Environment
Follow the latest Environment news, videos, and analysis from ABC News.
May 22, 2025 at 7:07 AM

Healing through gardening: Organization connects US veterans with nature

Nonprofit organization Heroic Gardens uses horticulture as a form of personal healing for U.S. veterans.
May 22, 2025 at 7:07 AM
VIDEO: Healing through gardening: Organization connects US veterans with nature
May 21, 2025 at 5:39 AM

What to know about Empire Wind, the wind farm now allowed to resume construction

What to know about Empire Wind, the offshore wind project the Trump administration is allowing to move forward.
May 21, 2025 at 5:39 AM
Wind turbines generate electricity at the Block Island Wind Farm, July 7, 2022, near Block Island, Rhode Island. The first commercial offshore wind farm in the United States is located 3.8 miles from Block Island, Rhode Island in the Atlantic Ocean.
May 20, 2025 at 7:34 PM

Upgrading your landscaping in an environmentally friendly way

A conventional landscaping technique is not the best option for the environment, but sustainable landscaping is a way to design a yard that is easy on the eyes and the planet.
May 20, 2025 at 7:34 PM
VIDEO: Climate friendly curb appeal
May 19, 2025 at 4:48 PM

These Trump policies will have the most lasting impact on the environment: Experts

Some of the policies enacted under the Trump administration will have lasting impacts on the environment far after the current president leaves office, experts say.
May 19, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Jason Ulseth shows a large collection area of trash along the bank during a boat tour of the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta, on April 22, 2025, on the occasion of Earth Day.
May 14, 2025 at 5:56 PM

Court rules that Joshua tree should have protections

A California federal court struck down an attempt from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to revoke protections for the Joshua Tree under the Endangered Species Act.
May 14, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Joshua trees stand in a campground in Joshua Tree National Park on February 20, 2025 near Joshua Tree, California.
May 14, 2025 at 4:33 PM

Debunking misconceptions about carbon dioxide

ABC News chief meteorologist Ginger Zee talks to scientists about carbon dioxide, the gas critical for life on Earth.
May 14, 2025 at 4:33 PM
VIDEO: Debunking misconceptions about carbon dioxide
May 14, 2025 at 2:27 PM

Thai officials seize over 200 tons of illegally imported electronic waste from U.S.

Thai officials on Wednesday said they seized 238 tons of illegally imported electronic waste from the United States, one of the biggest lots they've found this year
May 14, 2025 at 2:27 PM
A Thai official shows a sample of illegally imported electronic waste from the United States which they said they seized at Bangkok Port during a press conference in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
May 6, 2025 at 4:16 PM

Ban on plastic bags is working for environment: Experts

ABC News chief meteorologist Ginger Zee heads to New Jersey where one lawmaker wants to repeal the ban on single-use plastic bags.
May 6, 2025 at 4:16 PM
VIDEO: Ban on plastic bags is working for environment: Experts
May 3, 2025 at 2:28 AM

How clean air and water is addressed in new EPA reorganization

Environmental Protector Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced a significant reorganization for the agency.
May 3, 2025 at 2:28 AM
In this undated file photo, Mount Washakie is shown in Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming.
May 1, 2025 at 9:25 PM

These are the biggest 'anti-environment' policies enacted in Trump's 1st 100 days

President Donald Trump has enacted a sweeping number of policies that could harm the environment and hamper goals for greenhouse gas reductions, some experts say.
May 1, 2025 at 9:25 PM
The PEMEX Deer Park oil refinery, April 8, 2025, in Deer Park, Texas
May 1, 2025 at 1:49 PM

New satellite will provide an unprecedented look at the planet's forests

The European Space Agency has put its Biomass satellite into orbit.
May 1, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Biomass is the first satellite equipped with a P-band synthetic aperture radar, which is capable of penetrating forest canopies to measure woody biomass – trunks, branches, and stems – where most forest carbon is stored. These measurements act as a proxy for carbon storage, the assessment of which is the mission’s primary goal.
1 month ago

How rock dust is used to fertilize farms, clean the air

A carbon removal company has been collecting rock dust to capture carbon and make farming more efficient.
1 month ago
A carbon removal company called Lithos Carbon is using enhanced rock weathering to make farming more sustainable and capture carbon from the atmosphere.
1 month ago

How rock dust is used to fertilize farms, clean the air

ABC News’ Ginger Zee reports from North Carolina on how farmers are using rock dust to enrich soil and help remove carbon from the atmosphere.
1 month ago
VIDEO: How rock dust is used to fertilize farms, clean the air
1 month ago

The science that can protect Earth from climate change

ABC News chief meteorologist Ginger Zee tackles one of the most common myths she hears about climate change.
1 month ago
VIDEO: The science that can protect Earth from climate change
1 month ago

Heat-resistant corals are 'miracle-like' discovery amid climate change: Scientists

