Environment

As Paris Summit Begins, What Would A Successful Climate Deal Look Like?

5:20pm November 30, 2015

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Jennifer Morgan, global director of the Climate Program at the World Resources Institute. They discuss what success in Paris would be and what has to happen afterward.

President Obama (center) and Secretary of State John Kerry (right) attend Monday's opening ceremony of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in the Paris suburb of Le Bourget.

Some 150 World Leaders Gather In Paris For U.N. Climate Conference

5:17pm November 30, 2015

by Eyder Peralta

The conference is being billed as a last-chance summit to avoid catastrophic climate change. The goal is to come to a global agreement to limit greenhouse emissions.

Obama Calls For Decisive Action Against Climate Change At Paris Summit

5:01pm November 30, 2015

by Scott Horsley

At a summit in Paris, President Obama urged his fellow leaders to take decisive action against climate change. But some countries — like India — face competing interests.

Greenbuild Conference Showcases Energy Saving Technology For Buildings

4:12pm November 30, 2015

Every year, the Greenbuild conference showcases technology intended to make buildings more environmentally friendly. We hear a couple of examples from a top 10 list of new building products.

Drought Turns Spotlight On Future Of California Farms

2:28pm November 30, 2015

by Ben Bergman

Half of all fruits, vegetables and nuts grown in the United States come from California. Despite four years of extreme drought, the state's agriculture industry is thriving for some farmers. Ben Bergman with member station KPCC reports.

Queue Listen Now

2 Degrees In Paris: The Global Warming Set To Dominate Climate Conversation

2:06pm November 30, 2015

As world leaders gather in Paris to talk about climate change, one phrase that will dominate conversations is "two degrees." Global leaders will discuss how to prevent global temperatures from warming by more than two degrees since the industrial revolution.

Queue Listen Now

A power-generating windmill turbine is seen in front of the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris ahead of the COP21 World Climate Summit, which begins Monday.

Why Negotiators At Paris Climate Talks Are Tossing The Kyoto Model

10:48am November 30, 2015

by Christopher Joyce

The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 didn't slow down the gradual warming of the planet. Now governments meeting for a two-week summit are trying an a la carte approach.

International Climate Talks Begin In Paris Amid Shadow Of Terror Attacks

5:31am November 30, 2015

by Scott Horsley

Representatives of nearly 200 countries are in Paris looking to confront a more insidious threat: the rise in global temperatures. Security is tight after terror attacks there earlier this month.

Kyoto Treaty Fizzled, But Climate Talkers Insist Paris Is Different

3:53am November 30, 2015

by Christopher Joyce

The 1997 Kyoto treaty set targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions that many nations didn't meet. This time, stakes are higher and all countries will be asked to set and meet their own limits.

Recordings Might Sound A Silent Alarm About California Drought

5:11pm November 29, 2015

by Michel Martin

Bernie Krause is an audio ecologist. This year he noticed a precipitous drop in the sounds of one his favorite field recording sites, a change he attributes in large part to California's drought.