Environmental news from the Huff Post.
- World Welcomes U.S. Return To Paris Climate Accord, Readies Wish List For BidenClimate diplomats said they want to see an ambitious U.S. commitment to cut emissions this decade and a diplomatic push to convince others to follow suit.
- Here Are All The Executive Actions Biden Signed On His First DayThe new president is quickly undoing some of Donald Trump's most controversial policies.
- Biden Cancels Keystone XL Pipeline PermitThe 1,200-mile oil pipeline is one of several Trump environmental policies that President Joe Biden is expected to reverse.
- The U.S. Is Officially Rejoining The Paris Agreement. Now Comes The Hard Part.Ramping up domestic climate ambition, greening "green" supply chains, and investing in carbon removal are some ways the U.S. can restore faith in its climate leadership.
- On Day 1, Biden Is Putting Donald Trump’s Climate Rules Through A Paper ShredderAlong with an executive order spree, the incoming president will review and freeze dozens of Trump-era rules and regulations.
- Adorable Photos Of The Biden Dogs, Champ And MajorThese two German shepherds will be the first dogs of the United States.
- How Solar Panels Could Help Save Struggling FarmsSolar companies and farmers can work together to harvest sunlight for both energy and food.
- Biden May Rescind Keystone XL Pipeline Permit On Day 1 In Office: ReportsThe move could be the first of many major environmental policies meant to combat climate change.
- 'Guardians' Star Offers $20,000 Reward In 'Trump' Manatee CaseActor Dave Bautista wants to find the "low life scummy MAGATS that did this."
- There's A Big Hole In The Argument That Ditching Fossil Fuels Will Kill JobsThe clean energy transition isn't Big Oil's only problem. Oil and gas jobs have been disappearing for a long time.
- Pigeon Saved From Death After Leg Band Revealed To Be FakeAustralian authorities initially thought the bird had snuck into the country from the U.S. and feared it was a disease risk.
- Watch Sea Lions 'Surfing' Off Santa Barbara Island For The Sheer Joy Of It"None of us had ever seen such sustained and enthusiastic wave riding from pinnipeds before."
- Amy Coney Barrett Set To Hear Case Against Shell, Her Dad's Employer For 29 YearsThe Supreme Court justice has not recused herself from a climate case against Big Oil, despite her family ties to one of the main defendants.
- A Final Stand Seeks To Save Holy Apache Land In Arizona’s High DesertThe Trump administration is set to approve a controversial land swap, clearing the way for a giant copper mine to open beneath sacred Oak Flat.
- Corporate Accountability Is Missing One Big Thing: AccountabilityVague definitions of “corporate social responsibility” and the voluntary nature of much corporate climate reporting have allowed companies to escape scrutiny.
- Should We Spend $1 Trillion A Year On This Climate Technology? We May Have To.Direct air capture is costly and energy-intensive, but new research shows why large-scale investments in the near future could pay off down the road.
- Coal Company Officials Plead Guilty After Hiding Black Lung DangersSo far three former officials with Armstrong Coal have acknowledged their part in a fraud made public by HuffPost.
- Federal Officials Seeking Person Who Scraped 'Trump' Into Manatee's BackThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said whoever etched the letters into algae on the animal's skin may have violated the Endangered Species Act.
- Oh Good, Scientists Discovered Snakes Can Turn Their Body Into 'Lassos' To ClimbLess than two weeks into 2021 and it's already brought us lasso snakes.
- Several Gorillas Test Positive For Coronavirus At San Diego Zoo Safari ParkIt appears the infection came from a member of the park’s wildlife care team who also tested positive for the virus.
- Days After The Riot, It’s Business As Usual At Trump’s Environment AgenciesDespite high-profile Cabinet defections, the heads of the Interior and Energy departments and EPA are staying put.
- Biden Pressured To Keep Lawyer Defending Big Oil Off Solicitor General ShortlistActivists say David Frederick's work for Royal Dutch Shell should disqualify him from being the next administration's lead attorney for Supreme Court cases.
