T/environment

  1. How the Supreme Court’s Shadow Docket Upended Climate Policy Climate, Today

    The Times unearthed memos that signaled a major shift in the court’s operations, in a decision that critics say was rushed and flawed.

  2. Judging the Supreme Court’s Shadow Docket Opinion, Today

    Readers respond to The Times’s front-page investigation of the court. Also: Lee Zeldin and the E.P.A.; talking to Iran.

  3. A New Bureau Will Oversee Both Offshore Drilling and Seabed Mining Climate, Today

    The new federal office will undo a change made after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. Critics say it could reduce environmental oversight.

  4. A Huge Sewage Spill Is Over, but Contamination Lingers in the Potomac Climate, Today

    Though river monitoring shows bacteria levels have declined, scientists and environmentalists said a full recovery isn’t yet assured.

  5. The Only Good News From Iran Opinion, Yesterday

    How the war’s disruptions are accelerating the shift to green energy.

  6. Republicans Had an Earth Day Plan to Limit Species Protections. It Flopped. Climate, Yesterday

    House leaders abruptly canceled a vote on the measure when support started to look shaky.

  7. You Paid to Have Old Clothes Recycled. Here’s What That Really Means. Climate, Yesterday

    Collection services offer convenience, but most garments are shredded into low-grade stuffing or sent abroad to an uncertain fate.

  8. For Earth Day, a Few Signs of Hope for Our Planet Climate, April 21

    In a year of grim climate and environment news, we’ve compiled several hopeful signs about our planet’s future.

  9. Rainforests Can Bounce Back Much Faster Than Thought, Researchers Say Climate, April 21

    Scientists long believed it would take more than a century for animals to return to deforested land. New research shows that’s not always the case.

  10. Aftershocks from ‘The Shadow Papers’ U.S., April 21

    Publication of a trove of confidential Supreme Court memos ignited debates in the legal academy.

  11. A Rocky (and Muddy) Ski Season Concludes in Colorado U.S., April 20

    Faced with a devastating snow drought and record-high March temperatures, some resorts closed early. But at Aspen Mountain, die-hards celebrated the last day of the season on Sunday.

  12. Environmental Groups Sue to Block BP’s Plan to Drill in Deep Gulf Waters Climate, April 20

    Opponents of the project, known as Kaskida, say an accident could be even worse than the Deepwater Horizon spill. The company says it’s learned from the past.

  13. The Inside Story of Five Days That Remade the Supreme Court U.S., April 18

    Secret memos obtained by The New York Times illuminate the origins of the court’s now-routine “shadow docket” rulings on presidential power.

  14. A Breakdown of Five Days of Secret Supreme Court Memos U.S., April 18

    The New York Times obtained a trove of documents illuminating the inner workings of the court as it embraced a secretive track for making major decisions.

  15. Western States Need Water. San Diego Has Extra. Will They Make A Deal? Climate, April 17

    San Diego County is shopping a surplus of desalinated seawater to Western states that are facing increasingly urgent drought and short supplies.

  16. Suspect Accused of Hacking Climate Activists Appears in Court Climate, April 17

    Amit Forlit is accused of running a hacking operation that aimed to thwart climate litigation at the behest of a lobbying firm working for an oil giant.

  17. Japan’s Cherry Blossom Database, 1,200 Years Old, Has a New Keeper Climate, April 17

    The remarkable catalog of dates is one of the longest-running records of climate change. Its creator died, setting off a search for a successor.

  18. Supreme Court Sides With Oil Companies in Louisiana Coastal Lawsuits U.S., April 17

    The companies had asked the justices to clear the way to move environmental lawsuits out of state courts, to friendlier federal venues.

  19. How Can I Protect My Car When the Weather Is Scorching? Climate, April 17

    Extreme heat is extremely hard on your vehicle, but a few simple precautions can help a lot.

  20. The Long-Term Plan to Scrub Carbon From the Sky Climate, April 16

    Microsoft is pulling back from efforts to remove carbon from the atmosphere. But the nascent industry’s proponents say they are thinking in decades, not years.

