Previous Climate Change News 2022
Study: Biology textbooks aren’t keeping up with climate science 12-21-22
Climate change is a major threat to life on Earth — but not a major focus of biology textbooks. Read more
To combat climate change, Oregon bans sale of new, 100% gasoline-powered cars by 2035 12-19-22
Following California’s lead, Oregon’s Environmental Quality Commission voted to end the sale of new fully gas-powered vehicles in 2035 Read more
Federal officials say urgent action needed to protect shrinking Colorado River reservoirs 12-17-22
With Colorado River reservoirs nearing dangerously low levels, the federal government has given basin states a Jan. 31 deadline to negotiate major water cuts and stave off a possible collapse in supplies. Read more
The US is finally getting serious about nature-based solutions 12-05-22
A new Biden administration framework acknowledges that harnessing nature-based solutions to fight the climate crisis has become table stakes. Read more
How capitalism crushed the environment, according to historian Douglas Brinkley 12-01-22
Now that the green carpet has been rolled up, the green gowns packed away, and our green-themed royal visit consigned to the history books, an uncomfortable truth remains: 2022 has been a rough year for the environment. Read more
Despite Biden’s promises, logging still threatens old forests and U.S. climate goals 11-28-22
Federal agencies continue to move dozens of logging projects forward in federal forests across the United States. Read more
Inside the COP27 fight to get wealthy nations to pay climate reparations 11-22-22
How developing countries’ 30-year battle for “loss and damage” funding culminated in a new agreement in Egypt. Read more
9 in 10 US counties have experienced a climate disaster in the last decade, report finds 11-16-22
Climate change is here and “all taxpayers are paying for it.” Read more
In a first, U.S. signals support for U.N. agreement to phase down use of fossil fuels 11-16-22
During U.N. climate change negotiations the United States signaled its support for the adoption of language calling for phasing down the use of fossil fuels. Read more
How centuries-old whaling logs are filling gaps in our climate knowledge 11-02-22
Whalers from the 18th and 19th centuries are helping 21st Century scientists on climate change. Read more
A NASA satellite launched to detect dust has discovered huge methane leaks 10-28-22
Getting a handle on these “super-emitters” could yield major benefits for the climate. Read more
Op-ed: On climate protests, the media misses the point 10-20-22
In the face of global inaction, climate change — inextricably linked to health inequities — is leading us toward planetary collapse with a ‘fast track to climate disaster’ and ‘civilization collapse,’ as has been highlighted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Read more
The next frontier for climate action is the great indoors 10-14-22
Americans run “mini fossil fuel plants” in their homes. It’s time for change. Read more
More Americans are moving into hurricane zones even as climate risks mount 10-01-22
The Southeast’s low cost of living beckons retirees and younger workers, but the boom is putting more people in harm’s way. Read more
As Hurricane Ian makes landfall, Florida faces historic storm surge 09-28-22
The Category 4 storm pushed walls of water several feet high into low-lying cities from Sarasota to Fort Myers. Read more
Tampa Bay isn’t safe from any hurricane — especially not Ian 09-27-22
The coastal region is severely flood-prone, even with smaller storms. Read more
Solving the climate crisis will help both ‘sacrifice zones’ and ‘cute’ puffins 09-09-22
When I tell bird-loving audiences what puffins mean to me, I start with the expected. Read more
Americans are convinced climate action is unpopular. They’re very, very wrong. 08-29-22
Support for climate policies is double what most people think, a new study found. Read more
People doubt their actions affect climate change. Is that a bad thing? 08-23-22
More Americans are blaming corporations, not individuals, for the climate crisis, a new poll shows. Read more
Rising sea levels will cause more high tide flooding: Report 08-17-22
High tide flooding will continue to become increasingly common for coastal communities because of sea level rise, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researchers predict. Read more
As rising seas swamp South Carolina’s shores, some coastal communities are left unprotected 08-15-22
A proposed $1.1 billion seawall bypasses marginalized Charleston neighborhoods and relies on outdated grey infrastructure. But there is an alternative: green, nature-based solutions can protect at-risk coastal communities. Read more
