Sat.Feb 18, 2023 - Fri.Feb 24, 2023

article thumbnail

As Fatal Fungus Takes Its Toll, Can We Save Frog Species on the Brink?

Yale E360

The deadly chytrid fungus has wiped out as many as 90 species of amphibians. Now researchers from Australia to California are exploring a host of ways to save threatened frog populations — from relocation to safer habitats to reintroducing frogs treated with a sort of vaccine.

259
259
article thumbnail

The Presidency Under Siege

Legal Planet

As recent scholarship has shown , the Supreme Court has been increasingly aggressive in countering exercises of presidential power. From the environmental perspective, West Virginia v. EPA is the most relevant example of the Court’s efforts to cut the presidency down to size. True, the Court purported to be chastising EPA, part of the bureaucracy. Yet everyone. including the Justices, knew that the EPA was implementing presidential policy under the close supervision of the White House.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

How Weather Forecasts Can Help Dams Supply More Water

Yale E360

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is testing ways to use improved weather forecasts to manage some of the nation’s largest dams to store more water and prevent floods. This new approach could help officials respond to new precipitation patterns brought on by climate change.

article thumbnail

A Better Way of Paying for a Reliable Electricity Grid

Union of Concerned Scientists

Last spring, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) , which operates the electricity grid serving 45 million people across the central United States, found o ut it was at a higher risk of power outages than it believed. The result, as I explain below, was skyrocketing electricity bills for thousands of people. To avoid similar outcomes in the future, MISO and its stakeholder community went into problem-solving mode.

article thumbnail

Implementing D.E.J.I. Strategies in Energy, Environment, and Transportation

Speaker: Antoine M. Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition

Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (DEJI) policies, programs, and initiatives are critically important as we move forward with public and private sector climate and sustainability goals and plans. Underserved and socially, economically, and racially disadvantaged communities bear the burden of pollution, higher energy costs, limited resources, and limited investments in the clean energy and transportation sectors.

article thumbnail

Solar Panel Cars: The Future of Sustainable Transportation?

Environment + Energy Leader

As the world becomes more aware of the environmental impact of fossil fuels, there has been an increasing interest in sustainable transportation options. One of the most promising developments in this field is the use of solar panel cars. The post Solar Panel Cars: The Future of Sustainable Transportation? appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

article thumbnail

I’m With Paul

Legal Planet

In a recent column , Paul Krugman argued that cutting carbon emissions doesn’t have to mean an end to economic growth. He’s right about that. Carbon emissions and growth aren’t joined at the hip. He could have added that economic growth and quality of life don’t necessarily go together. The numbers are really clear about the disconnect between the trajectories of GDP and emissions.

More Trending

article thumbnail

How Much Land Would it Require to Get Most of Our Electricity from Wind and Solar?

Union of Concerned Scientists

Critics of wind and solar routinely raise concerns about how much land would be required to decarbonize the US power sector. Fortunately, the answer is relatively little. A recent National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) study shows that it would take less than 1 percent of the land in the Lower 48—that’s an area comparable to or even smaller than the fossil fuel industry’s current footprint.

article thumbnail

Solar Panel Cars: The Future of Sustainable Transportation?

Environment + Energy Leader

As the world becomes more aware of the environmental impact of fossil fuels, there has been an increasing interest in sustainable transportation options. One of the most promising developments in this field is the use of solar panel cars. The post Solar Panel Cars: The Future of Sustainable Transportation? appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

article thumbnail

Should there be a ‘non-use’ agreement on solar geoengineering?

Legal Planet

Although I’m a newbie at the Emmett Institute, I have been working on geoengineering for a decade now. I have heard countless arguments over whether and how solar geoengineering could be useful in the struggle to manage climate change. I have seen deeply misleading claims by both its supporters and detractors, many trying to coopt the issues and victims of climate injustice to their case.

article thumbnail

Countries Work Toward Pact to Conserve Marine Life in International Waters

Yale E360

UN members are meeting in New York this week to forge a treaty to conserve marine life in international waters.

article thumbnail

Shaping a Resilient Future: Climate Impact on Vulnerable Populations

Speaker: Laurie Schoeman Director, Climate & Sustainability, Capital

As households and communities across the nation face challenges such as hurricanes, wildfires, drought, extreme heat and cold, and thawing permafrost and flooding, we are increasingly searching for ways to mitigate and prevent climate impacts. During this event, national climate and housing expert Laurie Schoeman will discuss topics including: The two paths for climate action: decarbonization and adaptation.

