John Upton

Senior Science Writer

Climate Central

John Upton is a senior science writer at Climate Central. He studied science and business in Australia, worked as a journalist in California, enjoyed an 18-month environmental reporting odyssey in India, then joined Climate Central's editorial team in New York. Upton has written for the New York Times, Slate, Nautilus, VICE, Grist, Pacific Standard, Modern Farmer, 7x7 San Francisco and Audubon magazine.

Iconic New York beach gets climate-resilient boardwalk

June 20, 2017

by John Upton

It cost $70 million per mile to replace the Rockaway Beach dunes and walkway destroyed by Superstorm Sandy five years ago, a project emblematic of forward-thinking coastal development.
- Cities
- Resilience
How California farmers are using floods to feed soil

February 24, 2017

by John Upton

The Oroville dam crisis inspired farmers to capture floodwater underground for use in warmer months.
Farming pollution worsens while fuel emissions slow

June 17, 2016

by John Upton

An exponential growth in agricultural emissions is breaking a historical trend.
- Food & Agriculture
The carbon pricing debate goes public in Washington state

April 28, 2016

by John Upton

The state could buck the trend toward cap-and-trade with an initiative slated for the ballot in November.
- Finance & Investing
- Energy & Climate
A world tour of what's changed since the Paris climate pact

March 18, 2016

by John Upton

Talk is actually translating to action — in most places.
What the Supreme Court shakeup means for climate change

February 18, 2016

by John Upton

The Clean Power Plan hangs in the balance following the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
- Energy & Climate
- Policy & Politics
Pulp fiction: Why wood is a dirty secret of clean energy

October 26, 2015

by John Upton

Across Europe, wood has become the renewable of choice, with forests razed to feed surging demand. Yet burning wood is worse than burning coal.
Could the Clean Power Plan create a massive cap-and-trade system?

August 7, 2015

by John Upton

The broader approach to electricity encapsulated in Obama's new Clean Power Plan might just create the nation's newest carbon trading system.
- Policy & Politics
How farmers can benefit from cap and trade

April 29, 2015

by John Upton

California's cap-and-trade system has provided new ways for farmers to mitigate the risk of climate change. But will the rest of the United States follow suit?
- Food & Agriculture
One way to up the ante on resilience: funding tied to climate goals

March 25, 2015

by John Upton

One way to make cities and states pay attention to resilience: tie funding to concrete action.
- Finance & Investing
- Resilience