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Keeping It Green

Atmospheric CO2 Levels

(Monthly Averages)

Mar. 10, 2026: 430.2 ppm
10 years ago: 396 ppm
Pre-industrial base: 280
Safe level: 350 ppm

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Page Updated:
Mar. 20, 2026

• The 2024 Clean 15 (Safe Foods)
• Get the Lead Out Toolkit
• Oil Spill History
• World Air Quality Report
• Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act

• US Emissions by Sector Chart

  
  

  Where is all that CO2 coming from? This graph breaks it down by economic sector.

• Greenest U.S. Cities
• Safe Water in Pictures
• U.S. WEA Grassroots Accelerator
• Safer Habitats

• • Cigarette Butts Don’t Biodegrade

  They Turn Into Microplastics That Linger for Years

  
  

  Mar. 20, 2026 -What happens to a cigarette but when it’s thrown away? A new study offers an unsettling answer: not much; at least not in the way you’d hope.

  After tracking cigarette filters for nearly a decade under real outdoor conditions, researchers found they don’t fully biodegrade or mineralize. Instead, they slowly break apart, leaving much of their material behind as persistent residue in the soil.

• • How Can Data Centers Reduce Strain on the Grid?

  Energy and Grid Management
  
  {energy central}
  
  

  Mar. 19, 2026 -Google has now signed demand response agreements with five utilities—Entergy Arkansas, Minnesota Power, DTE Energy, Indiana Michigan Power, and TVA—cutting up to 1 GW of its data center load during peak demand.

  Claros is tackling the problem from inside the rack. Its integrated voltage regulators reduce energy waste by sending power straight to servers’ main processors, claiming up to 30% energy savings. The company recently closed a a $30M seed round.

• • After Record WA Flooding, Promising Signs Emerge at Restoration Site

  Dramatic Scenes Played Out All Over Washington as the State Was Hit With a Parade of Atmospheric Rivers

  
  

  Mar. 19, 2026 -December’s flooding brought chaos, evacuations and over $180 million in damage to public roads and infrastructure across the state. But at this stretch of the Cedar between Highway 169 and picturesque homes, disruptions were minimal.

  Over a decade ago, King County bought out the mobile home park which used to lie alongside the river here, relocating its 90 residents to higher ground. Then starting in 2020, the county removed an old, long-battered levee, filled in a gravel pit and dug out new side channels.

• • Nebraska Wildfires Consume Nearly 800,000 Acres

  The Morrill Fire, the Largest Wildfire in State History, Was 16 Percent Contained on Wednesday

  
  

  Mar. 18, 2026 -Hundreds of firefighters from across Nebraska and neighboring states were battling two major wildfires that have burned nearly 800,000 acres in western and central Nebraska, officials said Wednesday.

  One of the fires, the Morrill fire, is the largest in the state’s history, officials said. That fire has killed at least one person, Gov. Jim Pillen said.

• • Synthetic Chemicals Are Widespread in Marine Ecosystems

  Compounds From Hygiene Products Were Among the Most Common Culprit
  
  {abc NEWS}
  
  

  Mar. 16, 2026 - Scientists have detected a substantial amount of synthetic chemicals, such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals, in the ocean, according to new research.

  The distribution of human-made chemicals in the ocean is widespread but especially abundant in coastal areas, a paper published Monday in Nature Geoscience found.

  Researchers studying carbon cycling in the ocean were consistently observing datasets that identified the presence of manmade chemicals in Earth’s oceans, which sparked the initial interest in the study

• • 4 Ways Trump is Sabotaging Climate Action Around the World

  In just the last year, Trump Has Derailed an International Carbon Tax, Boosted Forecasts For Oil and gas, and Sought to Silence an Island Nation’s Climate Campaign

  
  

  Mar. 16, 2026 -President Trump has spent much of his second term trying to reshape global politics, first through a series of tariffs and trade deals that began on what he termed “Liberation Day” last April. This year, he’s focused on changing the world through military force: After abducting the leader of Venezuela and blockading Cuba, last month the president launched an attack on Iran that has now spiraled into a regional war involving most of the Middle East.

  Among many profound consequences, Trump’s military strikes could have dramatic effects on the world’s energy trajectory and climate change, though what those effects are remains to be seen. But well before Trump’s attention was consumed by deposing foreign leaders, the president devoted much of his foreign policy to much more directly undermining international progress on global warming: Top diplomats in the Trump administration have pressured other countries to sabotage major treaties on plastic production and shipping emissions, and they have fought to drop even the mention of climate change at international institutions like the United Nations and the International Energy Agency.

• • Potential For Severe Storms Moves East of D.C. For Now

  Tornado Watch Until 7 p.m. The most Intense Storms Could Produce Wind Gusts of 60 mph or Greater and an Isolated Tornado

  
  

  Mar. 15, 2026 -The worst of the storms is over, at least for the afternoon, for the Beltway, Interstate 95 and points west. Strong to severe storms remain possible east of the Beltway and Interstate 95 to the Chesapeake Bay through about 4 p.m. Some storms could produce damaging winds, maybe an isolated tornado.

  What’s next? A final line of gusty showers and storms could cross the area from west to east between 7 and 10 p.m., after whichbtemperatures tumble. Rain may briefly end as snow between 10 p.m. and midnight. Unseasonably chilly Tuesday and Wednesday. Then, temperatures moderate.

• • Why Hundreds of Earthquakes Have
  Rattled South Carolina in Recent Years

  The State’s History Includes the Most Deadly and Destructive Earthquake in The Eastern U.S.

  
  

  Mar. 15, 2026 -At 12:17 p.m. on a recent Thursday, the Earth rumbled, windows rattled and a loud boom startled residents in communities around Lake Murray, just outside South Carolina’s capital of Columbia.

  “Wow! If that is considered ‘light’ I’d hate to feel much stronger. I had some photos fall off the wall it shook the house so much,” wrote one of the many nearby residents who shared details on social media. Another woman posted a video of the moment her living room was jolted, and her spooked cat leaped in alarm from a nearby chair.

• • War in Iran Has Put Middle East Water Supplies at Risk

  Two Water Desalination Plants in the Region Have Been Damaged in Military Operations

  
  

  Mar. 14, 2026 -Last week, Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, said an attack on a desalination plant on Qeshm Island, in the Persian Gulf, on March 7 had affected the water supply to 30 villages. While Iran blamed the United States for the attack, the Pentagon has denied responsibility, as has Israel.

  And in Bahrain, the Interior Ministry blamed an Iranian drone for “material damage” to a desalination plant, though the country’s water and electricity authority said water supplies had not been affected.

• • China’s Clean Energy Push Has Made It Less
  Vulnerable to Energy Shocks, Including the Iran War

  As Countries Scramble to Secure Oil, Gas and Fertilizer, China’s Bets On Clean Energy and Coal are Cushioning Its Dependence On Oil and Gas Imports

  
  

  Mar. 13, 2026 -When Gary Dirks arrived in China in 1995, the country’s government was looking to source more of its energy at home. Dirks was the incoming country head for BP, but efforts to find more oil and gas in the country had largely fizzled.

  So government leaders pivoted, Dirks said. China invested heavily in its domestic coal and, later, in building wind and solar energy. Now, those investments and other steps are shielding China from more severe impacts of the volatility unleashed by the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, despite Beijing’s continued reliance on foreign oil.

• • They Want to Rebuild. Can They Afford to Prevent the Next Fire, Too?

  Palisades fire victims want to raise money for disaster hardening. Their idea Could Be a model — If...

  
  

  Mar. 13, 2026 -Allison Holdorff Polhill looks out at the slice of paradise she’s rebuilding near the Pacific coast, and worries.

