Send Us Your Questions About Climate Change

Send Us Your Questions About Climate Change - The New York Times

Climate Forward

What should The Times ask change experts, world leaders and policymakers at its Climate Forward conference on Sept. 25?

Your most pressing climate questions

What should we ask some of the world’s leading experts on climate change, electric vehicles, energy and environmental policy?

On Sept. 25, The New York Times will bring together innovators, scientists, executives and policymakers for an all-day event of live journalism examining the actions needed to confront climate change. ( Sign up here to watch the event.)

If you have a question about climate issues, please email us at climateforward@nytimes.com, and we’ll do our best to ask it onstage.

The interviews will include conversations with:

Al Roker, feature and weather anchor of “Today” and a co-host of “3rd Hour of Today,” will talk about meteorology and TV journalism in the age of climate change.

Ali Zaidi, President Biden’s national climate adviser, will discuss the administration’s approach and the future of climate policy.

Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and a United Nations Messenger of Peace, will look back on her life’s work in conservation and activism.

Kevin D. Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action for America, will discuss what the organization proposes for the next Republican administration, including the environmental policy rollbacks outlined in Project 2025.

Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of the government of Bangladesh and Nobel laureate, will talk about the challenges of leading a country experiencing some of the worst effects of climate change.

RJ Scaringe, founder and chief executive of Rivian, an electric vehicle manufacturer, will speak about the future of his industry.

Roy Cooper, governor of North Carolina, will talk about what states can do to fight climate change.

Vicki Hollub, president and chief executive of Occidental Petroleum, will discuss the energy transition, the growth of fossil fuel production in the U.S. and her company’s efforts to decarbonize. ( See the full list of interviews here.)

The livestream is available for Times subscribers. Those who sign up will receive an email link on the morning of the event. The livestream will begin at 8:55 a.m., and the day will conclude at 5:10 p.m.

They’ve Got a Plan to Fight Global Warming. It Could Alter the Oceans.

In a quiet patch of forest in Nova Scotia, a company is building a machine designed to help slow global warming by transforming Earth’s rivers and oceans into giant sponges that absorb carbon dioxide from the air.

When switched on later this year, the machine will grind up limestone inside a tall green silo and release the powder into the nearby West River Pictou, creating a chalky plume that should dissolve within minutes.

The effect could be potent, scientists say. Rivers contain carbon dioxide that is constantly escaping into the air, where it traps heat and warms the planet. But adding limestone converts some of that carbon dioxide into a stable molecule that instead stays underwater and washes into the sea, where it should remain trapped for thousands of years. — Brad Plumer and Raymond Zhong

Should you buy a hybrid or an E.V.?

For many car buyers, hybrids seem like a great compromise between gasoline and electric vehicles. Hybrids, which combine internal combustion engines and electric motors, produce less pollution and use less fuel than conventional automobiles. And, owners never need to worry about running out of battery power on a lonely highway.

While hybrids do save money for some people, that’s not always the case. And many experts and environmental groups are critical of hybrids, saying that the fuel savings are exaggerated and that they don’t cut greenhouse gas emissions as much as needed to slow global warming. Here’s what to know if you’re in the market. — Jack Ewing

More climate news:

- The Atlantic examines the Environmental Protection Agency’s uneven efforts on environmental justice initiatives under its administrator, Michael Regan.
-
A goal to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030 is within reach, with some big caveats, the
International Energy Agency reported.
- The Washington Post reports that emissions from methane, one of the most powerful greenhouse gases, are rising at a record rate, and that food systems are a larger culprit than fossil fuels.
-
Underground fires, both in the Arctic and in warmer locales like Brazil, are becoming more common,
Bloomberg reports, and they have a big effect on emissions.

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Roy Cooper,

Jane Goodall,

Muhammad Yunus,

Heritage Foundation,
Occidental Petroleum Corporation

Our Coverage of Climate and the Environment

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Climate F.A.Q.: Do you have questions about climate change?
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Altering Ocean Chemistry: By tweaking the chemistry of rivers and oceans, humans could remove billions of tons of carbon dioxide from the air.
But huge challenges loom.
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California Sues Exxon: The attorney general of California alleged that the oil giant carried out a “decades-long campaign of deception” that
overhyped the promise of recycling and spawned a plastic pollution crisis.
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U.S. Methane Emissions: Satellite data shows the United States releasing
more and more of the potent greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, despite pledges to cut back.
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Ask NYT Climate: Should I get a hybrid or go full electric?
Here’s what to know if you’re in the market for a climate-friendly vehicle.