Oil and gas companies, including Exxon Mobil, are doubling down on fossil fuel operations while scaling back on renewable energy ventures.
Companies like BP and Shell that invested heavily in renewables during the pandemic have seen lower profits and are revising their strategies.
The energy sector's profitability now heavily favors fossil fuels, with median returns significantly outpacing renewables since 2020.
Key quote:
“If you look at the relative shareholder returns, the market’s been sending a very clear signal that it wants energy companies to focus on their core competencies.”
— Mark Viviano, managing partner at energy investment firm Kimmeridge.
Why this matters:
Fossil fuels remain a primary driver of climate change, yet their profitability discourages a transition to renewable energy. With global warming risks intensifying, the market’s preference for short-term returns complicates efforts to curb emissions and promote sustainable energy sources.
U.S. officials have unveiled plans to boost logging on federal lands in Oregon, Washington and California to reduce wildfire risks, support rural economies and adapt forest management to climate change.
The U.S. Forest Service proposes revising the Northwest Forest Plan to allow more logging, potentially increasing timber harvests by 33% to 200%.
The proposal aims to cut wildfire risks by thinning younger trees, promoting fire-resistant old-growth forests and increasing timber-related jobs.
The plan includes enhanced collaboration with Native American tribes and a 120-day public comment period before final decisions in 2026.
Key quote:
“It appears that the Forest Service wants to abandon the fundamental purpose of the Northwest Forest Plan–protecting fish and wildlife and the mature and old-growth forests they need to survive.”
— John Persell, an attorney for Oregon Wild.
Why this matters:
With climate change intensifying wildfires, forest management strategies are shifting to balance ecological protection with economic needs. However, the proposal raises concerns about its impact on old-growth ecosystems critical for wildlife and carbon storage.
Super Typhoon Man-yi, the sixth in a month, swept through the Philippines over the weekend, leaving at least eight dead, thousands homeless andvast areas flooded.
Super Typhoon Man-yi caused severe flooding, landslides and storm surges, killing eight people, including a family of seven buried in a landslide.
Over 500,000 residents fled and damage includes submerged homes, toppled trees, destroyed infrastructure and rice-farming regions inundated.
Authorities released water from Magat Dam to prevent collapse, worsening floods in northern provinces like Isabela.
Key quote:
"If Magat Dam continues to release water on all of its seven gates, Ilagan City might get erased from the map due to flooding."
— Jun Montereal, disaster preparedness committee chairman to AFP.
Why this matters:
Climate change is linked to intensifying storms, leading to more destruction, displacement and loss of life. The Philippines faces compounded crises with increasing typhoon frequency, devastating communities and vital agricultural regions.
New York's Billion Oyster Project, which has planted millions of oyster larvae in the harbor over the past decade, is bringing back the city’s long-lost bivalves, while inspiring a new generation to engage with their environment.
The Billion Oyster Project, started as a student experiment, has now planted 150 million larvae to revive New York’s oyster population, once among the world’s largest.
Restoration efforts face challenges, including siltation and low larval density, but oysters are gradually returning to the harbor, filtering water and supporting other marine species.
The project emphasizes reconnecting New Yorkers with their environment, with activities like oyster shell recycling and school partnerships encouraging hands-on ecological awareness.
Key quote:
"Some years can be more [environmentally] stressful than others, but the survival rate is pretty good."
— Matt Hare, associate professor in natural resources and the environment at Cornell University.
Why this matters:
Beyond reviving a lost ecosystem, the project is reconnecting New Yorkers with their harbor’s natural history. Through oyster shell recycling, educational partnerships, and community engagement, it’s teaching locals to care about the harbor's health—something once taken for granted but now becoming a point of pride. Read more: We must adapt to climate change. Can we do it in ways that solve other problems too?
In a historic move, the return of 31,000 acres of land to Maine’s Penobscot tribe signals a shift toward Indigenous-led conservation, free from restrictions, setting a new standard in environmental stewardship in the United States.
The Trust for Public Land has returned 31,000 acres to the Penobscot tribe, making it the largest land return without restrictions to an Indigenous group in U.S. history.
This unrestricted return allows the Penobscot to manage the land based on their cultural practices, fostering conservation alongside tribal sovereignty.
Indigenous-managed lands worldwide are proven to maintain greater biodiversity, and this project could serve as a model for future land transfers within the United States.
Key quote:
“They stepped up and said, ‘We understand that land return to the Penobscot Nation is only land return if that land is unrestricted.’ Land back isn’t necessarily conservation, it’s about sovereignty, and about self-determination.”
— Brett Ciccotelli, tribal land recovery manager at First Light.
Why this matters:
This transfer could model a new era in land returns in the United States, one where Indigenous sovereignty and conservation work hand-in-hand. Within the U.S., it's an experiment with implications for biodiversity and climate resilience. Read more: Annie Belcourt on Indigenous health and healing.
New York’s renewed congestion pricing plan aims to cut traffic and emissions while funding transit, drawing lessons from London’s two-decade-old system.
New York’s $9 congestion toll could begin January 5, targeting Midtown and Lower Manhattan to reduce traffic and fund the city's public transit system.
London’s similar program, which started in 2003, initially reduced congestion by 30%, though traffic later rebounded due to road space changes and increased use by wealthier drivers.
Critics warn New York’s plan may shift pollution to areas outside toll zones, like the Bronx, where the city is investing $155 million to counter potential harm.
Key quote:
“There is a challenge of people acclimating to the fee and ending up driving once again.”
— Sarah Kaufman, director of NYU’s Rudin Center for Transportation.
Why this matters:
Traffic congestion contributes to pollution and health risks, while strained public transit systems hinder sustainable urban growth. Properly implemented, congestion pricing can improve air quality, fund infrastructure andencourage greener travel. However, equity issues and long-term effectiveness remain critical challenges.
Cadiz Inc.’s latest proposal to pump Mojave Desert groundwater for hydrogen production raises new environmental concerns despite promises of renewable energy and community benefits.
Cadiz plans to supply groundwater to produce green hydrogen using solar energy, marketing it as an environmentally friendly solution.
Conservationists argue the project, which will take place north of Joshua Tree National Park, threatens desert ecosystems and relies on rebranding to address longstanding opposition.
The company pledges tribal ownership and water supplies for low-income communities but faces legal and environmental hurdles.
Key quote:
“They keep coming up with different flavors of metaphorical Febreze to spray on this thing.”
— Chris Clarke, conservationist who hosts the 90 Miles from Needles podcast.
Why this matters:
The project highlights tensions between climate solutions and environmental preservation. While green hydrogen could aid the energy transition, using scarce desert water risks harming critical ecosystems.
A massive push for hydrogen energy is one of the first test cases of new federal environmental justice initiatives. Communities and advocates so far give the feds a failing grade.
El impulso masivo a la energía del hidrógeno es la primera prueba de fuego de las nuevas iniciativas federales de justicia medioambiental. Hasta ahora, comunidades y activistas le dan una pésima calificación al gobierno federal.