Researchers said they discovered a "biological treasure chest" of corals located in an underwater lagoon off a remote South Pacific island.
1 month ago
The Acropora corals stick out of the water because the tide is low and the wind pushes the water out of the closed lagoon on November 27, 2021 in Tatakoto, French Polynesia. Tatakoto, a remote atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia, is surrounded by a lagoon rich in marine life. Like many regions worldwide, its corals are subjected to thermal stress caused by elevated temperatures. Yet, they have developed an exceptional heat resistance, a rare trait that could help restore degraded reefs.
1 month ago

How people are building more sustainable homes

"GMA" explores how people are creating more sustainable living spaces as part of “Our Home,” an Earth Week campaign to highlight efforts to protect, restore and celebrate our planet.
1 month ago
VIDEO: How people are building more sustainable homes
1 month ago

How Trump's executive order on coal could impact energy use in the US

President Donald Trump's quest to conduct a resurgence of coal production and utilization in the U.S. is farfetched and unlikely, according to energy experts.
1 month ago
The Comanche Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant owned by Xcel Energy.
2 months ago

Trump signs executive order to expand 'clean' coal, but there's no such thing

President Donald Trump has called for the expansion of U.S. coal production, claiming that an increase of "clean" coal produced in the U.S. will soon take place.
2 months ago
The Comanche Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant owned by Xcel Energy.
2 months ago

Dire wolf revived through biotech company's de-extinction process: Scientists

Biotech company Colossal Biosciences said it has brought back the dire wolf, an animal that went extinct 10,000 years ago, through its de-extinction process.
2 months ago
Colossal's dire wolves were born in late 2024.
2 months ago

Dormant algae revived after 7,000 years beneath the Baltic Sea

Researchers have successfully revived algae that remained dormant underneath sediment at the bottom of the Baltic Sea for more than 7,000 years.
2 months ago
Tiny diatom cells that were dormant in sediment beneath the Baltic Sea for 7,000 years were successfully revived, scientists say.
2 months ago

The deepest lake in the US is closing for 2 years, NPS says

Those wanting to recreate in the deepest lake in the U.S. will need to schedule a visit soon, before access closes for two years.
2 months ago
View of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, July 2, 2020.
2 months ago

Researchers make surprise discovery after piece of Antarctic ice shelf breaks off

An iceberg the size of Chicago broke off am Antarctic ice shelf to reveal a thriving ecosystem underneath, according to researchers.
2 months ago
Icebergs seen around Research Vessel Falkor (too). The newly exposed Antarctic seafloor also allowed the team to gather critical data on the past behavior of the ice sheet. The ice sheet has been shrinking and losing mass over the last few decades due to climate change.
2 months ago

Scientists warn honey bee colonies could decline by 70% in 2025

Washington State University entomologists announced this week that commercial honey bee colony losses are projected to reach between 60% and 70% in 2025.
2 months ago
2 months ago

This is what's causing California sea lions to act aggressive, lethargic

Sea lions on the California coast are displaying strange behavior likely due to a harmful algae bloom impacting the region, according to marine researchers.
2 months ago
A sick California sea lion with possible domoic acid poisoning is rescued to be evaluated by volunteers from CIMWI (Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute) in Santa Barbara, California, on March 25, 2025.
2 months ago

These are the impacts some scientists fear most from EPA deregulation

Several of the environmental benefits Americans experience today -- clean air, clean water, clean rain -- could soon be in jeopardy from EPA deregulation efforts.
2 months ago
A person exits the headquarters building of the Environmental Protection Agency, March 12, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
2 months ago

Trump wants 'clean' coal, but there's no such thing

Experts say coal may be "cleaner than ever," but it's still not "clean" energy.
2 months ago
Experts say coal may be "cleaner than ever," but it's still not "clean" energy.
2 months ago

Trump’s EPA dismantles regulations – how polluters might benefit

ABC News’ Stephanie Ramos talks to former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy on the Trump administration’s rollback of clean air and water protections.
2 months ago
VIDEO: Trump’s EPA dismantles regulations – how polluters might benefit
2 months ago

EPA workers silenced as agency cancels hundreds of grants

Staffers have been told they are prohibited from communicating with grantee partners they are supposed to monitor, according to multiple sources inside the agency. ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks reports.
2 months ago
VIDEO: EPA workers silenced as agency cancels hundreds of grants
2 months ago

EPA workers silenced as agency cancels hundreds of grants

EPA staffers have been told they are prohibited from communicating with grantee partners they are supposed to monitor, according to multiple sources inside the agency.
2 months ago
Signage at the headquarters of the United States Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, Feb. 18, 2025.
3 months ago

Environment can have greater impact on health than genes, study shows

A new study finds that your environment can have a greater impact on your health over your genes. ABC News medical correspondent Dr. Darien Sutton discusses.
3 months ago
VIDEO: Environment can have greater impact on health than genes, study shows
4 months ago

Zeldin vows to review EPA spending, may 'claw back' IRA funds

President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to head up the Environmental Protection Agency, Lee Zeldin, emphasized accountability during hours of testimony Thursday.
4 months ago
Lee Zeldin, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency testifies at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, in Washington, Jan. 2025.
5 months ago

