ENVIRONMENT POLICIES, ANALYSIS, AND RESOURCES
Latest Environment Posts
Coldplay’s Tour Targets Climate Change (Environmental Policy Brief #167)
Coldplay puts sustainability at the forefront of their world tour, using innovative energy-producing practices such as a power-producing dance floor to combat the high-emission live music industry.
The Summer of Wildfires (Part 2: Europe) (Environmental Policy Brief #169)
Record-breaking heat and extreme fire activity made this year one of Europe’s worst wildfire seasons in recent history. 1840 fires have burned over 634,473 hectares in the EU so far, more than double the average of the last 20 years, leading to thousands of evacuations across the continent and at least 14 deaths.
Trump Reduces Amount of Protected Land at Utah National Monuments (Environmental Policy Brief #168)
On July 13, President Trump announced he is reducing the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah by 90%, which many argue is illegal without Congressional approval. This will leave 3 million acres unprotected and susceptible to uranium mining, oil drilling and more.
The Summer of Wildfires Part 1: The U.S. (Environmental Policy Brief #166)
So far this year, over 45,000 wildfires have burned more than 12 million acres across the U.S. and Canada, and it’s only July. The U.S. has seen more wildfires so far this year than any January to July in the past decade. The ever-worsening climate crisis increases the risk of wildfires, the length of wildfire season, and limits responders’ ability to contain the fires.
Unmasking the Realities of Climate-Driven Migration (Environment Policy Brief #165)
Climate change has fundamentally reshaped global human mobility, acting as a dominant and accelerating force behind mass displacement. Unpredictable weather patterns, rising sea levels, and catastrophic extreme heat are rendering vast swaths of the planet uninhabitable. A nearly 2026 report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reveals that almost 120 million people are displaced globally, with a staggering 75 percent residing in countries facing high-to-extreme exposure to climate-related hazards.
The Removal of the Climate Science Chapter From The U.S. Judiciary’s Scientific Reference Manual (Environmental Policy Brief #164)
In early February 2026, the Federal Judicial Centre removed a chapter explaining climate science from the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence. Judges used this manual to evaluate scientific testimony in U.S. courtrooms. The removal was prompted after Republican state attorneys argued that the chapter presented climate science in a manner that could influence litigation against fossil fuel companies. The chapter,
Undersea Internet Cables Are Becoming the Front Line of Climate Monitoring (Environment Policy Brief #163)
Scientists are exploring ways to turn the world’s submarine internet cables into climate-monitoring infrastructure. The infrastructure will be capable of detecting changes in ocean temperature, earthquakes, and deep-sea pressure shifts linked to climate change. The use of existing global infrastructure gives this idea added potential but also raises security concerns when modifying critical internet systems.
The First Global Rules for Carbon Removal Credits Are Being Written Right Now (Environment Policy Brief #191)
Governments and climate regulators are currently trying to determine how engineered carbon removal technologies should qualify for international carbon credit markets. Currently, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is developing and updating the technical standards to align with GHG reporting and climate management. The publication of the revised ISO 14001:2026 standard is planned for April 2026 with a transition period of three years.
Blue States Initiate Legal Pushback After Administration Overturns Endangerment Finding (Environment Policy Brief #190)
Federal climate regulation is at risk as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rescinded the 2009 “endangerment finding” on February 12, 2026. The EPA called the engagement finding “the single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history.” States like California and Wisconsin, as well as several organizations, are preparing for a legal battle that could eventually reach the Supreme Court, which could take years. They argue that the U.S. could be left with far less ability to regulate emissions at a national level.
