Environmental Studies

"At the peak of the whaling industry, in the late 1800s, North Atlantic right whales were slaughtered in their thousands. With each carcass hauled on to the deck, whalers were taking more than just bones and flesh out of the ocean. The slaughtered whales had unique memories of feeding grounds, hunting techniques and communication styles; knowledge acquired over centuries, passed down through the generations, and shared between peers. The critically endangered whale clings on, but much of the species’ cultural knowledge is now extinct."

"Human-driven planetary warming threatens to collapse a system of currents in the Atlantic Ocean that regulate and impact weather across the globe, a new scientific study has found."

"The Interior Department today said it will restart an environmental review of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s oil and gas program, following its determination earlier this year that the Trump administration’s assessment was flawed."

"The White House science office announced today that Allison Crimmins will lead the next mammoth report on climate change. The fifth National Climate Assessment is expected to be released in 2023 and stands to be more expansive than past editions, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) said in a statement today."

"The Environmental Protection Agency is reminding employees not to engage with members of the media, sending a memorandum this week instructing them to deflect any press inquiries."a

"The White House Council on Environmental Quality is postponing compliance with the Trump administration's rules to speed up National Environmental Policy Act reviews."

"Warming of the surface of the Arctic is matched by a colder polar vortex high in the atmosphere, which is speeding the breakdown of the Earth’s shield against ultraviolet rays."

"The Government Accountability Office (GAO) called on the Department of Defense (DOD) this week to detail its cleanup expenses for “forever chemicals” from water supply sources near military bases."

"The Great Barrier Reef should be added to a list of World Heritage Sites that are “in danger”, a United Nations panel said on Tuesday, drawing an angry response from Australia, which called the recommendation politically motivated."