Climate

WASHINGTON — A blame game like the one that marked the COP27 international climate change conference continued this week in Washington between Democratic attorneys general and Senate Republicans. Attorneys general from 16 states and the District of Columbia fought back... Read More

PALMERSTON NORTH, New Zealand (AP) — How do you stop a cow from burping? It might sound like the start of a humorous riddle, but it's the subject of a huge scientific inquiry in New Zealand. And the answer could... Read More

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt — Global carbon emissions in 2022 remain at record levels — with no sign of the decrease that climate scientists say is urgently needed to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, according to a team of researchers... Read More

SHARM El-SHEIKH, Egypt — An analysis of attendees at the United Nations-sponsored COP27 climate talks shows that the number of fossil fuel industry lobbyists on hand has jumped 25% from those in attendance at last year’s talks in Glasgow, Scotland.... Read More

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (AP) — President Joe Biden, speaking Friday at an annual international summit on climate change, urged world leaders to “double down” on their resolve to fight global warming, saying Russia's invasion of Ukraine reinforces the need to... Read More

VERO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Tropical Storm Nicole hit Florida as a hurricane Thursday, sending hits highest storm surges to places that lost their seawalls during Hurricane Ian only weeks before. In Daytona Beach Shores, rising seas threatened the foundations of at... Read More

WASHINGTON — Climate change is creating harm to the United States that is 68% worse than most of the rest of the world, according to a federal report announced this week. “The things Americans value most are at risk,” a... Read More

WASHINGTON — In most recent years, a slew of climate, energy and environmental initiatives have appeared on state ballots across the nation. This year, perhaps as a result of the Biden administration’s all-out push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to... Read More

WASHINGTON — A delegation of 16 high-ranking administration officials will travel to Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, next week for COP27, a series of climate talks that U.S. Special Envoy John Kerry is framing as an opportunity to ensure that promises made... Read More

ABU DHABI, UAE — The Biden administration and the United Arab Emirates signed a major new clean energy framework Tuesday, agreeing to jointly invest $100 billion in projects intended to produce 100 GW of clean energy by 2035. The agreement... Read More

WASHINGTON — Population trends analysts are still trying to quash the idea that overpopulation causes climate change.  While connected, there is no simple and direct relationship between human numbers and environmental impacts. So to move forward toward real environmental change,... Read More

As the world warms and extreme weather events mount, governments and corporations have been called on to address climate change by top officials, climate scientists and activists and to curb levels of heating. The planet's temperature has already risen by about 1.1 degrees Celsius (2 degrees... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly two-thirds of Americans think the federal government is not doing enough to fight climate change, according to a new poll that shows limited public awareness about a sweeping new law that commits the U.S. to its... Read More

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan Planning for Animal Wellness Act into law this week, garnering praise from animal rights advocates who’ve argued for years that federal guidance on best practices to protect animals in emergencies and disasters... Read More

WASHINGTON — Tuesday marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Clean Water Act.  In observance of that milestone, President Joe Biden on Monday signed a proclamation celebrating how it revolutionized “America's responsibility to protect and restore the vital... Read More

MONTREAL — Rio Tinto is partnering with the Canadian government to invest up to $537 million over the next eight years to decarbonize its operations in Sorel-Tracy, Québec, and to position the business as a center of excellence for critical... Read More

PARIS — French energy multinational TotalEnergies and Belgium-based building materials manufacturer Holcim are collaborating on the full decarbonization of a cement production facility in Obourg, Belgium. The project will see the two companies assess a wide array of solutions and... Read More

WASHINGTON — “We should be under no delusions; we are not doing everything in our power,” outgoing COP26 president and British Cabinet Minister Alok Sharma candidly shared with the Wilson Center last week as he looked back on his three... Read More

Relentless drought in China, East Africa, the U.S. West and northern Mexico, devastating floods in Pakistan and Kentucky, scorching heat waves in Europe and the Pacific Northwest, destructive cyclones in southern Africa and intense hurricanes in the U.S. and Central America make up just some of the recent extreme weather events that scientists have... Read More

ISTANBUL — There was candor and heated conversation as the Atlantic Council convened in Turkey this week for a conference to discuss next steps in the clean energy transition. Leaders from government, business and research communities gathered to take stock... Read More

WASHINGTON — A total of $4.9 billion in funding is available to bolster the activity in the carbon management industry and ultimately help significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power generation and industrial operations.  The funding, which is being made... Read More

WASHINGTON — Vanessa Nakate, 25-year-old Ugandan climate activist and recently appointed UNICEF goodwill ambassador, visited Washington last week to meet with staff at the World Bank charged with leading international climate finance. She also spoke to the National Press Club... Read More

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army released a comprehensive plan on Wednesday aimed at reducing the future impacts and risks on its installations and fighting forces associated with climate change. Senior Army leaders have long been concerned that the effects of... Read More

LONDON — The CEO of the world's largest furniture retailer said on Monday that all of the company’s home deliveries will be made by electric vehicles as early as 2025 as part of a drive to dramatically reduce its greenhouse... Read More

WASHINGTON —The Supreme Court on Monday asked the solicitor general’s office to weigh in on a dispute over which courts — state or federal — can hear climate litigation against fossil fuel companies. The request comes as the justices consider... Read More

WASHINGTON — The effort to mitigate climate change, reduce greenhouse gases, and decarbonize is a national priority of many countries, but since the transportation, building, and electricity sectors produce nearly two-thirds of GHG emissions in the United States alone, it’s... Read More

WASHINGTON — After Hurricane Ian ravaged Florida with Category 4 winds, a House committee met Thursday to discuss how the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act might help combat climate change. Climatologists predict fierce hurricanes like Ian will become a feature... Read More

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Ian left a path of destruction in southwest Florida, trapping people in flooded homes, cutting off the only bridge to a barrier island, damaging the roof of a hospital intensive care unit and knocking out power to 2.5... Read More

WASHINGTON — After what he called “encouraging” talks with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari dealt harsh chastisements and warnings for the United States at the Wilson Center on Tuesday morning. Despite saying he was... Read More

HAVANA (AP) — Hurricane Ian tore into western Cuba on Tuesday as a major hurricane, with nothing to stop it from intensifying into a catastrophic Category 4 storm before it hits Florida on Wednesday. Ian made landfall at 4:30 a.m. EDT Tuesday... Read More