High rises made out of wood? What matters in whether ‘mass timber’ buildings are sustainable
A material that’s been around since people built shelters – wood – is increasingly being proposed for low- and mid-rise buildings.
Environment featured
The View from Washington (3)
It’s chaotic—perhaps surreal is a better word—here in Washington. In this third essay on Trump 2.0 and climate politics, I’ll be touching on the continuing transition activities of the Trump administration, both parties in Congress, and efforts by the Biden administration to Trump-proof his climate legacy.
Indigenous Artists Give Minnesota a Map Makeover
A roundtable conversation with three women who are reviving land-based wisdom and history from a Dakota perspective.
Meltwater from Greenland and the Arctic is weakening ocean circulation, speeding up warming down south
The Greenland ice sheet will continue melting over the coming century, possibly raising global sea level by about 10 cm. If this additional meltwater is included in climate projections, the overturning circulation will weaken faster. It could be 30% weaker by 2040.
The Biggest Takeaways from the Logic of the Superorganism
In this Frankly, Nate revisits some key messages from this channel and delves into some of the more challenging takeaways.
Weather Predicting
The intrusion of AI into weather prognostication is a fairly accurate measure of just how stupid our supposed created intelligence is. I know you’ve seen the results.
Review: Greener Than You Think by Ward Moore
With its brilliant blend of epic scope, dark comedy, goofiness, sharp irony and a multilayered, eerily prescient narrative, Greener Than You Think remains a wildly successful and thoroughly entertaining work of satire.
Nature-based solutions carbon myopia
Preferably, researchers should come down to earth and get their hands and feet dirty, instead of sitting in their skylabs. I have some spare shovels.
Navigating the Conservation Paradox in Loliondo: The Maasai Predicament
To protect the Earth’s ecosystems, we must protect and respect the human cultures that have grown alongside them. The future of Loliondo, and indeed our planet, depends on our ability to embrace this inclusive vision of conservation that honors both nature and humanity.
The View from Washington
As Roger Pielke, Jr. has noted, “there’s no such thing as a climate voter.” So without the support of enough Republicans, Earth’s environment will continue to be the victim of the culture wars.
Labour’s Vision is Walking Blind Without this 6th Mission: Step forward, climate-adaptation
Without taking our vulnerability seriously, and protective adaptation as the essential response to that, our government is letting us down.
UN climate negotiations end on shaky geopolitical ground, but I see reasons for hope
Some people may be ready to write the epitaph for global progress against climate change. But as someone who teaches global environmental politics and has followed international climate talks for years, I see both practical and moral reasons to remain hopeful.