About

Need to Know: Science and Insight looks at the issues we all Need-to-Know at this time of pandemic, and existential crisis of climate change and unravelling of nature’s life supports.

In each issue I try to address a least one current Need-to-Know issue and explain why it’s important for all of us to know and what can be done about it. I’ll also find information you can use right away along with a bit of universal wisdom to consider…. And sometimes there will be things that may bring a smile or two.

What subscribers are saying…

“Absolutely loved this...

“A brilliantly short, simple explanation of climate change which even flat-earthers would have trouble arguing with.

“This is one of the best articles I've read to date on assessing and understanding your risks with regards to COVID19

Try it now by getting your free subscription to Need to Know: Science and Insight. No ads; No spam. Paid subscribers also get free “Shareables” — very brief one-page pdfs on key topics to share with family and friends, i.e. “Climate Change explained in 165 words”.

I make my living writing so Need to Know will soon be for paying subscribers. I’ve kept the cost as low as I can. If anyone needs a free subscription, several generous Partners/Patrons are funding a few free subscriptions. Contact me directly: leahy@substack.com

About Stephen 

I’m writing Need to Know to share the insights and understanding I’ve gleaned from the smart and wise people from all over the world I’ve interviewed in my 25 years as an award-winning science and environmental journalist writing for National Geographic, The Guardian, Vice and dozens of other publications.

One of the reasons I left my corporate career all those ago was to write about what I believed were need to know science and environmental issues. 

My work has appeared in dozens of publications including National Geographic news, The Guardian, Vice, New Scientist, Al Jazeera, Maclean’s Magazine, Changing America, The Toronto Star, Wired News, and publications in Europe and Asia. I received the SEAL Award for Environmental Journalism two years running for my work documenting climate change impacts and solutions at National Geographic and Vice

I previously received the Prince Albert/United Nations Global Prize for reporting on international environmental issues as a result of my years as the senior science and environment correspondent at the Rome-based, Inter Press Service News Agency (IPS), the world’s largest not-for-profit news agency.

My book, “Your Water Footprint (…a brilliant and shocking exposé on precisely how much water we use…— Publishers Weekly) was awarded Best Science Book of the Year in Canada.

Interviewing Indigenous leader in Mexico at a climate protest...

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Award-winning Environmental Journalist and Author