  21. Court Rejects Trump Administration Climate Lawsuit Against Hawaii Climate, April 16

    In a setback for federal efforts to thwart climate litigation, the judge ruled that the suit, which tried to block the state from suing oil companies, was too speculative.

  22. Senate Votes to Allow Mining Near Minnesota Wilderness Climate, April 16

    The move was a victory for a Chilean company that wants to build a copper and nickel mine, which environmentalists say could devastate fragile lakes and forests.

  23. Carbon Removal Industry Reels as Microsoft Retreats Climate, April 16

    Once held up as a key solution to climate change, a field that aims to remove carbon from the atmosphere is struggling to catch on.

  24. Trump Officials Pledge Swift Completion of Controversial Gas Pipeline New York, April 14

    The $1 billion project will run for about 23 miles under Raritan Bay in New Jersey and New York Harbor. Environmental groups oppose it.

  25. The Treasury Secretary vs. Climate Science Climate, April 14

    In comments on Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismissed the scientific consensus on the causes of climate change.

  26. Bessent Questions the Cause of Climate Change and Its Economic Toll Business, April 14

    The Treasury secretary said it is “difficult to deconstruct” the reasons for global warming, which he described as a belief of the “elite.”

  27. Europe Is Desperate for More Energy. Can Norway Come to the Rescue? World, April 14

    The war in Iran has once again exposed Europe’s energy vulnerability. A friendly source at home would seem to be ideal. But it’s not that easy.

  28. Youths Who Sued Trump Over Orders to ‘Unleash’ Energy Try to Revive Case Climate, April 13

    Appealing the dismissal of their suit, they argued that executive orders to promote fossil fuels endangered their futures and violated their constitutional rights.

  29. More Gray Whales Are Visiting San Francisco Bay, and Many Die There Climate, April 13

    The animals might be entering the Bay in search of food as climate change disrupts traditional sources. They face huge risks from ships in the area.

  30. Gun Manufacturers Won the Ultimate Legal Shield. Big Oil Wants That, Too. Opinion, April 13

    The fossil fuel industry has mounted a carefully orchestrated campaign to stop climate lawsuits and saddle the public with the costs of climate change.

  31. How Lee Zeldin Shifted the Mission — And the Message — of the E.P.A. Interactive, April 12

    More than any administrator in decades, Lee Zeldin talks about the Environmental Protection Agency's work in economic terms, reflecting President Trump’s desire to boost industry while downplaying environmental consequences.

  32. Northeast States Set Big Climate Goals. Now Those Plans Are in Trouble. Climate, April 11

    Many blue states are rethinking ambitious strategies to cut emissions as they struggle with rising electricity costs and new hurdles for renewable energy.

  33. Why Investing in Wind and Solar to Avoid Gas Shocks Hasn’t Added Up for Some Climate, April 10

    Renewable energy is cheaper to run than fossil fuels, especially with war choking oil supply. But it hasn’t turned out that way for some European countries, and the reason is complex.

  34. In a Boost to Coal, E.P.A. Moves to End Biden’s Toxic Ash Disposal Rules Climate, April 9

    Lee Zeldin, the E.P.A. administrator, said the changes would help U.S. “energy dominance.” Environmentalists said they threaten drinking water.

  35. Climate Denial Comes to Washington Climate, April 9

    A conference of climate change deniers, a warning about the world’s largest penguin species, record low snowpack in the West, plus more climate news.

  36. Climate Change Denial Sees a Resurgence in Trump’s Washington Climate, April 9

    A conference near the White House drew dozens of people who reject the scientific consensus on climate change. The mood was triumphant.

  37. Emperor Penguins Are Now Endangered, a New Assessment Finds Climate, April 9

    Populations are declining as climate change causes the sea ice the birds need for survival to retreat, according to researchers.

