International: United States
New England Medical Journal weighs in climate change
17 Jun 2022
The New England Journal of Medicine kicks off a series of articles Thursday with an examination of the effects of air pollution on children’s health.
Carbon tariffs are coming. Here’s how the U.S. is preparing
17 Jun 2022
The world’s first carbon border fee was always expected to roil nations that export their emissions through polluting goods. Now it could go further than originally proposed.
This CRISPR pioneer wants to capture more carbon with crops
15 Jun 2022
Plants are the original carbon capture factories—and a new research program aims to make them better ones by using gene editing.
‘Aggressive’ policies needed to curb airline emissions and meet Paris goals: report
15 Jun 2022
One highly touted way of reducing one’s carbon footprint is to cut down on fossil fuel use in everyday life. For many Americans, this can mean finding transportation alternatives to air travel.
Industry-linked sustainability standard allows clothing giants to ramp up emissions
10 Jun 2022
More than a decade ago, the clothing world’s ultimate would-be do-gooder, Patagonia, partnered with Walmart to clean up the fashion industry’s environmental image. The reason was obvious: The garment industry is the second largest polluter in the world.
Prometheus Materials uses algae-based cement to make masonry blocks
10 Jun 2022
Colorado-based Prometheus Materials has developed masonry blocks from a low-carbon cement-like material grown from micro-algae.
US landfills are getting a second life as solar farms
9 Jun 2022
When landfills get capped and grassed over, they have the appearance of lush, rolling hills. Despite their green appearance, however, these sites are known as “brownfields”—a term for an environmentally hazardous site without a promising future. Indeed, landfills are typically unsuitable for development because the contents below the surface are both contaminated and physically unstable.
L.A. is banning most gas appliances in new homes
3 Jun 2022
Citing the climate crisis, the Los Angeles City Council voted Friday to ban most gas appliances in new construction, a policy that’s expected to result in new homes and businesses coming equipped with electric stoves, clothes dryers, water heaters and furnaces.
The US has fallen way behind on climate goals
1 Jun 2022
The US is doing a pretty horrible job of following through on promises it’s made to tackle climate change, according to two separate new studies.
Yes, you can save lives by planting trees, a new study says
1 Jun 2022
It’s hard not to love trees. They provide us with shade during the scorching heat of summer, help clean the air and water, and improve our physical and mental well-being. Now, a recent study has found that boosting urban greenery — including trees, shrubs, and other plants — could also save tens of thousands of lives in cities across the USA.
How mass shootings, ecofascism and climate change got tied together
30 May 2022
Two recent mass shootings in communities of color are renewing fears among environmental groups and climate activists that a growing number of young men are adopting racist right-wing ideologies to explain the worsening climate crisis and justify extreme violence.
U.S. proposal could change the way oil companies report their carbon footprint
30 May 2022
The officially disclosed carbon footprints of Canada's largest oil companies could balloon in size if tough new climate rules proposed earlier this year by a U.S. regulator come into effect.
Carbon credit standards body Verra suspends blockchain, crypto tokenization
27 May 2022
Yesterday Verra, the Washington-based non-profit that sets voluntary carbon credit standards, said it is immediately stopping the practice of creating blockchain tokens or instruments based on retired credits
The U.S. has spent more than $2 billion on a plan to save salmon. The fish are vanishing anyway.
26 May 2022
The U.S. government promised Native tribes in the Pacific Northwest that they could keep fishing as they’d always done. But instead of preserving wild salmon, it propped up a failing system of hatcheries. Now, that system is falling apart.
Massachusetts climate change case against Exxon can proceed, court rules
26 May 2022
A lawsuit by the state of Massachusetts accusing ExxonMobil of misleading the public about climate change can go forward, the state's highest court has ruled. Massachusetts' Supreme Judicial Court on Tuesday rejected a bid by ExxonMobil to dismiss the lawsuit.
How San Francisco cracked the urban composting code
25 May 2022
California’s environmental achievements are something to behold. The state ranks first in the U.S. for growth in solar power generation and battery storage. It’s the national leader in cumulative electric vehicle sales and public EV charging stations. And it’s one of a growing number of states that aim to run entirely on carbon-free energy in the coming decades – a goal it briefly met, for about 15 minutes, on April 30.
HSBC suspends senior banker for dismissing 'nut job' climate change warnings
24 May 2022
Banking giant HSBC has reportedly suspended a senior banker after he dismissed climate change warnings as "unsubstantiated" and accused bankers of overstating global warming risks.
Biden commits $3.5 billion to carbon capture
23 May 2022
The US government is investing in machines that suck giant amounts of carbon dioxide out of the air in the hopes of reducing damage from climate change.
Is California giving its methane digesters too much credit?
20 May 2022
Every year, California dairy farms emit hundreds of thousands of tons of the potent greenhouse gas methane, which gets released when livestock operations pool manure in open-air lagoons.
