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Breaking news on the environment, climate change, pollution, and endangered species. Also featuring Climate Connections, a special series on climate change co-produced by NPR and National Geographic.
Homeowners' insurance isn't just getting more expensive ... it's also getting harder to secure in the first place. Across the country, an increase in climate-related disasters like heat waves, wildfires and hurricanes is creating challenges for both insurers and their customers. One successful strategy taking hold in Alabama and other states: Climate-proofing houses — and incentivizing it with insurance discounts.
Still, not all states or homeowners face similar risks. And insurers aren't legally required to take climate-proofing into account when assessing the insurability of a home. That's why states are experimenting with different programs — and insurance legislation — to find a solution.
This episode is part of NPR's Climate Solutions Week: a series of stories covering real world solutions for building, and living, on a hotter planet.
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Whether it was her history making win in 2017.
Or the history she made as only the second woman elected to lead a country to give birth while IN office.
Or her decision to step away from power after leading New Zealand through crisis after crisis.
Jacinda Ardern could never be described as a TYPICAL politician. But perhaps the most norm-busting feature of her time as Prime Minister was her rejection of the old ways of leadership.
Now as she reflects on her time as Prime Minister of New Zealand Ardern is emphasizing the need to lead with kindness and empathy.
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Gen Z and younger millennials are the most climate literate generations the world has ever seen. They learned about climate change in school; now, it's part of how they plan for the future, including for jobs, housing ... and kids.
So, what do experts say about how to navigate the kid question? In this installment of Nature Quest, Short Wave speaks to climate journalist Alessandra Ram about the future she sees for her newborn daughter. Plus, how do we raise the next generation in a way that's good for the planet?
Resources discussed in this episode include:
Jade Sasser's book, Climate Anxiety and the Kid Question
Kimberly Nicholas's High Impact Climate Action Guide
Elizabeth Bechard's book, Parenting in a Changing Climate
The Climate Mental Health Network's Climate Emotions Wheel
Got a question about changes in your local environment? Send a voice memo to shortwave@npr.org with your name, where you live and your question. You might make it into our next Nature Quest episode!
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The Trump administration is rewriting policies and reducing funding for multiple agencies that handle climate change, including NOAA, EPA and FEMA. We asked NPR reporters Lauren Sommer and Alejandra Borunda what that the implications of that are — and who the changes will affect.
Want to hear more ways research is being impacted by the new administration? Email us at shortwave@nprg.org *to let us know — and we may cover your idea in a future episode!
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Google, Microsoft and Meta have all pledged to reach at least net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. Amazon set their net-zero deadline for 2040. To understand how these four tech companies could possibly meet their climate goals amid an artificial intelligence renaissance, Short Wave co-host Emily Kwong discusses the green AI movement. Speaking with scientists, CEOs and tech insiders, she explores three possible pathways: nuclear energy, small language models (SLMs) and back-to-the-future ways of keeping data centers cool.
Listen to Part 1 of Short Wave's reporting on the environmental cost of AI here.Have a question about AI and the environment? Email us at shortwave@npr.org *— we'd love to hear from you!
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By 2028, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory forecasts that U.S. data centers could use as much as 12% of the nation's electricity. The reason: generative AI. Since 2022, AI innovation by four leading tech companies — Google, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon — has led to annual increases in both energy and water consumption. So, in this episode, Short Wave co-host Emily Kwong probes huge water footprint of AI. We begin with the rise of data centers, then look at how computers came to need so much water and, finally, what tech companies are doing to try to turn the ship around.
P.S. Part 2 talks about the leading solutions in the green AI movement. So don't miss our Friday episode!
Curious about tech and the environment? Email us at shortwave@npr.org *— we'd love to hear from you!
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From starfish and sea slugs to jellyfish and sponges, the ocean's invertebrates are some of the most ancient and diverse critters on Earth. And so are their superpowers, as marine biologist Drew Harvell calls their unique abilities. In her new book, The Ocean's Menagerie, she chronicles the amazing abilities of some of these spineless creatures and showcases how they've inspired our science and medicine.
Listen to our past episode on nudibranchs — the potent slugs of the sea — HERE.
Want to hear more stories about underwater marvels? Email us and let us know at shortwave@npr.org*.
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A fish walks into a pharmacy ... well, not exactly. Fish aren't being prescribed anti-anxiety drugs. But they are experiencing the effects. Researchers have found more than 900 different pharmaceutical ingredients in rivers and streams around the world, though they're not yet sure how this could change the behavior of fish and other aquatic animals in the wild.
"We can't, you know, dump a bunch of pharmaceuticals into the river," says Jack Brand, biologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Instead, Jack's team did the next best thing – with some surprising results.
This episode was reported by NPR science correspondent Jon Lambert. Check out more of his reporting.
Want to hear more stories about animal behavior? Email us and let us know at shortwave@npr.org.
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Welcome!! This is the first episode of Nature Quest, a monthly Short Wave segment that answers listener questions about your local environment. This month, we hear from a listener in California who's concerned that the flowers in his neighborhood are blooming way, way earlier. Is that normal? And is climate change the culprit? Short Wavers Emily Kwong and Hannah Chinn investigate.
Got a question about changes in your local environment? Send a voice memo to shortwave@npr.org *with your name, where you live and your question. We might make it into our next Nature Quest episode!
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After being hunted to near extinction, wolves have made a population comeback in recent decades with the help of conservation efforts. Now, the country with the most wolves in Europe is Italy. Our correspondent in Rome set's out for the Italian forest with an organization that takes small groups to try to see wolves in the wild.
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In California's Napa Valley, the nation's unofficial wine capital, one varietal reigns supreme: cabernet sauvignon. But climate change is threatening the small blue-black grapes for which cabernet sauvignon is named. Increasingly severe heat waves are taking a toll on the grape variety, especially in late summer during ripening.
To kick off NPR's Climate Solutions Week, climate correspondent Lauren Sommer joins host Regina G. Barber for a deep dive into the innovations wineries are actualizing — and the ways that cabernet farmers and fans alike could learn to adapt.
Climate change is affecting our food, and our food is affecting the climate. NPR is dedicating a week to stories and conversations about the search for solutions.Read more of Lauren's reporting on how climate change is affecting wine.
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Short Wave producer Hannah Chinn has adult-onset eczema. They're not the only one. Up to ten percent of people in the United States have it, according to the National Eczema Association — and its prevalence is increasing. Despite its ubiquity, a lot about this skin condition remains a mystery.
So today, Hannah's getting answers. They sat down with Raj Fadadu, a dermatologist at UC San Diego, to ask: What is eczema? What triggers it in the first place? And might climate change make it worse sometimes?
If you liked this episode, check out our episode on the science of itchiness. Also, follow us! That way you never miss another Short Wave episode.
Interested in hearing more about climate change and human health? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear your feedback!
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From Indonesia to Wisconsin, farmers all over the world struggle with a huge problem: pests. On top of that, it's tough for farmers to identify where exactly they have the pests and when. Reporter Lina Tran from NPR member station WUWM in Milwaukee joins host Emily Kwong to tell the story of how researchers in the Midwest are inventing new forms of pest detection that involve eavesdropping on the world of insects. Plus, hear what aphid slurping sounds like.
If you liked this episode, check out behind-the-scenes photos of Insect Eavesdropper experiments in Lina's digital story!
Interested in hearing more insect news? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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What does it mean to do the greatest good for the greatest number? When the Los Angeles Aqueduct opened in 1913, it rerouted the Owens River from its natural path through an Eastern California valley hundreds of miles south to LA, enabling a dusty town to grow into a global city. But of course, there was a price.
Today on the show: Greed, glory, and obsession; what the water made possible, and at what cost.
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The U.S. is the largest exporter of natural gas in the world. And Louisiana's Gulf Coast is where much of America's natural gas is piped in to be liquified for export.
Over the last twenty years, liquified natural gas (LNG) has been heralded as a clean and efficient "bridge fuel" for nations transitioning away from coal and oil, towards a future of renewable energy.
But the promise of LNG has not reflected reality. In today's episode of The Sunday Story, WWNO reporters Halle Parker and Carlyle Calhoun talk about the impact of the LNG export industry on Louisiana's Gulf Coast. And they follow the supply chain of LNG all the way to Germany and Japan.
To hear more of Halle and Carlyle's reporting on LNG, listen to their three-part series, "All Gassed Up," on the podcast Sea Change from member stations WWNO and WRKF.Part One: The Carbon Coast
Part Two: The German Connection
Part Three: The Sugar Daddy of LNG
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Generally, we at Short Wave are open-minded to the creepies and the crawlies, but even we must admit that leeches are already the stuff of nightmares. They lurk in water. They drink blood. There are over 800 different species of them. And now, as scientists have confirmed ... at least some of them can jump!
Interested in more critter science? Email us at shortwave@npr.org— we'd love to consider your animal of choice for a future episode!
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More than a hundred years ago, a British engineer proposed linking two rivers in India to better irrigate the area and cheaply move goods. The link never happened, but the idea survived. Today, due to extreme flooding in some parts of the country mirrored by debilitating drought in others, India's National Water Development Agency plans to dig thirty links between rivers across the country. It's the largest project of its kind and will take decades to complete. But scientists are worried what moving that much water could do to the land, the people — and even the weather. Host Emily Kwong talks to journalist Sushmita Pathak about her recent story on the project.
Read Sushmita's full story here.Interested in more science stories like this? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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Every year for two weeks between mid-May and mid-June, Congaree National Park in South Carolina is home to a fairy-tale-like display of flashing lights. These rhythmic performances happen all because of thousands of fireflies, flashing their belly lanterns at exactly the same time. According to the National Park Service, there are just three types of these synchronous fireflies in North America, making the experience all the more magical for the lucky visitors who get the chance to see them.
Firefly scientists and enthusiasts hope these displays in places like Congaree will inspire people to care about other kinds of fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, in the U.S., which are not as well-studied – or well-protected – as synchronous ones. Some community scientists are already taking on this mission with projects like the Firefly Atlas, where volunteers can help survey for fireflies and report sightings.
This story was originally reported for NPR by science correspondent Pien Huang. Read Pien's full story here. Want more of the science behind wildlife wonders? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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It's that time of the year again: Shark Week. The TV program is so long-running that if you're under 37, you've never known a life without it. In honor of this oft misunderstood critter, we revisit our conversation with shark scientist Melissa Christina Marquez. She explains just how important sharks are to keeping the oceans healthy, including their role in mitigating climate change. Plus, there may be some talk about shark poop.
Have another animal with a bad rap you want us to clear the reputation of? Email the show at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!
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About ten years ago, science writer Ferris Jabr started contemplating Earth as a living planet rather than a planet with life on it. It began when he learned that the Amazon rainforest doesn't simply receive the rain that defines it; rather, it helps generate that rain. The Amazon does that by launching bits of biological confetti into the atmosphere that, in turn, seed clouds. After learning this, he began looking for other ways life changes its environment. That led to his new book Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life. He talks to host Regina G. Barber about examples of life transforming the planet — from changing the color of the sky to altering the weather.
Have a story about the environment you'd like us to cover? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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To a lot of people, mosquito bites are annoying. But to the rare Hawaiian honeycreepers, they're deadly. Scientists in Maui are racing against time to save them ... and discovering some pretty crazy innovations along the way. Like, releasing-mosquitos-incapable-of-breeding level innovations.
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Joro spiders are spreading across the east coast. They are an invasive species that most likely arrived in shipping containers from eastern Asia. Today, we look into why some people find them scary, why to not panic aboutthem and what their trajectory illustrates about the wider issue of invasive species.
Questions? You can also email those to shortwave@npr.org.
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Wildlife trafficking is one of the largest and most profitable crime sectors in the world. The illegal trade estimated to be a multi-billion dollar industry. On a high level, that illegal trade causes problems for everything from global biodiversity to local economies and the balance of entire ecosystems. And on the immediate level, authorities are tasked with caring for confiscated animals and placing them in long-term care facilities.
One network launched last year by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Association for Zoos and Aquariums hopes to help. And with wildlife trafficking surging globally, the organizations are now in talks to expand the program to other parts of the country.
Read more about illegal wildlife trafficking and check out more photos in climate correspondent Nate Rott's full story.
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June 6, 1944 the Allied Forces stormed the beaches of Normandy and took the Nazis by surprise in the largest sea-to-land invasion in history. This would be remembered as D-Day and would ultimately lead to the end of World War II in Europe. However, this planned attack wouldn't have been possible without deep knowledge of ocean tides! We get into the whole story, including why tides sit at the intersection of astronomy and marine ecology — and why understanding tides are key to a greener future.
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Some otters rely on tools to bust open hard-shelled prey items like snails, and a new study suggests this tool use is helping them to survive as their favorite, easier-to-eat foods disappear.
