Latest News
An outbreak of sea stars is destroying coral reefs in the Maldives. -
Scuba divers plucked more than 7,000 crown-of-thorns starfish from the already overtaxed reef in less than a month. The population of the animal, which attacks and eats corals, is booming for unknown reasons. Washington Post
I think their ideas are quite endangered.
—Gina McCarthy, the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, says the American public no longer accepts the GOP ’s climate denial.
The Paris climate conference will go on as scheduled. -
After the terrorist attacks on Friday night, France has said the United Nations climate summit will still take place from November 30 to December 11, but marches, demonstrations, and festivities planned around the event will be canceled. Reuters
Governor Jerry Brown extends California’s water conservation order. -
The restrictions, which are aimed at cutting water use by 25 percent, are set to expire in February, but if the drought hasn’t eased up by January, the emergency measures may continue through next October. Associated Press
Nations are making climate pledges that neglect forests. -
Despite deforestation’s role in climate change, most of the plans submitted ahead of the Paris summit do not explicitly mention forestry practices. The Democratic Republic of Congo is a notable exception—the Central African country has promised to plant enough trees by 2025 to absorb 3 million tons of carbon dioxide a year. Climate Central
Oil train bridges are in serious disrepair. -
Environmental groups conducted a survey of 250 oil train bridges across the country and found visible deficiencies—crumbling concrete, eroded pilings, and the like—in nearly half. The railroads are responsible for inspecting the bridges for safety, but they do not make the records available to the public. Al Jazeera