The U.S. Supreme Court opened its newest term by hearing a case about climate change, the outcome of which could have wide-reaching consequences for fossil fuel companies and state and local governments.
carbon emissions
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Volatile Organic Compounds Have Been Underestimated in the Carbon Cycle
Better tracking of these reactive compounds is essential for understanding how the atmosphere and terrestrial biosphere interact.
Posted inResearch & Developments
EPA Will Remove Carbon Dioxide Limits on Power Plants
Today, the Environmental Protection Agency will announce the repeal of federal limits on power plant carbon dioxide emissions, finalizing a proposed rule that the agency has been considering since last spring.
The repeal means that coal-, oil-, and gas-powered electricity plants in the United States will no longer need to limit their carbon dioxide emissions in accordance with regulations set in 2024. Those rules required existing coal-powered and new gas-powered plants to control 90% of their carbon pollution. At the time, the Biden administration estimated that the rules would result in tens of billions of dollars’ worth of public health benefits.
Posted inNews
Big Trouble from Little Wetlands
New research suggests that small wetlands, previously unaccounted for in the global methane budget, are responsible for about 25% of global methane emissions.
Posted inNews
For the Birds: Solar Panels over Peatlands May Increase Avian Biodiversity
A new study finds an unusual mix of bird species thriving in a German solar park built on degraded peatland.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Rocket Launches and Reentries Harm Earth’s Ozone Layer
Solid-state fuels—recently used to help launch astronauts to the Moon for the first time in decades—appear to be the fuel type with the most detrimental effects on the ozone.
Posted inNews
Urban Methane Emissions Are Rising, Despite Cities’ Pledges
Eyes in the sky could help cities get on track to decrease emissions of the potent greenhouse gas—and monitor whether their efforts are working.
Posted inResearch & Developments
Temperatures in Nearly All Major U.S. Cities Have Warmed Since First Earth Day
After more than half a century of Earth Days, one planetary challenge—climate change—threatens our planet more than ever.
In 1970, the year Sen. Gaylord Nelson, D-Wisc., organized the first Earth Day events, the annual average concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was 326 parts per million. In 2025, it was 31% higher, at 427 parts per million.
Posted inNews
Alaska’s Wildfires Heat the Planet, but Canada’s Cool It
Using 2 decades of satellite data, researchers learned that wildfires in North America don’t follow the same script: In western Canada, snow reflectivity drives a cooling effect, whereas in Alaska, permafrost burning leads to net warming.