By Eshe Nelson , The New York Times.  Excerpt: In the past few months, some of the largest banks and asset managers in the United States have  quit net zero networks , the climate groups that encourage their members to set ambitious carbon reduction targets and collaborate internationally on sustainability efforts. But ...in November, NYCERS, a pension fund for New York City employees, went in the opposite direction. It joined a United Nations-affiliated climate action group for long-term investors, the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance. ...At a time of growing backlash to environmental, social and governance goals and investment strategies, pension funds,  particularly in blue states and Europe , have emerged as a bulwark against efforts to sideline climate-related risks....  Full article at https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/29/business/dealbook/pension-funds-climate-esg.html . 

By Sebastiaan J. van de Velde et al, Science.  Excerpt: Fishers for bottom-loving species like flounder sometimes use a controversial method called bottom trawling, dragging nets along the seafloor to scoop the animals up. Critics point out that this dragging can kill sensitive animals like turtles and marine mammals, plus it causes extensive damage to the delicate habitats on the seabed. Now, they have another reason to gripe about the practice:  It worsens climate change . Researchers had already found that the act of stirring up sediment brings organic matter to the surface, where  microbes can digest it and release its carbon into the atmosphere . The team behind a new paper wanted to quantify other effects, including how stirring up sediment affects water chemistry. Sure enough, they found that messing with the seabed introduces more oxygen and acidifies the water, which in turn decreases its ability to dissolve carbon dioxide. ...trawling could be reduced with...

By Ki-Weon Seo et al, Science.  Excerpt: When hydrologists Dongryeol Ryu and Ki-Weon Seo saw their results, they were stunned. “ At first we thought, ‘That’s an error in the model,’ ” Ryu told  The Associated Press . But their findings held up to scrutiny:  The water stored on land has been disappearing  . In the last two decades, more than 2600 Gt (billion metric tons) of water that used to be stored in soil, snow, and freshwaters has permanently moved into the ocean, they report in  Science . ...“How climate warming affects Earth’s hydrological cycle—the continuous water movement between Earth and the atmosphere— is a key question for managing water resources and making weather predictions  ,” writes hydrologist Luis Samaniego in an accompanying Perspective. To get a figure they could trust, Ryu, Seo, and their colleagues had to integrate three long-term, global datasets—ones that track water storage anomalies, sea level changes, and the movement of the E...

By Austyn Gaffney , The New York Times.  Excerpt: Earth is missing a lot of sea ice this year. Enough to cover the entire United States east of the Mississippi. That was announced by researchers at NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center on Thursday, who said the amount of sea ice on the planet had reached the  lowest level ever recorded in March . The record comes days after the World Meteorological Organization reported that  the past 10 years have been the 10 hottest on record , with 2024 the hottest year. The global rise in temperatures is tied to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases, largely caused by the burning of fossil fuels....  Full article at https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/climate/global-sea-ice-record-low.html . 

By Sujita Sinha , Interesting Engineering.  Excerpt: Scientists in France have made a groundbreaking discovery that could transform clean energy production. Beneath the soil of Folschviller, in the Moselle region, researchers have uncovered an astonishing 46 million tons of natural hydrogen ...providing a new source of carbon-free fuel. The discovery was made by scientists from the GeoRessources laboratory and the CNRS while they were searching for methane. Instead, at a depth of 4,101 feet (1,250 meters), they found an enormous deposit of white hydrogen. This form of  hydrogen  is naturally occurring and does not require industrial production, unlike green hydrogen, which is made using renewable energy, or gray hydrogen, which is derived from fossil fuels. To put this discovery into perspective, the newly found deposit represents more than half of the world’s annual gray hydrogen production—but without the environmental costs. If extracted efficiently, this resource coul...

