NBC News Debuts Climate Unit, Kicks Off 'Climate In Crisis' Series

NBC News has created a new Climate Unit dedicated to covering the most important issues affecting the environment globally. As part of the Climate Unit's debut, NBC News, MSNBC, Telemundo and NBC News Digital will kick off "Climate in Crisis," a week-long series focused on climate issues, beginning Sunday, September 15.

For the series, Al Roker traveled to Kulusuk, Greenland where he flew with NASA on a first-of-its-kind Oceans Melting Greenland mission, which examined the role the ocean plays in melting glaciers. Roker spent days studying the climate's effect on Greenland's coastline. His reports will air throughout the week on TODAY.

Additionally, Lester Holt will travel to Alaska, where he lived as a child when his father served in the U.S. Air Force, to cover the impact of climate on the region's landscape. He will take an in-depth look at the effect of climate on Alaska's natural wonders, including the Portage Glacier, and he'll also explore the thawing Alaskan permafrost threatening communities. Holt's special segment will air on Nightly News Monday, September 16.

As part of the series, MSNBC's Chris Hayes and Ali Velshi will moderate "Climate Forum 2020," a two-day event featuring 2020 presidential candidates in conversation with young voters on climate issues. The event, hosted by Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service, MSNBC, Our Daily Planet and New York Magazine, will be live-streamed in part on NBC News Now and Telemundo and featured on MSNBC programming, Thursday, September 19 and Friday, September 20. Hayes will also dedicate a live hour of MSNBC's "All in with Chris Hayes" exclusively to climate that week.

Telemundo will feature coverage from its senior correspondent Vanessa Hauc, who is leading its "Noticias Telemundo Planeta Tierra" investigative unit on environmental issues. Hauc will also cover the "Climate Forum 2020" from Georgetown.

NBC News' new Climate Unit was born from its previous Weather Unit and will devote its resources, reporters and correspondents to covering the world's climate and environment. For the "Climate in Crisis" week, NBC News and MSNBC will have correspondents across the globe reporting on current climate issues including Richard Engel from Iceland, Kevin Tibbles from the Arctic, Jacob Soboroff from Guatemala, Jo Ling Kent from California, Anne Thompson from New Jersey and Trymaine Lee from Mississippi. Dylan Dryer, Chris Jansing and Bill Karins will report from New York. NBC News Digital's Science reporter Denise Chow, who accompanied Roker to Greenland, will share her reports for NBCNews.com throughout the week.

NBC News Digital has created a daily heat-record tracker, which will monitor the growing frequency of record-breaking temperatures across the country. Additionally, Digital will launch "Climate Confessions," a custom-built web app where users can get helpful tips that can benefit the environment.

"Climate in Crisis" airs across NBC News, MSNBC, Telemundo and NBC News Digital Sunday, September 15 through Friday, September 20.

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