It is no secret that some lifestyles demand more resources than others. But recent climate findings highlight how individuals with vast wealth have exerted a larger influence on global warming and temperature shifts than previously realized.



In a 2025 <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-025-02325-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a>, the world’s wealthiest 10% are reported to have caused two-thirds of observed global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warming</a> since 1990. 



This work was led by lead author Sarah Schöngart, an alumna of the 2024 Young Scientists Summer Program, who is currently associated with <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ETH Zurich</a>, and published by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (<a href="https://iiasa.ac.at" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IIASA</a>).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wealthy-emitters-drive-climate-warming">Wealthy emitters drive climate warming</h2>



Scientists indicate that the top 1% of high-income earners contributed 26 times the global average to monthly 1-in-100-year heat extremes worldwide, and 17 times more to intense drought <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-our-power-our-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">events</a> in the Amazon region.&nbsp;



“We found that wealthy emitters play a major role in driving climate extremes, which provides strong support for climate policies that target the reduction of their emissions,” explained Schöngart at the end of her remarks.



Researchers also noticed that emissions from the richest 10% in major economies, such as the United States and China, caused a two- to threefold increase in dangerous heat conditions across vulnerable tropical areas. 



These hotspots include Southeast Asia, southern Africa, and other regions with limited resources to handle amplified environmental stress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consequences-for-vulnerable-regions">Consequences for vulnerable regions</h2>



“Addressing this imbalance is crucial for fair and effective climate action,” says coauthor <a href="https://iiasa.ac.at/staff/carl-schleussner" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carl-Friedrich Schleussner</a>, who leads the Integrated Climate Impacts Research Group at IIASA. 



Communities in zones already prone to high temperatures and scarce rainfall are dealing with more frequent hazards linked to wealth-driven pollution.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Experts</a> have underscored how nations or groups with historically low <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-innovation-takes-the-lead-in-environmental-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emissions</a> often face disproportionate impacts. Scientists note that these areas experience higher chances of weather disasters, yet have fewer means to respond or rebuild.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finances-fuel-climate-warming">Finances fuel climate warming</h2>



Several analysts believe that climate discussions should not only focus on personal consumption but also on the massive financial investments of wealthy individuals. 



When these investments support high-emission ventures, the world sees greater rises in heat extremes and drought occurrences.



Groups like the <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Nations Environment Programme</a> have called for policy measures that redirect funds to cleaner solutions. 



Advocates argue that this could help reduce future harm while encouraging fair contributions from top earners who have the greatest capacity to shift investments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rebalancing-climate-responsibility">Rebalancing climate responsibility</h2>



Income-based emission studies raise questions about how to share the costs of adaptation and recovery. 



Observers suggest that policies aimed at rebalancing responsibility might also improve public acceptance of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-now-impacting-earths-rotation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> strategies, since people often want to see genuine efforts toward equity in carbon reduction.



“If everyone had emitted like the bottom 50% of the global population, the world would have seen minimal additional warming since 1990,” says Schleussner. 



This observation hints that tailored policies targeting disproportionate emissions could produce meaningful changes.



Scientists stress that tackling climate threats involves more than quick technical fixes. 



Those with higher incomes often have greater capacity to choose low-carbon lifestyles or to fund transformational climate solutions, making their role especially crucial in reducing warming trends.



Researchers emphasize that individuals in affluent groups have a unique chance to spark large-scale shifts. 



That could entail demanding cleaner supply chains, backing renewable energy, or encouraging sustainable investment portfolios, all of which can shape future climate outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-warming-inequality">Global warming inequality</h2>



The study estimates that the top 10% of earners contributed 6.5 times more to global warming than the average person, while the top 1% contributed 20 times more. 



For the top 0.1%, the figure skyrockets to 76 times the global average - an eye-opening statistic that illustrates how a small share of the population has driven a large share of climate disruption.



If everyone had emitted like the top 10%, global temperatures would have risen nearly 3°F (1.6°C) more since 1990. But if everyone had lived like the bottom 50%, there would have been almost no additional warming at all. 



That contrast highlights how the burden of global warming cannot be pinned on “humanity” in general - it’s coming from a concentrated source.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



Climate experts believe that ongoing conversations about carbon taxes and financial regulations might incorporate these findings for more equitable action. 



Some advocate for measures that hold top emitters accountable and support the communities that are most affected by intensifying weather events.



Others propose progressive policy instruments that reflect actual emissions contributions. 



Policymakers are increasingly exploring how to ensure elite pollution is addressed, while resources for adaptation and recovery become more accessible in low-income nations.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-025-02325-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Climate Change</a>.



-----



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-----

Wealthy elite responsible for vast majority of global climate warming

It is no secret that some lifestyles demand more resources than others. But recent climate findings highlight how individuals with vast wealth have exerted a larger influence on global warming and temperature shifts than previously realized. In a 2025 analysis, the world’s wealthiest 10% are reported to have caused two-thirds of observed global warming since 1990. This work was led by lead author Sarah Schöngart, an alumna of the 2024 Young Scientists Summer Program, who is currently associated with ETH Zurich, and published by the International Institute...

Taiwan Prepares for Super Typhoon Dujuan. Authorities in Taiwan evacuated thousands of people in anticipation of Super Typhoon Dujuan, which is expected to make landfall Monday evening.

The storm featured maximum sustained winds of about 114 mph with gusts reaching 141 mph. Dujuan's trajectory carries it just south of the capital of Taipei.

[caption id="attachment_2384763" align="alignleft" width="150"]<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/09/28152944/Super-Typhoon-Dujuan-prompts-evacuations-in-Taiwan_UPIjpg.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2384763" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/09/28152944/Super-Typhoon-Dujuan-prompts-evacuations-in-Taiwan_UPIjpg-150x150.jpg" alt="This satellite image of Typhoon Dujuan shows the center of the storm as it rolls across the Pacific Ocean. Image by NOAA" width="150" height="150" /></a> This satellite image of Typhoon Dujuan shows the center of the storm as it rolls across the Pacific Ocean. Image by NOAA[/caption]

The storm is also expected to hit Japan's small Yaeyama Islands, bringing torrential rains. <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/powerful-typhoon-changed-seismic-activity-in-taiwan/">Taiwan </a>Prepares for Super Typhoon Dujuan

Some 4,000 people were relocated from the region Monday, in addition to 3,000 more forced to leave two resort islands in the region over the weekend. About 24,000 troops were placed on standby and more than a hundred shelters were erected in the region.

