Obama Plays Defense On Climate Change Ahead Of Alaska Trip
President Obama pushed back against what some see as the irony of him expanding oil exploration while talking up climate change.
Arctic
Science Confirms 2014 Was Hottest Yet Recorded, On Land And Sea
The international report card is out and confirms the hottest average on record — for a third time in 15 years. More than 400 scientists contributed data, finding a spike in sea and air temperatures.
As The Arctic Opens Up, The U.S. Is Down To A Single Icebreaker
Melting ice means more of the Arctic is accessible to exploration and shipping, and countries are racing to establish a presence. But they still need heavy icebreakers, and the U.S. is falling behind.
U.S. Gives Conditional OK To Shell Oil For Drilling Off Alaska's Arctic Shore
The company wants to resume drilling in the Chukchi Sea off northwestern Alaska; it broke off that effort in 2012 because of safety problems.
Navy Funds A Small Robot Army To Study The Arctic
The U.S. Navy has completed the largest robotic survey of the Arctic ever attempted. Warming waters are absorbing more sunlight and melting more ice there each summer, the gizmos and gliders suggest.
Arctic Is Warming Twice As Fast As World Average
Polar bears continue to take a hit in regions with the greatest loss of snow and ice, the latest report card on the Arctic shows. Meanwhile, plankton are thriving as the sea heats up.
The Arctic Circle's Coolest Accommodations Turn 25 Years Old
The Icehotel in Sweden, built in winter and vanishing in spring, is the original hotel carved from snow and ice bricks. It's also an art project; sculptors compete for the chance to carve out rooms.
Denmark Claims Part Of The Arctic, Including The North Pole
The region claimed is more than the size of Texas and Oklahoma combined. The energy-rich Arctic is also contested by Canada, Russia, Norway and the U.S. A U.N. panel will study the Danish claim.
Falling Oil Prices Make Fracking Less Lucrative
As oil prices dip, controversial and relatively expensive production methods, like oil sands and fracking, have become less profitable. Some drillers are already cutting back on plans for more wells.