Countries have successfully reduced harmful atmospheric gases

Countries have successfully reduced harmful atmospheric gases

Researchers have detected a significant decrease in hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere, marking progress in global efforts to protect the ozone layer and mitigate climate change.

Sarah Kaplan reports for The Washington Post.


In short:

  • Atmospheric levels of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), harmful gases from air conditioning and refrigeration, have significantly dropped since peaking in 2021.
  • The decline follows the 1987 Montreal Protocol, which phased out ozone-depleting substances like HCFCs.
  • Researchers expect HCFC levels to return to 1980 levels by 2080, highlighting the success of international cooperation.

Key quote:

“This milestone is a testament to the power of international cooperation.”

— Avipsa Mahapatra, director of the Environmental Investigation Agency’s climate campaign

Why this matters:

Reducing HCFCs shows that coordinated global policies can effectively tackle environmental issues. This success offers hope and a model for addressing climate change challenges, which are crucial as greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise.

Closeup of the EPA website.

Volunteers scramble to rescue federal environmental data as Trump administration pulls it offline

The Trump administration has removed digital tools that made climate, environmental, and health data accessible to the public, prompting a surge of volunteer efforts to archive and restore key information.

Austyn Gaffney reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
Senator Whitehouse & climate change

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.
Icebergs on water with brown mountains in the background.

Melting glaciers put global food and water systems at risk

Retreating glaciers could disrupt food and water supplies for 2 billion people, as rapid ice loss reshapes ecosystems and agriculture across mountain regions worldwide.

Fiona Harvey reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
A steel factory with cables and a large piece of metal hanging from the ceiling.

Europe pushes green steel to protect industry and defense

The European Commission has unveiled a strategy to shield its steel and metals industries from foreign competition and rising energy costs while linking industrial strength to military readiness.

Koen Verhelst and Marianne Gros report for POLITICO.

Keep reading...Show less
A blue water source with trees along the edge and polluted orange water on the other side of the trees.

EPA considers expanding oilfield wastewater discharge in eastern states

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is weighing changes that would allow treated fracking wastewater to be discharged into rivers and reused for industrial and agricultural purposes, raising alarm among environmental health experts.

Martha Pskowski and Kiley Bense report for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
The Magdalena River in Colombia with a small tour boat on its banks and a sunset and trees in background.

Colombia’s largest oil company accused of hiding environmental damage

A whistleblower report reveals that Ecopetrol, Colombia’s state-controlled oil giant, concealed hundreds of pollution incidents, maintained secret surveillance on environmental activists, and wielded undue influence over regulators.

Mie Hoejris Dahl reports for Mongabay.

Keep reading...Show less
Illuminated bridge at dusk in Alexandria Egypt

Alexandria's fishing families stay put as seas rise around them

As rising sea levels and coastal erosion threaten the Egyptian city of Alexandria, many residents of the fishing village El Max refuse to leave, rooted by livelihoods and deep emotional ties to the sea.

Alexander Durie and Heba Khamis report for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
Two Indigenous South American children.

Ecuador must expand protections for isolated Indigenous groups after court ruling

A top human rights court found Ecuador violated the rights of uncontacted Indigenous peoples in the Amazon and ordered stronger protections for their land and safety.

Maxwell Radwin reports for Mongabay.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

joe biden

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Prisons, jails and detention centers are placed in locations where environmental hazards such as toxic landfills, floods and extreme heat are the norm.

Agents of Change in Environmental Justice logo

LISTEN: Reflections on the first five years of the Agents of Change program

The leadership team talks about what they’ve learned — and what lies ahead.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.