The Problematic Chemicals Fueling America’s EV Revolution
This investigation was reported in collaboration with The Examination, The Post and Courier, Columbia Journalism Investigations, and RTBF, and co-published in partnership with Mother Jones. Propulsion without the need for petroleum: That’s the lithium-ion battery’s promise. Backed by government incentives across the globe, lithium-ion batteries are hailed as key to a green transportation revolution—and for…
Plastics Makers Tout “a World Without Waste.” But what Does That Mean?
Plastic bottles packed together in a recycling plant.Imago via ZUMA Press This story was originally published by Grist and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. In the time it takes you to read this sentence—say, four seconds—the world produces nearly 60 metric tons of plastic, almost entirely out of fossil fuels. That’s about 53,000 metric tons…
“Things Are Moving So Quickly” as Scientists Study This “Very Scary” Climate Strategy
This story was originally published by Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. In 2006, a group of preeminent scientists met for a two-day conference at the NASA Ames Research Center in California to discuss cooling the Earth by injecting particles into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight into space. At some point,…
Big Tech’s Energy Needs Are Growing So Fast That Power Grids Can’t Keep Up
Zuma Press This story was originally published by Wired and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Big Tech’s appetite for energy is just about visible from the east coast of Scotland. Some 12 miles out to sea sits a wind farm, where each of the 60 giant turbines has blades roughly the length of an…
Right-Wing Campaign Urges Supreme Court to Protect Fossil Fuel Interests
The Chevron refinery in El Segundo, California.Genaro Molina/TNS/Zuma This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Far-right fossil fuel allies have launched a stunning and unprecedented campaign pressuring the Supreme Court to shield fossil fuel companies from litigation that could cost them billions of dollars. Some of the groups behind…
A Bill Would Let Miners Dump Waste on Federal Lands Where They Have No Claim
The Rosemont Copper Company operates in the Santa Rita mountains, located in southeast Arizona.Esther Frances/Inside Climate News This story was originally published by Inside Climate News and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. After the House of Representatives passed legislation that would allow mining companies more legal rights to federal lands by a bipartisan vote of…