All Environment
First LookWetlands and hot sauce: Tabasco company stems erosion with grassMcIlhenny Co. brews Tabasco sauce on Avery Island, Louisiana. Sinking land has been a problem throughout southern Louisiana, but Avery Island is slowly rising, thanks to the grass-planting efforts of the company in order to protect its factory.
Climate conundrum: Tax on emissions is pragmatic but unpopularJoe Biden is seeking an unprecedented level of U.S. reductions in greenhouse gas emissions – yet shying away from one major tool for doing that.
First LookIf Jamaica wants more tourists, do more trees have to go?On the coast of Jamaica, developers are building a $550 million resort, which they say will create 3,500 jobs. They have also promised to replant the mangroves, seagrass, and coral they will displace – but critics worry it won’t be enough to preserve the local ecosystem.
First LookSolar geoengineering? Not in our skies, say Indigenous groups.Harvard researchers are studying whether partially blocking the sun using particles high in the atmosphere can reverse global warming. Indigenous peoples and environmental activists are urging the scientists to scrap what they see as an unproductive and risky project.
First LookWhere do birds fly? Tracking backpacks hold the answer.With new technological advances, including smaller, lighter tracking chips, scientists can tag a larger variety of bird species. The data from these tags, which can be retrieved without re-capture, may solve mysteries about migratory patterns and population decline.
First LookIn Minnesota, pipeline protestors prepare for 'summer of resistance'In northern Minnesota, protesters have pledged a “summer of resistance” as a Canadian energy company prepares to rebuild an oil pipeline across the region. The resistance to energy pipelines comes with growing awareness of environmental inequality.
First LookBiden aims to secure species protections revoked by TrumpThe Biden administration is pushing to restore regulations protecting vulnerable species that the Trump administration previously scrapped. Many Republican lawmakers worry the protections are a hindrance to economic development.
First LookDeforestation isn't helping farmers in Brazil. So what might?A new study shows that deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon has led to less rainfall, and therefore less income, for farmers. But researchers are hopeful that new crops and farming methods can keep agriculture profitable while also protecting forests.
First LookWildflower and lithium mine compete for space in Nevada desertIn Nevada, an Australian mining company’s plans to build a large-scale lithium mine in the U.S. may be uprooted by a rare wildflower. While the mining company insists the mine and the flower can co-exist, environmentalists disagree.
First LookWhy some cities are wary of bitcoin mining's high energy tollEnvironmentalists and local governments are increasingly worried about the high-energy consumption that comes with producing some cryptocurrencies. In one case, a bitcoin “mining” facility was responsible for a third of a Montana county’s electricity usage.
Cover StoryClimate versus jobs? Not in this heartland state.Climate action – driven by profitable clean energy – is merging with economic progress, pushing the climate debate toward irrelevance.
First LookIn bid to cut emissions, Bogotá turns to residents for solutionsAs part of an effort to cut climate-changing emissions and pollution, residents in Colombia’s capital city have united to reimagine their transportation system and to shift toward greener travel options.
Capturing carbon emissions: pragmatic solution or costly distraction?It’s no substitute for wind or solar power. But justified or not, the idea of capturing smokestack emissions seems to be gaining bipartisan support.
First Look'Victory for our planet': Royal Dutch Shell must cut emissionsThe Hague District Court has ruled Royal Dutch Shell must cut its carbon emissions by 45% by 2030. The landmark case will likely set a global precedent for holding polluting multinational organizations accountable for curbing emissions.
First LookHow researchers are hunting for the origins of marine debrisGhost nets litter oceans around the world, but the Hawaiian Islands are an epicenter for the refuse. Now, a team of researchers is taking the first step needed to solve the problem – finding out where the nets are coming from.
Can freight trucks pull their weight in lowering carbon emissions?The heavy trucks that haul our freight account for a large share of emissions in transportation. They are going electric – but how fast?
First LookCarbon storage: A win-win situation for farmers and climate?Agriculture generates about 10% of United States greenhouse gas emissions. Farmers are using cover crops and other techniques to store some of these emissions while still improving their yields. Proponents hope paying farmers to do so will expand the practice.
FocusWhy Indonesia’s rice paddy expansion is raising climate concernsIndonesia’s plan to convert peatland for food crops has raised doubts about sustainability, since past rice conversion projects sparked catastrophic forest fires.
First LookWhy African rainforests are world's best carbon spongesRainforests in Africa absorb greenhouse gases more efficiently than in other parts of the world during long dry periods, a new report says. The study highlights the importance the African rainforests play in mitigating the effects of climate change.
An oysterman’s new worry: Will state’s coastal plan wash out his business?Louisiana has lost coastal land equal to the size of Delaware in the past 90 years. Now a wetlands restoration plan is raising its own local concerns.
