All Environment
For this community, trees bring more than shade. They represent justice.In Boston鈥檚 Roxbury neighborhood, residents banded together to oppose a road project that would cut down cherished trees.
First LookWhy wasn鈥檛 Texas鈥� power grid prepared for cold weather?The power failures in Texas can be seen as a result of a perfect storm of multiple things going awry at once. On the other hand, the state has for years largely resisted regulations and changes that could insulate its power grid from extreme temperature fluctuations.
First LookWhy is it so cold? Also, why is it so warm? Scientists explain.Record subzero temperatures and deep freezes in Texas, Oklahoma, and Mexico cut millions of people off the power grid on Tuesday. But places like Greenland and Norway are seeing warm weather. Scientists shine light on what the polar vortex has to do with it all.聽
First LookFighting climate change in America means changes to AmericaProgress toward a midcentury net-zero carbon goal will require Americans to make some lifestyle changes but won't dramatically alter day-to-day life.聽
Lenka Novak: Learning to never introduce yourself as a climate modelerMeet Lenka Novak. She鈥檚 part of an elite team of scientists hoping to put climate prediction in the palm of your hand.
Gavin Schmidt: The problem with climate models? People.Meet聽Gavin Schmidt. He's聽part of an elite team of scientists hoping to put climate prediction in the palm of your hand.聽
Cover StoryMeet the team shaking up climate modelsAn elite team of scientists is devising a model that may put climate prediction in the palm of your hand.
Tapio Schneider: Climate science meets the 鈥榩hysics of everyday life鈥�Meet聽Tapio Schneider. He's聽part of an elite team of scientists hoping to put climate prediction in the palm of your hand.聽
First LookAmid many losses in 2020, a win for electric carsCOVID-19 has pushed some conversations about climate change to the wayside, but progress continues in the field of electric vehicles. In the European Union, new incentives and stricter regulations on carbon emissions have spurred growth in electric car sales.
How 60,000 discarded flip-flops ended up on a remote islandThe Aldabra atoll may be uninhabited, but its beaches are covered with trash. Fishing gear and聽plastic litter are the biggest problems.聽
First LookAs mountains give way to border wall, where does wildlife go?As work crews rush to build more of President Donald Trump鈥檚 border wall before his term ends next month, conservationists fear the environmental damage could be irreversible as the construction upends wildlife habitats.
First LookElectric cars are on the rise in cities. Can power grids cope?As electric vehicle sales rise across Europe, more charging stations are needed. Power grids are trying to meet increasing energy demands as they keep pace with government carbon reduction targets. How Sweden is preparing for the switch.
Can the world outdo the Paris accord? Climate summit dreams big.At Saturday鈥檚 virtual Climate Ambition Summit, nations around the world shared plans to close the climate ambition gap.
First LookEverest got a little taller, but its height is not set in stoneMount Everest officially grew after China and Nepal, navigating science and diplomacy, agreed on a new height. Measuring mountains, however, is a tricky business, given the earth鈥檚 constant geological changes.
First LookAs food industry makes green shift, some farmers see an openingNorth American food and agriculture industry giants are finding that going green is paying off, as consumers demand more environmentally sustainable sustenance. And farmers adopting low-fertilizer and low-water use practices are cashing in.
First LookCan Norway鈥檚 deforestation program outbid loggers?One way to fight deforestation is to pay countries to keep their forests from being logged. Norway is leading the way for such programs and has announced it will double the price it pays 鈥� but the rate might still not be competitive enough in middle-income countries.
First LookShould Charleston wall itself off from rising sea levels?The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is weighing a $1.75 billion sea wall proposal to ward off storm flooding in Charleston, South Carolina. Residents want a solution as sea levels rise, but question the project's environmental and social impacts.
First LookTeen power: An Indian girl invents a solar iron to reduce smogA teen in India has come up with an ingenious way to clean up dirty city air: solar-powered clothes irons. Street vendors typically use charcoal to power their irons, but using solar energy instead would reduce costs and pollution.
Could the job of preserving America鈥檚 wolves shift to states?As the U.S. Department of the Interior plans to remove the gray wolf from its list of endangered species, Colorado narrowly voted to reintroduce them.
A pollution solution where the rubber meets the roadA group of recent graduates have devised a potential solution to an invisible problem: tire pollution.