  In her backyard, a utility pole towers over a small pool — the only thing left of her home of 30 years after the Palisades fire flattened 97 percent of her neighborhood in 2025.

  But sometimes when Ms. Polhill gazes across the blocks of empty lots, lonely chimneys and front steps to nowhere, she sees possibilities.

• • Pennsylvania Publishes Long-Awaited
  Study on Radioactivity in Landfill Runoff

  The State Concluded There's “No Current Cause For Concern.” Experts worried about the Long-Term Impacts of Fracking Waste Say More Research is Required

  
  

  Mar. 13, 2026 -A decade ago, Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection published a study on radioactivity in the oil and gas industry, motivated by fears that increasing volumes of toxic fracking waste could pose risks to the environment and public health. That study concluded, in part, that more research was needed—especially regarding the impacts on landfills where this waste is disposed.

  On Friday, the agency released a follow-up study that specifically examined landfill leachate, the liquid byproduct formed when rainwater passes through waste, picking up contaminants along the way.

• • The Japanese Mayor Who Built a Floodgate
  No One Wanted and Saved His Town

  For Decades, Kotoku Wamura Was Mocked. His Vision Saved an Entire Village

  
  

  Mar. 12, 2026 -For decades, Kotoku Wamura was ridiculed for his insistence on constructing a massive seawall to protect his village. As mayor of Fudai, a small Japanese town with just over 3,000 residents, he championed a project that cost ¥3.56 billion (approximately $30 million in 2011) and took over a decade to complete. Many saw it as an unnecessary expense; that is, until a 9.1-magnitude earthquake triggered a devastating tsunami in 2011.

  The wave wiped out entire towns along Japan’s coastline. Even those with seawalls considered safe at the time were ravaged. But in Fudai, where Wamura’s floodgate stood, the village remained untouched.

• • What’s More Carbon-Friendly, Farmed Or Wild Fish?

  Some Math For Those Suffering Analysis Paralysis in the Seafood Section

  
  

  Mar. 12, 2026 -In the 1990s, the divide between wild and farmed fish felt moral as much as culinary. Farmed salmon became shorthand for industrial excess—crowded pens, antibiotics, polluted bays, and the irony of feeding wild fish to captive ones. Wild fish, meanwhile, carried an aura of purity, even as global stocks were thinning under overfishing.

  Over time, that simple story has shifted. Aquaculture expanded and, in many regions, improved: antibiotics declined, feeds became more efficient, and certification schemes promised accountability. At the same time, wild fisheries revealed their own vulnerabilities—bycatch, habitat destruction, and fragile management regimes.

• • Eye Doctor Named to Air Pollution Advisory Board Draws Pushback

  Brian Joondeph, a Colorado-Based Ophthalmologist and Political Commentator, Has Not Published Peer-Reviewed Research On Air Pollution Science

  
  

  Mar. 12, 2026 -The Trump administration has tapped an eye doctor with no background in air pollution science to advise the Environmental Protection Agency on what levels of air pollutants are safe to breathe.

  The E.P.A. named Brian Joondeph, a Colorado-based ophthalmologist and political commentator, on Monday to the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, an influential panel that advises the agency’s leadership on the latest scientific evidence on soot, smog and other hazardous pollutants.

• • There’s Something in the Air in South Portland, Maine

  Emissions Test Results Are in On the City’s 120 Petroleum Storage Tanks

  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 -It’s one of Maine’s most desirable locations—home to a vibrant and diverse community, nearby beaches, and close proximity to Portland’s downtown. But for years, residents in South Portland have wondered: With 120 massive petroleum storage tanks dotting the shore and knitted into some neighborhoods here, is the air safe to breathe?

  Now the first answers are in, thanks to a year of emissions monitoring along the fencelines of the city’s tank farms. At two of those locations, in particular, the results showed levels of benzene—a known carcinogen—well above the state’s limit.

• • Why the Iran War is Bad For Clean Energy

  Surging Oil And Gas Prices Could Increase Inflation — The Clean Energy Industry Recently Emerged From a Fight With Inflation. Now, With Energy Prices Surging, It May Have to Brace for Another Round
  
  {CLIMATEWIRE}
  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 -The clean energy industry recently emerged from a fight with inflation. Now, with energy prices surging, it may have to brace for another round.

  Economic analysts are increasingly concerned about the potential effects of inflation as oil and gas prices soar due to the Iran war launched by the United States and Israel 12 days ago. Energy infrastructure such as storage tanks, refineries and natural gas facilities are increasingly being struck by forces on both sides of the conflict. Oil tankers have all but stopped passing through the Strait of Hormuz, driving U.S. gasoline prices to levels not seen in several years.

• • Getting Data Centers to Generate Their Own Electricity
  May Ease One Obstacle to Public Acceptance of Data Centers

  A Data Center Opened Next Door. Then Came the High-Pitched Whine

  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 - Lindsay Shaw was happy when she found out a data center was going up 100 meters from her front door.

  Unlike most of her neighbors, she preferred a supercomputing hub to a shopping mall, which might bring a crush of car traffic. She was even more pleased when she learned the data center would generate its own power — rather than connecting to the grid and driving up her electric bills.

  But then the data center turned on, along with the eight natural gas turbines powering it. Now her home is barraged by a high-pitch whine that she says has made her newly screened-in porch unusable.

• • Attacks on Middle East Desalination Plants Highlight
  Risks of Near-Total Dependence on ‘Fossil Fuel Water’

  Destroying the Facilities is a Violation of International Law That Could Cause a Humanitarian Crisis in the Most Water-Scare Region on Earth

  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 -Recent attacks in the Middle East on desalination plants, facilities that remove salt from seawater, raise the potential for a humanitarian crisis if the region’s freshwater production facilities are subjected to more widespread destruction. The attacks also underscore the region’s heavy reliance on an energy-intensive method of producing drinking water that is powered almost entirely by fossil fuels.

  On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of striking a desalination plant in southern Iran. The U.S. has since denied any role in the attack. The next day, Bahrain accused Iran of damaging a desalination plant in a drone attack. The targeting of freshwater production facilities follows attacks on schools, airports, hotels and refineries since U.S Operation Epic Fury began in February. Attacking desalination plants is a violation of the Geneva Conventions, which established humanitarian laws for the treatment of non-combatants in war.

• • There’s Something in the Air in South Portland, Maine

  Emissions Test Results Are in On the City’s 120 Petroleum Storage Tanks

  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 -It’s one of Maine’s most desirable locations—home to a vibrant and diverse community, nearby beaches, and close proximity to Portland’s downtown. But for years, residents in South Portland have wondered: With 120 massive petroleum storage tanks dotting the shore and knitted into some neighborhoods here, is the air safe to breathe?

  Now the first answers are in, thanks to a year of emissions monitoring along the fencelines of the city’s tank farms. At two of those locations, in particular, the results showed levels of benzene—a known carcinogen—well above the state’s limit.

• • How War in Iran Could Remake the Global Energy Landscape

  The Middle East Oil Crisis Could Spur Countries to Invest in wind, solar and Other Renewables, And...

  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 -The war in Iran is choking off oil and gas supplies and spiking energy prices across the globe. And for many environmentalists, that’s a powerful argument for countries to curb their use of fossil fuels and shift to wind, solar and other renewable sources.

  Some countries in Europe and Asia may try to install more wind turbines, solar panels and batteries to buffer themselves against surges in the price of natural gas, as many did after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. If oil prices stay elevated, electric cars could become a more economical option for drivers from Brazil to the United States.

