As China has cut back on domestic extraction of rare earth minerals, uncontrolled mining in Myanmar has boomed in areas ruled by powerful ethnic armies. New reporting reveals how this activity is damaging water supplies, forests, and the health of workers and communities.
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INTERVIEW
How Batteries, Not Natural Gas, Can Power the Data Center Boom
Tech companies are turning to natural gas to help power the growing number of A.I. data centers in the U.S. Jigar Shah, a former Energy Department official, explains how installing batteries instead can help balance the grid, lower electricity bills, and support renewable energy.
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ANALYSIS
As U.S. and E.U. Retreat on Climate, China Takes the Leadership Role
As U.N. talks get underway, China is emerging as a key leader in international climate efforts. It is empowering the global energy transition, and along with India and Brazil, is becoming the driving force in climate diplomacy and filling a vacuum left by the world’s rich nations.
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Solutions
From Ruins to Reuse: How Ukrainians Are Repurposing War Waste
Russian bombardments have generated more than a billion tons of debris across Ukraine since 2022. Now, local and international efforts are meticulously sorting the bricks, concrete, metal, and wood, preparing these materials for a second life in new buildings and roads.
ANALYSIS
Carbon Offsets Are Failing. Can a New Plan Save the Rainforests?
Brazil is set to unveil an ambitious international plan that would provide up to $4 billion a year to countries that protect their tropical forests. Proponents see it as a potential game-changer for forest conservation, but some ecologists and economists are raising concerns.
E360 Digest
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New European Service Will Investigate Role of Warming in Weather Disasters
A new E.U. service will determine how warming is reshaping weather. Its findings, experts say, could help insurers better understand climate risks and help advocates hold polluters accountable for climate damages. More about New European Service Will Investigate Role of Warming in Weather Disasters →
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Race a 'Potent Predictor' of Where Texas Petrochemical Plants Will Be Built
A new report warns that a wave of proposed petrochemical plants in Texas will largely be built near communities of color, often in areas that are already heavily polluted. More about Race a 'Potent Predictor' of Where Texas Petrochemical Plants Will Be Built →
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U.S. Data Centers Could Consume as Much Water as 10 Million Americans by Decade's End
Researchers warn that U.S. data centers could devour vast amounts of energy and water unless stronger guardrails shape the industry’s growth. More about U.S. Data Centers Could Consume as Much Water as 10 Million Americans by Decade's End →
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Energy
Facing a Hostile Administration, U.S. Offshore Wind Is in Retreat
Offshore wind had been poised to take off along the East Coast, with about 30 utility-scale farms planned. But the Trump administration’s opposition to wind power has caused most of those projects to be abandoned, with only seven farms now moving ahead or in operation.
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Biodiversity
As Jaguars Recover, Will the Border Wall Block Their U.S. Return?
Decades of conservation efforts in Central and South America are starting to pay off, with increased protections for jaguars and the corridors that connect them. But the construction of the border wall is creating a roadblock to the big cat’s return to the U.S. Southwest.
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WATER
An E.U. Plan to Slash Micropollutants in Wastewater Is Under Attack
Earlier this year, a European Union directive mandated advanced treatment of micropollutants in wastewater, with the cost to be borne by polluters. But the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, which are responsible for most of those contaminants, are now pushing back.
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Climate
Heat Stress Is a Major Driver of India’s Kidney Disease Epidemic
Cases of chronic kidney disease unrelated to pre-existing conditions are on the rise in India and other tropical nations. As climate change raises temperatures and humidity, the disease is increasingly prevalent among outdoor laborers without access to rest, shade, or hydration.
2025 Yale Environment 360 Film Contest
The winners of our 12th annual contest honoring the best short environmental films.
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FILM CONTEST WINNER
In the Yucatan, the High Cost of a Boom in Factory Hog Farms
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E360 Film Contest
In India, a Young Poacher Evolves into a Committed Conservationist
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E360 Film Contest
The Amazon Rainforest Approaches a Point of No Return