9 email newsletters climate communications experts can’t live without

Want to keep on top of climate news but frequently experience information overload? In this era of 24-hour news cycles and unrestricted doom scrolling, there is seemingly no limit to the information available to us at any given moment. At Greenhouse it’s our job to keep across the climate headlines of the day and we have one tool in our arsenal that acts as our secret weapon to staying informed: the email newsletter.  

There is an abundance of environmental newsletters out there, each one with a different focus, angle or perspective. Luckily for you, our team have tried and tested most of them, and we’ve put together a list of nine newsletters we simply couldn’t do our jobs without. 

  1. Net Zero (Semafor)
Semafor is a global news source that is new to the scene and doing news a bit differently. Its Net Zero newsletter reports on ‘the global intersection of climate policy, energy, and geopolitics.’ Net Zero is packed with stats, quotes, perspectives, and graphs whilst still being very accessible – partly thanks to the memes and puns sprinkled throughout. Each edition has a focus topic, the most recent being hydrogen energy. Youth and policy expert Gabi says: “Semafor Net Zero is a great newsletter to subscribe to as it provides the opportunity to read important climate stories from perspectives across borders. When it comes to complex global issues, knowledge is power and understanding multiple perspectives is key to creating positive change. Net Zero is not too long or detailed, but factual and to the point making it easily digestible. It also helps that they provide infographics, pictures, and puns.”  Frequency: Twice a week, every Wednesday and Friday  Topics: Climate policy, energy, geopolitics  
  1. The Frontline (Atmos )  

Atmos Earth magazine bills itself as ‘an exploration of climate and culture’ and a ‘friendly reminder that the warming of the world is unjust’. It is written and presented beautifully by global artists and activists who provide a diverse range of perspectives on the natural world and climate justice. Atmos’ newsletters offer radical views, passionate opinions, and striking photography, all whilst centering marginalised voices. If you’re looking to diversify and decolonialise your media diet, this is a great one for you. Oceans specialist Emma recommends Atmos because:  

“Atmos is a unique outlet, exploring the intersection of climate and culture, always connecting the reader to the wonder of the natural world. I subscribe to The Frontline, Atmos’ environmental justice newsletter by Yessenia Funes. Covering poignant topics with rich storytelling and a devotion to platform the voices we must listen to, it’s both a rare and essential newsletter.”  

Frequency: Weekly  

Topics: Climate justice, deep ecology, ethical fashion, art & culture, identity & community  

  1. Capital Monitor and Energy Monitor

Where greenwashing is the enemy, fact checkers are the heroes. These two newsletters drill into stories in the climate space with Capital Monitor assessing sustainable finance and investment and Energy Monitor tracking the global energy transition. They are both data-driven at their core and an essential tool in figuring out what is good news and what is simply greenwashing. Finance specialist Conor elaborates: 

"Capital Monitor and Energy Monitor are both well worth subscribing to. They're free, slightly left leaning, they do their own research and analysis to scrutinise corporate claims on sustainability/ESG and they have two of the best up and coming data reporters in the UK in Polly Bindman and Nick Ferris”.  

Frequency: Capital Monitor weekly and Energy Monitor is bi-weekly  

Topics: Energy, finance, sustainable business, tech, investment  

  1. Down to Earth (Guardian)

Could the high seas treaty be a game changer for our oceans? What is stopping Australia from kicking its fossil fuel addiction? How do you spot misleading figures about 'climate-friendly' consumption? These recent topics of focus in the Guardian’s Down to Earth newsletter show the breadth of subjects covered in the weekly climate newsletter. Nature expert Georgia nominated Down to Earth and explains why:     

"They focus on a topical climate or environmental issue each week, and it might not be one that you're familiar with or that is being covered in the general news beat, which is great for a wider perspective. They also have a ‘good news’ section and a climate hero each week, which is a nice touch as climate reporting can often be pretty depressing."  

Frequency: Weekly   

Topics: Climate and environment   

  1. Thin Ink

Our food systems are inextricably linked to the climate crisis and navigating these topics is important but challenging. Thin Ink delves into a new topic each Friday, offering a valuable overview and informative insight. Recent focuses include how to ensure global food system resilience in the 21st Century, and the dangerous new phase of the food price crisis. This newsletter was nominated by our expert on everything food, Jenny.   

