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Cities respond to rising heat ... with new hires

Jul 25, 2022
A few cities are hiring what's known as a "chief heat officer."
Tourists take selfies of themselves with popsicles during a heat wave in front of the Lincoln Memorial on July 22 in Washington, D.C.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

California's wildfire season is approaching. How is the state preparing?

Jul 11, 2022
"You can pay kind of a lot to get us where we need to be on the front end of a disaster...or you could pay twice or three times as much to rebuild and recover," said Mark Ghilarducci, Director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.
"You can pay kind of a lot to get us where we need to be on the front end of a disaster...or you could pay twice or three times as much to rebuild and recover," said Mark Ghilarducci,  Director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.
David Odisho via Getty Images

Ocean acidification raises economic concerns for shellfish hatcheries

Jul 5, 2022
Lower pH water, caused by higher carbon dioxide emissions, can kill baby oysters as they fight for minerals to grow their shells.
Oceans are the most acidic they’ve been in 26,000 years, according to the World Meteorological Organization. That can impact the development of shellfish, like the ones fishermen depend on for income.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Coal's comeback threatens global goals for fighting climate change

Countries are turning back to less expensive but carbon-heavy coal because of rising energy costs and Russia's war in Ukraine.
With the war in Ukraine restricting Europe's access to Russian energy, Germany is among the nations seeking alternative fuels for generating electricity, including more coal.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

Thursday's Supreme Court decision was about a lot more than climate change

Jun 30, 2022
West Virginia v. EPA is likely to restrict federal agencies' power to issue all sorts of regulations, according to Blake Emerson of UCLA Law.
In West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency, the Supreme Court limited the EPA's ability to create emissions caps for power plants.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

How banks use Big Tech's deposits to fund the fossil fuel industry

Jun 22, 2022
Some tech giants have pledged to decarbonize operations. But their cash contributes to climate change, says environmentalist Bill McKibben.
Longtime environmental activist Bill McKibben says banks are worsening climate change by financing carbon-intensive projects, and much of the cash comes from tech giants.

More severe hurricane seasons bring higher costs

May 27, 2022
Storms are becoming more frequent and covering new ground. At the same time, mitigation efforts are getting more expensive
As oceans warm, storms get more severe.
NOAA via Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Can global economic crises result in better international cooperation?

Political scientist Ian Bremmer sees big opportunity in crisis.
Johannes Simon/Getty Images

Quantifying climate risk goes mainstream

May 16, 2022
People seeking to minimize flood and fire risk when looking for a home have new tools to guide them.
The 2017 Tubbs Fire decimated neighborhoods. Many people are seeking safer homes as fire risk worsens, but there are few tools to help them.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A UN report says making cities more population-dense can help cut carbon emissions

May 2, 2022
Cities were responsible for over half of the world's carbon emissions in recent years. They could turn that around in the decades to come.
An aerial view of a "green" roof in Caracas, Venezuela. Green roofs are roofs that incorporate vegetation.
Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images