Chris Hatch
Climate Correspondent | Vancouver
About Chris Hatch
Chris Hatch writes Canada's National Observer's celebrated Sunday newsletter, Zero Carbon. Chris is the former Executive Director of Rainforest Action Network as well as the former executive editor at Canada's National Observer. He is now a columnist at National Observer and writes the acclaimed Sunday newsletter, Zero Carbon.
Burning comforting illusions in the land of fire
Almost none of the world’s most powerful leaders will be showing up in Baku — by contrast, more than 1700 fossil fuel lobbyists are mobbing the conference halls, official passes dangling from their necks.
Coping with the Trumpsterfire
“How are you coping?” Your answers feel even more on point with Donald Trump headed back to the White House, and you are certainly not alone if you’re feeling dread or even despair this week. I wish you could see my inbox — you would quickly be disabused of the notion that no one wants to talk about it.
The death of EV sales has been greatly exaggerated
While the media narrative would have readers believe that sales are stalling, recent numbers show that EVs are still setting records in both the U.S. and Canada.
Humanity needs a 'double movement' to stabilize our climate
While it will take some time to figure out what’s happening at the global level this year, the numbers for 2023 are not good. Worldwide, forests, plants and soils released almost as much carbon as they absorbed, according to an international team of sixteen researchers.
When conspiracy theories and climate disasters collide
Conspiracy theories after disasters are not new, of course, but they have surged to record levels following Helene and Milton. “It is absolutely the worst I have ever seen,” says FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
How climate change inundated a ‘climate haven’
The sheer volume of water dumped by Hurricane Helene was beyond comprehension — something like 42 trillion gallons of water fell from the sky.
A potent force against fossil fuels
A remarkable force in global campaigns for human rights and environmental sanity, Kumi Naidoo is the new president of the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative.
Pierre Poilievre's carbon tax obsession is getting a little creepy
During a recent televised speech to his MPs, Poilievre spat out the carbon word more than twice per minute.
Despite the heat, climate change policy gets the cold shoulder
Heat records were shattered again this summer. Yet even though concern about inflation has declined somewhat, climate change has not rebounded as a public priority.
Jasper and the great sadness
The sadness for Jasper is twinned with foreboding. Fires will keep getting worse until we eliminate climate pollution. The laws of physics are unmoved by the excuses of lobbyists and lawmakers.