article thumbnail

Fossil Fuel Companies Make Billions in Profit as We Suffer Billions in Losses

Union of Concerned Scientists

The world’s biggest fossil fuel companies recently released their 2022 earnings reports, revealing record-breaking profits last year; just five companies–ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Chevron, and TotalEnergies–reported a total of nearly $200 billion in profits. At the same time, the world is incurring record losses due to extreme weather events.

article thumbnail

McKesson Corporation Tackles Climate Change by Increasing Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Environment + Energy Leader

McKesson Europe aims to be carbon neutral by 2030, while McKesson Corporation set in 2021 a science-based target initiative to keep temperature increases in check and aligned with the Paris climate agreement. The post McKesson Corporation Tackles Climate Change by Increasing Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

article thumbnail

COVID Poses Severe Risks during Pregnancy, Especially in Unvaccinated People

Scientific American

Pregnant people infected with SARS-CoV-2 are more likely to be admitted to an intensive care unit or die than those who are uninfected, but vaccination significantly reduces the risk

144
144
article thumbnail

How a Finnish Lake's Peculiar Shape Has Been a Boon to Endangered Seals

Yale E360

The Saimaa ringed seal of southern Finland is among the most endangered seals on Earth. But despite its small numbers, this population boasts a surprising degree of genetic diversity, thanks to the labyrinthine shape of its home along Lake Saimaa, a new study finds.

115
115
article thumbnail

Sustainability at Retail

Sustainability impacts every nation, company, and person around the world. So much so that, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued a call for action by all countries to work toward sustainable development. In response to this and as part of a global Sustainability at Retail initiative, Shop! worked collaboratively with its global affiliates to address these critical issues in this white paper.

article thumbnail

Dear Maryland: It’s Time to Drive Clean Trucks and Buses

Union of Concerned Scientists

I love living in Maryland. We’re living in a historical moment, and I can’t help but do a lil’ happy dance around the possibilities of the new administration and the groundwork laid by the Climate Solutions Now Act which set some of the most ambitious climate targets in the country. Amid all this I’m grateful that part of my job is to spend my time advocating for how it can make these goals a reality—to transform the way we move people and goods towards a sustainable and equitable future.

article thumbnail

Wärtsilä Completes 125MW LeConte Energy Storage Project in California

Environment + Energy Leader

The facility will also support the continued integration of renewable energy assets on California’s electric grid, a key component of the state’s decarbonization goals. The post Wärtsilä Completes 125MW LeConte Energy Storage Project in California appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

article thumbnail

Earth911 Podcast: Oceanographer John Englander Shares a 2023 Sea Level Rise Update

Earth 911

Sea level rise due to melting glaciers on Greenland and in the Arctic and Antarctic. The post Earth911 Podcast: Oceanographer John Englander Shares a 2023 Sea Level Rise Update appeared first on Earth911.

Sea Level 113
article thumbnail

One Year In, Russia's War on Ukraine Has Inflicted $51 Billion in Environmental Damage

Yale E360

After nearly one year, Russia's invasion has inflicted more than $51 billion in environmental damage on Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian environment ministry.

120
120
article thumbnail

Danger Season in South America: Climate Change Brings Unbelievable Record Heat

Union of Concerned Scientists

While a record-setting Arctic cold blast gripped the US, a record-setting heat wave has enveloped parts of South America for much of the last few months. When we are in the midst of brutal winter storms in the Northern Hemisphere, it can be easy to forget that it’s summer in the Southern Hemisphere. And just like summertime in the US, this period (December, January, and February) has transformed into a “ danger season ” as a result of climate change, replete with deadly heatwaves, drought, and w

article thumbnail

French Renewable Developer Signs 25-Year PPA

Environment + Energy Leader

French renewables developer Total Eren has acquired one of Honduras’ largest wind farms, signing a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Central American country’s national utility. The post French Renewable Developer Signs 25-Year PPA appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

article thumbnail

Lehigh Valley Watershed Conference At Lehigh University On March 14

PA Environment Daily

The Ninth Lehigh Valley Watershed Conference will be held from 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.on Tuesday, March 14 at Lehigh University’s STEPS Building, 1 West Packer Avenue, Bethlehem. The conference serves as a forum that brings together community watershed organizations, municipal officials, educators, students, scientists, technical experts, natural resource agency staff, industry representatives, and the public to discuss effective ways to improve and protect land and water resources throughout the

article thumbnail

Imperial Oil’s latest toxic tailings pond leak must be a wake-up call for governments

Enviromental Defense

Did you hear about the recent leak from Imperial Oil’s tailings “pond” in Alberta? Over 5.3 million litres of toxic wastewater spilled into the environment – enough to fill two Olympic-sized swimming pools. This leak adds to the evidence that oil production in Canada’s tar sands is unsafe and harms biodiversity and downstream Indigenous communities.

