Fracking Hits Milestone as Natural Gas Use Rises in U.S.
More natural gas in the U.S. is coming from wells that have been hydraulically fractured than ever before, and fracking’s share of the country’s gas supply is continuing to rise, according to new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. At the same time, the fracking boom in the U.S. has led to a major boost in natural gas consumption… Read More
White House: Climate Change Poses Urgent Health Risk
Climate change is a major threat to human health, with extreme heat likely to kill 27,000 Americans annually by 2100, according to a report released Monday by the White House. The report, by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, outlines numerous ways global warming could devastate public health in the U.S. this century. Global warming will… Read More
Meltdown: More Rain, Less Snow as the World Warms
As the world warms, the meaning of winter is changing. In the U.S., a greater percentage of winter precipitation is falling as rain, with potentially severe consequences in western states where industries and cities depend on snowpack for water, and across the country wherever there is a winter sports economy. A Climate Central analysis of 65 … Read More
The Human Fingerprints on Coastal Floods
There are human fingerprints on thousands of U.S. coastal floods — and countless more the world over. We have known for a long time that sea level is rising. The link to global warming has been both intuitive and evident. Temperatures rise, and satellites watch glaciers and ice sheets shrink; networks of robotic buoys sample ocean waters as they … Read More
Human Impact Has Pushed Earth Into the Anthropocene
There is now compelling evidence to show that humanity’s impact on the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and wildlife has pushed the world into a new geological epoch, according to a group of scientists. The question of whether humans’ combined environmental impact has tipped the planet into an “Anthropocene” – ending the current Holocene which began… Read More
2016: What to Look for in Energy and Climate
2016 will kick off with a sense of optimism about climate change after the success of the Paris climate talks in December. In the U.S., that may mean more enthusiasm for commitments to renewables and other lower-carbon energy sources as low oil prices make the future of fossil fuels production in the U.S. and Canada less certain.… Read More
States At Risk: America’s Preparedness Report Card
For over a century weather events have become more extreme, turning normal fluctuations into long-term climate trends. Today, heavy rains increasingly pound northeastern states, the southwest is in a long term drying pattern, the western wildfire season is 60 days longer, rising seas compound damaging coastal storms, and the Southeast and Gulf … Read More
American Icons Threatened by Sea Level Rise: In Pictures
Long-term sea level rise set in motion by near-term carbon emissions threatens major American icons. Here we present paired images showing how the Pentagon, the Wall Street Bull, and the Googleplex — symbols of American military, economic, and technological might — could fare under scenarios of business as usual vs. a sharp transition to clean … Read More
