The accession of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court will cement a conservative majority that is likely to give polluting industries freer rein, limit the ability of citizens to sue, and call into question the very basis of the EPA to issue and enforce regulations.
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Solutions
How Small-Scale Loggers Can Help Save Africa’s Tropical Forests
Small-time loggers providing timber to local villages have long been seen as a threat to African forests. But that view is changing, as evidence mounts that these communities can be better forest protectors than the governments that are sanctioning major commercial operations.
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Energy
As Pressures Mount, Poland’s Once-Mighty Coal Industry Is in Retreat
Poland’s vast coal mines powered its economic recovery following the devastation of World War II. But now the shaky economics of coal and a concerted climate push by the European Union are forcing the nation’s government to rethink its embrace of the dirtiest fossil fuel.
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Opinion
How a Climate Corps Could Put Youth to Work in Greening America
The Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps put thousands of young men to work in U.S. parks and forests, transforming the nation’s parks system. A new Climate Corps could provide badly-needed work for young people while providing them with training for today’s green jobs.
Oceans
As Waters Warm, Ocean Heatwaves Are Growing More Severe
With oceans absorbing more than 90 percent of global warming, marine heatwaves are becoming hotter and larger and are lasting longer. Scientists say the trend has major ecological consequences, from altering fish and plant populations to forcing whales into hazardous waters.
E360 Digest
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Researchers Build a Roadmap to Restore an Ancient Woodland
Scientists have completed a “dramatic” decades-long restoration of an ancient oak woodland in Illinois — a rare success story that researchers say holds key lessons for ecological restoration at a time when forests are increasingly seen as a critical tool for fighting climate change, according to a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE. More about Researchers Build a Roadmap to Restore an Ancient Woodland →
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Global Emissions Likely Peaked in 2019, Report Finds
Global carbon emissions from energy use dropped 8 percent in 2020 due to coronavirus-related economic shutdowns — a decline equal to two-and-a-half years of energy sector emissions, according to a new report from the energy research group BloombergNEF (BNEF). The drop means that global greenhouse gas emissions likely peaked in 2019, the report found, and will not rise to that level again even as the global economy rebounds from the pandemic. More about Global Emissions Likely Peaked in 2019, Report Finds →
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Arctic Sea Ice Has Still Not Formed in Siberia — the Latest Date on Record
For the first time since records began, the main nursery of Arctic sea ice in Siberia has yet to start freezing in late October. The delayed annual freeze in the Laptev Sea has been caused by freakishly protracted warmth in northern Russia and the intrusion of Atlantic waters, say climate scientists who warn of possible knock-on effects across the polar region. More about Arctic Sea Ice Has Still Not Formed in Siberia — the Latest Date on Record →
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Opinion
Our Burning Planet: Why We Must Learn to Live With Fire
By suppressing all wildfires and incessantly burning fossil fuels, humans have upset the role that fire has historically played in providing ecological balance. We need to rethink our view of fire and accept its presence by changing how we manage lands and plan our communities.
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Policy
With Activists Silenced, China Moves Ahead on Big Dam Project
The expected resurrection of a controversial dam project along the Yangtze River in western China is the latest sign that the nation’s once-robust environmental movement is being muzzled by the government's crackdown on NGOs and its near-total control over social media.
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Climate
As Miami Keeps Building, Rising Seas Deepen Its Social Divide
Ignoring sea level rise and intensifying flooding, Miami has continued to build luxury real estate near the water at a rapid pace. But as developers eye higher ground, communities of color will likely bear the heaviest burden from the changes wrought by climate change.
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Biodiversity
Will Putting Honey Bees on Public Lands Threaten Native Bees?
As suitable sites become scarce, commercial beekeepers are increasingly moving their hives to U.S. public lands. But scientists warn that the millions of introduced honey bees pose a risk to native species, outcompeting them for pollen and altering fragile plant communities.
On Native Lands
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Native Lands
For Indigenous in the Amazon, a Dual Threat: Big Oil and the Virus
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How Native Tribes Are Taking the Lead on Planning for Climate Change
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Interview
To Save a Way of Life, Native Defenders Push to Protect the Arctic Refuge
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Parks vs. People: In Guatemala, Communities Take Best Care of the Forest