“Reading the Thin Ink newsletter is genuinely one of my favourite parts of the week as it usually falls on a Friday and is the perfect opportunity for reflection and insights on core topics within food and climate. Our food systems are in crisis and this newsletter confronts the environmentally destructive and inequitable factors that are impacting people across the world. Award-winning journalist Thin Lei Win highlights both problems and solutions in this fascinating deep dive that tackles the big questions and latest news. A must read for any food nerds out there!” 

Frequency: Every Friday 

Topics: Food and climate 

  1. Reasons to be Cheerful

Hope. Optimism. Good news. In an endless doom and gloom news cycle of climate catastrophes, it's more important than ever to share positive stories. Reasons to be Cheerful documents positive solutions that are being implemented by individuals and communities globally. Helen, who heads up our oceans, food and better business work, appreciates this dash of positivity in her inbox: 

"While the urgency of the climate crisis cannot be understated, it's also important to acknowledge the progress we're making in building a more sustainable and equitable future. There are plenty of reasons to be cheerful, and lots of solutions we can look to for inspiration, but they are not widely reported. Sharing stories of hope is key for enabling climate action, and Reasons to be Cheerful is a weekly dose of optimism delivered to your inbox."  

Frequency: Every Tuesday   

Topics: Good news for people and planet  

  1. Edie

What sets Edie's newsletter apart from the others? As a news outlet Edie is committed to delivering quality journalism on sustainability news, as well as equipping businesses with tools for implementing sustainable practices through events and reports. Their daily newsletter reflects this, packed with digestible summaries of the latest news stories, reports, interviews, and even a jargon-buster. Energy storage expert Abbie says: 

"I have subscribed to Edie's newsletter for a long while as it provides a daily summary of breaking news, key topics and trends within the energy and environment industry, in a very accessible format. This newsletter shares a daily reminder of the lows of the climate crisis, highlighting key issues, but also provides some hope by sharing stories of solutions set to help our decarbonisation journey."    

Frequency: Every weekday  

Topic: Sustainable business, money, and finance  

  1.  Cropped (Carbon Brief)

Sometimes it feels as though the news is full of stories that touch on issues in our food systems - from veg shortages, to food banks, to the top 20 vegan foods to cure a hangover. But illuminating analysis of how climate change, agriculture and global food systems intersect is often on the periphery. Carbon Brief's Cropped puts these stories centre stage. Cropped lands in your inbox once every fortnight and food systems specialist Sunita eagerly awaits its arrival:  

"Announcements related to food systems, land and nature often get lost amidst a busy climate news agenda, so I find Carbon Brief's 'Cropped' newsletter to be a clear and informative summary of stories solely focused on food and agriculture. You can instantly tell that the newsletter is written by journalists who live and breathe these topics." 

Frequency: Fortnightly  

Topics: Food, land, nature, climate  

  1. Greenhouse Morning News and Insights  

And finally, we couldn’t resist including Greenhouse Morning News and Greenhouse weekly Insights. Here’s energy systems guru Alex, who also co-leads the newsletter team, letting you know what you can expect by signing up: 

"There is so much noise about climate change...how do you narrow it down? Signing up to Greenhouse's daily and weekly newsletters is one of the best places to start if you want to see the wood from trees. Every weekday morning, Greenhouse Morning News lands to give you major climate news from the last 24 hours, while Friday’s Political Insights shines a light on how UK, EU and global leaders have been dealing with climate change. Whether it's a damning new report on biodiversity loss, a groundbreaking clean technology innovation, or a fierce political debate on environmental issues, sign up to our two newsletters and our brilliant newsletter team will help inform your day."  

Frequency: GMN – Every weekday; Insights – Every Friday  

Topics: Energy, finance, food & agriculture, nature & conservation, lifestyle, policy  

We hope there’s a newsletter here for everyone, no matter your interests. If you’re still not sure where to start, most newsletters offer their archive of past editions to browse, so have a look through and see what takes your fancy. Top tip: always remember to check your spam folder as newsletters new to your inbox can hide there initially. Happy reading! 

Enjoyed this blog? You may also like:

17 environmental podcasts you need to hear

Top 10 ethical brands