Tag: Climate
Earth Month: Helping nature help the climate
Editor’s note: April is Earth Month, when we honor humanity’s shared responsibility for nature and the climate. At Conservation International, this responsibility drives us — and in honor of Earth Month, Conservation News is highlighting stories of our impact. We hope that this inspires you to carry the spirit of Earth Month throughout the year.…
Three NASA Climate Satellites Are Dying. There’s No Plan to Replace Them
Three NASA Climate Satellites Are Dying. There’s No Plan to Replace Them Scientists are increasingly concerned about the future of Earth science under President Donald Trump as three key NASA satellites near the end of their missions with no plan for replacement By Chelsea Harvey & E&E News A scientific instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite…
Why Trump Just Axed a Major Climate Program
Why Trump Axed a Bedrock U.S. Climate Program The dismemberment of the U.S. Global Change Research Program was outlined in Project 2025 as a way to elevate the “benefits” of climate change when fighting regulations in court By Scott Waldman & E&E News U.S. President Donald Trump, listens to a question as he visits Chez…
New science: rare plants, climate consequences, marine movement
Protecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent science published by Conservation International experts. Nearly 40 percent of global plant species are categorized as “very rare” — observed less than five times ever — and are most at risk for extinction as climate change accelerates, according to a recent report. Conservation International scientist…
Study: Protect these places — or face climate doom
To stop climate catastrophe, there are certain places on Earth that we simply cannot afford to destroy, according to new research by Conservation International scientists. Compiling carbon data from forests, grasslands and wetlands, the scientists determined how much carbon is stored in ecosystems across the globe and measured how long it would take to get…
Big Banks Quietly Prepare for Catastrophic Climate Change
Big Banks Quietly Prepare for Catastrophic Warming Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan and an international banking group have quietly concluded that climate change will likely exceed the Paris Agreement’s 2 degree goal and are examining how to maintain profits By Corbin Hiar & E&E News CLIMATEWIRE | Top Wall Street institutions are preparing for a severe future…
Amid Trump Cuts, Climate Researchers Wait for the Ax to Fall
Climate Researchers Wait for the Ax to Fall Climate experts whose research is funded by federal grants hide, whisper and wait for their jobs to disappear By Ariel Wittenberg, Chelsea Harvey & E&E News The Trump administration has slashed jobs and funding at the National Institutes of Health. CLIMATEWIRE | The National Institutes of Health…
‘We’re just trying to adapt’: Coffee farmers face down climate change
SAN MARTIN JILOTEPEQUE, Guatemala — José Marcelino Estrada has spent his life tending coffee. He learned from his father how to nurture its seedlings — each sprout held the promise of a better future. And for decades, coffee delivered. It built Estrada’s home and put his seven children through school, even in lean years when…
When Will We Reach 1.5 C of Warming? And How Will Climate Scientists Know?
How Will Climate Scientists Know When the World Gets to the 1.5 C Mark? As the world gets closer to the mark 1.5 degrees Celsius in Paris climate agreement, scientists are racing to establish a single way to monitor current warming By Sara Schonhardt & E&E News Climate activists gather with signs for a demonstration…
Hegseth Orders Elimination of Pentagon Climate Planning, but Wants Extreme Weather Preparation
Hegseth Orders Elimination of Climate Defense Planning, but Still Wants Extreme Weather Preparation The Defense secretary aims to purge climate work from the Pentagon. But critics say his carve-out for weather resiliency misses the point By Scott Waldman & E&E News U.S Air Force airmen drive through flood waters caused by Hurricane Matthew at Seymour…
What is Climate Week? 3 things you need to know
Editor’s Note: Climate Week is taking place from September 23 to September 29. Check Conservation News for coverage of this global forum. World leaders will gather next week for the three-day UN Climate Summit, aimed at redoubling countries’ efforts to curb climate-warming carbon emissions. Joining them in New York: business leaders, climate experts, activists and…
Report: Coffee companies pledge to tackle the bitter consequences of climate change
Freshly brewed, a new report on the future of sustainable coffee offers grounds for optimism. Released by the Sustainable Coffee Challenge — a Conservation International-led coalition of 160 partners — the report finds that a growing number of companies, non-governmental organizations and research institutions are dedicated to improving sustainability in the coffee industry. The report…
