John Fialka is a reporter with E&E News.
Volcano That Blasted Seawater into the Stratosphere May Have Damaged Ozone Layer
The Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha‘apai volcano erupted in January 2022 with the force of an atomic weapon. The disaster has launched dozens of new studies about global warming
How Weathered Rocks Can Lessen Climate Change
Rocks can pull carbon out of the air more inexpensively than machines. But can the process be scaled?
Scientists Discover How to Convert CO2 into Powder That Can Be Stored for Decades
A team of scientists has figured out how to convert planet-warming carbon dioxide into a harmless powdery fuel that could be converted into clean electricity
These Bizarre Devices Could Generate Power from Ocean Waves
A facility off the coast of Oregon is being constructed to test devices to harness wave power that resemble everything from buoys to carpets
Simultaneous Megafires Will Increasingly Plague the Western U.S.
The Western U.S. faces a future of fighting multiple large wildfires at once—a situation that is more difficult than handling a single blaze, even if the total acreage is similar
American Catholics Call for Climate Action after Pope Francis Encourages Change
Pope Francis’s new encyclical says irresponsible lifestyles are the biggest impediment to reducing carbon emissions
Wind Power Will Expand with Larger Turbines but Could Face Pushback
With the expansion of wind power—and the growth of turbines—comes challenges in areas that are unaccustomed to whirring blades
‘SuperLab’ Will Test U.S. Power Grid against Climate Disasters
The Department of Energy is launching an initiative to mimic climate disasters and other threats against the power grid
How the U.S. Cracked Down on a Potent Greenhouse Gas
The U.S. government is celebrating some success at reining in emissions of a potent greenhouse gas called SF6, which traps 25,000 times more heat than CO2 does over a century-long timescale
Old Bomber Plane Will Sniff the Sky for Geoengineering Particles
NOAA will use a converted Air Force bomber to search the upper atmosphere for substances that could help the U.S. reflect sunlight away from Earth
Solar Geoengineering Should Be Regulated, U.N. Report Says
A panel of independent experts urged international leaders to set rules for the stratosphere and solar geoengineering
Scientists Are Trying to Pull Carbon Out of the Ocean to Combat Climate Change
Instead of sucking planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, some scientists are looking to capture it from the oceans
Start-up Hopes ‘Super’ Poplar Trees Will Suck Up More CO2
A start-up called Living Carbon is planting millions of “photosynthesis enhanced” poplar seeds across the U.S. with the aim of providing carbon credits
Government Researchers Aim for Better—And Cheaper—Batteries
Department of Energy researchers are partnering with battery manufacturers to help them find new ways to make cheap batteries that can store a lot of energy
Rusty Batteries Could Greatly Improve Grid Energy Storage
Iron-air batteries have a “reversible rust” cycle that could store and discharge energy for far longer and at less cost than lithium-ion technology
Build a Better Floating Wind Turbine and Win $7 Million from the Department of Energy
A new contest aims to jump-start U.S. production of floating wind turbines to place in ocean waters too deep for standard designs
New Tool Helps Predict Where Wildfire Smoke Will Blow
Scientists are working on ways to better anticipate the pathways—and health dangers—of drifting wildfire smoke
‘Gravity Waves’ Offer Hope to Coral in a Warming Ocean
New research points to underwater waves that create cooler ocean areas in which coral can survive global warming
U.S. Jump-Starts Effort to Curb Residential CO2 Emissions
The project will retrofit older homes and apartment buildings to be more energy efficient
If Electric Vehicles Don’t Cut CO2 Fast Enough, These Fuels Might Help
Department of Energy researchers say gasoline might have to be substituted with biofuels to ensure that climate targets are achieved
Engineers Look to River and Ocean Currents for Clean Energy
The Department of Energy is helping to fund 11 projects that are designed to harness the power of moving water
Record Methane Spike Boosts Heat Trapped by Greenhouse Gases
NOAA’s Annual Greenhouse Gas Index finds that greenhouse gases trapped nearly 50 percent more heat last year than they did in 1990
New Drones Could Spot Wildfires Earlier, Even Help Snuff Them Out
And other new technology could detect carbon monoxide emitted just when flames start
Electric Planes Take Off
More than 170 projects are underway worldwide