For years, analysts have predicted that rising world oil consumption would peak and start declining in the coming decades. But with a recent string of setbacks for big oil companies and the rapid advance of electric vehicles, some now say that “peak oil” is already here.
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Climate
Yellowstone and Warming: An Iconic Park Faces Startling Changes
A new report details global warming’s impact on Yellowstone Park, changes that have begun to fundamentally alter its famed ecosystem and threaten everything from its forests to Old Faithful geyser. Such troubling shifts are occurring in national parks across the U.S. West.
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Biodiversity
As Climate Warms, a Rearrangement of World’s Plant Life Looms
Previous periods of rapid warming millions of years ago drastically altered plants and forests on Earth. Now, scientists see the beginnings of a more sudden, disruptive rearrangement of the world’s flora — a trend that will intensify if greenhouse gas emissions are not reined in.
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Solutions
In Push to Find Methane Leaks, Satellites Gear Up for the Hunt
Stemming the methane leaks from landfills, oil fields, natural gas pipelines and more is one of the most powerful levers we have to quickly slow global warming. New satellites are bolstering this urgent mission by pinpointing emitters of this potent greenhouse gas from space.
Biodiversity
How Returning Lands to Native Tribes Is Helping Protect Nature
From California to Maine, land is being given back to Native American tribes who are committing to managing it for conservation. Some tribes are using traditional knowledge, from how to support wildlife to the use of prescribed fires, to protect their ancestral grounds.
E360 Digest
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EVs Cost 40 Percent Less to Maintain Than Conventional Cars, Energy Department Report Says
Maintenance costs for a light-duty, battery-powered car are around 40 percent less per mile than for a gas-powered car, according to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. More about EVs Cost 40 Percent Less to Maintain Than Conventional Cars, Energy Department Report Says →
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New Paper Argues for Managed Retreat from Flood-Prone Areas
A new paper argues that adapting to climate change over the long term will require managed retreat from areas that are prone to floods or other hazards. While managed retreat has long been viewed as a solution of last resort, authors say that it can be an economically efficient means of coping with climate change. More about New Paper Argues for Managed Retreat from Flood-Prone Areas →
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Volvo Plans to Build Cars Using Fossil Fuel-Free Steel
Volvo has announced plans to manufacture cars using fossil fuel-free steel by 2026. The company is partnering with Swedish steel firm SSAB to source steel made with hydrogen. More about Volvo Plans to Build Cars Using Fossil Fuel-Free Steel →
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Opinion
The Time Has Come to Rein In the Global Scourge of Palm Oil
The cultivation of palm oil, found in roughly half of U.S. grocery products, has devastated tropical ecosystems, released vast amounts of C02 into the atmosphere, and impoverished rural communities. But efforts are underway that could curb the abuses of this powerful industry.
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Oceans
How a Russian Vessel’s Grounding Highlights Perils of Arctic Shipping
A recently released report on the 2018 grounding of a Russian ship in the Canadian Arctic points out the many dangers of a coming shipping boom in an increasingly ice-free Arctic, including the lack of reliable navigational charts and crews inexperienced in polar waters.
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Solutions
Europe’s Drive to Slash Plastic Waste Moves Into High Gear
As part of a broader effort to create a circular economy that reduces waste and greenhouse gas emissions, the European Union will ban a host of throwaway plastic items next month and is working to create an expansive and lucrative market for recycled plastics.
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Climate
Net-Zero Emissions: Winning Strategy or Destined for Failure?
Net-zero emissions — balancing emissions by absorbing equivalent amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere — is the defining approach of international climate efforts. But some scientists are arguing that this strategy simply allows the perpetuation of the status quo and is certain to fail.