- NYC Mayoral Front-Runner, Embracing Climate Activists' Demands, Vows To Ban Fossil FuelsScott Stringer is leaning into the Green New Deal to consolidate support among the Big Apple’s political left.
- The Horrifying Reason You Should Never, Ever Eat An IcicleTurns out they're really gross.
- Biden Considering Lawyer Who Defended Big Oil In Climate Suits For Solicitor GeneralDavid Frederick is a seasoned litigator with progressive victories under his belt, but some advocates say his work for Royal Dutch Shell should disqualify him.
- Biden Nominees Signal A New Era Of Climate FederalismBiden will need to woo states to adopt his climate agenda. It could prove tough.
- Angry Squirrel Aggressively Attacking Residents Of Queens NeighborhoodOne victim described the nutty attack as "an MMA cage match! And I lost!”
- Well-Preserved Ice Age Woolly Rhino Found In SiberiaThe carcass has most of its soft tissues still intact, including part of the intestines, thick hair and a lump of fat.
- Rare Alerts For Rumbling Volcanoes Issued In Eastern CaribbeanThe most recent warning was issued late Tuesday for La Soufriere volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
- 5 Environmental Stories That Could Dominate In 2021As the climate crisis worsens, the coronavirus pandemic rages, and Joe Biden prepares to take office, a look at big environmental stories that could define the next year.
- Child Labor In Palm Oil Industry Tied To Girl Scout Cookies“I am dreaming one day I can go back to school," said a 10-year-old Indonesian girl who works at a palm oil plantation that helps produce the cookies and other Western brand items.
- 6 Things That Happened To The Environment In 2020 That Were Actually GoodThe planet didn’t chalk up a lot of wins during the coronavirus pandemic, but we made some climate progress.
- This Year Was A Disaster For The PlanetFrom record-breaking wildfires to devastating hurricanes, human-driven climate change keeps killing us.
- Cat Wins Government Title After Rescue From Trash Plant In RussiaAn upwardly mobile feline was named an honorary deputy environment minister after a harrowing close call at a garbage facility in Ulyanovsk, Russia.
- Man Pushes Stranded Deer Like A Sled Across Frozen Reservoir“She was struggling and I knew she needed help to get off the ice," Gil Lencour said after sliding the animal to safety.
- California Brush Fire At U.S. Marine Bases Forces Christmas Eve EvacuationsMore than 7,000 people had to flee after the Creek Fire broke out near Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego.
- This Christmas, Iguanas, Not Snow, Are Falling In FloridaIguanas living in South Florida trees often become immobile in chilly weather, causing them to drop to the ground when the thermometer plummets.
- Lion Attacks Leopard On The Road And It's Over QuicklyThe lion had a huge size advantage and showed it was agile too.
- Santa Rides Elephants To Thai Town To Deliver Gifts Of Face MasksThe pachyderms were decked out in tinsel and trunk masks and practiced proper social distancing.
- COVID-19 Now On All 7 Continents As Antarctica Reports First CasesChile reported 36 positive coronavirus tests at its Gen. Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme research base.
- Thai Rescue Worker Uses CPR To Save Baby Elephant Hit By MotorcycleMana Srivate watched a video clip to figure out the location of the animal's heart.
- Bunny Devours Snowman's Carrot Nose In The Cutest Christmas Faceoff"Just giving the snowman a kiss," Sheila Bryant's family joked as they watched the rabbit pilfer the proboscis.
- Could Seaweed Help Save Us From Climate Catastrophe?“A couple of years ago, I would never have believed it,” one scientist said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
- Biden Introduces His Climate Team, Says 'No Time To Waste'The incoming Biden team will try to undo or block many of the Trump administration’s initiatives.
- 2020 Was Supposed To Be Our Best Last Chance To Save The Planet. So How Did We Do?As the coronavirus pandemic raged, hopes this year would be pivotal for climate change action faded. But all is not lost. Yet.