By Sofia Moutinho , Eos/AGU.  Excerpt: In September 2018, a wildfire ravaged nearly 2,000 hectares of shrubland surrounding Pichu Pichu, an inactive volcano in the Peruvian Andes. It wasn’t the first time. In recent years, this unique ecosystem has increasingly suffered from fires primarily caused by human activities such as deforestation and slash-and-burn agriculture. A  new study published in the  Spanish Journal of Soil Science  has revealed that these fires not only damage vegetation but also harm the soil. Even 4 years after the 2018 fires, the study found, vulnerable volcanic soil had not recovered....  Full article at https://eos.org/articles/wildfires-pose-a-threat-to-volcanic-soils-in-the-peruvian-andes . 

By Muhammed Fatih Sert et al, JGR Biogeosciences.  [Great example of the complexity of global systems!] Plain language summary: Cold seeps are geological features that release methane from the seabed to the water column. In oxygenated sea water column, seeping methane is consumed by specialized microbes that convert it into carbon dioxide. Although the increase in carbon dioxide can lead to ocean acidification, cold seeps are often found in the Hola trough of Northern Norway near cold-water corals (CWCs), which are vulnerable to changes in ocean acidity. This raises questions about how these features coexist in the same marine ecosystem and how they impact each other. We investigated the carbon exchange between cold seeps and CWCs by analyzing seawater samples. Our data on nutrients, organic matter, and microbial compositions implied cooccurring carbon processes such as methane oxidation and organic matter synthesis. Notably, cold seeps might support CWCs by producing dissolved or...

By Alessandro F. Rotta Loria , Nishu Devi et al, Wiley, Advanced Sustainable Systems.  Excerpt: This lab-grown “sand” could help reduce the construction industry’s climate footprint. Northwestern University. Sand may seem like an infinite resource, but it’s an essential ingredient in building materials and we’re actually depleting it fast , Now, researchers have devised a way to grow sand-like materials from seawater—and by doing so, lock away carbon and reduce the construction industry’s environmental footprint. Currently, the sand used in concrete, gravel, paints, plasters, and other materials is taken straight from sandy spots like coastlines and riverbeds. But a team of researchers has figured out how to make calcium- and magnesium-based minerals like those in sand—“not by digging into the Earth, but by harnessing electricity and CO 2 ,” lead author Alessandro Rotta Loria explains in a statement. First, the researchers applied an electric current to seawater, which naturally c...

By Stephen Key , Forbes.  Excerpt: Lonnie Johnson...After nearly three decades of self-funded, against-all-odds research, the  Hall of Fame inventor  and his team have delivered a game-changer: A true  all-solid-state battery  that is safer, more powerful, and cheaper than today’s standards—meaning it has the potential to transform energy storage for electric vehicles, renewable power, and more. ...“I’ve had this long-term interest in energy and awareness of the impact our use of fossil fuels has had on the environment,” he shared in an interview. That vision drove him to launch Johnson Energy Storage (JES) and chase a dream others deemed too daunting: A solid-state battery that’s safer, more powerful, and cheaper than what’s available today. ...Unlike other “solid-state” contenders that sneak in liquid electrolytes or rely on pricey, unstable materials, Dr. Johnson’s glass electrolyte delivers by boasting higher conductivity, suppressing dangerous shorts, and t...

By Leo Collis, The Cool Down (TCD).  Excerpt: The National Bank of Canada is pressing ahead with lending for renewable energy projects as part of efforts to reach net-zero targets. Investment Executive  reported on the bank's commitment, which will see CA$20 billion allocated by 2030. The publication observed that this announcement comes at a time when United States President Donald Trump has indicated an intention to repeal  clean energy programs  and slow the transition to pollution-free energy....  Full article at https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/national-bank-renewable-energy-lending/ . 