"Moon Trees" are starting to grow on Earth. They got that name because as seeds they spent some time in space.
Spring brings lots to look at in the Adirondack Mountains and the concentration required for trail running means runners can't help but appreciate Spring's beauty.
Brown pelicans are appearing on California's coastline. They are showing up emaciated, starving and weak. Dr. Elizabeth Wood of the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center of Orange County explains.
At Bear Divide, just outside Los Angeles, you can see a rare spectacle of nature. This is one of the only places in the western United States where you can see bird migration during daylight hours.
The government has declared May 10 a day of mourning to mark the deaths from disastrous floods and pledged to help. But some say the authorities aren't doing enough. And the rains keep falling.
The White House wants a twenty-fold increase in geothermal energy production to fight climate change and it's counting on the oil and gas industry for help.
Far out in the Atlantic Ocean is a chain of volcanic islands — a province of Portugal. We escape tor a mountain trek among the dairy cows and waterfalls of Sao Miguel island in the Azores.
NPR's Juana Summers talks with Regina Barber and Emily Kwong of Short Wave about biodegradable plastic, simulating growing crops on Mars, and how deer are disrupting caribou populations.
A drought has upended life in several South American cities, leading to water rationing and power cuts as well as forest fires.
Bio-char is gaining traction as a regenerative agriculture technique that could improve soil while sequestering carbon. But cost and education are still barriers to more widespread use on farms.
The federal government says it will restore grizzly bears to the North Cascades region in Washington state, where they have not been seen since 1996.
The federal government says it will restore grizzly bears to the North Cascades region in Washington state, where they have not been seen since 1996.
After studying various species earlier this month, some scientists now say they understand the origin of animal behavior during solar eclipses.
After studying various species earlier this month, some scientists now say they understand the origin of animal behavior during solar eclipses.
Fifteen years after the EPA said greenhouse gasses are a danger to public health, the agency finalized rules to limit climate-warming pollution from existing coal and new gas power plants.
Fifteen years after the EPA said greenhouse gasses are a danger to public health, the agency finalized rules to limit climate-warming pollution from existing coal and new gas power plants.
The talks in Canada are not going well,and scientists and civil society groups say the U.S. is largely to blame.
The talks in Canada are not going well,and scientists and civil society groups say the U.S. is largely to blame.
Another huge patch of seaweed from the Sargasso Sea is floating towards Caribbean and South Florida beaches. Scientists are trying to predict where and when it will reach the shore.
Another huge patch of seaweed from the Sargasso Sea is floating towards Caribbean and South Florida beaches. Scientists are trying to predict where and when it will reach the shore.
A new version of the popular board game Catan aims to make players wrestle with a 21st-century problem: How do you develop and expand without overly polluting the planet?
A new version of the popular board game Catan aims to make players wrestle with a 21st-century problem: How do you develop and expand without overly polluting the planet?
The Museum for the United Nations has partnered with musicians to re-release some of their songs with added nature sounds to generate royalties for conservation efforts.
The Museum for the United Nations has partnered with musicians to re-release some of their songs with added nature sounds to generate royalties for conservation efforts.
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with area ecologist Kate Wollen about Forestry England's efforts to save dormice. And yes, the rodents are terrifically cute.
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with area ecologist Kate Wollen about Forestry England's efforts to save dormice. And yes, the rodents are terrifically cute.
Another huge patch of seaweed from the Sargasso Sea is floating towards Caribbean and South Florida beaches. Scientists are trying to predict where and when it will reach the shore.
Another huge patch of seaweed from the Sargasso Sea is floating towards Caribbean and South Florida beaches. Scientists are trying to predict where and when it will reach the shore.
The Panama Canal has been dubbed the greatest engineering feat in human history. It's also (perhaps less favorably) been called the greatest liberty mankind has ever taken with Mother Nature. But due to climate change, the Canal is drying up and fewer than half of the ships that used to pass through are now able to do so. So how did we get here? Today on the show, we're talking to Cristina Henriquez, the author of a new novel that explores the making of the Canal. It took 50,000 people from 90 different countries to carve the land in two — and the consequences of that extraordinary, nature-defying act are still echoing through our present.
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President Biden has been pushing new regulations to promote electric vehicle production to combat the climate crisis — and former president Trump is using those regulations as a talking point against Biden. To break down how cars became the latest weapons in the culture wars, host Brittany Luse is joined by NPR's transportation correspondent Camila Domonoske and Dan Brekke, a reporter and editor at KQED in San Francisco who covers transit. Together, they talk about why Americans are so invested in their cars — and how cars became more than just a policy battle.
Then Brittany discusses a new HBO documentary series that is making waves right now: Quiet On Set. The show alleges a pattern of sexual harassment behind the scenes at Nickelodeon, and includes interviews with several former child stars describing experiences that range from taking part in sexualized gags to facing downright sexual abuse while working for the network. Brittany looks closer at the trouble with child performers with Joan Summers and Matthew Lawson, co-hosts of the Eating for Free podcast. They discuss what makes child performers especially vulnerable to abuse — and they ask why society demands performances from children.
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"A total solar eclipse is so much more than something you just see with your eyes. It's something you experience with your whole body," says science writer David Baron.
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Historic numbers of animals across the globe have become endangered or pushed to extinction. But some of these species sit in limbo — not definitively extinct yet missing from the scientific record. Rediscovering a "lost" species is not easy. It can require trips to remote areas and canvassing a large area in search of only a handful of animals. But new technology and stronger partnerships with local communities have helped these hidden, "uncharismatic" creatures come to light.
Have other scientific gray areas you want us to cover in a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org!
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Across the animal kingdom, menopause is something of an evolutionary blip. We humans are one of the few animals to experience it. But Sam Ellis, a researcher in animal behavior, argues that this isn't so surprising. "The best way to propagate your genes is to get as many offspring as possible into the next generation," says Ellis. "The best way to do that is almost always to reproduce your whole life."
So how did menopause evolve? The answer may lie in whales. Ellis and his team at the University of Exeter recently published a study in the journal Nature that studies the evolution of menopause in the undersea animals most known for it. What they uncovered may even help explain menopause in humans.
Curious about other animal behavior mysteries? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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What happens if your car runs out of power on a road trip? Is it better to buy an EV now or wait until you need a new car? A roundup of smart questions from our listeners.
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On August 6, 1945, a stone-faced President Harry Truman appeared on television and told Americans about the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima.
The attack on Hiroshima marked the first time nuclear power was used in war, but the atomic bomb was actually tested a month earlier in the Jornada del Muerto desert of New Mexico.
At least hundreds of New Mexicans were harmed by the test's fallout. Radiation creeped into the grass their cows grazed, on the food they ate, and the water they drank.
A program compensating victims of government-caused nuclear contamination has been in place since 1990, but it never included downwinders in New Mexico, the site of the very first nuclear test.
This week, the Senate voted to broaden the bi-partisan legislation that could compensate people who have suffered health consequences of radiation testing. Now, the bill will go to a House vote.
Generations after the Trinity Nuclear Test, will downwinders in New Mexico finally get compensation?
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Fish populations are dwindling around the world due to overfishing. Here's how to make the right choices when dining out or buying fish at the market.
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Why is it so complicated to save the Everglades?
The Everglades is home to the largest mangrove ecosystem in the western hemisphere and a sanctuary for over three dozen endangered and threatened species. It also provides fresh water, flood control, and a buffer against hurricanes and rising seas for about 9 million Floridians.
But climate change, pollution, agriculture and rapid development are causing potentially irreversible damage.
In 2000, the state of Florida and the federal government struck an extraordinary deal to save the Everglades. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan was the largest ecosystem restoration project in the world.
But from the moment it was signed into law, things got complicated.
Now almost 25 years later, the Everglades is as endangered as ever, and the problems have become even more difficult—and expensive—to solve.
Today on The Sunday Story, Ayesha Rascoe talks with WLRN's Jenny Staletovich. Jenny has a new podcast series out called Bright Lit Placethat tells the dramatic story of the Everglades, what's been done to the ecosystem, and what needs to happen to save it.
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In the last few years, a new trend has emerged on social media: de-influencing.
Instead of selling, de-influencers encourage their followers to stop buying things they don't need. De-influencers are also using this trend as an opportunity to raise awareness about the negative impact of overconsumption on the environment.
From plastic packaging to useless gadgets that end up in landfills, overconsumption doesn't just have a negative effect on our wallets, but also on our planet and climate change.
We look at what role de-influencers can play in helping to address climate change and spreading the message of sustainable living.
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Global Witness says 177 environmental activists were killed in 2022, and the majority were murdered in Latin America.
After summer storms flooded many Vermont communities, homeowners are deciding whether to repair their buildings or accept a buyout.
A drought is causing a slowdown in shipping traffic at the Panama Canal. It's introducing new problems for the global supply chain.
Occidental Petroleum is investing in billion-dollar projects to suck carbon dioxide out of the sky. The effort is raising hopes — and eyebrows.
Wildfires are a worsening danger — and a big business opportunity. From high-tech alarms to home retrofits, the industry around preparedness is nascent, fairly small, barely regulated, growing fast.
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Short Wave hosts Regina Barber and Aaron Scott about antibiotic resistance spreading through air, how farms can support biodiversity, and the eating habits of black holes.
After flames destroyed 1.3 million Joshua trees in Mojave National Preserve, biologists began replanting seedlings. But many have died, and now another fire has torched more of the iconic succulents.
A U.S. oil company is investing heavily in what could become a game-changing technology: Sucking carbon from the sky. Two business models are vying for primacy over how this technology will be used.
A group of seniors in Mobile, Ala., wants coal ash from a power plant moved to a lined landfill. They worry the toxic ash could leak into Mobile Bay. (Story aired on ATC on Sept. 4, 2023.)
A heat wave along the East Coast and in the Midwest leads to closings, shorter school days.
We pay a late summer visit to some of the tallest white pines in North America in The Adirondack Park in northern New York, one of the few places you can still find the old white pines.
A group of seniors in Mobile, Ala., wants coal ash from a power plant moved to a lined landfill. They worry the toxic ash could leak into Mobile Bay.
Residents of Pakistan's Himalayan region turn to science and folklore, with backing from the U.N. They're erecting ice towers, harvesting avalanches and performing an ancient glacier ritual.
We pay a late summer visit to some of the tallest white pines in North America in The Adirondack Park in northern New York, one of the few places you can still find the old white pines.
Critics say the $2.6 billion floodwall project overlooks current climate risks and exposes flaws in how the federal government approaches major flood infrastructure.
When Hurricane Idalia slammed into the Florida coast, it decimated several small beach towns and fishing villages. Now, those communities are beginning the task of rebuilding.
The EPA dialed back pollution protections for inland waterways including streams and wetlands in alignment with a Supreme Court decision. NPR's Michel Martin talks to Ariel Wittenberg of E and E News.
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Marla Stelk, executive director of the National Association of Wetland Managers, about the EPA's new rules that comply with a ruling limiting the Clean Water Act's scope.
The White House wants to direct more funding communities dealing with high levels of pollution and health problems. But how agencies determine who qualifies for the money has some researchers worried.
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks to Adil Ashiq from the maritime intelligence firm MarineTraffic {sic} about how a historic drought is causing huge delays at the Panama Canal.
Your whole idea of the Triassic period is about to be disrupted. Paleontologists are shifting their focus from dinosaurs to fossils so small they have to be reassembled under microscopes.
The coast guard and local officials have put up barriers to help avoid runoff from rain. Even though Lahaina is a dry place, what are the continuing threats to ocean health from the burn zone?
Climate change is a top issue for young voters across political parties, but most of the Republican presidential candidates avoided the question.
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with LA Times environmental reporter Susanne Rust about what she learned from logging her plastic use for a week.
Local fishermen and the government of neighboring China are among the critics of Japan's decision to release water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.
Japan's government says tomorrow it will begin releasing more than a million tons of wastewater into the Pacific Ocean from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant.
NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with climate scientist Alex Hall about the temporary relief tropical hurricane Hilary has offered the drought in California.
Those displaced by the fires have found temporary quarters in hotels and with family and friends. One host opened their home to 87 evacuees, most of them from one extended family.
NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Jeva Lange, who wrote a story called "Most Wildfires Aren't Forest Fires," about how wildfires largely occur in grasslands.
The footage of humpback whales exfoliating their skin with sand offer new insight into these animals' complex lifestyles deep beneath the ocean
After flames destroyed 1.3 million Joshua trees in Mojave National Preserve, biologists began replanting seedlings. But many have died, and now another fire has torched more of the iconic succulents.
The devastating fires on Maui burned more than 2,000 homes and buildings in Lahaina. Many churches have taken in their congregants because they have nowhere to go.
As people grapple with more than 100 people who died in the Lahaina fire on Maui, they're still trying to understand the loss of priceless artifacts and their connections to the island's ancient past.
