If environmental injustice is the issue, then environmental justice must be the goal—and it cannot be achieved without positioning Black, Indigenous, and People of Color as principal authorities on environmental impacts. Through legal frameworks like climate dominance and social science methods like feminist critical participatory action research (CPAR), communities most impacted by systemic environmental injustices are given credence and power as experts to subvert afterlives of colonialism and advocate for environmental justice.
Urban ecology is a relatively new field that envisions cities as ecosystems. Dr. Timon McPhearson, a Professor in Urban Ecology at The New School, shares his research and experiences as Director of the Urban Systems Lab, a research institute focused on urban adaptation.
Working with diverse, ancient seeds offers an interesting answer to building climate resilient food systems.
Countries and companies have set ambitious renewable energy targets, with demand for critical minerals in the energy sector projected to increase six-fold by 2040. To avoid over-dependency on a handful of supplier countries and to achieve ambitious climate targets, there is a need for individual countries to revisit their mining policies and for global organizations to create binding international agreements to manage critical minerals.
Pollution from coal-fired power plants harms human health. Low-income neighborhoods are often the most exposed to coal impacts. New research highlights closing power plants can improve children’s health and performance in school.
Mountain glaciers are melting rapidly worldwide. A recent study reveals that the world’s highest glacier, South Col on Mount Everest, is melting even faster than expected.
How do trees die from drought? Plant ecophysiologists are studying air bubbles in tree water columns to understand hydraulic failure: in other words, when tree water columns stop working. Their goal is to improve forecasts for tree responses in a changing climate future. Here is a brief summary of how hydraulic failure works and an introduction to three recent papers on the topic.
While many toys still offer benefits after normal wear and tear, 80 percent end up in landfills. Often controversial for the direct risks posed to humans, toys also pose a risk to the environment in their design, production, and life cycle.