The Arctic is heating up four times faster than the rest of the planet 08-12-22
That’s much quicker than climate models predicted. Read more
Climate change at work 07-19-22
America’s workers are facing increasingly dire conditions. Read more
Without Congress, what can Biden do to stem the climate crisis? 07-19-22
“It’s now time for executive Beast Mode.” The White House is scrambling to reassure Democratic voters that President Joe Biden can still take action on climate change after another blow to proposed climate legislation from Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Read more
Why the Arctic Is Warming 4 Times as Fast as the Rest of Earth 07-18-22
The loss of sea ice is exposing darker waters, which absorb more of the sun’s energy. It’s a devastating feedback loop with major consequences for the planet. Read more
Shifting Sands: Carolina’s Outer Banks Face a Precarious Future 07-14-22
Despite the risks of building on barrier islands, developers kept constructing homes on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Read more
Logging is destroying southern forests — and dividing US environmentalists 06-29-22
More than 150 conservation, environmental, and social justice organizations have accused The Nature Conservancy of “promoting false climate solutions.” Read more
June heat waves smash records across the globe 06-28-22
It’s not your imagination: This summer is already hotter than normal. Read more
Satellites zoom in on cities’ hottest neighborhoods to help combat the urban heat island effect 06-14-22
Spend time in a city in summer and you can feel the urban heat rising from the pavement and radiating from buildings. Cities are generally hotter than surrounding rural areas, but even within cities, some residential neighborhoods get dangerously warmer than others just a few miles away. Read more
Summer has transformed into ‘danger season,’ scientists warn 06-13-22
Hurricanes, heat, fires, smoke, drought: Is it time to stop sugar-coating summer? Read more
Ice world: Antarctica’s riskiest glacier is under assault from below and losing its grip 06-07-22
Flying over Antarctica, it’s hard to see what all the fuss is about. Read more
As the Great Salt Lake Dries Up, Utah Faces An ‘Environmental Nuclear Bomb’ 06-07-22
Climate change and rapid population growth are shrinking the lake, creating a bowl of toxic dust that could poison the air around Salt Lake City. Read more
When the heat is unbearable but there’s nowhere to go 06-04-22
How last year’s record-breaking heat wave caused misery and chaos for Washington’s incarcerated population — and why it’s set to happen all over again. Read more
Climate change, pollution imperil Cape Fear, advocates say 06-03-22
The Cape Fear River is unparalleled in many ways. Read more
The Vanishing Rio Grande: Warming Takes a Toll on a Legendary River 06-02-22
The Rio Grande, which flows out of the Rockies and later forms the U.S.-Mexico border, has long been impacted by withdrawals for agriculture and other uses. Read more
Think climate action is expensive? Inaction could cost $178 trillion. 05-24-22
But zeroing out emissions could create a green Industrial Revolution, a new report says. Read more
North Carolina house that collapsed into the sea is a warning for millions of Americans 05-16-22
States and the federal government can do more to protect homebuyers, like reforming flood disclosure laws. Read more
Summerlike heat bakes central states, breaks records 05-10-22
Records have fallen in the Lone Star State, where readings spiked as high as 112 degrees. The Weather Service predicts scores of records will fall throughout the central U.S. through Thursday. Read more
Introduction: Can we grow and burn our way out of climate change? 05-10-22
To help fight climate change, the world needs to burn less coal, oil, and natural gas. Read more
The Southwest is on fire, iconic deserts and towns are at risk and Biden has issued a disaster declaration 05-04-22
New Mexico and Arizona are facing a dangerously early fire season. Read more
It’s raining harder than ever. New research says climate change is to blame. 04-27-22
Warmer temperatures cause heavier rainfall across the U.S. — even in the driest cities. Read more
California gives rivers more room to flow to stem flood risk. 04-19-22
A “No Trespassing” sign stands on the Dos Rios Ranch Preserve, California’s largest single floodplain restoration project in Modesto, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. Read more
War in Ukraine poses environmental risk now and in the future, advocates say 04-19-22
