Director's Picks

The Reach of Wildfire Smoke Is Going Global and Undoing Progress on Clean Air

Two new reports highlight the global impact of wildfire smoke on air quality. One study reveals that over two billion people worldwide were exposed to fire-related air pollution.

September 20, 2023
Human Health
Human Health
 For Health Equity, Location Matters

The article discusses the profound impact of location on health equity and environmental justice. It emphasizes that where people live significantly affects their health.

September 20, 2023
 50 years after being outlawed, redlining still drives neighborhood health inequities

Research from UC Berkeley School of Public Health reveals that despite redlining, a discriminatory lending practice being outlawed since 1968, its legacy continues.

Brazil Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Indigenous Land Rights in Historic Win

Brazil's supreme court has voted against a proposal to restrict Indigenous land rights, a decision hailed as a historic victory for the country's Indigenous communities.

IRA one year later and the future of community solar

The article discusses the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on community solar programs in the United States one year after its passage.

Biden approves $1 billion in grants to combat 'environmental injustice' with shade

The Biden Administration is allocating $1 billion in grants to address "environmental injustice" by planting trees in urban areas predominantly inhabited by minorities .

Why Biden’s Climate Corps Needs to Prioritize Black Youth

The article discusses the need for President Joe Biden's American Climate Corps (ACC) to prioritize equity, especially for Black youth, drawing parallels .

The Biden Administration’s Next Big Climate Decision

In this article by Bill McKibben, published in The New Yorker on September 22, 2023, the author discusses the Biden Administration's upcoming decision.

FERC approves gas projects despite calls for fossil fuel phaseout

The article discusses the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) approval of the expansion of two liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects on the Gulf Coast.

California Sues Giant Oil Companies, Citing Decades of Deception

On September 15, 2023, the state of California filed a significant lawsuit against major oil companies, including Exxon Mobil, Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips, and Chevron.

Houston City Council Candidates Discuss Union Pacific and Fifth Ward Cancer Cluster

During a City Council candidate forum held on September 15, 2023, in Houston, the Union Pacific rail yard's contamination and its impact on the Fifth Ward.

 Monitor Claims New ERCOT Rules Raised Costs by $8 Billion

An analysis by the independent market monitor revealed that the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)'s recent effort to ensure grid reliability.

Climate Racism" Disproportionately Affects Indigenous Communities in Canada, Says Deloitte Report

A Deloitte report has highlighted the issue of "climate racism," which disproportionately impacts marginalized communities in Canada, particularly Indigenous and racialized groups

 "EPA Charged With Reverse Discrimination"

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened a civil rights investigation in 2022 into whether the State of Louisiana disproportionately burdened Black communities along.

"A California County Returns to Power, Thanks to Its Microgrid"

In August 2023, Del Norte County in California faced a power crisis when wildfires threatened its only transmission lines, leaving its 27,000 residents in the dark.

"NASA Announces Summer 2023 Hottest on Record"

NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS) in New York reported that the summer of 2023 was the hottest on record for Earth since global temperature records began in 1880.

The Role of Solar Power in Sustainable Urban Planning

In this article by Charlotte Horwood published on TechRound, the significance of solar power in sustainable urban planning is explored.

Biden’s Risky Bet that Oil Companies Can Lead a New Climate Industry

In this article by Emily Pontecorvo, the author discusses the Biden administration's decision to align with fossil fuel companies in the pursuit of carbon removal technologies.

Houston Ends $60M Affordable Housing Program Due to Deadline Non-Compliance

On September 13, 2023, R.A. Schuetz reported in the Houston Chronicle that Houston is discontinuing its $60 million program aimed at developing affordable single-family housing.

Harris County, other 'disaster resilience zones' get support for climate change impact

Harris and Galveston counties in Texas have been designated as "disaster resilience zones" under the Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act of 2022.

Africa Climate Week 2023 Demonstrates Continent's Determination to Lead on Climate Action

Africa Climate Week 2023 (ACW) concluded after a dynamic week in Nairobi, Kenya, highlighting Africa's commitment to becoming a global leader in climate action.

September 7, 2023
 How Frontline Communities Can Take Advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act to Advance Local Priorities

The article discusses the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which is the largest climate investment in U.S. history, projected to reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2030.

Texas heat brings the state’s power grid closest it has been to outages since 2021 winter storm

On September 7, 2023, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), responsible for the state's power grid, issued an urgent request for residents to reduce their electricity

How extreme heat threatens Black renters, and what policymakers can do to fix it

This research report by Hannah Stephens, Manann Donoghoe, and Andre M. Perry highlights the disproportionate impact of extreme heat and energy insecurity on Black renters.

Tree Equity and Trees' Impact on Surface Temperatures, Human Health: A Research Roundup

This article from Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center explores the critical relationship between urban tree canopy cover, surface temperatures, and human health.

The fight over California community solar: ‘It’s everyone vs. utilities’

This Canary Media article, written by Jeff St. John, delves into the battle over community solar in California.

Department of Energy, Argonne seek to increase access to clean energy programs for disinvested communities

The Argonne National Laboratory, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP).

Why the United States undercounts climate-driven deaths

A report by Grist discusses the underestimation of climate-related deaths in the United States, highlighting that the country's death surveillance system is ill-equipped to handle

Clean Energy Projects Are Booming Everywhere. Except in Poor Nations

Despite the global surge in investments in renewable energy, with more money being invested in solar power than oil, many of the world's poorest countries.

WATCH: A closer look at new federal funding for Houston air monitoring

Houston, known as the "Energy Capital of the World," has received nearly $500,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).