News spotlight: Humanity barreling toward ‘irreversible’ climate tipping points
Editor’s note: News about conservation and the environment is made every day, but some of it can fly under the radar. In a recurring feature, Conservation News shares a recent news story that you should know about. Our world is 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.2 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than it was at the dawn of the…
To stop climate catastrophe, look to soil: study
In 2019, a UN report laid out a bitter truth: The current food system is fueling the destruction of Earth’s forests — and humanity must overhaul how we grow and ship food to stop climate breakdown. But countries are struggling to keep farming sustainable while meeting the mounting demand for production — which must increase…
Shifting tuna populations could trigger ‘climate justice issue’: study
Despite their small size, Pacific Island nations and territories are a powerhouse in the fishing industry, contributing more than a third of the global tuna catch. However, the tide could soon turn for these islands — and not for the better. Fueled by greenhouse gas emissions, ocean warming will alter the habitats of tuna, causing…
Study: Nature has saved us from worst climate impacts — for now
Nature itself has already saved humanity from a climate cataclysm, new research finds. Published today, the study found that without Earth’s complex web of terrestrial and marine ecosystems — known as the biosphere — we would already be seeing far more severe climate impacts than we are now. Using a state-of-the-art computer model of Earth,…
These ecosystems could determine our climate future: study
Nature’s stashes of climate-warming carbon are packed into a small percentage of Earth’s lands, finds a new study that pinpoints the ecosystems humanity must protect to avert a climate disaster. The study, published today in the journal Nature Sustainability, found that half of Earth’s “irrecoverable carbon” — defined as carbon that, if emitted into the…
That UN climate report wasn’t all bad news
So — there was another climate report? Yes. Specifically, the “Working Group III contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of the IPCC.” Trips right off the tongue, doesn’t it? Not at all. Remind me who the ‘IPCC’ is? The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a body of the United Nations. Thousands of scientists contribute to…
News spotlight: Could seaweed be our new big climate ally?
Kelp forests are one of the fastest growing ecosystems on Earth — yet because they thrive out of reach of mapping satellites, scientists’ understanding of them has been stymied, Lucy Sherriff reported for the Guardian. A recent study, led by an international group of scientists including Filbee-Dexter, reveals that underwater forests are much more prolific…
Study: Protected forests are a climate powerhouse
Protected forests keep significantly more climate-warming carbon out of the atmosphere than unprotected forests, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, illustrates just how important protected areas are in the fight to curb climate change. Like a lot of research about earthly ecosystems, this analysis started in outer space. The…
World falling well short of climate goals, new report finds
The results are in on the world’s first climate change progress report: Drastic improvement is needed — and fast. The report, released Friday, is the technical synthesis report from the Paris Agreement’s Global Stocktake process, which is designed to evaluate the global response to the climate crisis every five years. The report will inform critical…
New film drops beat for ‘climate heroes’
To her fans, DJ and music producer Jayda Guy is the Grammy-nominated artist spinning propulsive dance beats at some of the world’s biggest festivals. But in a new documentary, Guy returns to her “nerdy” roots as a marine scientist — bringing viewers on a journey to explore one of nature’s most potent climate allies: blue…
Trump Pentagon Purging Climate Change Measures, Hegseth Says, Raising Military Readiness Concerns
Pentagon Starts Purging Climate Change Measures Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants to end the Pentagon’s climate efforts. Some experts say the move could hurt military readiness By Scott Waldman & E&E News Debris litters Tyndall Air Force Base following Hurricane Michael on October 17, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The base experienced extensive damage from…
Trump EPA Unveils Aggressive Plans to Dismantle Climate Regulation, Endangerment Finding
Trump EPA Unveils Aggressive Plans to Dismantle Climate Regulation EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin outlined an aggressive plan to dismantle the “holy grail” of climate regulation, the endangerment finding By Jean Chemnick & E&E News Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, talks with reporters after a water policy rule signing ceremony to allow “West…
In the news: Climate change is scrambling food production
