New research blames climate change for more than 1 billion tons of water that has evaporated from the Colorado River, the Washington Post reports.

What's happening: The findings published in Science on Thursday by the U.S. Geological Survey, show the annual flow of the West's vital river is declining due to warmer temperatures, comparable to the annual water consumption of 10 million Americans.

Tonight's Democratic primary debate in Las Vegas laid bare the candidates' differences over fracking as Bernie Sanders defended his push for an outright ban and challenged concerns that it could hurt Democrats politically.

Driving the news: NBC's Chuck Todd asked Sanders what he would tell workers in Pennsylvania, a swing state where natural gas extraction via fracking is a major industry. Todd cited this New York Times piece on the politics of fracking there.

Greenhouse gas emissions from methane, which largely originates from natural gas production and agriculture, have been underestimated by 25% to 40% compared to recent gauges, per a new study in the peer-reviewed journal Nature.

Why it matters: Methane gas is more potent than CO2 at trapping heat on a pound-for-pound basis in the short-term, which makes it an important factor to weigh as countries tackle global warming.

13% of nearly 900 cities tracked by the nonprofit CDP get a top rating on climate change action — a fraction of the total population, but roughly double the number of cities on the organization's 2018 list.

Why it matters: Cities create more than 60% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions and consume 78% of the world’s energy. The 105 cities who received an "A" rating from CDP represent a combined population of 170 million.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced the launch of his "Earth Fund" on Monday via Instagram to fund climate change research and awareness.

What he's saying: Bezos says he's initially committing $10 billion to fund "scientists, activists, and NGOS" that are working on environmental preservation and protection efforts.

MANASSAS, Va. — The American recycling industry is in crisis — and cities are on the front lines.

The big picture: The economics undergirding the U.S. recycling system have fallen apart. Unable to absorb the extra cost, some cities are opting to kill recycling programs altogether — just as public concerns about climate change are ratcheting up.

The persistent partisan divide on climate change is getting wider, per a Pew Research Center survey.

The big picture: Since 2015, Democrats have become increasingly convinced (now at 78%) that climate change should be a top federal priority — while that same view among Republicans has remained relatively flat (now at 21%)

Go deeper: Climate change's surprise twist

A weather station in Antarctica recorded a temperature of 69.3°F on February 9 — just days after the world's coldest continent hit a record-breaking 65°F, The Washington Post reports.

Why it matters: The United Nation's World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has yet to confirm this is the hottest recorded temperature. It's nonetheless an important finding that confirms a heatwave hit the most northern part of Antarctica, the Post writes.

Delta Airlines is spending $1 billion over the next decade to essentially cancel out all of its future greenhouse gas emissions beginning March 1, the company announced Friday.

The big picture: Delta is the world’s biggest airline by revenue, and this news is the latest in a rapidly growing trend of corporations announcing climate-change goals in response to public and investor pressure.

BP's new emissions pledge could create more pressure on U.S.-based giants Exxon and Chevron.

Why it matters: European oil behemoths have been more active on climate than their U.S. counterparts.