Climate

Scientists study emotional reactions to 2023 being the hottest year ever recorded

6:04pm December 22, 2023

by Rebecca Hersher

2023 was the hottest year ever recorded. That might make you feel sad, or angry. Or perhaps anxious, or guilty. Those feelings are normal, and you have a few options for how to react to them.

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Hydrogen storage tanks are visible at the Iberdrola green hydrogen plant in Puertollano, central Spain, on March 28. The Biden administration on Friday released its highly anticipated proposal for how the U.S. plans to dole out tax credits to hydrogen producers.

Biden administration unveils hydrogen tax credit plan to jump-start industry

12:27pm December 22, 2023

by The Associated Press

The plan outlines a tiered system, with cleaner energy projects receiving more, and smaller credits going to those that use fossil fuel to produce hydrogen.

Oval Heating and A/C workers install a more efficient condensing gas boiler in a Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania home. New Department of Energy efficiency standards can only be met with these boilers or furnaces, which save customers about 15% on their gas utility bill.

Land of the free, home of the inefficient: appliance standards as culture war target

2:09pm December 21, 2023

by Jeff Brady

To meet climate goals, energy efficiency for dozens of appliances is getting renewed attention from the Biden administration.

Ian Billick, a field biologist and the mayor of Crested Butte, Colo., led a push to ban natural gas hookups in new construction as part of an effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Environment

How a utility company fought to keep two Colorado towns hooked on fossil fuels

1:34pm December 21, 2023

by Sam Brasch

Environmental advocates worry natural gas providers are using customer dollars to block local action on climate change. Colorado is one of a handful of states trying to limit the practice.

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Expect more intense rainfall events as the world warms, scientists say

5:09am December 21, 2023

Intense rain has caused flooding in the northeast this week. Climate scientists are finding such events are becoming more common and most cities aren't prepared to handle all that water.

Land of the free, home of the inefficient: appliance standards as culture war target

5:09am December 21, 2023

by Jeff Brady

To meet climate goals, energy efficiency for dozens of appliances is getting renewed attention from the Biden administration.

Two women embrace and cry as they look out over Lahaina, in Maui, Hawaii, which was severely damaged by a wildfire in August.

2023 was a tragic and bizarre year of wildfires. Will it mark a turning point?

5:01am December 21, 2023

by Kirk Siegler

Unusual and tragic are two words that might describe the 2023 wildfire season which experts say might end up being a game changer for U.S. fire policy.

National

Many utilities want natural gas to help in their transition from coal to green energy

5:13pm December 20, 2023

by Rae Solomon

As utilities transition from coal to green energy, many utilities say they need to open new natural gas fired power plants to bridge the gap. Not everyone is buying it.

Why 2023 has been such an unusual and tragic year for wildfires

6:02pm December 19, 2023

by Kirk Siegler

Unusual and tragic are two words that might describe the 2023 wildfire season which experts say might end up being a game changer for U.S. fire policy.

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Firefighters survey the fire during operations to battle the Kincade Fire in Healdsburg, Calif., on Oct. 26, 2019.

A known carcinogen is showing up in wildfire ash, and researchers are worried

2:02pm December 19, 2023

by Joe Hernandez

The high heat of California wildfires transformed a benign metal into a toxic form, new research finds. Exposure to high levels of hexavalent chromium is linked to increased rates of lung cancer.