Here’s What Climate Change Is Doing to the West
A wildfire burns in Medford, Ore.Usfs/Planet Pix/Zuma This story was originally published by High Country News and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. The complexity of climate change means it’s hard to trace simple lines from cause to effect in daily life, much less plan for the future. That’s one reason the federal government updates its…
Guess Which Country Was AWOL at the UN Climate Conference?
Andy Kroll A door. That, more or less, is the extent of the United States government’s public presence at the 23rd United Nations climate change conference, hosted this year in Bonn, Germany. During the Obama years, the US dispatched scores of delegates to Copenhagen, Marrakech, Doha, and Lima for climate negotiations. They represented the country’s…
The Republican Tax Plan Is an Assault on Renewable Energy
Solar energy companies don’t fare much better. The House GOP plan would also repeal the Investment Tax Credit for big solar projects that start construction after 2027. House Republicans also propose eliminating the $7,500 credit for electric vehicle purchases, which analysts say “could cripple the emerging EV market.” Along with the proposed changed to the…
10 Great Things That Trump Has Given America in the Last Year
fotojog/Getty One year ago today, Donald Trump—once just a New York billionaire famous for his orange complexion and “firing” wannabe celebrities on reality television—was elected to be the 45th president of this great land. In his first year, a lot has happened, to put it mildly. Here at Mother Jones we’ve spent a lot of time covering all…
Add Cargo Shipping to the List of Industries Contributing to Global Warming
Magaiza/Getty This story was originally published by Grist and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. The platform overlooking the Panama Canal’s Pacific exit is buzzing with energy on a muggy October afternoon. Tourists cram together, jostling for the best views of the blue container ship gliding by in the gray-green water below. The ship’s crewmembers wave…
He Was a Professional Climate Denier. Then He Switched Sides.
Christopher Dilts/Sipa US/AP The overwhelming majority of scientists as well as most Americans agree that climate change is occurring and it’s mostly caused by human activity. But for climate skeptics, the consensus means nothing. Though global warming deniers may be in the minority, they often have an outsize influence on government officials who are invested in…