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Umair Irfan

Umair Irfan

Correspondent

Umair Irfan is a correspondent at Vox writing about climate change, energy policy, and science. He has written about universal vaccines, the environmental paradox of air conditioning, and the mysterious rise of food allergies. He has reported on the ground from California’s deadliest wildfire, from the laboratory housing the world’s most powerful laser, and from the tallest structure in Latin America, deep in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

Irfan is also a regular contributor to and occasional host of the radio program Science Friday. Prior to Vox, he was a reporter for ClimateWire at E&E News in Washington, DC, where he covered environmental health, the Department of Energy, and climate research. His work has also been published in Scientific American and the New York Times. You can DM him on X at @umairfan.

Latest articles by Umair Irfan

This critical ecosystem helped keep climate change in check. Now it’s making things worse.This critical ecosystem helped keep climate change in check. Now it’s making things worse.
Climate

Wildfires have turned the Arctic into a net carbon emitter. That’s bad news.

By Umair Irfan
As the US yields on climate leadership, China rises to fill the voidAs the US yields on climate leadership, China rises to fill the void
Climate

This year’s most important climate meeting just ended. What did it accomplish?

By Umair Irfan
Why is it still so hard to breathe in India and Pakistan?Why is it still so hard to breathe in India and Pakistan?
Climate

The world’s worst air pollution is getting worse, but there are concrete ways to fix it.

By Umair Irfan
We were supposed to hit peak emissions. Why won’t they stop rising?We were supposed to hit peak emissions. Why won’t they stop rising?
Climate

Greenhouse gas emissions are higher than ever as key leaders threaten to walk away from this year’s UN climate talks.

By Umair Irfan
Could carbon capture fix climate change?Could carbon capture fix climate change?
The Highlight

A reader asks whether the latest developments in clean energy technology can help save the planet. We break it down.

By Umair Irfan
How to bring a dead nuclear power plant back to lifeHow to bring a dead nuclear power plant back to life
ClimateMember Exclusive

Tech companies need more energy. They’re about to do something unprecedented.

By Umair Irfan
México podría estar en la cúspide de una de sus mayores transformaciones en décadasMéxico podría estar en la cúspide de una de sus mayores transformaciones en décadas
Climate

Claudia Sheinbaum, la nueva presidenta, ya está remodelando su industria energética.

By Umair Irfan
Mexico may be at the cusp of one of its biggest transformations in decadesMexico may be at the cusp of one of its biggest transformations in decades
ClimateMember Exclusive

Claudia Sheinbaum, the country’s new president, is already reshaping its energy industry.

By Umair Irfan
Is climate change really making hurricanes worse?Is climate change really making hurricanes worse?
Climate

What we know — and don’t know — about how global warming influences tropical storms.

By Umair Irfan
Why we’ve been seeing the northern lights so often latelyWhy we’ve been seeing the northern lights so often lately
Science

Scientists are getting better at predicting the sun’s antics.

By Umair Irfan