These plants and animals will benefit from Biden's protected land declaration

Vast forests, desert land and even a volcano are among the landscapes included in what's now the largest corridor of federally protected land in the U.S.
5 months ago
A desert bighorn sheep.
5 months ago

How to lower your carbon footprint after the holidays

After the holidays, it’s important to think about the best way to dispose of organic decorations, including Christmas trees and wreaths.
5 months ago
5 months ago

Abandoned oil and gas wells in US may bring leak dangers

Estimates suggest that millions of abandoned gas and oil wells may pose a threat to communities across the country, an ABC News investigation finds. 
5 months ago
Abandoned oil and gas wells in US may bring leak dangers
5 months ago

Abandoned oil and gas wells in US bring fears of leak dangers

More than 3.5 million abandoned oil and gas wells are littered across the United States and an estimated 14 million Americans live within a mile of one of the wells.
5 months ago
The source of Lake Boehmer is a leaking abandoned well originally drilled in the 1950s. The well is leaking up to 600 gallons a minute.
5 months ago

This state's now closer to ending gas-powered new car sales

California has been given the green light by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars and light trucks by 2035.
5 months ago
Motorists drive vehicles on the 101 freeway during the morning commute, Sept. 23, 2024, in Los Angeles.
5 months ago

How to really solve the plastics problem

Modern society has a big problem when it comes to plastic -- and it's contributing heavily to pollution and climate change.
5 months ago
Biodegradable products made out of cassava fiber.
6 months ago

How 'refill and reuse' can help eliminate single-use waste

Single use items often come with plastic and paper that will eventually be thrown away and sent to a landfill.
6 months ago
6 months ago

How to turn ocean waves into renewable energy

The power of the ocean could soon be used to power homes in the U.S. as scientists prepare to test an untapped form of renewable energy.
6 months ago
The Yaquina Head Lighthouse as seen from Beverly Beach State Park near Newport, Ore.
6 months ago

Why Texas could be the next big producer of green hydrogen

Texas has the potential to become a major producer of green hydrogen due to its existing energy infrastructure, according to a new study.
6 months ago
Transmission towers are seen at the CenterPoint Energy power plant on June 09, 2022 in Houston, Texas.
6 months ago

Drought causing saltwater to enter Delaware River

More than 17 million people get their drinking water from the Delaware River basin, according to environmental nonprofit American Rivers.
6 months ago
More than 17 million people get their drinking water from the Delaware River basin, according to environmental nonprofit American Rivers.
6 months ago

Bodies of water all over Northeast drying up due to drought conditions

Important bodies of water that supply water to populated regions in the Northeast are drying up due to drought conditions in recent months.
6 months ago
Water levels at the Wanaque Reservoir are becoming dangerously low as the region experiences an outbreak of wildfires as the dry conditions persist on November 14, 2024 in Wanaque, New Jersey.
6 months ago

What Trump's 'drill, baby, drill' fracking agenda could look like

President-elect Donald Trump's second term could bring reform to energy permitting and increased fracking on federal lands.
6 months ago
Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during an election night event in West Palm Beach, Florida, Nov. 6, 2024.
6 months ago

Why Trump's pick for energy secretary is wrong about green energy: Experts

The United States has seen a significant increase in the use of clean energy over the last few years; however, Chris Wright has claimed otherwise.
6 months ago
Wind turbines in a field at sunrise on June 28, 2024 in Nolan, Texas.
6 months ago

'Severe' toxic smog blankets Delhi, shuttering schools

Delhi's air-quality index, or AQI, shot up past 1,000 on Monday, more than five times higher than Sarajevo, the second most-polluted major city.
6 months ago
A man visits the Lodhi gardens on a cold smoggy morning in New Delhi on Nov. 18, 2024.
6 months ago

The world's corals are facing dire consequences from climate change: New research

Climate change is decimating the likelihood of survival for a large portion of the world's coral reefs, according to new research.
6 months ago
Natural Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.
7 months ago

Record air pollution causes hospitalizations in Pakistan

In the Punjab region of Pakistan, record-high air pollution levels triggered hospitalizations and school closures, as cities remain shrouded in a thick, toxic smog.
7 months ago
Commuters ride along a street engulfed in smog, in Lahore, Pakistan, on Nov. 5, 2024.
7 months ago

How fracking may determine the election in swing state Pennsylvania

Swing state Pennsylvania has one of the largest natural gas deposits in the nation, but residents are concerned about health impacts.
7 months ago
Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a presidential debate with Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Sept. 10, 2024.
7 months ago

How crops will fare with 45% of the US experiencing drought

The U.S. is experiencing the driest fall on record, which could potentially impact the quality of upcoming autumn harvests, experts told ABC News.
7 months ago
An American flag in front of a corn field at Smith Family Farm in Smithton, Pa., Sept. 23, 2024.
7 months ago

Giant tubeworms part of an ecosystem found thriving under the seafloor

A thriving ecosystem has been uncovered in the depths of the Pacific Ocean.
7 months ago
Lava formation is seen in the East Pacific Rift zone, April 8, 2016.