Pollution

"Food and cosmetics from dozens of major retailers come wrapped in potentially dangerous plastics, a new report has found."

"At its annual conference on climate change this week, the United Nations released a major report saying the world has little hope of reaching global climate targets without quickly lowering emissions of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that’s nearly 300 times more powerful at warming the atmosphere than carbon dioxide."

"The US air force has backpedaled on a claim that the supreme court’s recent reversal of the Chevron doctrine shields it against regulators’ orders to clean drinking water the military polluted in Tucson, Arizona."

"Plans to enact the nation’s first congestion pricing program in New York City have been revived, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced Thursday, five months after the initiative was abruptly paused amid pushback from drivers and a flurry of lawsuits."

"Pay now to help poorer countries cope with climate change or pay more later, negotiators were warned on Thursday as experts said poor states need at least $1 trillion per year by the end of the decade to move to greener energy and protect against extreme weather."

"A powerful dust storm known as a haboob caused a vehicle pile-up on a central California highway, sending several people to hospitals with minor injuries, authorities said."

"Climate-driven extreme weather conditions, such as droughts and intense precipitation, may be accelerating the pace at which toxic nitrates are polluting groundwater, a recent study has found."

"PFAS may be contaminating drinking water for up to 70% of about 140 million people in the US who draw water from the nation’s aquifers via private or public wells, a new federal government study estimates. The findings show a potential impact on about 95m people, or 27% of the nation’s population."

"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule Tuesday that implements a charge for oil and gas companies that release too much of the planet-warming gas methane."

"Disheartened, worried, even scared, activists and strategists are nevertheless better prepared this time around and bracing for a long fight."