heat wave.
California wildfires
Sept. 10, 2024
Daniel Swain discusses the wildfire situation in Southern California and Davis fire south of Reno.
Major West Coast heat wave
Sept. 4, 2024
You know it’s hot – but is it unusually hot? Find out with Daniel Swain.
Western U.S. heat wave
July 6, 2024
Daniel Swain discusses long-lasting heat waves that are baking the western U.S.
Extreme summer climate
June 24, 2024
Daniel Swain discusses this summer’s record-breaking heat and extreme rain and flooding.
Beyond 1.5°C and scientists’ fears
May 10, 2024
An informal survey shows hundreds of IPCC scientists now expect the world to reach at least 2.5° C of warming. Daniel Swain weighs in.
Don’t blame cloud seeding
April 17, 2024
Record rainfall across Dubai and the Arabian Peninsula is more likely the result of climate change than cloud seeding, says Daniel Swain.
Record-breaking global heat
March 22, 2024
What does it mean that we continue to have “exceptional and record-breaking global warmth,” and what does it tell us about our understanding of climate change?
‘Snow whiplash’
Feb. 29, 2024
This weekend’s much colder storm brings the potential for multiple feet of snow, creating a kind of “snow whiplash,” Daniel Swain says.
Stormy weather, and what’s AMOC?
Feb. 15, 2024
Swain will discuss this weekend’s coming storm sequence and other topics.
California storms carry flood risk this week
Jan. 30, 2024
An atmospheric river is bringing two big storms and potential flooding toward California. Join Daniel Swain on YouTube for more.
