Inside Climate News
Toxic Ocean Crisis in Papua New Guinea Sparks Mass Marine Die-Off and Public Health Emergency
A mass marine die-off along the shores of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea has escalated into a public health emergency after thousands of dead fish began washing ashore in December. The crisis, which began with small bluestripe herring and has since expanded in scale, points to a serious toxic event in surrounding Pacific and Bismarck Sea waters. Authorities are now racing to identify the cause while warning coastal communities — many of whom depend on fishing for survival — to avoid consuming affected seafood.
Read article →Guardian Environment
‘I’ve never seen anything like it’: Hawaii’s small farmers begin recovery after catastrophic flooding
Two back-to-back kona low storms dumped up to 50 inches of rain on Oahu, devastating small farms that had been supplying local restaurants, markets, and communities. For operations like LewaTerra Farm, launched just last year, the flooding wiped out fields and equipment at a moment of hard-won momentum. The disaster has left Hawaii's agricultural community facing a long and costly road to recovery.
Read article →Guardian Environment
Toxic Pfas residue identified on 37% of California produce, new analysis finds
A new analysis has found PFAS "forever chemical" residues on 37% of conventional California produce, with peaches, strawberries, and grapes showing near-universal contamination. The findings mark the first time such residues have been systematically identified on California-grown fruits and vegetables. The results are fueling renewed pressure on legislators to restrict the pesticides responsible for the contamination.
Read article →Guardian Environment
A costly plan will keep a steel plant in JD Vance’s hometown running. Locals are aghast: ‘It’s horrible’
A plan to extend operations at a coal-burning steel plant in Middletown, Ohio — Vice President JD Vance's hometown — is drawing sharp backlash from residents already dealing with serious air quality concerns. The facility's continued fossil fuel use raises the prospect of prolonged environmental health risks for a community where some locals report worsening respiratory illness. Critics argue the economic rationale for keeping the plant running comes at an unacceptable human cost.
Read article →Guardian Environment
We’ve been coming to this waterhole for 30 years. Like the creek we’ve been rearranged – ravaged by time but still shining | Jessie Cole
Three decades of returning to the same hidden waterhole in northern New South Wales has given writer Jessie Cole a living record of time's passage — on the landscape and on the bodies of the women who swim there. Scars, age, and the ordinary marks of lived experience have become something to celebrate rather than conceal. The waterhole, tucked away on private land and known only to those with directions, serves as both sanctuary and mirror.
Read article →Get this delivered every morning
Join thousands of readers who get the world's most important stories, curated daily.
Start reading free →