• • Hawaii’s Klauea Volcano Erupts, Shooting Lava 1,300 Feet into the Air

  Over Nine Hours, K?lauea Released 16 Million Cubic Yards of Lava and Sent a Cloud of Ash Beyond 30,000 Feet

  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 -The K?lauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island erupted on Tuesday in a nine-hour spectacular in which it shot fountains of lava some 1,300 feet into the air, according to the U.S. Geological Survey./p><

  The eruption generated “significant heat and ash,” USGS said, with some six inches of “tephra”—bits of volcanic material, ranging from glasslike particles to rocks and ash—accumulating on a nearby golf course.

• • Storm Risk Shifts East After Tornadoes, Monster Hail Strike Midwest

  Several Damaging Tornadoes and Grapefruit-Size Hail Struck Illinois and Indiana Late Tuesday

  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 -Several damaging tornadoes and grapefruit-size hail struck Illinois and Indiana late Tuesday amid a widespread severe-weather outbreak across the central United States.

  That included a supercell thunderstorm that tracked from near Kankakee in northern Illinois to near Knox in northern Indiana. That system probably spawned several destructive tornadoes along its path and produced potentially record-large hailstones that were five to six inches in diameter — denting cars and smashing windshields.

• • What is the ‘Acid Rain’ In the Wake of U.S. Bombings in Iran?

  Iranian Residents Have Reported Headaches, Difficulty Breathing, and Oil-Contaminated Rain Settling On Buildings and Cars After the Bombing of Oil Depots
  
  {SCI AM}
  
  

  Mar. 9, 2026 -Reports are emerging of black rain falling over parts of Iran in the hours after US-Israeli airstrikes on oil depots on the weekend, with some outlets describing it as “acid rain.”

  Iranian residents have reported headaches, difficulty breathing, and oil-contaminated rain settling on buildings and cars. Iran’s Red Crescent Society warned rainfall following the strikes could be “highly dangerous and acidic.”

• • WA Skier Survives Four Hours Under Snow

  About the Stevens Pass avalanche

  
  

  Mar. 9, 2026 -Michael Harris set out for a day at Stevens Pass last month. A 21-year regular at the ski area and a lifelong skier, he knew the terrain, understood the risks and had done enough sidecountry skiing over the years to understand what avalanche country looked like.

  But on a Thursday afternoon in late February, something unexpected happened.

  While skiing a popular run on the south side of Stevens Pass, Harris was buried beneath several feet of avalanche debris. He was alone, without a beacon and, by most statistical measures of avalanche survival, the odds were stacked against him.

• • A Big Night Light in the Sky? Start-Up Wants to Launch a Space Mirror

  A Startup Seeks FCC Approval to Reflect Sunlight Onto Earth With a Constellation of Giant Space Mirrors
  
  {energy central}
  
  

  Mar. 10, 2026 - California-based Reflect Orbital plans to deploy up to 50K orbiting mirrors by 2035 to provide $5k/hour “sunlight on demand” for solar farms and illuminate disaster zones. It will kick things off with a 60-ft prototype, which could launch as soon as this summer.

  Maybe not the best idea: Biologists say beaming artificial daylight from orbit could severely interfere with the circadian rhythms of wildlife, affecting hibernation, migration, and pollination patterns.

• • After a Decade of Missteps, a Texas City
  Careens Toward a Water-Shortage Catastrophe

  Officials in Corpus Christi Expect a “Water Emergency” Within Months and to Fully Run Out of Water Next Year

  
  

  Mar. 8, 2026 -The imminent depletion of water supplies in Corpus Christi threatens to cut off the flow of jet fuel to Texas airports and other oil exports from one of the nation’s largest petroleum ports, triggering potential shockwaves through energy markets in Texas and beyond.

  Without significant rainfall, Corpus Christi is headed for a “water emergency” within months and will reach a point next year where city supply can no longer meet demand, according to the city’s website. At that critical point, the city would be unable to deliver water to its customers—a potential catastrophe for Corpus Christi and beyond, experts and people knowledgable about the city’s water system say.

• • Adequate Housing as a Pillar of Climate
  Resilience in Asia-Pacific Cities

  Unplanned Development, Weak Land-Use Systems and Inadequate Housing Expose Millions of Urban Residents to Climate Hazards and Disaster Risks
  
  {EARTH.ORG}
  
  

  Mar. 3, 2026 -Access to adequate housing is a foundation of resilient cities. Safe and affordable homes provide stability, allow residents to access essential services, and enhance the capacity for communities to withstand and recover from shocks. Yet housing is often treated as a downstream outcome of urban development or disaster recovery rather than as a strategic investment in resilience.

  The Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2026 delivers a stark warning. The region is not on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and 88% of measurable targets are projected to be missed by 2030 at the current pace. Progress across SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) indicators reflects mixed trends. While some indicators show improvement, disaster losses and infrastructure damage continue to rise. This widening gap between policy commitments and real-world outcomes exposes a growing resilience deficit in urban systems. Accelerating progress on SDG Target 11.1, which calls for access to adequate, safe and affordable housing and the upgrading of informal settlements, will be critical to reducing urban vulnerability across Asia and the Pacific.

• • California Water Board Will Soon Release a New
  Rule to Limit Water Pollution From Dairies in the State

  The State Plans to Require the Central Valley Water Board to Update Its Waste Regulations For Dairies Contributing to Groundwater Pollution

  
  

  Mar. 12, 2026 -California dairies are out of balance. Everyone from environmentalists to regulators to the industry agrees that the nitrogen from milk cow manure is ending up where it can pose a health threat.

  Excess nitrogen from dairies turns into excess nitrate in the soil, spilling into waterways, seeping into groundwater and contributing to widespread contamination of drinking water in the Central Valley. In some counties there, 40 percent of drinking wells are above the safe limit established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, posing health risks like miscarriages and infant mortality.

• • London, San Francisco and Beijing Achieve
  ‘Remarkable Reductions’ in Air Pollution

  Cycle Lanes, Electric Cars and Other Interventions Have Helped 19 Global Cities Slash Levels of Pollutants By More Than 20%

  
  

  Mar. 12, 2026 -London, San Francisco and Beijing are among 19 global cities that have achieved “remarkable reductions” in air pollution, analysis has found, having slashed levels of two airway-aggravating pollutants by more than 20% since 2010.

  The analysis found interventions such as cycle lanes, uptake of electric cars and restrictions on polluting vehicles had helped to drive the improvements.

• • How War in Iran Could Remake the Global Energy Landscape

  The Oil Crisis in the Middle East Could Spur Countries to Invest in Wind, Solar and Other Renewables, And...

  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 -The war in Iran is choking off oil and gas supplies and spiking energy prices across the globe. And for many environmentalists, that’s a powerful argument for countries to curb their use of fossil fuels and shift to wind, solar and other renewable sources.

  But as the chaos forces nations to rethink their energy policies, the results could be messy — and cleaner options may not always be the winner.

• • Maui’s Mental Health Crisis Goes Far Beyond the Wildfire Burn Zone

  Unstable Housing and Job Loss Are Key Drivers of Psychological Distress Among Survivors of the 2023 Wildfires

  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 -On the day of one of the deadliest natural disasters in Hawaii’s history, Blake Kekoa Ramelb watched his hometown go up in flames.

  It was Aug. 8, 2023, and Maui was burning. Ramelb, born and raised in Lahaina, lived outside the burn zone, so his home was intact. But he couldn’t get into town to check on his family. He was forced to watch from afar as the fires blazed through the night, killing at least 102 people, burning down more than 2,200 structures and displacing thousands of residents.

