AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardThe Reality of Climate ChangeAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersIt's the 52nd anniversary of Earth Day, but there's not much to celebrate. Our environment is in serious danger. In this installment of our "Truth Seekers" series, academics, scientists, journalists and activists explore the implications of climate change on Earth, from misinformation to energy usage, sustainability, carbon removal and more. Plus, learn how the next generation is fighting to save the planet.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardThe State of Climate Change, Curated by Eric RostonAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersClimate change is at once a slow- and fast-moving story. A Swedish chemist in the 1890s worked out basic physics describing how atmospheric carbon dioxide collects heat. Today, heat records and ominous projections need updating more often than smartphones. Climate stories run the gamut from Earth physics to geopolitics, energy, insurance, investment, technology and behavior. Wherever you live, whatever you do, there’s now a climate angle for you to follow — plus the global one that binds us all.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardThe Climate Tech We Need, Curated by Brian KahnAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersTo fix the climate, we need to change everything. (Seriously.) Luckily, as the recent United Nations climate report shows, we have so many of the technological tools to do just that. From wind turbines to solar panels and heat pumps to e-bikes, there’s so much we can do right now to reduce carbon pollution and get on a more sustainable path. We’ll also need a little innovation along the way — and policies that ensure everyone has access to climate-saving technology and the good life it provides.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardThe Climate and Biodiversity Crises, Curated by Marcene MitchellAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersOur relationship with nature is broken and the crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are deeply entangled. The warmest seven years have all been since 2015. Since 1970, there has been a 68% decline in the number of birds, amphibians, mammals, fish, and reptiles. There is a path forward if we act now and together. These stories show the scale of the problem we face as well as the new and exciting ways in which people are tackling the climate crisis around the world.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardCreating Sustainable Communities, Curated by Victoria ArroyoAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersCities are on the front lines of climate change, facing impacts like heat waves and rising seas. They can also lead the way in solutions that cut greenhouse gas emissions while bringing benefits such as improved quality of life and health, greater social cohesion, and increased resilience to extreme weather. Renewable energy and electric vehicles cut pollution and illnesses, while green space reduces urban heat and flooding. Cities are essential leaders in climate sustainability and resilience.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardNature and the Changing Environment, Curated by Rebecca ShawAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersThe decline of nature — its animal, plants, oceans, forests and soils — is a climate-change problem. Every day, research reveals how we rely on nature for not only combatting the climate crisis but adapting to its relentless impacts. From trees in urban areas to large intact expanses of the tropical rainforests, nature delivers much-needed environmental benefits to all of us. Read on to better understand how we can unlock the power of nature to combat climate change.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardNature-Based Solutions to Climate Change, Curated by Sarah GibbensAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersHealthy ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, and grasslands have an amazing ability to remove planet-warming emissions from the atmosphere and lock them securely underground. Experts call them “nature-based solutions” to climate change. The stories I’ve highlighted below showcase some of these hardworking landscapes. They also explain what we gain when we protect large portions of the Earth, how forests are changing, and where our oceans — two-thirds of our world — fit into the equation.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardThe Next Generation Fighting to Save Earth, Curated by Disha RaviAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersI have linked five articles about topics that are close to my heart: Protecting our planet, protecting people from policing and allowing kindness to yourself. While they may seem to vary vastly in topics, I wanted to highlight the intersections of preserving self, the community and the planet. This collection has helped me to allow myself to grieve and practice hope every day and my hope is that it does the same to another person!