  38. NASA Flew by the Moon, but Behind the Scenes, Its Science Is a Chaotic Mess Opinion, April 8

    Without science, the stunning images of Earth from space are only pretty pictures.

  39. The Hamptons Has a Bird Flu Problem Style, April 8

    This winter, hundreds of dead geese fell around Georgica Pond. No one knew how to dispose of the infected bodies, so a local landscaper just winged it.

  40. Why Electric Trucks Haven’t Taken Off in the U.S. Climate, April 7

    The vast majority of commercial trucks in the U.S. run on diesel, but that may be changing as fuel prices rise and Tesla ramps up production.

  41. Suspect in Hacking of Climate Activists Is Extradited to New York Climate, April 6

    Prosecutors say Amit Forlit ran a global hacking operation on behalf of a Washington lobbying group that aimed to thwart environmental lawsuits against oil companies.

  42. Hockey Rinks Turn to Plastic Ice as Planet Warms Business, April 5

    Some environmentalists question using plastic to address rising temperatures.

  43. Forest Service Will Close Research Stations That Study Wildfire Risk Climate, April 3

    Scientists say their work on fires and climate change could be lost as the agency moves its headquarters to Utah from Washington and shuts 57 research stations.

  44. Trump Said Gas Prices Would Fall Quickly. World Leaders Are Not So Sure. Climate, April 2

    The president said this week the recent increases would be “short-term.” But other leaders are preparing for a longer crisis.

  45. Republicans Seek Protections for Oil Giants Against Climate Lawsuits Business, April 2

    Utah passed a law to insulate oil companies against efforts to make them pay for their role in global warming. A nationwide version is in the works.

  46. E.P.A. Targets Microplastics and Drugs in Drinking Water Climate, April 2

    The move drew praise from leaders of the Make America Healthy Again movement who had recently criticized the agency’s handling of toxic chemicals.

  47. Trump’s Budget May Target Climate Programs. Here’s What Still Survives. Climate, April 2

    Efforts to study, prepare for and address climate change have taken a major hit. But a few programs are hanging on thanks to bipartisan support.

  48. In New England, Catching Climate Data Along With Fish Climate, April 1

    Commercial vessels are deploying high-tech sensors to map a shifting sea, providing critical data for scientists and some help for the industry.

  49. The Three Big Questions Delaying New York’s Budget New York, April 1

    Legislators are weighing tax increases on the wealthy and changes to laws meant to protect immigrants and the environment as the state budget deadline passes.

  50. Will the Iran Crisis Push the World to Rethink Oil and Gas? Climate, March 31

    A growing energy crisis could push countries to burn more fossil fuels in the short term, experts say. Plus more climate news.

  51. The ‘God Squad’ Waives Environmental Rules for Offshore Drilling Climate, March 31

    The panel voted to override Endangered Species Act restrictions on oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico, home to critically endangered whales and other imperiled wildlife.

  52. This Man Insists Trump Is an ‘Environmental Hero’ Climate, March 31

    Edward Russo, the only member of a White House task force, thinks the president doesn’t get enough credit for conservation at his golf courses, among other things.

  53. Vermont Hits Back at Trump’s Effort to Block ‘Climate Superfund’ Law Climate, March 30

    The law would make fuel companies help pay for damages caused by climate change. The administration argues it’s unconstitutional.

  54. The Fragile Hope for Salmon Recovery in Maine Science, March 29

    A long-term project to remove or modify dams may clear the way for endangered wild Atlantic salmon to swim freely up to the Sandy River. But it faces opposition from business and lawmakers.

  55. How Clean Energy Firms Are Trying to Survive the Trump Era Climate, March 28

    Offshore wind is out. Geothermal power is in. And many climate technology start-ups are looking for ways to carry on without federal backing.

  56. He Helped Write the Clean Air Act. He Fears for Its Future. Climate, March 28

    Thomas Jorling, adviser to Republicans who cosponsored the 1970 law, disputes the Trump administration’s claim that it shouldn’t apply to planet-warming greenhouse gases.

