Houston’s air quality problem, particularly in areas near chemical facilities, has raised concerns among residents and advocacy groups. Diane Olmos Guzman, a longtime resident, shares her experiences growing up near the Ship Channel and the potential health impacts she believes her community has faced. The EPA’s new ‘Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention’ rule aims to address these concerns by implementing stricter safeguards and transparency measures for chemical facilities.
American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH), a leading owner and operator of single-family rental homes, proudly announces that its corporate headquarters building has achieved the prestigious LEED® Gold certification. This certification recognizes the building’s exceptional design, construction, and operational practices that prioritize sustainability and well-being.
LanzaJet, a leader in sustainable fuels technology, has received an investment from Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund. This funding will enable LanzaJet to expand its capabilities and deploy its sustainable fuels process technology globally. Furthermore, LanzaJet and Microsoft intend to explore the application of Microsoft’s data and AI to optimize LanzaJet’s operations and SAF production process.
Landscapes that have escaped fire for decades or centuries tend to harbor vital structures for wildlife, such as tree hollows and large logs. But these “long unburnt” habitats can be eliminated by a single blaze.
The pattern of fire most commonly experienced within an ecosystem is known as the fire regime. This includes aspects such as fire frequency, season, intensity, size and shape. Fire regimes are changing across the globe, stoked by climate and land-use change.
Recent megafires in Australia, Brazil, Canada and United States epitomize the dire consequences of shifting fire regimes for humanity and biodiversity alike.
“Fire regimes that cause declines in biodiversity” was recently listed as a key threatening process under Australia’s environmental protection legislation.
Human activities are pushing Earth’s boundaries, but better integration of ecological knowledge could mitigate environmental degradation. By recognizing social and ecological connections and acting swiftly on research findings, we can create a more sustainable future. This involves fostering collaboration across disciplines, promoting holistic approaches, and accounting for the indirect and long-term consequences of our actions.
Brightline West, a 218-mile electric high-speed rail line, has commenced construction in Nevada after receiving $3 billion from the Biden administration. The project, expected to be completed by 2028, will connect Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga, California, near Los Angeles, with stops in Apple Valley and Hesperia. Trains will operate at speeds over 186 mph, reducing travel time between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga to 2 hours and 10 minutes. The project is expected to create 35,000 union jobs and remove 3 million cars from I-15 annually, reducing carbon emissions by over 400,000 tons.
A mini-heatwave is expected to bring bright sunshine and warmer temperatures to Britain next week, with the south of the country set to see highs of 18C. The warmer weather is caused by an area of high pressure that is moving towards the UK from Friday, May 3. Temperatures in the south and east of England could hover between 18 and 22C for several days, potentially making the south coast feel like the Costa del Sol. However, a divided weather picture is expected in the immediate future, with rain and even transient snow possible in some parts of the UK this weekend.
The European Court of Auditors has raised concerns about the EU’s plan to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2035. Auditors argue that the EU’s dependence on overseas suppliers for raw materials and batteries needed for electric vehicles could lead to a surge in electric car imports from China, threatening European industrial sovereignty.
A new report by Copernicus and WMO highlights the devastating impacts of flooding in Europe in 2023, with one-third of rivers exceeding the ‘high’ flood threshold and 16% surpassing the ‘severe’ mark. Extreme rainfall events fueled by climate change were behind many of the worst floods, particularly in Italy, Slovenia, Greece, and the UK. The report also emphasizes the potential for run-of-river hydropower as a form of renewable energy, with above-average precipitation in Europe increasing its viability. However, droughts also affected parts of Europe, underscoring the diverse hydrological impacts of climate change.
General Galactic, a new startup, aims to revolutionize the production of e-fuels by tightly integrating the entire process in-house. This approach aims to lower prices and advance the adoption of carbon-neutral fuels. General Galactic’s reactor currently produces 2,000 liters of methane per day, utilizing renewable energy and modular components for scalability.