While the world focuses on the devastation in West Maui and the destruction of the historic community of Lahaina, another wildfire is still burning in the hills some 25 miles away in Kula.
State and local officials have warned that the burn area on Maui is laden with distinct and potent toxic contaminants from incinerated buildings, vehicles and infrastructure.
One year ago, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, directing hundreds of billions of dollars to speed the transition away from fossil fuels.
Balancing sadness for the losses with hope about what's been saved, heritage workers are in the early stages of planning recovery and restoration efforts.
Maui has long known the dangers of wildfires. The island has a plan to help make communities safer. But like so many other places at risk, they've struggled to get the funding to implement it.
NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Jill Tokuda, who represents Hawaii in the U.S. House of Representatives about the search and rescue efforts continue in Maui after wildfires.
Hawaii's Gov. Josh Green says thousands of displaced people will need to be housed as firefighters continue to put out fires on Maui. The death toll stands at 55 and is expected to rise.
NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono about the wildfires on the island of Maui. President Biden approved a major disaster declaration, making funds available to those effected.
NPR's Juana Summers talks with Regina Barber and Berly McCoy of the Short Wave podcast about stealthy fish, a recent communication hiccup with Voyager 2 and why waves are getting taller in California.
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Giuseppe Torri, a climate scientist at the University of Hawaii, about the role of climate change in the Maui wildfire.
The Biden administration is moving ahead with what could be the largest national marine sanctuary in the continental U.S. A Native American tribe is hoping to be partners in managing it.
NPR's Juana Summers talks with Reveal reporter Nathan Halverson about Arizona's investment in a major land deal that effectively ships the state's limited water supply overseas in the form of hay.
Hundreds of acres of wildfires have burned on Maui, driven by winds that were increased by Hurricane Dora. The fires have caused power outages, evacuations, road closures and destroyed buildings.
Norfolk, Va., is one of the cities most at risk from sea level rise. It's now working on a floodwall project which critics worry won't address key impacts of climate change or protect people equally.
Ford's plans to produce electric vehicle batteries based on technology and licensing from China has become a flashpoint in the debate over relations between the two countries.
Researchers in Alabama are trying to toughen up baby oysters so they can better withstand predators. It's all part of an effort to restore oyster reefs around the world.
NPR's Steve Inskeep asks Mandy Gunasekara, Environmental Protection Agency's chief of staff in the Trump administration, about a Republican-led vision to cut the EPA's size and scope.
Leaders of the countries that make up the Amazon say it's time for the rich countries of the world to pay to protect the threatened rainforest. They are meeting Aug. 8 and 9 in Brazil.
There are a few weeks left of summer fun for kids at day camps and summer programs. Wildfire smoke has had a big impact curtailing summer activity at some camps.
On a trip back to her parents' native country, a writer rediscovers what makes it different. The urban design, and a culture that values longevity, make good health come al lot more naturally.
Authorities have been unable to find the bear that killed a woman near Yellowstone National Park late last month. The attack has renewed calls to take grizzlies off the endangered species list.
Germany's dense green spruce forests are being decimated by parasites and climate change. It's unclear if planting different kinds of trees would help stop the decline
This spring's landmark deal to keep more water in the Colorado River will send farmers money to use less water. In the district that uses the most water, there is some deep skepticism.
In the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, the record temperatures this summer don't have Republicans heated as confidence in institutions takes a hit and President Biden has challenges ahead.
Hot summer temperatures can make you anxious and irritable and dull your thinking. Here's what researchers think is going on.
National parks and hiking trail networks around the country are facing dual pressures - crowds and changing weather. Preservationists in New Hampshire are painstakingly restoring one such trail.
Marine scientists say record ocean temperatures have sparked widespread coral bleaching in the Florida Keys. The extreme heat and bleaching have been deadly — killing all coral on one popular reef.
NPR's Lilly Quiroz brings us a postcard from Guatemala about Lake Atitlán, considered to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.
Jaguar plans to go fully electric by 2025, which means much quieter vehicles in its future. That's why a recording of the Jaguar's famous growl will be archived in the British Library.
A new project in Los Angeles is trying to cool the city by painting streets with a reflective coating to bounce away heat from the sun. Other cities like Phoenix are undertaking similar efforts.
This spring's landmark deal to keep more water in the Colorado River will send farmers money to use less water. In the district that uses that most water there is some deep skepticism.
Some of the impacts from climate change can happen suddenly. New research shows that a major ocean current in the Atlantic is at risk of collapsing. That could affect weather around the globe.
With PFAS, the forever chemicals, showing up in drinking water, researchers in Virginia want to know if they're building up in fish as well.
Good hiking trails can be hard to come by on the East Coast. That's why some people are working to expand the network of available trails by carving new public trails through private land.
A growing number of countries are calling to halt mining on the ocean floor. The topic will take center stage at thi annual assembly of the International Seabed Authority, which governs seabed mining.
Warmer temperatures, drought and disease are putting stress on native tree species in Minnesota. Some trees are dying, but researchers are finding ways to help others adapt to a warmer climate.
Scientists have used a gene-editing technique to make mosquitos allies in the fight against malaria. Environmentalists are troubled by the idea of genetically modifying wild animals.
Florida wants to start taking mountains of waste material from phosphate mining to use in road construction. The hitch: It's mildly radioactive, and environmental groups say it poses a health risk.
Emily Monosson says fungi and fungus-like pathogens are the most devastating disease agents on the planet, causing the extinction or near extinction of species of trees, bananas, bats, frogs and more.
The tallgrass prairie is an astonishing place to run, with rolling hills, bison herds, wildflowers and birds in the arroyos. We take a sunrise run in the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas
With PFAS <>, the forever chemicals, showing up in drinking water, researchers in Virginia want to know if they're building up in fish as well.
Heavy precipitation caused epic flooding in the Central Valley earlier this year, causing catastrophic damage to homes and crops. Months later, the region is still recovering.
NPR's Adrian Florido talks to Katey Lesneski, coordinator for the Mission: Iconic Reefs, about how the current heat wave hitting Florida is already affecting coral reefs.
President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act invests $369 billion to address the climate crisis. But as the president focuses on the law's economic benefits, is his climate win getting lost?
A new study takes a comprehensive look at the plastic debris smothering reefs, where in the ocean it's more prevalent — and how to deal with the problem.
New York Times journalist Jeff Goodell warns a new climate regime is coming: "We don't really know what we're heading into and how chaotic this can get." His new book is The Heat Will Kill You First.
After massive precipitation, the long-dry Tulare Lake is back. That's been hard on crops and homes, but has allowed the Tachi Yokut Tribe to reconnect with the lake they once built their lives around.
Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon dropped substantially in the first six months of this year, perhaps signaling a reversal after years of losses in the vast rainforest.
The Devils Hole pupfish's natural habitat is a single water-filled hole in a cave in the Nevada desert. Its numbers at one point dwindled to just 35 animals. How does it manage to survive?
The iconic spindly plants are under threat from a variety of factors, including climate change and development, and the California legislature is stepping in to help.
California lawmakers have agreed to create a conservation plan and a fund to help protect the western Joshua Tree, which faces extinction due to climate change.
There's a growing movement that calls for granting legal rights to natural entities like forests and rivers. Indigenous groups say it should definitely hold true for the Mississippi river and others.
The Japanese Joro spider has made it's home in Georgia. Its big, beautiful, harmless to people, shy and rapidly growing in numbers. It's invasive, but it is not yet clear what harm it can cause.
A national survey shows U.S. beekeepers lost about half of their colonies in 2022. A beekeeper talks about the important role bees play in our food supply.
The podcast Parched, from Colorado Public Radio, looks at the Colorado River, the people who rely on the river, and those who have ideas to save it.
Over three years, hundreds of volunteers will fan out across California to survey wild bees, with the goal of piecing together a picture of where they live and which species are in trouble.
As climate change is making extreme heat events more common, these bright-eyed and bushy-tailed critters are "splooting" to cope.
A researcher is documenting all the bird species at Acadia National Park, creating a baseline for changing populations.
Millions of Americas affected by wildfire smoke are focusing on the colors red, purple and maroon on the Air Quality Index charts. Red used to be the scariest color. Why did that change?
The massive fires in Canada's boreal forests are expected to worsen as the planet warms, but researchers say they're not unprecedented in scale and size.
The podcast Parched, looks at the drought that has plagued the southwestern U.S. for more than 20 years, how we got here and what we can do about it.
On both the East and West coasts, whales are at risk of being entangled and injured by ropes used by fishermen. Fishing grounds are being closed, but new technology could help avoid that.
Chemical manufacturing giant 3M will pay up ten billion dollars to help cities and towns test for and clean up toxic PFAS chemicals in public water supplies.
3M has reached a $10 billion settlement over "forever chemicals" in drinking water. NPR's Debbie Elliott talks with Scott Summy, an attorney for water systems that sued the chemical maker.
Monarch butterflies with more white spots on their mostly orange-and-black wings are more successful at long-distance migration. Some scientists think the spots may affect airflow around their wings.
Arizona is limiting development in the Phoenix metro area due to a lack of groundwater. But the development party isn't over.
The U.S. needs a lot more renewable energy to meet its climate goals. In some communities, the opposition to large solar projects comes from environmentalists themselves.
The 1984 gas leak in Bhopal, India, killed thousands. New research finds babies born to mothers who were pregnant at the time have suffered long-term impacts worse than those directly exposed.
A year ago, the Yellowstone River had its biggest flood in 500 years. Now, fishing guides have to learn a whole new river. Fishing sends more than $1 billion to Montana's economy.
Benzene is among the pollutants gas stoves emit into homes, Stanford University researchers show. The toxin is linked to a higher risk of leukemia and other blood cell cancers.
The wondrous findings of a global project to record the sound of ocean habitats threatened by climate change and pollution.
Georgia's Republican governor, Brian Kemp, is pledging to make his state the "electric mobility capital" of the country without embracing the climate realities that are helping drive the transition.
Each spring, alewife herrings return to spawn in New England rivers. In recent years, the removal of dams has led to a resurgence of the little fish that are a key part of the food chain.
One of the Philippines' most active volcanos is erupting — again. Over the weekend, Mount Mayon began oozing lava after weeks of increased seismic activity.
To prevent future droughts and restore groundwater in west Texas, the federal government is incentivizing landowners to replace trees with native grasses. Not everyone is on board with the idea.
The federal government has now spent more than $8.5 billion on water rights settlements with Native American tribes. Tribes have to give up a lot in return, and hundreds more have yet to settle.
The hazardous smoke that blanketed the Midwest and East Coast last week has largely cleared. But the massive wildfires in eastern Canada that generated the smoke are still very much alive.
There's a manmade island near Charleston that's now serving as a sanctuary for thousands of shore birds. It's one beneficial way to use soil from dredging rivers.
Horseshoe crab blood is used to test vaccines around the world. But while Europe has approved a synthetic alternative, biomedical labs are bleeding more crabs from the Atlantic Coast.
Homeless shelters handed out masks and schools cancelled activities as Baltimore residents endured another day of smoky air from wildfires in Canada.
NPR's Ailsa Chang searches coastal California for wild bumblebees with conservation biologist Leif Richardson, one of the leaders of the California Bumble Bee Atlas.
As Canada and parts of the U.S. confront declines in air quality due to smoke from Canadian wildfires, NPR reporters in Asia, Latin America and Africa share their experiences.
NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Mother Jones editor-in-chief Clara Jeffery about advice she's learned living under smoky skies after 22 years in San Francisco.
A good chunk of the United States is dealing with smoke following a series of wildfires in Canada. Winds have carried the smoke across the Northeast and parts of the Midwest.
The Canadian wildfire season has started early and already broken records, with toxic smoke drifting south to the U.S. and many air quality alerts in place.
In springtime, a wildlife refuge in northern Vermont is a paradise of migratory birds where you can paddle through flooded maple forests.
A deal to raise the country's debt limit also includes changes to a bedrock environmental law and approves a controversial natural gas pipeline.
Thousands have been forced to evacuate an area of Canada's Nova Scotia region as wildfires take hold. This comes only weeks after a string of serious wildfires in Alberta and British Columbia.
California will need to remove about 100 million tons of heat-trapping gasses each year to meet its ambitious climate goals. A new startup stepped in and is attracting millions to support the effort.
From excessive hygiene to low-fiber diets, author Theresa MacPhail explores the deep-rooted causes of rising allergy rates in her new book Allergic.
Cruises to Antarctica, already popular, have grown dramatically in recent years. Scientists and advocacy groups say tighter regulation is needed to minimize the impact on wildlife and the environment.
There are winners and losers in the new landmark deal to avert a water shortage crisis on the Colorado River. But experts say it doesn't go far enough and no one should be celebrating.
