Climate and Environment
The Hidden Factor Behind Your Home Insurance Cost: Your Credit History
In many states, homeowners with “excellent” credit scores are charged less for home insurance than those with worse scores, even if they live in a disaster-prone area.
A Trump Order Protected a Weedkiller. And Also a Weapon of War.
Citing national security, an unusual executive order gave protection to the herbicide Roundup. It also protected the U.S.’s only supply of a controversial, highly flammable munition.
Nature Report, Killed by Trump, Is Released Independently
A draft assessment of the health of nature in the United States is grim but shot through with bright spots and possibility.
Should New York City Burn Its Parks? This Scientist Thinks So.
An unusual outbreak of wildfires in city parks gave scientists a chance to study these rare events. Now they’re coming to different conclusions.
We Asked for Environmental Fixes in Your State. You Sent In Thousands.
Readers submitted more than 3,200 ideas for our 50 States, 50 Fixes series. Before the year ends, we wanted to share just a few more of them.
A Climate ‘Shock’ Is Eroding Some Home Values. New Data Shows How Much.
Changes in the insurance market have started to affect home prices in the most disaster-prone areas, new research finds, pushing some homeowners’ finances to the breaking point.
There’s a Race to Power the Future. China Is Pulling Away.
Beijing is selling clean energy to the world, Washington is pushing oil and gas. Both are driven by national security.
Trash or Recycling? Why Plastic Keeps Us Guessing.
Did you know the “recycling” symbol doesn’t mean something is actually recyclable? Play our trashy garbage-sorting game, then read about why this is so tricky.
A Climate Change Guide for Kids
The future could be bad, or it could be better. You can help decide.
An Environmental Crisis in Iran
War is polluting the skies and waterways in Iran, and experts are warning that the conflict’s environmental effects could extend beyond the country.
In Ancient Peru, a Parrot Trade That Crossed the Andes
Scientists studied centuries-old bird feathers from an ancient tomb on the coast, and then traced the origins back to the Amazon.
War Brings New Water Crises to an Already-Parched Iran
Iran has accused the United States of bombing a desalination plant on Qeshm Island. The country was already facing a severe water shortage.
U.S. Solar Installations Fell in 2025 as Trump Attacked Clean Energy
More solar energy was added to U.S. grids than any other technology, but the amount installed fell by 14 percent, according to a new report.
Short of Ending Iran Conflict, Trump Has Limited Tools to Lower Oil Prices
While officials look for ways to ease oil shocks, experts say higher prices will likely persist until traffic through the Strait of Hormuz returns.
A Big Night Light in the Sky? Start-Up Wants to Launch a Space Mirror.
The company is seeking F.C.C. approval to test an idea to reflect sunlight to Earth at night, possibly powering solar panels. Critics say it could be bad for people and wildlife.
Los Angeles Marathon Runners Can Get a Finisher Medal After Only 18 Miles
The decision to award medals to runners who do not complete the entire 26.2-mile race comes as temperatures are set to reach into the 80s on Sunday. Some marathoners disagreed with the change.
Rebecca Solnit Says the Left’s Next Hero Is Already Here
The writer and activist on how political change happens and taking the long view.
Lemurs Love This Fruit That Is Choking Madagascar’s Forests
The strawberry guava, one of the world’s worst invasive species, hinders forest restoration on the island while feeding its famous endangered primates.
From 2011: Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Dies at 71
A Kenyan environmentalist, she began by paying women a few shillings to plant trees and went on to become the first African woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize.
The Potomac Is Safe From the Sludge Now, Officials Say. Locals Aren’t So Sure.
A broken pipe sent a gusher of sewage into the river near Washington. Some people may try to row, sail or fish. But skeptics are steering clear.
Feeling the Effects of 260,000 Federal Jobs Lost
One year in, assessing budget cuts to federal climate and science jobs.
On the Trendy Tram, You Can Hear a Subway Voice
A man who has done voice-overs for the M.T.A. for years is now speaking to riders of the Roosevelt Island Tram.
Trump’s High-Profile Oil and Gas Lease Sale in Alaska Has No Takers
No companies bid for the chance to drill in more than 1 million acres of water off Alaska’s Cook Inlet, the Interior Department said Wednesday.
As New York Energy Costs Surge, Attention Turns to Landmark Climate Law
The battle to lower costs has reached the State Capitol, where concerns have emerged about the fate of a 2019 climate law and its ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Why Tech Firms Are Working With Trump on Data Centers and Energy Costs
The White House has floated a new plan to try to ease voter concerns over the A.I. boom’s effect on electric bills. But it won’t be easy to put into practice.
With Qatar’s Gas Shut Off, Western Energy Giants See a Big Payday
Prices for liquefied natural gas have shot up in recent days, which could bring bigger profits for European and U.S. energy companies.
A Nuclear Reactor Backed by Bill Gates Gets Federal Approval to Start Building
TerraPower’s project in Wyoming, which uses novel technology, is the first new commercial reactor to receive federal approval in nearly a decade.
Sea Levels Are Already Higher Than Many Scientists Think, New Study Shows
Researchers found that a majority of studies on coastal sea levels underestimated how high water levels are, and hundreds of millions of people are closer to peril than previously thought.
Noem Review Delayed Disaster Aid by Weeks, Senate Report Finds
A report by Senate Democrats found that scrutiny of large FEMA expenditures slowed housing and employment assistance for victims of fires and storms.
Who Could Profit From an Energy Crisis?
A protracted conflict in the Middle East could seriously disrupt energy markets.
Potomac River Reopens to Some Recreation After Sewer Collapse
Contamination levels in the waterway have declined, but health advisories remain in place for boaters downstream.
Should You Order That Fish? Menus Have a New Way to Help.
Seafood Watch, long a source of advice on sustainable choices, is working to get restaurants to adopt its color-coded recommendations.
Oil and Natural Gas Prices Keep Climbing as Iran Attacks Escalate
Energy prices continued to rise on Tuesday as attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran intensified, along with the country’s response.