• • Seattle Windstorm: 1 Dead, 120K Without Power

  Blizzard Blasts Cascades

  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 -Gusts over 60 mph roared into the Western Washington lowlands Wednesday evening, carried by an atmospheric river that brought blizzard conditions to the Cascades and Olympics.

  One person died when a large tree fell onto a vehicle east of Monroe around 8:20 p.m., according to Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue. Firefighters asked the public to avoid the area, near Old Owen and Florence Acres roads.

• • Countries Agree On Historic Release of Crude Reserves

  To Lower Oil and Gasoline Prices
  
  {CNN}
  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 -Mar. 11, 2026 -Member countries of the International Energy Agency unanimously agreed Wednesday to release 400 million barrels of oil into the global market – the largest release of emergency oil stocks in history – in a drastic move aimed at shoring up crude supplies and capping a surge in prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

  “IEA countries will be making 400 million barrels of oil available to the market to offset the supply lost through the effective closure of the Strait (of Hormuz),” IEA executive director Fatih Birol said in a live broadcast.

• • Tehran’s Smothering Smoke Has Roots
  in ‘Mazut,’ an Unusually Dirty Fuel

  Tanks of Mazut May Now Be Burning Near the City

  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 -The people of Tehran have long suffered from some of the dirtiest air in the world. It’s largely because Iran’s power plants burn an extraordinarily sulfur-heavy fuel known as “mazut.”

  Mazut is essentially the bottom-of-the-barrel residue that’s left when everything else of value is refined out of oil. Much of the world bans burning it. Only a handful of other countries, like North Korea, rely on it so heavily.

• • The Story of Weda Bay – and How
  Nature is Being Sacrificed For Mining

  Analysis Has Found More Than 3,000 Mining Operations Within the Most Naturally Precious Areas of the Planet

  
  

  Mar. 11, 2026 -Weda Bay is just one example of a global trend that could see the mining industry expand into some of Earth’s last areas of wilderness in search of minerals and materials to feed the global economy.

  Analysis produced for the Guardian by a group of academic researchers found more than 3,267 mining operations within key biodiversity areas (KBAs), accounting for nearly 5% of the mining sector’s global footprint. China, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico top the rankings for total surface mining area within key biodiversity areas, the most naturally precious areas of the planet.

• • Black Rain and Health Fears After Strikes on Iran Fuel Depots

  Health Experts Warn of Long-Term Respiratory and Neurological Risks as Smoke From Burning Oil Spreads Across the Region

  
  

  Mar. 10, 2026 -Soon after dark plumes of smoke began settling over Tehran early Sunday, residents noticed a bizarre phenomenon: black rain. Some also reported a thick, oily film covering their cars and roofs like paint.

  Then the migraines, dizziness and coughing set in.

  Health experts were not surprised. Iranian fuel depots had just been hit as American and Israeli forces intensified their campaign against the Iranian government.

• • Bombing of Iran’s Oil Infrastructure
  to Have Major Environmental Fallout

  Monitors Admit They Are Struggling to Keep Track of the Environmental Disasters Arising From Widening War

  
  

  Mar. 10, 2026 -Israel’s bombing of Iran’s oil infrastructure will have major long-term environmental repercussions, experts have warned, as monitors admitted they were struggling to keep track of the environmental disasters arising from the widening war.

  Even as Iranians filled the streets to mark the appointment of a new supreme leader, the Shahran oil depot north-east of Tehran and the Shahr-e fuel depot to its south continued to burn on Monday, two days after they were bombed by Israeli warplanes.

• • War Brings New Water Crises to an Already-Parched Iran

  Iran Has Accused the U.S. of Bombing a Desalination Plant On Qeshm Island

  
  

  Mar. 10, 2026 -The war in Iran has exposed the country’s water woes, which had been pushed to the brink by climate change, excessive agricultural use and decades of mismanagement.

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday accused the United States of bombing a desalination plant on Qeshm Island, affecting the water supply for 30 villages. The U.S. government has denied responsibility for the attack.

• • Ditching Forever Chemicals Without Getting Cold and Wet

  The First People to Climb Everest Didn’t Need Outdoor Gear Made With “Forever Chemicals” to Stay Warm and Dry. You Don’t Either

  
  

  Mar. 10, 2026 -When Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay set out to climb Everest in 1953, wool, down and cotton kept them alive in temperatures 30 degrees below zero. Synthetic fibers played only a supporting role as the pair ascended more than five miles above sea level, about the same altitude as modern jets.

  By the 1980s, the roles had reversed: Synthetic materials are now the preferred way for people to stay warm and dry, from the streets of New York to the Antarctic ice sheet. Many are fashioned from PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”

• • Indonesia Searches For Missing After Landfill Collapse Kills Four

  It ?Was Likely Triggered By the Heavy Rain That Hit the Area From Saturday Evening

  
  

  Mar. 9, 2026 -Rescuers are still searching for five missing people after a large stack of garbage collapsed at Indonesia's biggest landfill site over the weekend, killing at least four people, an official said on Monday.

  The collapse took place at the Bantargebang landfill on Sunday, located in the region of Bekasi on the ?outskirts of the capital Jakarta, said Desiana ?Kartika Bahari, head of the local rescue agency.

• • Earthquake of Magnitude 6.1 Strikes
  Tyrrhenian Sea Near Italian Coast

  It Was Likely Triggered By the Heavy Rain That Hit the Area From Saturday Evening

  
  

  Mar. 9, 2026 -An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 struck the Tyrrhenian Sea off the ?west coast of Italy on Tuesday, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ)said.

  The ?quake was at a depth of ?377 km (234 miles), GFZ ?said.

• • WHO Warns of Health Risks From 'Black Rain' in Iran

  Scientists Warn of Potential Long-Term Health Risks From Toxic Air Exposure

  
  

  Mar. 9, 2026 -The World Health Organization warned on Tuesday that the "black rain" and toxic compounds in the air in Iran after strikes on oil facilities could cause respiratory problems, and it backed Iran’s advisory urging people to remain indoors.

  The U.N. health agency, which has an office in Iran and works with authorities ?on health emergencies, said it has received multiple reports of oil-laden rain this week. Tehran was choked ?in black smoke on Monday after an oil refinery was hit, in an escalation ?in strikes on Iran's domestic energy supplies as part of the U.S.-Israeli campaign.

• • Kenya Says Death Toll From Floods Nearly Doubles to 42

  The Previous Death Toll Was 23

  
  

  Mar. 9, 2026 -The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Kenya's capital Nairobi and elsewhere has nearly ?doubled to 42, the government said in a statement issued late on Sunday.

  Intense rains on Friday unleashed heavy and widespread flooding, causing some people to drown, washing away vehicles ?and disrupting traffic at the country's largest airport.

• • The Invisible Workers Sorting the World’s Rubbish

  Life on Kenya’s Largest Dump

  
  

  Mar. 8, 2026,By Edwin Ndeke -On my journey documenting environmental stories in Kenya, I attended the Africa Climate Summit in 2023. It ignited a deeper exploration into the lives of waste pickers, revealing a glaring omission in global recycling narratives: the invisibility of these essential workers.

  Living and working in Nairobi, I immersed myself in Dandora, the largest dump in Kenya, spanning more than 12 hectares (30 acres) near the Nairobi River and receiving an estimated 2,000 tonnes of industrial and domestic waste daily. For months I witnessed first-hand how waste is devastating local ecosystems and human lives. Kenya’s waste streams are now overwhelmed by single-use plastics from companies shifting the burden on to informal workers.

• • Vital Desalination Plants in Iran and Bahrain Are Attacked

  Strikes On Nonmilitary Infrastructure Were a “Serious Escalation”

  
  

  Mar. 8, 2026 -Water desalination plants have come under attack in Iran and on the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain over the weekend, threatening a resource vital to life in the harsh desert climates of the region.