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardMaking Travel More Environmentally Friendly, Curated by Linda PoonAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersThe transportation sector accounts for over 20% of global carbon emissions, making it a major driver of climate change. Cities across the globe are rethinking how people move, and making progress in weaning urbanites off cars with various policy and infrastructure changes — from pivoting to electric cars and building bike highways to boosting public transit. These articles explain why a transformation to greener travel is necessary, the innovation around it and why it remains an uphill battle.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardMisinformation Stands in the Planet’s Way, Curated by Lisa Martine JenkinsAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersOur ability to mitigate the climate crisis is only as good as our ability to get the word out. Over the course of decades, many powerful players — from the fossil fuel industry to social media giants, and from politicians to a major public relations firm — have actively buried information on just how dire things are. That misinformation has delayed necessary climate action. In recent years, intrepid journalists and researchers have begun to uncover the truth about who knew what, and when.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardEnergy and Global Politics, Curated by James McBrideAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersThe cheap energy provided by fossil fuels has been the driver of global economic growth for more than a century. It has also shaped the geopolitical landscape in ways that are only becoming more apparent in an age of renewed great power rivalry, accelerating technological change, and ongoing supply chain disruption. These articles delve into how changing energy dynamics are shaping global politics, from the war in Ukraine to international negotiations over reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardDebating Carbon Removal's Effectiveness, Curated by James TempleAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersThe world needs to slash emissions over the next few decades and suck out huge amounts of carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere to have a decent shot at preventing the planet from soaring past 2˚C of warming. The problem is we don’t know how to do it at the necessary scales. Our technical solutions are very expensive. And researchers have highlighted numerous issues with the markets forming to incentivize carbon removal using trees, soil, seaweed and other nature-based approaches.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: How Travel Changed, Curated by Brian KellyAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersBefore September 11, 2001, people could walk freely throughout airport terminals without tickets, and security screenings weren’t nearly as intrusive. The terrorist attacks changed everything about air travel – from the creation of the TSA to new safety measures on airplanes, including locked cockpits. These articles remind of us of what travel once was like and how much September 11 transformed it all.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: The Rise of Presidential Unilateralism, Curated by Tony WilliamsAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersSince 9/11, the 20-year war in Afghanistan, the invasion of Iraq, the larger war on terrorism, and other interventions in the Middle East have raised a number of constitutional issues related to the separation of powers. A series of presidential administrations have fought undeclared wars and depended upon authorizations to use military force that were of unlimited expanse and indefinite duration.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: Understanding the Legacies of the AttacksAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersOn the 20th anniversary of September 11, Flipboard invited thought leaders to help us make sense of the last two decades. These experts explore the lasting legacies of the war in Afghanistan and huge societal shifts in the ways we think, govern, communicate, travel and more. Their must-read collections show us what's been learned...and what hasn't. The collection is designed to remind you of all that has happened and to challenge you to ask questions about where we go from here.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: A Photographer's View, Curated By Phil PenmanAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersU.K.-born, N.Y.-based photographer Phil Penman has documented the rapid flux of New York City’s streets for over 25 years and captured historical moments such as the September 11 terrorist attacks. He's watched the city rebound — then and now — through the lens of a native and not a tourist.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: The Most Important Story of Our Times, Curated by Garrett M. GraffAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersWhat happened on 9/11 and how it changed our world is the most important story of the modern age. It’s the hinge on which so much changed—as clear as a dividing line between the 20th century and the 21st that we have. I’ve spent most of the two decades since 9/11 covering the legacy of that tragic day, both the human experience as well as the way it changed our government and society—from the rise of homeland security to the war on terror to its effects on our politics. Here’s what I’ve learned.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: The War on Terror, Curated by Michael IsikoffAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersWe’ve learned quite a bit in the 20 years since Al Qaeda terrorists flew airplanes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing nearly 3,000 Americans. We’ve also forgotten quite a bit – about the mistakes, misjudgments and bone-headed policy decisions we’ve made during this time period. I’ve selected a few stories that highlight the murkiness and imperfections of U.S. intelligence, the limits of American power, and the balance between security and privacy.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: How Religion Became Tribalized, Curated by Asma UddinAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersThis collection of articles coalesces around a central theme: The political tribalization of religious communities in the U.S., with a focus on how Muslims post-9/11 became a part of the "Democratic tribe" and white Christians became increasingly aligned with the "Republican tribe." Now, how each community views the other is not just a function of their religious differences but also their political differences. What does this mean for religious freedom and religious pluralism in America?