Mangos are on the move. A recent story on the online news site Grist reported from the Italian island of Sicily, where growing conditions are becoming more favorable to tropical mangos than to the lemons and olives traditionally grown in the region. For longtime readers of Conservation News, this may come as little surprise. In…
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) Is Safe from Climate Collapse―for Now
Crucial Ocean-Current System Is Safe from Climate Collapse―for Now The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation likely won’t completely collapse with global warming, but any weakening could have grave consequences worldwide By Humberto Basilio & Nature magazine There have long been worries that a critical network of currents in the Atlantic Ocean could come to a halt…
Trump’s Pentagon Is Making a Big Mistake in Denying Climate Change
Opinion ArgonautWednesdays The U.S. Military Will Be Less Prepared to Fight if Climate Cuts Proceed The U.S. Department of Defense suddenly pretending that climate change isn’t real is penny-wise and pound foolish By Dan Vergano edited by Megha Satyanarayana A military police officer walks near a destroyed gate in Tyndall Air Force Base, in Florida…
Trump Orders U.S. Scientists to Skip Key IPCC Climate Report Meeting
Trump Orders U.S. Scientists to Skip Key Climate Meeting The U.S. is skipping a meeting for the next IPCC report, a sweeping science assessment on the current state of climate change, raising concerns about delays By Sara Schonhardt, Zack Colman, Zia Weise & E&E News CLIMATEWIRE | The Trump administration’s abrupt retreat from global climate…
IPCC report: Climate change could soon outpace humanity’s ability to adapt
The catastrophic impacts of climate breakdown may soon outpace humanity’s ability to adapt to it, according to a new report. Co-authored by 270 researchers from 67 countries, the latest report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) describes “an atlas of human suffering and a damning indictment of failed climate leadership,” according to…
In Indonesia, villagers find innovative ways to adapt to climate change
Climate change is already affecting people around the world — so adapting is crucial. In some places, at least, people are finding innovative ways to adapt, according to new research. A new study shows that using nature to adapt to intense storms and drought can be affective for thriving in a changing climate. In some…
Indigenous leaders: To tackle climate change, ‘we must first address racial inequality’
For centuries, social injustices against Indigenous peoples have hindered their ability to conserve the nature they depend on. For insight into how Indigenous peoples are fighting for their lands during lockdown — while simultaneously addressing deep-rooted racial inequality — Conservation News tapped two Indigenous leaders at Conservation International: Minnie Degawan, a member of the Kankanaey-Igorot…
Climate crisis contributing to chocolate market meltdown, research finds
Scientists say more-frequent hotter temperatures in west African region are part of reason for reduced harvests and price rises The climate crisis drove weeks of high temperatures in the west African region responsible for about 70% of global cacao production, hitting harvests and probably causing further record chocolate prices, researchers have said. Farmers in the…
Trump Gives EPA One Week to Decide on Abandoning Climate Pollution Regulation
Trump Gives EPA One Week to Decide on Abandoning Climate Pollution Regulation President Trump ordered EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to decide by next week whether the agency could abandon its authority to regulate climate pollution under the Clean Air Act By Jean Chemnick & E&E News Steam rises from the coal-fired Miller Power Plant in…
Trump funding freeze could leave communities on their own as climate threats grow
By Michael Copley Removing lead paint and pipes. Cleaning up contaminated land. Monitoring pollution. Making houses more energy efficient. Installing solar panels in low-income neighborhoods. Those are some of the projects across the country that were cut off from federal funding when the Trump administration paused spending approved earlier by Congress. The sweeping move is…
How to talk to kids about climate change
Editor’s note: Conservation International climate expert Shyla Raghav recently joined a group of children on an episode of the National Children Museum’s podcast, “STEAM Daydream,” to explore climate science. In a new post, Raghav shares advice to help parents educate their children about climate change. As climate breakdown accelerates, it is crucial for children to…
Trump Administration Closes Climate Health Office
Trump Administration Shutters Climate Health Office A climate office at the Department of Health and Human Services has been shuttered, and its staff was placed on administrative leave By Ariel Wittenberg & E&E News An elderly man faints in front of the Supreme Court in June 2024 as temperatures in Washington, D.C., rose into the…