A Bon Jovi concert slated to take place in the capital city of Taipei on Monday was also canceled.

Local authorities issued land and sea warnings in anticipation of the storm. Plans to shut down rail service were announced and more than 200 international and domestic flights were canceled.

Weather forecasters expect Dujuan to weaken to the equivalent of Category 3 hurricane prior to making landfall. They expect 20 inches of rain to fall on mountainous areas throughout central Taiwan.

Dujuan is also expected to hit the southeastern <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=chinese&amp;cvid=2dc3590549a94a1193438cda45e132a6&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Chinese</a> coastal province of Fuijan on Tuesday. Its winds should be diminished by that point, but torrential rains will still pose a threat to the region.

---
<a href="http://www.upi.com/">UPI</a>

Taiwan Prepares for Super Typhoon Dujuan

Taiwan Prepares for Super Typhoon Dujuan. Authorities in Taiwan evacuated...

Taiwan Prepares for Super Typhoon Dujuan. Authorities in Taiwan evacuated thousands of people in anticipation of Super Typhoon Dujuan, which is expected to make landfall Monday evening.

The storm featured maximum sustained winds of about 114 mph with gusts reaching 141 mph. Dujuan's trajectory carries it just south of the capital of Taipei.

[caption id="attachment_2384763" align="alignleft" width="150"]<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/09/28152944/Super-Typhoon-Dujuan-prompts-evacuations-in-Taiwan_UPIjpg.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2384763" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/09/28152944/Super-Typhoon-Dujuan-prompts-evacuations-in-Taiwan_UPIjpg-150x150.jpg" alt="This satellite image of Typhoon Dujuan shows the center of the storm as it rolls across the Pacific Ocean. Image by NOAA" width="150" height="150" /></a> This satellite image of Typhoon Dujuan shows the center of the storm as it rolls across the Pacific Ocean. Image by NOAA[/caption]

The storm is also expected to hit <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nearly-all-native-japanese-bats-are-endangered/">Japan's</a> small Yaeyama Islands, bringing torrential rains. Taiwan Prepares for Super Typhoon Dujuan

Some 4,000 people were relocated from the region Monday, in addition to 3,000 more forced to leave two resort islands in the region over the weekend. About 24,000 troops were placed on standby and more than a hundred shelters were erected in the region.

A Bon Jovi concert slated to take place in the capital city of Taipei on Monday was also canceled.

Local authorities issued land and sea warnings in anticipation of the storm. Plans to shut down rail service were announced and more than 200 international and <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=domestic&amp;cvid=d21a910ffdd9438ab02b7f639b7323ca&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">domestic</a> flights were canceled.

Weather forecasters expect Dujuan to weaken to the equivalent of Category 3 hurricane prior to making landfall. They expect 20 inches of rain to fall on mountainous areas throughout central Taiwan.

Dujuan is also expected to hit the southeastern Chinese coastal province of Fuijan on Tuesday. Its winds should be diminished by that point, but torrential rains will still pose a threat to the region.

---
<a href="http://www.upi.com/">UPI</a>

Volkswagen Faces Stiff Fines Due to Emissions Deception. Who knew about the emissions deception, when did they know it and who directed it?
Those are among questions that state and federal investigators want answered as they plunge into the emissions scandal at Volkswagen that has cost the chief executive his job, caused stock prices to plummet and could result in billions of dollars in fines. Volkswagen Faces Stiff Fines Due to Emissions Deception
Legal experts say the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plant-diversity-is-declining-at-a-steady-rate-across-germany/">German</a> automaker is likely to face significant legal problems, including potential criminal charges, arising from its admission that 11 million of its diesel vehicles sold worldwide contained software specifically designed to help cheat emissions tests.
The Environmental Protection Agency has accused VW of installing sophisticated stealth software that enabled "clean diesel" versions of its Passat, <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=jetta&amp;cvid=62b74f2da3564475b8605eb7ec4ea686&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Jetta</a>, Golf and Beetle models to detect when they were being tested and emit less-polluting exhaust than in real-world driving conditions. The agency says the "defeat devices" allowed those models to belch up to 40 times the allowed amounts of harmful fumes in order to improve driving performance.
The Justice Department says it's "working closely" with EPA investigators.
"If there is sufficient evidence to show that Volkswagen intentionally programmed its vehicles to override the emission control devices, the company and any individuals involved could face criminal charges under the Clean Air Act, and for conspiracy, fraud and false statements," said David M. Uhlmann, a former chief of the Justice Department's Environmental Crimes Section who is now a law professor at the University of Michigan. He called criminal charges "almost certain."
But Uhlmann cautioned that hauling the executives involved into a U.S. courtroom could be challenging because much of the conduct at issue probably occurred overseas. While the U.S. has an extradition treaty with Germany, European regulators are also now investigating and could claim first dibs on prosecuting company officials.
It's not the first time Volkswagen has been accused of cheating on emissions testing by the EPA. In July 1973, the agency found that VW had installed temperature-sensitive devices that turned off emissions controls on about 25,000 Fastback, Squareback and bus models. The company agreed to remove the devices and eventually settled with the Justice Department, paying a $120,000 penalty.
CEO Martin Winterkorn resigned on Wednesday, and Volkswagen announced it would set aside $7.3 billion to cover the cost of the scandal, but even that may not be enough. The company has apologized, but has not yet detailed who was responsible for the defeat devices.
German media reported Sunday that Volkswagen had received warnings years ago about the use of illegal tricks to defeat emissions tests. Bild am Sonntag said VW's internal investigation has found a 2007 letter from parts supplier Bosch warning Volkswagen not to use the software during regular operation. Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung said a Volkswagen technician raised concerns about illegal practices in connection with emissions levels in 2011.
A Volkswagen spokesman declined to comment on the reports.
The Clean Air Act allows for fines of up to $37,500 for each of the 482,000 suspect VWs sold in the United States, potentially totaling more than $18 billion. Attorneys general for nearly 30 states and the District of Columbia have announced a coordinated investigation and said they are issuing subpoenas for company records.
There's also a high likelihood of class-action lawsuits by angry VW owners.
"They're facing a tsunami of possible state and federal enforcement actions, and a potential large number of violations - including administrative, civil and criminal," said William Carter, a former federal prosecutor in Los Angeles who specialized in environmental crimes and served as general counsel of the California Environmental Protection Agency.
Investigators will almost certainly look for any false statements made to the EPA and for signs that VW has tried to conceal wrongdoing or obstruct regulators. Fraud charges could be considered if evidence emerges that company executives used the Internet or the mail system to carry out the emissions deception. And money laundering allegations will be explored if investigators suspect that VW sent illicit proceeds overseas.
"If a software package such as this were intentionally designed to defeat the emissions testing, there may well be email traffic, meetings, records that would establish that intent," said Gregory Linsin, a former environmental crimes prosecutor at the Justice Department.
But Linsin said he expected the Justice Department also to take into account the multiple investigations likely to take place worldwide, and to not punish the automaker in a way that jeopardizes its ability to stay in business.
The problems at VW come as the Justice Department faces growing pressure to prosecute individual executives and employees for corporate misdeeds. The last two major criminal investigations against auto companies - Toyota and General Motors - yielded massive fines over car safety problems but has resulted in no prosecutions of executives. Those outcomes dismayed consumer watchdog groups and grieving victims' relatives, who demanded better accountability for failure to disclose vehicle defects.
A memo this month by Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates sought to reaffirm the Justice Department's commitment to prosecuting employees and executives, directing among other policy mandates that corporations pushing for credit for cooperating with the government must first turn over evidence against individuals.
"Volkswagen has a fundamental choice to make," said Uhlmann, the former prosecutor. "That is whether it intends to cooperate and seek leniency, or whether it wants to fight the charges. Every indication over the last several days from Volkswagen is that it intends to cooperate."
Asked whether that meant he expected company executives to voluntarily come to the United States to stand trial, he laughed.
"Absolutely not," he said.
---
AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed to this report.
---
Online:
EPA announcement: http://www3.epa.gov/otaq/cert/violations.htm
---
Follow Michael Biesecker: http://twitter.com/mbieseck and Eric Tucker at http://twitter.com/etuckerAP
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Volkswagen Faces Stiff Fines Due to Emissions Deception

