China has achieved stunning growth in its installed renewable capacity over the last two decades, far outpacing the rest of the world. But to end its continued dependence on fossil fuels, it must now move ahead with planned reforms to its national electricity system.
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Biodiversity
As Flooding Increases on the Mississippi, Forests Are Drowning
Ever-worsening floods are killing trees at an increasing rate along the upper Mississippi River, and invasive grasses are taking over. The Army Corps of Engineers has launched a project to restore forest and boost tree diversity, and to improve habitat for fish and birds, too.
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Climate
In Mongolia, a Killer Winter Is Ravaging Herds and a Way of Life
Mongolia’s nomadic herders are facing a savage “dzud” winter, with more than 2 million livestock frozen to death so far. Scientists say this lethal phenomenon — extreme cold and heavy snow following summer drought — is occurring more frequently and is linked to climate change.
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Energy
In Rush for Lithium, Miners Turn to the Oil Fields of Arkansas
The Smackover Formation in southern Arkansas was once a major oil producer. Now, companies hope to extract lithium — a key metal for electric vehicle batteries — from its underground brines using technologies they say could reduce mining’s carbon emissions and water use.
Food & Agriculture
How a Solar Revolution in Farming Is Depleting World’s Groundwater
Farmers in hot, arid regions are turning to low-cost solar pumps to irrigate their fields, eliminating the need for expensive fossil fuels and boosting crop production. But by allowing them to pump throughout the day, the new technology is drying up aquifers around the globe.
E360 Digest
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How Lightly Grazed Lands Can Lock Away Huge Sums of Carbon
A new study finds that scaling back grazing on most pastureland worldwide would dramatically increase the amount of carbon stored in soils. More about How Lightly Grazed Lands Can Lock Away Huge Sums of Carbon →
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Warming Waters Bringing More Sharks to the Alabama Coast
Over the past two decades, the number of young bull sharks in Mobile Bay, Alabama has multiplied fivefold, a new study finds. More about Warming Waters Bringing More Sharks to the Alabama Coast →
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Under Threat in Their Native California, Giant Sequoias Are Thriving in Britain
Worsening drought and wildfires in California are pushing giant sequoias, the biggest trees on Earth, into decline. But sequoias that have been planted in Britain are flourishing, new research finds. More about Under Threat in Their Native California, Giant Sequoias Are Thriving in Britain →
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Climate
Rain Comes to the Arctic, With a Cascade of Troubling Changes
Rain used to be rare in the Arctic, but as the region warms, so-called rain-on-snow events are becoming more common. The rains accelerate ice loss, trigger flooding, landslides, and avalanches, and create problems for wildlife and the Indigenous people who depend on them.
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INTERVIEW
What Will It Take to Save Our Cities from a Scorching Future?
The U.N. named Eleni Myrivili its first-ever global chief heat officer based on her record as a city official in Athens. In an e360 interview, she talks about why extreme heat is a health crisis and what cities must do to protect the most vulnerable from rising temperatures.
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Health
Plastics Reckoning: PVC Is Ubiquitous, But Maybe Not for Long
Used in everything from water pipes to vinyl records, PVC has long attracted criticism: a key ingredient is carcinogenic, and its additives include known endocrine disruptors. Now, the EPA is evaluating PVC’s safety, and an emerging global plastics treaty may limit its use.
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TECHNOLOGY
As Use of A.I. Soars, So Does the Energy and Water It Requires
Generative artificial intelligence uses massive amounts of energy for computation and data storage and millions of gallons of water to cool the equipment at data centers. Now, legislators and regulators — in the U.S. and the EU — are starting to demand accountability.