Food & Agriculture
How Seeds from War-Torn Syria Could Help Save American Wheat
As temperatures rise, pests and diseases are moving north into the U.S. heartland, killing crops and diminishing yields. To combat this, researchers are turning to a wild grass variety whose seeds were smuggled out of Syria as the bombs fell.
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Biodiversity
Conservation Conundrum: Is Focusing on a Single Species a Good Strategy?
Researchers are questioning the fundamental conservation concept that creating and managing protected areas for a single “umbrella” species – whether it’s greater sage grouse, grizzly bears, or gorillas – also benefits other, non-charismatic species sharing the same habitat.
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Climate
Alien Waters: Neighboring Seas Are Flowing into a Warming Arctic Ocean
The “Atlantification” and “Pacification” of the Arctic has begun. As warmer waters stream into an increasingly ice-free Arctic Ocean, new species — from phytoplankton to whales — have the potential to upend this sensitive polar environment.
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Conservation
A Balkan Dam Boom Imperils Europe’s Wildest Rivers
The Balkan Peninsula, one of Europe’s most undeveloped regions, is facing a wave of thousands of hydroelectric projects that would block pristine, free-flowing rivers and cause major environmental damage. Local residents and conservationists are fighting back.
Biodiversity
Native Knowledge: What Ecologists Are Learning from Indigenous People
From Alaska to Australia, scientists are turning to the knowledge of traditional people for a deeper understanding of the natural world. What they are learning is helping them discover more about everything from melting Arctic ice, to protecting fish stocks, to controlling wildfires.
E360 Digest
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Large Percentage of Protected Areas Severely Impacted by Human Activity
One-third of the world’s protected land is being degraded by “intensive human activity,” such as logging, agriculture, mining, and urbanization, according to a new study published in the journal Science. That is equal to 2.3 million square miles of parks, preserves, and wildlife sanctuaries — an area nearly twice the size of India. More about Large Percentage of Protected Areas Severely Impacted by Human Activity →
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U.S. Energy Company Halts 1.5 GW of Solar Projects Due to Trump Tariffs
Cypress Creek Renewables, one of the United States’ largest developers of utility-scale solar, has stopped investments in 1.5 gigawatts of renewable energy projects, worth $1.5 billion, due to Trump administration tariffs on imported solar technology, which the company said made the costs of the projects too high, according to Bloomberg and Greentech Media. More about U.S. Energy Company Halts 1.5 GW of Solar Projects Due to Trump Tariffs →
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In Wales, Larger Mortgages Available for Green Homes
Homebuyers in Wales will soon be able to receive larger mortgages if they are purchasing an energy efficient house, according to The Guardian. The policy, applicable to Welsh government-backed loans, aims to encourage more people to invest in green buildings by making them eligible for an additional $15,600 on their mortgages. More about In Wales, Larger Mortgages Available for Green Homes →
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Climate
Flooding Hot Spots: Why Seas Are Rising Faster on the U.S. East Coast
Scientists are unraveling the reasons why some parts of the world are experiencing sea level increases far beyond the global average. A prime example is the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, which has been experiencing “sunny day flooding” that had not been expected for decades.
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Solutions
Where Water is Scarce, Communities Turn to Reusing Wastewater
With the era of dam building coming to an end in much of the developed world, places such as California and Australia are turning to local and less expensive methods to deal with water scarcity, including recycling wastewater, capturing stormwater, and recharging aquifers.
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Food & Agriculture
Can ‘Vaccines’ for Crops Help Cut Pesticide Use and Boost Yields?
Researchers are using gene editing to develop biodegradable vaccines that protect crops from pathogens. As the world looks to feed more and more people, this and other emerging technologies hold promise for producing more food without using chemical pesticides.
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Transportation
End of the Road: Are Diesel Cars on the Way Out in Europe?
A small environmental organization has taken on Germany’s powerful auto industry in court and has begun winning limited bans on heavily polluting diesel vehicles. Some analysts say this may be the beginning of the end for diesel automobiles in Germany and the European Union.