Environmental News
Breaking environmental news, policy updates, and ecosystem changes worldwide
This is what Britain really needs to defend itself â and it doesnât include spending billions on arms | Karen Bell
Spending should be focused on the immediate threats we face: underfunded public services and an escalating climate crisisKaren Bell is professor of social and environmental justice at the University of...
UK registers its hottest and sunniest spring on record
Met Office logs more than 650 hours of sunshine, 43% above seasonal average The UK has registered its hottest and sunniest spring, prompting warnings that action is needed to tackle...
âWe need new numbersâ: Comedian David Cross cracks jokes to spread climate crisis awareness
The Emmy award winning comic teams up with renowed scientist Michael Oppenheimer for a new video campaignDavid Cross is many things: a famed comic, an Emmy award winner, and a...
Key US weather monitoring offices understaffed as hurricane season starts
National Weather Service offices are reeling from job cuts and a hiring freeze imposed by TrumpMore than a dozen National Weather Service (NWS) forecast offices along the hurricane-prone Gulf of...
Trumpâs Budget Wish Could Threaten Billions in Clean Energy Investment in Virginia
A range of solar, offshore wind and manufacturing jobs would be jeopardized if the presidentâs One Big Beautiful Bill clears the Senate in its current form.By Charles PaullinThe One Big...
The Massive Pipeline Buildout in the U.S. Is Mostly for Gas Going Overseas
Plans for U.S. gas pipelines could lock in a dramatic increase in fossil fuel exports and their greenhouse gas emissions, a new report finds.By Phil McKennaMore than three-quarters of new...
Trump cuts hundreds of EPA grants, leaving cities on the hook for climate resiliency
This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist and WABE, Atlantaâs NPR station. Thomasville, Georgia, has a water problem. Its treatment system is far out of date, posing...
Early warnings for heatwaves can save lives â and we need them now
Dr. Mirianna Budimir is senior climate and resilience expert at Practical Action, and early warning systems lead for the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance. Francisco Ianni is senior officer for climate...
Indigenous land defenders face rising threats amid global push for critical minerals
Miguel Guimaraes, a Shipibo-Konibo leader, has spent his life protesting palm oil plantations and other agribusiness ventures exploiting the Amazon rainforest in his homeland of Peru. Last spring, as he...
Indigenous land defenders face rising threats amid global push for critical minerals
Miguel Guimaraes, a Shipibo-Konibo leader, has spent his life protesting palm oil plantations and other agribusiness ventures exploiting the Amazon rainforest in his homeland of Peru. Last spring, as he...
As Trump comes after research, Forest Service scientists keep working
The research and development team at the U.S. Forest Service employs about 1,500 people full-time, a small but mighty faction inside an agency that, until recently, was 35,000 strong. The research it...
âThis is ground zero for Blattenâ: the tiny Swiss village engulfed by a mountain
âThe memories preserved in countless books, photo albums, documentation â everything is gone,â says villageâs mayorFor weeks the weight had sat above the village, nine million tonnes of rock precariously...
How the little-known âdark roofâ lobby may be making US cities hotter
As cities heat up, reflective roofs could lower energy bills and help the climate. But dark roofing manufacturers are waging a quiet campaign to block new rulesThis story is co-published...
Gila River Tribes Intend to Float Solar Panels on a Reservoir. Could the Technology Help the Colorado River?
On its surface, floating solar appears to conserve water while generating carbon-free electricity. River managers are cautious, but some say the West canât afford to wait.By Jake BolsterGILA RIVER INDIAN...
HawaiĘťi makes history as first state to charge tourists to save environment
HawaiĘťi has officially become the first U.S. state to enact a so-called âgreen feeâ â a charge added onto hotel room stays and other short-term visits to help protect the...
Are there billions more people on earth than we thought? If so, itâs no bad thing | Jonathan Kennedy
A study suggests the global population has been undercounted â but we shouldnât let the overpopulation alarmists win the argumentAccording to the UN, the worldâs population stands at just over...
