Lagos State, which includes Nigeria’s most populous city of 15.4 million, has announced a ban on single-use plastics and styrofoam in order to reduce the plastic pollution that chokes the region. The ban would be immediate, according to a statement from the state government, but enforcement and implementation would not be so straightforward, environmental experts […]
A new study has found that much of the land needed to preserve biodiversity and maintain well-being for humans is lacking protections that would prevent development. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that about half of all land on Earth needs sustainable management to protect over 26,000 terrestrial vertebrate species. Further, the […]
Greenhouse gas emissions in the United States fell by 1.9 percent in 2023 — the lowest level since 1969 — mostly due to less coal power generation, according to preliminary estimates released by independent research firm the Rhodium Group. Following two years of increasing emissions, and with the country’s economy expanding by 2.4 percent, emissions […]
Norway’s parliament voted Tuesday for a bill to allow deep-sea mining in the Arctic waters of the Norwegian Sea. The government has said it plans to move forward with mining of the seabed for minerals sustainably, requiring environmental studies before approving licenses. However, environmentalists have said this practice cannot be done without harming marine life. […]
In 2023, 55 percent of Germany’s power came from renewables — an increase of 6.6 percent, according to energy regulator Bundesnetzagentur, reported Reuters. Europe’s biggest national economy has a goal of 80 percent green energy by 2030. The country plans to get rid of most of its coal, has already ceased relying on nuclear power […]
Colorado has suspended applications for its e-bike rebate program — at least temporarily. The reason? The program was incredibly popular, so much so that it ran out of its initial funding ahead of schedule. The program started in August 2023, and interested customers could submit an application for a lottery selection for the rebates. As […]
On Friday, Indonesia said palm oil companies operating inside forested areas would be fined a total of $310 million, reported Reuters. Indonesia and Malaysia are responsible for most of the world’s palm oil production — 85 percent — a major driver of deforestation, the Yale Center for Business and the Environment said. Deforestation accounts for […]
The Amazon is the largest tropical rainforest in the world. Spanning eight countries, it has been called the “lungs of the planet” for its vital service of converting enormous amounts of carbon dioxide into oxygen. Now, Brazilian lawmakers have approved a bill to allow conservation funds to be used to pave a highway — BR-319 […]
The United States Supreme Court agreed on Wednesday to hear oral arguments in a case looking to stop the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing a federal regulation — the “Good Neighbor” Rule — that protects people in states downwind from industrial and coal plant pollution that drifts across state lines, a press release […]