Category: Science
Leaked docs from inside ExxonMobil reveal plan to increase climate-killing emissions
‘Omnicidal’ “To no one’s surprise, Exxon is continuing to drive catastrophic climate change by putting profits before people and our planet.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Monday, October 5 New reporting Monday based on leaked internal…
A proposed mine threatens Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, the most popular wilderness in the US
This bucket-list destination for paddling, fishing and camping contains more than 1,200 miles of canoe routes among thousands of lakes and streams, drawing some 250,000 visitors yearly. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness draws thousands of…
Wildfire smoke is laced with toxic chemicals – here’s how they got there
Wildfire smoke turned the San Francisco sky orange in the middle of the day in early September. Ray Chavez/Medianews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images by Joshua S. Fu, University of Tennessee When you breathe in…
Putting ‘its money where its brains are,’ Cambridge announces historic fossil fuel divestment of £3.5 billion endowment
While welcoming the move as a “massive victory,” campaigners said that “this announcement comes five years too late and we’ll be pushing for the 2030 commitment to be brought forward.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Thursday,…
From the front lines of California’s fires, Yolo County joins 1,750+ communities in declaring climate emergency
The resolution’s success, said one organizer, “is a testament to the social movement power demanding both transformative climate action and concrete steps to remedy the legacy of systemic racism.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Wednesday, September…
The Arctic hasn’t been this warm for 3 million years – and that foreshadows big changes for the rest of the planet
Ice floe drifting in Svalbard, Norway. Sven-Erik Arndt/Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images by Julie Brigham-Grette, University of Massachusetts Amherst and Steve Petsch, University of Massachusetts Amherst Every year, sea ice cover in the Arctic Ocean…
Getting the lead out
by Wade Rathke September 29, 2020 New Orleans We have to take progress where we can get it in these dark days at perhaps the tail end of the Trump administration. There are scores of…
Scientists behind new study warn warming oceans ‘contributing to climate breakdown’
New findings on human-caused global heating and ocean stability have “profound and troubling implications,” says co-author Michael Mann. by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Tuesday, September 29 In a rare calm moment during a historically active Atlantic…
BP and Shell still back anti-climate lobby groups, despite pledges
‘Trying to Have It Both Ways’ The Unearthed and HuffPost report reveals the companies failed to disclose membership in at least eight Big Oil lobbies in their transparency reports. by Brett Wilkins, staff writer Monday, September…
‘Regenerative agriculture and the soil carbon solution’: new paper outlines vision for climate action
“Data from farming and grazing studies show the power of exemplary regenerative systems that, if achieved globally, would drawdown more than 100% of current annual CO2 emissions,” the new research says. by Andrea Germanos, staff writer…
Secretly-recorded Pebble Tapes: mining execs reveal true scope of gold mine planned near Bristol Bay. See video
The expanse of the 200-Year project planned for one of earth’s most pristine ecosystems to mine gold, molybdenum, and copper, not reveled to regulators considering 20-year application. “The Pebble Tapes reveal what we suspected,” said the…
Oil Companies Are Profiting From Illegal Spills. And California Lets Them.
California may be a global leader on combating climate change, but state regulators have allowed companies like Chevron to make millions from inland oil spills that can endanger workers and damage the environment. by Janet Wilson,…
New report reveals how plastic polluters have avoided regulation worldwide for decades
‘Delay, Distract, and Derail’ “This report is a damning exposé of the tactics employed by the plastics industry and shines a welcome light on the shadowy world of corporate lobbying.” by Lisa Newcomb, staff writer Friday,…
It’s tough to tell COVID from smoke inhalation symptoms — and flu season’s coming
by Mark Kreidler, KHN September 16, 2020 The patients walk into Dr. Melissa Marshall’s community clinics in Northern California with the telltale symptoms. They’re having trouble breathing. It may even hurt to inhale. They’ve got…
Global coalition invites progressives worldwide to attend inaugural summit
‘Internationalism or Extinction’? “The Progressive International is convening this emergency summit… to map our current crisis, to reclaim our shared future, and to strengthen our planetary front to do so.” by Kenny Stancil, staff writer From…
Hundreds of thousands of dead migratory birds in Southwest linked to wildfires, Climate Crisis
‘Ecological Disaster on Massive Scale’ “The fact that we’re finding hundreds of these birds dying, just kind of falling out of the sky is extremely alarming.” by Julia Conley, staff writer Wednesday, September 16 A combination…
Climate change will force a New American Migration
Wildfires rage in the West. Hurricanes batter the East. Droughts and floods wreak damage throughout the nation. Life has become increasingly untenable in the hardest-hit areas, but if the people there move, where will everyone go?…
Trump spits climate denialism right in California’s face: “It’ll start getting cooler, you just watch”
“I thought I’d find it funny watching this, but instead it’s just chilling: as the West Coast faces a climate catastrophe, the president laughs at them and denies the problem exists.” by Jon Queally, staff writer…
Coalition of state and local governments sues EPA To block Trump’s gutting of methane regulation
“We need leaders who step up and propose solutions. Instead, we get President Trump’s version of the EPA.” by Lisa Newcomb, staff writer A coalition of 19 states and six municipalities Monday sued the Environmental Protection…
New study finds Planet heading toward temperature threshold not seen in 34 million years
Researchers behind the comprehensive study of Earth’s atmospheric record over tens of million of years say “immediate and stringent action” could prevent most dire outcomes. by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Monday, September 14 A newly published…
Investors who manage $47 trillion pressure top polluters to pursue transition to net-zero emissions
“Companies across all sectors need to take more ambitious action to ensure otherwise devastating impacts of climate change are avoided while they still can be.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Monday, September 14 As historic, climate…
With wildfires ravaging the West, Biden slams Trump denial and calls climate crisis an ‘imminent, existential threat’
“Biden and Harris should be repeating this message every hour of every day,” said the youth-led Sunrise Movement. by Jake Johnson, staff writer As catastrophic wildfires continue to tear through California, Oregon, and Washington state, engulfing…
New research shows disproportionate rate of coronavirus deaths in polluted areas
The type of pollution emitted by many chemical plants in Louisiana’s industrial corridor is correlated with increased coronavirus deaths, according to new peer-reviewed research from SUNY and ProPublica. by Lylla Younes, ProPublica, and Sara Sneath The…
The American West is burning but Trump hasn’t mentioned historic wildfires in ‘any way, shape, or form’ for nearly 3 weeks
“President Trump’s silence and complete disregard for the millions of people at risk is horrifying,” said one climate advocate. by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Climate action advocates and journalists are calling out President Donald Trump’s silence…