As Chicagoans Brace for Higher Water Bills, Groups Push for Affordability Reforms
Water rates have more than doubled since 2010. Low-income residents feel the pinch most of all.By Christiana FreitagOn Sunday Chicagoans will face another spike in their water bills after seeing...
How Pittsburghâs Alcoa Is Undermining a Rare Forest To Fuel Its Global Aluminum Empire
Since 1963, Alcoa has mined bauxite from the foothills of Australiaâs Darling Range under a special political agreement that skirts regulation, guarantees access to scarce water and assures low royalty...
Only two European states have net zero military emissions target, data shows
Austria and Slovenia are exceptions in continent where just a third of militaries even know their carbon footprintRevealed: Nato rearmament could increase emissions by 200m tonnes a yearCarbon footprint of...
âLike touching climate changeâ: glaciers reveal records of the way the world was
Scientists drill for ice cores containing information on preindustrial pollutants, but they are in a race against timeHowling wind relentlessly shakes the white tent, pitched among mounds of snow at...
U.S. Steel Is a Major Source of Pollution in Pennsylvania. Will Its Sale Lock in Emissions for Another Generation?
As President Trump celebrates a deal with Nippon Steel of Japan, industry experts wonder what will happen to U.S. Steelâs coal-powered plants.By Kiley BensePresident Donald Trump returned to western Pennsylvania...
Trump Executive Orders Violate Young Peopleâs Rights to a Stable Climate, a Lawsuit Alleges
Twenty-two young people from across the country sued the Trump administration over the executive orders, which prioritize the expansion of fossil fuels.By Amy GreenA group of 22 young people from...
Whatâs likely to survive from Bidenâs climate law? The controversial stuff
Dig down about a mile or two in parts of the United States and youâll start to see the remains of an ancient ocean. The shells of long dead sea...
The Economic Consequences of Ignoring Climate Change
Despite mounting evidence of global warmingâs costs, the Trump administration has made multiple moves to avoid tracking climate-related economics.By Kiley PriceThe price of climate change is highâand the bill is...
Civil society groups push back on fossil gas funding as AfDB welcomes new president
As the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) took place this week in the Ivory Coast, civil society campaigners have been calling for the bank to stop funding...
What does a crystal ball tell gen Z about the future? | Fiona Katauskas
The heat is onSee more of Fiona Katauskasâs cartoons here Continue readingâŚ
Sussan Ley wants to keep the Coalition together â but caving on net zero wonât help her win back seats | Tom McIlroy
High-profile Nationals and powerful forces in business and media are pushing back against climate action, posing a test of credibility for the new Liberal leaderSign up for climate and environment...
Can you live without a car in the mountains? Yes, with planning and a few different bikes
Even in the foothills of the Italian Alps, cycling can be a practical alternative to driving, and more enjoyable, tooLiving car-free in a big city is fairly common these days....
DeBriefed 30 May 2025: Earth eyes 2C; Why net-zero is not behind UK bill hikes; US academics stage climate science âfire hoseâ
Welcome to Carbon Briefâs DeBriefed. An essential guide to the weekâs key developments relating to climate change. This week Earth eyes 2C TEMPERATURE WARMING: Global temperatures could hit nearly 2C above...
How the US became the biggest military emitter and stopped everyone finding out
Academic Neta Crawford warns that if Donald Trump follows through on his threats of war, emissions will soar and the planet will pay the priceThe climate impact of Donald Trumpâs...
As China Touts Green Financing and Climate Goals, Its Banks Are Pouring Billions Into Commodities From the Worldâs Rainforests
China plays a growing role in the future of the planetâs tropical forests, but a new report says its financial flows are going in the wrong direction.By Georgina GustinChinese banks...
Report: Paper Mills Around the Country, Including Virginia, Release Pollution From Decades-Old Boilers
Conversion to heat pumps and accurate counting of emissions for wood sources could reduce the problem.By Charles PaullinDonna Thomasson is a 34-year-old nurse who grew up on a hillside overlooking...
