All Environment
- Why UN talks this week focus on just one word: PlasticsFew plastics are recycled, and instead particles are increasingly ubiquitous in the environment. Our charts give context as nations seek a treaty.
Points of ProgressChanging views on crime, from Central Asia to the South PacificProgress roundup: From Uzbekistan to Cook Islands, evolving views on behavior and relationships yield legal protection for battered partners and gay men.
First LookNext green leader? India halts new coal plant construction.India released its five-year energy plan May 31, 2023, which bars the country from building聽any new coal power plants and promotes renewable energy development.聽India is the world鈥檚 third largest emitter but aims to be carbon neutral by 2070.聽
First LookGlobal heatwaves are getting hotter. How can risks be curbed?Climate change-fueled heatwaves are shattering records worldwide, and scientists expect them to worsen.聽Urgent action is needed, they say, to mitigate risks to health, food security, water management, and the environment.
First LookCalifornia鈥檚 test: Can floodwater be captured and stored for future?While heavy winter storms alleviated California鈥檚 years of 鈥渕egadrought,鈥� experts say that capturing the rainwater presents a challenge and opportunity. One solution to harnessing the resource could be the recharging of underground water systems.
First LookWomen in Guyana plant mangroves to battle rising seasIndigenous women use drones, scientific data, and the replanting of mangroves to slow the progression of rising seas in the South American nation of Guyana.
First LookMore wetlands wiped out? Supreme Court favors farmers over protections.The Supreme Court is curtailing the federal government鈥檚 power to protect some wetlands, making it easier for farmers and developers to fill or disturb wetlands. The decision weakens the Clean Water Act, a bedrock environmental law.
Points of ProgressDamage control: How the World Bank reformed and Brazil curbs illegal goldProgress roundup: Efforts to protect people with less power include Brazil's testing to identify illegal gold, and the World Bank's 30-year-old reforms.
First LookWestern states strike a deal to conserve water from Colorado RiverArizona, California, and Nevada agree to significantly cut their water use from the drought-stricken Colorado River in exchange for money from the federal government.聽
In Sweden, recycled fabrics turn old clothes into new fashionTo address the fashion industry鈥檚 rampant waste problem, innovators are processing old clothes into brand-new textiles.
FocusCalifornia battles a 鈥榞host lake鈥� 鈥� and its own political divisionsTulare Lake, which didn鈥檛 exist mere months ago, could submerge a community and two prisons. Local and state agencies are having to work together.
In Pictures: Two views of elephant tourism in ThailandAs Thailand鈥檚 elephant tourism rebounds from a pandemic pause, so too has discussion of how to best care for the beloved beasts.
On solar energy, a top-down push meets bottom-up doubtsSolar power is a growth industry and a national priority. But that doesn鈥檛 mean solar projects are easily built. One problem may be a lack of dialogue between investors and local communities.
Points of ProgressBright spots: Dark sky in China, and TV lessons for Afghan girlsProgress roundup: The BBC creates educational TV shows for Afghan girls stuck at home; a Chinese community gets certified by the Dark-Sky Association.
Biden targets power plant emissions. How does your state stack up?As the Biden administration proposes new power plant rules to address climate change, our chart package looks at current emissions and how to fund a transition.聽
Meet Peru鈥檚 unsung hero of the P贸mac ForestReviving a forest is a community affair. But collective efforts often begin with one person. In Peru鈥檚 P贸mac Forest, that鈥檚 Carlos Alberto Llauce Baldera.
The ExplainerNo more gas stoves? New York is first state to ban gas in new buildings.New York state鈥檚 ban on natural gas in new construction has critics, but also supporters who say it鈥檚 an important step toward net-zero emissions.聽
Points of ProgressReunited: Stolen art goes home, and why lonely habitats need companyProgress roundup: New York's Antiquities Traffic Unit returns hundreds of objects, the Amazon's isolated habitats grow stronger when linked, and more.
These EV-savvy high schoolers could help California meet green tech goalsThis border-town high school is revving up students for an EV workforce. It鈥檚 an effort well suited to California鈥檚 green technology goals.
Is nuclear power attractive or risky? In Minnesota, it鈥檚 both.In Minnesota legislature, climate change has revived Democrats鈥� interest in nuclear power. But a radioactive leak has rekindled public concerns about safety.