Environment

Trump Administration To Revoke California's Power Over Car Emissions

11:15am September 18, 2019

NPR's David Green talks to law professor Jody Freeman, who is an ex-Obama staffer, about the expectation that the administration will revoke California's ability to set tighter environmental rules.

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A wildfire blazes near the town of Roboré, in eastern Bolivia's Santa Cruz region, on Aug. 21.

Bolivia Is Fighting Major Forest Fires Nearly As Large As In Brazil

10:11am September 18, 2019

by John Otis

Firefighters, troops and volunteers have been working for the past two months to put out some of the worst blazes in the country's recent history.

News Brief: Intelligence On Iran, Israeli Election, Emissions Standards

5:59am September 18, 2019

U.S. satellites said to have detected Iran readying drones before a Saudi oil facility was attacked. Israel's election is too close to call. California to lose waiver to set environmental standards.

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Using AI In Malawi To Save Elephants

4:30pm September 17, 2019

by Dina Temple-Raston

Poachers killed almost a third of the African elephant population between 2007 and 2014, a recent census found. Researchers hope artificial intelligence can help stop poachers and other threats, too.

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Democratic Presidential Candidates Speak At Historic Galivants Ferry Stump

Foresight 2020: Senator Amy Klobuchar

2:23pm September 17, 2019

The Midwestern Democrat is leaning heavily into pragmatism ahead of the primary.

An adult spotted lanternfly searches for tasty grapevines at Vynecrest Vineyards and Winery, near Allentown, Pa.

Vineyards Facing An Insect Invasion May Turn To Aliens For Help

4:25pm September 16, 2019

by Dan Charles

A stowaway from China, the spotted lanternfly, is eating its way across Pennsylvania, killing trees and grapevines. Scientists are considering importing the bug's natural enemies from back home.

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Philip Connors has spent 17 summers as a fire lookout in the Gila National Forest. Lookouts are the eyes in the forest, even as the forests they watch have changed, shaped by developers, shifting land management policies and climate change.

A Fire Lookout On What's Lost In A Transition To Technology

8:30am September 15, 2019

by Nathan Rott

The number of manned fire lookouts in the U.S. is dwindling, as technology is increasingly used to spot and monitor wildfires. But can technology replace a human watch?

Resident Anthony Brewster checks to see how much water is in Nanwalek's storage tank. The village has been on a "boil water" notice for weeks.

Alaska Villages Run Dry And Residents Worry About A 'Future Of No Water'

7:13pm September 14, 2019

by Renee Gross

The remote community of Nanwalek on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula is accessible only by boat or seaplane. Now, it's running out of water because of a lack of rainfall and low snowpack.

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Greta Thunberg says she wants people to use the power of their votes to elect leaders who will work to reduce carbon emissions and slow global warming.

Greta Thunberg To U.S.: 'You Have A Moral Responsibility' On Climate Change

6:48pm September 13, 2019

by Bill Chappell

The young Swedish activist led a protest at the White House on Friday. But she wasn't looking to go inside. "I don't want to meet with people who don't accept the science," she says.

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Indigenous Brazilians Come Together To Defend Amazon Forest Against Fires

5:43pm September 13, 2019

by Catherine Osborn

Indigenous Brazilians are joining forces to defend the Amazon forest from fires set by invaders on their land. More than a dozen indigenous groups met recently to strategize.