Environment
Follow the latest Environment news, videos, and analysis from ABC News.
2 hours ago

California expands electric school bus fleet as federal freeze paused other efforts

California is spending $500 million to put an additional 1,000 electric school buses on the road
2 hours ago
FILE - Zum electric buses are plugged into charging stations before a news conference announcing the Oakland Unified School District as being the first major school district in the country to use 100% electric school buses at the Zum/OUSD bus yard in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
April 23, 2025 at 11:12 AM

$50 million prize funded by Musk foundation goes to Indian carbon-capture company

An Indian company that spreads crushed rock on farmers’ fields to draw climate-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere has won the $50 million grand prize in a global competition funded by Elon Musk’s foundation
April 23, 2025 at 11:12 AM
XPRIZE Carbon Removal winners from Mati Carbon, Founder & CEO Shantanu Agarwal, left, and Chief Science Officer Jake Jordan, visit the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
April 22, 2025 at 9:13 PM

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.
April 22, 2025 at 9:13 PM
A carbon removal company called Lithos Carbon is using enhanced rock weathering to make farming more sustainable and capture carbon from the atmosphere.
April 22, 2025 at 3:47 PM

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.
April 22, 2025 at 3:47 PM
VIDEO: How rock dust is used to fertilize farms, clean the air
April 22, 2025 at 3:12 PM

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.
April 22, 2025 at 3:12 PM
VIDEO: The science that can protect Earth from climate change
April 22, 2025 at 12:28 PM

Your clothes are shedding bits of plastic. Here’s what people are doing about it

Plastic is everywhere — and yet some people may be surprised at how much they actually wear
April 22, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Rachael Z. Miller, founder of the Vermont-based Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean, conducts a tape test on various clothing items to compare how much each material sheds microfibers on Thursday, April 17, 2025, in Granville, Vt. (AP Photo/Amanda Swinhart)
April 22, 2025 at 8:43 AM

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.
April 22, 2025 at 8:43 AM
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.
April 21, 2025 at 4:16 PM

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.
April 21, 2025 at 4:16 PM
VIDEO: How people are building more sustainable homes
April 20, 2025 at 5:08 AM

Everglades restoration would protect Florida Keys while scientists watch for drought

The Everglades is more than just swamps, fan boats and alligators and restoration efforts impact more than the land between Florida’s east and west coasts
April 20, 2025 at 5:08 AM
A little blue heron hunts for food in Florida Bay, part of the Everglades ecosystem, near Islamorada, Fla., during a media visit organized by The Everglades Foundation, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
April 12, 2025 at 4:04 AM

DOJ ends environmental justice agreement in Alabama county

The U.S. Department of Justice is ending a settlement agreement with Alabama regarding wastewater problems in a rural Alabama county where most residents are Black
April 12, 2025 at 4:04 AM
FILE - Fetid water pools outside a mobile home in a small mobile home park in rural Hayneville, Ala., Lowndes County, Aug. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves, File)
April 11, 2025 at 1:27 PM

Schools lined up for help getting cleaner school buses. Then came the EPA freeze

Hundreds of school districts around the U.S. may have to abandon plans to acquire electric buses after the EPA froze the latest round of money that was part of President Biden’s infrastructure law
April 11, 2025 at 1:27 PM
FILE - Children are picked up by their school bus following a day off due to a winter storm, Wednesday, March 15, 2023, in Poland, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
April 10, 2025 at 11:33 AM

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.
April 10, 2025 at 11:33 AM
The Comanche Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant owned by Xcel Energy.
April 8, 2025 at 9:31 PM

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.
April 8, 2025 at 9:31 PM
The Comanche Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant owned by Xcel Energy.
April 8, 2025 at 1:30 PM

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.
April 8, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Colossal's dire wolves were born in late 2024.
April 1, 2025 at 9:18 PM

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.
April 1, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Tiny diatom cells that were dormant in sediment beneath the Baltic Sea for 7,000 years were successfully revived, scientists say.
April 1, 2025 at 8:46 PM