To prevent flooding, communities often raise levees next to rivers higher and higher. Now, a new approach is about backing off, moving levees away from rivers to create floodplains.
U.S. consumers are showing an increased interest in prolonging the life of the things they own, rather than throwing them out. But some products are easier to fix than others.
In a major win for industry and developers, the Supreme Court is significantly limiting the number and type of U.S. waterways that get federal protection.
The U.S. Supreme Court placed new restrictions on the scope of the jurisdiction the Clean Water Act has over wetlands, ruling in favor of Idaho landowners who had challenged the law.
Tribal governments manage significant wildlife habitat across the U.S., but they don't get the same tax revenue as states for conservation.
As California's massive winter snowpack melts, one industry is having a great year. Across the state, whitewater rafting is roaring back to life after years of debilitating drought.
A new breakthrough deal for sharing the over-promised Colorado River has been reached by the seven states that share it.
Companies are building carbon dioxide pipelines as a possible climate solution. But after a pipeline rupture sent dozens to the hospital in a Mississippi town, there are questions about their safety.
NPR's Scott Simon considers Chicago's newest star, a snapping turtle nicknamed Chonkasaurus.
Executive director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center, Colin Young, talks about a new report warning that the climate may breach 1.5 degrees of warming in 5 years.
With a historic snowpack starting to melt, increasing flood concerns in central California, there's an effort under way to capture as much of the water as possible in underground aquifers.
The European Union will tax certain imports based on the amount of carbon dioxide companies emit making them. Experts say the move could lead other major economies to do the same.
Three companies say the carbon pipelines they want to build in the Midwest would remove carbon dioxide from ethanol plants and help fight climate change. Some farmers and residents are not so sure.
Butterflies likely split from nocturnal moths around 100 million years ago in present-day western North America or Central America, a new study of the winged insects finds.
Pandemic border rules known as Title 42 will end Thursday night. Rep. George Santos pleads not guilty to federal fraud charges. EPA proposes rules on pollution from gas and coal-fired power plants.
Coal and natural gas-fired power plants would have to dramatically reduce the climate-warming greenhouse gasses they emit under proposed federal rules.
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks with Finnish scientist Tero Mustonen about the state of his country's peatlands. Mustonen has received the Goldman Environmental Prize for his work.
From Montego Bay to Miami, sargassum is leaving stinky brown carpets over what was once prime tourist sand. But whether it gets ignored or removed, it comes with high health and environmental risks.
In Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden, Camille Dungy describes her years-long project to transform her weed-filled, water-hogging, monochromatic lawn into a pollinator's paradise.
Warmer temperatures are melting the state's historic snowpack. Already flooded communities downstream are scrambling to prepare for the surge.
Rising rivers are stranding endangered riparian brush rabbits in California. Wildlife officials are searching out and relocating hundreds of them to help protect the species.
A wet winter in California has helped many plants and animals, but some species are struggling. An effort is underway to relocate endangered rabbits to higher ground.
In upstate New York, spring is breathing new life into the woods. We go for a hike in the Adirondack Mountains.
The tiny disc-like critters are known as Velella velella, a name so nice you gotta say it twice.
The failed launch of SpaceX's Starship rocket from Boca Chica, Texas, last week did more than explode the world's largest ever rocket. It caused more environmental damage than expected.
California's year of endless storms has seeded superblooms of wildflowers and provided a boost to some of the state's endangered ecosystems.
NPR's Michel Martin speaks with National Climate Adviser Ali Zaidi about a new White House executive order on environmental justice.
Laser technology is being used to more accurately measure mountain snowpack — crucial information for farmers and water managers in drought-stricken areas like the Colorado River Basin.
As Western wildfires get more destructive, scientists are finding a far-off connection to shrinking ice on the Arctic Ocean.
Los Angeles County is piloting a two-year project to determine if technology such as the Interceptor 007 is successful in capturing waste from major coastal cities, and keeping it from the oceans.
Ten rivers across the country make one conservation group's list of most endangered rivers, including the Ohio River.
The island is facing one of its worst dry spells in a century, and both the agricultural and high-tech sectors are competing for scarce water resources.
The island is facing one of its worst dry spells in a century, and both the agricultural and high-tech sectors are competing for scarce water resources.
The massive ice sheet on Greenland is shrinking as the climate gets hotter, pouring freshwater into the Atlantic Ocean. That could be setting off a chain reaction that's altering ocean ecosystems.
A lot of products contain toxic PFAS. Some of these "forever chemicals" are ending up in sewage that is turned into fertilizer.
Congress set aside $2.5 billion for victims of New Mexico's biggest wildfire, started by accident by the U.S. Forest Service. A year after the fire, distributing that money is still in the works.
NPR's Ailsa Chang and Keith Barry of Consumer Reports discuss whether now is a good time to buy a new electric vehicle, or whether it's best to wait.
A study of plastic trash hauled out of the Pacific Ocean found that most of it had been colonized by coastal life that was thriving right next to species that normally live in the open sea.
Lake Tahoe's water is clearer than it's been in decades. Why? NPR's Ayesha Rascoe gets the answer from Geoffrey Schladow, Director of the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center.
NPR's Elissa Nadworny talks to a South Florida real estate broker about buying and selling houses in a market buffeted by increasing bouts of severe weather.
Spring has finally arrived in the mountains of eastern Washington. NPR's Brian Mann went for a trek in the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge north of Spokane.
California's snowpack in the Sierra Nevada is well above average and all that snow is starting to melt. Communities are planning for flooding in a state already hit hard by winter rains and floods.
The White House is unveiling an emergency plan to keep America's two biggest reservoirs from falling too low to generate electricity or deliver drinking water.
The Biden administration announced an emergency plan to save lakes Mead and Powell from drying. It gives Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland authority to cut water use of the Colorado River.
A huge sinkhole that seemed stable for 15 years suddenly began expanding about a week ago, growing by several acres and leaving nearby residents terrified that it will take them and their homes.
A 2007 law requires new and remodeled federal buildings to stop using fossil fuels by 2030. But implementation stalled. The Department of Energy finally appears ready to put regulations in place.
More Midwestern farmers are planting off-season crops that help protect the soil and reduce fertilizer use. The next farm bill could make it easier to adopt this practice.
In 2019, Texas became one of the last coastal states to allow oyster farming. Now, the first farms have had their first harvests. (This piece originally aired April 3, 2023, on All Things Considered.)
At annual meetings this spring, shareholders will be pushing publicly-traded companies for information about how they're contributing to climate change, and what they're doing about the problem.
Climate scientists say this winter's storms in California are nothing compared to what's predicted in a warmer world. Some residents in one community question whether its time to leave.
NPR's Adrian Florido speaks with director Daniel Goldhaber and actor and cowriter Ariela Barer about environmental activism through sabotage in their heist film How To Blow Up a Pipeline.
Despite a wet winter, the drought crisis along the Colorado River remains dire and produce farmers along the California-Arizona border may be facing their first ever cuts to irrigation water.
Sales of super-efficient electric heat pumps are rising in the US. But what are heat pumps? And why do some call them a key climate solution?
The world's tropical rainforests are still getting hit hard by deforestation. Now, scientists are finding that's having an expected impact: causing droughts.
California has been deluged by storms this winter, but fixing the state's severe drought will take more than rain. The state had deeper problems in how it uses water.
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Richard Connor of UNESCO about Wednesday's report on the state of the world's water supply.
The Navajo Nation says the federal government isn't delivering water it's owed from the Colorado River. The case could affect how much water is available for non-tribal uses.
NPR's Pien Huang speaks with Gregory Ablavsky, professor at Stanford Law School, about a set of cases the Supreme Court will hear on Monday involving the water rights of the Navajo Nation.
Citizens for Responsible Solar is part of a growing backlash against renewable energy in rural communities across the United States.
The Biden administration approved a major oil extraction project in Alaska, a decision that has divided Democrats. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Sen. Ed Markey, who opposes the project.
The EPA proposed new regulations for PFAS and PFOA in the nation's drinking water. The chemicals are part of a class of so-called forever chemicals associated with a variety of health problems.
NPR's Leila Fadel talks to Jade Begay of the group NDN Collective, which advocates for indigenous communities, about the White House approving the controversial Willow drilling project in Alaska.
ConocoPhillip's $8 billion Willow project in the Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve will move ahead. Biden put millions of acres off-limits to future oil drilling; environment groups aren't thrilled.
An unregulated landfill that accepts vegetative waste has burned underground for months. Neighbors were inundated with smoke and left wondering why the site wasn't regulated in the first place.
Firefighters are often "woefully under-equipped" to handle train accidents that emit hazardous materials. Most of those serious enough to cause evacuations happened near small towns.
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks with ocean researcher Robert Blasiak of Stockholm University about a historic new treaty to protect oceans.
NPR's a Martinez talks to Lisa Speer of the National Resources Defense Council's International Oceans program, about a treaty that will open the door to more marine conservation.
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks to Alaska Public Media reporter Liz Ruskin about the Willow Oil Project in Alaska. It has has widespread support, but there are concerns about its environmental impact.
We asked six climate experts what questions you should ask yourself whenever you come across something claiming to be a "climate solution".
China permitted the equivalent of two new coal plants a week last year according to a new report. The country is also rapidly expanding its renewable energy.
Frost, floods, energy prices and Brexit are among the possible culprits in the shortage of tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli and lettuce in the U.K.
Phoenix has long been one of America's fastest growing cities. But central Arizona may finally be facing a reckoning as much of its groundwater supplies are becoming tapped out.
A plane loaded with scientists and their equipment has been flying through frozen skies this winter, sampling cloud particles to improve predictions of which storms will wreak havoc on the ground.
Opposition is mounting to what would be one of the biggest wind energy projects on federal public land, near a former Japanese internment camp. There is a nearby constituency fighting the wind farm.
California government agencies have found an easy way around the state's strict regulations about dumping hazardous waste: send it across state lines.
By day, Saint-Louis native Pape Dieye is a boat captain-turned-tour guide for a fancy hotel that caters to Westerners. By night, he turns down requests to smuggle human beings across the ocean.
Opposition is mounting to what would be one of the biggest wind energy projects on federal public land. A neighboring former Japanese internment camp has a constituency fighting it.
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Michael Regan, administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, about the response after the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
A wheel bearing on the train's 23rd car overheated to a dangerous degree, a new NTSB report says. An earlier warning may have helped to prevent the derailment, officials said.
In the 70s, Jimmy Carter's priorities included energy efficiency and a shift from foreign oil reliance. His actions were criticized then, but laid the groundwork for addressing climate change.
At least 12 whales have washed up on beaches in New York and New Jersey since December. People are spreading misinformation that off-shore wind development caused their deaths.
Two weeks after a toxic train derailment in Ohio, the cleanup continues. The EPA says Norfolk Southern will be responsible for the damage and all related costs of affected residents and businesses.
Hybrids, which are much more fuel-efficient than conventional vehicles, were the first eco-friendly mass-market vehicles. But are they environmentally friendly today? That's a hotly debated question.
One of Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs' biggest tasks is addressing the drought on the Colorado River threatening her state's growth boom. The Democrat is convinced it can avoid a drawn out legal battle.
NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Stan Meiburg, the former acting deputy administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, about the train derailment that led to a toxic spill in East Palestine, Ohio.
Oil executives have mostly stopped denying climate change, but now argue that the world should not act quickly to cut fossil fuel use. In fact, last year, industry leaders slowed down climate plans.
A recent federal survey found that California lost more than 36 million trees just in the last year. The large-scale die-off is alarming ecologists and policymakers.
It's been just over a week since a train carrying hazardous material derailed and caused a fiery crash in Ohio. Some residents worried about health risks have filed a federal lawsuit.
After a conflict and reckoning stemming from its controversial past, the Sierra Club had to look inward. Can Ben Jealous bring the organization into the future?
California cities, like East Palo Alto, work on long-term infrastructure changes to help adapt to future extreme weather brought on by climate change.
Orca moms spent precious resources feeding their fully grown adult male offspring. A new study finds that this may limit how many more young they produce.
Black women love the outdoors as much as anyone else. Groups such as Outdoorsy Black Women and Black Packers are helping them explore and enjoy the outdoors.
Seismologists say Monday's earthquake took place in a complex junction of faults that was long overdue for a big one. The destructive shaking was spread across many kilometers.
Gas utilities and cooking stove manufacturers knew for decades that burners could be made that emit less pollution in homes, but they chose not to. That may may be about to change.
Humpback whales are washing up on east coast beaches. Boats, fish, and their growing population may be to blame.
The Biden administration's goal of carbon-free electricity generation by 2035 will require an overhaul of the U.S. energy sector. Experts across the industry shared their views of how it might work.
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Mauricio Cantor, behavioral ecologist at Oregon State University, about his study on how humans and dolphins work together to fish in a southern Brazilian city.
