海角大神

What we're writing

Northeast Christmas tree farmers get聽drought in their holiday stockings

Drought has killed many young trees on farms across New England. Farmers are strugglng to adapt, by planting new varieties and considering drip irrigation systems.聽鈥淵ou keep hoping that climate change isn鈥檛 going on, but then you have these experiences,鈥� says grower John Elwell in West Newbury, Mass. As scientists say warming temperatures聽may deepen such challenges, some publicly managed forests are testing "assisted migration" of tree species to new zones.聽//聽Zack Colman

Protesters'聽pipeline win may be聽short- and long-lived

The decision to block construction of a controversial portion of the Dakota Access Pipeline could be overturned by the next administration. But the determination of the #noDAPL protesters聽could also help kindle new activism. //聽Henry Gass

EPA's McCarthy聽speaks at Inhabit event;聽Trump names his own pick聽to lead the agency

Although Trump and Obama agendas differ, some forces tilt toward continuity, Gina McCarthy of the Environmental Protection Agency聽said聽at an Inhabit-hosted event in Washington. A聽separate story quotes聽other current and聽former EPA workers amplifying the idea that Trump's聽appointee聽can't turn policy on a dime. For one thing,聽the genie of climate-aware mindsets is hard to put back in the bottle. And Inhabit聽profiles the聽nominee, climate-change skeptic and Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt. //聽Zack Colman,聽Mark Trumbull

Gore, yes. But聽watch who else has Trump's ear.

A visit by climate-change evangelist Al Gore with Donald and Ivanka Trump has stirred hopes that the聽president-elect may be open to adjusting his stance on climate change. (Then came聽climate-concerned actor Leonardo DiCaprio later in the week). But green groups see plenty of Trump signals that don't point toward any pivot yet on greenhouse gases.聽//聽Zack Colman

Mexico joins聽'big reserve' trend of ocean conservation

On Monday,聽Mexico established 160 million acres in biological reserves, surpassing UN targets three years early. //聽Joseph Dussault

How natural gas and nuclear made US greener

A new study by Brookings found increases in natural gas and nuclear energy for electricity generation have allowed parts of the US to 'decouple,' with states reducing their carbon dioxide emissions but seeing their economies grow. //聽Ben Rosen

What we're reading

China鈥檚 clean energy push runs into headwinds

Construction of solar panels and wind farms hasn鈥檛 been matched by electricity grid upgrades // The Wall Street Journal

Beyond聽Dakota:聽Many fossil fuel projects delayed, nixed聽

Public opposition has聽played a role in at least some decisions, while聽factors include shifting economics and governments' concerns about the environmental or project siting.聽// InsideClimate News

Climate-resistant beans a bulwark of food security

Why a seed bank in Colombia may help Africa and the world聽in the聽fight against crop failures. // Inter Press Service

Google's satellite timelapses show聽planet's changes

"Are human beings capable of assimilating such global perspectives....?" // The Guardian

What's trending

Giraffes on聽'vulnerable' list as ranks drop聽40 percent

The world's tallest land animal is being pushed toward possible聽extinction, conservationists said Thursday, adding that there is still time to turn the tide against poaching and reduction in living space.聽// 海角大神

Trump team asks for names of DOE staffers who worked on climate policy

鈥淸It] would be tantamount to an illegal modern-day political witch hunt, and would have a profoundly chilling impact鈥� if Trump were to punish agency workers carrying out policies his administration doesn鈥檛 agree with. // Sen. Ed Markey (D), quoted by Bloomberg

Delaware-size chunk lost from Amazon in a year聽

鈥淪uppression of Amazon deforestation is still highly dependent upon command-and-control measures鈥搉amely, law enforcement."聽// Scientist Daniel Neptstad, quoted in The Washington Post

Google to go all green. Will other tech giants follow?

The company's power contracts ensure that, even if its specific facilities are not green-powered, "we are contributing to greening the grid where we operate." // Google, quoted in 海角大神