An exodus for jobs abroad has played an important role in the reforestation of Nepal, as rural people leave and workers send money back to their families, reducing reliance on the land. Migration has had unexpected benefits for forest recovery in other nations as well.
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E360 Video Contest Winner
Seldom Seen: A Poignant Look Back at Glen Canyon Before the Dam
Ken Sleight remembers the stunning beauty of Glen Canyon before it was flooded by a massive dam in the 1960s. Taylor Graham’s film “Seldom Seen Sleight” – winner of the Yale Environment 360 Video Contest – shows the magnificent landscape lost and offers hope it might someday be restored.
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Food & Agriculture
With New Perennial Grain, a Step Forward for Eco-Friendly Agriculture
A cereal and beers are now being made with a new variety of perennial grain known as Kernza. Proponents say this marks a significant advance for a new agriculture that borrows from the wild prairie and could help ensure sustainable food production in a warming world.
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E360 Video Contest Winner — Second Place
In Ecuador, One Man’s Mission to Restore a Piece of the Rainforest
Nearly 40 years ago, Omar Tello bought a deforested plot of land outside his small Ecuadorian city. “7 Hectares Back” – the second-place winner of the Yale Environment 360 Video Contest – tells the story of how he persevered and transformed it into a lush, thriving rainforest.
Climate
Who Will Pay for the Huge Costs of Holding Back Rising Seas?
U.S. coastal cities face billions of dollars in costs for the extensive infrastructure projects needed to protect against rising seas and worsening storms. From Boston to Miami, government officials are only beginning to grasp the enormous expense of what will be required.
E360 Digest
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U.S. Fracking Boom Likely Culprit in Rapid Rise of Global Methane Emissions
The boom in U.S. shale gas and oil production may have ignited a significant global spike in methane emissions blamed for accelerating the pace of the climate crisis, according to research. Scientists at Cornell University have found that the “chemical fingerprints” of rising global methane levels point to shale oil and shale gas as the probable source. More about U.S. Fracking Boom Likely Culprit in Rapid Rise of Global Methane Emissions →
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Solar Panels on Farmland Have Huge Electricity-Generating Potential
Putting solar panels on less than 1 percent of the world’s agricultural land could produce enough energy to fulfill global electricity demand, according to a recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports. The research also concludes that solar panels perform more efficiently in cool, breezy, and dry conditions — findings that defy the common practice of installing large solar arrays in deserts. More about Solar Panels on Farmland Have Huge Electricity-Generating Potential →
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Invasive Pests are Significantly Decreasing U.S. Forests’ Ability to Store Carbon
More than 450 non-native insects and diseases have found their way into U.S. forests, and the millions of trees killed by these pests each year contain more than 5.53 teragrams of carbon (TgC) — equal to the emissions of 4.4 million cars, or the carbon released by one-fifth of all wildfires in the U.S. annually, according to a new study. More about Invasive Pests are Significantly Decreasing U.S. Forests’ Ability to Store Carbon →
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E360 Video Contest Winner — Third Place
In Drought-Prone India, a Hard-Pressed Village Struggles to Survive
Indian filmmaker Ramesh Holbole focuses his lens on the drought-stricken village of Aagaswadi. His film, “Village in the Sky” – the third-place winner in the 2019 Yale Environment 360 Video Contest – captures the frustrations of the residents, who are running out of water as drought worsens.
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Interview
How a Mongolian Activist Is Helping Snow Leopards and Herders Coexist
Mongolian activist Bayarjargal Agvaantseren spearheaded the creation of the world’s first reserve for endangered snow leopards. In an e360 interview, she describes how she helped win over the local herders who once sought to kill the leopards but now patrol the reserve to protect them.
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Energy
Could Renewable Natural Gas Be the Next Big Thing in Green Energy?
For decades, small-scale biogas systems have collected methane from landfills, sewage plants, and farms. Now, in Europe and the U.S., the growth of this renewable form of natural gas is taking off as businesses capture large amounts of methane from manure, food waste, and other sources.
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Analysis
Why Isn’t Publicly Funded Conservation on Private Land More Accountable?
Taxpayer-funded conservation initiatives on private land cost the U.S. public hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Yet information on where these lands are and how they are being protected often is not monitored or publicly available, raising questions about the programs’ effectiveness.
Solving the Climate Crisis
Geoengineering and other technologies are increasingly being seen as necessary for tackling climate change.