Yale Environment 360

Progress on Africa's 'Great Green Wall' Stalls as Seedlings Die Off

African nations have made little progress on the "Great Green Wall," a 5,000-mile-long band of trees aimed at halting the advance of the Sahara Desert.

Even where communities are planting new trees, few seedlings actually survive, new research shows.

In a Global First, Renewables Overtake Coal

For the first time, renewables are generating more power globally than coal.

But in the U.S., where the Trump administration is dismantling support for clean energy, renewables are expected to grow half as fast as previously thought.

This Data Scientist Sees Progress in the Climate Change Fight Countries are falling short on reducing emissions, but British data scientist Hannah Ritchie looks at the numbers and sees the world making real gains on climate change. In an interview, she talks abo...

While the headlines paint a dismal picture of efforts to rein in warming, the numbers often tell a different story.

In an interview, data scientist Hannah Ritchie talks about where she sees the world gaining ground in the climate fight.

Nigeria, a Major Oil Producer, Sees Solar Boom

In Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer, solar power is taking off in rural areas as the cost of running diesel generators soars.

In Her Final Interview, Jane Goodall Issues Urgent Call to Protect the Planet

In her last interview before she died, Jane Goodall issued an urgent call to safeguard the Earth, warning that "humans are not exempt from extinction.”

As Hurricanes Stir Up Coastal Waters, North Carolina Homes Collapse Into the Sea

Five homes on North Carolina's Outer Banks collapsed into the sea Tuesday, as Atlantic hurricanes stirred up coastal waters.

The Outer Banks have seen 17 seaside homes destroyed since 2020.

As Floods Worsen, Pakistan Is the Epicenter of Climate Change This season’s intense monsoon rains caused flooding that killed hundreds and displaced millions of people in Pakistan — an increasingly frequent occurrence. Scientists who study extreme weather warn t...

Summer floods in Pakistan have killed a thousand people and displaced millions more.

As warming supercharges monsoon rains, scientists say that Pakistan is more vulnerable to climate change than any other nation.

Sea Life Thrives on Sunken Ships and Discarded Bombs from World Wars

Sea life is thriving on sunken ships and unexploded bombs that were discarded after World War I and II, new research finds.

Children Exposed to Plastic Face Lifetime Health Risks, Research Finds

A review of hundreds of studies finds that plastic additives pose a serious threat to children, raising the risk of disability and disease long into adulthood.

Plastics are associated with heart disease, obesity, asthma, and autism, among other issues.

Heat Stress Is a Major Driver of India’s Kidney Disease Epidemic Cases of chronic kidney disease unrelated to pre-existing conditions are on the rise in India and other tropical nations. As climate change raises temperatures and humidity, the disease is increasingl...

In a warming India, cases of chronic kidney disease are on the rise among otherwise healthy people.

The disease is particularly prevalent in outdoor workers who lack access to water, shade, or rest.

More Americans Working in Clean Energy Than as Servers or Cashiers

Clean energy jobs grew three times faster than the rest of the economy last year.

But growth slowed markedly compared to the previous year as clean tech firms braced for a shift in U.S. energy policy.

It’s a 'Golden Age' for U.S. LNG Industry, But Climate Risks Loom Under the Trump administration’s policies, new liquefied natural gas terminals are moving ahead, with exports of LNG expected to double by 2030. But as the U.S. pressures trade partners to buy more fo...

Under Trump, new liquefied natural gas terminals are moving ahead, with exports expected to double by 2030.

But as the U.S. pressures trade partners to buy more natural gas, analysts warn of the looming risks of an LNG boom.

Utilities Are Building Remote Grids Where Power Lines Can’t Reach

Extending power lines to reach far-flung customers can be costly and a fire hazard, so some utilities are building remote grids using solar and batteries. via @canarymedia.com

As Ice Melts, a New Island Emerges in Alaska

The retreat of the Alsek Glacier in Alaska has created a new island.

U.S. Spending Bill to Grant $40 Billion in Fossil Fuel Subsidies

A report finds the Republican spending bill will grant $40 billion in new subsidies to the oil and gas industry over the next decade. via @wired.com

How Climate Risks Are Putting Home Insurance Out of Reach After years underestimating the risks posed by climate-fueled disasters, the U.S. home insurance industry is in turmoil. In vulnerable areas, rising insurance costs are upending housing markets and co...

Explosive hurricanes and searing wildfires are pushing U.S. insurers to the limit, upending housing markets, and even reshaping the makeup of some communities.

Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Gil Gaul reports:

A Pollution Paradox: Western Wildfires Improve Air Quality on the East Coast

Western wildfires have produced massive plumes of smoke that clouded eastern skies.

But a new study finds that heat from fires is also reshaping weather in ways that are curbing pollution on the East Coast.

In a new interview, journalist Saabira Chaudhuri explains how the plastics industry persuaded consumers to embrace disposability — no matter the costs.

Some U.S. stores are selling illicit meat from endangered sharks under false labels, an investigation finds.

Equipped with cheap Chinese solar panels, many developing countries are leapfrogging the U.S. in the shift to clean energy.

Freeing Captive Bears from Armenia’s Backyards and Basements Ahead of a major biodiversity summit set for Armenia, the country has pledged to crack down on the practice of keeping wild bears in captivity. Rescuers are removing Syrian brown bears from hellish co...

Ahead of a major biodiversity summit set for Armenia, the country is cracking down on the practice of keeping wild bears in captivity.

Rescuers are freeing Syrian brown bears from hellish conditions and bringing them to a rehab center.

Warming Made Hot, Dry Weather That Fueled Iberian Wildfires 40 Times More Likely

Warming made the hot, dry weather that gave rise to recent wildfires in Portugal and Spain 40 times more likely.

Global Solar Installations Up 64 Percent So Far This Year

Even as the U.S. guts support for renewables, the world is still pushing ahead on solar, with installations up 64 percent in the first half of this year.

In Indonesia’s Rainforest, A Mega-farm Project Is Plowing Ahead The Indonesian government is fast-tracking a massive agricultural project that is turning 7 million acres of tropical forest into rice and sugarcane farms. Critics say it is the world’s largest defore...

Indonesia is fast-tracking a plan to turn 7 million acres of rainforest and wetland into rice and sugarcane plantations.

Critics say it is the largest deforestation project on Earth and will upend the lives of thousands of Indigenous people.

In Yellowstone, Restored Bison Replenish Grasslands

The restoration of bison to the Yellowstone region has had a remarkable impact on grasslands, a new study finds.

How the Next Pandemic Could Emerge from an Aardvark Burrow

Animals from aardvarks to bats to monkeys rub shoulders in underground burrows, creating troubling opportunities for diseases to jump species. via @biographic.bsky.social

The Best Wildlife Photography of the Year

Every year the Natural History Museum in London honors the best wildlife photography from around the world.

See a selection of this year's finalists.

Map Reveals Toxic Pollution Leaking from U.S. Drilling Sites

U.S. drilling sites aren't just leaking methane, but also a host of toxic chemicals that threaten the health of those living nearby.

A new interactive map shows the impact of hundreds of major leaks.

Hundreds of mega-farms with tens of thousands of pigs are befouling the air and water in the Yucatan.

“Slaughter-land” — the First-Place Winner of the 2025 Yale Environment 360 Film Contest — shows how the industry endangers Mayan communities: bit.ly/4fUopT9

Wildfires Burning Less Land but Threatening More People

Over the last 20 years, the area burned by wildfires globally has dropped. But paradoxically, the number of people exposed to fires has risen dramatically.