As the sheer number and types of insects living on Earth's land decreases, scientists are beginning to determine the impacts of habitat loss, climate change and other threats on insect populations worldwide.
What's new: The combined consequences of climate change and high-intensity agriculture may be driving declines in insects — on average by 49% in some of the most impacted places, according to a study published this week in Nature.
Russia's war is laying bare a tricky problem — new oil-and-gas infrastructure may be needed now, but will help cook the planet if it operates for decades.
Why it matters: European plans to ditch Kremlin-backed suppliers are spurring calls for more LNG and related pipelines and equipment.
Policymakers are starting to lag behind the private sector when it comes to the urgency of reducing emissions, according to Mark Carney, United Nations special envoy for climate action and finance.
Why it matters: Private sector financing is crucial to helping countries slash emissions at the pace required to meet the temperature targets set out in the Paris Agreement.
The General Services Administration (GSA), which helps federal agencies build, purchase and retrofit office space, has cut its building portfolio's annual operational greenhouse gas emissions by 51% compared to fiscal 2008 levels, the agency first told Axios.
Why it matters: The Biden administration has set a government-wide goal of cutting emissions by 50% by 2032, which means the GSA is about a decade ahead of that target.
Batteries are the new oil — and the U.S. is lagging behind Europe and China in the race to make them.
Why it matters: The historic shift to electric vehicles will give the U.S. a fresh chance to achieve energy independence, but it will require complex strategic moves that won't pay off for years.
Wildfires raging across the U.S. Southwest have razed structures and forced hundreds of people to evacuate — heralding an early start to the fire season, per AP.
Driving the news: The region is facing windy conditions as 90% of the West is in moderate to "exceptional" drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Arizona is in this category, as is 78% of the High Plains — including Colorado.
Germany will stop importing oil from Russia by the end of this year, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said after a meeting with her Baltic counterparts Wednesday, Reuters reported.
Why it matters: Germany, along with the rest of the European Union, has faced mounting pressure to reduce its dependence on Russian oil and gas amid Russia's war in Ukraine.
The Energy Department has opened the doors for power companies to seek subsidies aimed at preventing nuclear reactors from shutting down.
Why it matters: Early closure of financially struggling plants would hobble White House climate goals by taking large amounts of zero-carbon generation offline.
