As scientists rapidly improve their ability to decipher past climate upheaval through ice cores and other "proxies,” historians are re-examining previous political and social turmoil and linking it to volcanic eruptions, prolonged droughts, and other disturbances in the natural world.
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OPINION
Protecting Earth: If ‘Nature Needs Half,’ What Do People Need?
The campaign to preserve half the Earth’s surface is being criticized for failing to take account of global inequality and human needs. But such protection is essential not just for nature, but also for creating a world that can improve the lives of the poor and disadvantaged.
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OPINION
Three Myths About Renewable Energy and the Grid, Debunked
Renewable energy skeptics argue that because of their variability, wind and solar cannot be the foundation of a dependable electricity grid. But the expansion of renewables and new methods of energy management and storage can lead to a grid that is reliable and clean.
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Solutions
Embracing a Wetter Future, the Dutch Turn to Floating Homes
Faced with worsening floods and a shortage of housing, the Netherlands is seeing growing interest in floating homes. These floating communities are inspiring more ambitious Dutch-led projects in flood-prone nations as far-flung as French Polynesia and the Maldives.
Cities
Why the Luster on Once-Vaunted ‘Smart Cities’ Is Fading
“Smart cities” built from scratch have so far failed to live up to their much-hyped promise. Some critics argue that rather than grafting a new city onto the landscape, it is better to integrate high-tech for clean, efficient energy and transportation into existing cities.
E360 Digest
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Beijing Meets Air Quality Standards for the First Time
Beijing met state air quality standards for the first time in 2021, though it still faces high levels of pollution as it prepares to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. More about Beijing Meets Air Quality Standards for the First Time →
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EVs Made Up Two-Thirds of New Cars Sales in Norway Last Year
Electric cars accounted for roughly two-thirds of new sales in Norway last year, a key milestone on the country’s way to ending the sale of gas-powered cars by 2025, Reuters reported. More about EVs Made Up Two-Thirds of New Cars Sales in Norway Last Year →
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Satellite Images of Our Changing Earth in 2021
NASA's Earth Observatory regularly publishes striking satellite images of our rapidly changing planet, this year showing everything from the massive fires in Greece and California to the historic floods in China and the Netherlands. These photos document the ways humans are remaking the planet, both by building dams, cities, and farms, and by fueling climate change, which, in turn, is spurring more drought, wildfires, floods, and other disasters. See how the Earth has changed in images taken over the past year.
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Energy
Why Putting Solar Canopies on Parking Lots Is a Smart Green Move
Solar farms are proliferating on undeveloped land, often harming ecosystems. But placing solar canopies on large parking lots offers a host of advantages — making use of land that is already cleared, producing electricity close to those who need it, and even shading cars.
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OPINION
How to Repair the World’s Broken Carbon Offset Markets
Markets that connect businesses hoping to offset their carbon emissions with climate change mitigation projects have been plagued by problems. But an economist and his co-authors argue that carbon markets can be reformed and play a significant role in slowing global warming
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Biodiversity
Why Climate Change Could Put New Conservation Areas in Jeopardy
A global initiative to protect 30 percent of the earth’s land and oceans by 2030 is gaining momentum. But scientists warn that as the world warms, many conservation areas will become less and less suited to the types of species and ecosystems they were intended to protect.
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Oceans
Finding Bright Spots in the Global Coral Reef Catastrophe
The first-ever report on the world’s coral reefs presents a grim picture, as losses mount due to global warming. But there are signs of hope — some regions are having coral growth, and researchers found that corals can recover if given a decade of reprieve from hot water.