Phone and electric car batteries are made with cobalt mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cobalt Red author Siddharth Kara describes the conditions for workers as a "horror show."
The seven states that share the Colorado River are moving forward in the face of cutbacks announced Tuesday.
The seven states that share the Colorado River have until Tuesday to agree to voluntary water cutbacks, or have federal cuts imposed on them.
The seven states that share the Colorado River have until Tuesday to agree to voluntary water cutbacks, or have federal cuts imposed on them.
In Liberia forest guardians are making their small, but vital contribution to the protection of the rainforests - sacred in many parts of this corner of West Africa.
The EPA is expected to make a final decision this month on the controversial Pebble Mine in southwest Alaska. Many residents fear the proposed giant copper and gold mine would harm wild salmon runs.
Some of the tens of thousands of seeds stored at a facility in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley may hold keys to helping the planet's food supply adapt to climate change. Many seeds were saved from Syria's war.
Toxic metal can be harmful to developing brains. New lead targets are part of a broad FDA imitative to reduce children's exposure to the lowest levels possible.
When President Biden talks about tackling climate change, he talks about economic opportunities. Offshore wind promises to provide many opportunities, but it's not for everyone.
This winter could provide some relief for parched reservoirs in the Colorado River Basin, but climate scientists warn that the severe drought won't end with one wet season.
As climate change warms up the planet, polar bears are pushed closer to human habitats, leading to dangerous interactions. Polar bear patrol programs help protect both the bears and humans.
Across social media, headlines this week said that single use coffee pods may be more climate friendly than other ways of making coffee. That may not be the case, based on the science.
A story raced through the media this week, stating that single-use pods may be more environmentally friendly than other ways of preparing coffee. We wondered, is that really true?
Winter is the fastest warming season across the U.S. and New England's winters are no exception. A snowplow driver in New Hampshire reflects on what climate change means.
Decades of large scale crop irrigation now means big water problems in drought-stricken areas like western Kansas.
NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University on what California needs to end their drought.
NPR's Michel Martin speaks with environmental journalist Leila Philip about her new book, Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America.
Electric cars can help reduce climate change, but they are costly. Some commuters in the city say e-bikes are the best way to get around.
The massive storms in California have overwhelmed the San Francisco Bay area's sewage systems. Millions of gallons of untreated wastewater are pouring through streets and into the bay.
Thanks to a new federal law, cities will get better forecasts about how climate change intensifies rainstorms. Still, it won't be in time for billions of dollars of federal infrastructure spending.
Exxon's climate research decades back painted an accurate picture of global warming, according to a new scientific paper. Still, the oil company continued climate-denying policy efforts.
Decades-old rules mean most reservoirs aren't allowed to fill up in the winter. A new approach using weather forecasts is helping some save more water to help with California's drought.
Food waste accounts for a large percentage of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Chefs share tips for making the most of what's in your refrigerator.
A first-of-its-kind offshore wind lease auction along California's coast generated $750 million in combined sales. Analysts say that's a strong and positive market signal for American offshore wind.
A first-of-its-kind offshore wind lease auction along California's coast generated $750 million in combined sales. Analysts say that's a strong and positive market signal for American offshore wind.
The first major exhibit of Puerto Rican art on the mainland in 50 years wrestles with the question: Who is Puerto Rico for?
NPR's Andrew Limbong speaks with environmental researcher Erika Berenguer about Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's ambitions to save the Amazon rainforest from deforestation.
As a bomb cyclone hits California this week and dumps massive amounts of water on the state, some people are asking: why can't we save the water for times when we desperately need it?
The fate of a proposed lithium mine in Nevada — one that's important to production of electric cars — is now in the hands of a federal judge as tribes sue to stop it.
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Andrew Fisher, a professor and hydrogeologist, about why we can — and cannot — collect rainwater in places like California.
The depictions of firefighters in pop culture may hinder the public's understanding of the growing dangers of wildfires under epic climate change. (Story aired on ATC on Dec.27, 2022.)
With the average price of a new electric vehicle climbing to over sixty thousand dollars, might e-bikes be a more affordable solution to ditching gas powered cars?
Scruff the "eco dog" helps clean up his town in central England by fetching hundreds of discarded plastic bottles.
Fiberglass boats are popular and relatively cheap, but the material has a limited lifespan. As the vessels crack and age, some owners have taken to ditching their boats in public waters, creating environmental problems.
Republicans promise more oversight of billions of dollars meant to address climate change as they prepare to take control of the House. Climate advocates say the U.S. can still meet ambitious goals.
Hotter temperatures are threatening coral reefs worldwide. Now, scientists are pinpointing how some "super corals" are better able to withstand the heat.
Geologists rely on tiny crystals of the mineral zircon to understand the timing of key events in Earth's early days, like the rising of continents and the emergence of oceans.
Artist Mohsen Lihidheb collects objects that wash ashore in Zarzis, Tunisia. His collection is a tribute to the migrants who died trying to cross the Mediterranean.
California regulators voted to reduce financial incentives for people considering rooftop solar. Climate activists worry that this will undercut greater adoption of solar in the state and nationwide.
For years, powerful farmers in California's Central Valley fought for more water from the state's rivers. Now some are changing course, because there's no more water to be found.
Oregon's Department of Justice has reached a nearly $700 million settlement with Monsanto for PCB contamination. It's the largest environment-related settlement in the state's history.
California's public utilities commission will vote on whether to get rid of a program that allows homeowners with solar panels to sell their excess power back to the grid.
A giant laser facility in Livermore, Calif., says it has created net energy from nuclear fusion. It's an important breakthrough, but fusion power remains a distant dream.
A British zoo has welcomed the birth of a rare Malayan tapir. Fewer than 2,500 of the animals are estimated to remain in their natural habitats in southeast Asia.
A new report finds that truck manufacturers and an industry trade group privately lobbied to weaken U.S. climate policies while publicly promoting zero-emissions trucks.
Conservationists say a sustainable fishing program has helped the recovery of the local pirarucu — which can be up to 10-feet long and weigh 450 pounds.
Delegates from nearly 200 countries are gathering in Canada to try to fix humanity's relationship with nature. The convention comes during an emerging extinction crisis.
Despite climate targets set by the Biden administration and corporate executives, the U.S. is still building new natural gas plants that threaten to cause greenhouse gas emissions for decades to come.
Energy companies continue to build fossil fuel plants that will be in use for decades, even as President Biden pledges a renewable energy future.
NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, the executive secretary of the United Nation's Convention on Biological Diversity.
The pirarucu, the giant fish of the Amazon, was an endangered species. Due to conservation efforts, it's making a comeback.
Florida's barrier reef has lost 95% of its coral over the last half-century. Researchers, activists and government agencies are working to restore the reefs and ensure their long-term survival.
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with volcanologist Wendy Stovall of the U.S. Geological Survey about the eruption of Mauna Loa in Hawaii.
Scott Simon speaks with David Nowak, emeritus research forester at the U.S. Department of Agriculture about how many cities are losing trees.
Demand for batteries has sent lithium prices soaring. But building new mines is controversial and time-consuming. So existing mines are hitting overdrive and boosting production as much as they can.
If you've ever had strawberries, there is a good chance they were grown in a province in southern Spain called Huelva. The work of planting and picking usually falls on migrants, many from Africa.
Federal regulators have cleared the way for the removal of major dams along the Klamath River in Oregon. Local tribes and environmental groups have worked for decades to bring the dams down.
Climate anxiety is on the rise in younger generations, as they face inheriting a hotter planet. Here's their advice on how to cope with those feelings.
Climate anxiety is on the rise in younger generations, as they face inheriting a hotter planet. Here's their advice on how to cope with those feelings.
People from all over West Africa come to Rufisque in western Senegal to labor in the lettuce fields – planting seeds and harvesting vegetables.
People from all over West Africa come to Rufisque in western Senegal to labor in the lettuce fields – planting seeds and harvesting vegetables.
People from all over West Africa come to Rufisque in western Senegal to labor in the lettuce fields – planting seeds and harvesting vegetables.
A cultural center in Senegal is creating a safe space where artists can use their platform to speak about climate change while also finding opportunities in the art and music scene.
A cultural center in Senegal is creating a safe space where artists can use their platform to speak about climate change while also finding opportunities in the art and music scene.
A cultural center in Senegal is creating a safe space where artists can use their platform to speak about climate change while also finding opportunities in the art and music scene.
The FDA has taken a first step towards green-lighting cultivated, "no-kill" meat. The agency gave a safety nod to Upside Foods, which provided documentation to show their cultivated meat is safe.
The FDA has taken a first step towards green-lighting cultivated, "no-kill" meat. The agency gave a safety nod to Upside Foods, which provided documentation to show their cultivated meat is safe.
The FDA has taken a first step towards green-lighting cultivated, "no-kill" meat. The agency gave a safety nod to Upside Foods, which provided documentation to show their cultivated meat is safe.
Years of captaining a boat have shaped Pape Dieye's calm and reassuring presence in Senegal. These qualities have also caught the eye of people hoping to make the dangerous journey to Europe.
Years of captaining a boat have shaped Pape Dieye's calm and reassuring presence in Senegal. These qualities have also caught the eye of people hoping to make the dangerous journey to Europe.
Years of captaining a boat have shaped Pape Dieye's calm and reassuring presence in Senegal. These qualities have also caught the eye of people hoping to make the dangerous journey to Europe.
The online tool tracks power plants, oil refineries, large ships and other sources of greenhouse gases. Gore plans to expand the tracker to observe every major source of emissions.
The online tool tracks power plants, oil refineries, large ships and other sources of greenhouse gases. Gore plans to expand the tracker to observe every major source of emissions.
The online tool tracks power plants, oil refineries, large ships and other sources of greenhouse gases. Gore plans to expand the tracker to observe every major source of emissions.
The U.S. wants to mine lithium for electric vehicle batteries to meet climate change goals. But residents near a proposed open-pit mine object.
The U.S. wants to mine lithium for electric vehicle batteries to meet climate change goals. But residents near a proposed open-pit mine object.
The U.S. wants to mine lithium for electric vehicle batteries to meet climate change goals. But residents near a proposed open-pit mine object.
The problem is as simple as it is devastating: the Atlantic Ocean is expanding into Senegal, and Saint-Louis is ground zero. Every year, the island loses a little bit of land to the sea.
The problem is as simple as it is devastating: the Atlantic Ocean is expanding into Senegal, and Saint-Louis is ground zero. Every year, the island loses a little bit of land to the sea.
The problem is as simple as it is devastating: the Atlantic Ocean is expanding into Senegal, and Saint-Louis is ground zero. Every year, the island loses a little bit of land to the sea.
Private investment is crucial to addressing climate change. But a big barrier to private investment in developing countries is the perception that risks are higher than in industrialized nations.
Private investment is crucial to addressing climate change. But a big barrier to private investment in developing countries is the perception that risks are higher than in industrialized nations.
At global climate negotiations, developing countries say they're being devastated by a problem they didn't cause. So they're looking for compensation for the losses and damage from climate change.
At global climate negotiations, developing countries say they're being devastated by a problem they didn't cause. So they're looking for compensation for the losses and damage from climate change.
Global efforts to limit climate change can't happen without more aid. Rich countries promised $100 billion to poorer ones to cope with global warming but seven years later, have yet to deliver.
Global efforts to limit climate change can't happen without more aid. Rich countries promised $100 billion to poorer ones to cope with global warming but seven years later, have yet to deliver.
Ahead of the U.N. climate change conference, CEOs of huge food corporations, including Mars, PepsiCo and McDonald's, are making regenerative agriculture commitments.
Ahead of the U.N. climate change conference, CEOs of huge food corporations, including Mars, PepsiCo and McDonald's, are making regenerative agriculture commitments.
Impacts from global warming hit the world's poorest countries hardest, although they're responsible for a relatively small share of climate emissions. They need more money to protect against risks.
Impacts from global warming hit the world's poorest countries hardest, although they're responsible for a relatively small share of climate emissions. They need more money to protect against risks.
Failing infrastructure left tens of thousands in Jackson, Mississippi without safe tap water for more than a month this summer. For the Jackson suburb of Byram, the solution is to go their own way.
Failing infrastructure left tens of thousands in Jackson, Mississippi without safe tap water for more than a month this summer. For the Jackson suburb of Byram, the solution is to go their own way.
The Mississippi River is at a record-low level, grounding boats and causing shipping delays. From the Port of Memphis, here's a story about efforts to keep America's largest river open for business.
The Mississippi River is at a record-low level, grounding boats and causing shipping delays. From the Port of Memphis, here's a story about efforts to keep America's largest river open for business.
The Mississippi River is at a record-low level, grounding boats and causing shipping delays. From the Port of Memphis, here's a story about efforts to keep America's largest river open for business.
