From This Collection

A fraction of oil and gas profits would fund methane emissions cuts, global energy agency says

Aug 7, 2023
IEA advises investing in facilities to reduce the potent greenhouse gas. The U.S. government is already funding such programs.
Methane, a greenhouse gas invisible to the naked eye, is one of the biggest contributors to global warming.
David McNew/Getty Images

Clean energy industry faces economic headwinds

Aug 1, 2023
Inflation and rising interest rates are making it harder for some projects to get off the ground.
A ship carries wind turbine components to the Port of New Bedford.
Daniel Ackerman/Marketplace

Panama Canal faces uncertain future because of climate change, drought

Jul 31, 2023
Six percent of all global trade passes through the canal’s 50-mile stretch of water. New passage restrictions could particularly harm the U.S. economy — since it's the nation that uses the trade route most.
Above, a ship navigates the Panama Canal in Panama City. The canal authority puts restrictions on shipping companies when there’s not enough water.
Luis Acosta/AFP via Getty Images

Why are China and India still burning so much coal?

Jul 31, 2023
A new report from the International Energy Agency shows global demand for coal reached a record level in 2022 — and it’s not likely to go down any time soon.
Countries like India and China rely on coal for two big reasons: It’s usually cheap and available, said Sanya Carley, a professor of energy policy at the University of Pennsylvania.
Money Sharma/AFP via Getty Images

Warming climate brings opportunities for cool-weather wineries

Jul 21, 2023
As iconic wine regions get too hot, growers in historically challenging locations may rise in the global economy.
Johannes Aufricht is the third-generation owner of his family business, Winery Aufricht, in southwest Germany.
Emily Haavik for Marketplace

Financially, FEMA may not be equipped to handle climate change

Jul 20, 2023
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief fund is likely to be in the red sometime next month.
While FEMA will be able to find the cash to handle disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes, funding for rebuilding or mitigation programs are running thin.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

New tax incentives ease home improvements to beat the heat

Jul 19, 2023
Expanded tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act help pay for weatherizing homes and installing heat pumps.
Heat pumps are among the energy-conserving tools that new tax credits will partially cover.
John Keeble/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

As extreme heat lingers, millions of U.S. households face a utility shutoff crisis

Jul 7, 2023
And it's leaving some people without the electricity to power a fan or air conditioner during intense heat waves.
Utilities cut power to at least 3 million customers who missed payments last year and shutoffs happen most often in the summer, according to research from University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University.
Scott Heins/Getty Images

More “hottest day evers” mean changing the way we work

Extreme heat affects our health, our morale and our productivity. Employers will need to adapt.
Contractor Prince Xavier Biabo, who's renovating a townhouse in Baltimore, says hydrating is key to getting through the heat.
Stephanie Hughes/Marketplace

As hurricanes get more severe, how do insurers calculate risk?

Jul 4, 2023
Risks and costs are rising, largely due to climate change, but where the risk hits is key, a veteran "catastrophe modeler" says.
A home in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, that was destroyed by Hurricane Ian. "Hurricanes are like real estate," catastrophe modeler Karen Clark says. What matters is "location, location, location."
Joe Raedle/Getty Images