Gains and disappointments from COP26, and now to tend to the gaps
The UN climate summit led to some incremental progress, but the path forward is still riddled with chasms that need to be bridged.
recent posts
Weather whiplash in Canada: extreme rains hit wildfire-devastated British Columbia
Climate change is likely to increase extreme flooding from atmospheric river events like this one.
Cargo ships and tankers could cut carbon pollution by harnessing the wind
The shipping industry is considering an old solution to a modern problem.
October 2021: Earth’s fourth-warmest October on record
October was the warmest on record over Northern Hemisphere land areas.
Why protecting the Okefenokee Swamp matters for the climate
Conservationists worry that a proposed mine could result in damage to the carbon-rich peat soils in the swamp on the Georgia-Florida border.
Colorado program gives new life to old solar panels
Equitable Solar Solutions is repurposing used panels to help low-income people access cheap electricity.
Disaster-resilient New Orleans apartment complex is also affordable
After Hurricane Ida, solar panels and a battery storage system at the St. Peter Apartments provided electricity for part of the day.
Depression-era program left some New England communities more vulnerable to sea-level rise
Federal ditch-digging projects drained salt marshes, which absorb water and buffer coastal communities from waves.
Frustrations over voices unrepresented in formal COP26 talks
An NGO representative expresses the perspectives of many observers present at – yet also excluded from – substantive talks in Glasgow.
Learn more about the climate crisis, from causes to solutions.
climate explained
Emergency, crisis, existential threat: The evolving lingo of climate change
Here’s a guide to the shifting verbal landscape.
What is geoengineering? … and why it’s a ‘break glass’ plan
Climate intervention is laden with risk, but researchers are gingerly exploring the options.
Climate change and droughts: What’s the connection?
As average temperatures continue to climb, drought has become a permanent part of our vocabulary.
GOT QUESTIONS? ASK SARA!
A big source of carbon pollution is lurking in basements and attics
Oil- and gas-burning furnaces and HVAC systems produce a vast amount of planet-heating gases. But in many locations, heat pumps offer a solution.
‘How do I start a new career in a green job?’
A step-by-step guide to landing a second career in protecting the planet.
What’s the carbon footprint of a wind turbine?
Compared to the pollution generated by fossil fuels, wind energy has the advantage.
EDITOR’S PICKS
Tiny leaks, big impacts: New research points to urban indoor methane leaks
Researchers in Boston find buildings’ indoor sources might emit much more methane than most experts have thought.
Clean energy could save American lives to tune of $700 billion per year
New research quantifies how actions to curb climate change will yield immediate benefits from cleaner air, better health, and longer lives.