Phoebe Plummer, a climate activist with Just Stop Oil, speaks with NPR's Morning Edition about what the group wants, and why they're turning to controversial tactics to get it.
Phoebe Plummer, a climate activist with Just Stop Oil, speaks with NPR's Morning Edition about what the group wants, and why they're turning to controversial tactics to get it.
Phoebe Plummer, a climate activist with Just Stop Oil, speaks with NPR's Morning Edition about what the group wants, and why they're turning to controversial tactics to get it.
While most of Yellowstone National Park re-opened quickly after devastating floods in June, one major gateway town has remained cut off from the park. until this weekend.
While most of Yellowstone National Park re-opened quickly after devastating floods in June, one major gateway town has remained cut off from the park. until this weekend.
While most of Yellowstone National Park re-opened quickly after devastating floods in June, one major gateway town has remained cut off from the park. until this weekend.
Some Texas park officials want people to stop stacking rocks in state parks. They say it disturbs the wildlife habitats there.
Some Texas park officials want people to stop stacking rocks in state parks. They say it disturbs the wildlife habitats there.
Some Texas park officials want people to stop stacking rocks in state parks. They say it disturbs the wildlife habitats there.
William Simpson wants to deploy the wild horses across public lands, to live and graze — and ultimately, prevent the worst wildfires.
William Simpson wants to deploy the wild horses across public lands, to live and graze — and ultimately, prevent the worst wildfires.
William Simpson wants to deploy the wild horses across public lands, to live and graze — and ultimately, prevent the worst wildfires.
The birth of a female bison in Kent, England was a great surprise for the conservation organization trying to improve wildlands in the UK. Bison ranger Tom Gibbs explains why.
The birth of a female bison in Kent, England was a great surprise for the conservation organization trying to improve wildlands in the UK. Bison ranger Tom Gibbs explains why.
The birth of a female bison in Kent, England was a great surprise for the conservation organization trying to improve wildlands in the UK. Bison ranger Tom Gibbs explains why.
The world is set to start crucial climate change negotiations soon. To avoid extreme warming, nations have to make deep cuts in heat-trapping emissions, fast.
The world is set to start crucial climate change negotiations soon. To avoid extreme warming, nations have to make deep cuts in heat-trapping emissions, fast.
The world is set to start crucial climate change negotiations soon. To avoid extreme warming, nations have to make deep cuts in heat-trapping emissions, fast.
The saltwater is threatening drinking water supplies in the New Orleans metro area. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built an underwater levee to stop the intrusion.
The saltwater is threatening drinking water supplies in the New Orleans metro area. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built an underwater levee to stop the intrusion.
The saltwater is threatening drinking water supplies in the New Orleans metro area. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built an underwater levee to stop the intrusion.
A new report from Greenpeace found that people may be putting plastic into recycling bins — but almost none of it is actually being recycled. Meanwhile, plastic production is ramping up.
Wild horses out west are sometimes rounded up kept in captivity. William Simpson wants change that. He says the horses should be freed onto public lands where they can help mitigate forest fires.
Scientists are finding that Western wildfires can have far-reaching impacts. If they're burning while Central U.S. thunderstorms are forming, the rain and hail can be dramatically more destructive.
While the U.S. considers finally banning the carcinogen, a group of men has come forward, saying they were exposed repeatedly while working at a chemical plant in New York.
Coal companies shed billions in obligations to workers and the environment. They went on to riches through bankruptcy and asset transfers.
A Bloomberg News/NPR investigation found large U.S. coal companies used bankruptcy and asset transfers to move old mines to shaky new owners, putting at risk federally mandated land reclamation.
San Diego has an ambitious plan to store renewable energy, using extra solar power to pump water up a mountain. This old-style "water battery" technology could be set for a revival.
NPR's Leila Fadel speaks to Rebecca Shaw, chief scientist at the World Wildlife Fund, about the organization's new Living Planet Report that shows a huge drop in global wildlife population.
Writer Annie Proulx may be best known for her works of fiction. But her latest book is a thoroughly researched and reported look at the role that wetlands play in our ecosystem.
More than a decade ago, growth in Florida was managed under a statewide agency that provided checks and balances to prevent sprawl and protect natural resources. Then state leaders closed it.
The first cobalt mine in America in decades opens Friday in Idaho. The metal used in electric vehicle batteries is in big demand yet analysts say the environmental costs are also high.
"Steam loops" under hundreds of U.S. cities and universities have warmed buildings for a century. Now they could become a climate change solution.
A Seattle nonprofit recently got some of the highest prices ever for carbon credits from urban forests. (Story first aired on All Things Considered on Oct. 4, 2022.)
Carbon credits for urban forests by a Seattle nonprofit recently got some of the highest prices ever. The buyer hopes it's the start of a new marketplace that will fetch more from smaller projects.
A single irrigation district in California, along the Mexican border, takes more water from the Colorado River than all of Arizona and Nevada. It's under pressure to use less.
A single irrigation district in California, along the Mexican border, takes more water from the Colorado River than all of Arizona and Nevada. It's under pressure to use less.
A single irrigation district in California, along the Mexican border, takes more water from the Colorado River than all of Arizona and Nevada. It's under pressure to use less.
A single irrigation district in California, along the Mexican border, takes more water from the Colorado River than all of Arizona and Nevada. It's under pressure to use less.
Forty years after Warren County, N.C., residents marched to a landfill to try to stop dump trucks, the EPA is creating a new office charged with advancing environmental justice.
Forty years after Warren County, N.C., residents marched to a landfill to try to stop dump trucks, the EPA is creating a new office charged with advancing environmental justice.
Forty years after Warren County, N.C., residents marched to a landfill to try to stop dump trucks, the EPA is creating a new office charged with advancing environmental justice.
Forty years after Warren County, N.C., residents marched to a landfill to try to stop dump trucks, the EPA is creating a new office charged with advancing environmental justice.
It started in July. The callers live in Gourd Island, and they were hoping to share an important message that they say was being ignored by their local authorities.
It started in July. The callers live in Gourd Island, and they were hoping to share an important message that they say was being ignored by their local authorities.
It started in July. The callers live in Gourd Island, and they were hoping to share an important message that they say was being ignored by their local authorities.
It started in July. The callers live in Gourd Island, and they were hoping to share an important message that they say was being ignored by their local authorities.
Tribes hold twenty percent of the Colorado River's water rights, but historically have been excluded from the agreements that govern it. They're now pushing to play a larger role in talks.
Tribes hold twenty percent of the Colorado River's water rights, but historically have been excluded from the agreements that govern it. They're now pushing to play a larger role in talks.
Tribes hold twenty percent of the Colorado River's water rights, but historically have been excluded from the agreements that govern it. They're now pushing to play a larger role in talks.
Tribes hold twenty percent of the Colorado River's water rights, but historically have been excluded from the agreements that govern it. They're now pushing to play a larger role in talks.
Under President Jair Bolsonaro, who is running for reelection in Sunday's vote, forest clearing and wildfires have surged in the Amazon.
Under President Jair Bolsonaro, who is running for reelection in Sunday's vote, forest clearing and wildfires have surged in the Amazon.
Under President Jair Bolsonaro, who is running for reelection in Sunday's vote, forest clearing and wildfires have surged in the Amazon.
Under President Jair Bolsonaro, who is running for reelection in Sunday's vote, forest clearing and wildfires have surged in the Amazon.
Under President Jair Bolsonaro, who is running for reelection in Sunday's vote, forest clearing and wildfires have surged in the Amazon.
Under President Jair Bolsonaro, who is running for reelection in Sunday's vote, forest clearing and wildfires have surged in the Amazon.
After record deforestation and environmental deregulation in the past few years, the result of the Brazilian election could very well determine the fate of the Amazon rainforest.
After record deforestation and environmental deregulation in the past few years, the result of the Brazilian election could very well determine the fate of the Amazon rainforest.
After record deforestation and environmental deregulation in the past few years, the result of the Brazilian election could very well determine the fate of the Amazon rainforest.
After record deforestation and environmental deregulation in the past few years, the result of the Brazilian election could very well determine the fate of the Amazon rainforest.
After record deforestation and environmental deregulation in the past few years, the result of the Brazilian election could very well determine the fate of the Amazon rainforest.
After record deforestation and environmental deregulation in the past few years, the result of the Brazilian election could very well determine the fate of the Amazon rainforest.
In the sci-fi drama Vesper, the title character is a 13 year old bio-hacker who lives in a future where humankind has wiped out all edible plants.
In the sci-fi drama Vesper, the title character is a 13 year old bio-hacker who lives in a future where humankind has wiped out all edible plants.
In the sci-fi drama Vesper, the title character is a 13 year old bio-hacker who lives in a future where humankind has wiped out all edible plants.
In the sci-fi drama Vesper, the title character is a 13 year old bio-hacker who lives in a future where humankind has wiped out all edible plants.
In the sci-fi drama Vesper, the title character is a 13 year old bio-hacker who lives in a future where humankind has wiped out all edible plants.
In the sci-fi drama Vesper, the title character is a 13 year old bio-hacker who lives in a future where humankind has wiped out all edible plants.
Forty million people rely on the river. ProPublica's Abrahm Lustgarten says that water scarcity in the West hasn't been recognized as the national emergency that it is.
Forty million people rely on the river. ProPublica's Abrahm Lustgarten says that water scarcity in the West hasn't been recognized as the national emergency that it is.
Forty million people rely on the river. ProPublica's Abrahm Lustgarten says that water scarcity in the West hasn't been recognized as the national emergency that it is.
Forty million people rely on the river. ProPublica's Abrahm Lustgarten says that water scarcity in the West hasn't been recognized as the national emergency that it is.
Forty million people rely on the river. ProPublica's Abrahm Lustgarten says that water scarcity in the West hasn't been recognized as the national emergency that it is.
Forty million people rely on the river. ProPublica's Abrahm Lustgarten says that water scarcity in the West hasn't been recognized as the national emergency that it is.
Abnormally hot water in the Gulf of Mexico helped Hurricane Ian gain strength. Rapidly intensifying major hurricanes are more likely as the Earth gets hotter.
Abnormally hot water in the Gulf of Mexico helped Hurricane Ian gain strength. Rapidly intensifying major hurricanes are more likely as the Earth gets hotter.
Abnormally hot water in the Gulf of Mexico helped Hurricane Ian gain strength. Rapidly intensifying major hurricanes are more likely as the Earth gets hotter.
Abnormally hot water in the Gulf of Mexico helped Hurricane Ian gain strength. Rapidly intensifying major hurricanes are more likely as the Earth gets hotter.
Abnormally hot water in the Gulf of Mexico helped Hurricane Ian gain strength. Rapidly intensifying major hurricanes are more likely as the Earth gets hotter.
Abnormally hot water in the Gulf of Mexico helped Hurricane Ian gain strength. Rapidly intensifying major hurricanes are more likely as the Earth gets hotter.
Chile is part of a South American region known as the "lithium triangle," where miners are trying to meet skyrocketing demand for the material.
Chile is part of a South American region known as the "lithium triangle," where miners are trying to meet skyrocketing demand for the material.
Chile is part of a South American region known as the "lithium triangle," where miners are trying to meet skyrocketing demand for the material.
Chile is part of a South American region known as the "lithium triangle," where miners are trying to meet skyrocketing demand for the material.
Chile is part of a South American region known as the "lithium triangle," where miners are trying to meet skyrocketing demand for the material.
Chile is part of a South American region known as the "lithium triangle," where miners are trying to meet skyrocketing demand for the material.
Officials from around the world are meeting in Pittsburgh to discuss global climate change efforts. The event comes as leaders prepare to meet this fall for the next U.N. climate summit in Egypt.
Officials from around the world are meeting in Pittsburgh to discuss global climate change efforts. The event comes as leaders prepare to meet this fall for the next U.N. climate summit in Egypt.
Officials from around the world are meeting in Pittsburgh to discuss global climate change efforts. The event comes as leaders prepare to meet this fall for the next U.N. climate summit in Egypt.
Officials from around the world are meeting in Pittsburgh to discuss global climate change efforts. The event comes as leaders prepare to meet this fall for the next U.N. climate summit in Egypt.
Officials from around the world are meeting in Pittsburgh to discuss global climate change efforts. The event comes as leaders prepare to meet this fall for the next U.N. climate summit in Egypt.
Officials from around the world are meeting in Pittsburgh to discuss global climate change efforts. The event comes as leaders prepare to meet this fall for the next U.N. climate summit in Egypt.
Washington Post reporter Brady Dennis warns our aging infrastructure systems weren't built to withstand the stresses of climate change: "There is a certain amount of suffering that we can't avoid."
Washington Post reporter Brady Dennis warns our aging infrastructure systems weren't built to withstand the stresses of climate change: "There is a certain amount of suffering that we can't avoid."
