Climate

Workers install solar panels at the Port of Los Angeles in California.

The U.S. could slash climate pollution, but it might not be enough, a new report says

4:42pm July 20, 2023

by Michael Copley

The Inflation Reduction Act could help the U.S. cut greenhouse gas pollution up to 42% from 2005 levels by 2030. That's still short of what the country promised under the Paris Climate Agreement.

National

Agriculture industry takes steps to reduce methane, a potent greenhouse gas

4:25pm July 20, 2023

by Rae Solomon

The biggest source of climate-warming methane in the U.S. is animal agriculture. America's biggest cattle feedlot operator is funding new research, with motives beyond reducing greenhouse gases.

Andres Matamoros wipes the sweat from his face while selling fresh fruit and cold coconuts from his roadside stand on June 28, 2023, in Houston. Nearly 400 daily maximum temperature records fell in the South in June and the first half of July, most of them in Texas.

El Niño will likely continue into early 2024, driving even more hot weather

4:25pm July 20, 2023

by Rebecca Hersher

El Niño is warming up the water in the Pacific Ocean. That extra heat affects the whole planet, and has helped drive record-breaking hot weather.

Scientists say extreme heat should inspire more aggressive action on climate change

7:02am July 20, 2023

Extreme weather has already taken a big toll this summer around the world. So as the climate keeps changing, how much worse should we expect disasters to get? And what are the lessons for next time?

Queue Listen Now

Mayor in South Carolina discusses efforts to help people cope with intense heat

5:05am July 20, 2023

by Michel Martin

South Carolina is working to help people there cope with the intense heat. Daniel Rickenmann, mayor of Columbia, S.C., joins the program to discuss how he's trying to address the issue.

Can U.S. power grids handle the surge in energy use as temperatures climb?

5:05am July 20, 2023

by Michel Martin

Michael Webber of the University of Texas at Austin talks about whether power grids in the U.S. can handle a surge in energy use as temperatures continue climbing across the Southwest.

Science

Agriculture industry takes steps to reduce methane, a potent greenhouse gas

5:05am July 20, 2023

by Rae Solomon

The biggest source of climate-warming methane in the U.S. is animal agriculture. America's biggest cattle feedlot operator is funding new research, with motives beyond reducing greenhouse gases.

Extreme heat raises concern about the health of prison inmates, particularly in Texas

5:12pm July 19, 2023

by Paul Flahive

As record-setting, dangerous heat continues in parts of the Southwest, there's concern about inmates in Texas. Most Texas prisoner housing isn't air conditioned and there are no temperature standards.

In New Jersey, climate change education is rolled into all sorts of school subjects

4:42pm July 19, 2023

by Seyma Bayram

New Jersey was the first state in the country to mandate climate change be taught across all grade levels and in most subjects.

An air conditioner undergoes repair earlier this month in Austin, Texas. Record-breaking temperatures continue across large swaths of the U.S.

National

Your air conditioner isn't built for this heat. 5 tips can boost performance

4:04pm July 19, 2023

by Scott Neuman

Extreme temperatures present a significant challenge to AC systems, which engineers and installers say are really only designed to keep indoor temperatures about 20 degrees cooler than outside.