Volkswagen Faces Stiff Fines Due to Emissions Deception. Who knew...

Alaska Fears Fallout of Shell's Arctic Evacuation. Royal Dutch Shell's dry hole in the Chukchi Sea may be disappointing to shareholders, but it's potentially devastating to Alaska.
The company's decision to end oil exploration in offshore Alaska for the foreseeable future means the state must find another source to fill the 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline and solve its economic woes, Gov. Bill Walker said.
"We need to get some oil in the pipeline, and we need to do it as quickly as possible and in the safest method possible," Walker said. He is suggesting the federal government open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to natural gas drilling.
The petroleum industry funds upward of 90 percent of state government. Declining oil production and low prices have left Alaska with a billion-dollar budget gap, and state leaders saw rays of hope in Shell's offshore prospects.
Confirmation of the estimated 15 billion barrels in the Chukchi lease area could have led to additional exploration by other leaseholders. And a transition to production - though a decade or more off - would have meant jobs, potential revenue and a source to replenish the trans-Alaska pipeline, now running less than one-quarter full.
Kara Moriarty, president and CEO of the pro-industry Alaska Oil and Gas Association, noted other companies holding leases in the Arctic were waiting to see what happened with Shell and will follow its lead.
"I haven't talked to anyone, but I have very low expectation that we're going to see any type of exploration or development in the Arctic anytime in the near future," she said.
She cited a loss of jobs as one of the biggest immediate effects in the state.
"At any given day during the project this summer, they'd have 600 to 800 workers and another 600 to 800 workers waiting to shift in and out, on a two-to three week rotation," Moriarty said. "So, I think in the short-term, it's loss of jobs, it's loss of investment."
Shell spent $2.1 billion on 275 Chukchi Sea leases in 2008 and $7 billion overall on Arctic offshore development. Before this year, the company last drilled off Alaska's northwest coast in 1991.
The exploratory well Shell drilled this month extended to 6,800 feet in 150 feet of water. It found oil and gas but not in commercial quantities that would justify additional exploration with two drill vessels, thousands of workers and a flotilla of 28 vessels supplied from a base 150 miles away in the community of Barrow.
A return to Alaska waters will depend, as always, on how drilling prospects compare to other areas, Shell spokesman Curtis Smith said.
"At any given time, we have a suite of investment options in our portfolio," Smith said. "Not all of them can be funded."
Today's oil prices were not a factor in the decision.
In an interview earlier this month, Shell USA President Marvin Odum said the company looks at projected prices at least a decade out.
Moving forward, he said, would hinge on finding a petroleum basin large enough to justify the enormous cost of a transition to development: Arctic-strong production platforms, undersea pipe to the Alaska coast, and an overland pipeline connection to the trans-Alaska pipeline.
The well results were a major driver in the decision, Smith said, but the regulatory environment also was a factor.
"It's our view that the current permitting system brings very high levels of operating uncertainty to offshore Alaska planning," he said. "Under normal circumstances, an exploration program like this one should have taken significantly less time."
Federal regulators are preparing to issue Arctic-specific exploratory drilling regulations, crafted in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. One expensive provision is a requirement that two drilling rigs be on hand. If one is destroyed in a blowout, the second could drill a relief well.
Environmental groups were ecstatic with Shell's announcement. They contend the risk of a major spill is too great to allow Arctic offshore drilling.
Industrial activity, they say, will harm polar bears, walrus and ice seals already affected by diminished sea ice.
Burning the U.S. Arctic's oil reserves, estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey to exceed 26 billion barrels of conventionally recoverable oil, would add to climate warming and further delay a transition away from fossil fuels.
Susan Murray of oceans advocate Oceana said Shell's decision allows government to step back and apply science and careful planning to the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-penguins-need-protection-from-human-activities/">Arctic</a>. Alaska Fears Fallout of Shell's Arctic Evacuation
"As President Obama saw firsthand, there are many challenges in the Arctic region, and we can use this opportunity to address changing climate and the need to protect and conserve important ocean resources," she said in a statement.
Shell is the major leaseholder in the Chukchi. ConocoPhillips holds 98 tracts but backed off of exploration plans in April 2013, citing regulatory uncertainties.
---
Associated Press writer Mark Thiessen contributed to this report.
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Alaska Fears Fallout of Shell's Arctic Evacuation

Alaska Fears Fallout of Shell's Arctic Evacuation. Royal Dutch Shell's...

