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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.

This paper analyses three groups of policies leading to the decrease in methane emissions in the coal sector: 1) policies stimulating reduction in coal supply/demand, 2) policies stimulating the reduction in methane emissions, and 3) enabling polices and regulatory frameworks.

Pulling in 184 sets of data to rank more than 70,000 U.S. Census tracts, the U.S. Climate Vulnerability Index helps you see which communities face the greatest challenges from the impacts of a changing climate.

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 …

Study of nearly 500 company leaders in charge of voluntary carbon credit purchases for their companies finds that buyers across market segments are willing to pay significantly more for credits with demonstrably high quality.

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.

Analysis co-authored by EDF reveals the potential to use empirical approaches to accurately quantify, at project scales, soil organic carbon stock responses to practice change.

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. 

EDF analysis finds that New Mexico will achieve less than one-third of the 45% reduction in climate pollution by 2030 that was committed to by the governor via 2019 executive order.

EDF co-authored study published in the journal Environmental Health evaluated Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) notices that food manufacturers voluntarily submitted to FDA and found that 1) no GRAS notices followed FDA's draft guidance, and 2) there were high risks of bias and conflicts of interest.

By Tom Neltner, Senior Director, Safer Chemicals, Klara Matouskova, PhD, Consultant, and Maricel Maffini, PhD, Consultant What Happened? In our new study, we evaluated Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) notices—a total of 403 between 2015-2020—that food manufacturers voluntarily submitted to FDA for review. Our goal was to determine whether industry was adhering to FDA’s Guidance on Best Practices for …

Published in the scientific journal Earth's Future and supported in part by funding from Environmental Defense Fund, a new research agenda focuses on the intersection between the increased use of storm surge barriers and the resulting estuary impacts. These are three key takeaways from our research. The post The impact of storm surge barriers on estuaries and ecosystems first appeared on Growing Returns.

By Sofia Esquivel Elizondo Enthusiasm for hydrogen as a climate-friendly fuel of the future is everywhere. Hundreds of hydrogen energy projects worth more than $500 billion have been announced, and The International Energy Agency says hydrogen demand could increase sixfold by 2050. Scientists, though, are confident that this leak-prone gas can warm the climate when …

What’s New? For the first time, FDA has provided guidance on how to evaluate whether metal cookware is prohibited due to lead leaching into food. As part of an investigation to find the source of elevated blood lead levels in some refugee children, the Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County, Washington [1] encountered high …

What’s New? EPA recently asked its Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC), comprised of experts in the fields of toxicology and environmental chemistry, to make recommendations on implementing new approach methods (NAMs) for testing the safety of new chemicals. NAMs encompass a wide array of new evaluation strategies, including testing cell lines or invertebrates (rather than …

Seaweed is having a moment. I’ve been working on seaweed for 40 years, and I’ve never seen so many headlines about how seaweed can save the planet.  I can understand why. The need to save the planet is more pressing than ever. We must now dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, at the same time,

Research co-authored by EDF uses hourly weather reanalysis data to examine the evolution of ambient climate conditions in the continental United States, focusing on high social vulnerability index (SVI) regions. Study finds that there are regions that experience hundreds to thousands of hours per year that are too hot for safe fan use.

Traditional aquaculture paired with modern science could make for environmentally friendly, sustainable fishing.