Archive for February 2021
Brazil Has Weakened Dozens of Environmental Laws During the Pandemic
Since President Jair Bolsonaro took office in January 2019, Brazil has approved 57 pieces of legislation that weaken environmental laws, from relaxing forest protections to declassifying the toxicity of dozens of pesticides, according to a new analysis published in the journal Biological Conservation. Almost half of this legislation, 27 bills, was passed during the height of Brazil’s Covid-19 pandemic, from March to September 2020.
Read MoreOn U.S. East Coast, Has Offshore Wind’s Moment Finally Arrived?
After years of false starts, offshore wind is poised to take off along the East Coast. Commitments by states to purchase renewable power, support from the Biden administration, and billions in new investment are all contributing to the emergence of this fledgling industry.
Read MoreSeaweeds to the rescue, redux
Recently, there has been a great deal of interest and even excitement about how seaweed might be able to help save us from climate change. I appreciate the newfound exuberance for seaweed, and wholeheartedly agree that seaweeds do a lot for society and the planet. A similar awakening to the wonders of seaweed occurred in […]
Read MoreNoise Pollution Impacting Marine Animals Worse Than Previously Thought
Anthropogenic noise pollution is plaguing our oceans and stressing marine fauna far more than previously understood, researchers concluded in a new analysis of more than 10,000 academic papers published in the journal Science. Human-generated noise disrupts the behavior, physiology, and reproduction of marine organisms so much that it can lead to an increased risk of mortality.
Read MoreOne-Third of Farmland in the U.S. Corn Belt Has Lost Its Topsoil
More than a third of farmland in the U.S. Corn Belt — nearly 100 million acres — has completely lost its carbon-rich topsoil due to erosion, according to a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The loss of topsoil has reduced corn and soybean yields in the Midwest by 6 percent, resulting in a loss of nearly $3 billion a year for farmers, and increased runoff of sediment and nutrients into nearby waterways, worsening water quality.
Read MoreWhy Drilling the Arctic Refuge Will Release a Double Dose of Carbon
In the renewed debate over drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, one troubling impact of oil development has been overlooked: Disrupting the annual caribou migration will have a profound effect on the soil and release even more greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.
Read MoreNASA Langley Interns Share What Black History Month Means to Them
Current interns inspired by NASA Langley’s Hidden Figures hope they will inspire others in the future.
Read MoreAn Illicit Trade in Brazil Is Sending Tiny Songbirds to Their Deaths
Thousands of saffron finches are being snatched out of South American forests and sold in Brazil for use in brutal, illegal fighting rings. Lax wildlife laws have made it difficult for authorities to crack down on the lucrative trade, leaving traffickers and ring runners undeterred.
Read MoreSubmarine Permafrost Has Been Overlooked as a Major Source of Greenhouse Gases, Scientists Warn
Scientists have found that permafrost buried beneath the Arctic Ocean holds 60 billion tons of methane and 560 billion tons of organic carbon — making it a major source of greenhouse gases not currently included in climate projections that could have a significant impact on climate change in the longer-term.
Read MoreShell Plans to Expand Natural Gas Business Despite Climate Pledge
Shell has set new carbon emissions goals to become a net zero carbon energy company by 2050, but will continue to grow its gas business by more than 20 percent in the next few years.
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