Denmark trials red streetlights to protect wildlife

In a suburb north of Copenhagen, Danish planners are trialling an unconventional approach to street lighting that could reshape how cities worldwide think about illumination at night. Along a stretch of road in Gladsaxe Municipality, conventional white streetlights have been repl

Trump EPA repeals Endangerment Finding, stripping legal bedrock for solar and clean energy

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule Thursday morning formally repealing the 2009 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Endangerment Finding. The move, announced by Administrator Lee Zeldin alongside President Trump in the White House, eliminates the scientific and leg

Obsession with growth is destroying nature, 150 countries warn

More than 150 countries including China, India and European Union members have signed off on a report that warns focusing on unchecked economic growth is contributing to the destruction of global biodiversity. "Unsustainable economic activity and a focus on growth as measured

Global Surge in Climate Finance Investment Reaches $2.4 Trillion in 2024

A new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency and the Climate Policy Initiative found that a global surge in climate finance investment, pushing total investment in the energy transition to a historic US$2.4 trillion in 2024, roughly 20% above the average annual lev

CATL unveils battery with 12-minute charging and 1.5 million mile life

Testing shows the 5C battery retains 80% capacity after thousands of fast charge cycles, even under extreme heat conditions.CATL has unveiled a new fast-charging electric vehicle battery that could reshape how drivers think about charging time and battery life. The announcemen

Court orders restart of all US offshore wind construction

The Trump administration is no fan of renewable energy, but it reserves special ire for wind power. Trump himself has repeatedly made false statements about the cost of wind power, its use around the world, and its environmental impacts. That animosity was paired with an executiv

EIA: 99%+ of new US capacity in 2026 will be solar, wind + storage | Electrek

Solar, wind, and batteries are set to supply virtually all net new US generating capacity in 2026, according to EIA data reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign, continuing their strong 2025 growth. Solar set new records in November In November alone, electrical generation by util

Fossil fuel firms may have to pay for climate damage under proposed UN tax

Fossil fuel companies could be forced to pay some of the price of their damage to the climate, and the ultra-rich subjected to a global wealth tax, if new tax rules are agreed under the UN. Negotiations on a planned global tax treaty will resume at the UN headquarters in New Y

China debuts world-first supercritical CO2 generator to boost steel plant heat recovery

The China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) claimed the world’s first commercial supercritical carbon dioxide power generator has been connected to the grid. CNNC says that the system uses carbon dioxide in place of steam to transfer heat. It has been placed in a steel product

Agrivoltaics can help lettuce survive extreme heat

Scientists have grown organic romaine lettuce under 13 different types of PV modules, in an unusual hot Canadian summer. Their analysis showed lettuce yields increased by over 400% compared to unshaded control plants. ... “Lettuce yields increased by over 400% compared to u

In 2017, U.S. grid storage developers promised they could deliver 35 gigawatts by 2025. They beat their target and made batteries a key power-sector player.

That goal sounded improbable even to some who believed that storage was on a growth trajectory. A smattering of independent developers and utilities had managed to install just 500 megawatts of batteries nationwide, equivalent to one good-size gas-fired power plant. Building 35 g

Data Centers Are Driving a US Gas Boom

Gas projects in the US pipeline explicitly linked to data centers increased by almost 25 times over the past two years, according to new research from Global Energy Monitor.Data centers have helped to nearly triple the demand for gas-fired power in the US over the past two years.

EU invests €650 million in cross-border hydrogen and electricity infrastructure projects

Spain is the EU member state receiving the most funding for cross-border electricity projects, while Germany is emerging as the frontrunner in hydrogen initiatives. Meanwhile, the European Commission is expected to launch its next call for proposals on energy infrastructure betwe

Svalbard’s polar bears are showing remarkable resilience to climate change

Researchers took more than 1,000 body measurements from 770 polar bears over 24 years around Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Barents Sea—an area that has seen an especially acute decline in sea ice over the decades. By 2019, the region’s annual sea ice season shriveled t