Washington Post reporter Brady Dennis warns our aging infrastructure systems weren't built to withstand the stresses of climate change: "There is a certain amount of suffering that we can't avoid."
Washington Post reporter Brady Dennis warns our aging infrastructure systems weren't built to withstand the stresses of climate change: "There is a certain amount of suffering that we can't avoid."
Washington Post reporter Brady Dennis warns our aging infrastructure systems weren't built to withstand the stresses of climate change: "There is a certain amount of suffering that we can't avoid."
Washington Post reporter Brady Dennis warns our aging infrastructure systems weren't built to withstand the stresses of climate change: "There is a certain amount of suffering that we can't avoid."
A reckoning has come for cities and farms in the desert Southwest that were built to rely on the Colorado River.
A reckoning has come for cities and farms in the desert Southwest that were built to rely on the Colorado River.
A reckoning has come for cities and farms in the desert Southwest that were built to rely on the Colorado River.
A reckoning has come for cities and farms in the desert Southwest that were built to rely on the Colorado River.
A reckoning has come for cities and farms in the desert Southwest that were built to rely on the Colorado River.
A reckoning has come for cities and farms in the desert Southwest that were built to rely on the Colorado River.
As Emory oak trees in parts of Arizona disappear, members of several Apache tribes are working on a collaborative plan with the U.S. Forest Service and researchers to preserve them.
As Emory oak trees in parts of Arizona disappear, members of several Apache tribes are working on a collaborative plan with the U.S. Forest Service and researchers to preserve them.
As Emory oak trees in parts of Arizona disappear, members of several Apache tribes are working on a collaborative plan with the U.S. Forest Service and researchers to preserve them.
As Emory oak trees in parts of Arizona disappear, members of several Apache tribes are working on a collaborative plan with the U.S. Forest Service and researchers to preserve them.
As Emory oak trees in parts of Arizona disappear, members of several Apache tribes are working on a collaborative plan with the U.S. Forest Service and researchers to preserve them.
As Emory oak trees in parts of Arizona disappear, members of several Apache tribes are working on a collaborative plan with the U.S. Forest Service and researchers to preserve them.
Severe drought has states dependent on the Colorado River looking at alternatives. Desalinating seawater may be a viable supplement to some areas, but likely can't fix much of the river's deficit.
The South American country of Chile has become a center of lithium mining, which has boomed as demand for electric car batteries has risen. But what are the environmental costs?
The South American country of Chile has become a center of lithium mining, which has boomed as demand for electric car batteries has risen. But what are the environmental costs?
The South American country of Chile has become a center of lithium mining, which has boomed as demand for electric car batteries has risen. But what are the environmental costs?
The South American country of Chile has become a center of lithium mining, which has boomed as demand for electric car batteries has risen. But what are the environmental costs?
The South American country of Chile has become a center of lithium mining, which has boomed as demand for electric car batteries has risen. But what are the environmental costs?
The South American country of Chile has become a center of lithium mining, which has boomed as demand for electric car batteries has risen. But what are the environmental costs?
Bald eagles have soared back from the brink. Grizzly bear numbers are rebounding. But thousands of less charismatic species are competing for scarce conservation resources in the United States.
Bald eagles have soared back from the brink. Grizzly bear numbers are rebounding. But thousands of less charismatic species are competing for scarce conservation resources in the United States.
Bald eagles have soared back from the brink. Grizzly bear numbers are rebounding. But thousands of less charismatic species are competing for scarce conservation resources in the United States.
Bald eagles have soared back from the brink. Grizzly bear numbers are rebounding. But thousands of less charismatic species are competing for scarce conservation resources in the United States.
Bald eagles have soared back from the brink. Grizzly bear numbers are rebounding. But thousands of less charismatic species are competing for scarce conservation resources in the United States.
Bald eagles have soared back from the brink. Grizzly bear numbers are rebounding. But thousands of less charismatic species are competing for scarce conservation resources in the United States.
NPR's Ayesha Rasco talks to journalist Gustavo Faleiros about the deforestation of the Amazon and how the results of Brazil's presidential election could affect it.
As Emory oak trees in parts of Arizona disappear, members of several Apache tribes are working on a collaborative plan with the U.S. Forest Service and researchers to preserve them.
NPR's Ayesha Rasco talks to journalist Gustavo Faleiros about the deforestation of the Amazon and how the results of Brazil's presidential election could affect it.
NPR's Ayesha Rasco talks to journalist Gustavo Faleiros about the deforestation of the Amazon and how the results of Brazil's presidential election could affect it.
As Emory oak trees in parts of Arizona disappear, members of several Apache tribes are working on a collaborative plan with the U.S. Forest Service and researchers to preserve them.
As Emory oak trees in parts of Arizona disappear, members of several Apache tribes are working on a collaborative plan with the U.S. Forest Service and researchers to preserve them.
As Emory oak trees in parts of Arizona disappear, members of several Apache tribes are working on a collaborative plan with the U.S. Forest Service and researchers to preserve them.
As Emory oak trees in parts of Arizona disappear, members of several Apache tribes are working on a collaborative plan with the U.S. Forest Service and researchers to preserve them.
NPR's Ayesha Rasco talks to journalist Gustavo Faleiros about the deforestation of the Amazon and how the results of Brazil's presidential election could affect it.
NPR's Ayesha Rasco talks to journalist Gustavo Faleiros about the deforestation of the Amazon and how the results of Brazil's presidential election could affect it.
As Emory oak trees in parts of Arizona disappear, members of several Apache tribes are working on a collaborative plan with the U.S. Forest Service and researchers to preserve them.
NPR's Ayesha Rasco talks to journalist Gustavo Faleiros about the deforestation of the Amazon and how the results of Brazil's presidential election could affect it.
NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Malik Amin Aslam Khan, Pakistan's former climate change minister, about what needs to happen for his country to adapt to dangerous extreme weather, like flooding.
Residents accuse the largely white state government of neglecting the needs of a city that's 82% Black. White flight in the 1970s devastated the tax base, posing a major challenge to any solution.
NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Kristi P. Fedinick, Executive Director of the Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy, about her research into water violations in predominantly communities of color.
California lawmakers have approved subsidies to keep the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant operating past a scheduled shutdown by 2025 in hopes of helping the state meet its climate change goals.
Severe drought is forcing some ranchers to send cattle to slaughter early. That's sparked a temporary glut in beef that's leading to lower prices, but it won't last.
Jackson, Miss., is still without access to safe drinking water, and it's not clear when it will be available. The government is trying to navigate getting bottled water to 150,000 residents.
Voluntary conservation is embraced by some farmers who get payments. But some governors are comparing the Biden administration's new plan to step up conservation goals to a government takeover.
New England is experiencing more frequent droughts, which threaten farmers, deplete water supplies, and increase the risk of wildfires. This summer's been a tough one.
While the impacts of climate change may conjure images of natural disasters, a new study shows that its can also impact humans on a microscopic level.
Fuel shortages have forced many Sri Lankans to ditch their cars and cycle instead. Colombo's mayor even opened new bike paths. Doctors and environmentalists call it a silver lining. But will it last?
David Gura speaks with William Ripple, professor of ecology at Oregon State University, about his proposal to "re-wild" the American West by reintroducing beavers and wolves to public lands.
A mystery is shaking up South Carolina — literally. An unusually large number of earthquakes have hit the state this year and scientists don't know why.
The California Air Resource Board is expected to approve a plan Thursday to ban the sale of new gas cars by 2035. The state will have interim goals of 35% zero emission cars by 2026 and 68% by 2030.
Severe drought has states dependent on the Colorado River looking at alternatives. Desalinating seawater may be a viable supplement to some areas, but likely can't fix much of the river's deficit.
It's been one year since a flood tore through Waverly, Tenn., and killed 20 people. There's been lots of effort to rebuild, but it's still unclear if the town will ever be the same.
Environmental damage is a threat to the global economy but it's hardly counted in economic figures like the GDP. The Biden administration is unveiling an effort to give a more holistic accounting.
A pair of documentaries gleans what it can from a pre-WWII home movie and Indigenous efforts to halt the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.
The White House is touting the Inflation Reduction Act as a major fix for environmental injustices. But many experts and grassroots anti-pollution groups say the bill is anything but equitable.
Most grazing animals spend their time in open pastures. But there is a movement to raise livestock in the forest to benefit animals and the environment.
The small town of Nikopol, Ukraine, sits across the river from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Attacks are causing serious alarm for the community.
A 30-year, nationwide study of ecological changes — including the effects of climate warming — has been releasing a powerful greenhouse gas, and critics want it to stop.
Some of the Act's $369 billion in energy and climate spending aims to make it easier and cheaper for Americans to live more sustainably.
Voluntary conservation is embraced by some farmers who get payments. But some governors are comparing Biden's new plan to up conservation goals to a government takeover.
A town spared by New Mexico's biggest wildfire could run out of water in a few weeks because the fire contaminated its supply. The race is on for an expensive fix.
Nepal has announced the results of the latest national survey, and it's good news: 355 tigers now roam the Himalayan nation — nearly triple the number in recent years.
Building everything necessary for fighting climate change is going require metal. There's plenty on the ocean floor. But extracting it is controversial because it involves deep sea mining.
For decades, Sprite has come in green bottles, but the company says clear plastic is more easily recycled. Environmentalists say the issue is not the color but the single-use plastic.
The death toll in the McKinney Fire in northern California is now at four with authorities warning it could rise as firefighters across the baking West battle extreme heat and erratic winds.
Many communities are still rebuilding after wildfires in recent years, but few states require homes to be built with wildfire-resistant materials. A new study shows it's not as expensive as some say.
Georgia is known as the "peach state." But warming winters due to climate change mean fewer chill hours needed for fruit. Growers and horticulturists are now experimenting with new varieties to adapt.
A heavy duty commercial electric mower with long-lasting batteries can cost nearly $30,000, more than three times what a comparable gas-powered machine sells for.
Behind a black door and a sign that reads "Authorized Personnel Only" is a project that aims to bring the white abalone back from the brink of extinction.
Democrats in Congress look ready to pass legislation with significant climate change elements that push the country closer to President Biden's ambitious goals.
Democrats in Congress look ready to pass new legislation with significant climate change elements that push the country closer to President Biden's goals.
National Hurricane Center data for Miami, Washington, D.C., and New York City show development happening in at-risk areas, even as climate change brings more frequent and intense storms.
The Kwai, a 140-foot cargo ship, just made a 45-day round trip from Hawaii and back. It's load? About 96 tons of trash from a floating garbage patch the size of Texas.
Arizona is experiencing its worst drought in 1,200 years, but in one place there's too much water. Hundreds of homes in Flagstaff are threatened by brief monsoon thunderstorms on wildfire burn scars.
In Kansas, some cattle are now wearing GPS trackers. It's part of a plan to see if invisible fences can help ranchers grow healthy grass while also protecting disappearing prairie birds.
Ayesha Rascoe speaks with conservation biologist Karen Oberhauser about why the migratory monarch butterfly was just declared endangered, and what can be done in response.
Foraging has grown into a movement over the last few years, including from your local ocean where it's now peak seaweed season. I went to see what the excitement was about.
Extreme heat is gripping countries around the world. Host Ailsa Chang talks with NPR reporters in China, the U.K. and the U.S. about what they're seeing and how governments are responding.
California cities are tightening water restrictions as the state's drought drags on. While some neighborhoods are turning into landscaping graveyards, others are as lush as they've ever been.
Evolution Music says it created the world's first bio-plastic vinyl record made from sugar and starches. This material allows people to enjoy their favorite artists without worrying about toxic waste.
Cities in Arizona have started implementing state-required drought plans in response to the crisis on the Colorado River. The current drought is the worst in 1,200 years.
Atlantic cod, a fish that was foundational to New England's economy, is being caught at historically low levels. But a research scientist says cod is in the early stages of a comeback.
Europe is reeling from a massive heat wave, and temperatures could hit records this week across much of the continent.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., dashed Democrats' hopes of major climate spending in the budget reconciliation. Here's what that means for the country's ability to bring down carbon emissions.
On a rooftop garden in the middle of Manhattan, honeybee colonies are flourishing. Biologist Noah-Wilson Rich explains how collecting data from honeybee hives can help ensure a healthy future for all.
Shark sightings off the coast of Long Island have spiked in recent years. Researchers say many species of shark are thriving because of rebounding populations of the fish they eat and warmer water.
A wildfire in Yosemite National Park is threatening a grove of some of the oldest trees in the world.
Invasive green crabs are destroying marine ecosystems in the United States. A New Hampshire distillery is making crab-flavored whiskey to take them on.
A new exhibit at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art explores how Native Americans have used water and highlights the politicization of the resource.
Pacific Northwest tribes are pressuring President Biden to make good on his pledge to uphold treaties in Indian Country and remove four large dams on the Snake River.
