All Environment
Points of ProgressLifesaving changes: From demining Angola to calming traffic in JapanProgress roundup: Big problems can require multipronged solutions. In Japan, better train service and tiny cars helped bring down traffic fatalities.
Green dreams: Qatar's World Cup carbon neutral? No way, critics say.Qatar has built seven stadiums, a new metro system, highways, and a futuristic city in preparation for the FIFA 2022 World Cup tournament. It claims its building spree will be “carbon-neutral,” but critics say any “greening” efforts aren’t enough.
First LookSalty Amazon sours açaí crop, and hopes for islands' futureHeavy agriculture and climate change on the banks of the Amazon river are threatening açaí harvest in Brazil’s Macapa region. Soil erosion and the creep of seawater into the freshwater river are changing the berries’ flavor and tainting drinking water.
In Egypt and beyond, a climate crisis as close as the nearest water tapAt the COP27 global climate summit, a push for emission cuts is joined by a rising focus on adapting to new realities like tighter water supply.
Farming fog for water? Canary Islands tap a new reservoir.A lack of usable water is becoming a problem in areas where it wasn’t before, due to climate change. But in the Canary Islands, locals are finding that fog can make up for shortfalls on farms.
Delhi dispatch: Through haze of smog and blame, signs of cooperationThe Monitor’s correspondent lands in Delhi just as a wave of severe air pollution envelopes the city. During limited trips out of his air-purified hotel room, he watches an annual blame game unfold – and an earnest search for solutions.
First LookCOP27: Here are the top agenda items for the climate conferenceThe 2022 UN Climate Change Conference, also referred to as COP27, is meeting in Egypt this month to discuss topics ranging from fossil fuels to damage compensation. Last year’s discussions will be reopened and goals will be reevaluated.
Where climate burdens fall heaviest: Nations with lightest emissionsWith effects of climate change being felt worldwide, demands from marginalized nations for fairness are rising at the COP27 global summit in Egypt.
First LookRenewal: New Mexico tribe deploys ancient practices against droughtIn a northern New Mexican town, drought is forcing changes to water and crop management. The local Indigenous community, which has inhabited the area for thousands of years, is taking a lead in introducing time-tested, nature-based approaches.
First LookConservation and cooperation: How the pirarucu returned to the AmazonA threatened giant fish species has returned to the lakes of the Medio Jurua in Brazil thanks to multifaceted cooperation. Such efforts have not been seen in the vast region before – and it’s a vision of what’s possible in future Amazon conservation efforts.
On climate change targets, can success be relative?Doubts are surfacing over the world’s ability to meet targets to limit global warming, prompting some experts to suggest a more nuanced approach.
Points of ProgressFueling up: Free school meals in US and geothermal power in KenyaProgress roundup: Governments fuel the dignity of people with wider labor protections, free lunch in more U.S. schools, and the lowering of poverty in China.
Cover StoryGeothermal 2.0: Why Cornell University put a 2-mile hole in the EarthTo solve humanity’s reliance on fossil fuels, solar and wind power isn’t enough. Some researchers and investors are looking down, not up.
First LookRussia, Ukraine among nations to set Antarctic marine protectionsDelegations from a coalition of powerful nations will meet in Australia this week to impose new protected areas in Antarctica to prevent overfishing. But some worry that the Russian delegation may use its veto power to halt further progress.
First LookCould the global energy crisis be a turning point for clean energy?Rising costs and irregular supply could be the impetus for a shift towards cleaner energy, the International Energy Agency finds. For the first time ever, global demand for every fossil fuel will exhibit a peak or plateau in the coming decades.
Points of ProgressBetter laws, less punishment, more freedom – from Cuba to OklahomaProgress roundup: Fewer Oklahomans are in prison, Cubans vote for same-sex marriage, and marine life gains protections in the Republic of Congo and Sri Lanka.
First LookBehind the colorful tropical fish trade loom perilous practicesThe trade of saltwater aquarium fish has been growing since the 1930s, but destructive fishing methods can harm both the fish and their ecosystems. Local education and training may provide a solution to keeping reefs in good health.
Points of ProgressFrom beach to desert, efforts that add upProgress roundup: New laws plus volunteers are cleaning up Australia’s beaches. And in the Western U.S., incarcerated people are helping save a habitat.
First Look'We're on our own': People with disabilities left out of climate plansWhen it comes to emergency and natural disaster planning, there is often inadequate preparation for people living with disabilities. As climate-related disasters become more common, advocates are urging for more inclusive evacuation procedures.
A street lit by rotten onions? An Indian market embraces biogas.A biogas plant at a vegetable market in India's Telangana state is showing that a little resourcefulness can go a long way in caring for the planet and its people.
