Stay informed

Strong emissions trading system prices encourage and facilitate climate action but also reflect private sector confidence in governments’ commitments to long-term transformation. Every evening in my Brooklyn neighborhood we come out onto our stoops with our children, dogs, bells, horns and pots (my contribution – inspired by the Colombian cacerolazos I witnessed protesting – non-violently,

As climate week gets underway, policymakers should prioritize ways to reduce emissions from one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases: the transportation sector. A diverse group of stakeholders recently came together to discuss opportunities to do just that. Transportation accounts for nearly one third of all greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. and a …

A shift in ambition, narrative, global cooperation and likely support for mitigation in least-developed countries The announcement by President Xi Jinping at the UN General Assembly last month makes me optimistic. First, on its own, achievement of this goal will contribute to a reduction in expected future temperature by 0.2 to 0.3 degrees.  Second, having …

This post is a collaboration with Yana Jin Since 2013, the Chinese government has changed its approach to regulating pollution, including providing the public greater access to information about their own exposure. This increased visibility into pollution exposure can affect citizens’ perceptions of how pollution affects their own health, and their desire to avoid these …

This blog post was co-authored with Nina Donaldson Much of the existing research on climate change impacts focuses on end-of-century projections across nations, but this misses the very real costs that everyday Americans are already facing daily and will continue to face in the months and years ahead. Case in point today: While most Americans …

An EDF analysis of carbon credits for rice growers shows great climate and cost-savings potential, but is that enough for farmers to participate? In 2015, rice became the first crop for which agricultural carbon credits were valid for compliance in the California cap-and-trade system. Unfortunately, as of September 2020, no compliance credits have been generated.

A case study of MFA Inc. shows how conservation can support the bottom line. The post “Success first.” How one ag retailer is helping farmers adopt conservation practices, profitably. first appeared on Growing Returns.

A new report released this week by AECOM, the world’s premiere infrastructure firm, and Rebuild by Design, a community-focused organization advocating for resilient infrastructure, offers hope for recovery for the Empire State as it demonstrates how investments in the environment can help New York not only build lasting climate resilience but also create jobs at a time when they are desperately needed. The post New York’s environmental bond can deliver lasting resilience and create jobs first appeared on Growing Returns.

These steps toward more sustainable groundwater management would go a long way to ensuring Texas’ economy, natural resources and livelihoods will continue to thrive as our population increases and droughts intensify in years to come. The post 5 challenges to sustainable groundwater management in Texas and how to tackle them first appeared on Growing Returns.

Three groundwater bills Arizona lawmakers should pass to ensure a secure future for rural communities. The post How to advance water security for Arizona? These 3 bills are a good start. first appeared on Growing Returns.

New report details how soil health practices like cover crops and no-till affect farm budgets. The post Farm budget analysis finds 3 ways conservation affects the bottom line first appeared on Growing Returns.

By Tom Neltner, J.D., Environmental Defense Fund Chemicals policy director Meat and seafood derived from animal cells grown outside the animal are likely coming to your kitchen table. The process involves culturing cells in tanks and combining them into a consumable product using extrusion, 3-D printing or other processes commonly used in food industry. The …

By Kristin M. Kleisner and Mauricio Galvez Along the Pacific coast of South America, a powerful ocean current brings to life one of the most abundant and productive ecosystems on the planet. The Humboldt Current System spans from southern Chile to Ecuador, pulling cold, nutrient-rich water from the ocean depths to the surface. This upwelling, as it’s …

Today we celebrate World Food Day — the annual event that promotes global awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure healthy diets for all. But unique to this year is the coronavirus pandemic, which has created new and extraordinary challenges for the food and nutrition security of …

By EDF, the secretariat for SSF Hub partners Small-scale fisheries are worth talking about now more than ever. Millions of people around the world depend on small-scale fisheries for their health, livelihoods and culture. There are many resources, tools and people working to support sustainable small-scale fisheries, or SSF, but it can be hard to …

By Christopher Cusack and Harlisa Small-scale fisheries are much bigger than you may have thought. They are fundamental to the food security, nutrition and economic well-being of hundreds of millions of people worldwide (the FAO estimates that 200 million people worldwide rely on small-scale fisheries for some part of their livelihood). Small-scale does not equal …

By Berenice García and Rafael Ortiz Digital technology can be a powerful ally to sustainable fishing. Diverse experiences around the world have shown it can improve fisheries management — sustainably and cost-effectively. In the Mexican fishing sector, these technologies are still in a developmental and exploratory stage, yet the experience for Mexican hake producers in …

By Onesya Damayanti and Karly Kelso COVID-19 impacts are far-reaching, and one important factor to keep in mind is the effect this pandemic has had on food and nutrition security — and the growing need for solutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has crashed supply chains around the world, and in turn, has severely impacted livelihoods and …

In response to growing alarm regarding the effects of climate change on fisheries, the government of Canada demonstrated valuable global leadership recently. In partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans hosted an international expert workshop to document practices that can be taken to help fisheries …

Richard Denison, Ph.D., is a Lead Senior Scientist. In recent weeks EPA has issued for public comment significant modifications to its draft risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act for two chemicals:  Pigment Violet 29 (PV29) and 1,4-dioxane.  Because EPA initially provided relatively brief comment periods on the modifications, both were subject to requests for …

Richard Denison, Ph.D., is a Lead Senior Scientist. Yesterday EDF submitted comments on a supplement to EPA’s 1,4-dioxane risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which the agency issued a scant three weeks ago. This solvent is a likely human carcinogen that contaminates drinking water nationwide and is present in millions of consumer products.

Tom Neltner, J.D., is Chemicals Policy Director. In January 2017, the outgoing Obama Administration undertook a criminal investigation of Home Depot for alleged violations of the Lead-Safe Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule. Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed a proposed civil consent decree with Home Depot committing the company to establishing a comprehensive …

Tom Neltner, J.D. is the Chemicals Policy Director. In October 2019, we reported finding canned foods had a surprising number of samples with lead based on the Food and Drug Administration’s testing results. Almost half of the 242 samples had detectable lead, including a staggering 98% of 70 canned fruit samples. We suspect that the …

Tom Neltner, J.D. is the Chemicals Policy Director. Many people may not be aware that lead is still added to brass and bronze used to make drinking water faucets and food equipment like coffee brewers and more. This is problematic because lead can leach into the water and beverages from the equipment – putting consumers …

Tom Neltner, J.D. is the Chemicals Policy Director This is the first in a series of blogs evaluating various aspects of EPA’s December 2020 revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) and what they may mean for accelerating lead service line (LSL) replacements. The blogs cover: 1) the new service line inventory; 2) three …