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Coal's comeback threatens global goals for fighting climate change

Countries are turning back to less expensive but carbon-heavy coal because of rising energy costs and Russia's war in Ukraine.
With the war in Ukraine restricting Europe's access to Russian energy, Germany is among the nations seeking alternative fuels for generating electricity, including more coal.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

The climate crisis comes for outdoor tourism

Jun 23, 2022
A historic drought and massive wildfire have hurt the outdoor tourism industry in the Southwest United States.
Longer, more intense wildfire seasons are hurting towns in the southwest U.S. that rely heavily on tourism. Above, trees scorched by the Canyon Fire near Mora, New Mexico, on June 2.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Historic drought has brought water levels down to record lows on the Colorado River, seen here on March 28.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Extreme heat threatens U.S. herds and crops

Jun 22, 2022
The heat wave's impact has been especially felt in the Midwest.
A heat wave that started in the southeastern part of the country is now making its way across.
Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images

Extreme heat is becoming more common. Should tenants have a right to air conditioning?

Jun 14, 2022
There are many more laws and programs to help low-income people stay warm in the winter than cool in the summer.
Above, temperatures reached 114º F in of El Centro, California on June 12. Much of the South and West have been grappling with a heat wave, underscoring how air conditioning is becoming increasingly necessary.
Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images

Climate change is making prescribed burning trickier in the West

Jun 3, 2022
The controlled burns are supposed to help minimize wildfire hazards, but fires in New Mexico that got out of control have some questioning whether climate change is altering that calculation.
Prescribed burns are used to prevent large fires, but an incident in New Mexico is leading to some reconsideration about the practice.
Terray Sylvester/Getty Images

Big storms are coming. Are we ready?

Jun 1, 2022
Networking plays a huge part in how prepared – and funded – communities can be for disasters.
Trees bend in the tropical storm wind along North Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard as Hurricane Irma hits the southern part of the state September 10, 2017 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The powerful hurricane made landfall in the United States in the Florida Keys at 9:10 a.m. after raking across the north coast of Cuba.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

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More severe hurricane seasons bring higher costs

May 27, 2022
Storms are becoming more frequent and covering new ground. At the same time, mitigation efforts are getting more expensive
As oceans warm, storms get more severe.
NOAA via Getty Images

Quantifying climate risk goes mainstream

May 16, 2022
People seeking to minimize flood and fire risk when looking for a home have new tools to guide them.
The 2017 Tubbs Fire decimated neighborhoods. Many people are seeking safer homes as fire risk worsens, but there are few tools to help them.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A UN report says making cities more population-dense can help cut carbon emissions

May 2, 2022
Cities were responsible for over half of the world's carbon emissions in recent years. They could turn that around in the decades to come.
An aerial view of a "green" roof in Caracas, Venezuela. Green roofs are roofs that incorporate vegetation.
Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images