Climate Matters
Our first Climate Change in the American Mind survey revealed that TV weathercasters are highly trusted sources of information about global warming. They also have unparalleled access to the public, and superior science communication skills. These three factors strongly suggested that TV weathercasters could become an important source of climate change education in communities across America.
Since 2010, with funding from the National Science Foundation — in partnership with Climate Central, the American Meteorological Society, NASA, NOAA, and Yale — we have explored and helped develop the potential of TV weathercasters as local climate educators.
Beginning with a single weathercaster in 2010, our Climate Matters partnership now provides localized broadcast-quality materials to more than 1,100 weathercasters nationwide, and is growing rapidly.
Climate Matters’ localized reporting materials are distributed weekly in English and Spanish in more than 94% of U.S. media markets. During the past decade, weathercasters’ on-air reporting of climate stories has increased more than 100-fold, and public understanding of climate change as a locally relevant problem has grown considerably.
- Climate Matters with NOAA
- Weather forecasters increasingly address climate change (PBS NewsHour)
- The Red-State Weatherwoman on a Climate Change Mission (Bloomberg)
Chief Meteorologist Jim Gandy, at WLTX in Columbia, SC, earned his reputation as a leading TV meteorologist by giving his viewers what they want: sound science and interesting visuals in a delivery style that’s crisp and easy to understand. Recently, Gandy expanded his reports to include locally focused climate science information on topics that directly touch viewers’ lives. No controversy here, says Gandy, just good community service.
In 2017, the Climate Matters team partnered with five professional journalism societies to support other journalists interested in reporting local climate change stories. Interested journalists can find the free Climate Matters in the Newsroom reporting resources and sign up to receive them here.
In 2022, PBS NewsHour and science correspondent Miles O’Brien featured Climate Matters, as well as our Center’s polling data in their report on the increase in weather forecasters addressing climate change.
Meet Amber Sullins, chief meteorologist at ABC15 News in Phoenix, who uses Climate Matters materials to tell up to two million people about climate change.
Our Climate Matters Work
Climate Matters: A 2020 Census Survey of Society of Environmental Journalists Members
This report provides the initial findings from an online census survey of Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) members. SEJ is the only North American membership association of professional journalists dedicated to enhancing and extending coverage of...
Climate Matters: A 2020 Census Survey of Television Weathercasters in the United States
Download the Report This report provides the initial findings from an online census survey of U.S.-based television weathercasters. The survey was conducted to gain insights for the continued refinement of Climate Matters, a National Science Foundation-funded...
A 2017 national survey of broadcast meteorologists
Broadcast meteorologists are increasingly playing an important role across America as trusted, local climate change educators. Through our Climate Matters partnership—with Climate Central, the American Meteorological Society, NASA, NOAA and Yale—we provide broadcast...
TV Meteorologists as Local Climate Change Educators
Five years ago – in partnership with Climate Central and WLTX (Columbia, SC) – we tested the premise that if TV weathercasters educate their viewers about the local relevance of global climate change, it will make a difference. Indeed it did: viewers learned; they...
A 2016 Survey of American Meteorological Society Members About Climate Change
This report provides findings from the national survey of American Meteorological Society (AMS) member views on climate change conducted by George Mason University and AMS, with National Science Foundation funding. Download the Report Here.
A 2016 National Survey of Broadcast Meteorologists
This report provides initial findings from the fourth nationally representative survey of broadcast meteorologists conducted by George Mason University and partner organizations (American Meteorological Society, Climate Central, NASA, NOAA, National Weather...
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The work of Mason 4C is made possible through generous philanthropic support. You can support our research and programs directly through a tax-deductible donation processed by the George Mason University Foundation.