For years, corn-based ethanol has been mixed with the gasoline sold at gas stations across the U.S., but a recently published study has found that its carbon intensity is “likely at least 24% higher” than gas, Roadshow by CNET reported. The study, “Environmental Outcomes of the US Renewable Fuel Standard,” was published by the journal […]
The Norwegian parliament voted this week to make Norway the world’s first country to bar its biofuel industry from importing deforestation-linked palm oil starting in 2020, The Independent reported. Environmentalists celebrated the move as a victory for rainforests, the climate and endangered species such as orangutans that have lost their habitats due to palm oil […]
The following is a joint statement from Global Justice Ecology Project, Indigenous Environmental Network, Rural Coalition, Biofuelwatch and Canadian Biotechnology Action Network. In an apparent effort to allay serious public and scientific concerns about contamination threats from genetically engineered (GE) trees, on Aug. 3 researchers at Oregon State University claimed they had genetically engineered sterility […]
By Hans Nicholas Jong Banning palm oil in favor of other vegetable oils deemed less destructive to the environment could lead to greater biodiversity losses, a new report says. The report by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) comes amid mounting debate about the use of palm oil, with the European Union […]
On Friday, the 170+ nations in the International Maritime Organization set the first-ever emissions target for the shipping industry and agreed to halve CO2 emissions by 2050, based on 2008 levels. The unprecedented deal was welcomed by activists as a first step towards meeting the Paris agreement targets. The IMO nations also began a process […]
By Edward Barbier and Terry Iverson President Donald Trump‘s decision to impose punitive duties on imported solar panels and related equipment is rankling most of the industry. This was the final step of a process that began when two U.S. subsidiaries of foreign solar panel makers filed a rarely used kind of trade complaint with […]
By Paul Brown Heating homes and offices without adding to the dangers of climate change is a major challenge for many cities, but re-imagined district heating is now offering an answer. A district heating scheme is a network of insulated pipes used to deliver heat, in the form of hot water or steam, from where […]
By Jennifer Weeks Much news about the environment in 2017 focused on controversies over Trump administration actions, such as proposals to promote more use of coal and budget cuts at relevant federal agencies. At the same time, however, many scholars across the U.S. are pursuing innovations that could help create a more sustainable world. Here […]
By Pierre Delforge Reducing pollution from direct use of fossil fuels in buildings—such as burning natural gas, propane, and fuel oil in furnaces and water heaters—is critical to helping us stave off dangerous climate change and cut harmful pollution. So finds a groundbreaking new NRDC report. It lays out a bold yet achievable strategy for […]