All Environment
First LookExtreme heat threatens 2 million hajj pilgrims. Scientists warn it will only get worse.Temperatures over 124 degrees Fahrenheit have resulted in a death toll of at least 562 people so far during this year鈥檚 hajj pilgrimage.聽Climate scientists say extreme heat will only increase in severity with each coming year.
Points of ProgressFrom museums to monasteries, saving art amid climate changeProgress roundup: Museums use less air-conditioning, monasteries are being cared for by local conservators, and the 鈥淵osemite of South America鈥� is sold to conservationists.聽
This Namibian park has skyscraper-high dunes and a spectacular view of dawnA trusty guide in love with the smallest of beings draws attention away from the impossibly high mounds of sand in the Namib-Naukluft National Park.
Where the wildflowers grow ... in a Ukrainian war zoneWhen a Ukrainian dam blew up a year ago, floods destroyed homes and farmland across swathes of the south. But nature is reclaiming its rights.
First LookCopper manufacturers step up recycling game by tapping the 鈥榰rban mine鈥�Wire manufacturer Nexans is mixing increasing amounts of discarded copper into its products in an effort to meet the rising demand for the metal, which is expected to nearly double by 2035. The company鈥檚 copper rods now contain 14% recycled copper.
The ExplainerHow rising sea temperatures are affecting Earth鈥檚 climateOceans help keep temperatures on Earth balanced. Yet rising temperatures are affecting their ability to serve as a heat buffer.聽
A climate scientist questioned his findings. It didn鈥檛 go well.Despite a wide consensus about climate change, many people remain skeptical. Can climate scientists earn back the public鈥檚 trust?
First LookElectric vehicles are the key to a greener future. So why aren鈥檛 Americans buying in?As the EPA pushes for electric vehicles, a new AP-NORC poll reveals Americans鈥� hesitancy to ditch gasoline. Many Americans surveyed cite price as a deterrent for purchasing an EV, and others worry about a lack of charging infrastructure in rural areas.
Low-income areas lack trees, yet they often turn them down. Here鈥檚 why.Some residents in low-income areas distrust efforts to plant trees, based on past experiences. That鈥檚 changing as groups gather buy-in from locals.聽
First LookBetter preparedness is saving lives in climate disasters, new UN chief saysU.N. Assistant Secretary-General Kamal Kishore highlights the role of improved warning systems in averting deaths from tropical cyclones and floods. Challenges persist in keeping affected populations from falling into poverty as climate disasters rise.
They had never seen the ocean. Then climate change made them fishermen.In Mauritania, climate change has fueled a mass migration of livestock herders to the coast, where they have forged a new life as fishermen.
Points of ProgressA container ship that runs on batteries, and crime fighting for treesFighting crime and climate change, scientists develop new way to detect illegal timber. Plus, the world鈥檚 largest battery-powered container ship sets sail.
Landmark Vermont 鈥榗limate superfund鈥� law would make polluters pay for climate changeOn May 30, Vermont became the first state to enact a 鈥渃limate superfund鈥� law. The landmark legislation, which is likely to face legal challenges, would make fossil fuel companies pay for the effects of climate change.
First LookBeneath the surface: Leaky storage tanks pose unseen environmental threatsLeaking underground tanks threaten to contaminate groundwater relied upon by nearly half of Americans. Even a pinprick-size hole in an underground tank can send 400 gallons of fuel a year into the ground.聽
First LookIn Northeast Brazil, effort to reintroduce Spix鈥檚 macaws takes flightIn Brazil, a South African couple is working with local communities to reintroduce the highly endangered Spix鈥檚聽macaw into nature. There are about 360 in captivity and few are in the wild.
First LookHow seven women heat chiefs are helping to offset effects of 鈥榞lobal boiling鈥�Some cities around the world are experiencing the warmest temperatures in 2,000 years. From Miami to Athens, local heat officers work to prepare urban environments for hot summers by planting trees and installing water fountains.
Cicadas are out in the trillions and citizen scientists are rejoicingThe emergence of two periodical cicada broods that haven鈥檛 overlapped since 1803 is inspiring some people to dive deeper into citizen science.
Points of ProgressCustomer service: China鈥檚 quick EV battery swaps, and sidewalk story time in PakistanProgress roundup: EV company in China makes battery swaps faster than charging. And in Pakistan, volunteers spread the joy of books in an outdoor story time.
First LookThe wind industry is floating an idea: Building turbines on the oceanAs the world searches for new sources of renewable energy, one option is making waves 鈥� or at least riding them. Floating turbines could capture powerful offshore winds and generate electricity for millions of homes, as long as they can stay upright.
First LookThe missing link: Energy panel opens the way for more renewables on the US gridThe U.S. power grid is facing a 鈥渕ake-or-break moment,鈥� the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission鈥檚 chair said May 13. A new rule approved by the commission will make it easier to transmit renewable energy.