Climate Change
FEMA is getting rid of thousands of workers in areas recovering from disasters
Thousands of employees whose contracts end this year will lose their jobs, FEMA managers said at personnel meetings this week. The cuts could hobble the nation's disaster agency.
Scientists call another near-record hot year a ‘warning shot’ from a shifting climate
Scientists calculate that last year was one of the three hottest on record, along with 2024 and 2023. The trend indicates that warming could be speeding up, climate monitoring teams reported.
The long-term health impacts from the LA wildfires are just becoming clear
The fires affected millions of people in the region. It could take years to understand the health consequences, but ongoing research is helping to prepare people to weather the next fires more safely.
California fire victims say fighting with insurance companies has delayed rebuilding
Wildfires last January destroyed communities around Los Angeles. Homeowners say recovery has been slowed by fights with insurers to get their claims paid.
After the LA fires, false narratives on social media impacted state policy
Misinformation spread quickly after the wildfires in Los Angeles last year. Some of these false narratives on social media impacted California policy.
After devastating LA fires, California is drafting nation’s toughest rules for homes
California is writing rules to limit plants around buildings to protect them from wildfires, after the Los Angeles fires a year ago. Some homeowners are pushing back over losing their greenery.
Trump wants U.S. oil companies in Venezuela. Here’s what to know
President Trump wants more U.S. oil companies to "go in" to Venezuela. But there are economic, historical, and climate reasons that may not be easy. Here's what you need to know about oil in Venezuela.
Scientists push back on Trump plan to break up a critical climate and weather center
The White House plans to break up a key weather and climate research center in Colorado, a move experts say could jeopardize the accuracy of forecasting and prediction systems.
New report finds the Arctic continues to warm faster than the planet as a whole
This year's Arctic Report Card from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration finds that the northernmost part of the Earth is warming faster than the global average, leading to melting glaciers, shifting fish populations, and rivers running orange.
Houses floated away in this Alaska Native village. Now residents want to move
Kwigillingok, Alaska, has long grappled with erosion and flooding. Residents want to move to higher ground, further inland, especially after the remnants of Typhoon Halong damaged nearly every house.
Rising temperatures could have a chilling impact on young children
A study points to a new concern about the effect that heat can have on young children.
Data centers are booming. But there are big energy and environmental risks
How tech companies and government officials handle local impacts will shape the industry's future in the U.S.
Natural gas prices are low, but your monthly gas bill is up. Here’s why
Gas utility bills are rising even though natural gas prices are down. That's because a much larger share of your gas bill now goes to infrastructure instead of fuel.
A tribe in Arizona planned to connect 600 homes to electricity. Then the funding was cut
The Hopi Tribe received a multimillion-dollar federal grant to install solar panels and battery storage systems for hundreds of homes. But the Trump administration has canceled the funding.
Energy Dept. tells employees not to use words including ‘climate change’ and ‘green’
The banned words list applies to all work done at the largest federal funder of clean energy technology.
This small Virginia island could be underwater before the next century
Tangier Island in Virginia — one of the last inhabited islands in the Chesapeake Bay — is under threat from rising sea levels and climate change.
Leaders promised to cut climate pollution, then doubled down on fossil fuels
Ten years after countries promised to cut climate pollution in the Paris Agreement, countries plan to produce more than twice the amount of fossil fuels that would be consistent with that deal.
5 lessons from a house that generates more energy than it uses
With higher utility bills, a house that produces more energy than it uses may be appealing. In southern California, one such house has existed for more than a decade. NPR's Jeff Brady visited the "Green Idea House" in Hermosa Beach, California.
Ted Cruz claims without evidence that China is funding U.S. climate lawsuits
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz has said China is funding climate lawsuits against American oil and gas companies to weaken the U.S. He hasn't provided evidence to support the claim.
Melting glaciers mean an uncertain future for Europe’s rivers
Europe is warming faster than any continent. That's speeding up glacial melt, which is already threatening Europe's largest rivers.
Trump’s Energy Department disbands group that sowed doubt about climate change
Energy Secretary Chris Wright has disbanded a controversial Climate Working Group (CWG), which wrote a report that scientists say was full of errors and misrepresented climate science.
Insect populations drop even without direct human interference, a new study finds
Research published this month found that even in pristine, untouched areas, insect populations are still on the decline. Climate change is a likely culprit.
You’re more likely to reach for that soda when it’s hot outside
People drink more sugary beverages when it's hot, researchers found, significantly increasing their sugar intake. That impact could grow as climate change raises the world's temperatures.
Trump administration cancels $679 million for offshore wind projects at ports
Ports across the country were planning to become economic hubs for the growing offshore wind industry. The Trump administration is cancelling grants to build the infrastructure for it.
These investigators patrol Las Vegas looking for one thing: water waste
The Southern Nevada Water Authority has investigators who patrol Las Vegas neighborhoods in search of wasted water.
Trump administration halts work on an almost-finished wind farm
The Revolution Wind farm was slated to start sending power to homes and businesses in Rhode Island and Connecticut starting next year.
Businesses face ‘chaos’ as EPA aims to repeal its authority over climate pollution
A lot of companies want the EPA in charge of setting national climate regulations because it helps shield them from lawsuits and creates a predictable environment in which to make investments.
New Orleans musicians feel the heat of rising temperatures: ‘You can hear it in the music’
Data from climate scientists show that the heat is turning up in New Orleans, and the rate that it’s increasing is getting faster. Here’s why.
Wildfire smoke is like smoking ‘half a pack a day.’ Here’s how to protect yourself
As Canadian wildfires spread smoke across the U.S. the air pollution is dangerous to health. But there are ways to protect yourself. Here's what to know.
Why a NASA satellite that scientists and farmers rely on may be destroyed on purpose
The Trump administration has asked NASA staffers to draw up plans to end at least two satellite missions that measure carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, according to current and former NASA employees.
Why certain medications can increase your risk in the heat
Some medicines affect your ability to sweat, stay hydrated, or even to notice if you're overheating. Doctors say keep taking them, but make sure to keep yourself cool.
Trump’s EPA wants to eliminate regulation for greenhouse gases
The Trump administration proposes eliminating a 2009 finding that greenhouse gases endanger people. That would undermine the EPA's climate change regulations for power plants and cars.