article thumbnail

Whales and Lobstermen Have a Common Enemy

Union of Concerned Scientists

Over the years, the Maine Fishermen’s Forum has been an important event for me; I go to listen and engage with different stakeholders of the Gulf of Maine. The 2020 Maine Fishermen’s Forum was the last conference I and many others attended before the pandemic shutdown. It was the first weekend in March, and I recall people even then were unsure of offering a handshake or a fist bump.

article thumbnail

Hive Energy Acquires Bamboo Plantation for Sustainable Packaging

Environment + Energy Leader

Currently, the company has around 150 hectares established in Southern Portugal to grow bamboo, which will then be sold as a low-footprint material for use across the textile, paper, construction, composite, and food sectors. The post Hive Energy Acquires Bamboo Plantation for Sustainable Packaging appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

246
246
article thumbnail

Guest Essay: Forestal Or Foresee - The Energy Transition And The Pennsylvania Legislature

PA Environment Daily

By Ralph Kisberg, Responsible Drilling Alliance , Lycoming County This guest essay was originally published in the Erie Times on February 24, 2023 -- A recent report in the Williamsport Sun-Gazette on a meeting between its editorial board and State Senator Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Chairman of the Pennsylvania Senate’s Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, left no doubt about Yaw’s position on the energy transition underway in our nation and the world.

article thumbnail

Forgotten Engineer: Lewis Latimer, African-American Pioneer

Frontiers

Lewis Latimer in 1882 As the son of freed slaves in pre-Civil War America , Lewis Latimer had little opportunity for education and advancement. Yet by the end of his 80-year life he held eight important U.S. patents, including one for improved light-bulb manufacture, and had his own laboratory and consultancy in Queens, New York. Since February is Black History Month in the United States, it is a good time for FYM to illuminate (pardon the expression) the life of this pioneering engineer.

article thumbnail

The CERN particle accelerator that will breathe new life into physics

New Scientist

A new breed of collider, called plasma wakefield accelerators, can study fundamental physics in new ways by doing something the Large Hadron Collider cannot do: colliding electrons

105
105
article thumbnail

IKEA Plans to Remove Dairy from Menus by 2030 in Pursuit of Climate-Positive Goal

Environment + Energy Leader

The company's new sustainability plan, called "People and Planet Positive," outlines a number of initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of IKEA's operations, including a focus on more plant-based food options in its restaurants. The post IKEA Plans to Remove Dairy from Menus by 2030 in Pursuit of Climate-Positive Goal appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

2030 246
article thumbnail

DCNR Seeking Nominations For 2023 Watershed Forestry Leadership Award

PA Environment Daily

The DCNR Watershed Forestry Team is excited to announce that we are seeking nominations for our 2023 Watershed Forestry Leadership Award ! The deadline for nominations is March 31. The Watershed Forestry Leadership Award celebrates exemplary leaders with significant, positive impacts that bring people together to advance watershed forestry practices in Pennsylvania.

2023 105
article thumbnail

Evolution Turns These Knobs to Make a Hummingbird Hyperquick and a Cavefish Sluggishly Slow

Scientific American

By tuning the enzymes that control the breakdown or storage of sugars, hummingbirds and cavefish adapt their metabolism to meet the demands of the vastly different environments in which they live

100
100
article thumbnail

Huge young galaxies seen by JWST may upend our models of the universe

New Scientist

Galaxies spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope seem far too massive to have formed so early on in the universe’s history, which could be a problem for our ideas of galaxy formation

103
103
article thumbnail

IndyCar Goes Green with Bridgestone’s Sustainable Firehawk Race Tires

Environment + Energy Leader

On Feb. 23, Bridgestone announced significant progress in its efforts to incorporate more sustainable and bio-circular materials into the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. The post IndyCar Goes Green with Bridgestone’s Sustainable Firehawk Race Tires appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

2023 245
article thumbnail

Service Proposes Listing Two Populations of California Spotted Owl Under ESA

Endangered Species Law

On February 23, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) issued a proposed rule to list two distinct population segments (DPSs) of the California spotted owl ( Strix occidentalis ) as endangered and threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The two DPSs are the Coastal-Southern California DPS, which the Service proposes to list as endangered, and the Sierra Nevada DPS, which the Service proposes to list as threatened with a rule issued under section 4(d) of the ESA (4(d) rul

article thumbnail

Why a Blizzard Is Hitting Southern California

Scientific American

A massive storm shocks Southern California with cold temperatures, strong winds and abundant moisture, causing extremely rare blizzard conditions and potentially unprecedented snowfalls

99