Global Climate Change


Executive Order Signed to Protect California Communities from Wildfires

The order will double the land area actively managed through vegetation thinning, controlled fires, and reforestation from 250,000 acres to 500,000 acres.

EPA Scrapping GHG Emissions Rules for Cars, Light Trucks

He said EPA is beginning a joint process with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop a notice and comment rulemaking to set more appropriate GHG emissions standards and Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. The California Air Resources Board's chair, Mary D. Nichols, issued a statement condemning Pruitt's decision.

State Study of Mohawk River Ice Jams Announced

The study will analyze storm and ice-jam flood mitigation needs in high-risk areas, including Schenectady, N.Y., which experienced ice-jam flooding in February 2018. The study will include recommendations to mitigate future hazards on the Mohawk River and other waterbodies across New York state.

The researchers successfully tested the method at a Colorado well field containing place methane leak sources. (Stephanie Sizemore and Ian Coddington/NIST illustration)

New Method Shown for Detecting Methane Leaks Inexpensively

As described in their paper, the researchers tested this method successfully on a Colorado well field containing placed methane leak sources.

California Officials Preparing for the Next Disasters

The governor and legislative leaders are partnering on solutions this year that will make California more resilient against the impacts of natural disasters and climate change.

Canadian Government Investing in Northwest Territories' Infrastructure

The investments will make a positive difference in communities, such as cleaner air and water, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, sustainable water management, better transportation, and energy security and reduced reliance on diesel.

San Pedro Bay Clean Air Action Plan Meeting Set for March 29

Up to four CAAP stakeholder advisory meetings per year were called for as part of the Clean Air Action Plan Update approved by the Long Beach and Los Angeles ports' boards of harbor commissioners on Nov. 2, 2017; this will be the first advisory meeting.

UK Environment Agency Warns Intense Flooding Becoming More Common

The Environment Agency also has launched its Flood Action Campaign, which targets younger people through social media and online advertising to encourage them to check their flood risk, sign up for free warnings, and be prepared to take action when flooding hits.



WHO, UNEP Collaborating on Environmental Health

It is the most significant formal agreement on joint action about environment and health issues in more than 15 years, according to the partner organizations.

Canada Introduces Revised SmartDriver Program

"This program will help meet the trucking industry's growing demand for safe, fuel-efficient drivers while educating existing operators on improved driving techniques. The real savings come in the form of reduced greenhouse gas emissions, helping meet Canada's domestic and international climate goals," said Jim Carr, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources.

Not only are the tractors expected to have a range of up to 500 miles on a single charge, but they also offer enhanced on-road safety and significantly reduced long-term cost of ownership, according to UPS, which said the tractors

UPS Order Boosts Tesla Truck Prospects

The preorder of Tesla vehicles advances UPS's commitment to reduce its absolute greenhouse gas emissions from global ground operations 12 percent by 2025, the company said, adding that, by 2020, it plans that one in four new vehicles purchased annually will be an alternative fuel or advanced technology vehicle.

Examples of the $1.2 billion in investments to date include electric transit buses and charging stations in the San Joaquin Valley.

CARB Approves Low-Carbon Transportation Plan

The plan allocates $398 million to incentivize clean heavy-duty trucks, buses, and freight projects, including $190 million for advanced-technology freight equipment such as yard trucks, forklifts, and cranes. Most of the money comes from California's cap-and-trade auction proceeds.

Carbon Dioxide Atmospheric Concentration Hits Record

"Without rapid cuts in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, we will be heading for dangerous temperature increases by the end of this century, well above the target set by the Paris climate change agreement," said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. "Future generations will inherit a much more inhospitable planet.

Oil Companies' Climate Group Makes First Investments

OGCI Climate Investments is a billion-dollar investment fund established last year by OGCI to invest in promising technologies and business models that have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions; the fund is building a network of partners and co-investors in key sectors.

GAO Estimates Benefits of Preparing USA for Climate Change

The study estimated coastal property losses from rising seas and more frequent, more intense storms could range from $51 billion to $74 billion per year late in this century.

New UNEP Reports Aid in Coral Reef Protection

"A Guide to Assessing Coral Reef Resilience for Decision Support" will help environmental planners and managers assess, map, and monitor coral reef resilience and use the results to prioritize management actions that support resilience in the face of climate change.

This image shows Arctic sea ice on Sept. 13, 2017, when the ice reached its annual minimum. The yellow line marks the 30-year average minimum sea ice extent from 1981 through 2010. (Credit: NASA

End-of-Summer Arctic Sea Ice Extent Eighth-Lowest on Record

And Antarctica is heading to its maximum yearly sea ice extent, which typically occurs in September or early October. NASA reported this year's maximum extent is likely to be among the five lowest in the satellite record — a continuation of the low extents in 2015 and 2016.

Affected Florida Counties Urged to Accelerate Debris Cleanup

Plans submitted to the department will be posted publicly on its website. All of the plans must include an estimated date of completion, and any county that plans to request reimbursement for debris removal following Irma must submit a plan.

Environmental Impact of Harvey Still Unknown, Expected to be "Dire"

Environmental Impact of Harvey Still Unknown, Expected to be "Dire"

At best, experts said that the long-term environmental health consequences of the storm will be “dire.”

Canada Creates Climate Change Panel of Experts

The panel will support the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, which is Canada's plan to meet its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target, build resilience to the impacts of climate change, and create clean growth and jobs through investments in clean technology, innovation, and infrastructure.