Emissions reduction

Policy & regulation

California’s new clean-fuel plan makes old problems worse

CARB approved new rules last week that critics say reward polluting biofuels, shortchange EVs, and could cause gasoline prices to spike.

By Jeff St. John . 13 November 2024

gray, black, and white cars snaking along two sides of an urban freeway. — The 101 freeway in Los Angeles, California (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Electrification

Electric lawn equipment, solar could be home-electrification ‘gateways’

People with firsthand home electrification experience are much more interested in cutting fossil fuels from other areas of their lives, per a new survey.

By Alison F. Takemura . 6 June 2024
Carbon capture

CO2-removal leader Climeworks says new tech can halve costs, energy use

Direct air capture is expensive and energy-intensive. Climeworks, which operates the world’s largest DAC plant, says it’s making progress tackling both challenges.

By Maria Gallucci . 4 June 2024
$Flares burning off gas at Belridge Oil Field and hydraulic fracking site which is the fourth largest oil field in California$

Fossil fuels

The US oil and gas industry is emitting less carbon than it used to

American oil and gas companies have cut back on methane emissions even as production reached record heights, a new analysis shows.

By Julian Spector . 3 June 2024
Batteries

Is adding a battery to your rooftop solar worth it? Here’s how to decide

Although expensive upfront, batteries can help you get through power outages and lower your utility bills. Federal and local incentives can sweeten the deal.

By Alison F. Takemura . 30 May 2024
Electrification

Helping low-income families electrify could save Americans $96 billion

If U.S. policymakers pursue equitable electrification strategies, the societal benefits would be vast, says new report.

By Alison F. Takemura . 29 May 2024
Heat pumps

A call to replace air conditioners with heat pumps in California

Advocates want new building codes to include a heat-pump provision that could benefit consumers and the climate. But regulators have cooled on the proposal.

By Alison F. Takemura . 28 May 2024
Clean industry

Chart: Which sectors are the biggest industrial emitters in the US?

Industry is set to become the country's largest source of CO2 emissions, largely driven by chemical manufacturing and oil and gas refining.

By Maria Gallucci . 24 May 2024
Methane

Landfills leak methane at alarming rates, new research shows

Nearly a fifth of U.S. methane emissions come from landfills. Advocates are calling on the EPA to crack down on this source of climate pollution.

By Naveena Sadasivam . 24 May 2024
Emissions reduction

Portland, Maine, could launch a 'trust fund' to fight climate change

The city council is voting on an ordinance that would sell off renewable energy credits from solar projects to pay for new emission-cutting efforts.

By Annie Ropeik . 22 May 2024
Clean industry

Industrial emissions aren’t falling fast enough to meet US climate goals

Rhodium Group’s new report found that heavy industry, including steel mills and chemical plants, could soon be the nation’s number one source of CO2 emissions.

By Maria Gallucci . 16 May 2024