As Russian forces bombard communities across Ukraine, the nation’s once-vibrant ecosystems are becoming scorched and scarred, rewinding decades of conservation work, according to Ukrainian climate advocates. Read more
Study: Global warming will stay below 2 degrees C — if countries actually keep their promises. 04-14-22
But 1.5 degrees, the world’s most ambitious goal, still looks out of reach. Read more
Thawing permafrost is roiling the Arctic landscape, driven by a hidden world of changes beneath the surface as the climate warms 04-12-22 Read more
The climate case for seizing superyachts, Russian and otherwise. 04-05-22
Oligarchs’ superyachts emit more carbon than some Pacific Island nations. Read more
‘We are at a crossroads’: New IPCC report says it’s fossil fuels or our future. 04-04-22
Climate panel calls for “rapid and deep” transition away from fossil fuels. Read more
The Arctic Revolution That’s Changing Climate Science 03-23-22
Inuit groups spent decades hosting researchers from far away to study the ice and animals. Now they’re taking up the tools and reshaping the science. Read more
Peak cherry blossom season in Washington, D.C. is early again 03-22-22
The harbinger of spring brings joy, but also growing unease over climate change Read more
Lake Powell water crisis is about to be an energy crisis 03-21-22
As the West’s megadrought continues, communities reliant on hydroelectric power — including tribes and rural towns — face shortages. Read more
The Next Level in Sustainability: Nature Restoration 03-15-22
Developers are no longer aiming to simply preserve nature, but are actively restoring it as a selling point for their projects. Read more
Heat pumps can counter Putin and the climate crisis, advocates say 03-11-22
Heat pumps can counter Putin and climate change, advocates say. The White House is listening. Read more
How the West’s megadrought is leaving one Arizona neighborhood with no water at all. 03-10-22
Thanks to Colorado River cuts, hundreds of residents on the outskirts of Phoenix are “the canary in the coal mine.” Read more
Opinion: For the Planet’s Sake and Our Own, We Should Let Rivers Run Free. 03-03-22
By removing aging dams, we can restore freshwater ecosystems, support Indigenous communities, and improve public safety. Read more
Five things to know about the new U.N. climate report 02-28-22
The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change today released a sweeping report on the dangerous effects that rising global temperatures are already having. Read more
Messy Human Reactions to Climate Change Are a Good Thing for the Planet 02-22-22
Human behavior is key to determining our climate future, but most scientific models don’t take it into account. Read more
An ‘emerging crisis’: The climate is changing too fast for plants and animals to adapt 02-18-22
New UN report highlights how warming temperatures are upending nature’s life cycles — with devastating impacts on agriculture and biodiversity. Read more
How Bad Is the Western Drought? Worst in 12 Centuries, Study Finds. 02-14-22
Fueled by climate change, the drought that started in 2000 is now the driest two decades since 800 A.D. Read more
Climate change brings thinner, more unstable ice to the Great Lakes 02-11-22
Average maximum ice cover on the lakes has fallen 22 percent over the last 50 years. Read more
Officials Tout Economic Boom From Offshore Wind Industry 02-08-22
North Carolina is in a prime position to become a hub for offshore wind energy manufacturing and a major contributor to renewable power production on the East Coast. Read more
Divestment campaigns — and reinvestment efforts — gain strength as climate change intensifies 01-25-22
The global motion to sell off fossil fuel assets has picked up major speed this year. Read more
Ocean warmth sets record high in 2021 as a result of greenhouse gas emissions 01-11-22
Since the late 1980s, Earth’s oceans warmed at a rate eight times faster than in the preceding decades Read more
How to address climate locally? These 6 places have plans 01-05-22
While much of the nation’s attention to climate adaptation has focused on large coastal cities with outsize risks, some of the most forward-leaning climate policies are coming from less urbanized places such as Marina, Calif.; Carmel, Ind.; and the Jersey Shore. Read more
Stopping Food Waste Before It Starts Is Key to Reaching Climate Goals 01-05-22
While rescuing wasted food gets all the headlines, a new EPA report shows that avoiding it completely offers bigger benefits. Read more
In Michigan, a new housing project shows that sustainable development isn’t only for the rich 01-02-22
Urban planners see it as a building model in a climate-conscious world. Read more
