 | 2009 DECEMBER
December 4, 2009
Mapping Tribal Lands in Peru
Gregor MacLennan helps indigenous people in the Peruvian Amazon map their land to better inform the government when it decides where oil and logging companies can go. He describes how it all works.
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| December 1, 2009
In Australia, Drought Threatens Natural Resources
Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro takes an in-depth look into the drought plaguing Australia.
 
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| NOVEMBER
November 26, 2009
Other News: U.S. Planned Iraq War Just Hours After 9/11
In other news, a U.K. inquiry revealed that the U.S. focused on Iraq just hours after the Sept. 11 attacks, and the United Nations expressed frustration with Iran over its refusal to export its uranium for enrichment.
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| November 25, 2009
India Envoy: Obama's Emissions Pledge 'Welcome,' Had Hoped for More
Judy Woodruff spoke Wednesday with Shyam Saran, the Indian prime minister's special envoy on climate change, about President Obama's trip to the Copenhagen climate change summit and the U.S. emissions reduction goal. Here are Web-only excerpts:
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| November 25, 2009
Bound for Copenhagen, Obama Faces Climate Change Obstacles
Ray Suarez speaks with climate experts about what to expect from President Obama's trip to the Copenhagen climate change summit next month.
 
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| November 25, 2009
Obama to Offer 17% U.S. Emissions Cut at Copenhagen Summit
The White House said President Obama will travel to Copenhagen with a promise to reduce carbon emissions 17 percent by 2020. Judy Woodruff reports.
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| November 25, 2009
Experts Sound Off on U.S. Role, Expectations for Copenhagen
President Obama announced Wednesday he will make an appearance Dec. 9 at the Copenhagen climate summit on on his way to pick up the Nobel Peace Prize. The NewsHour spoke with a panel of experts about expectations for the summit.
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| November 17, 2009
Other News: Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions Up 2%
In other news, the U.S. Department of Energy reported that global carbon dioxide emissions rose 2 percent in 2008, and Iran sentenced five people to death for inciting June's mass protests.
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| November 17, 2009
Chinese President Vows Cooperation on Climate Change
Talks between President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao yielded a promise of slowing down climate change and nuclear proliferation, but fell short of making progress on human rights. Kwame Holman reports.
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| November 16, 2009
Canadian Oil Sands Produce Economic Benefits, Environmental Costs
Elizabeth Brackett of WTTW-Chicago looks at the economic benefits and the environmental costs of oil production in Canada's Alberta province.
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| November 3, 2009
Democrats Push New Climate Change Legislation
Democrats started pushing climate change legislation a month before the U.S. participates in climate talks in Copenhagen. Kwame Holman reports.
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| OCTOBER
October 30, 2009
In Colorado Desert, Hope Blooms for Pond Scum as Fuel
In the latest in a series about innovation amid economic turmoil, Tom Bearden reports on efforts to convert algae into clean fuel.
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| October 28, 2009
No Insurance? On Borneo, This Clinic Accepts Manure
On the Southeast Asian island of Borneo, the Asri Clinic doesn't take credit cards. Instead, the clinic accepts payments that improve the local ecosystem, be it seedlings for replanting, eggshells for composting, even manure. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports.
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| October 19, 2009
In Greenland, Ice Unlocks Climate Change History
Scientists dig deep into Greenland's ice to unearth the history of climate change. Climatologist and Climate Central correspondent Heidi Cullen reports.
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| October 15, 2009
Solar Energy as Competitive Sport
Green technology can take many forms, be it in eco-friendly light bulbs, hybrid cars, or wind turbines. It can even take the form of homework, as in the case of students competing in the Department of Energy's "Solar Decathlon."
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| October 1, 2009
Judy Woodruff Reports: Cities Worldwide Taking Action on Climate Change
NewsHour senior correspondent Judy Woodruff moderated a panel of local and regional leaders from around the world Wednesday in Los Angeles as part of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Global Climate Summit 2.