  On Saturday, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, accused the United States of attacking a desalination plant on Qeshm Island, affecting the water supply for 30 villages.

• • Israeli Strikes on Fuel Depots Send Black Clouds Over Tehran

  Immense Dark Plumes of Smoke Enveloped Tehran After the Israeli Military Expanded Attacks On Energy Infrastructure

  
  

  Mar. 8, 2026 -The view of Tehran’s skyline overnight on Sunday was apocalyptic: Billowing smoke and towering oil fires turned the horizon orange as Israeli strikes ignited fuel depots outside the Iranian capital.

  Israel had bombed the fuel depositories — the first time its warplanes had targeted such infrastructure in the war — saying that they were being used by Iran’s military. Israeli airstrikes also hit depots in the nearby city of Karaj, sending huge bursts of flame into the air.

• • A Trump Order Protected a Weedkiller

  And Also a Weapon of War

  
  

  Mar. 8, 2026 -When President Trump issued an abrupt order last month compelling the production of glyphosate, the controversial weedkiller known as Roundup, he angered health activists who have long campaigned to ban the product for its links to cancer.

  But largely overshadowed in the furor was the order’s mention of something contentious in another way: the manufacture of munitions used by the United States military.

• • Ethics Holds On Trump EPA Chemicals Officials Lift

  A Host of Agency Appointees Will Be Free to Reconnect With Past Industry Clients On Upcoming Consequential Regulatory Matters
  
  {E&E NEWS}
  
  

  Mar. 6, 2026 -Ethics guardrails around President Donald Trump’s chemical appointees at EPA are expiring as the agency plows ahead on his deregulatory agenda.

  “Cooling off” or recusal periods — typically the year after political officials enter government service and are barred from talking to their former clients — for top officials in EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention began ending in January. More will lapse later this summer and fall, a review of ethics documents obtained by POLITICO’s E&E News shows.

  So goes one of the few restrictions on leadership within EPA’s chemicals office, which members of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement have slammed as too close to the industry insiders they are meant to regulate.

• • Stinky Seaweed Menace

  The Primary Driver Behind These Blooms
  
  {living on earth}
  
  

  Mar. 6, 2026 -Though the floating seaweed known as Sargassum provides critical habitat for many species in the Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic, it is now finding a fertile home in southern waters, where it’s wreaking havoc on coastal communities and ecosystems. Teresa Tomassoni, oceans correspondent with our media partner Inside Climate News, spoke with Living on Earth’s Aynsley O’Neill about impacts to respiratory health, tourism and sea turtles.

• • Trump, Glyphosate and Cancer

  A Missouri State Court Has Given Preliminary Approval to a Class Action Settlement Plan For People Sickened By Roundup
  
  {living on earth}
  
  

  Mar. 6, 2026 -President Trump has deemed glyphosate as essential for national security even though some 200,000 people have complained they have gotten cancer or other adverse health effects, while using it as directed. Meanwhile a Missouri state court has given preliminary approval to a class action settlement plan for people sickened by Roundup, which contains the herbicide glyphosate. Carey Gillam of The New Lede speaks with Host Steve Curwood about the latest developments in glyphosate lawsuits and why some in the Make America Healthy Again movement feel betrayed by the Trump Administration’s support for glyphosate.

• • The Potomac Is Safe From the Sludge Now, Officials Say

  Locals Aren’t So Sure

  
  

  Mar. 6, 2026 -The Potomac River has long been a source of tranquil counterprogramming for residents of Washington, a bucolic escape from the continuous high-stakes policy debates and over-the-top political theater.

  Then came the poop.

  More than six weeks have passed since the collapse of a major sewer line sent 243 million gallons of raw human waste flowing into the Potomac, in what experts say could be the largest-ever single spill in the country. (Cue the swamp jokes.)

• • The Audacious Plan to Refill the Great Salt Lake

  A "Herculean" Goal to Replenish the Water in Utah's Great Salt Lake By the 2034 Olympics is Gaining Momentum and Attracting Strange Bedfellows
  
  {NBC NEWS}
  
  

  Mar. 6, 2026 -The Great Salt Lake has been shriveling up for decades. At its record low about four years ago, the exposed lake bed became a source of toxic dust, with scientists warning of imminent ecological collapse. A Utah official called the lake an “environmental nuclear bomb.”

  But a monumental, perhaps impossible, plan to save it has gained significant traction in recent months. The goal: refill the Great Salt Lake in just eight years.

• • China's Decarbonisation Plan Takes Cautious
  Steps as World Backtracks On Climate

  China to Cut Carbon Intensity of GDP by 17% in Current Five-Year Plan

  
  

  Mar. 5, 2026 -China on Thursday released a new five-year plan to reduce the carbon emissions of its economy, mainly by relying on its booming renewable sector to limit coal use and greenhouse gases, but some analysts viewed it as underwhelming.

  Under the plan, China aims to reduce its carbon intensity, or carbon emissions per unit of gross domestic product, by 17% ?from 2026 to 2030, not enough to meet its pledge under the Paris climate agreement of a 65% cut from 2005 to 2030, analysts said.

• • Nature Report, Killed by Trump, Is Released Independently

  A Draft Assessment of the Health of Nature in the U.S. is Grim But Features Bright Spots

  
  

  Mar. 5, 2026 - Scientists and other experts were preparing a first-of-its-kind assessment of the health of nature in the United States when President Trump returned to the White House.

  He canceled the report.

  The researchers went ahead and compiled it on their own. This week, they released a 868-page draft for public comment and scientific review.

• • As New York Energy Costs Surge,
  Turns to Landmark Climate Law

  The Battle to Lower Costs Has Reached the State Capitol, Where Concerns Have Emerged About the Fate of a 2019 Climate Law and Its Ambitious Goals to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

  
  

  Mar. 4, 2026 -Jake Korolev has written letters to Con Edison, asked the utility to check his meter and filed a complaint with regulators. He is vigilant about turning off his lights and even his breaker when he leaves town. But his power bills are still north of $400 a month.

  “Between rent and energy, I can’t save money,” said the 28-year-old, who works in the live music industry and lives in Bushwick, Brooklyn. “It weighs on me every month.”

• • Razor Wire and Clearcutting at the Border
  Threaten Native Rio Grande Habitat

  As Border Barriers Go Up in the Rio Grande Valley, One Nature Enthusiast in Starr County is Documenting What’s Being Lost

  
  

  Mar. 4, 2026 -When Juan Moreno thinks of the islands in the Rio Grande, his mind goes to collecting pitaya cactus fruit with his father as a boy, or looking for Mexican blue wing butterflies with his own son.

  But to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Texas officials, these small islands in the Rio Grande near the town of Roma are nothing more than “hotspots” of illegal border entries and a “smuggler’s paradise.”

• • Why Tech Firms Are Working With
  Trump on Data Centers and Energy Costs

  The White House has Floated a New Plan Trying to Ease Voter Concerns Over the A.I. Boom’s Effect On Electric Bills

  
  

  Mar. 4, 2026 -Technology giants are spending hundreds of billions of dollars to build energy-hungry data centers for artificial intelligence, and many Americans worry that the A.I. boom could drive up their electricity bills.

  Now Silicon Valley — and President Trump — are trying to head off a backlash.

• • How to Eat and Drink Fewer Microplastics

  Some Simple Strategies to Limit Your Exposure.

  
  

  Mar. 4, 2026 -Microplastics are everywhere. They’re in your liver, blood and even in your brain, and they’re almost impossible to avoid. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to minimize your exposure.

