A rash of data centers planned for western Pennsylvania has residents and environmentalists on edge. The sprawling complexes will be powered by plants that burn fracked natural gas, whose production has caused air and water pollution in the region and has known health risks.
-
SPACE
Scientists Warn of Emissions Risks from the Surge in Satellites
With hundreds of satellites launched each year and tens of thousands more planned, scientists are increasingly concerned about an emerging problem: emissions from the fuels burned in launches and from the pollutants released when satellites and rocket stages flame out on reentry.
-
WILDLIFE
A Troubling Rise in the Grisly Trade of a Spectacular African Bird
Researchers are finding a disturbing uptick in the trade of African hornbills and their body parts in West African voodoo markets and globally on the internet. Conservationists want international protections for these birds, which play a key role in Africa’s forest ecosystems.
-
MINING
In Myanmar, Illicit Rare Earth Mining Is Taking a Heavy Toll
As China has cut back on domestic extraction of rare earth minerals, uncontrolled mining in Myanmar has boomed in areas ruled by powerful ethnic armies. New reporting reveals how this activity is damaging water supplies, forests, and the health of workers and communities.
Solutions
From Ruins to Reuse: How Ukrainians Are Repurposing War Waste
Russian bombardments have generated more than a billion tons of debris across Ukraine since 2022. Now, local and international efforts are meticulously sorting the bricks, concrete, metal, and wood, preparing these materials for a second life in new buildings and roads.
E360 Digest
-
Dozens of Countries See Their Economy Grow as Emissions Fall
A growing number of countries are showing that it is possible to achieve growth while also cutting emissions. More about Dozens of Countries See Their Economy Grow as Emissions Fall →
-
EPA Removes Information on Human Drivers of Warming from Its Website
The Environmental Protection Agency has scrubbed from its website information on how humans are driving warming. A web page that once explored the central role of fossil fuels in heating the planet now only mentions natural drivers of climate change. More about EPA Removes Information on Human Drivers of Warming from Its Website →
-
In New York City, Congestion Pricing Leads to Marked Drop in Pollution
A new toll applied to cars driving in parts of New York City has led to a measurable drop in traffic, and with it, a 22 percent decline in particulate pollution, according to a new study. More about In New York City, Congestion Pricing Leads to Marked Drop in Pollution →
Never miss an article. Subscribe to the E360 Newsletter for weekly updates delivered to your inbox. Sign Up.
Energy
Facing a Hostile Administration, U.S. Offshore Wind Is in Retreat
Offshore wind had been poised to take off along the East Coast, with about 30 utility-scale farms planned. But the Trump administration’s opposition to wind power has caused most of those projects to be abandoned, with only seven farms now moving ahead or in operation.
-
INTERVIEW
How Batteries, Not Natural Gas, Can Power the Data Center Boom
Tech companies are turning to natural gas to help power the growing number of A.I. data centers in the U.S. Jigar Shah, a former Energy Department official, explains how installing batteries instead can help balance the grid, lower electricity bills, and support renewable energy.
-
ANALYSIS
As U.S. and E.U. Retreat on Climate, China Takes the Leadership Role
As U.N. talks get underway, China is emerging as a key leader in international climate efforts. It is empowering the global energy transition, and along with India and Brazil, is becoming the driving force in climate diplomacy and filling a vacuum left by the world’s rich nations.
-
Biodiversity
As Jaguars Recover, Will the Border Wall Block Their U.S. Return?
Decades of conservation efforts in Central and South America are starting to pay off, with increased protections for jaguars and the corridors that connect them. But the construction of the border wall is creating a roadblock to the big cat’s return to the U.S. Southwest.
