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We now know it’s official – 2023 was the warmest year ever recorded. Citizens across the globe felt the impacts long before it was confirmed. There were unprecedented wildfires in Canada that turned the New York sky orange. Phoenix saw a record-breaking 31 consecutive days with temperatures topping 110 degrees. Along with these very immediate …

Passing a regulatory requirement for a seller or landlords to disclose a property’s flood risks or past flood damages (i.e., a “flood disclosure” law) would encourage Floridians to make fiscally informed decisions about flood risk before renting or buying.

EDF story map shows how states are using natural infrastructure to address climate impacts.

This report from EDF and group of partners crossing sectors shares implementation lessons from a learning pilot in New York City designed to harness risk transfer to provide immediate and flexible post-flood assistance to under-resourced households.

(This post was co-authored by EDF Senior Climate Scientist Ilissa Ocko) Hurricanes are complicated, and their characteristics depend on a number of factors, which makes it difficult to tease out certain trends and predict the future. But what is scientifically clear is that human-caused climate change is a key reason that hurricanes are more destructive …

The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction was established by the United Nations General Assembly to accelerate action to strengthen disaster resilience. In the United States, this day comes on the heels of a major blow to our Nation’s wetlands. Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to narrow the scope of protections for wetlands, as defined in the Clean Water Act. As result, this landmark decision could cause detrimental impacts to the environment, communities and economy. The post On this International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, protecting the Nation’s wetlands is more important and urgent than ever first appeared on Growing Returns.

EDF, in partnership with Nest and with support from Etsy, developed this comprehensive guide to the post-disaster resources available to small business owners and the next steps to accessing them.

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.

This study from EDF scientists and partners uses hourly weather reanalysis data (1950–2021) to examine the temporal and spatial evolution of ambient climate conditions in the continental United States considered safe for fan use, focusing on high social vulnerability index regions. Authors find that some regions experience hundreds to thousands of hours per year that are too hot for safe fan use.

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.

Report from EDF and La Isla Network details what is needed to protect farm labor from dangerous heat.

Report from EDF and La Isla Network details what is needed to protect farm labor from dangerous heat

This report from EDF and partners provides a comprehensive review of the current resources available to households for post-disaster economic recovery in South Carolina and explores the extent to which innovative disaster insurance policy designs can fill these gaps and improve equity in recovery.

A new website from EDF, American Rivers, and Four Corners Mapping provides a special look at the Grand Canyon through an educational, interactive journey. The interactive tool invites people to take a tour through the Grand Canyon and learn how the complexities of the Colorado River crisis impact the Grand Canyon and its surrounding communities …

This blog is co-authored by Rachel O’Connor, Manager, Climate Resilient Water Systems. As Arizona’s water crisis worsens due to extreme drought and overuse, more attention than ever is being directed toward addressing this critical issue. At the federal level, an influx of funding has become available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.

Farmers in Florida have an opportunity to invest in climate change adaptation.

EDF research shows the likelihood of forest regeneration after a fire is lower than it was in the past.

EDF report on a project aimed to develop a baseline knowledge through interviews and focus groups on how rural communities perceive clean energy technologies and innovations, and who they trust to bring these investments into their communities.

Households with Insurance recover faster from disaster, but many people don't have the coverage they need to face floods, wildfires and other extreme weather events. EDF and partners are developing new insurance products that can help bring coverage to more people with less cost, and build resilience to a changing climate.

Wetlands can be powerhouses for climate adaptation and resilience. This World Wetlands Day, we are highlighting one type of wetland that impacts people the most – coastal urban wetlands. The post Three ways to take bold action to protect urban coastal wetlands first appeared on Growing Returns.

Study co-authored by EDF scientists identified and integrated available public health, social, economic, environmental, and climate data in the United States to develop a Climate Vulnerability Index composed of four baseline vulnerabilities (health, social/economic, infrastructure, and environment) and three climate change risks (health, social/economic, extreme events).

This report explains the process by which Texas Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs) have executed their statutorily required planning function to arrive at a Desired Future Condition (DFC) and the inextricable link that exists between DFC development and state water planning.

Report from Environmental Defense Fund and Quantified Ventures highlights five replicable ways to generate revenue that supports natural infrastructure project financing.

Lower corn, soybean and wheat yields are in the cards unless we act quickly. Explore EDF's interactive site to learn how climate change will affect county-level yields of staple crops grown on some of the most productive farmland in the world — corn in Iowa, soybeans in Minnesota and winter wheat in Kansas.

Farmers have turned to new technologies and other farming improvements to boost crop harvests and stay ahead of growing global food, fuel and fiber demand.