Shannon Osaka

Washington, D.C.

Climate zeitgeist reporter

Education: Princeton University, BA in environmental science and environmental studies; University of Oxford, MPhil in geography

Shannon Osaka is a climate reporter covering policy, culture, and science for The Washington Post. She came to The Post after two and a half years at the nonprofit environment journalism outlet Grist, where she analyzed federal climate policy, the energy transition and ideas about climate change. Before becoming a journalist, she received a master’s degree in human geography and published academic papers on climate change perception and modeling.
Latest from Shannon Osaka

If you live in California, your power bill will soon depend on your income

A new California law is sparking backlash — with uncertain benefits for clean energy.

June 1, 2023

What France’s new ban on short flights could signal for the future of flying

France's ban on short-haul flights will cut some greenhouse gas emissions. But to really make an impact, it would take a country like the United States to act.

May 25, 2023

The coming battle between Americans who want to go electric and their landlords

In rented homes and apartments, renters struggle to switch to cleaner energy.

May 23, 2023

Why the U.S. is so bad at building clean energy, in 3 charts

As Congress battles over the debt ceiling and permitting reform, here’s what’s at stake for the renewable energy industry and 2050 "net zero" carbon target.

May 18, 2023

The cars that get you addicted to driving electric

Plug-in hybrids are the quiet workhorses of the electric revolution.

May 4, 2023

Heat pumps are having a breakthrough. They have one issue: The wrong name.

The newly popular technology faces an issue: No one understands its name.

April 28, 2023

A new front in the water wars: Your internet use

In the American West, data centers are clashing with local communities who want to preserve water amid drought

April 25, 2023
  • Analysis

Which electric vehicle is right for you? Check out our guide.

A guide for comparing price, battery range and estimated environmental impact of the nation’s top-selling electric vehicles.

April 18, 2023

The unlikely center of America’s EV battery revolution

Georgia is gaining thousands of jobs from electric vehicle manufacturing as part of the growing "battery belt." But lawmakers are hesitant to fully embrace EVs.

April 17, 2023

Here’s the biggest hurdle facing America’s EV revolution

The United States is finally ready to take the plunge when it comes to electric vehicles. But our flawed EV charging system is standing in the way.

April 13, 2023