Alaska Fears Fallout of Shell's Arctic Evacuation. Royal Dutch Shell's dry hole in the Chukchi Sea may be disappointing to shareholders, but it's potentially devastating to Alaska.
The company's decision to end oil exploration in offshore Alaska for the foreseeable future means the state must find another source to fill the 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline and solve its economic woes, Gov. Bill Walker said.
"We need to get some oil in the pipeline, and we need to do it as quickly as possible and in the safest method possible," Walker said. He is suggesting the federal government open the <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=arctic&amp;cvid=455bea9e62f745b9a2e371e825fce307&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Arctic</a> National Wildlife Refuge to natural gas drilling.
The petroleum industry funds upward of 90 percent of state government. Declining oil production and low prices have left Alaska with a billion-dollar budget gap, and state leaders saw rays of hope in Shell's <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/offshore-wind-farms-europe/">offshore</a> prospects.
Confirmation of the estimated 15 billion barrels in the Chukchi lease area could have led to additional exploration by other leaseholders. And a transition to production - though a decade or more off - would have meant jobs, potential revenue and a source to replenish the trans-Alaska pipeline, now running less than one-quarter full.
Kara Moriarty, president and CEO of the pro-industry Alaska Oil and Gas Association, noted other companies holding leases in the Arctic were waiting to see what happened with Shell and will follow its lead.
"I haven't talked to anyone, but I have very low expectation that we're going to see any type of exploration or development in the Arctic anytime in the near future," she said.
She cited a loss of jobs as one of the biggest immediate effects in the state.
"At any given day during the project this summer, they'd have 600 to 800 workers and another 600 to 800 workers waiting to shift in and out, on a two-to three week rotation," Moriarty said. "So, I think in the short-term, it's loss of jobs, it's loss of investment."
Shell spent $2.1 billion on 275 Chukchi Sea leases in 2008 and $7 billion overall on Arctic offshore development. Before this year, the company last drilled off Alaska's northwest coast in 1991.
The exploratory well Shell drilled this month extended to 6,800 feet in 150 feet of water. It found oil and gas but not in commercial quantities that would justify additional exploration with two drill vessels, thousands of workers and a flotilla of 28 vessels supplied from a base 150 miles away in the community of Barrow.
A return to Alaska waters will depend, as always, on how drilling prospects compare to other areas, Shell spokesman Curtis Smith said.
"At any given time, we have a suite of investment options in our portfolio," Smith said. "Not all of them can be funded."
Today's oil prices were not a factor in the decision.
In an interview earlier this month, Shell USA President Marvin Odum said the company looks at projected prices at least a decade out.
Moving forward, he said, would hinge on finding a petroleum basin large enough to justify the enormous cost of a transition to development: Arctic-strong production platforms, undersea pipe to the Alaska coast, and an overland pipeline connection to the trans-Alaska pipeline.
The well results were a major driver in the decision, Smith said, but the regulatory environment also was a factor.
"It's our view that the current permitting system brings very high levels of operating uncertainty to offshore Alaska planning," he said. "Under normal circumstances, an exploration program like this one should have taken significantly less time."
Federal regulators are preparing to issue Arctic-specific exploratory drilling regulations, crafted in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. One expensive provision is a requirement that two drilling rigs be on hand. If one is destroyed in a blowout, the second could drill a relief well.
Environmental groups were ecstatic with Shell's announcement. They contend the risk of a major spill is too great to allow Arctic offshore drilling.
Industrial activity, they say, will harm polar bears, walrus and ice seals already affected by diminished sea ice.
Burning the U.S. Arctic's oil reserves, estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey to exceed 26 billion barrels of conventionally recoverable oil, would add to climate warming and further delay a transition away from fossil fuels.
Susan Murray of oceans advocate Oceana said Shell's decision allows government to step back and apply science and careful planning to the Arctic.
"As President Obama saw firsthand, there are many challenges in the Arctic region, and we can use this opportunity to address changing climate and the need to protect and conserve important ocean resources," she said in a statement.
Shell is the major leaseholder in the Chukchi. ConocoPhillips holds 98 tracts but backed off of exploration plans in April 2013, citing regulatory uncertainties.
---
Associated Press writer Mark Thiessen contributed to this report.
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Alaska Fears Fallout of Shell's Arctic Evacuation. Royal Dutch Shell's dry hole in the Chukchi Sea may be disappointing to shareholders, but it's potentially devastating to Alaska.
The company's decision to end oil exploration in offshore Alaska for the foreseeable future means the state must find another source to fill the 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline and solve its economic woes, Gov. Bill Walker said.
"We need to get some oil in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secretary-tillerson-pipeline-issues/">pipeline</a>, and we need to do it as quickly as possible and in the safest method possible," Walker said. He is suggesting the federal government open the Arctic National <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=wildlife&amp;cvid=8fff9b6933e649b9aa32aa39edb408df&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Wildlife</a> Refuge to natural gas drilling. Alaska Fears Fallout of Shell's Arctic Evacuation and has caused a lot of panic of the unknown.
The petroleum industry funds upward of 90 percent of state government. Declining oil production and low prices have left Alaska with a billion-dollar budget gap, and state leaders saw rays of hope in Shell's offshore prospects.
Confirmation of the estimated 15 billion barrels in the Chukchi lease area could have led to additional exploration by other leaseholders. And a transition to production - though a decade or more off - would have meant jobs, potential revenue and a source to replenish the trans-Alaska pipeline, now running less than one-quarter full.
Kara Moriarty, president and CEO of the pro-industry Alaska Oil and Gas Association, noted other companies holding leases in the Arctic were waiting to see what happened with Shell and will follow its lead.
"I haven't talked to anyone, but I have very low expectation that we're going to see any type of exploration or development in the Arctic anytime in the near future," she said.
She cited a loss of jobs as one of the biggest immediate effects in the state.
"At any given day during the project this summer, they'd have 600 to 800 workers and another 600 to 800 workers waiting to shift in and out, on a two-to three week rotation," Moriarty said. "So, I think in the short-term, it's loss of jobs, it's loss of investment."
Shell spent $2.1 billion on 275 Chukchi Sea leases in 2008 and $7 billion overall on Arctic offshore development. Before this year, the company last drilled off Alaska's northwest coast in 1991.
The exploratory well Shell drilled this month extended to 6,800 feet in 150 feet of water. It found oil and gas but not in commercial quantities that would justify additional exploration with two drill vessels, thousands of workers and a flotilla of 28 vessels supplied from a base 150 miles away in the community of Barrow.
A return to Alaska waters will depend, as always, on how drilling prospects compare to other areas, Shell spokesman Curtis Smith said.
"At any given time, we have a suite of investment options in our portfolio," Smith said. "Not all of them can be funded."
Today's oil prices were not a factor in the decision.
In an interview earlier this month, Shell USA President Marvin Odum said the company looks at projected prices at least a decade out.
Moving forward, he said, would hinge on finding a petroleum basin large enough to justify the enormous cost of a transition to development: Arctic-strong production platforms, undersea pipe to the Alaska coast, and an overland pipeline connection to the trans-Alaska pipeline.
The well results were a major driver in the decision, Smith said, but the regulatory environment also was a factor.
"It's our view that the current permitting system brings very high levels of operating uncertainty to offshore Alaska planning," he said. "Under normal circumstances, an exploration program like this one should have taken significantly less time."
Federal regulators are preparing to issue Arctic-specific exploratory drilling regulations, crafted in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. One expensive provision is a requirement that two drilling rigs be on hand. If one is destroyed in a blowout, the second could drill a relief well.
Environmental groups were ecstatic with Shell's announcement. They contend the risk of a major spill is too great to allow Arctic offshore drilling.
Industrial activity, they say, will harm polar bears, walrus and ice seals already affected by diminished sea ice.
Burning the U.S. Arctic's oil reserves, estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey to exceed 26 billion barrels of conventionally recoverable oil, would add to climate warming and further delay a transition away from fossil fuels.
Susan Murray of oceans advocate Oceana said Shell's decision allows government to step back and apply science and careful planning to the Arctic.
"As President Obama saw firsthand, there are many challenges in the Arctic region, and we can use this opportunity to address changing climate and the need to protect and conserve important ocean resources," she said in a statement.
Shell is the major leaseholder in the Chukchi. ConocoPhillips holds 98 tracts but backed off of exploration plans in April 2013, citing regulatory uncertainties.
---
Associated Press writer Mark Thiessen contributed to this report.
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Alaska Fears Fallout of Shell's Arctic