Electric car sales edge above petrol in EU for first time

Sales of fully ​electric cars surpassed those of petrol-only vehicles in the European Union for the first time in December, data from ‌the auto industry group ACEA showed on Tuesday, even as hybrids held onto the largest overall share of the market. The data underscores how th

Drowning lands and hungry tigers in the Sundarbans

Rising seas are eating away at the Sundarbans – and pushing its tigers ever closer to human settlements

Renewable energy Australia: Powers 50% of grid for first time, slashing electricity prices

Electricity prices in eastern Australia fell sharply in the final three months of last year as record-breaking contributions from renewable energy and large-scale batteries reduced the need to call on fossil fuels to plug supply gaps. Figures from the energy market operator, to

Deforestation is drying out the Amazon rainforest faster than previously thought

A new study published in the journal Nature reveals that deforestation is drying out the Amazon rainforest faster than previously thought. The study found that the southern Amazon, where most logging occurs, is experiencing an annual decline of 8% to 11% in precipitation, with between 52% and 72% of this drying directly linked to deforestation. The research team emphasizes that protecting the trees is crucial to mitigating the impact of deforestation on rainfall and preventing major Amazon dieback.

North Sea nations vow to boost wind power for energy independence

This article discusses how northern European nations are pledging to boost wind power in the North Sea to achieve greater energy independence from foreign suppliers. The nations aim to build up an additional 100 gigawatts of wind turbines through joint offshore wind projects. The agreement is seen as a clear signal to Russia and a step towards climate neutrality. The move is also driven by concerns over Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the need for energy security.

One of the world's largest solar projects is headed for California's Central Valley

On the Tibetan plateau, China has installed a 16-17 GW mega solar plant that is turning an alpine desert into a “micro-oasis”: more moisture, more grass, and soils with more carbon under 64 km² of panels

This article explores how China's 16-17 GW mega solar plant on the Tibetan Plateau is transforming an alpine desert into a 'micro-oasis' with increased moisture, grass, and carbon-rich soils. The solar park, one of the largest in the world, has led to improved vegetation, richer bacterial and archaeal communities, higher soil moisture, and slightly more humid air within the solar panels. The study highlights the potential of solar farms to contribute to carbon sequestration and mitigate desertification, but also emphasizes the need for careful management of water and land resources.

Scientists Think We Could Slow Climate Change by Sinking Trees in the Arctic Ocean

Scientists propose a bold strategy to slow climate change by sinking boreal trees in the Arctic Ocean, which could lock away carbon for millennia. However, this method comes with risks, including potential negative impacts on soil quality, biodiversity, and increased emissions from deforestation and transportation. The study suggests that major river systems in Russia, Alaska, and Canada could be used for transporting timber to the Arctic Ocean, but careful evaluation of land ownership, infrastructure, and other factors is necessary.

More Bad News: A “Small Geyser” of Poop Water Is Flooding Into the Potomac River - Washingtonian

A sewer line collapse in the DC area has led to an estimated 40 million gallons of untreated sewage spilling into the Potomac River daily. The spill has resulted in bacteria levels 60 times higher than safe limits for human contact, raising concerns about the river's health and the potential long-term effects of the sewage in the water.

‘Shameful’: Trump’s EPA accused of prioritizing big business over public health | Environment | The Guardian

A year into Trump’s second term, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been accused of prioritizing big business over public health, rolling back dozens of environmental protections and giving a leg up to polluters. Critics say the EPA is removing its own ability to act on the climate crisis and has assigned a monetary value of zero to human lives when setting air pollution regulations. The agency has initiated 66 environmental rollbacks in the first year, including paring back limits on pollutants and cancelling grants for renewables. The EPA’s transformation threatens to erode much of the progress made since the agency’s foundation.

Germany to back Africa’s richest country with €720m to move away from coal

Germany is negotiating additional climate financing of €720 million to South Africa under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). The JETP aims to facilitate South Africa's transition away from coal towards renewable energy solutions. This potential funding increase woul

Global population living with extreme heat to double by 2050 | University of Oxford

A new University of Oxford study finds that almost half of the global population (3.79 billion) will be living with extreme heat by 2050 if the world reaches 2.0°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels – a scenario that climate scientists see as increasingly likely. M