Survey reveals costs and benefits of climate-related disclosure for companies and investors
18 May 2022
A new survey reveals what private sector US organisations are currently spending on measuring and managing key climate change data and disclosure activities
California $19Bn carbon market not good enough to curb emissions
16 May 2022
California’s carbon market was supposed to be a model for the US, harnessing the power of capitalism to fight climate change in the world’s fifth-biggest economy.
What remains of the U.S. Green New Deal?
9 May 2022
In November 2018, the Green New Deal became a rallying cry for climate activists when members of the Sunrise Movement occupied House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office and adopted the slogan as their unifying message.
Barclays and Standard Chartered shareholders reject climate plans
6 May 2022
The annual general meetings of banking giants Barclays and Standard Chartered were disrupted by climate activists calling for heightened climate targets, with shareholders failing to align with current efforts from the organisations to meet net-zero emissions.
California just shy of 100% powered by renewables for first time
5 May 2022
Renewable electricity provided just shy of 100% of California's electricity demand on Saturday, a record-breaker, officials said, much of it from large amounts of solar power now produced along Interstate 10, an hour east of the Coachella Valley.
US carbon border fee gains traction, but hurdles remain
5 May 2022
Sen. Joe Manchin’s bipartisan energy gang is trying to breathe life into a carbon border adjustment, but it is still struggling with the same political problems that have dogged past efforts to slap tariffs on carbon-intensive goods.
Supreme Court abortion ruling could have climate fallout
4 May 2022
The bombshell draft opinion signaling that the Supreme Court is about to overturn Roe v. Wade has implications that reach far beyond abortion access and could affect environmental law and climate policy for years to come.
US postal service sued over purchase of gas guzzling delivery trucks
2 May 2022
The US Postal Service is facing lawsuits from 16 states and several environmental groups challenging its decision to buy tens of thousands of gasoline-powered delivery vehicles instead of electric vehicles.
U.S. scraps incandescent bulbs, cuts 222 megatonnes of emissions over 30 years
28 Apr 2022
The Biden administration is scrapping old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs, speeding an ongoing trend toward more efficient lighting that officials say will save households, schools, and businesses billions of dollars a year.
Climate activist dies after setting himself on fire outside US Supreme Court
26 Apr 2022
The man who died after setting himself on fire outside the Supreme Court building on Friday sacrificed his life to protest climate change, according to friends posting on social media.
Soaring fuel prices test Biden on climate change
26 Apr 2022
President Joe Biden’s ambitions to finally put the U.S. on the path to confront climate change are crashing into an election-year scramble to lower gas prices and demonstrate tangible economic progress to voters.
Giant global asset managers have $82 billion in coal projects, $468 billion in oil and gas
22 Apr 2022
Giant global asset managers are still dumping tens of billions of dollars into new coal projects and hundreds of billions of dollars into major oil and gas companies.
Florida company wants to use your dead body to fight climate change
22 Apr 2022
A nonprofit in Florida has a unique, eco-friendly way to restore coral reefs while simultaneously providing an eternal resting place to those whose final wish is to use their remains to benefit marine habitats impacted by climate change.
Good Energy releases a Hollywood climate change resource guide
20 Apr 2022
Nonprofit Good Energy has published a resource guide to assist the TV and film industries in their coverage of climate change in projects.
They derailed climate action for a decade. And bragged about it
19 Apr 2022
In 1989, just as leaders around the world were starting to think seriously about tackling global warming, the National Association of Manufacturers assembled a group of corporations — utilities, oil companies, automakers, and more — united by one thing: They wanted to stop climate action. It was called, in Orwellian fashion, the Global Climate Coalition.
US EV tax credits might increase emissions
19 Apr 2022
The US approach to incentivising electric vehicle adoption may actually increase emissions in the long run, a new study finds — because the wealthy people who are among the only ones able to take advantage of EV tax credits don’t drive their green cars enough to make up for the heavy emissions impact of manufacturing them in the first place.
Native Americans embrace renewable energy
14 Apr 2022
The job market in Indian Country is tough. Edmond Salt knows that as well as anybody.
NASA's upcoming battery tech could recharge EV in 15 minutes
14 Apr 2022
NASA is reportedly building a groundbreaking electric car battery that is able to charge in just 15 minutes. For the development of this game-changing tech, NASA has teamed up with Japan's Nissan.
Big tech launches $925 million fund for carbon removal
13 Apr 2022
A supergroup of big-name companies — Alphabet, McKinsey, Meta, Shopify and Stripe — has launched an advance market commitment to fund the development of permanent carbon-removal tech.
Meet a climate scientist who just risked arrest to save the planet
13 Apr 2022
On a typical day, Peter Kalmus goes to work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory near Los Angeles, where he studies biological systems and climate change
Mattel releases its first carbon-neutral toys
11 Apr 2022
Mattel has released its first-ever carbon neutral toys, including a Matchbox Tesla model made from recycled materials.