By Jijo Malayil , Interesting Engineering.  Excerpt: One of the most powerful underwater tide-riding turbine projects has secured funding from the European Union’s Innovation Fund. NH1 project by tidal energy developer Normandie Hydroliennes in France has been granted €31.3 million in funding from the European Union’s 2023 Innovation Fund. The grant will fast-track NH1, one of France’s first commercial tidal energy pilots, boosting marine renewables. The project aims to install four horizontal-axis turbines in Normandy, delivering 34 GWh annually to the French grid by 2028....  Full article at https://interestingengineering.com/energy/underwater-tide-riding-turbines-project-funding-boost .

By Fiona Harvey , The Guardian.  Excerpt: The UK is hoping to shape a new global axis in favour of climate action along with China and a host of developing countries, to offset the impact of Donald Trump’s  abandonment of green policies  and his sharp veer towards climate-hostile countries such as  Russia  and  Saudi Arabia . Ed Miliband, the UK’s energy and net zero secretary, arrived in Beijing on Friday for three days of talks with top Chinese officials, including discussions on green technology supply chains, coal and the critical minerals needed for clean energy. The UK’s green economy is  growing three times faster than the rest of the economy , but access to components and materials will be crucial for that to continue... .  Full article at https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/14/uk-hoping-to-work-with-china-to-counteract-trumps-climate-hostile-policies . 

By Elizabeth Leon-Palmero  et al, Science.  Abstract: Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) is a potent greenhouse gas and the main stratospheric ozone-depleting agent, yet its sources are not well resolved. In this work, we experimentally show a N 2 O production pathway not previously considered in greenhouse gas budgets, which we name photochemodenitrification. Sunlight induces substantial and consistent N 2 O production under oxic abiotic conditions in fresh and marine waters. We measured photochemical N 2 O production rates using isotope tracers and determined that nitrite is the main substrate and that nitrate can also contribute after being photoreduced to nitrite. Additionally, this N 2 O production was strongly correlated to the radiation dose. Photochemodenitrification exceeded biological N 2 O production in surface waters. Although previously overlooked, this process may contribute considerably to global N 2 O emissions through its occurrence in fresh and marine surface waters....

By William E. Parker et al, Nature Sustainability.  Abstract: Anthropogenic contributions of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere have been observed to cause cooling and contraction in the thermosphere, which is projected to continue for many decades. This contraction results in a secular reduction in atmospheric mass density where most satellites operate in low Earth orbit. Decreasing density reduces drag on debris objects and extends their lifetime in orbit, posing a persistent collision hazard to other satellites and risking the cascading generation of more debris. This work uses projected CO 2  emissions from the shared socio-economic pathways to investigate the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the satellite carrying capacity of low Earth orbit. The instantaneous Kessler capacity is introduced to compute the maximum number and optimal distribution of characteristic satellites that keep debris populations in stable equilibrium. Modelled CO 2  emissions scenario...

By Robert F. Service , Science.  Excerpt: The carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) spewing from human activities is not only changing Earth’s atmosphere, it’s also rapidly acidifying the planet’s oceans. In 50 years, that acidification could reduce the oceans’ ability to absorb CO 2  by 10% as it takes a toll on phytoplankton, microscopic single-cell organisms that feed on the gas through the process of photosynthesis, a new study suggests. Reported this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,  the effect could in turn cause atmospheric CO 2  to build up faster  and accelerate warming of the global climate....  Full article at https://www.science.org/content/article/more-carbon-dioxide-oceans-could-harm-carbon-eating-microbes-speed-climate-change .

By Jesús Aguirre-Gutiérrez et al, Science.  Editor's Summary: Species are expected to shift their ranges as the climate changes, but shifts may not occur fast enough, especially for immobile species such as plants. Two papers in this issue assess the degree to which plant species are tracking climate change in the American tropics, where data availability has constrained inference. Ramírez-Barahona  et al . show that in Mesoamerican cloud forests, climate change and deforestation together have led to a mean upward shift in species ranges since 1979, mainly due to contracting lower range edges. In tropical forests across the Americas, Aguirre-Gutiérrez  et al . found that tree traits are not shifting fast enough to track climate change based on trait-climate relationships, with smaller shifts in montane forests. —Bianca Lopez.  Full article at https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl5414 . 