  “This really is a public health crisis that people are just generally not aware of,” said Sherri Mason, a freshwater and plastic-pollution researcher at Gannon University in Pennsylvania. People can limit their exposure by acknowledging the plastic in their routines and finding ways to reduce usage, she said.

• • Small Town Americans Are So Worried About Droughts

  They Are Willing to Pay $49/Month to Drink Recycled Toilet Water

  
  

  Mar. 4, 2026 -The water swirling down your toilet today could be the very same liquid filling your glass tomorrow. After some treatment, of course. As underground water supplies decline and weather patterns become more unpredictable, one can expect treated wastewater to increasingly contribute to the water supply.

  A new study published in the journal Water Resources Research suggests that the American public is on board. Researchers surveyed residents in small communities—those with fewer than 10,000 people—and found a surprising consensus. These citizens are willing to pay an average of $49 per month to adopt water reuse systems and avoid the looming threat of water restrictions.

• • California’s Heat Pump Push Faces a Big Hurdle

  The State Has One of the Boldest Heat Pump Strategies in the U.S. But...
  
  {CANARY MEDIA}
  
  

  Mar. 6, 2026 -If you’re a California homeowner and you’ve been feeling chilly this winter, there are plenty of reasons to go get a heat pump.

  An all-electric, energy-efficient alternative to gas-burning furnaces, heat pumps are widely seen as the climate-friendly home heater of choice.

  They can do double duty as both home heaters and AC units and are pretty good at maintaining a constant temperature inside a home without the blast-then-cool-off cycle typical of a furnace.

• • First Confirmed Cases of Bird Flu in California
  Elephant Seals Stoke Fear As Virus Surges Worldwide

  After a Catastrophic Outbreak of Bird Flu Devastated Southern Elephant Seal Populations in 2023, Scientists Are On High Alert

  
  

  Mar. 3, 2026 -Last week, a day that ecologists and virologists in California have feared for years finally arrived.

  Officials confirmed seven weaned northern elephant seal pups tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) amid a national surge of the deadly virus. When it tore through multiple colonies of the closely related southern elephant seal in South America and a sub-Antarctic island in 2023, mass die-offs followed.

• • House Easily Approves Latest Critical Minerals Bill

  The Legislation Addresses How the Federal Government Lists Metals and Minerals As Critical
  
  {POLITICOPRO}
  
  

  Mar. 3, 2026 -The House on Tuesday approved bipartisan legislation that would align the federal government’s lists of critical minerals and possibly expand which projects can access subsidies and faster permitting.

  Lawmakers passed an amended version of H.R. 755, the "Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2025," from Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), which would make sure the Department of Energy's list of critical minerals conforms with the U.S. Geological Survey's catalog.

• • Seattle’s Climate and Housing Efforts Bottlenecked By … Power Poles?

  The problem, Perpetuity and Other Developers Say, is a Ballooning Bureaucracy to Connect Homes to Power

  
  

  Mar. 3, 2026 -It was supposed to be a relatively simple project — a fourplex in the Central District — the kind of “middle housing” Seattle and Washington officials say they desperately need to fix the region’s housing crisis.

  But it turned into a nightmare for developer Perpetuity LLC, which said the process to get four homes hooked up to the city’s power utility lasted more than two years, longer than building the homes themselves, and cost the company more than $270,000. The project was ultimately unprofitable in part because of the delays.

• • Potomac River Reopens to Some Recreation After Sewer Collapse

  Contamination Levels in the Waterway Have Declined, But Health Advisories Remain in place For Boaters Downstream

  
  

  Mar. 3, 2026 -Contamination in the Potomac River from a January sewer line collapse has waned, prompting officials to lift a water advisory and likely soon allow shellfish harvesting to resume downstream. But lingering effects on health and safety remain uncertain.

  The District of Columbia Department of Health on Monday lifted a recreational advisory, allowing boating, kayaking and fishing to resume. Swimming in the river is illegal in Washington.

• • How to Find the Secret Superfoods Hiding in Your Grocery Store

  Some $190 Billion is Spent Annually On Superfoods For Better Health, But the Word Has No Legal Or Scientific Definition

  
  

  Mar. 3, 2026 -In 1995, blueberries were merely a fruit.

  But after executives at the Wild Blueberry Association of North America received a government study ranking the berry near the top of a new federal index measuring “antioxidant capacity,” a potential weapon against cancer and heart disease, a superfood was born.

  The industry association soon launched a marketing campaign promoting the fruit in Japan, boosting exports of the “superfruit” tenfold within five years. As the health halo floated back across the Pacific, Americans began snapping up the berries at premium prices.

• • Is the Potomac River Safe?

  What to Know as D.C. Lifts Water Advisory

  
  

  Mar. 2, 2026 -D.C. lifted an advisory steering residents away from the Potomac River on Monday, six weeks after a pipe collapsed and spilled more than 240 million gallons of sewage into the waterway.

  The spill, which was largely contained by a fix installed in the week after it began, temporarily spiked levels of E. coli and other disease-causing pathogens near the spill site and downstream in D.C. waters, according to testing by local authorities and University of Maryland scientists. But water quality levels in D.C. have since returned within limits for safe recreation, aside from typical and expected bumps in bacteria levels following rain and snow, according to the D.C. government’s health and environmental agencies.

• • An Army Corps Project Could Wipe Out
  One of Florida’s Last Thriving Coral Reefs

  The Fate of One of the Last Thriving Coral Reefs in Florida May Be Imperiled By Plans to Widen the Shipping Channel Leading into Port Everglades

  
  

  Mar. 1, 2026 -Dive shop owner Bill Cole leaned back in his captain’s chair, raised the volume on the Margaritaville radio station and watched six trails of bubbles trickle up through clear blue water.

  Fifteen feet beneath the surface, divers drifted through one of the last thriving coral reefs in Florida, spotting juvenile parrotfish and grunts darting between branches of staghorn coral that survived the catastrophic heat waves and disease outbreaks that have rendered their species all but extinct in the continental United States.

• • Federal Safety Regulator Warns His Office
  Can’t Keep Up With Trump’s Alaska Oil Push

  The Warning Shows How the Administration’s Earlier DOGE-Driven Cuts to the Federal Workforce Could Cause Problems for Trump’s Other Policy Objectives
  
  {POLITICO}
  
  

  Feb. 27, 2026 -The top federal safety regulator for offshore oil and gas drilling in Alaska publicly warned agency counterparts last fall that his office lacked the staffing to oversee existing operations in the state — let alone the massive expansion being pushed by the Trump administration, according to a document obtained by POLITICO.Justin Miller, a longtime Interior Department employee who oversees inspection and enforcement of regulations on the oil rigs operating in federal waters off the Alaska coast, said the Trump administration’s voluntary separation programs spearheaded by Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency, along with declining industry interest in drilling in Alaska, have resulted in the “loss of many decades worth of experience” that are not easily replaced.

• • We’re About to Turn Night Into Day

  Is That a Good Idea?

  
  

  Feb. 27, 2026 -Here in the 21st century, we humans are on the cusp of turning night into day — and bidding good night to the stars that have guided us home for thousands of years.

  Two little-noted applications under review by the Federal Communications Commission would, if fully implemented, fundamentally remake the night sky. But the FCC, the satellite regulator, appears to have fast-tracked approval without much of a pause to weigh the benefits of these proposals against the harms they could cause to life on the planet.

• • Texas' Big Bend Braces For Border Wall in National Park

  Worrying Local Republicans and Democrats
  
  {NBC NEWS}
  
  

  Feb. 27, 2026 -Two hours from the closest stoplight, the Rio Grande runs through rugged canyons under the darkest skies in the Lower 48 states, carving cliffs that drop 1,500 feet below the desert floor of the beautifully desolate Big Bend National Park.

