All Environment
Threatened by fire, iconic Joshua trees battle for survivalWildfires are threatening to devastate the iconic Joshua trees. Efforts are underway to experiment with saving the beloved plant.
Why people rally around a rainforest – in EnglandWhen threatened rainforests come up in the news, the reference is usually to tropical locations. Yet temperate rainforests also deliver rich benefits to the planet.
Points of ProgressPreserving hope, for juveniles in US prisons and soldiers in IsraelProgress roundup: A look at data led to new ideas for lowering the suicide rate for Israeli troops, and an end to life in prison for juveniles in three U.S. states.
Young people took on fossil fuels and won. What’s next?The first climate case tried in the U.S. brought a landmark win for its young plaintiffs. Will this provide a model for other states that enshrine protecting the environment in their constitutions?
First LookIn landmark ruling, Montana judge sides with ‘climate kids’A Montana judge sided with young environmental activists who said state agencies violated their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment by permitting fossil fuel development.
First LookFlash droughts: How climate change contributes to Hawaii’s wildfiresSeveral dangerous conditions have combined to make the Maui wildfires especially destructive. Climate change is increasing the likelihood of more extreme weather events like this one, experts say.
Cruel summer: Will 2023 mark a tipping point for climate change?A summer marked by the hottest temperatures on record has raised fundamental questions about how to manage climate crises – and take responsibility for doing so.
The ExplainerTastes like chicken? ‘Cultured meat’ arrives on menus.“Cultured chicken” is approved for sale in the U.S. Supporters tout environmental benefits, and critics raise concerns over cost and practicality.
Points of ProgressEnvironment watch: From Indigenous lands to water recycling at the officeProgress roundup: Water recycling goes extreme and in-house for San Francisco’s biggest buildings. And worldwide, Indigenous peoples control more lands.
First LookOn thin ice: How climate change is transforming Antarctica’s landscapeAntarctica’s exposure to extreme weather from climate change has led to ice shelf collapses and habitat shifts, a new study reveals. Scientists emphasize that continued global warming could result in dire global impacts if it continues to melt.
First LookJuly was the hottest month ever, scientists say. Is this the future?It’s official, according to Europe’s scientists: July was the hottest month ever recorded – by far. It broke the old record, set in 2019, by six-tenths of a degree Fahrenheit, an unusually wide margin.
Oceans heat up. So does concern for protecting fish.Scientists say marine life is increasingly at risk from climate change. Cooperative efforts to protect fish are one possible answer – and they are growing.
Unlikely partners restore watersheds in Dominican RepublicFrancisco Núñez has spent 20 years restoring the Dominican Republic’s watersheds in the face of severe drought and natural disasters.
First LookEPA’s plan to curb emissions from cars: Could it actually work?The Environmental Protection Agency has an ambitious new plan to cut planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions produced by passenger vehicles. But critics question both how realistic the plan is and whether it goes far enough.
First LookEndangered Species Act at 50: Is it facing its own extinction?Fifty years after the U.S. Endangered Species Act took effect, officials say 99% of the animals and plants it protects have survived. Yet scientists and activists fear the act itself is in trouble as lawmakers try to weaken the law and its protected list.
As extreme heat rises, so do concerns for worker safetyRecord-breaking extreme heat in the U.S. is casting renewed attention on how the country manages the risks workers face.
First LookBrazil’s golden monkeys swing from near extinction to thousandsAfter the number of golden lion tamarins fell to 200 in the 1970s, conservationists successfully brought the species back up to nearly 5,000. Anti-poaching, disease control, and reconnecting forest cover are all thought to be behind the rebound.
FocusAs sea levels rise, so does erosion. Hawaii offers lessons.The Hawaiian Islands are a test case for how island communities – and coastlines worldwide – must increasingly adapt to erosion as sea levels rise.
Points of ProgressChildren of adoption: How families from Chile to Taiwan are made wholeProgress roundup: Adults “stolen” from Chile during dictatorship are finding birth families. And in Taiwan, LGBTQ+ couples are granted adoption rights.
First LookKlamath River dam removal has begun. Next, comes restoring its banks.The largest dam removal project in the history of the U.S., which includes four dams from the Klamath River, has begun along the California-Oregon border and will be finished in 2024. Restoring its natural flow and habitat, however, will take decades.