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: Terror Deaths and More Facts, Curated by USAFactsAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersThe 9/11 terrorist attack on the US led to a military conflict in Afghanistan, policy changes, and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. USAFacts provides government data on how the US has changed since 9/11. Explore the data on how many terrorist attacks occurred since 9/11, how the government spends its money on anti-terrorism efforts and more.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: Privacy Was Forever Changed, Curated by Kim ZetterAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersThe 9/11 attacks had great impact on privacy. Under pressure to prevent similar assaults, the government launched aggressive surveillance programs—some illegal—in a frantic effort to “see all.” The Patriot Act and the exposure of President Bush's warrantless wiretapping program in 2005 hinted at how far the government would go. There’s a direct throughline from that program to Edward Snowden's leak of NSA documents in 2013. I’ve selected highlights from the last 20 years that show the evolution.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: Public Access to Information Eroded, Curated by Arlene GetzAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersOn Oct. 26, 2001, President George W. Bush signed the Patriot Act into law. The bill was approved with little debate in Congress; broader discussion about the Act’s impact on civil liberties only came later. These articles look at how the legislation and other post-9/11 measures limited public access to information, eroded privacy and expanded electronic surveillance–and why this lingering legacy still makes it harder for journalists to source and report the news.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: Events That Shaped a Generation, Curated by Susanna SchrobsdorffAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersThese stories are a portrait of the young adults who’ve grown up in the shadow of traumatic events they barely remember. Raised by parents whose idea of security was shattered on that day, their lives are shaped by policies created in response to the attacks. They are more anxious than previous generations and more connected to the globe’s discontents, yet they carry a stubborn hope that social justice is both possible and necessary.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: Fundamental Foreign Policy Shifts, Curated By Robert McMahonAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersThe first assessment of U.S. foreign and national security policy 20 years after the 9/11 attacks is usually a positive one: there has been no major foreign-based terror attack on U.S. territory since then. But the costs have been considerable, in terms of lives lost, human rights abuses, money spent, and harm to U.S. global stature that reverberates right up to the anniversary day. These articles offer a rundown on the profound changes to policies and norms governing international relations.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: Who Won the War in Afghanistan? Curated by Carmen GentileAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersNo one emerges a winner after 20 years of bloodshed and loss: not the Americans who served and sacrificed, the Afghan civilians caught in the middle (especially women and girls), and not even the Taliban, now leaders of a pariah state. How will all the “losers” fare in the months and years to come? Some contend that the war will be America’s undoing. Others assert that the Taliban could unravel now that they are in power. This collection explores the legacy of 9/11 and the war that followed.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboard9/11 at 20: Muslim American Life Transformed, Curated by Amna NawazAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersThe attacks of 9/11 and the U.S. government’s response changed what it meant to be Muslim in America. An entire community became subject to scrutiny, suspicion and surveillance by the U.S. security apparatus. American military action abroad in largely-Muslim nations fueled backlash here at home. Two decades later, anti-Muslim sentiment has become more deeply embedded than ever into political rhetoric. These articles explore how these shifts happened, and what it means to be Muslim in America.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardCOVID-19: The Facts You Need, Chosen by ExpertsAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersIt's been a spectacularly bad week for COVID-19 news, with over 213,000 new coronavirus cases reported in the U.S. on Thursday alone, a new one-day record. Amid the rapidly evolving health crisis and online misinformation, it can be difficult to stay abreast of the facts about transmission, prevention and vaccinations. These industry experts and data scientists can help, with a selection of the latest articles based on science.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardUnderstanding election security, our global standing and what comes next?AvatarCurated byTruth SeekersAs part of the Truth Seeker series, three leading experts on presidential transitions, foreign relations and election security, give you a full perspective on issues Americans are talking about this week. Read through their recommended stories to get the facts and share these resources (or the whole collection) with your community.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardTruth Seekers: Post-election Facts and InsightsAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersIn our post-election environment Americans have common concerns and questions. This collection of industry luminaries and experts has curated stories that help us all understand the facts around issues central to our lives, including the realities of COVID-19, our voting systems, the presidential transition and the impact of climate change.
AvatarTruth SeekersStoryboardThe Impact of Climate Change: Curated by Dr. Zeke HausfatherAvatarCurated byTruth SeekersThese articles provide an overview of why the majority of scientists are certain that climate change is occurring, is caused by human activities, and will have substantial negative impacts if not addressed. They explore how much the world has and will warm, how well early climate models have done in predicting the future, and how scientists are better understanding the sensitivity of the climate to our emissions. Finally, they look at solutions and some of the good news in emissions reductions.