Lauren Sommer
Lauren Sommer covers climate change for NPR's Science Desk, from the scientists on the front lines of documenting the warming climate to the way those changes are reshaping communities and ecosystems around the world.
Prior to joining NPR, Sommer spent more than a decade covering climate and environment for KQED Public Radio in San Francisco. During her time there, she delved into the impacts of California's historic drought during dry years and reported on destructive floods during wet years, and covered how communities responded to record-breaking wildfires.
Sommer has also examined California's ambitious effort to cut carbon emissions across its economy and investigated the legacy of its oil industry. On the lighter side, she ran from charging elephant seals and searched for frogs in Sierra Nevada lakes.
She was also host of KQED's macrophotography nature series Deep Look, which searched for universal truths in tiny organisms like black-widow spiders and parasites. Sommer has received a national Edward R. Murrow for use of sound, as well as awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Society of Environmental Journalists.
Based at NPR's San Francisco bureau, Sommer grew up in the West, minus a stint on the East Coast to attend Cornell University.
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A record dry year is creating extreme drought in the West. But even if it rains, climate change will continue to shrink the water supply for millions of people. -
Severe drought is spreading after a record dry year in the Western United States. Climate change is only making water shortages worse.
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Atlantic hurricane season kicks off on June 1, and it's supposed to be a slightly above average hurricane season. In the Western U.S., there's already a serious drought and elevated fire risk.
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Hotter oceans are putting coral reefs in peril worldwide. Scientists are warning that to save them, heat-trapping emissions must fall, and reefs will need more protection and restoration.
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President Biden plans to cut U.S. emissions 50 to 52 percent by 2030. The question is: what kind of climate policies will work that fast?
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Kelp forests along Northern California have almost vanished. Divers and scientists are racing to stop purple sea urchins from taking over critical habitat.
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Climate change is hitting the oceans hard, both warming and acidifying the water. Ocean scientists are hoping the Biden Administration dives in quickly to address it.
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Power outages are increasingly common, putting everything from clean drinking water to medical equipment at risk. Some communities are installing solar power and large batteries to protect themselves.
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A century ago, the shipping industry recorded the daily ebb and flow of tides. Now, those records are becoming crucial for forecasting how fast sea levels are rising in a warming climate.
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Scientists say the next decade is crucial for slowing climate change. To catch up, President Biden's environmental policies will have to move faster than any in history.
