An African Union ruling finds that parts of a Congo national park should be returned to the Batwa people, who were evicted decades ago. Advocates say the ruling must be implemented and that the Batwa will need support to protect the park’s rare gorillas and other wildlife.
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Cities
Slowly but Surely, U.S. School Buses Are Starting to Electrify
With support from a $5 billion EPA program, school districts across the country are starting to switch from polluting diesel to electric buses. Advocates point to the health benefits for children and communities but say more needs to be done to promote this transition.
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Food & Agriculture
How Agroforestry Could Help Revitalize America’s Corn Belt
By practicing agroforestry — growing trees alongside crops and livestock, for example — farmers can improve soils, produce nutrient-rich foods, and build resilience to climate change. Now, a movement is emerging to bring this approach to the depleted lands of the Corn Belt.
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Biodiversity
With Hotter, Drier Weather, California’s Joshua Trees Are in Trouble
In the Mojave Desert, rising temperatures, less rainfall, and more intense wildfires are killing off Joshua trees. California officials are working on a plan to protect the distinctive yucca tree and its desert ecosystem by establishing refuges and controlling development.
E360 Film Contest Winner
A Solitary Herder Cares for His Goats and the Bay Area Hills
In “Way of the Shepherd” — the First-Place Winner of the 2024 Yale Environment 360 Film Contest — filmmaker Matthew Boyd follows a Peruvian shepherd, two tenacious border collies, and a herd of goats that are reducing overgrowth on the fire-prone Berkeley Hills.
E360 Digest
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Solar Growth Continues to Defy Predictions
The world is set to install a third more solar capacity this year than it did in 2023, surpassing forecasts by both industry experts and independent analysts. More about Solar Growth Continues to Defy Predictions →
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Pollen Can Seed Clouds, Fuel Rainfall, Study Finds
A surge of pollen in spring can affect the formation of clouds and rainfall, according to a new study. The authors say that, as the planet warms, pollen counts are expected to grow, potentially giving rise to more springtime rainfall. More about Pollen Can Seed Clouds, Fuel Rainfall, Study Finds →
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Brazil Rooting Out Last of Gold Miners on Yanomami Lands
Brazilian officials say they have nearly rid Indigenous Yanomami territory in the northern Amazon of the thousands of miners who had been operating illegally in the region. More about Brazil Rooting Out Last of Gold Miners on Yanomami Lands →
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Biodiversity
The ‘Internet of Animals’ Could Transform What We Know About Wildlife
Scientists studying migrations, endangered species, and global change are placing tracking devices on thousands of animals that will be monitored by a satellite-based system set to launch next year. If successful, the project could help illuminate the planet’s nonhuman worlds.
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Climate
As ‘Doomsday’ Glacier Melts, Can an Artificial Barrier Save It?
Relatively warm ocean currents are weakening the base of Antarctica’s enormous Thwaites Glacier, whose demise could raise sea levels by as much as 7 feet. To separate the ice from those warmer ocean waters, scientists have put forward an audacious plan to erect a massive underwater curtain.
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Cities
Faced With Heavier Rains, Cities Scramble to Control Polluted Runoff
To manage contaminated stormwater, Philadelphia went all in on “green” infrastructure, like rain gardens and permeable pavement. But an increase in extreme rain events is spurring other U.S. cities to double down on traditional sewer upgrades that can handle the overflow.
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Climate
As Canadian River Shrivels, Northern Communities Call for a Highway
With the Mackenzie River too low for barge traffic, villages in the Northwest Territories are flying in food, fuel, and other essentials. A proposed highway could offer a lifeline as climate change further reduces flows, but the project faces big challenges in a warming Arctic.