Climate change could cost U.S. budget $2 trillion a year by the end of the century
5 Apr 2022
Flood, fire, and drought fueled by climate change could take a massive bite out of the U.S. federal budget per year by the end of the century, the White House said in its first ever such assessment.
US battery storage soared in 2021
1 Apr 2022
Battery storage is quickly moving from the margins to near the center of the U.S. energy system.
Stanford transitions to 100% renewable electricity as second solar plant goes online
30 Mar 2022
Stanford’s second solar generating plant went online this month, completing the university’s years-long transition to 100% renewable electricity and marking a major milestone in its larger journey to reach net zero carbon emissions on campus.
Biden wants record $11 billion in climate aid to poor nations
29 Mar 2022
President Joe Biden is asking Congress to dedicate $11 billion in taxpayer dollars to help other nations deploy clean energy and withstand the growing consequences of climate change -- more than 10 times the amount lawmakers doled out to the effort in fiscal 2022.
Appeal Court allows White House to calculate social cost of carbon
24 Mar 2022
The Biden administration’s climate plans have one less constraint after a 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling stayed a Louisiana District Court’s order preventing agencies from considering the social cost of carbon.
Proposed SEC climate rules sparks fight over indirect emissions
23 Mar 2022
THE US Securities and Exchange Commission broke new ground yesterday when it unveiled a 510-page rulebook that, if finalized, would force companies to provide investors with more information to help them better account for the economic realities of a warming world.
The U.S. may force companies to disclose climate risks
21 Mar 2022
How much do companies contribute to climate change and how are they impacted by it? Those questions are at the heart of a major announcement expected today from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
US Army plan to combat climate change lacks the fighting spirit
18 Mar 2022
Although it was soon overshadowed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the US Army released a climate strategy in February outlining the military’s understanding of the risks posed by a warmer world and how the Army plans to respond.
Methane-eating bacteria convert greenhouse gas to fuel
18 Mar 2022
Methanotrophic bacteria consume 30 million metric tons of methane per year and have captivated researchers for their natural ability to convert the potent greenhouse gas into usable fuel. Yet we know very little about how the complex reaction occurs, limiting our ability to use the double benefit to our advantage.
U.S. spending for global climate response ‘pitifully too low'
15 Mar 2022
Ahead of global climate talks last year, President Biden said the United States would dramatically increase its international investments in combating climate change.
Australia lets biggest LNG plant run to 2070 in climate blow
Thu 29 May 2025
Australia gave preliminary approval to extend the life of its biggest and oldest liquefied natural gas plant for decades, potentially creating billions of dollars in new drilling opportunities but raising questions about the nation’s climate agenda.
For the first time, China invests more in wind and solar than coal overseas
Thu 29 May 2025
China’s Belt and Road Initiative, long derided for its heavy carbon footprint, was dominated by wind and solar power projects for the first time from 2022 to 2023, according to a new analysis. But coal plants financed in earlier years are still coming online.
Brussels to propose ‘pragmatic’ 90% climate target for 2040
Fri 30 May 2025
The European Commission will tell countries to cut 90 percent of their planet-warming emissions by 2040, but offer “flexibilities” to make the goal politically palatable, according to EU climate chief Teresa Ribera.
Why expensive gas – not net-zero – is keeping UK electricity prices so high
Wed 28 May 2025
The UK’s high electricity prices have become intensely political, with competing claims over the cause of rocketing bills and how best to get them down.
Engineer explains why Alberta’s hydrogen strategy is money-losing climate failure
26 May 2025
Desperation, bad advice and lobbying likely underpinning the province’s plan to blend hydrogen with natural gas for home heating.
Indonesia backtracks on coal phase-out in new 2034 power supply plan
Thu 29 May 2025
Indonesia plans to add 69.5 gigawatts (GW) of power capacity by the end of 2034, much of it from renewable sources, but it still expects to add new coal-fired power plants.
Pacific Island nations support China's Taiwan claims at high-profile foreign ministers' meeting
Fri 30 May 2025
Pacific nations have backed China's claim over Taiwan during a high-profile meeting, but have shied away from directly endorsing Beijing's push to "reunify" the democratically ruled island with the mainland.
I just returned from Antarctica: climate change isn’t some far-off problem – it’s here and hitting hard
13 May 2025
Antarctica is often viewed as the last truly remote place on Earth – frozen, wild and untouched. But is it really as untouched as it seems?
TotalEnergies abandons its carbon plantations in the Republic of Congo
Thu 29 May 2025
TotalEnergies has quietly abandoned the Batéké Carbon Sink project in the Republic of Congo, with only 12.5% of the proposed trees planted.
South America sets historic benchmark: Zero new coal plants planned
Wed 28 May 2025
South America just achieved a remarkable energy milestone, quietly setting a global benchmark: for the first time in history, the entire continent now has zero new coal-fired power plants planned.
Nations agree on carbon-pricing system to steer shipping towards net-zero
14 Apr 2025
Nations have agreed to introduce a worldwide carbon-pricing system for international shipping to drive the sector towards net-zero emissions by 2050.