Taiwan Prepares for Super Typhoon Dujuan. Authorities in Taiwan evacuated thousands of people in anticipation of Super Typhoon Dujuan, which is expected to make landfall Monday evening.

The storm featured maximum sustained winds of about 114 mph with gusts reaching 141 mph. Dujuan's trajectory carries it just south of the capital of Taipei.

[caption id="attachment_2384763" align="alignleft" width="150"]<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/09/28152944/Super-Typhoon-Dujuan-prompts-evacuations-in-Taiwan_UPIjpg.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2384763" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/09/28152944/Super-Typhoon-Dujuan-prompts-evacuations-in-Taiwan_UPIjpg-150x150.jpg" alt="This satellite image of Typhoon Dujuan shows the center of the storm as it rolls across the Pacific Ocean. Image by NOAA" width="150" height="150" /></a> This satellite image of Typhoon Dujuan shows the center of the storm as it rolls across the Pacific Ocean. Image by NOAA[/caption]

The storm is also expected to hit Japan's small Yaeyama Islands, bringing torrential <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/animals-needed-sleep-before-they-even-had-brains/">rains</a>.

Some 4,000 people were relocated from the region Monday, in addition to 3,000 more forced to leave two resort islands in the region over the weekend. About 24,000 troops were placed on standby and more than a hundred shelters were erected in the region. Taiwan Prepares for Super Typhoon Dujuan

A <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=bon+jovi&amp;cvid=34b38169501544048c45dfec1c28235b&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Bon Jovi</a> concert slated to take place in the capital city of Taipei on Monday was also canceled.

Local authorities issued land and sea warnings in anticipation of the storm. Plans to shut down rail service were announced and more than 200 international and domestic flights were canceled.

Weather forecasters expect Dujuan to weaken to the equivalent of Category 3 hurricane prior to making landfall. They expect 20 inches of rain to fall on mountainous areas throughout central Taiwan.

Dujuan is also expected to hit the southeastern Chinese coastal province of Fuijan on Tuesday. Its winds should be diminished by that point, but torrential rains will still pose a threat to the region.

---
<a href="http://www.upi.com/">UPI</a>

Mothers Wait with Children to Receive Polio Vaccination

Climate Change Affects Birth Weight of Babies. Stronger storms, higher tides, longer droughts and lower birth weights -- global warming's rap sheet continues to get longer and longer.

According to a new study, expecting mothers in Africa who are exposed to higher temperatures and less precipitation tend to birth infants weighing less.

Researchers from the University of Utah analyzed the birth weights of 70,000 infants born in 19 African countries between 1986 and 2010. They cross-referenced birth weights with weather data from the estimated time of conception through birth.

[caption id="attachment_2384781" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/09/29172937/Study-Climate-change-negatively-affects-birth-weight.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2384781" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/09/29172937/Study-Climate-change-negatively-affects-birth-weight-300x200.jpg" alt="A woman and her children collect water from a well inside a rural village in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Photo by Kathryn Grace/University of Utah" width="300" height="200" /></a> A woman and her children collect water from a well inside a rural village in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Photo by Kathryn Grace/University of Utah[/caption]

The evidence showed that the greater the number of the days with a temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the more likely the baby was to be born with a low birth weight -- defined by the World Health Organization as less than 2,500 grams. Additionally, analysis showed that increases in precipitation resulted in higher, healthier birth weights.

Previous climate models suggest much of sub-Saharan Africa will feature hotter, drier weather, should climate change continue unfettered.

"Our findings demonstrate that in the very early stages of intra-uterine development, climate change has the potential to significantly impact birth outcomes," lead study author Kathryn Grace, a geography professor at Utah, said in a press release. "While the severity of that impact depends on where the pregnant woman lives, in this case the developing world, we can see the potential for similar outcomes everywhere."