  The few who call the region home feel a unique bond to the land. In their eyes, it’s the kind of natural barrier that steel cannot supplement. It’s one reason why the Big Bend has so far been spared from the bulldozer crews that come with new stretches of border wall.

• • Data Centers’ Share of US Electricity Seen Doubling by 2030

  Data Centers Are On Track to Devour Up to 17% of All US Electricity by 2030,
  
  {energy central}
  
  

  Feb. 26, 2026 -That’s a big leap from today’s 4.5% and a staggering 60% higher than estimates from just two years ago.

  The power grab isn’t spread evenly. In the data center capital of Virginia, AI and cloud facilities could suck up 59% of the state’s total electricity by decade’s end.

• • Detecting Antibiotics in Wastewater

  Note on Emerging Science
  
  {living on earth}
  
  

  Feb. 27, 2026 - Wastewater treatment often fails to capture antibiotics, which can lead to antibiotic resistance and even “super microbes” when they end up in our waterways. Living on Earth’s Hedy Yang reports in this Note on Emerging Science that scientists in Brazil have found a novel way to improve antibiotic detection in wastewater, by using sewage sludge itself to create a coating for sensors.

• • Trump Delayed a Global Carbon Tax

  Now He Wants to Finish the Fight
  
  {E&E NEWS}
  
  

  Feb. 26, 2026 -The Trump administration is drafting a diplomatic memo that would warn countries against adopting a carbon tax on shipping pollution and other climate measures, escalating its high-profile efforts to subvert international action on global warming.

  The State Department cable, reviewed by POLITICO’s E&E News, says the U.S. is “strongly opposed” to a fee on ships’ climate pollution, and “will not tolerate” the creation of a fund that uses carbon revenue for programs aimed at lowering the industry’s emissions.

• • North American Birds Are Dying Off Faster

  It Signals a Human Crisis, Too

  
  

  Feb. 26, 2026 -With every passing year, the springtime chorus grows quieter. There are fewer song sparrows cheeping amid the shrubs and grasses. The high-pitched trill of the indigo bunting is muted. Even the raucous calls of American crows are fewer and further between.

  Decades of observations collected from all corners of the continent show that many of North America’s birds are in a state of accelerating decline, according to a new study in the journal Science. Their vanishing songs are a bellwether of a far deeper biodiversity crisis, researchers say — one that threatens not only beloved species but also the humans who live alongside them.

• • Your Headphones May Be Leaking
  Endocrine Disruptors Into Your Skin

  Scientists Found Toxins in Nearly Every Pair Tested

  
  

  Feb. 26, 2026 -Headphones have become a fixture of everyday life. We wear them for work calls, marathons, gaming sessions, and commutes—often for hours on end. But while they deliver high-fidelity sound, they might also be delivering a steady dose of industrial chemicals directly to your skin.

  A new investigation by the ToxFree LIFE for All project suggests that these ubiquitous devices are often a “chemical cocktail” of plastics, resins, and flame retardants. Researchers tested 81 different headphone models sold across Central Europe, finding hazardous substances appeared in every single one.

• • Acceleration Hotspots of North American
  Birds’ Decline Are Associated With Agriculture

  As the Administration Prepares Water Supply Cuts Across the West, States Are Raising the Alarm and Laying the Groundwork For a Court Fight
  
  {Science}
  
  

  Feb. 26, 2026 -Human activities might have accelerated declines of population abundance, but this acceleration remains underexplored.

  Using 1033 North American Breeding Bird Survey routes, we analyze abundance change and its acceleration for 261 bird species, 54 avian families, and 10 habitats from 1987 to 2021. We show an average continent-wide decline of abundance of all birds per local route, with hotspots of decline in southern and warm parts of North America and hotspots of accelerating decline in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and California, matching patterns of agricultural intensity. Overall, 122 species (47%) exhibit significant declines, of which 63 also show acceleration of this decline, and 67 show declining per-capita growth rate, raising concerns for a large part of North American bird populations.

  These findings suggest that bird abundance decline is mostly accelerating, with spatial patterns of this acceleration indicating that agricultural intensity may be a driver of this trend..

• • US Insurance Prices Will Rise If Climate
  Science Center Closes, Actuaries Warn

  An Industry Group Told Federal Officials That Losing the National Center for Atmospheric Research Would Weaken Insurance “Stability and Affordability.”
  
  {CLIMATEWIRE}
  
  

  Feb. 26, 2026 -The Trump administration’s plan to dismantle a major scientific research center could cause property insurance prices to increase across the country, according to an industry group representing actuaries.

  The warning adds a new dimension to the potential breakup of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, whose climate data is used by the insurance industry to help predict financial losses and set rates./p>

• • The Beautiful Venetian Plant With a Secret Climate Superpower

  Not Far From the Crowds of Venice, scientists Find That Sea Lavender Locks Away Carbon and Much More

  
  

  Feb. 26, 2026 -Venice’s landmarks teem with tourists — so many, in fact, that the city has had to implement restrictions, like banning guides from using loudspeakers. But just outside the famous canals and resplendent architecture sits an ecosystem that teems with less obnoxious forms of life: the Venetian lagoon. For millennia, its marshes have hosted a bevy of flora and fauna, and for centuries have protected the city from invasion by its enemies.

  Now, protecting this habitat, and others like it, can help protect people and the planet. Traipsing through the wetland and sampling plants, researchers identified a carbon-capturing powerhouse, known as sea lavender, of the genus Limonium. By restoring these biomes, conservationists would not only boost local biodiversity, but also ensure its ability to trap that planet-warming gas.

• • US Government Is Accelerating Coral
  Reef Collapse, Scientists Warn

  Proposed Endangered Species Act Rollbacks and Military Expansions Are Leaving the Pacific’s Most Diverse Coral Reefs Legally Defenseless

  
  

  Feb. 26, 2026 -Ritidian Point, at the northern tip of Guam, is home to an ancient limestone forest with panoramic vistas of warm Pacific waters. Stand here in early spring and you might just be lucky enough to witness a breaching humpback whale as they migrate past. But listen and you’ll be struck by the cacophony of the island’s live-fire testing range.

  Widely referred to as the “tip of the spear” in the American arsenal, Guam—which is smaller than New York City but home to a military community of nearly 23,000—is a dichotomy of majestic nature and military might.

• • Chinese Scientists Are Turning Desert
  Dunes into Soil Using Ancient Microbes

  Researchers Analyzed 59 Years of Data to Show That Adding Bacteria to Desert Sand Can Rapidly Create New Soil

  
  

  Feb. 26, 2026 -For decades, we’ve been fighting a losing battle against the sand. As temperatures climb and we drain our water reserves, deserts continue their slow, relentless expansion. But a landmark 59-year study from China suggests we’ve been looking at the problem all wrong. Instead of planting trees, we should be planting “seeds” of ancient microbes.

  According to the research, these microbes can compress 15 years of natural recovery into a single season. The secret is a strategy called Induced Biological Soil Crusts (IBSCs).

• • Rainforests Are Rain-Making Machines
  Worth Tens of Billions of Dollars to Farmers

  A New Study Puts a Price Tag On Forest-Generated Rainfall, Making the Economic Case For Protecting Tropical Forests as Deforestation Rises

  
  

  Feb. 25, 2026 -Tropical rainforests get that name because it rains a lot in these places. But they deserve it for another reason as well: They make rain.