Pakistani filmmaker Wajahat Malik pulled together an expedition to raft down the 2,000-mile river. He hopes to reconnect people with the Indus, which is being threatened by overuse and climate change.
On the island of Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, members of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe are trying to restore land to the way it looked, smelled and sounded pre-colonialism.
The largest bacteria known to science have been discovered in the Caribbean. They're visible to the naked eye and surprisingly complex.
A new study from Australia shows that larvae of the darkling beetle can eat polystyrene — the material behind plastic foam.
The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a case that could limit the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate climate-warming greenhouse gasses.
PFAS are all around us, so how do we navigate a world filled with harmful chemicals? We speak to an expert who guides us through what PFAS are, why they're a problem, and what can be done about them.
In his new book, An Immense World, science writer Ed Yong explores the diversity of perception in the animal world — including echolocation, magnetic fields and ultraviolet vision.
A new NPR survey shows 11% of Americans have experienced extreme heat in the past five years and had health problems stemming from a lack of air conditioning at home.
The hardest hit areas were remote farming villages in the eastern Afghan province of Paktika. "All the village completely is destroyed," said one man, showing collapsed homes on a cell phone video.
Most Americans have recently been affected by extreme weather and support efforts to protect against future disasters, a new survey finds. And many people suffer long-term financial problems.
A Hispanic community is demanding action from state regulators after enduring decades of pollution from a neighboring steel mill in Pueblo, Colorado.
NPR's Steve Inskeep talks with a Forest Service fire lookout who's watching New Mexico's largest ever wildfire and grieving the landscape he knows and loves.
Historic floods in Yellowstone National Park raise questions about long-term government efforts to fix the nation's infrastructure and curb climate change.
Catastrophic damage by flooding earlier this week in Yellowstone National Park likely means that the northern half of the park will remain closed the rest of the year.
An isolated population of polar bears in southeast Greenland has learned to hunt on freshwater glacier ice. That means they may be able to survive longer as climate change makes sea ice scarce.
Residents say a steel mill in Pueblo, Colo., has received preferential treatment for decades as it polluted the creek that runs along their neighborhood.
New Zealand has announced a plan to tax livestock burps in an effort to curb the country's greenhouse gas emissions. It would be the first time a country has done this.
New Zealand's proposal to fight climate change includes taxing farmers for the amount of burps their cows and sheep emit.
Los Angeles is facing some of the most severe water restrictions the city has ever seen. Will lawns survive? Some suggest the city should eliminate this elitist status symbol all together.
Zoe Turner survived a flood that killed 20 neighbors. But now that she's graduated high school, she's trying to leave behind the lingering damage and move on to the next phase of her life.
Use less water: That's a direct order to some people in Southern California starting Wednesday. Faced with extreme drought, people there will be allowed to water twice a week for eight minutes.
NPR spoke to five Ukrainian civilians who were detained, deported and subject to what human rights advocates call enforced disappearance.
New York is the latest, and largest, state to consider charging product-makers to dispose of their packaging. But lawmakers are clashing over how much to involve industry in creating a new system.
The 18,000-acre bison range is located on land taken away by the U.S. government 100 years ago. Congress passed a law in 2020 giving the land back to the local native tribes.
Each year, one cow can belch 220 pounds of the greenhouse gas methane. Animal scientist Ermias Kebreab experimented with alternative cow diets and found a surprising solution: seaweed.
Materials scientist Andrew Dent takes us on a tour of the "materials library" where companies can find existing materials to reuse in their products—from chewing gum, to fish scales, to cow manure.
Manufacturers intentionally make their products hard to fix. Right-to-repair advocate Gay Gordon-Byrne fights for laws to stop companies from monopolizing repairs and let people fix their own stuff.
Foresters responding to climate change are experimenting with planting trees in Vermont that typically are found further south. They hope the trees will survive hotter and drier conditions to come.
Many people move without realizing the danger that wildfires pose to their new home. A new risk rating system could help buyers learn more on real estate sites.
Scott Simon talks to Matt Shardlow of UK conservation group Buglife about the decline in flying invertebrates in the UK and how that could spell environmental disaster.
Spring comes late to western Alaska and brings a mix of anxiety and anticipation. Citizen scientists use traditional knowledge to predict river breakup and flooding for dozens of remote communities.
California broke its record for renewable energy when solar and wind provided enough to meet all consumer demand. At the time, natural gas power plants were still on, a necessity for the grid.
The Biden administration is phasing out incandescent lightbulbs. Here's how to pick a longer lasting and more energy-efficient option.
A federal investigation of allegations that China is illegally avoiding duties on solar panels sold to U.S. companies is putting the brakes on the nation's solar power build-out.
The charging station network needed for electric cars will reach states like Wyoming last. It's sparsely populated and fighting to keep fossil fuels in America's energy mix.
May is often the start of lawn-mowing season, but some cities are taking heed of bees' needs and asking homeowners to let clover, dandelions and other flowering plants grow in May.
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with San Miguel county commissioner Max Trujillo about the latest news on fighting the Hermit's Peak wildfire.
The countries share a border. Along the frontier, residents say a new barrier has disrupted everything from Arctic climate action and nuclear waste control to trade and cross-border sports leagues.
A new Texas law that penalizes financial institutions trying to go green is full of loopholes, and is straight up ignored. But other states are following Texas's punitive approach all the same.
Texas closed most public oyster reefs for harvesting, dealing a blow to the fishing industry. "It's taken a big toll on me," says Johny Jurisich, whose family has worked in the business for decades.
The rusty patched bumble bee is endangered and losing some of its last habitat, an Illinois prairie. A multi-million dollar airport expansion is stalled because of a last-minutes sighting of the bees.
Research has found that getting out into nature can lead to better health and boost your mood. There are ways to get comfortable with being outside. (This story first aired on ATC on April 23, 2022.)
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Carroll Muffett of the Center for International Environmental Law about the environmental effects of the war in Ukraine.
There are lots of benefits to spending time in nature. NPR's Life Kit provides some help to getting outside.
America's oldest trees store vast amounts of carbon. Counting them is the first step to preserving them, says the Biden administration.
Xiye Bastida was raised in the highlands of Mexico with an understanding that she had to thank the Earth for everything it provided. Now, she's dedicated her entire life to the issue of protecting it.
Zurich, Switzerland, is shutting down the gas supply to some neighborhoods. Originally aimed at fighting climate change and saving money, it's also a step to cut gas imports from Russia.
The U.S. is making the largest investment in history in the country's water system. In the rush to spend, some worry green projects will be overlooked.
Boulder is again under a red flag warning for extreme wildfire danger as powerful winds like those that fanned a destructive blaze in December return to the drought stricken region.
Green energy, like wind or solar power, is one solution to fighting climate change. But sometimes it's environmental laws that get in the way of building the infrastructure to produce it.
States neighboring Yellowstone National Park have eased rules on hunting wolves, resulting in the most being killed in nearly a century
Last year, two neighboring states loosened restrictions on hunting wolves outside Yellowstone, resulting in a spike in deaths. Locally that's politically popular, but biologists see problems.
Americans use nearly four times the energy researchers say is needed to live a happy, healthy and prosperous life.
In Oregon's high desert, a more than 10,000-year-old lake is drying up. That doesn't have to happen. Summer Lake hosts millions of migratory birds annually, but its water is being diverted to farms.
The U.S. Postal Service has big plans to replace its aging fleet of 165,000 gasoline-burning delivery vehicles. And some are pushing for the electric trucks to be built by union labor in Wisconsin.
Three carbon capture pipelines have been proposed through five midwest states, but activists say proponents' claims of helping the ethanol industry and curbing climate change are wrong.
The modern environmental movement and the far-right movement might appear to be on opposing sides of the political ideology spectrum. But overlap does exist and researchers say it's growing.
In the West, ski resorts are banking on a Spring Break surge after a rough winter of prolonged drought, labor and housing shortages and frustrated customers.
The spread of misinformation about solar and wind energy is leading some states and counties to restrict or even reject projects. Researchers say it's a threat to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Australia's Great Barrier Reef is suffering another mass bleaching. That's when corals turn ghostly white due to heat, and it's becoming more common as the climate warms.
Under the rule proposals, companies would be required to share information about their greenhouse gas emissions as well as climate-related risks faced by their businesses.
Building and operating telescopes can generate a lot of greenhouse gases. In fact, it's as if each astronomer in the world was driving more than 100,000 miles per year, a new study finds.
The Pacific purple sea urchin's appetite for kelp threatens marine ecosystems along the California coast as it ravages the "lungs of the ocean." The solution, biologists say, might be on our plates.
A Texas model law was written by the head of a group that opposes climate action and takes money from fossil fuel interests. It could shift billions away from major investment firms.
As threats from climate change grow, big financial firms are betting on the energy transition. But that's provoked a conservative backlash, with Texas leading states aiming to boycott such funds.
New rules in California require the composting of food scraps and yard cuttings. Commercial composting facilities are gearing up to cash in as they turn food scraps into fertilizer and other products.
The owners of Songbird Farm in Maine can't sell their crops because a so-called "forever chemical" turned up in their land and water. Other farmers in the U.S. have the same problem.
Automakers want to sell you an electric vehicle, but to do that, they'll need the world to dig a lot more minerals out of the ground. The challenge is transforming both mining and the auto industries.
The largest predator in history was bigger than a T. Rex and longer than a school bus. And it swam. Paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim shares his quest to uncover the Spinosaurus.
Earth's soil can store vast amounts of carbon. Biogeochemist Asmeret Asefaw Berhe says soil could be a powerful tool for fighting climate change - if only we stopped treating it like dirt.
We compost plants and livestock, so why not humans? Katrina Spade says that if you want to help the planet one last time, consider composting your body.
Underneath the surface, there lies a vast network of natural and manmade waterways. Cave diver Jill Heinerth shares her adventures through our planet's plumbing and the ways it secretly connects us.
On her new album, the opera star suggests Mother Nature has a lot to teach us, if we'd only listen.
The outcome of the case could also hamstring the authority of all agencies, from the EPA to the Securities and Exchange Commission to Federal Reserve Board.
Environmental writer Oliver Milman says habitat loss, pesticides and climate change are killing off insects worldwide, which, in turn, threatens humans. His new book is The Insect Crisis.
Arctic communities have long been plagued by soot that drives snow melt and respiratory disease. Now, humans are making their mark in Antarctica.
The massive project to restore Florida's Everglades is getting new money from the infrastructure law. But some state Republicans are unhappy, saying a key part of the project was left out.
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks to Jay Balagna of the RAND Corporation about his opinion piece titled "To help climate migrants, we must first recognize them."
Big dairy farms are profiting from California's tougher limits on greenhouse emissions. They're getting paid to capture methane from cow manure. But critics say the system subsidizes polluters.
The Biden administration recently canceled a proposed mine. While environmentalists celebrated, it shows how hard it is to build a domestic supply of the minerals needed to switch to a green economy.
A satellite has detected massive leaks of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, from natural gas plants and pipelines. Most of these releases are deliberate, resulting from sloppy pipeline repairs.
Fewer volunteers are answering triple the number of calls they did decades ago and those who do show up tend to be older. Some departments were already stretched thin and then along came the pandemic.
Climate change means more flood risk from rising seas, hurricanes and heavy rain. Black communities in the southern U.S. are in the crosshairs, according to a new analysis.
More extreme weather can mean extended blackouts, and it's especially disruptive for those working at home. Owners and experts offer guidance on what kind of generator to get and how to use it safely.
The ruling revokes leases sold in the Gulf of Mexico in the largest oil and gas lease sale in U.S. history. It says the Interior Department failed to consider the greenhouse gases it would produce.
All chimps managed by the National Institutes of Health that are currently eligible to go to a sanctuary have been moved there, but animal welfare advocates say more should be allowed to go.
A study finds tiny leaks from loose fittings added up to more emissions than when stoves were in use. The impact of U.S. gas stoves on climate change amounts to the same effect as a half-million cars.
Power company PG&E is in the spotlight again for starting the massively destructive 2021 Dixie Fire in California. The company's fire record raises questions about whether it can ever operate safely.
It's a pandemic predicament. With only 1 recorded case of COVID-19 in their island nation, Tongans are desperate for help after the volcanic eruption — but eager to keep the virus out.
NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Joshua Yaffa, Moscow correspondent for the New Yorker, about a major climate change threat confronting Russia.
If nations don't address high greenhouse gas emissions, by the 2080s, all but one of the 21 cities that previously hosted the Winter Games wouldn't be able to do so again, a new study has found.
There are new calls for stronger building codes in Colorado after devastating suburban wildfires. The towns weren't considered at high risk for fire, but the warming climate is changing that calculus.
This simple trick can help you decide if an item of clothing is worth investing in, or if it's a passing trend you'd be better off passing on.