All Environment
- On Tybee Island, a glimpse of why flood insurance is a vexing US challenge
Congress faces a Dec. 8 deadline to mend a federal flood insurance program that runs chronic imbalances in an era of rising flood risks and densely populated coastal areas.
- First LookKeystone pipeline leaks more than predicted in risk assessments
TransCanada's Keystone pipeline has already leaked more than 5,000 barrels of oil in South Dakota. The company originally predicted spills larger than 1,000 barrels of oil would occur no more than once every 100 years.
- FocusIs culture missing from conservation? Scientists take cues from indigenous peoples.
We typically think of conservation as removing humans from the ecosystem to return it to its 'natural' state. But the practices of many indigenous cultures offer a different way to view humanity's relationship with the natural world.
- Attuned to temblors: How well can scientists forecast massive earthquakes?
Headlines portending a coming spike in devastating earthquakes ignited concerns this week. But seismologists say such forecasts work best when they spark action, not fear.
- In post-conflict Colombia, land-rights and funding for peacebuilding face off
Colombia's Constitutional Court overturned a 2001 law that gave the federal government ultimate say over where mining projects took place. It's a victory for local communities, but with the government in need of billions to bank roll peace programs, can it last?
- First LookLion trophies: ban against imported lion parts has also been loosened by Trump administration
United States officials allowed importation of heads and hides of lions shot for sport one month before President Trump reversed the ban on elephant trophies.
- First LookInsurers face new challenges after long series of natural disasters
Following a season of hurricanes, flooding, and earthquakes around the world, customers and governments are facing rising insurance rates. Experts suggest that insurance companies should re-evaluate their repricing strategies as disasters become more common.
- First LookClimate refugees to be welcomed in New Zealand
New Zealand announced it will create a new refugee visa for Pacific Islanders displaced by rising seas. The nation says it is preparing for the possibility of a larger evacuation of island residents in the future as a result of ongoing climate change.
- First LookTrump administration revokes ban on imported elephant trophies
The US Fish and Wildlife Service has reversed the ban on elephant parts from Zimbabwe and Zambia, saying it will help fund conservation. Critics argue allowing wealthy big-game hunters to kill would confuse efforts to curb illegal poaching.
- First Look20 countries agree to end coal use by 2030
Twenty countries and two US states have banded together through the Powering Past Coal alliance to phase out coal and cut carbon emissions by 2030 in an effort to keep to the Paris Agreement target for lowering emissions.
- Backyard bird feeders prompting beak evolution
Backyard birders in Britain have welcomed songbirds into their yards for decades with bird feeders. And one bird appears to be evolving as a result.
- As bird lovers rejoice the sandhill crane's return, hunters eye the 'ribeye of the sky'
At its root, Michigan's debate over a proposed sandhill crane hunt stems from a fundamental clash of worldviews between people who see the natural world as something to be protected and preserved and those who view the land as a resource to be managed.
- This year, as winter nears, residents of China's coal country turn to gas
Shanxi province's coal helped fuel China's economic boom. But as awareness about the risks of pollution grows, officials in the provincial capital are cracking down on heavy industry and shifting to natural gas – giving workers a cleaner, if uncertain, future.
- Bicycling biologist pedals 10,000 miles along the Monarch butterfly's migration route
Wildlife biologist Sara Dykman is pedaling her way from the mountainous forests of southwestern Mexico to Canada and back, stopping at schools and wildlife centers to raise awareness about the migratory insect.
- First LookBooming US crude oil exports raises questions about infrastructure capability
Port officials and exporters say current pipelines, ports, and shipping lanes will be unable to handle further growth. Since the export ban was lifted less than two years ago, shipments are hitting a record of 2 million barrels a day.
- Las Vegas shines as a model for solar power
Long known for its extravagance, Vegas is quickly becoming a paragon of conservation, thanks to an upswing in solar energy.
- Geese find sanctuary in cities
Humans have long shared urban environments with geese. New research is shedding light on what draws our feathered friends.
- Climate scientist steps out of the lab and into the wind
After spending a career researching climate change, former NOAA scientist David Goodrich set on a cross-country bike trip to talk with everyday Americans about global warming.
- Fire and floods: Did climate play a role in this fall's disasters?
As wildfires rage in California and Puerto Rico struggles to restore basic utilities after getting socked by two hurricanes, many Americans worry that the disaster-filled fall may be a sign of things to come.
- In Utah, major forest fire fuels push for state, not federal control
The costliest fire in Utah's history came this summer, after locals had warned for years that the US Forest Service was mismanaging public land and making it more vulnerable to catastrophic blazes. Now state leaders are asking Washington to return that power to the states.