Stay informed

Methane is the big news out of this year’s climate conference in Dubai. EDF scientist Dr. Ilissa Ocko, who has studied methane’s impact on the climate for more than a decade, offers her top 10 "greatest hits" for evaluating methane’s role in climate change.

Water has finally reached the highest levels of global climate negotiations. The path to a sustainable freshwater future, however, lies with ground-level users. At COP 28, EDF is elevating their voices, their needs and the approaches they find most useful. _______ While greenhouse gases drive climate change, many of its impacts are inherently liquid. Whether …

EDF, Lloyd's Register and Arup tool identifies port locations that maximize the environmental and community benefits of first mover initiatives in support of shipping’s energy transition.

NOTE: This blog was originally published on our Deep Dives blog on April 13, 2023. It predates the recent reorganization efforts at FDA. What Happened? FDA estimates that, each year, food companies designate 82 new food chemicals as “GRAS” (Generally Recognized as Safe) for use in food. On average, FDA reviews only 64 of those …

Amidst all the positive momentum behind reducing global oil and gas methane emissions lies a critical challenge: If we’re going to reduce global methane emissions, we need accurate and trustworthy numbers to define the scope of the problem, assess company and country performance and track emissions over time and against reduction goals. Because you can’t …

The approximately 1 billion people who rely on seafood need the world's fishers to adapt to our changing climate.

 We only have until December 15, 2023, to show EPA we support a full and rapid ban of all uses of TCE. Take Action: Tell EPA–Ban TCE Now What Happened? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently taken a significant step in safeguarding public health by proposing new regulations under our nation’s primary chemicals …

In a move that will protect communities across the country, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will soon finalize new rules to reduce methane and other toxic, smog-forming  pollution from the nation’s oil and gas industry. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that’s fueling much of the climate crisis due to the excessive warming it creates …

The MethaneSAT satellite will be able to measure methane like never before, providing a powerful means of accountability for communities and governments around the world.

Mangroves are important for some communities in Ecuador who rely on the crabs that live among the roots to sustain their livelihoods, but the coastal wetland forests are also an important part in fighting climate change.

(This post was co-authored by EDF Senior Climate Scientist Ilissa Ocko) Hurricanes are complicated, and their characteristics depend on a number of factors, which makes it difficult to tease out certain trends and predict the future. But what is scientifically clear is that human-caused climate change is a key reason that hurricanes are more destructive …

Waste underscores importance of federal safeguards that protect communities and increase climate security.

Freight transport is at the leading edge of a decarbonization revolution, with heavy-duty electric trucks rolling onto US roads as companies work to push health- and climate-harming emissions out of the supply chain.

Report from Synapse Energy Economics underscores the importance of forthcoming methane requirements to ensure efficient use of taxpayer resources.

By Sofia Esquivel-Elizondo and Ilissa Ocko Companies are announcing plans to use ammonia to decarbonize the power sector, because they view it as a carbon-free fuel that does not emit carbon dioxide and other carbon-based air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, when combusted. But there are serious issues with this strategy, primarily because it doesn’t …

Data from Environmental Defense Fund and WSP USA shows Nevadans who buy some popular models of electric cars or passenger trucks will save a lot of money in the first 10 years of ownership.

Developed by Environmental Defense Fund and Texas A&M University, the CVI visualizes the cumulative impacts many communities are experiencing from decades of inequitable development and systemic disinvestment.

By John Rutecki As we wrap up a summer of sweltering heat waves and dangerous air quality, new poll results show strong majorities of Pennsylvanians want action to address the climate crisis. The poll from EDF Action, Earthworks Action Fund, Sierra Club and Clean Air Task Force Action found that the majority of Pennsylvanians support …

The voluntary carbon market has been in a flurry in the past year to define integrity and quality for carbon credits. Between the recently released Core Carbon Principles from the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market, to the Claims Code of Practice from the Voluntary Carbon Market Initiative, we now have more guidance and …

What’s New? Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) embarked on a critical Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) supplemental risk evaluation of 1,4-dioxane [PDF, 8.7MB]– a highly carcinogenic chemical that contaminates drinking water supplies across the country and is present in products, such as cleaning supplies and personal care products. This draft supplemental risk evaluation represents …

A scientific exploration that circumnavigated Cuba found hope in coral reefs, but cautious about what the future holds.

Marine protected areas (MPA) are a conservation tool that sets aside part of the ocean to protect it for long-term conservation, similar to the way a state or national park functions on land. These MPAs are an effective way to preserve biodiversity by protecting ecosystems. But how are they utilized by people, and do they …

New Mexico is falling far short of its climate goals and will achieve less than one-third of the 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 committed to by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham via a 2019 executive order, according to a new analysis from the Environmental Defense Fund.

New Mexico communities know the stakes for climate change are high — hotter and drier conditions threaten public health, livelihoods, and cultural and recreational resources, as they lead to increased drought, extended and more extreme wildfire seasons, and extreme heat. Those impacts are projected to get much worse in the coming decades, without serious and …

Reducing methane pollution is the fastest way to slow global warming. But to cut methane, we need to find it and measure it. Satellites, jet planes, drones and other technology are helping locate and measure methane pollution around the world.