  57. Japan and the U.S. Agree to Team Up on Seabed Mining Climate, March 27

    The arrangement could signal a fracture in the decades-long effort among nations to reach consensus on how to mine the ocean floor while protecting ecosystems.

  58. The Iran War is Revealing the Messy Middle of Our Renewable Energy Transition Magazine, March 27

    When the world map of literal power changes, the political hierarchy shifts, too

  59. What the Energy Industry Is (and Isn’t) Saying About the War in Iran Climate, March 26

    The latest from a closely watched gathering of energy industry executives, a rare look at a whale birth and more news.

  60. The Disgusting Reason a Staten Island Creek Turned Bright Green New York, March 26

    The emerald tint to the Clove Lakes Park stream helped confirm long-held suspicions about what might be leaking from toilets.

  61. Winter Sea Ice in the Arctic Ties a Record Low Climate, March 26

    Ice plays a vital role in reflecting away planet-warming sunlight. The Arctic is warming much faster than most other parts of the world.

  62. The Man Leading the Green Party Surge in Britain Opinion, March 25

    Zach Polanski of Britain’s left-populist party talks austerity, Labour and the establishment crackup.

  63. Prominent Climate Scientist Resigns From NASA, Citing Trump’s Attack on Science Climate, March 25

    Kate Marvel, a well-known author, joins an estimated 95,000 people who have left federal science agencies since President Trump returned to the White House.

  64. A Passionate Floral Manifesto Books, March 25

    In “How Flowers Made Our World,” David George Haskell makes a case for their soft power.

  65. Why Is New York’s Fictional Future So Often Dystopian? Arts, October 20

    If you’re a writer or filmmaker hoping to create a hell on earth, might as well start with the most famous city in the world.

  66. Gabbard Ends Intelligence Report on Future Threats to U.S. U.S., September 26

    Some issues in the document, which is issued every four years, had become politically inconvenient, former officials said.

  67. California’s High Gas Prices Could Climb Further as Refineries Close Business, September 16

    The state has led the country in adopting electric cars and reducing gas use, but it now faces much higher gas prices as oil companies plan to shut down refineries.

  68. It’s the End of ‘Big City.’ New York Will Be Fine. New York, August 29

    The weekly column that focused on inequality in the city ran for 14 years, from Occupy Wall Street to Zohran Mamdani. Now it comes to a close.

  69. Censored Science Can’t Save Lives Op Ed, February 18

    Progress cannot occur if scientists are barred from asking certain questions.

  70. El legado presidencial de Biden: una era de cambio, marcada para siempre por Trump En español, January 16

    La gestión de Biden estará en los libros de historia como un interregno entre dos mandatos de Donald Trump, una pausa en medio de un periodo caótico de cambio, para bien o para mal.

  71. Biden’s Presidential Legacy: An Era of Change, Forever Marked by Trump Washington, January 15

    Biden’s disastrous debate performance highlighted age concerns.

  72. Why Oil Companies Are Walking Back From Green Energy Business, November 18

    As leaders gather for a global climate summit, investors are rewarding oil giants like Exxon Mobil that did not embrace wind and solar.

  73. The Lesson of This Election: We Must Stop Inflation Before It Starts Op Ed, November 12

    Our nation needs an economic disaster preparedness tool kit to avoid the scourge of inflation.

  74. MAGA vs. Science Is No Contest Op Ed, September 11

    A substantial number of Republican voters are losing faith in science.

  75. Registering Voters and Certifying the Votes Letters, August 12

    Readers discuss election obstacles. Also: Donald Trump’s claim about Kamala Harris’s crowds; the Olympics; Covid vaccines; food and the climate.

  76. Where the Wild Things Went During the Pandemic Science, March 18

    A new study of camera-trap images complicates the idea that all wildlife thrived during the Covid lockdowns.

