Stay informed

Reduced tillage, cover crops and high tunnels helped small-scale North Carolina farms adapt to climate change and boost profitability, according to analysis of the real-world financial and resilience benefits of these farming practices. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University Cooperative Extension and Environmental Defense Fund evaluated the impacts of climate-resilient practices on three farms in …

This year, farmers in Pinal County, Arizona, will lose two-thirds of their irrigation water from the Colorado River because of a historic shortage declaration triggered by the driest period in more than 1,000 years. And within two years, they will be completely cut off from the Colorado River. Some farmers are responding by fallowing fields.

Coalition building and advocacy can support Black farmers in continuing to farm. The post How credit and climate change collide for Black farmers in Georgia first appeared on Growing Returns.

Jennifer Ortega, Research Analyst, and Tom Neltner, Chemicals Policy Director At the start of this year, Childhood Lead Action Project (CLAP), South Providence Neighborhood Association, Direct Action for Rights and Equality, National Center for Healthy Housing, and EDF submitted an administrative civil rights complaint to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) against Providence Water Supply Board …

Consistent measurement is essential for high-quality soil carbon credits and good for farmers, businesses and governments working toward climate solutions. The post How regional accounting can boost the integrity of the voluntary soil carbon market first appeared on Growing Returns.

By Jake Hiller The U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has set off a flurry of competition among states for a piece of the $8 billion in direct funding and tax credits the law provides for four “hydrogen hubs.” Last week, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas announced a joint bid, and New Mexico said it will also join the fray. The role proposed …

The U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has set off a flurry of competition among states for a piece of the $8 billion in direct funding and tax credits the law provides for four “hydrogen hubs.” Last week, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas announced a joint bid, and New Mexico said it will also join the fray. The role proposed for hydrogen in the …

Tom Neltner, Senior Director, Safer Chemicals It is always worth keeping an eye on the latest U.S. data on blood lead levels in children. While no amount of lead is safe, it is nice to see lower levels reported in findings released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) late last year. In …

The Burning Question: How to Fix Flaring reviews the flaring performance of 20 major oil and gas companies and presents recommendations for investors and other stakeholders to reduce the associated environmental, social and financial risks.

Our story is all too common: Energy insecurity is among the most persistent injustices impacting Black and brown people.

Check out EDF’s newest study: “The value of early methane mitigation in preserving Arctic summer sea ice.” Available now in Environmental Research Letters.

A sustainable aquaculture industry in the United States has the potential to provide both environmental and economic benefits — and EDF is committed to supporting legislation that prioritizes strong regulations while supporting the industry’s efforts to make sure those benefits are felt broadly. That’s why EDF connected with Imani Black, founder of Minorities in Aquaculture,

The drive toward a zero-emission future logged another mile of progress after the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, representing a coalition of 16 states, the Province of Quebec, and Washington D.C. last week unveiled its draft action plan to put more electric trucks and buses on U.S. roads. The draft model action plan …

How California’s new Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program aims to ensure communities and farmers are more involved in land and water use planning by making their engagement a requirement for funding recipients. The post California’s new farmland repurposing program requires community engagement. This guide describes how. first appeared on Growing Returns.

Large retailers in the beauty space, like Walmart, Amazon and Target, have launched accelerator programs to help smaller companies grow their brands. While accelerator programs differ company-to-company, many provide access to funds, networking, mentorship, training, and marketing opportunities. But only a small percent include a specific focus on a critical area: Sustainability. Retailers are setting …

Update: The California Air Resources Board is hosting a public work group meeting on May 4 at 1:00pm PST to discuss the new Proposed Zero Emission Loan Pilot within the Truck Loan Assistance Program. Stakeholder input is needed to determine how loans should work under SB372. There will be future meetings on other elements of …

By Samantha Liskow, Lead Counsel, Health EPA has started to fulfill its promise to take another look at many of the chemical risk findings made during the Trump Administration. First up was “HBCD,” a collection of flame retardants present in many goods, including building insulation, furniture, and electronics. In its revised risk determination for the …

By Maria Doa, Senior Director, Chemicals Policy, and Lariah Edwards, Ph.D., EDF-George Washington University Postdoctoral Fellow EPA recently asked its Science Advisory Board to provide advice on how it can incorporate cumulative impact assessments into its decisions making and on research to support cumulative impact assessments. At a public meeting of the SAB on March …

By Karly Kelso, Director of Climate Resilient Food Systems at EDF, and Michelle Tigchelaar, Research Scientist at Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions Three billion people depend on our oceans, rivers and lakes for nutritious blue foods. By 2050, our global population is expected to reach 10 billion and global demand for blue foods is expected …

As leaders from government, business and tech meet this week at CERA Week, The Work Truck Show and the ATA Technology and Maintenance Council annual meeting, the growing availability of zero-emission trucks will be center stage. The last five years have seen tremendous progress in the availability of and fleet interest in large, zero-emission vehicles.

Before committing to a buildout of hydrogen, we must know how hydrogen can contribute to climate change, including significant warming potential.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is alarming and wrong — recognized by governments across the political spectrum as a dangerous assault on peace and stability. How sad, then, that some columnists here in the United States are using it as an opportunity to spin up a partisan attack on the Biden administration’s energy policy. Instead of …

Reducing methane now is the fastest way to slow global warming in the near term and a critical part of avoiding the worst consequences of climate change.

Maria Doa, Senior Director, Chemicals Policy; Lauren Ellis, Research Analyst; and Lariah Edwards, Post-Doctoral Fellow EDF this week sent EPA a letter identifying opportunities for the agency to improve the effectiveness and transparency of its strategy for testing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). EPA unveiled its National PFAS Testing Strategy (Testing Strategy) last fall, laying …