- Ohio Quietly Passes A Bill That Could Bankrupt Churches Linked To Fossil Fuel ProtestsThe measure, part of a wave of legislation to crush demonstrations against new oil and gas infrastructure, will reach the governor’s desk Monday.
- Jupiter, Saturn Appear Closest To Each Other Since 1623The two planets will merge in the night sky Monday, appearing closer to one another than they have since Galileo’s time in the 17th century.
- Brian Williams Blasts Trump For Obsessing Over Water Pressure Instead Of COVID-19"Would we have 300,000 dead if he’d been this diligent, this persistent about our uncontrolled pandemic?" the MSNBC host asked.
- Scientists Need Your Help Spotting Monarch Butterflies This WinterPeople in multiple states can help science and aid butterfly protection by reporting their monarch sightings.
- 2020's Newest Species Include 'World's Ugliest Orchid'"Gastrodia agnicellus," one of 156 plants and fungal species discovered around the world in 2020, has been crowned “the ugliest orchid in the world.”
- Biden Picks Deb Haaland For Interior SecretaryThe congresswoman from New Mexico would make history as the first Native American to serve as the top steward of America's public lands and waters.
- Joe Biden Taps Michael Regan As EPA AdministratorThe 44-year-old Regan, North Carolina's top environmental regulator, would be the first Black man to run the Environmental Protection Agency.
- Georgia Clinched Biden’s Victory. Now It Will Decide His Climate Agenda’s Fate.Control of the Senate rests on a long-shot bid to unseat two Republican senators in a state that has only just started to turn purple.
- Trump's Hatred Of Water-Restricting Showerheads Prompts New RulingAs the coronavirus pandemic claims another 3,500 lives, this is what the Trump administration is working on.
- Winter Storm Brings Heavy Snow And Strong Winds To Mid-Atlantic, NortheastOfficials said they didn’t expect the storm to disrupt vaccine distribution, which began Monday for frontline health care workers.
- Nancy Pelosi Gives Biden Her Blessing To Pick Deb Haaland For Interior SecretaryHaaland would be "an excellent choice," said the speaker, amid reports that she resisted losing another House Democrat to the new administration.
- Kangaroos Can Learn To Communicate With Humans, Researchers SayThe communication is similar to how domesticated dogs use their gaze to “point” and ask for help.
- Thai Researcher Studying How Chicken Feathers Can Beef Up MenusSorawut Kittibanthorn thinks chicken feathers can be turned into a lean, protein-rich source of edible food.
- Chicken-Sized Dinosaur Enthralls Scientists: 'Like Nothing I've Seen In Nature Before'The two-legged Ubirajara jubatus had "hair-like structures" and "ribbon-like features," say researchers.
- Biden Names Obama-Era EPA Chief Gina McCarthy As Climate CzarThe role is seen as a domestic counterpart to John Kerry's job on the international front in the next administration.
- Joe Biden To Tap Former Gov. Jennifer Granholm As Energy SecretaryThe former Michigan governor has earned praise from climate groups for her commitment to renewable energy.
- Wild Mink Tests Positive For Coronavirus In United StatesA Utah mink testing positive is the country's first known case of the virus in a wild animal.
- The Federal Reserve Just Took A Major Step Forward On ClimateThe U.S. central bank is joining the financial equivalent of the Paris Agreement, becoming one of the last of its peers to do so.
- Monarch Butterfly Waitlisted For Endangered Species Act ProtectionsThe beloved pollinator is "a candidate" for threatened or endangered status, but feds said it's behind other species waiting for the designation.
- San Francisco's Iconic Cliff House Restaurant To CloseThe Cliff House first closed in March due to the pandemic. It reopened in June to offer takeout service but closed again after 10 weeks because of “unbearable losses.”
- Toledo Zoo Discovers Tasmanian Devils GlowThe Australian marsupials were found to display biofluorescence around their eyes, ears and snout.
- Time To Declare 'Climate Emergency,' Urges U.N. ChiefU.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on every country to declare a “climate emergency.”
