All Environment
First LookMichigan gets its first-ever tornado emergency as massive hail batters SoutheastTornadoes have touched down in a handful of states across the U.S. this week, including three in Michigan. Severe storms and massive hail have caused three deaths, dozens of injuries, extensive property damage, and left 135,000 without power.
Tesla news looks grim. But the bigger picture for EVs is a bright one.Headlines suggest the shift to electric vehicles is hitting roadblocks. Evidence points to an industry that鈥檚 continuing to grow and innovate.聽
First Look鈥榃e鈥檙e living climate change now.鈥� Latin Americans bring climate worries to high court.Victims of climate change in Latin America are bringing their complaints to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The findings of the court could help shape better policy and laws, saving countless lives and bolstering infrastructure.
Points of ProgressStories of resilience: Bees make a comeback, and how immigrants lift economiesProgress roundup: Bee colonies are on the rise, Venezuelan migrants benefit their adopted countries, and an ancient irrigation system in Oman still works.
First LookSolar panels are spreading over Midwest farms 鈥� and edging out the cropsSolar energy companies are leasing thousands of acres of land from Midwestern farmers, which can hinder crop-growing or grazing livestock there. It鈥檚 a tradeoff between expanding renewables and giving up future yields.
First LookNew EPA rule sets deadline for coal fired-plants: Clean up or shut downThe Biden administration has taken its most aggressive action yet on cutting greenhouse gas emissions from the private sector. That includes a strict ultimatum for coal-fired power plants.
Are world鈥檚 200 million pastoral herders a climate threat?A U.N. report suggests聽that pastoralism may be part of the global emissions problem. Some researchers see the climate math on herders differently.聽
First LookThink red-hot heat鈥檚 bad? Just wait until code magenta.A new warning tool created by the National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aims to respond to the increasing dangers of severe heat. The system offers a seven-day forecast with risks from minimal to extreme.
Charting the rise of plastic pollution 鈥� and solutionsPlastic pollution is a focus of Earth Day and of global treaty talks. Our story and charts show the scale of the problem and possible paths toward solutions.
FocusHow global innovators design a sustainable futureProjects are sprouting up around the globe to build environmentally focused communities. These efforts aim to be practical and inviting, not idealistic.聽
Maasai women are told to stay home. These rangers fight poachers instead.In Kenya, an all-woman ranger unit is challenging stereotypes and helping protect both wild animals and the people who live beside them.聽
How to stop 鈥榝orever chemicals鈥� from lasting, well, foreverThe EPA recently strengthened regulations on PFAS chemicals in drinking water. A next step, some experts say, is reducing the creation of these chemicals in the first place.聽
Points of ProgressGood news around the globe: Pulling up concrete and putting solar on renters鈥� roofsProgress roundup: Digging up paved surfaces inspires others to reap the climate benefits. In Australia, landlords are installing solar to help meet emissions goals.
Points of ProgressGood news around the globe: How trash becomes treasure, and disrespect turns to graceProgress roundup: Reuse champs of Denmark, neurodivergence advocates in Peru, and how Tuvulu is defending itself by becoming a digital nation.聽
First LookThe last time this many cicadas emerged Thomas Jefferson was presidentCicadas by the trillions will emerge from the earth this April in numbers not seen in centuries. Two large broods will emerge at the same time, one from Georgia and the other from central Illinois, to serenade, mate, and lay eggs.
India鈥檚 sacred groves are home to forest god shrines 鈥� and endangered speciesSacred groves have become bastions of biodiversity in India, but relying on spiritual belief as a driver for conservation presents risks.
Brazil鈥檚 Lula is losing his war against illegal miners in the AmazonBrazil鈥檚 President Lula is backing expensive operations to combat illegal mining and other crimes in the Amazon.
First LookMassachusetts town had a plan to protect its shore. One storm took it away.Salisbury, Massachusetts trucked in 14,000 tons of sand to protect homes and roads 鈥� but a storm swept it out to sea. The incident exemplifies the challenges with shoreline restoration, a strategy to shield waterfronts as the climate crisis intensifies.
The last coal plant in New England is sputtering. What happens next?New England is on the verge of becoming the first region in the United States to go coal-free. What lessons does the last coal-fired plant in New Hampshire hold for the rest of the country?
Can electric vehicles keep Africa moving?As the world transitions to electric vehicles, African companies and governments face significant challenges.聽