A legacy of deforestation has left Ethiopia struggling with more intense flooding and drought. The country is trying to restore its native forests through one of the world's most ambitious and well-funded tree-planting campaigns, but experts question whether the trees will survive.
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OPINION
The Solar Boom in Developing Nations: Fast, Chaotic, and Unequal
Soaring energy costs are driving a solar rush in developing countries, but as households unplug from the grid, those who remain face higher electricity bills. If governments fail to manage the buildout, the growth of solar could destabilize power systems and deepen economic inequality.
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Climate
Why Germany Is Building an Ark for U.S. Climate Data
As researchers around the world begin work on the next U.N. climate assessment, fears are growing that the Trump administration could meddle with critical U.S. climate data. In response, scientists are preparing to transfer vast troves of that data to repositories in Germany.
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Biodiversity
Sargassum Superbloom: Seaweed Scourge or Ecological Boon?
Stretching from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico, a massive bloom of sargassum seaweed is swamping beaches and killing coastal wildlife. But scientists have discovered the floating algae also shelters a vast array of ocean creatures, and some are now calling for its protection.
INTERVIEW
From Indigenous Loss, a Potent Legal Argument on Climate
In an interview, human rights lawyer Julian Aguon explores how climate change is undermining the cultural traditions of Indigenous peoples. He is citing these injuries in legal actions, including in a major victory at the International Court of Justice last year.
E360 Digest
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For the First Time in a Century, the Atlantic May See No Hurricanes
August and September passed without a single Atlantic hurricane, thanks in part to a powerful El Niño. Forecasters are now raising the prospect that the season could conclude with zero Atlantic hurricanes. More about For the First Time in a Century, the Atlantic May See No Hurricanes →
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When Bolsonaro Tweeted, Amazon Deforestation Surged
As president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro not only weakened environmental regulations and gutted agencies charged with protecting the Amazon, he also railed against conservation. An analysis of his tweets and those of his ministers finds a link between their rhetoric and the acres of forest lost. More about When Bolsonaro Tweeted, Amazon Deforestation Surged →
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Short on Land, Japan Is Building Solar Farms on Old Golf Courses
Mountainous, densely populated Japan has little land available for large solar farms, so developers are erecting arrays on many of the now disused golf courses that proliferated during the country's 1980s economic boom. More about Short on Land, Japan Is Building Solar Farms on Old Golf Courses →
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Oceans
A Surge of Marine Heat Waves Threatens to Scramble Ocean Life
Fueled by climate change and a strengthening El Niño, record-setting marine heat waves are gripping oceans worldwide and playing havoc with sea life. Mounting evidence from recent events suggests the damage could be severe and long-lasting, both onshore and off.
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Policy
A Hard-Won Rule to Cut Chemical Plant Pollution Is Being Unraveled
In 2024, the Biden administration enacted wide-ranging regulations to protect communities near petrochemical plants from air toxics. The Trump administration has since granted exemptions to scores of polluting facilities and is working to rewrite the long-awaited rule.
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E360 FILM CONTEST WINNER
Filipino Cacao Growers Learn to Live With a Hotter Climate
In “Chocolates Melting Away” — the First-Place Winner of the 2026 Yale Environment 360 Film Contest — Breech Asher Harani explores how cacao growers in the Philippines are developing new techniques to protect their crops from increasingly turbulent weather.
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OPINION
For America’s Rarest Wildlife, Survival May Hinge on a Single Word
For 50 years, the Endangered Species Act has defined "harm" as not just injury to individuals but to the habitat on which they depend. By narrowing that definition, the Trump administration is leaving hundreds of species at risk of extinction.