As Trump vows to embrace fossil fuels, U.S. climate policy won’t change quickly
Jeff Brady President Trump wants to redirect the federal government away from former President Joe Biden’s climate agenda and toward an even deeper embrace of fossil fuels. “We will drill, baby, drill,” Trump said to cheers from supporters at his inauguration speech on Jan. 20. His burst of climate and energy executive orders was quickly…
‘Perfect rat storm’: urban rodent numbers soar as the climate heats, study finds
Sharp rise in population in 11 of 16 cities expected to continue as rising temperatures make it easier for the animals to breed, say researchers Rat numbers are soaring in cities as global temperatures warm, research shows. Washington DC, San Francisco, Toronto, New York City and Amsterdam had the greatest increase in these rodents, according…
How the world has responded to Trump’s Paris climate agreement withdrawal
From Europe to Africa and South America, countries reaffirm commitment to tackle crisis World leaders, senior ministers and key figures in climate diplomacy have, one by one, reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris agreement this week, in response to the order by Donald Trump to withdraw the US from the pact. The prospect of the…
The U.S. is trying to unravel a hacking plot that targeted climate activists
By Michael Copley A yearslong U.S. Justice Department investigation of a global hacking campaign that targeted prominent American climate activists took a turn in a London court this week amid an allegation that the hacking was ordered by a lobbying firm working for ExxonMobil. Both the lobbying firm and ExxonMobil have denied any awareness of…
Why the Paris Climate Treaty Matters in 5 Graphics
Why the Paris Climate Agreement Matters in 5 Graphics One of President Trump’s first executive orders withdraws the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement. These graphics show why the pact is crucial to curbing the worst effects of global warming By Andrea Thompson Hours after he was sworn into office, President Donald Trump signed an…
How Trump Will Roll Back Climate and Energy Policy on Day One
How Trump Will Roll Back Climate and Energy Policy on Day One There are 50 to 100 expected executive orders on Trump’s first day in office. Many will focus on boosting fossil fuels and reversing climate policy By Scott Waldman & E&E News President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a campaign town hall on Oct. 14,…
Trump is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement (again), reversing U.S. climate policy
By Nate Perez , Rachel Waldholz President Donald Trump is withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement – again. Under the international climate accord, first negotiated in 2015, countries around the world agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to limit global warming and forestall the worst impacts of climate change. Trump…
Los Angeles Fires Were Fueled by Climate Change
Here’s How Climate Change Fueled the Los Angeles Wildfires Many factors, such as strong Santa Ana winds and urban planning decisions, played into the recent destructive wildfires in the Los Angeles area. But the evidence is clear that climate change contributed By Andrea Thompson edited by Dean Visser Smoke shrouds the sun as it rises…
Climate Action Now Threatened by ‘Powerful Forces,’ Biden Warns
‘Powerful Forces’ Threaten Climate Action, Biden Warns In his farewell address, President Biden warned that a powerful “oligarchy” could undo four years of progress on climate policy By Scott Waldman & E&E News President Joe Biden speaks from the Oval Office of the White House as he gives his farewell address Wednesday. Join Our Community…
Trump’s energy secretary nominee faces questions over climate posts and LA fires
By Julia Simon We’re following the confirmation hearings for the incoming Trump administration. See our full politics coverage, and follow NPR’s Trump’s Terms podcast or to stay up to date. Who: Chris Wright Nominated for: Secretary of Energy You might know them from: Wright is the CEO of Liberty Energy, a Denver-based oil and gas…
Climate Opportunities in Greenland May Be Part of Trump’s Interest
Why Does Greenland Interest Trump? Climate Change Is Only Part of the Story Arctic shipping routes and burgeoning mining opportunities may be part of Greenland’s appeal to President-elect Donald Trump, but each comes with challenges as well By Meghan Bartels edited by Jeanna Bryner Container ship navigating among icebergs in the harbor of Narsaq, Southern…
Weird weather isn’t always because of climate change — but sometimes it is
By Alejandra Borunda 2025 started off with a flurry of intense weather. Southern California experienced bursts of 100-mph winds that spread record-breaking destructive wildfires. Major winter storms have dumped snow and cold weather on the Mid-Atlantic and the South. And in the midst of the weather news, scientists from major meteorological associations around the world…