  77. How to Parent in a World Under Siege? Book Review, March 12

    In her elegant essay collection, “Lessons for Survival,” Emily Raboteau confronts climate collapse, societal breakdown and the Covid pandemic while trying to raise children in a responsible way.

  78. A Mother, a Daughter, a Deadly Journey: An Update The Daily, December 28

    An increasing number of migrants are trying to pass through the dangerous terrain connecting South and Central America. What forces them to take that route?

  79. Germany Cannot Shift Covid Funds to Climate Projects, Court Rules Business, November 15

    The decision could rip a hole in Berlin’s budget and complicate the transition to a greener economy.

  80. The Upside of a Population Decline Letters, October 5

    Readers disagree with an essay expressing concern about a decline after a peak. Also: Rudy Giuliani’s drinking; book bans; masks in hospitals; wedding magic.

  81. A Mayor Goes AWOL in the Storm Editorial, October 3

    With residents unprepared for New York City’s recent flooding, it was a day of unnecessary chaos and frustration.

  82. The Paranoid Style in American Plutocrats Op Ed, August 28

    Of climate denial, Covid denial and cryptocurrency.

  83. Por qué parece que ya no sabemos nada de la economía global En español, June 20

    Mientras prestábamos atención a la pandemia, China y Ucrania, los caminos hacia la prosperidad y los intereses comunes se han oscurecido.

  84. Why It Seems Everything We Knew About the Global Economy Is No Longer True Business, June 18

    While the world’s eyes were on the pandemic, China and the war in Ukraine, the paths to prosperity and shared interests have grown murkier.

  85. Radical Rethinking at Biennale: Africa and the Future Share Pride of Place Culture, May 22

    Don’t be fooled by its generic title. Lesley Lokko’s “Laboratory of the Future” is the most ambitious and pointedly political Venice Architecture Biennale in years.

  86. ‘The Last of Us’ Is Right. Our Warming Planet Is a Petri Dish. Op Ed, April 2

    Fungi are a public health blind spot.

  87. As Oil Companies Stay Lean, Workers Move to Renewable Energy Business, February 27

    Solar, wind, geothermal, battery and other alternative-energy businesses are adding workers from fossil fuel companies, where employment has fallen.

  88. Your Wednesday Briefing: Shanghai’s Devastating Outbreak N Y T Now, January 10

    Also, the eight warmest years on record and a fragile political alliance in the Philippines.

  89. Cheer Up! The World Is Better Off Than You Think. Op Ed, December 31

    The year 2022 was not great. But even in the midst of overlapping calamities, progress is being made.

  90. Balancing Hope and Despair in Turbulent Times Special Sections, December 1

    As long as we do the best we can, and appreciate life’s fullness, we will leave the world a better place for our children.

  91. John Kerry Tests Positive for Covid at U.N. Climate Talks, Complicating Final Hours Climate, November 18

    Debate intensified over a contentious issue: the creation of a fund to help poor and vulnerable countries pay for loss and damage caused by climate change.

  92. What Happens When a Cascade of Crises Collide? Op Ed, November 13

    Humanity faces a complex knot of seemingly distinct but entangled crises that are causing damage greater than the sum of their individual harms.

  93. Belice recurre a su arrecife de coral para escapar de la trampa de la deuda en Español, November 8

    Algunos países en desarrollo están haciendo acuerdos financieros que podrían darles un mayor papel en la lucha contra el cambio climático.

  94. How Belize Cut Its Debt by Fighting Global Warming Foreign, November 7

    Developing nations are reducing their debt by pledging to protect their resources in financial deals that could give them a bigger role in the fight against climate change.

  95. Your Thursday Briefing: Iran’s Protests Intensify N Y T Now, October 26

    Plus Myanmar gets closer to Russia and a dire climate report.

  96. Should Candidates Be Transparent About Their Health? Letters, October 16

    How much should candidates disclose about their health? Also: Drone rules; political fears; future pandemics; donations and climate policy.

