All Environment
First LookWhy cheetahs might be moving quickly toward extinctionA new study urges officials to change the status of cheetahs from 'vulnerable' to 'endangered.' The big cats have been pushed out of 91 percent of their historic habitat.
Maine looks north, hoping to become a gateway to the ArcticAs climate change raises the prospect of more open Arctic waters, Maine is hoping to take advantage,聽economically and culturally.
First LookGreen energy can increasingly match 鈥� or beat 鈥� fossil fuel prices, report saysFor the first time, the costs of wind and solar power have dropped to match those of fossil fuels. Environmental advocates hope that could make businesses more likely to opt for renewable energy sources when calculating their costs. 聽
Behind oil-drilling bans, a debate over competing Arctic visionsOil companies and Arctic communities have long sought prosperity through resource extraction. Plans announced by Barack Obama and Justin Trudeau imply more focus on tourism and sustainability.
First LookChina launches emissions-tracking satellite, as nation eyes climate leadershipThe TanSat satellite will track carbon dioxide emissions, which China has committed to cutting as part of the Paris climate agreement.
First Look'Casper' the octopus threatened by deep sea metal miningManganese, a metal used in cellphones and computers, may be critical to the life cycles of deep sea octopuses.
First LookNorth Pole expected to reach 50 degrees warmer than normalTemperatures are expected to climb to just below the freezing point on Thursday, much higher than is usual during an Arctic winter.
Obama limits offshore oil, as 'Keep it in the Ground' idea risesThe White House puts vast areas off Atlantic and Arctic coasts off limits to drilling. The move may reflect how a 'Keep it in the Ground' movement has gained traction within the Democratic Party.
Nixon went to China. Can Trump do climate change?Plenty of people on the political left want action to address climate change. But many people on the right do to; they just are wary of big government. Perhaps the time is ripe for an art-of-the-deal solution.聽
Cities enlist nature to tame rising flood risksDetroit, Philadelphia, and Houston are among the places investing in 'green infrastructure' that mimics wetlands. It can be cheaper than the alternative, given the threat posed by climate change.- First LookFacing smog emergency, China closes factories, limits carsSome cities in northern China have taken drastic measures to combat smog, including temporarily shutting down factories and restricting the number of cars allowed on roads.聽
- Toxic work culture at national parks?In this edition: rising allegations of sexual harassment聽by National Park Service employees; the nuance on Trump's energy team; Canada's carbon-price move.聽
First LookMore than three years later, N.D. Tesoro oil spill still not cleaned upOne of the largest onshore oil spills in US history continues to highlight聽the dangers of oil pipelines, as the battle over the four-state Dakota Access pipeline continues.
How will the Trump White House treat climate change? Why it's so hard to know.Donald Trump and some of his nominated cabinet members have complex relationships with climate change, making it difficult to know how past remarks will translate into future policy.聽
First LookHairy crabs and other new creatures discovered at underwater 'Dragon's Breath'The ever-plentiful 'mineral-laden water' flowing out of the vent chimneys make the area an ideal habitat for various sea life聽鈥撀燼nd, more recently, an ideal location for seafloor mining of copper and gold.聽
First LookHow Mexico plans to save the last few vaquita porpoisesThere may be as few as three dozen vaquita porpoises left in the world. Mexico hopes an international effort to catch and enclose the porpoises will protect them, though some are skeptical.
The ExplainerCanada puts a price on carbon: what the move meansCanada isn't the first to do this, but the move is a landmark one for its scale and regional flexibility 鈥� and because the country is a major fossil fuel producer.
Fossil fuels, yes. But Trump energy team isn't a one-note band.The team includes an Energy nominee who knows wind power can work, a State Department nominee who has supported the Paris climate deal, and an Interior nominee who's not big on selling off federal lands.聽
First Look'Predator control': Should Colorado kill its bears to save its deer?Colorado wildlife officials have come under fire for culling predators, a controversial approach to protecting the dwindling mule deer聽population.
First LookA 62-foot wave was recorded in the North Atlantic. How'd they measure it?Wave monitoring is part of international efforts for the purposes of maritime interests and science.