Million year-old bubbles could solve ice age climate mystery
What is probably the world’s oldest ice, dating back 1.2m years ago, has been dug out from deep within Antarctica. Working at temperatures of -35C, a team of scientists extracted a 2.8km-long cyclinder, or core, of ice – longer than eight Eiffel Towers end-to-end. Suspended inside the ice are ancient air bubbles which scientists hope…
High winds, lack of rain and climate change stoking California fires
High winds and lack of rain are the main factors driving the Southern California fires, but climate change is altering the background conditions, increasing the likelihood of these conflagrations, say experts. Researchers have shown that a warming world increases the number of “fire weather” days, when conditions are more suited to outbreaks of fire. California…
Biden Awards Three Climate Experts Nation’s Highest Science Honor
Biden Awards Three Climate Experts Nation’s Highest Science Honor By Chelsea Harvey & E&E News Rhône Glacier, the source of the river of the same name, is located in the Swiss Alps. Like many other alpine glaciers around the world, it has retreated significantly in the last 150 years as global temperatures rise. Join Our…
‘A look into the future’: TV drama about Danish climate refugees divides opinion
Families Like Ours has become national talking point but some scientists say events depicted could not happen Featuring scenes of huge crowds boarding ferries, protest and desperation as six million Danes become climate refugees and life as they know it rapidly collapses, the new TV series by the Oscar-winning director Thomas Vinterberg is a potential…
Former EU environment chief warns against backsliding on climate crisis
Virginijus Sinkevičius, a former environment commissioner, criticises bloc’s decision to delay deforestation law A former EU environment commissioner has warned against backsliding on the protection of nature and the battle against the climate crisis after the bloc decided to delay its landmark deforestation law. Virginijus Sinkevičius, the Lithuanian MEP and a vice-president of the European…
Hydropower Was Ecuador’s Answer to Climate Change. Until the Drought Hit.
An extraordinary drought has drained Ecuador’s rivers and reservoirs, leading to power outages of up to 14 hours. Some fear this is the beginning of a larger global crisis. An extraordinary drought has drained Ecuador’s rivers and reservoirs, leading to power outages of up to 14 hours. Some fear this is the beginning of a…
Climate change charts a dangerous course for the world’s largest fish
A Conservation International scientist shares what can be done to prevent an ‘outright alarming’ future for whale sharks. Warmer oceans are putting two giants of the sea on a collision course. Even at the size of a school bus, whale sharks — the world’s largest fish — are no match for cargo ships in busy shipping…
New study reveals seaweed’s hidden climate benefits
Humble seaweed is having a moment. It’s been heralded as a sustainable superfood, a biodegradable replacement for plastic packaging and a feed supplement to cut cows’ methane emissions. Now, new research shows that seaweed forests — such as massive underwater towers of kelp — may play a bigger role in fighting climate change than previously…
In climate fight, ‘nature vs tech’ a false debate
How much can — or should — humanity rely on nature to help solve the climate crisis? That’s the question at the center of a new study, and the study’s conclusions have some scientists scratching their heads. As the United Nations climate talks recently concluded (with disappointing results), the study calls for a focus on…
Biden Pledges Huge Climate Emissions Cuts He Can’t Enforce. Here’s Why It Still Matters
Biden Pledges Huge Climate Emissions Cuts He Can’t Enforce. Here’s Why It Still Matters President Biden strengthened the U.S.’s commitment to slash climate pollution under the Paris Agreement knowing that President-elect Donald Trump could abandon it, but states and cities could still use it as a guide By Sara Schonhardt, Zack Colman & E&E News President Joe Biden…
How Climate Change Could Trigger Earthquakes
How Climate Change Could Trigger Earthquakes Climate change may influence seismic activity as melting glaciers reduce pressure on quake-prone faults By Evan Howell edited by Andrea Thompson North Crestone Creek valley, a U-shaped valley carved by ancient glaciers in Colorado. Southern Colorado’s Sangre De Cristo Mountains jut up abruptly from the flat expanse of the…
National Trust warns UK’s most precious heritage at risk from extreme weather
Storms and flooding have damaged some of the UK’s most precious heritage, according to the National Trust – the UK’s biggest conservation charity. It says extreme weather is taking a toll on the estates it manages in England and Wales, with many mature trees brought down and flooding damaging buildings and gardens. Warm, wet conditions…