“As a case of partisan polarization and politics, environmentalism, broadly speaking, is one of the most curious and important ones out there,” Adam Hilton, assistant professor of politics at Mount Holyoke College, said. The transformation of environmental issues’ place in the political sphere over the past century is unique, from its bipartisan origins to the Republican Party’s reversal of support for sustainable initiatives.
An unusual snowstorm hit Texas and nearby states with sub-freezing temperatures on Feb. 12, 2021, and has since led to the death of 26 people. President Joe Biden announced a state of Emergency as Texas faced the chilliest temperature on record in the past three decades. Snowfall at around 10 inches and low temperatures have disrupted the state’s energy grid, jeopardizing the lives of over 4 million Texans, many of whom were forced to live without heat, electricity and running water for several days.
Human activity has a significant impact on the Earth’s atmosphere. The disastrous consequences of changes to the atmosphere have been widely researched regarding carbon emissions, but changing cloud formation and holes in the ozone layer play significant roles as well. Clouds are responsible for simultaneously reflecting the sun’s heat and trapping it in the atmosphere. The ozone serves as a protective layer in absorbing ultraviolet radiation from the sun. It is predicted that as climate change progresses, clouds will diminish in frequency, allowing more solar energy to reach the Earth.
Feb. 25, 2021
The European Union has poured 440 million euros into failed or incomplete gas pipeline projects in the past decade.
The United States has officially rejoined the Paris Agreement.
Avalanche warnings have been issued for areas in Washington and Oregon due to recent rain and snowfall.
A Russian gas tanker has foraged a round trip along the Northern Sea Route, marking the first time a ship has made the voyage across the Arctic at this time of year. The trip was made possible due to melting sea ice.
The Perseverance Mars rover has captured pictures and videos from its recent descent onto Mars.
John Kerry, U.S. special presidential envoy for climate, said there are nine years left to avert the worst consequences of the climate crisis.
Despite a damaged economy resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. had a record-breaking number of renewable energy installations in 2020. Wind and solar energy increased by 61 percent, adding 33.6 gigawatts of energy to the grid and producing enough energy to power about 11 million American homes for one year.
While the Earth faces a looming crisis of animal species extinction, many animals that were projected to be completely eradicated have been recovering.
Over the past year, widespread connections between racism, poverty and environmental inequality have been made clear. The life and work of the following Black environmentalists acknowledge these connections and advocate for an inclusive climate movement while simultaneously protesting the racism in its roots.
To meet goals outlined by the Paris Agreement, a measure of energy inefficiency called the “energy intensity” per square meter of buildings requires a 30 percent increase by 2030, according to the World Green Building Council. Climate change is at least partially considered in most building codes, as buildings around the world are designed to withstand natural disasters. Yet it is often up to individual builders and contractors to go beyond codes for improving building performance and minimizing environmental impacts. Working with architects, both old and new cities are making eco-friendly enhancements.
