Seagrasses, mangrove forests, and coastal wetlands store vast amounts of carbon, and their preservation and restoration hold great potential to bank CO2 and keep it out of the atmosphere. But can the blue carbon market avoid the pitfalls that have plagued land-based programs?
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Analysis
Are Huge Tree Planting Projects More Hype than Solution?
High-profile programs aimed at planting billions of trees are being launched worldwide. But a growing number of scientists are warning that these massive projects can wreck natural ecosystems, dry up water supplies, damage agriculture, and push people off their land.
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Policy
In Europe, a Backlash Is Growing Over Incinerating Garbage
For years, European countries have built “waste-to-energy” incinerators, saying new technology minimized pollution and boosted energy production. But with increasing concern about the plants’ CO2 emissions, the EU is now withdrawing support for these trash-burning facilities.
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Energy
The Oil Well Next Door: California’s Silent Health Hazard
Unlike other oil-producing states, much of the drilling in California takes place in residential neighborhoods, often in Spanish-speaking communities. Despite mounting complaints about pollution from the wells, the state has failed to take action to address this public health problem.
Climate
Despite Pledges to Cut Emissions, China Goes on a Coal Spree
China is building large numbers of coal-fired power plants to drive its post-pandemic economy. The government has promised a CO2 emissions peak by 2030, but the new coal binge jeopardizes both China’s decarbonization plans and global efforts to tackle climate change.
E360 Digest
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Most Global Food Brands Continue to Have a Dismal Record on Beef and Deforestation
Despite pledges of reform, the world’s leading supermarket and fast-food companies are doing little to address the environmental and human rights abuses associated with beef production. More about Most Global Food Brands Continue to Have a Dismal Record on Beef and Deforestation →
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Entries Invited for the Eighth Annual Yale Environment 360 Video Contest
The eighth annual Yale Environment 360 Video Contest is now accepting entries. More about Entries Invited for the Eighth Annual Yale Environment 360 Video Contest →
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France Will Ban Short Flights That Could Be Replaced By a Train Trip
If you’re planning a reasonably short trip in France, a plane will soon no longer be an option. More about France Will Ban Short Flights That Could Be Replaced By a Train Trip →
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Essay
How the Loss of Soil Is Sacrificing America’s Natural Heritage
A new study points to a stunning loss of topsoil in the Corn Belt — the result of farming practices that have depleted this once-fertile ground. Beyond diminished agricultural productivity and more carbon in the atmosphere, it is a catastrophic loss of an irreplaceable resource.
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Indigenous Lands
Why a Big Mining Project Could Wipe Out Rural Villages in Indonesia
A mine tailings dam planned for a seismically unstable area of Sumatra’s rainforest would be at high risk of failure, experts warn. The dam’s collapse would be a disaster, they say, releasing a wall of slurry that would engulf and bury Indigenous villages and their inhabitants.
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Interview
Stealth Chemicals: A Call to Action on a Threat to Human Fertility
In an interview with Yale e360, epidemiologist Shanna Swan talks about how falling sperm counts and other fertility problems are linked to chemicals in consumer products and explains why the Biden administration needs to follow Europe’s lead in restricting these substances.
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Analysis
EV Turning Point: Momentum Builds for U.S. Electric Vehicle Transition
Driven by GM, Tesla, and the Biden administration, the U.S. is now poised to press ahead in the transformation to electric vehicles. Big challenges still loom, but technological advances, government support, and growing consumer appeal will drive the inevitable switch to EVs.