- New Land Bridge Opens To Help Wildlife, People Safely Cross Texas ParkwaySan Antonio's parks department called it the largest crossing meant for both people and animals in the United States.
- Greta Thunberg Says She's 'More Than Happy' That U.S. Is Rejoining Paris Climate AgreementThunberg added, however, that world leaders needed to stop making nebulous net-zero promises and start reducing carbon emissions immediately.
- Researchers May Have Discovered A New Whale SpeciesAfter encountering a "friendly group of beaked whales," scientists realized they may have found a previously unknown species.
- Massive Iceberg On Collision Course With Island Full Of PenguinsIceberg A68a is heading straight towards an Antarctic island teeming with wildlife, including millions of birds and seals.
- Snow Leopard At Louisville Zoo Tests Positive For The CoronavirusThe Kentucky zoo is also testing two other snow leopards for the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans.
- Crocodile Ambushes Cheetah Cub While It Drinks From Watering Hole (GRAPHIC VIDEO)"This is the very sad, sad part," the local guide told viewers on a live safari show.
- About 30% Of Animal, Plant Species At Risk Of Extinction, Says IUCN Red ListThirty-one species were declared extinct in the latest Red List — but it's not all bad news. Several species, including the European bison, have been recovering.
- Ryan Zinke’s Official Portrait A Final Slap In The Face To Native American TribesThe painting features the former interior secretary riding a horse through Bears Ears National Monument shortly before he and Trump trashed the protected site.
- Dog Playing With Bear Cub Is Too Adorable For 2020The Alaskan malamute adopted the baby bear, who was found in a weak condition earlier this year.
- PR Firms Are Being Shamed For Helping Fossil Fuel Companies 'Green' Their ImageMarketing and advertising companies create slick campaigns to make the oil and gas industry look cleaner. Until they choose not to.
- Freakishly Large Goldfish Found In South Carolina LakeThe supersize swimmer was discovered in an "electrofishing" survey.
- New York Becomes The First State To Divest From Oil And GasThe Empire State’s pension fund is the largest to dump fossil fuel investments ― ever, in the entire world.
- ‘Astonishing’ Amount Of Masks Thrown Out During Pandemic: ScientistsMasks stop the spread of COVID-19 but they can’t be recycled and are contributing to the plastic pollution crisis.
- Tiger At Carole Baskin's Big Cat Sanctuary Nearly Tears Off Volunteer's ArmA volunteer was attempting to feed a tiger when the attack happened.
- Trump To Sell Arctic Refuge Oil Leases 2 Weeks Before Biden InaugurationThe 11th-hour effort could forever transform one of Alaska’s crown jewels.
- Retiring Sen. Tom Udall: Biden Win Was 'Best Thing' That Could Happen For The PlanetThe New Mexico Democrat talks about Trump's awful environmental record, the role of tribes in climate goals and his interest in being the next interior secretary.
- Osprey Reveals Its Hefty Catch In 'Astonishing' VideoPeople on Twitter hailed footage of the bird sinking its talons into a whopper on a Florida fishing expedition.
- Are Tides And Waves The Missing Piece Of The Green Energy Puzzle?Solar and wind are energy powerhouses until the sky is dark or the air is still. An ancient source of energy — the tides — could soon offer a predictable alternative.
- The Do's And Don'ts Of Recycling Takeout ContainersYou've likely starting ordering more takeout and delivery this year. Experts share their tips for making the habit more eco-friendly.
- Food Monopolies Are Affecting The Future Of How We EatThe food we grow and eat influences every aspect of our cities, our communities and ourselves. But in a world of global food monopolies, how can we future-proof food?
- Heat Waves Kill More People Than Any Other Weather Disaster. These Cities Have A Plan.Climate change is making cities unlivable for millions. Surviving rising temperatures means tackling inequality and rethinking who cities are really for.
- Why These Countries Value Happiness Over Endless Economic GrowthSome countries are rejecting an obsession with GDP and finding different ways to measure success. Welcome to the happiness economy.
