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A man photographing a landscape in Brazil, where environmental journalism is under pressure. Cesar Okada / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Journalists Reporting on the Environment Faced Increased Dangers in 2018

By Kaamil Ahmed

A pair of "French spies" had infiltrated India by sea to commit a "treasonous conspiracy," an Indian minister claimed in late November. In reality, they were two visiting journalists, and their mission was an investigation into allegations of illegal sand mining in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. They had merely tried and failed to visit the site of a major mining company through legal means.

Their presence set off alarm bells among some connected to the industry, and the fallout has been significant. It's included a police investigation, a politically fueled propaganda campaign and the arrests of two local translators who had been working for them.

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Renewable Energy
The Walney offshore windfarm. David Dixon / CC BY-SA 2.0

Britain Achieves the 'Unthinkable' as Renewables Leapfrog Fossil Fuel Capacity

Britain's electricity grid hit a "major milestone," as its total renewable electricity capacity leapfrogged fossil fuels for the first time, experts revealed Tuesday.

The total available capacity from wind, solar, biomass, hydro and other renewables reached a record 42 gigawatts between July and September, overtaking the 40.6 gigawatts available from fossil fuels, according to a report commissioned by Drax's Electric Insights and produced by Imperial College London researchers.

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Animals
Terry Whittaker / WWF

83% Decline of Freshwater Animals Underscores Need to Protect and Restore Freshwaters

This year's Living Planet Report shows that populations of animals—including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians—plummeted by 60 percent between 1970 and 2014. But those living in freshwater are experiencing a far more drastic decline: 83% since 1970. It's a sobering statistic and one tied directly to the ever-increasing pressures that people are putting on natural habitats.

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Renewable Energy
The Centralia Power Plant in Washington state. Robert Ashworth / CC BY 2.0

Major Coal-Fired Power Plant in Washington to Go Solar

By Starre Vartan

It was once Washington state's largest coal pit, a terraced, open-to-the-sky strip mine, five miles from the city of Centralia and halfway between Seattle and Portland, Oregon. Today, the coal beds are quiet and blanketed in green, but an adjacent TransAlta power plant with three tall stacks still churns out electricity the traditional way, with coal now supplied from Wyoming.

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Energy
Workers installing solar panels on a barn roof. 10 10 / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

2017 Was a Record Breaking Year for Renewables, But More Needs to Be Done to Meet Paris Goals

2017 broke the record for increased renewable energy capacity, Reuters reported Sunday. But it still isn't enough to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in line with the goals of the Paris agreement.

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Puntarenas, Costa Rica. kansasphoto/ Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Costa Rica President Announces 'Titanic and Beautiful Task' of Abolishing Fossil Fuels

Carlos Alvarado, the new president of Costa Rica, announced the country's "titanic and beautiful task of abolishing the use of fossil fuels in our economy to make way for the use of clean and renewable energies."

He made the remarks at his inauguration speech Wednesday in front of a crowd of thousands, the Independent reported.

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Renewable Energy
Heavy seas engulf the Block Island Wind Farm—the first U.S. offshore wind farm. Dennis Schroeder / National Renewable Energy Lab / Flickr

Wind Energy’s Swift Growth, Explained

By John Hall

The wind industry is growing quickly around the world, especially in China and the U.S., where the total amount of electricity generated by wind turbines nearly doubled between 2011 and 2017.

All told, about 25 percent of global electricity now comes from renewable sources like hydropower, wind and solar energy.

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Cassidy Kelley / Unsplash

14 New Books About Lions, Climate Change, Green Living and Indigenous Rights

By John R. Platt

April, goes the old saying, is the cruelest month, so perhaps it should be no surprise that one of the most anticipated books being published this month is about the infamous death-by-dentist of Cecil the lion. But that's not all, and the rest isn't necessarily cruel—April will also see the publication of fantastic new books about living a zero-waste lifestyle, taking back our public lands, how fossil fuels hurt indigenous peoples and a whole lot more.

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Renewable Energy
Wind turbines in Portugal on Jan. 25, 2018. Nemo's great uncle / Flickr

Mainland Portugal Generated More Renewable Energy Than It Needed in March

Renewable energy sources made up 103.6 percent of mainland Portugal's electricity use this March, according to industry information released Tuesday and reported by Reuters.

Portugal has been a leader in renewable energy since before 2016, when it broke records for running on renewable sources for 107 hours straight.

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