Grace says efforts to provide resources to pregnant women in Africa's developing nations will be all for not if direct action isn't taken to slow climate change and protect the world's most vulnerable populations from its effects. Climate Change Affects Birth Weight of Babies

"At the end of the day, the services we invest in to support these developing countries won't reap the same level of benefits as long as climate change continues," Grace said. "Services such as education, clean water efforts and nutrition support won't be as effective. We need to work faster and differently to combat the evident stresses caused by climate change."

Earlier this week, new evidence linked lower birth weight to diminished levels of social trust -- the glue that psychologists and sociologists say holds society together. Taken together, the two studies suggest global warming could bring about a less trusting world.

---

<a href="http://www.upi.com/">UPI</a>

Climate Change Affects Birth Weight of Babies

Climate Change Affects Birth Weight of Babies. Stronger storms, higher...

EPA Sets Stricter Standards For Oil Refineries. The Environmental Protection Agency announced new rules Tuesday to reduce toxic air pollution from oil refineries by forcing operators to adopt new technology that better monitors and controls emissions.
The rules will require for the first time that refineries install air monitors along "fence lines" where pollution enters neighboring communities. The monitors will measure levels of benzene and other dangerous pollutants. Corrective action will be required if levels exceed established limits. EPA Sets Stricter Standards For Oil Refineries
<a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=epa&amp;cvid=11e74c6b7144453c990f654fffd95e61&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">EPA</a> Administrator Gina McCarthy said the rules would protect the health of more than 6 million people who live within 3 miles of a refinery. The rules will serve as a kind of "neighborhood watch for toxic pollutants" near the nation's 140 petroleum refineries, including dozens across the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/tornado-track-tuscaloosa-alabama/">Alabama</a>, McCarthy said. Refineries also are located near major cities such as Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York and Chicago.
McCarthy called the rules a demonstration of the Obama administration's commitment to "environmental justice," noting that many people who live near refineries are poor, including a large percentage who are members of minority groups.
Announcement of the long-delayed refinery rule came as the EPA prepared to set new limits on smog-forming pollution linked to asthma and respiratory illness.
Facing a court-ordered deadline, the EPA is expected to act by Thursday to set a new ozone standard. Officials are expected to set a limit of 70 parts per billion or less in the atmosphere, down from the existing standard of 75.
A top EPA official said Tuesday the current ozone limit "is not adequate to protect the public health."
Janet McCabe, the EPA's top air regulator, told Congress that a new, stricter standard is needed to cut dangerous ozone pollution and prevent thousands of asthma attacks, emergency room visits and even premature deaths.
A new ozone standard, combined with greenhouse gas reductions mandated by a new rule limiting carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants, "will extend the trajectory of the last 40 years when we've cut air pollution 70 percent - all while our economy has tripled," McCabe said Tuesday at a Senate hearing.
Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, countered that a new ozone limit would likely have negligible environmental benefits and comes with huge economic costs. Instead of creating a job-killing mandate, the EPA should focus on helping counties across the nation that have not yet met the current standards, he said.
"A new standard at this time is not only irresponsible, but also impractical and economically destructive," Inhofe said.
The National Association of Manufacturers is leading opposition to the new rule and argues in TV ads that the current ozone rule works. The ad features a video clip of Obama saying at the White House last month that the U.S. has largely "solved" the smog problem since the days when thick air pollution in Los Angeles and other big cities made it difficult to breathe.
Obama made the comment - recalling his college days in Los Angeles - as he announced unprecedented carbon dioxide limits on coal-fired power plants, the biggest step taken by the U.S. on climate change.
"The president is right," the ad says. "The current ozone rule is working."
McCabe declined to specify what the new ozone limit will be, but assured senators that the standard will be based on the law, a thorough scientific review and recommendations from independent advisers.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said the EPA's plan could be disastrous for his state.
"We've got a regulation coming at states and consumers that is going to absolutely explode the price of power in our state," Wicker said, calling the EPA plan "unworkable."
Paul Billings, senior vice president of the American Lung Association, said EPA should not consider cost but instead focus on protection of the public's health and safety.
Once a standard is set that protects the public, then cost can be factored in, Billings said. The lung association has played a key role in development of ozone standards through a series of legal actions over the past two decades.
"Less smog means better health for all of us," Billings said.
Cutting ozone emissions to 70 parts per billion would cost industry about $3.9 billion in 2025, the EPA estimated.
--
Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC</a>
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

EPA Sets Stricter Standards For Oil Refineries

EPA Sets Stricter Standards For Oil Refineries. The Environmental Protection...

Big Utilities Are Embracing Small-Scale Rooftop Solar Market. Traditional power companies are getting into small-scale rooftop solar energy and competing for space on your rooftop.

The emerging competition comes as utilities and smaller solar installers fight over the future of the U.S. <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=energy+systems&amp;cvid=907d8d056fb04bd6b2937942e454c61f&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">energy system</a>. While the market for residential solar power remains a financial drop in the bucket for a big utility, the installation of solar panels overall grew by more than 50 percent in 2014 and is on track for another record-breaking year at time when the traditional utility business is pretty flat.

"The whole theory is you need to serve your customer or someone will serve them for you," said Raiford Smith, a vice president at CPS Energy in San Antonio, <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/padre-island-off-the-coast-of-texas/">Texas</a>, where 3,000 customers are interested in getting utility-owned rooftop panels. "I think the entire market is in a race for rooftop." Big Utilities Are Embracing Small-Scale Rooftop Solar Market

These moves may have a range of effects for customers. The utilities experimenting in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan and Texas could make solar more affordable for average consumers by energizing competition and driving down prices. Some utility programs may be beneficial to people who cannot afford big up-front investments, get affordable loans or find existing solar leases too cumbersome.

Smaller solar companies fear the incumbents will use their power to drive competitors from the market. After all, every time an installer puts solar panels on a home, a utility company sells less power and makes less money.

These experimental programs are one part of a bigger, yearslong battle between the solar industry and utilities. Since 2013, legislation to limit rooftop solar has been introduced in nearly two dozen states.

