Climate Change

Ayyad Mohmmed Ali works on his farm where he grows date palm trees and vegetables, Iraq.

This startup is fighting to keep Iraq’s palm trees alive

Decades of war, mismanagement and the impact of climate change have taken a toll on Iraq’s iconic palm trees. One group is trying to help change that.

This startup is fighting to keep Iraq’s palm trees alive
Barnacle geese have developed new migration routes and breeding grounds amid warming global temperatures. 

Animal species are evolving to adjust to climate change, but scientists say time is running out

Animal species are evolving to adjust to climate change, but scientists say time is running out
Yellow sign on beach warning people to stay out of water because of pollutants, in Tijuana River Valley

Pollution from Tijuana River contaminates marine border areas

Pollution from Tijuana River contaminates marine border areas
portrait of Zafer Kizilkaya in front of a waterfront

'Nobody believed us:' Turkish conservationist wins Goldman Prize for expanding marine-protected areas

'Nobody believed us:' Turkish conservationist wins Goldman Prize for expanding marine-protected areas
Left to right: Smoke from a wildfire over the Athens sky; a woman walks in a village during a period of drought; students hold up a banners; the Atlantic forest in Brazil.

VIDEO: 'The Big Fix' explores climate change solutions around the globe

VIDEO: 'The Big Fix' explores climate change solutions around the globe
scientists on lake

Geologists edge closer to defining the Anthropocene

The Anthropocene Working Group is voting on a so-called Golden Spike, a sedimentary layer somewhere on Earth that best exemplifies the global impact of humans on planet Earth. It's the last, big task in formally defining the Anthropocene, which is being proposed as a new age in geologic time.

Geologists edge closer to defining the Anthropocene
A lab worker removes crane hoist from a load of rebar used to construct full-scale buildings and bridge spans that are then pushed to the limit in field tests.

This ‘earthquake lab’ is designing buildings to withstand natural disasters

At Spain’s Institute of Science and Concrete Technology, engineers are trying to find ways to keep buildings and bridges from falling down. The lab is getting attention after the deadly earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria in February.

This ‘earthquake lab’ is designing buildings to withstand natural disasters
Lake Palcacocha is located in Peru's Ancash region, at 15,000 feet above sea level.

'We are worried': Melting glaciers lead to dangerous overflow in this Peruvian lake

As ice sheets from glaciers melt, dozens of lakes around the world risk overflowing, causing potentially deadly avalanches and flooding in nearby towns and villages. In Huaraz, Peru, residents hope to find ways to prevent Lake Palcacocha from overflowing again — before it's too late.

'We are worried': Melting glaciers lead to dangerous overflow in this Peruvian lake
Guyana faces risks from climate change that include rising sea levels that could eventually submerge the capital Georgetown.

Guyana’s discovery of oil reserves has the nation split between boosting the economy and preserving the environment

Guyana is hoping that newly discovered offshore crude reserves can help transform the country's economy and offset its ongoing poverty crisis. But some people are concerned about what this may mean for the environment.

Guyana’s discovery of oil reserves has the nation split between boosting the economy and preserving the environment
The salt-makers in Mexico are preserving an ancestral tradition of artisanal salt that goes back 2,000 years.

The last of Mexico’s artisanal salt-makers preserve a 2,000-year-old tradition

A handful of salt-makers in Mexico are preserving an ancestral tradition of artisanal salt that goes back 2,000 years. It's a dying art form and many fear for its future amid climate change and migration.

The last of Mexico’s artisanal salt-makers preserve a 2,000-year-old tradition
Felled trees on Karipuna territory in the Amazonian state of Rondônia.

Lula empowers Brazil's Indigenous peoples with their own ministry. But environmental protection remains a key concern.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has made good on a series of campaign promises to defend the Amazon and empower Indigenous peoples. He already signed an executive order to relaunch a billion-dollar Amazon fund, where foreign governments can contribute to forest protection, among six other orders.

Lula empowers Brazil's Indigenous peoples with their own ministry. But environmental protection remains a key concern.
firefighters in a line

The world kept warming in 2022. Is the 1.5-degree Celsius target within reach?

Limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is the most-repeated goal in the fight against climate change. But as each new year is among recorded history’s hottest, is it still a viable one? 

The world kept warming in 2022. Is the 1.5-degree Celsius target within reach?
Large icebergs float away as the sun rises near Kulusuk, Greenland, Aug. 16, 2019.

Arctic alternatives: Part II

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Arctic Council has been on hiatus. This week's Critical State, a foreign policy newsletter by Inkstick Media, takes a deep dive into the history of the council as a model of international cooperation.

Arctic alternatives: Part II
Faina Butau prepares sorghum for grinding.

Zimbabwe's farmers turn to drought-resistant grains as maize falters in drier regions

Zimbabwe has had to import maize, a staple food, for the past several years. Experts blame droughts and erratic rainfall resulting from climate change. The government is now urging farmers to grow more small grains like sorghum and millet, which are more drought-resistant.

Zimbabwe's farmers turn to drought-resistant grains as maize falters in drier regions
Bees look for water on an outdoor tap in Berlin, Germany during a hot spell, June 19, 2022.

Bees face many challenges — and climate change is ratcheting up the pressure

Honey bees, wild and native bees face threats from parasites, pesticides and habitat loss. Shorter winters, more extreme weather and more habitat destruction won’t help.

Bees face many challenges — and climate change is ratcheting up the pressure