Global Climate Change


UN Secretary-General Praises Climate Action Plan Response

The action plans of 147 countries will be the basis of the agreement expected to be reached at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, known as COP21, to be held in Paris in December.

Washington Ecology Launches Greenhouse Gases Rule

The Washington Department of Ecology this week began writing a rule to require the state's largest polluters to reduce their greenhouse gases and considering that businesses and organizations responsible for producing 100,000 metric tons or more of greenhouse gases be covered under the rule.

The new sculpture awaits the recipient of the 2016 Stockholm Water Prize.

Deadline Near for 2016 Stockholm Water Prize Nominations

They are due by Sept. 25 for the prize, which has been bestowed by the Stockholm International Water Institute for the past 25 years for extraordinary water achievements.

General Mills announced its goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its "entire value chain – from farm to fork to landfill – over the next 10 years."

General Mills Sets GHG Emissions Goal

"Climate plays a significant role in the long-term viability of our business," says Jerry Lynch, vice president and chief sustainability officer. "For example, changes in climate have an impact on weather conditions such as drought, floods, and excessive heat, all of which can decrease yields on our raw materials like corn, oats, and wheat."

Denali is the highest mountain in North America.

Mount McKinley Renamed Denali Ahead of Obama's Visit

The president is scheduled to visit Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 31-Sept. 1. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell signed the order renaming North America's highest mountain on Aug. 28.

Panama Canal Authority Suspends Draft Restriction

Caused by El Nino conditions, the restriction had been set to begin Sept. 8.

World Nuclear Association Hails Japanese Reactor's Restart

"The restart of Sendai unit 1 puts Japan on the road to recovery. Going forward, it is essential that the nuclear industry works harder at building better relationships with the public as well as improving our performance and future technology offerings," said Agneta Rising, the association's director general.

The proposed rule will encounter fierce opposition from coal companies, coal states

Coal States' Governors Attack President's Climate Plan

"I am extremely disappointed and frustrated by the huge changes the EPA made from the proposed rule. What is being proposed for Kentucky is disastrous – disastrous for our declining coal economy and equally disastrous for our very important manufacturing economy," Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said.



The ISO greenhouse gas standard has reached the voting stage.

ISO Greenhouse Gas Standard Reaches Voting Stage

"The key areas of focus for ISO 14064-1 will be accounting for indirect greenhouse gas emissions and the linkage between that and renewable energy, which is a very challenging area," said Tom Baumann, chair of the ISO TC 207/SC7 committee that undertook the revision.

The 2015 Alaska fire season is the third-largest season since reliable records began in 1950. More than 4.75 million acres have burned, according to NOAA.

Very Large Fires All Across Southern Alaska

The 2015 Alaska fire season is already the third-largest season since reliable records began in 1950, and more than 4.75 million acres have burned.

Wildfires Cause 13,000 to Evacuate Saskatchewan Homes

The Saskatchewan Environment Ministry reported July 6 that there have been 574 wildfires during this fire season -- more than twice as many as the 205 at the same point last year.

EPA Moving to Regulate Aircraft Emissions

The items EPA issued June 10 "lay the necessary foundation for the development and implementation of a domestic aircraft standard, in accordance with U.S. law and the ICAO process," according to the agency's announcement.

Stricter Ozone Standards Could Pose Challenges for Scientific Measurements and Models

Stricter Ozone Standards Could Pose Challenges for Scientific Measurements and Models

With the EPA proposing to lower the primary ozone standard from 75 ppb to 70 or 65 ppb, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and the NOAA have created a commentary on how the new standard could make research more difficult for air quality managers at both local and state levels.

Earth Day Turns 45, but Local Groups Say We

Earth Day Turns 45, but Local Groups Say We've Got a Ways to Go

In the 21st century, the big challenge facing the world is climate change.

NH Feels the Heat from Climate Change

The weather is warming up in New Hampshire and across the country, a warning sign to a state environmental group.

New Source of Methane Found in the Arctic

A research team led by a professor from the University of New Hampshire has identified a new source of methane for gas hydrates in the Arctic Ocean. A stable reservoir for abiotic methane was discovered and could impact global climate change.

Executive Order Promises Federal Government GHG Cuts

The Obama administration also is releasing a new scorecard to publicly track self-reported emissions disclosure and progress for all major federal suppliers.

This FEMA photo taken May 4, 2010, shows the extent of flooding in downtown Nashville, Tenn. (David Fine/FEMA photo)

UN Official: Most Disasters Climate Related

The Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction is taking place March 14-18 in the northern Japanese city of Sendai. Participants will seek to chart a global course on disaster risk reduction for the coming decade.

Researchers Capturing Moose, Elks, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep This Month

Personnel from the University of Wyoming-headquartered Wyoming Migration Initiative and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department plan to live tweet throughout approximately three weeks of research activity and write Facebook posts about the animal captures, so the public can follow along.

According to a new report by the NRDC, the anticipated impacts are more widespread than previously believed; major threats seen to oyster, scallop, and clam industries in CA, CT, FL, LA, MA, ME, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OR, RI, TX, VA, and WA.

Rapid Ocean Acidification Threatens Coastal Economies in Several States

According to a new report by the NRDC, the anticipated impacts are more widespread than previously believed; major threats seen to oyster, scallop, and clam industries in CA, CT, FL, LA, MA, ME, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OR, RI, TX, VA, and WA.