A better climate substack

Climate science is fascinating: complex, fast-moving, urgent, and compelling.

Climate journalism is boring: hidebound, dogmatic, sanctimonious and dull.

There’s a missing middle there.

One Percent Brighter tries to fill it.

What’s with the name?

Scientists have known for decades that if the Earth reflected just 1% more of the sun’s energy back out into space —if Earth was One Percent Brighter— that would be enough to counteract the warming effects of anthropogenic climate change.

Over time, I’ve gotten more interested in marine photosynthesis as probably the most scalable climate solution. But other techniques could help, too.

Who am I?

My name is Quico Toro. I’m Director of Climate Repair for the Anthropocene Institute. My focus is on getting as many scientifically sound ocean fertilization trials into the water as possible by 2027.

A journalist by training, my work has appeared in Foreign Affairs, The Atlantic, Caracas Chronicles, (which I co-founded) and lots of other places. I’ve been been a Latitudes columnist for The New York Times a global opinion columnist for The Washington Post, a city columnist for Montreal’s Le Devoir, as well as Chief Content Officer for The Group of Fifty. He is now a Contributing Editor for Persuasion.

For reasons that baffle me, I live in Tokyo.

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