Pollution

‘Landmark’ Global Shipping Agreement Reached After Nearly 10 Years of Talks

‘Landmark’ Global Shipping Agreement Reached After Nearly 10 Years of Talks

After nearly a decade of negotiations, nations have come to a “landmark” global shipping agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The new International Maritime Organization (IMO) Framework introduced a carbon pricing mechanism that will require ships with high emissions to pay for the excess pollution they release, reported UN News. It also sets mandatory fuel […]

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    ‘Illegal and Unconstitutional’: Trump Signs Executive Order to Block Enforcement of State Climate Laws

    ‘Illegal and Unconstitutional’: Trump Signs Executive Order to Block Enforcement of State Climate Laws

    President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued another executive order, this time with the purpose of stopping the enforcement of state climate laws. The order, “Protecting American Energy From State Overreach,” directs the United States attorney general to identify and take action to block state laws addressing climate change, fossil fuel emissions and Environmental, Social, and […]

    Snow in Rocky Mountains Found to Be Contaminated With Metals

    Snow in Rocky Mountains Found to Be Contaminated With Metals

    A team of researchers from the Desert Research Institute, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the University of Nevada, Reno and Portland State University has discovered contamination in the snow across the Rocky Mountains. The researchers analyzed seasonal snowpack samples from 2018 that were collected across 49 sites around the Rocky Mountains to determine levels of metals […]

    Maryland Sues Gore-Tex for Polluting State’s Waters With PFAS

    Maryland Sues Gore-Tex for Polluting State’s Waters With PFAS

    The State of Maryland is suing the makers of Gore-Tex waterproof clothing for polluting the drinking water of residents living around the company’s rural Maryland facilities with toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) “forever chemicals.” The WL Gore and Associates facilities, located roughly 90 miles from Baltimore, have been polluting residents’ water with PFAS levels […]

    Researchers Find Lead, Plastic Additives and Other Contaminants in Hedgehogs 

    Researchers Find Lead, Plastic Additives and Other Contaminants in Hedgehogs 

    In a new study, researchers have found a wide range of pollutants in Western European hedgehogs, including heavy metals, plastic additives and more. The researchers from Lund University in Sweden were exploring the levels of heavy metals found in hedgehogs in southern Sweden, following previous research that revealed heavy metal pollution in hedgehogs in urban […]

    New Scorecard Ranks Food Packaging Options by Sustainability

    New Scorecard Ranks Food Packaging Options by Sustainability

    A newly launched guide, called the UP Scorecard, helps consumers and companies identify more sustainable packaging options.  The scorecard tool ranks food packaging based on six main sustainability factors, including water use required for manufacturing, recoverability, chemicals used in manufacturing, plastic pollution, sourcing and climate impacts. “With the launch of the UP Scorecard, businesses and […]

    ‘Fossil Fuels Are Killing Us’: Major Study Details How Fossil Fuels Are Driving Climate, Health and Biodiversity Crises

    ‘Fossil Fuels Are Killing Us’: Major Study Details How Fossil Fuels Are Driving Climate, Health and Biodiversity Crises

    In a new review published in the journal Oxford Open Climate Change, scientists have issued an urgent warning that the fossil fuel industry and its products are driving intertwined crises threatening humans, wildlife and our shared future on this planet. The collaborative review by scientists from the Center for Biological Diversity and several universities synthesizes […]

    NYC Gas Ban for New Buildings Upheld by Federal Judge

    NYC Gas Ban for New Buildings Upheld by Federal Judge

    In New York City, a ban on natural gas in new buildings has been upheld in federal court, the first case to go against a previous, similar ban in Berkeley, California that was struck down in court. New York City first adopted a phaseout of fossil fuels in new buildings in 2021, while the state […]