All Environment
First LookSalton Sea revival next 鈥榚xtraordinary measure鈥� for US drought reliefThe U.S. government has set aside $250 million to restore the Salton Sea, a drying California lake.聽The money will come out of the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act, which set aside $4 billion to stave off the effects of drought across the West.
Points of ProgressOld ways, new gains: US apprenticeships expand, ancient Dutch crop revivesProgress roundup: Tradition improves U.S. job training, and bringing back buckwheat as a Dutch crop pays off in biodiversity 鈥� and old-fashioned pancakes.
This nonprofit helps old building materials find new homesA nonprofit in Springfield, Massachusetts, exemplifies rising efforts to reuse the materials left over from building teardowns and remodels.聽
Utah is growing fast. Will there be enough water for everyone?Some Utah towns are slowing development in the face of drought. Would conservation and higher rates work to limit water consumption?
Drought: Is there a way to have sustainability and a lawn?Drought is longer and more frequent across the U.S., so have we reached the extinction of the beloved American lawn?
Points of ProgressFrom Greece to Bangladesh, individual acts, big impact for land and waterProgress roundup: Care for the environment doesn鈥檛 always require the newest technology. Citizens in Bangladesh, Ecuador, and Greece are making strides.
Somalia on brink of famine. Can new tools, timely aid avert the worst?Somalia鈥檚 worst drought in 40 years has sparked warnings from the U.N. of unprecedented catastrophe. While a functioning government is coordinating relief work, generosity is needed.
Climate summit achieved new unity. Now there are pledges to fulfill.A breakthrough between rich and poor nations shows how cooperation and diplomacy can bear fruit 鈥� even if COP27 climate summitry falls short of hopes.
First LookCzech coal makes a comeback amid European gas shortagesThe Czech region of Ostrava has been working for decades to reduce its pollution levels brought on by heavy industrialization. The energy crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine, however, has revived energy inefficient coal as a cheaper option to natural gas.
First Look鈥楤attered but not broken鈥�: Great Barrier Reef shows climate resilienceScientists studying coral reproduction in the Great Barrier Reef combine ancient knowledge with technology to tackle the effects of warming waters. Indigenous groups have a growing role in management of the reef and聽experts are seeing hope for regeneration.
FocusAs world grows hotter, farmers race to innovateFood security is rising as a worldwide challenge due to climate change. Farmers are finding new ideas, and sharing old ones, to meet it.
Points of ProgressLifesaving changes: From demining Angola to calming traffic in JapanProgress roundup: Big problems can require multipronged solutions. In Japan, better train service and tiny cars helped bring down traffic fatalities.
Green dreams: Qatar's World Cup carbon neutral? No way, critics say.Qatar has built seven stadiums, a new metro system, highways, and a futuristic city in preparation for the FIFA 2022 World Cup tournament. It claims its building spree will be 鈥渃arbon-neutral,鈥� but critics say any 鈥済reening鈥� efforts aren鈥檛 enough.
First LookSalty Amazon sours a莽a铆 crop, and hopes for islands' futureHeavy agriculture and climate change on the banks of the Amazon river are threatening a莽a铆 harvest in Brazil鈥檚 Macapa region. Soil erosion and the creep of seawater into the freshwater river are changing the berries鈥� flavor and tainting drinking water. 聽
In Egypt and beyond, a climate crisis as close as the nearest water tapAt the COP27 global climate summit, a push for emission cuts is joined by a rising focus on adapting to new realities like tighter water supply.
Farming fog for water? Canary Islands tap a new reservoir.A lack of usable water is becoming a problem in areas where it wasn鈥檛 before, due to climate change. But in the Canary Islands, locals are finding that fog can make up for shortfalls on farms.
Delhi dispatch: Through haze of smog and blame, signs of cooperationThe Monitor鈥檚 correspondent lands in Delhi just as a wave of severe air pollution envelopes the city. During limited trips out of his air-purified hotel room, he watches an annual blame game unfold 鈥� and an earnest search for solutions.
First LookCOP27: Here are the top agenda items for the climate conferenceThe 2022 UN Climate Change Conference, also referred to as COP27, is meeting in Egypt this month to discuss topics ranging from fossil fuels to damage compensation.聽Last year鈥檚 discussions will be reopened and goals will be reevaluated.
Where climate burdens fall heaviest: Nations with lightest emissionsWith effects of climate change being felt worldwide, demands from marginalized nations for fairness are rising at the COP27 global summit in Egypt.
First LookRenewal: New Mexico tribe deploys ancient practices against droughtIn a northern New Mexican town, drought is forcing changes to water and crop management. The local Indigenous community, which has inhabited the area for thousands of years, is taking a lead in introducing time-tested, nature-based approaches.
