All Environment
- Points of ProgressKeeping food out of landfill in South Korea, and nursing Haiti’s forests
Progress roundup: South Korea collects food waste from residents; the quiet conservation efforts in Haiti; first-ever decline in smoking rates worldwide.
- First LookSkis, boots, and ... shorts? Warm temperatures keep Alps snow free.
Winter in the Alps usually means snow-covered mountains and winter sports. But it’s been unseasonably warm so far, continuing the trend of the warmest winters on record, according to the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization.
- First LookEPA finalizes protections for wetlands, repealing Trump-era rule
The EPA on Friday finalized regulations to protect hundreds of thousands of small streams, wetlands, and other waterways. The protections are in response to a Trump-era rule that environmentalists said left waterways vulnerable to pollution.
- Points of ProgressThe values that led humanity forward this year
Responsibility, equality, dignity, ingenuity, cooperation – five values that drove progress around the world in 2022.
- Oh, Christmas tree: What happens to holiday waste after New Year’s?
The holidays generate more waste than any other season. A program in Louisiana hints at progress by using discarded Christmas trees to help rebuild shorelines.
- Points of ProgressBubbles that fight trash, and a penguin chick surprise
Progress roundup: Dutch engineers create a simple solution to corral trash on waterways; conservationists create hope for Africa’s endangered penguin.
- In the northern Rockies, winter snows bring a flurry of hope
The arrival of winter can be greeted with trepidation. But for this essayist, the darkening days and declining temperatures come with a promise.
- Points of ProgressIt spins, it floats: Solar power generated on water and for garment trade
Progress roundup: Photovoltaics are being sited on waterways around the world. And in India, solar power is increasing efficiency and raising pay.
- First LookFarm economics: How much are soil carbon credits worth?
Regenerative farms improve soil quality by trapping planet-heating emissions. As these types of farms become more common, groups are working to quantify the amount of carbon these farmers store in their soil, fueling offset markets where credits are sold.
- Not rolling on the river: Drought tests America’s main water highway
Recent rains are starting to refill a shrunken Mississippi River and allow freight to flow more freely. But questions remain about how to manage the river for resilience.
- First LookVirtual reality puts the climate’s future in the hands of gamers
Climate experts have long struggled to help people see and emotionally grasp likely futures as the planet warms. Virtual reality games offer decision-makers a choice of alternative futures, and can be seen as an immersive way to experience climate risk.
- Points of ProgressGrowth in clean water for people – and lettuce farmed at school
Progress roundup: Drinking water and hydroponics are growing around the world. And in Bangladesh and New Zealand, species protection is paying off.
- Points of ProgressFrom zero waste to LGBTQ rights: How cooperation got the job done
Progress roundup: State-by-state votes secure same-sex marriage rights for all of Mexico. And a small Japanese city cooperatively works toward zero waste.
- First LookCan wildlife return to urban areas? ‘Rewilding’ might be the answer.
Development in urban areas is gobbling up wildlife habitat, stirring calls for “rewilding” places where wildlife thrived until driven out. The process aims to revive natural systems in degraded locations, though it can be a tough sell for urbanites.
- What would a climate-resilient Pakistan look like? Sindh offers clues.
In Pakistan’s flood-ravaged Sindh province, an absence of government and international disaster aid has left much of rebuilding to civil society. Local initiatives are aiming to make communities more resilient.
- ‘The ocean is what we know.’ Can Senegal woo climate refugees inland?
Senegal’s plan to relocate residents from a flood-prone peninsula to a dusty, inland village offers a glimpse into how countries might manage climate refugees.
- First Look‘We are a part of nature’: Hawaiians learn to let lava flow
For decades, Hawaiians have searched for ways to divert lava flows – from deific offerings to building walls to dropping bombs. Now they are wondering: What’s the point in trying to control the environment?
- First LookIndia expands climate efforts as newest chair of G-20 economies
India became chair of the G-20 leading economies Thursday and will prioritize climate protection in its new role. The country, which remains one of the world’s top emitters of planet-warming gases, has made recent strides toward environmental goals.
- FocusThe Florida town that challenged Hurricane Ian and won
Storm resilient design – a solar field, water system, human-made wetlands, native plants – helped Babcock Ranch, Florida, stand up to a powerful test.
- First LookCriticisms ‘outdated’: Australia opposes endangered reef status
The Great Barrier Reef may not get an official “endangered” status from UNESCO, thanks to the Australian government’s lobbying. Given recent legislative turnover, leaders argue that criticisms of government climate inaction are now obsolete.