By Nina Lakhani , The Guardian.  Excerpt: The  Trump administration  has withdrawn the US from a global agreement under which the developed nations most responsible for the climate crisis pledged to partly compensate developing countries for irreversible harms caused by global heating. The loss and damage fund was agreed at the  Cop28  UN climate summit in late 2023 – a hard-won victory after years of diplomatic and grassroots advocacy by developing nations that bear the brunt of the climate crisis despite having contributed the least to greenhouse gas emissions. The fund signalled a commitment by developed, polluting countries to provide financial support for some of the irreversible economic and noneconomic losses from sea level rise, desertification, drought and floods already happening. The US ...had so far pledged only $17.5m (£13.5m) to the loss and damage fund, which became operational on 1 January this year. Now the US, the biggest historical emitter of ...

By Kapil Kajal , Interesting Engineering.  Excerpt: In a significant development for the U.S. solar industry, three manufacturers, Suniva, Heliene, and Corning, have unveiled plans to produce solar modules that will be exclusively available within the domestic market. This initiative marks a notable advancement in enhancing local manufacturing capabilities of renewable energy components. Corning is set to supply the necessary wafers and polysilicon for the modules, while Suniva will provide monocrystalline silicon solar cells. Heliene will handle the assembly of these components into finished modules. ...The wafers and polysilicon will be produced in Michigan, with the solar cells fabricated in Georgia. ...This development is particularly relevant in light of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), a crucial element of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which aims to encourage increased domestic production of renewable energy components and materials. The ITC offers financial in...

By Ben Cooke | Yennah Smart , The Times.  Excerpt: The milestone highlights the rapid growth of renewable energy despite political headwinds since President Trump’s re-election. ...The two renewable energy sources accounted for 17 per cent of the country’s electricity mix while coal fell to an all-time low of 15 per cent. Solar was the fastest-growing energy source, increasing 27 per cent from the year before, while wind increased 7 per cent. Gas generation continued to grow, at three times the rate of coal’s decline. The use of coal has been declining since 2007 but as recently as 2017 it was generating more than twice as much electricity as wind and solar....  Full article at https://www.thetimes.com/article/fbd63edb-9573-425f-a5b5-535ed8096b22 .

By Anupama Chandrasekaran , Eos/AGU.  Excerpt: When an intense marine heat wave sent ocean temperatures soaring in 2023 and 2024, coral reefs around the world bleached. New research on the Great Barrier Reef’s One Tree Island shows that more than 50% of surveyed coral colonies that bleached died of heat stress and starvation. And even heat-resistant corals weren’t immune. When corals are stressed by warm water, they can lose the algae that live in their tissues. This process turns the coral white, earning it the name “ coral bleaching .” Sometimes corals can recover, but if the stress is too intense, they die and eventually crumble into rubble and sand. “What we noticed in more recent times, when it gets really hot, they often die before they even fully bleach,” said marine biologist  Maria Byrne  at the University of Sydney....  Full article at https://eos.org/articles/great-barrier-reef-corals-hit-hard-by-marine-heat-wave .

By Larissa G. Capella , Eos/AGU.  Excerpt: Jasmine Saros , a lake ecologist at the University of Maine, has been studying Arctic lakes in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, since 2013, ...in 2023, they returned to find many once-clear lakes had turned brown. ...Lake browning often results from high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon, primarily from decaying vegetation. It can also be caused by an increase in iron, typically resulting from natural processes such as weathering of iron-rich soils and rocks into the water, as well as anthropogenic influences such as agricultural runoff and industrial discharges. Data from the fifth-generation European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts atmospheric reanalysis ( ERA5 )...showed that nine atmospheric rivers had dumped precipitation over the area between September and October of 2022. Atmospheric rivers are known for transporting moisture, but they can also carry warm air. The ERA data also highlighted that September 2022 was the hot...