Environment

Oil production units working in an oilfield in China on Sept. 17, 2021. (Dongxu Fang/Costfoto/Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

Big oil holds 'fate of the planet in their hands': A look at the industry's disinformation campaign

Congress is hosting a hearing with big oil CEOs for the first time about whether they mislead the public about climate change to delay action.

Here & Now

10:452 hours ago

A ballet of three North Atlantic right whale tails break the surface off Provincetown, Mass., in Cape Cod Bay. (Stephan Savoia/AP)

The state of the whales: 4 takeaways from this year's Right Whale Consortium meeting

Researchers, marine industry representatives and government officials met to discuss the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale at the annual consortium meeting

WBUR News

Oct 27, 2021

Rain continues to pivot in from the ocean Wednesday morning as the storm moves south of New England. (Courtesy COD Weather)

The fallout after last night's nor'easter

We speak to Brian Gallant, the Emergency Management Director of Sandwich, to hear how recovery efforts are going.

Radio Boston

Oct 27, 2021

Boston mayoral candidate Michelle Wu greets with supporters at Readville Station in Hyde Park. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Boston City Councilor and mayoral candidate Michelle Wu takes your questions

Plus, we get a crash course on redistricting, and hear how the recent nor'easter impacted one local community and what the cleanup effort will take.

Radio Boston

Oct 27, 2021

What to expect from the COP26 climate change conference

COP26 is a pivotal moment in the struggle against climate change. The conference starts next week in Glasgow, Scotland.

Here & Now

03:47Oct 27, 2021

Consider This: Emissions of climate-changing methane are 6X higher in Boston than state estimates, study finds

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that warms the climate 80 times more than carbon dioxide in its first 20 years in the atmosphere.

Consider This

08:17Oct 26, 2021

Atmospheric river in Northern California brings record-breaking rainfall

Sacramento got a record-breaking 5 inches of rain on a single day on Sunday. This comes following 212 consecutive days without rain, another record.

Here & Now

03:11Oct 26, 2021

Paul Gentile and Caroline LeBlanc of Gentile Brewing in Beverly watch as State 64 owner Tim Little makes an adjustment to a beer carrier topper; using a traditional bottle capper fitted with a specially designed block to press down the the E6PR carriers on top of cans more efficiently. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Craft beer has a plastic problem. Some local breweries are finding solutions

Municipal recycling facilities won't take plastic toppers that hold four-packs of craft beers. So brewers are finding an environmentally-friendly way forward.

WBUR News

07:06Oct 26, 2021

Efforts to repair natural gas leaks aren't reducing methane emissions in Boston area, study finds

Researchers at Harvard and BU found methane emissions are six times higher than state estimates.

WBUR News

05:21Oct 25, 2021

A bicyclist takes a turn at a road block as utility contractors dig up the road above natural gas lines along Brookfield Street in Lawrence on Sept. 20. (Charles Krupa/AP)

Methane emissions in eastern Mass. are 6 times higher than state estimates, study says

Methane emissions from natural gas infrastructure in Massachusetts are six times higher than state estimates, and have not decreased despite city and state efforts.

WBUR News

Oct 25, 2021

An eastern coyote. (Photo courtesy MassWildlife)

Mass. officials warn against feeding wildlife as coyote attacks increase

This year in Massachusetts, there have been reports of six people being bitten by coyotes, with the same number last year. Those 12 attacks make up half of all coyote...

Radio Boston

09:32Oct 25, 2021

In this March 28, 2018 photo, a North Atlantic right whale appears at the surface of Cape Cod Bay off the coast of Plymouth. (Michael Dwyer/AP)

Right whale population decreased 30% over the past decade

The population estimate of 336 right whales is the lowest for the endangered species in nearly 20 years and is thought to include fewer than 100 breeding females.

WBUR News

Oct 25, 2021

A cow eats grass in a field at a farm. (Lou Benoist/AFP via Getty Images)

Methane is a major contributor to climate change behind CO2 — but it's been largely overlooked

Methane, a greenhouse gas, is more potent than carbon dioxide.

Here & Now

05:07Oct 22, 2021

What the return of La Niña means for drought in the West

La Niña is a weather phenomenon where the surface of the Pacific Ocean reaches lower than average temperatures.

Here & Now

05:17Oct 22, 2021

Step inside Climate Pledge Arena — which backers say is the world's greenest sports arena

Most big sports arenas use lots of fossil fuel to heat and cool the space.

Here & Now

05:00Oct 21, 2021

Recycled plastic bottles. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Plastic is the new coal, report finds

In the next decade, plastic will emit more climate-changing greenhouse gases than coal-fired power plants, according to the report.

Here & Now

05:08Oct 21, 2021

Gov. Gavin Newsom approved two measures to slice through local zoning ordinances as the most populous state struggles with soaring home prices, an affordable housing shortage and stubborn homelessness. He signed the most prominent legislation despite nearly 250 cities objecting that it will, by design, undermine local planning and control. (Mark J. Terrill, File/(AP Photo)

What California's new zoning bills mean for the state's housing crisis

California will now allow multi-family units on land zoned for single-family housing. Will it make a difference?

On Point

47:12Oct 21, 2021

Lowell recycling enforcement coordinator Bora Chhun checks a recycling bin for non-recycable items on Beacon Street in Lowell. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Environmental groups say state's trash reduction plan not strong enough

The Department of Environmental Protection set a target to cut down waste disposal 30% by 2030 and 90% by 2050 in its 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan

WBUR News

Oct 20, 2021

Stakes on climate policy are high ahead of Glasgow summit, reporters say

Climate change reporters Justin Worland of Time and Zack Colman of Politico discuss the politics of climate change in Washington, D.C., ahead of Biden's trip to the COP26 summit in...

Here & Now

11:00Oct 20, 2021

Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) participates in a discussion on climate change-fueled extreme weather and its impact on local communities on July 22, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Sen. Tina Smith talks climate change policy: 'All options are on the table'

Sen. Tina Smith is a leading negotiator on the climate change policy provisions in the spending bill that Democrats hope to agree on by the end of the month.

Here & Now

04:33Oct 20, 2021