Some utilities like NV Energy in Nevada and PNM in New Mexico have debated charging solar customers special fees since they still buy electricity from the traditional utility system but end up paying less money to support common infrastructure. Even small fees could have big consequences since the financial decision to install solar panels can be a close call for many consumers.

Solar panels remain pricey, at least upfront.

For example, Gregg Dufort said he wanted to install panels on his Phoenix home but couldn't justify spending $25,000 on an investment that he estimated would pay off in 20 years or more. He considered leasing solar panels, but found the multi-year leases would be difficult to end if he eventually sold or rented the property.

Instead, he became the first customer this year to lease part of his roof to Arizona Public Service Co., which installed all the equipment at its own cost. APS pays Dufort $360 in annual credits on his power bills. Arizona regulators capped the pilot program at 1,500 homes. So far, several dozen homes have been outfitted. Installations on another 500 homes are ongoing or will soon start.

"Somebody had to figure out a way to do it because we had this huge untapped energy source out here," Dufort said. "And the prohibitive part of it is the cost."

APS' manager of renewable energy, Marc Romito, said the utility will use the program to test new equipment, batteries and distribution systems.

Critics accuse APS of rigging the system by undervaluing the solar energy, which lowers prices and makes it difficult for rivals to compete. APS generally faces less risk than competitors since regulators grant the monopoly guaranteed profits on all investments, including solar panels.

Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power started in July helping customers interested in solar energy analyze their electricity usage. A utility website refers customers to multiple installers, including one run by an unregulated wing of Georgia Power itself.

Regulators will be watching to see if Georgia Power uses the advantages of its monopoly electric business - for example, customer databases, advertising budgets or staff - to subsidize its commercial solar venture. So far, no formal complaints have been filed.

In Michigan, Consumers Energy is asking that it get paid a referral fee anytime it successfully connects a customer with a solar installer. It's also offering financing for solar projects through a bank that specializes in home-improvement loans.

Bradley Klein, an attorney for the Environmental Law and Policy Center, said there should be a way for Consumers Energy customers to share their electrical usage data with any solar installer, not just those selected to participate in Consumer's program.

"As these markets are opening. We want to make sure there's full and fair competition and there's not an unequal playing field," he said.

---

Henry reported from Atlanta.

© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Big Utilities Are Embracing Small-Scale Rooftop Solar Market

Big Utilities Are Embracing Small-Scale Rooftop Solar Market. Traditional power...

EPA Sets Stricter Standards For Oil Refineries. The Environmental Protection Agency announced new rules Tuesday to reduce toxic air pollution from oil refineries by forcing operators to adopt new technology that better monitors and controls emissions.
The rules will require for the first time that refineries install air monitors along "fence lines" where pollution enters neighboring communities. The monitors will measure levels of benzene and other dangerous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honey-trace-environmental-pollutants/">pollutants</a>. Corrective action will be required if levels exceed established limits.
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said the rules would protect the health of more than 6 million people who live within 3 miles of a refinery. The rules will serve as a kind of "neighborhood watch for toxic pollutants" near the nation's 140 petroleum refineries, including dozens across the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, McCarthy said. Refineries also are located near major cities such as Los Angeles, Philadelphia,<a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=new+york&amp;cvid=6a0d08af9e4345efbd99a93765218d47&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS"> New York</a> and Chicago.The Environmental Protection Agency announced new rules Tuesday to reduce toxic air pollution from oil refineries EPA Sets Stricter Standards For Oil Refineries
McCarthy called the rules a demonstration of the Obama administration's commitment to "environmental justice," noting that many people who live near refineries are poor, including a large percentage who are members of minority groups.
Announcement of the long-delayed refinery rule came as the EPA prepared to set new limits on smog-forming pollution linked to asthma and respiratory illness.
Facing a court-ordered deadline, the EPA is expected to act by Thursday to set a new ozone standard. Officials are expected to set a limit of 70 parts per billion or less in the atmosphere, down from the existing standard of 75.
A top EPA official said Tuesday the current ozone limit "is not adequate to protect the public health."
Janet McCabe, the EPA's top air regulator, told Congress that a new, stricter standard is needed to cut dangerous ozone pollution and prevent thousands of asthma attacks, emergency room visits and even premature deaths.
A new ozone standard, combined with greenhouse gas reductions mandated by a new rule limiting carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants, "will extend the trajectory of the last 40 years when we've cut air pollution 70 percent - all while our economy has tripled," McCabe said Tuesday at a Senate hearing.
Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, countered that a new ozone limit would likely have negligible environmental benefits and comes with huge economic costs. Instead of creating a job-killing mandate, the EPA should focus on helping counties across the nation that have not yet met the current standards, he said.
"A new standard at this time is not only irresponsible, but also impractical and economically destructive," Inhofe said.
The National Association of Manufacturers is leading opposition to the new rule and argues in TV ads that the current ozone rule works. The ad features a video clip of Obama saying at the White House last month that the U.S. has largely "solved" the smog problem since the days when thick air pollution in Los Angeles and other big cities made it difficult to breathe.
Obama made the comment - recalling his college days in Los Angeles - as he announced unprecedented carbon dioxide limits on coal-fired power plants, the biggest step taken by the U.S. on climate change.
"The president is right," the ad says. "The current ozone rule is working."
McCabe declined to specify what the new ozone limit will be, but assured senators that the standard will be based on the law, a thorough scientific review and recommendations from independent advisers.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said the EPA's plan could be disastrous for his state.
"We've got a regulation coming at states and consumers that is going to absolutely explode the price of power in our state," Wicker said, calling the EPA plan "unworkable."
Paul Billings, senior vice president of the American Lung Association, said EPA should not consider cost but instead focus on protection of the public's health and safety.
Once a standard is set that protects the public, then cost can be factored in, Billings said. The lung association has played a key role in development of ozone standards through a series of legal actions over the past two decades.
"Less smog means better health for all of us," Billings said.
Cutting ozone emissions to 70 parts per billion would cost industry about $3.9 billion in 2025, the EPA estimated.
--
Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC</a>
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Arctic Sky