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.
April 1, 2025 at 8:46 PM
View of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, July 2, 2020.
March 31, 2025 at 8:30 PM

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.
March 31, 2025 at 8:30 PM
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.
1 month 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.
1 month ago
1 month 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.
1 month 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.
1 month 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.
1 month ago
A person exits the headquarters building of the Environmental Protection Agency, March 12, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
1 month 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.
1 month ago
Experts say coal may be "cleaner than ever," but it's still not "clean" energy.
1 month 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.
1 month ago
VIDEO: Trump’s EPA dismantles regulations – how polluters might benefit
1 month 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.
1 month ago
VIDEO: EPA workers silenced as agency cancels hundreds of grants
1 month 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.
1 month ago
Signage at the headquarters of the United States Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, Feb. 18, 2025.
2 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.
2 months ago
VIDEO: Environment can have greater impact on health than genes, study shows
3 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.
3 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.
4 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.
4 months ago
A desert bighorn sheep.
4 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.
4 months ago
4 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. 
4 months ago
Abandoned oil and gas wells in US may bring leak dangers
4 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.
4 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.
4 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.
4 months ago
Motorists drive vehicles on the 101 freeway during the morning commute, Sept. 23, 2024, in Los Angeles.
4 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.
4 months ago
Biodegradable products made out of cassava fiber.
5 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.
5 months ago
5 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.
5 months ago
The Yaquina Head Lighthouse as seen from Beverly Beach State Park near Newport, Ore.
5 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.
5 months ago
Transmission towers are seen at the CenterPoint Energy power plant on June 09, 2022 in Houston, Texas.
5 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.
5 months ago
More than 17 million people get their drinking water from the Delaware River basin, according to environmental nonprofit American Rivers.
5 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.
5 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.
5 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.
5 months ago
Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during an election night event in West Palm Beach, Florida, Nov. 6, 2024.
5 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.
5 months ago
Wind turbines in a field at sunrise on June 28, 2024 in Nolan, Texas.
5 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.
5 months ago
A man visits the Lodhi gardens on a cold smoggy morning in New Delhi on Nov. 18, 2024.
5 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.
5 months ago
Natural Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.
6 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.
6 months ago
Commuters ride along a street engulfed in smog, in Lahore, Pakistan, on Nov. 5, 2024.
6 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.
6 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.
6 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.
6 months ago
An American flag in front of a corn field at Smith Family Farm in Smithton, Pa., Sept. 23, 2024.
6 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.
6 months ago
Lava formation is seen in the East Pacific Rift zone, April 8, 2016.
6 months ago

Wildlife populations have declined by 73% in 50 years: Study

The World Wildlife Fund warns that the next five years are "crucial for the future of life on Earth."
6 months ago
African penguins are seen at the coast of Simon's Town as the number of endangered African penguins has declined due to numerous human factors such as industrial fishing and fuel oil spills in Western Cape, South Africa on Sept.  7, 2024.
6 months ago

Wildlife populations declined by 73% in 50 years: Study

The study’s findings revealed declines in “every indicator that tracks the state of nature on a global scale."
6 months ago
The study’s findings revealed declines in “every indicator that tracks the state of nature on a global scale."
6 months ago

Florida's coastline could change after Hurricane Milton, officials say

As Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida, piling onto the damage from Hurricane Helene, officials warn of "severe" levels of coastal change.
6 months ago
Florida's Pass-A-Grille Beach on the west coast is one of many beaches across Florida that has seen the shoreline change over time.
7 months ago

Why parts of the Sahara Desert are turning green

One of the driest regions on earth is shifting green, as an influx of heavy rainfall causes vegetation to grow in the typically barren landscape.
7 months ago
A view of Africa from NASA.
7 months ago

'Last Lands' explores battle to protect planet's national parks

ABC News' Bob Woodruff takes us on a spectacular expedition around the world and inside the efforts to preserve natural wonders.
7 months ago
VIDEO: 'Last Lands' explores battle to protect planet's national parks