A Kern County judge ruled that approval of California’s first operating carbon capture and storage project — a technology the state is counting on to meet its climate goals — violated state environmental law and must be set aside.Continue Reading
Wildfire litigation against utilities has become a fallback strategy to deal with rising losses in a warmer world. But as payouts reach into the billions of dollars, is it sustainable—or just? By Gloria Dickie Trial by Fire: First in a series about the impacts of wildfire litigation.Continue Reading
A groundbreaking drone survey has revealed a startling split in the fate of New Zealand’s endangered Erect-crested penguins. While one population has remained stable for decades, another has declined by more than 40%, apparently due to a combination of predators, worsening storms, and changing ocean conditions. Even more surprisingly, theContinue Reading
A Texas district known for its petrochemical facilities is getting a representative with a background in environmental health. By Lauren Nutall Leticia Gutierrez’s upset victory in a Houston-area congressional district means an environmental-health advocate will represent part of the country’s oil capital, and environmental groups say that could help communitiesContinue Reading
Across Central America’s so-called Dry Corridor, farming families live at the mercy of the rains. In southwestern Honduras, Anastacio Martínez Gómez has spent most of his 73 years learning to work the land. But experience can only take him so far.Continue Reading
El Niño has implications for the region’s snowpack and ongoing drought. The post Is the Southwest’s flooding a harbinger of a wild winter? appeared first on High Country News.Continue Reading
Scientists have developed an efficient method to transform used coffee grounds into a potential source of biodiesel while preserving the leftover material for other renewable fuels and valuable chemicals. The discovery could turn millions of tons of discarded coffee waste into a surprisingly useful resource for sustainable energy., Read MoreContinue Reading
As Georgia Power decides on its next generation of grid suppliers, a little-known piece of math may be giving the edge to fossil fuel projects. By Ryan Krugman The growth of data centers and rapid electrification is driving Georgia Power toward another major expansion of its electric grid. The state’sContinue Reading
A virus deadly to fish has arrived in California, potentially threatening largemouth bass populations across the state.Continue Reading
Former smokejumper Sam Forstag heads to Congress with plans to rebuild federal land management agencies, strengthen wildfire preparedness and protect Montana’s public lands. By Mosabber Hossain For three decades, Montana voters had not elected a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives. That changed earlier this month when Sam Forstag,Continue Reading
A 5,000-year-old mystery surrounding the tombs of Egypt’s first kings has taken a disturbing turn. Scientists reexamining 46 ancient skulls discovered evidence of potentially fatal head injuries in 18, suggesting that at least 39% of those studied may have been deliberately killed. The findings support a century-old theory that royalContinue Reading
Countries are not meeting their goal of limiting climate change to 1.5 degrees Celsius. How much hotter the planet gets makes a profound difference for the impacts the world could see. (Image credit: Sirachai Arunrugstichai)Continue Reading
Conservation groups say commissioners opted for a coastwide catch limit that will almost certainly miss its ecological target. By Aman Azhar Atlantic fisheries managers this week agreed to lower the cap on industrial menhaden fishing in Chesapeake Bay but stopped well short of imposing deeper coastwide cuts.Continue Reading