  97. Bill Gates: ‘Estamos en una peor situación de lo que esperaba’ en Español, September 18

    El filántropo habló sobre cómo la pandemia y los efectos de la guerra en Ucrania están retrasando el progreso.

  98. Bill Gates: ‘We’re in a Worse Place Than I Expected’ Op Ed, September 13

    The philanthropist on how the pandemic and the effects of the war in Ukraine are setting back progress.

  99. When Schools Don’t Educate Their Students Letters, September 13

    Readers discuss an investigation into the lack of secular education at New York’s yeshivas. Also: Outdoor dining; climate-crisis deniers.

  100. U.N. Faces Record Humanitarian Aid Shortfall — but Not for Ukrainians Foreign, August 22

    Soaring needs and wealthy countries’ focus on Ukraine have left aid agencies with too little money to address the world’s other crises, forcing them to cut programs.

  101. Ukraine Ships Grain at Last. It Will Take Far More to Slow Global Hunger. Foreign, August 1

    The departure of a grain-filled vessel from Odesa was hailed as a victory against global hunger. But experts say the crisis is so big that no single advance can reverse it.

  102. Biden Is Facing Crisis After Crisis. But Are They Emergencies? Washington, July 27

    President Biden is under pressure — often from his own allies — to declare national emergencies on issues like climate and abortion that are roiling American culture.

  103. Pakistan’s Deadly Flood Season Worsened by Climate Change and Bad Infrastructure Foreign, July 24

    Monsoon rains have devastated Pakistan’s economic hub, Karachi, adding urgency to pleas to better equip cities to handle more frequent extreme weather.

  104. ¿La naturaleza sanó durante la ‘antropausa’ pandémica? en Español, July 19

    La suspensión de actividades humanas por la covid ha sido una oportunidad para entender mejor cómo afectamos a otras especies del planeta.

  105. Climate Politics Are Worse Than You Think Op Ed, July 18

    If only it were just about money.

  106. Did Nature Heal During the Pandemic ‘Anthropause’? Science, July 16

    Covid precautions created a global slowdown in human activity — and an opportunity to learn more about the complex ways we affect other species.

  107. France Faces a Shortage of Mustard, Its Uniquely Beloved Condiment Foreign, July 14

    A perfect storm of climate change, a European war and Covid have left the French scrambling for alternatives.

  108. Your Wednesday Briefing: Extreme Heat Grips China N Y T Now, July 12

    Plus the conviction of an ailing Hong Kong activist and President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming trip to Iran.

  109. Dangerous Heat Wave Strikes China Foreign, July 12

    Parts of the east and south withered under extreme temperatures, even as health workers in hazmat suits persisted in a round of mandatory coronavirus tests.

  110. The 3 Most Important Climate Laws You’ve Never Heard Of Metro, July 8

    The Legislature passed some bills that are obscure but significant, in the view of climate activists.

  111. Your Friday Briefing: A Major U.S. Climate Ruling Dining, June 30

    Plus Xi Jinping visits Hong Kong and Ukraine takes back Snake Island.

  112. El mundo tiene que elegir: cooperar o colapsar en Español, June 20

    La COVID-19, el cambio climático y la posibilidad de una crisis alimentaria global demuestran que los problemas del mundo están muy ligados entre sí. Y también las soluciones.

  113. The World Has a Choice: Work Together or Fall Apart Op Ed, June 18

    No single country can solve the problem of rising food and fuel costs.

  114. What if We Had Spent the Money on Climate? Op Ed, June 15

    Along with everything else, the pandemic was a huge missed opportunity.

  115. Your Wednesday Briefing: Sievierodonetsk, Isolated N Y T Now, June 14

    The key Ukrainian city lost its last bridge as fighting intensifies.

  116. What Vaccine Apartheid Portends for the Climate Future Op Ed, May 24

    Gestures of good will and concern from developed countries can hide nationalism so pointed that it amounts to something like sadism.

  117. Your Friday Briefing: Russia Doubles Down N Y T Now, May 5

    Moscow wants victories before its Monday holiday.