  By absorbing water and then transpiring it into the atmosphere, a single hectare of tropical rainforest in the Brazilian Amazon can generate approximately 2.4 million liters of rain per year, enough to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool, according to new research in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.

• • Massachusetts’ Least-Cost 2050 Peak Power Mix is Combustion-Free

  Can Massachusetts Affordably Replace Fossil-Fuel Peakers For A Cheaper Combustion-Free Grid By 2050?
  
  {energy central}
  
  

  Feb. 25, 2026 -A report prepared for the Massachusetts Clean Peak Coalition argues the state's most cost-effective 2050 peak grid—when factoring in health and climate costs—relies on 6.4 GW of wind, 6.9 GW of storage (mostly multi-day), and 4.2 GW of demand response.

  Driven by the electrification of heating and cars, the state is projected to flip to a winter-peaking system by the mid-2030s. Currently, regional market designs favor keeping aging thermal plants online rather than incentivizing storage to survive long, sunless cold snaps.

• • North American Birds Are Dying Off Faster

  It Signals a Human Crisis, Too

  
  

  Feb. 26, 2026 -With every passing year, the springtime chorus grows quieter. There are fewer song sparrows cheeping amid the shrubs and grasses. The high-pitched trill of the indigo bunting is muted. Even the raucous calls of American crows are fewer and further between.

  Decades of observations collected from all corners of the continent show that many of North America’s birds are in a state of accelerating decline, according to a new study in the journal Science. Their vanishing songs are a bellwether of a far deeper biodiversity crisis, researchers say — one that threatens not only beloved species but also the humans who live alongside them.

• • A Hotter, Wetter South Becomes a Breeding Ground For Mold

  In Asheville, NC, a Housing Crisis is Colliding With a Poorly Understood Health Threat

  
  

  Feb. 23, 2026 -Regina is haunted by the specter of mold. She found the insidious spores in the closet, behind the refrigerator, and around the bathtub for two years after the dishwasher flooded her apartment in Asheville, North Carolina.

  The infestation only got worse after Hurricane Helene. Rainwater rushed into her son’s third-floor bedroom at the Evergreen Ridge Apartments through gaps in the window frame, warping and discoloring the wall. After the 2024 storm, faint brown spots dotted the panes, and the trim appeared loose.

• • Scientists Just Found a Way to Destroy
  Deadly Superbugs by Targeting Hidden Sugar

  Lab-Made Antibodies Target a Rare Bacterial Sugar and Save Infected Mice

  
  

  Feb. 24, 2026 -Among the most feared are the so-called ESKAPE pathogens, a rogues’ gallery of microbes that “escape” many treatments and drive stubborn hospital-acquired infections. One of them, Acinetobacter baumannii, has become infamous for causing pneumonia and bloodstream infections that can resist even “last-line” drugs.

  Now a team in Australia is proposing a different way to hunt it down: by pointing the immune system to a telltale feature on its surface—a sugar.

• • Chicken and Salmon Have Equivalent—and
  Surprisingly Far-Reaching—Environmental Impacts

  What We Feed Chicken and Salmon is Remarkably Similar and Remarkably Problematic

  
  

  Feb. 24, 2026 -Many people choose fish instead of meat to offset their environmental footprints. But if the choice is farmed salmon instead of chicken, then researchers have some unsettling results to share: the environmental impact of these two foods is about the same.

  The reason for that is their feed, which is remarkably similar for chicken and salmon, and accounts for the majority of impacts—which are spread across land and sea for both animals.

• • How 400-Year-Old Roofs Solved a Modern Water Crisis

  And It Has Lessons For the World

  
  

  Feb. 24, 2026 -Imagine a country with no rivers, no freshwater lakes, and no springs. Now, pack 65,000 people onto it. Add half a million tourists who expect cold drinks and hot showers. Finally, put this island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, directly in the way of some of the world’s most violent hurricanes.

  By all logical metrics, Bermuda should have died of thirst centuries ago. All the tourism in the world can’t help you if you don’t have water. But instead, it’s thriving.

• • Paralyzing Blizzard Hits US Northeast

  Closing Roads and Canceling Flights

  
  

  Feb. 23, 2026 -A powerful blizzard dropped more than two-and-a-half feet of snow (76.2 cm) across parts of the U.S. Northeast on Monday, bringing travel to a near-standstill for millions of residents as the treacherous conditions closed roads, shut down train services and forced the cancellation of some 7,400 flights.

  Thousands of homes and businesses lost power and officials, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, urged residents to stay off the roads so emergency crews could clear the streets. Schools in New York and throughout the region were closed. Broadway shut its theaters.

• • More Than Half a Million Customers Have Lost Power on East Coast

  The Outages Were Mostly Caused by Problems With Local Power Lines, and Coastal Massachusetts Was Particularly Hard Hit

  
  

  Feb. 23, 2026 -Widespread outages across several states on the East Coast left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity as power lines and poles succumbed to wind, snow and falling trees and branches. But the transmission lines and power plants that serve as the backbone of electric grids were holding up.

  About 650,000 electricity customers had lost power along the East Coast as blizzard conditions intensified and snow began to accumulate. Massachusetts had the most outages of any state, with nearly 300,000 customers without power at a little after noon, according to Poweroutage.us, a site that tracks electrical problems.

• • What Happens If New York Buildings Use Less Gas?

  New York’s Utilities Keep Investing in Natural Gas, But This Conflicts With the State’s Climate Goals

  
  

  Feb. 23, 2026 -As temperatures dropped below freezing in New York City last month, boilers in the basements of city buildings insulated New Yorkers from the cold. But they often rely on a fuel that pumps greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

  The vast majority of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings. In residential properties, most emissions come from burning natural gas for heating and cooking.

• • Pollution From Trucks and Buses Costs
  Australians $6.2bn in Health Effects Each Year

  Research Describes Children Exposed to Air Pollution Equivalent to Eight Cigarettes a Day By Attending Childcare Near Major Roads

  
  

  Feb. 22, 2026 -Air pollution from trucks and buses is costing Australians about $6.2bn each year due to the health effects of exposure to vehicle exhaust, a University of Melbourne study has found.

  Like cigarette smoke, heavy vehicle exhaust is a mixture of tiny toxic carbon particles and gases that cause inflammation when inhaled, and is associated with a wide range of respiratory, heart and other health impacts, according to Dr Clare Walter a health and policy researcher and an author of the study.

• • Untold Story of Winter Games’ Huge Environmental Impact

  The Great Olympic Lie

  
  

  Feb. 22, 2026 -On the foothills of the mountains, by the banks of the river in Cortina, there was a forest. It was full of tall larch trees. Arborists said the oldest of them had been there for 150 years and dendrologists that it was unique because it was unusual to find a monocultural forest growing at such a low altitude in the southern Alps.

  The locals knew mostly it was the place where the old wooden bobsleigh run was, where you went on your walks in summer or autumn, or when you wanted to play tennis on the small courts built near the bottom. They called it the Bosco di Ronco and it isn’t there any more.

• • Thermal Drone Footage Shows Musk’s AI
  Power Plant Flouting Clean Air Regulations

  Images Confirm xAI is Continuing to Defy EPA Regulations in Mississippi to Power Its Flagship Data Centers

  
  

  Feb. 21, 2026 -Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company is continuing to fuel its data centers with unpermitted gas turbines, according to a Floodlight visual investigation. Thermal drone footage shows xAI is still burning gas at a facility in Southaven, Mississippi, despite a recent Environmental Protection Agency ruling reiterating that doing so requires a state permit in advance.

  State regulators in Mississippi maintain that since the turbines are parked on tractor trailers, they don’t require permits. However, the EPA has long required that such pollution sources be permitted under the Clean Air Act.