Weekend Reader:  Award Winners, Southern Delusions & Top News.

SEJ recognizes the year's best in environmental journalism; a few observations from our Weekend Editor on the Solid (and Trumpian) South; and more

The Society of Environmental Journalists annual awards shows the strength and depth of environmental journalism; talk of a Democratic overthrow in the midterm elections is hard to find in the American South.


Payback? A major past donor to Jeff Sessions's campaigns gets some alleged payback in a dispute with EPA.

From theory to in-your-face: Climate scientist Michael Mann says climate impacts are no longer subtle, they're in our faces. From WBUR's Here & Now.

Twp from Alaska on Oil damage: From Inside Climate News: Surrounded by oil fields,an Alaskan village fears for its health.

And from the NYT's Henry Fountain: How new oil projects cut scars across Alaskan wilderness.

Shocker! Green energy passes its first trillion-watt milestone as prices drop. (Bloomberg)

Stellar long-read from The Guardian and Keith Kahn-Harris on Denialism: What drives people to reject the truth.

From Wash Post's Capital Weather Gang: California's Carr Fire became one one the biggest fire tornadoes ever measured.

Essay from NPR's Scott Simon: Calling the press the "enemy of the people" is a menacing move.

Climate denial isn't the only anti-science push that won't die: In this NYT op-ed, Meliinda Winner Moyer says anti-vaxxers still have an impact on vaccine science.

Grist offers a level-headed assessment of the NYT Sunday Magazine's controversial "autopsy" on how the climate movement blew it in thie 1980's.






China renewable energy, wind and solar energy concept. Chinese flag superimposed with wind turbines and solar panels
Photo credit: Copyright: Anton_Medvedev/ Big Stock Photo ID: 431444246

Economic interests drive Chinese climate leadership amid U.S. retreat

As the United States retreats from climate policy, China signaled its rising intent to lead a transition away from fossil fuels and toward Chinese-made renewable energy technologies in remarks to world leaders on Tuesday.

An old oil pump jack in a dry field
Credit: flippo/Big Stock Photo

“A fraudulent scheme”: New Mexico sues Texas oil companies for walking away from their leaking wells

New Mexico’s lawsuit accuses three Texas oil executives of pocketing revenue from oil and gas wells and offloading cleanup costs to the public. An investigation in 2024 by ProPublica and Capital & Main uncovered some of these business dealings.
Four smokestacks billowing pollution
Credit: Niccolo Bertoldi/Big Stock Photo

Half of fossil fuel carbon emissions in 2024 came from 32 companies

As fossil fuel-based carbon dioxide emissions continue to rise to record levels, a new analysis shows that a majority of these emissions can be traced back to a shrinking number of large corporate entities.

Los Angeles skyline with snowcapped San Gabriel mountains in background and full moon rising
Photo Credit: Getty ImagesFor Unsplash+

Half the world’s 100 largest cities are in high water stress areas, analysis finds

Exclusive: Beijing, Delhi, Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro among worst affected, with demand close to exceeding supply
Florida spring with clear blue-green water
Credit: Photo by Autumn Kuney on Unsplash

The business of saving nature

Global financing is heavily skewed to industries that harm rather than preserve nature, according to a new report that calls for an urgent scale-up of nature-positive spending.
An oil tower with flames during a gas flare against a blue sky

Equipment issue led to excessive LNG Canada flaring, docs reveal

LNG Canada delayed reporting ‘integrity issue’ to regulators and never fully informed the public, while locals raised concerns about noise, smoke and emissions.

an underwater view of a coral reef with fish

Great Barrier Reef and climate change: See the largest effort to save Australia’s gem

Australia’s Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program is racing to keep the Great Barrier Reef alive by collecting coral spawn at sea and breeding millions of baby corals in high-tech tanks for reseeding.

From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

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.

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