Some policy experts are optimistic that victory over the coronavirus will instill greater appreciation for what government, science, and business can do to tackle climate change. But others believe the economic damage caused by the virus will set back climate efforts for years to come.
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Letter from California
In an Era of Pandemics and Fires, Global Action Is the Only Hope
In the San Francisco Bay Area, where the coronavirus is now eclipsing the dangers of drought and fire, the new pandemic is the starkest reminder yet of how connected we all are. To tackle both the virus and climate change, there is no option but global collaboration.
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Climate
Shifting Gears: The Climate Protest Movement in the Age of Coronavirus
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Fridays for Future, the youth climate campaign, was seeing numbers of protesters decline and its calls for action falling short of its goals. Now, the movement is recalibrating its strategies to try to usher in the next phase of a global campaign.
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Policy
Coronavirus Holds Key Lessons on How to Fight Climate Change
When the COVID-19 pandemic is past, societies may adopt some important measures that would lower emissions, from more teleconferencing to shortening global supply chains. But the most lasting lesson may be what the coronavirus teaches us about the urgency of taking swift action.
Food & Agriculture
Can ‘Carbon Smart’ Farming Play a Key Role in the Climate Fight?
Markets are emerging to pay farmers to store more carbon in the soil by using improved agricultural practices. But flows of greenhouse gases into and out of soil are complex, and some scientists are questioning whether these efforts will actually help slow global warming.
E360 Digest
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UN Biodiversity Chief Argues for a Permanent Ban on Wildlife Markets
The United Nations’ biodiversity chief has called for a global ban on wildlife markets — such as the one in Wuhan, China, believed to be the starting point of the coronavirus outbreak — to prevent future pandemics. More about UN Biodiversity Chief Argues for a Permanent Ban on Wildlife Markets →
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Entries Invited for the Seventh Annual Yale Environment 360 Video Contest
The seventh annual Yale Environment 360 Video Contest is now accepting entries. The contest honors the year’s best environmental videos. Submissions must focus on an environmental issue or theme and be a maximum of 20 minutes in length. The contest aims to honor work that has not previously been widely seen. Videos that are funded by an organization or company and are primarily about that organization or company are not eligible. More about Entries Invited for the Seventh Annual Yale Environment 360 Video Contest →
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Marine Life Could Recover By 2050 With the Right Policies, Study Finds
Despite centuries of rampant overfishing and pollution, marine life in the world’s oceans could be fully restored in as little as 30 years with aggressive conservation policies, according to a new scientific review published in the journal Nature. The research pointed to ocean animals’ strong resiliency and the successful recovery of several species, including humpback whales. More about Marine Life Could Recover By 2050 With the Right Policies, Study Finds →
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Biodiversity
With Temperatures Rising, Can Animals Survive the Heat Stress?
A growing number of studies show that warming temperatures are increasing mortality in creatures ranging from birds in the Mojave Desert, to mammals in Australia, to bumblebees in North America. Researchers warn that heat stress could become a major factor in future extinctions.
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Interview
Green Violence: ‘Eco-Guards’ Are Abusing Indigenous Groups in Africa
A new UN report says park guards funded by conservation organizations are hounding African forest dwellers. In an interview with Yale e360, a noted anthropologist describes the mistreatment and says the solution lies in giving indigenous people greater control over their traditional lands.
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Food & Agriculture
A Movement Grows to Help Farmers Reduce Pollution and Turn a Profit
More than 100,000 miles of U.S. rivers and streams are polluted by nitrogen and phosphorus, much of it from agricultural runoff. In Pennsylvania, an innovative program is showing farmers how to plant cash crops in buffer zones to help stabilize stream banks and clean up waterways.
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Analysis
As Investors and Insurers Back Away, the Economics of Coal Turn Toxic
Coal is declining sharply, as financiers and insurance companies abandon the industry in the face of shrinking demand, pressure from climate campaigners, and competition from cleaner fuels. After years of its predicted demise, the world’s dirtiest fossil fuel may finally be on the way out.
From the E360 Video Archives
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E360 Video
On the Chesapeake, A Precarious Future of Rising Seas and High Tides
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E360 Video Contest Winner
Seldom Seen: A Poignant Look Back at Glen Canyon Before the Dam
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E360 Video Contest Winner — Second Place
In Ecuador, One Man’s Mission to Restore a Piece of the Rainforest
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With Warming, a Terrifying New Normal for Firefighters