- When Climate Disaster Strikes, It's Renewable Energy That Keeps The Lights OnSolar and wind are more reliable in catastrophes –– and we need them to slow the worsening climate crisis.
- How To Fix A Food System That's Not Designed To Feed PeopleIndustrial agriculture is bad for workers and the environment. Farmers all over the world are creating fairer food systems that work with the Earth, not against it.
- FutureProofHow To Get The World Ready For The Next Crisis. And The One After That.
- New Monolith Mysteriously Pops Up In RomaniaOfficials are investigating after a similar structure vanished in Utah.
- 'World's Loneliest Elephant' Kaavan Starts Trip To Cambodia SanctuaryKaavan's rescue from a derelict Pakistani zoo was assisted by American singer and actress Cher.
- Mysterious Metal Monolith In Utah Desert Suddenly VanishesE.T., phone monolith.
- How Singer Cher Is Helping Kaavan, The 'World's Loneliest Elephant'Kaavan the elephant has languished in a Pakistani zoo for 35 years, and lost his partner in 2012.
- California Air, Climate Regulator Mary Nichols Hopes To Run Biden's EPADuring Trump’s tenure, Nichols fought to preserve California’s ability to set its own auto-emissions standards and resisted efforts to roll back power plant pollution regulations.
- Rocky The Christmas Tree Stowaway Owl Returns To The WildA tiny Saw-whet owl found Nov. 16 in the holiday tree at Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center is now back in upstate New York.
- These Brands Don't Want Your Black Friday BusinessWhile most retailers tout big sales for Black Friday 2020, some stores are closing their doors or raising their prices.
- Trump Admin Ignored Internal Concerns When Clipping Bird Protections, Documents ShowRecords also indicate that the administration emphasized economic benefits for industry throughout the rushed rule-making process.
- Squirrel Gets Drunk On Fermented Pear Because Acorns Can't Dull The PainA Minnesota woman says she accidentally got the critter sloshed.
- Czech Hunter Reports Rifle-Stealing Deer To PoliceThe animal turned the tables on hunters and snagged a pursuer’s rifle on his antlers before running away.
- Janet Yellen, Biden’s Treasury Pick, Could Be Key To Confronting ClimateThe former Federal Reserve chair isn’t the candidate climate activists wanted, but her record gives them “a lot to be optimistic and hopeful about.”
- See The Amazing Deer That Wisconsin Wants Hunters To AvoidGun deer hunting season began in the state — but this "magnificent" animal spotted recently is off-limits.
- Not All ‘Eco-Friendly’ Food Delivery And Takeout Containers Are Created EqualRestaurants and diners want environmentally sustainable packaging that really delivers. These companies are here to help.
- Biden Names John Kerry As Climate EnvoyIt’s not the climate "czar" job advocates want to see, but progressives are hopeful that’s coming, too.
- GM Drops Support For Trump Administration Lawsuit Against California Clean-Air StandardsGeneral Motors CEO Mary Barra says the company supports President-elect Joe Biden's plan to expand electric vehicle use.
- British Pianist Performs Concert For Thailand Monkeys -- And It's Bananas“I was surprised to play the piano and find that they were actually eating the music as I was playing it," Paul Barton noted after the performance.
- The Pandemic’s Effect On Climate-Changing Pollution Was ‘Just A Tiny Blip’To the atmosphere, this year’s “return to nature” — a silver lining for some amid a deadly virus — was virtually meaningless.
- 1 Killed, More Than 100 Displaced By Wildfire In Remote California CommunityThe Mountain View fire ravaged Walker, California, a mountain community near the Nevada state line, the week before Thanksgiving.
- Trump Swiftly Blows Up His 1 Decent Conservation ActionThe administration is undercutting a major public lands law that the president used to greenwash his abysmal conservation record.
- Court Upholds Verdict That Smithfield Must Pay For Making Life Near Hog Operation MiserableNeighbors of an industrial farm sued over conditions including horrible smells from open-air pig waste lagoons.