Environmental Groups Seek End To All Arctic Ocean Drilling. Royal Dutch Shell's decision to end its quest for oil in the Arctic waters off Alaska sparked jubilation among environmental activists, who said Tuesday that they will seize the opportunity to seek an end to all arctic ocean drilling.
But while Shell's move is a definite setback for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-is-a-source-of-food-contamination/">oil</a> companies, it does not mean offshore drilling is dead or that the Arctic Ocean has any greater protection now than it had last week.
Shell's decision gives advocates on both sides a chance to pause and consider whether Arctic drilling should continue, said Mike LeVine of the ocean-advocacy group in Juneau known as Oceana.Environmental Groups Seek End To All Arctic Ocean Drilling
"Meaningful action to address climate change is almost certainly going to mean we can't keep looking for oil in remote and expensive places," LeVine said. "Rather than investing in programs like this, we need to figure out how to transition away from <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=fossil+fuels&amp;cvid=0d081c2f8c20435a8360165c79ad018d&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">fossil fuels</a> and toward sustainable energy."
Shell announced Monday that it would abandon exploration in U.S. Arctic waters "for the foreseeable future" after a well drilled this summer in the Chukchi Sea off the Alaskan coast failed to find natural gas and oil in sufficient quantities.
Royal Dutch Shell PLC spent more than $7 billion on Arctic offshore development in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas and was dogged at every regulatory level by environmental groups, which feared that a spill in the harsh climate would be difficult to clean up and devastating to polar bears, walruses, seals and other wildlife.
The next step for many environmental advocates is to establish "some sort of binding policy so that these decisions are not up to oil companies," said Cassady Sharp, spokeswoman for Greenpeace USA in Washington, D.C.
Over the summer, Greenpeace protested drilling by boarding a Shell vessel as it crossed the Pacific. The group helped organize on-the-water demonstrations in Seattle by "kayaktivists" in kayaks. Protesters with climbing gear hung suspended from a bridge in Portland, Oregon, to briefly delay a Shell support vessel from departing for the Chukchi Sea.
"I think the activism played a huge role and probably a bigger one than Shell is going to admit," Sharp said.
Greenpeace remains opposed to Arctic offshore oil development and will turn its attention to other Alaska leases and potential drilling in other countries, she said.
"We don't want to get too confident and assume no company is going to move forward," she said.
The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that American Arctic waters hold 26 billion barrels of conventionally recoverable oil. That's considerably more than the 17 billion barrels of crude that moved through the trans-Alaska pipeline from 1977 through 2014.
Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director for the Center for Biological Diversity, said Shell's experience and public pressure may serve as a warning message to other companies. However, Arctic offshore drilling is by no means over.
The Department of Interior continues to evaluate Arctic-specific exploratory drilling regulations. The leases that allow oil companies to explore for crude run through 2017 in the Beaufort Sea and through 2020 in the Chukchi Sea, and corporations have sought extensions.
Arctic waters continue to be part of President Barack Obama's "all-of-the-above" energy strategy, which embraces a wide range of sources, from oil and natural gas to renewables such as wind and solar power.
Depending on interest by petroleum companies, the Interior Department could hold lease sales in Arctic waters in 2016 and 2017.
Both the Chukchi and the Beaufort seas could be included in the federal government's next five-year plan for offshore leases, which covers leasing through 2022.
Environmental groups are also lining up to oppose a proposed Beaufort Sea project 19 miles east of Prudhoe Bay. HilCorp Alaska LLC has applied to build a 9-acre artificial island in 20 feet of water about 6 miles off shore to tap into 150 million barrels of crude oil.
Shell's decision ended hope that within a decade or so Arctic offshore oil could help replenish the trans-Alaska pipeline. Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, a Republican-turned-independent, said the state must find ways to address Alaska's multi-billion dollar budget gap between income and spending.
"If it's not going to come offshore, let's safely develop it from onshore," he said.
He will lobby Obama to not only extend offshore leases but to open reserves on land now closed, such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, he said. Congress in the 1990s voted to open part of the refuge. President Bill Clinton vetoed the measure.
"So I'm going to start with the person with the veto authority and start with that," Walker said. "I'm going to work from the top down."
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Environmental Groups Seek End To All Arctic Ocean Drilling

Environmental Groups Seek End To All Arctic Ocean Drilling. Royal...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



Overall, 96 percent of Earth's water is saltwater, and nearly all of freshwater is found in ice and groundwater. These sources of water are linked as it passes through solid, liquid and gas phases.



In a warmer climate, the water cycle will be transformed. It will be easier for water to evaporate and form clouds, and storms will become more frequent and intense. Some regions will get too much water, while others will be left without enough water. In addition, soil moisture will be lost - which threatens food security.



Scientists are using satellite data from over the last 40 years to track changes that are happening in the water cycle. This will ultimately help us prepare for extreme events and better manage our water resources, according to ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> features images of Saturn from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The photographs capture the start of the mysterious "spoke season" on Saturn - when unexplained features appear on its rings. 



According to NASA, both the cause of the spokes and their seasonal variability have yet to be fully explained by planetary scientists.



"Like Earth, Saturn is tilted on its axis and therefore has four seasons, though because of Saturn's much larger orbit, each season lasts approximately seven Earth years. Equinox occurs when the rings are tilted edge-on to the Sun," explains NASA.



"The spokes disappear when it is near summer or winter solstice on Saturn. (When the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest latitude in the northern or southern hemisphere of a planet.) As the autumnal equinox of Saturn's northern hemisphere on May 6, 2025, draws near, the spokes are expected to become increasingly prominent and observable."



Experts believe that the spokes may be a product of the planet's variable magnetic field. When magnetic fields interact with solar wind, an electrically charged environment is created. This phenomenon is visible on Earth as the northern lights.&nbsp;



"Scientists think that the smallest, dust-sized icy ring particles can become charged as well, which temporarily levitates those particles above the rest of the larger icy particles and boulders in the rings," says NASA.



The spokes were first observed in the early 1980s by NASA's Voyager mission. Depending on the angle of the rings, the spokes can appear dark or light.



"Thanks to Hubble's OPAL program, which is building an archive of data on the outer solar system planets, we will have longer dedicated time to study Saturn’s spokes this season than ever before," said NASA senior planetary scientist Amy Simon, head of the Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program.



"Despite years of excellent observations by the Cassini mission, the precise beginning and duration of the spoke season is still unpredictable, rather like predicting the first storm during hurricane season."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



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NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



Video Credit: ESA



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Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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Ocean heat influences regional climate

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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