Trumpâs budget bill is on the verge of transforming how America eats
Early this month, after some equivocation, President Donald Trump briefly endorsed the idea to hike taxes on the wealthiest Americans in his budget proposal to Congress. Economists were quick to...
In her new book âKuleana,â Sara Kehaulani Goo fights to keep her familyâs land
Sara Kehaulani Gooâs journey to save her familyâs land on Maui began in 2019 with an email she read at her kitchen table in Washington, D.C. âSara, the HÄna property...
Carbon footprint of Israelâs war on Gaza exceeds that of many entire countries
Exclusive: Climate cost of war is more than than the combined 2023 emissions of Costa Rica and Estonia, study findsThe carbon footprint of the first 15 months of Israelâs war...
Supreme Court Backs a Controversial Railroad in Utah for Carrying Oil
The 8-0 decision overturned an appellate courtâs ruling in favor of the Surface Transportation Boardâs approval of the train line, supporting âagency choices so long as they fall within a...
Clean Energy Project Cancellations Top $14 Billion So Far in 2025
Businesses have pulled the plug on big projects amid Trumpâs retreat on climate action. But plenty remain in the pipeline, awaiting a Congressional decision on tax credits.By Marianne LavelleBusinesses have...
A Twinkle in Trumpâs Eye: A Shakeup at Alabamaâs Top Utility Regulator
Public Service Commission President Twinkle Cavanaugh presided over an era of electricity rate increases. Now sheâll oversee rural development in Alabama for the Trump administration.By Lee HedgepethMONTGOMERY, Ala.âTwinkle Cavanaugh, longtime...
âA significant disasterâ: extreme floods risk conservation efforts in outback Queensland
Wildlife sanctuary manager Josh McAllister was stranded for three days with six tins of tuna, a bag of Dorritos and a salad roll â but he was more worried about...
China Briefing 29 May 2025: The âShenzen modelâ; Record solar growth; NDRC rejected industrial ârat raceâ
Welcome to Carbon Briefâs China Briefing. China Briefing handpicks and explains the most important climate and energy stories from China over the past fortnight. Subscribe for free here. Key developments Climate...
UK must consider food and climate part of national security, say top ex-military figures
Former army and navy leaders urge government to think beyond military capability in advance of key defence reviewFormer military leaders are urging the UK government to widen its definition of...
Cobalt and nickel-free electric car batteries boom in âgood newsâ for rainforests
A type of electric car battery based on iron and phosphorus that poses less of a threat to tropical forests is rapidly replacing batteries reliant on cobalt and nickel, recent...
Trump violating right to life with anti-environment orders, youth lawsuit says
Twenty-two plaintiffs between ages seven and 25 allege government is engaging in unlawful executive overreachTwenty two young Americans have filed a new lawsuit against the Trump administration over its anti-environment...
What Will Tariffs Do to the Energy Economy? Here Are Three Scenarios
U.S. renewables stand to lose big in a trade war, but the sting extends to oil and other energy industries, analysts say.By Dan GearinoThe Trump administrationâs ever-changing policies on tariffs...
Trumpâs new âgold standardâ rule will destroy American science as we know it | Colette Delawalla
The new executive order allows political appointees to undermine research they oppose, paving the way to state-controlled scienceScience is under siege.On Friday evening, the White House released an executive order...
âFlooding could end southern Appalachiaâ: the scientists on an urgent mission to save lives
Geologists race to collect perishable data as Kentucky residents âscared to deathâ over floods amid Trump cutsThe abandoned homes and razed lots along the meandering Troublesome Creek in rural eastern...
Nato rearmament could increase emissions by 200m tonnes a year, study finds
Exclusive: researchers say defence spending boosts across world will worsen climate crisis which in turn will cause more conflictA global military buildup poses an existential threat to climate goals, according...
Women arenât 14 times more likely to die in disasters â inequality is the real killer
Bridget Burns is executive director of WEDO (Womenâs Environment and Development Organization), a global advocacy organization advancing gender equality and climate justice. Youâve probably heard this stat before â itâs...