Today’s Climate
Scientists Are Studying the Funky Environmental Impacts of Eclipses—From Grid Disruptions to Unusual Animal Behavior
Yesterday, all eyes pointed toward the sky as millions of people across parts of the U.S., Canada and Mexico witnessed the moon temporarily shroud the sun. People traveled from around the country and world into the “path of totality” for this rare celestial event. Analysts projected that spending surrounding the total solar eclipse—such as booking […]
Read MoreAs Messy Side Effects of Klamath River Dam Removal Continue, Officials Stress That Short-Term Pain Will Yield Long-Term Gain
After years of heated debates and delays, the world’s largest dam removal is currently underway on the Klamath River across the California-Oregon border. Established in the early to mid-1900s by energy company PacifiCorp, the four dams have stored water and generated electricity for the region. But they’ve also prevented endangered salmon from reaching critical habitat […]
Read MoreBird Flu Is Picking its Way Across the Animal Kingdom—and Climate Change Could Be Making it Worse
On Monday, Texas health officials confirmed an individual who had “direct exposure to dairy cattle” has contracted bird flu, marking the second reported human case of the H5N1 virus in U.S. history. The person has only exhibited eye inflammation so far, and the CDC says risk to the public remains low. However, this highly pathogenic […]
Read MoreThe Show Must Go On? Music Festival-Goers Are At Risk As Extreme Weather Events Become More Frequent and Severe
On March 22, droves of fans covered in glitter and body paint swarmed Miami’s Bayfront Park to attend the first day of the Ultra EDM Music Festival. Then the downpour started. Buckets of rain assaulted poncho-clad attendees as they sloshed through ankle-deep flooding and sludge, though some voluntarily played around in the mud instead, John […]
Read MoreWhy Joseph Goffman’s Senate Confirmation Could Be a Win for Climate Action and Equity
The decision to replace John Kerry with John Podesta as the top U.S. climate diplomat may be making headlines this week. But there’s another presidential appointee who could also have a significant impact on the nation’s efforts to address climate change but has mostly flown under the radar. On Wednesday, the Senate confirmed Joseph Goffman […]
Read MoreJanuary Was Awash With Extreme Winter Storms. Climate Change Likely Played a Role
Winter storm and flood alerts continue this week for millions of Americans following a weekend of flash floods in states such as Pennsylvania and Illinois, where many residents were forced to evacuate their homes as they took on water. It’s the third weekend this month when large swaths of the country have been doused with […]
Read MoreWill Biden’s Temporary Pause of Gas Export Projects Win Back Young Voters?
The White House has announced that it is temporarily pausing the federal approval process for all pending export terminals of liquified natural gas, or LNG, marking a significant win for environmentalists who had been fighting the projects for years. President Joe Biden, in a statement released early Friday morning, cited the climate crisis for the […]
Read MoreEurope Just Launched the World’s First Carbon Tariff. Will the United States Follow Suit?
Companies that want to do business in the European Union will soon have to pay extra if the carbon footprints of their products are too high. The EU on Sunday officially began phase one of its carbon tariff. The first-of-its-kind tax scheme could help reduce the climate-warming emissions of industries that are notoriously hard to […]
Read MoreThe United Auto Workers Strike Is the Latest GOP Culture War Talking Point
The United Auto Workers union expanded its strike Friday, bringing the number of employees who walked off the job to demand higher wages and better benefits from Detroit’s Big Three carmakers to 25,000. Republicans vying for the White House next year are using the moment as an opportunity to rail against President Joe Biden’s climate […]
Read MoreNew York Becomes the Latest State to Require Flood Risk Disclosure for Home Sales
New York will become the latest state to require flood risk disclosures in home sales under a new law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday. It’s the latest indicator that even places considered relatively insulated from the climate crisis, like the U.S. Northeast, are increasingly feeling its impacts. The new law, which comes after […]
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