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| SEPTEMBER
September 30, 2009
One Man's Trash, Another Man's 'Earthship'
In the latest installment in his series on innovation during the recession, Tom Bearden examines how one architect is turning unlikely items into environmentally friendly homes he calls "earthships."
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| September 30, 2009
Senate Bill May Mark New Start for Climate Legislation
Senate Democrats introduced legislation Wednesday aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent over 2005 levels. But with health care dominating the national debate, is Congress ready to tackle more big legislation? Jeffrey Brown talks to a reporter for more.
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| September 30, 2009
Senate Climate Bill Would Cut Emissions 20 Percent by 2020
Senate Democrats unveiled a bill Wednesday aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a cap-and-trade system in the U.S.
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| September 24, 2009
Christo and Jeanne-Claude (Part 2)
Artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude have been working on a proposed environmental art installation in Colorado for years, but have been met with significant resistance from local residents.
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| September 23, 2009
President Obama Tells U.N. World Can't 'Wait for America' to Lead
In his first address to the U.N. General Assembly, President Barack Obama bluntly said world leaders who once accused the United States of acting alone must now join with him to solve global crises rather than "wait for America" to lead.
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| September 22, 2009
At U.N. Summit, China Pledges to Lead Effort to Curb Climate Change
As the U.N. kicked off a summit on climate change in New York, China promised to lead the way in combating global warming. Margaret Warner reports.
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| September 22, 2009
Obama Addresses Climate Change in U.N. Speech
The United States is a serious and determined partner in combating global warming, President Barack Obama told world leaders Tuesday as he sought to show U.S. resolve ahead of crucial climate change talks in Copenhagen in December.
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| September 18, 2009
No 'Plan B' for Copenhagen Climate Summit, U.N. Negotiator Says
Ahead of a U.N. conference on global warming this December in Copenhagen, the organization's top climate negotiator speaks with Margaret Warner about the outlook for a global pact to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
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| September 18, 2009
India's Population Boom Tests Green Revolution's Legacy
Fred De Sam Lazaro reports from India about new questions about the environmental impact of the nation's first major initiative to grow more food to meet the needs of a booming population.
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| September 14, 2009
'Green Revolution' Founder Borlaug Dies at 95
A look back at the life of Norman Borlaug, a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize who developed important agricultural strategies for countries around the world. Borlaug died over the weekend at the age of 95.
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| September 2, 2009
Scientists See More Risk of Wildfires with Forest Changes
Scientists are already witnessing climate change increase the threat of wildfires, as warmer temperatures drive more beetles to the forest, where they in turn kill trees and make the woods more susceptible to catching ablaze. Heidi Cullen of Climate Central reports.
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| September 2, 2009
Scientists: More Wildfires in West a Consequence of Climate Change
Large wildfires in the western United States, such as the week-old Station Fire that has charred more than 215 square miles north of Los Angeles, have been increasing in both frequency and size in recent years.
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| AUGUST
August 31, 2009
Japanese Election a Major Turning Point for World's No. 2 Economy
Voters in Japan on Sunday rejected their incumbent political party for just the second time in postwar history, choosing instead a party that promised to reverse the nation's struggling economy and to redefine Tokyo's relationship with Washington.
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| August 21, 2009
Peru Land Dispute Mobilizes Indigenous Effort
A dispute over oil and logging development in the Peruvian Amazon, which at times has erupted into violent protests, has also spurred an organization of indigenous Amazonian communities not previously seen in Peruvian politics.
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| August 20, 2009
Wind Energy Fuels Job Hopes for Oklahoma Youth
In the final installment of her Generation Next series, which has aired on both the NewsHour and NPR, Judy Woodruff reports on how wind energy is generating new career prospects for young Americans in the Sooner State.
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| August 11, 2009
GM Unveils 230 MPG Claim for Chevy Volt
General Motors announced Tuesday that its long-awaited Chevrolet Volt hybrid, a battery- and gas-powered electric vehicle, can get 230 miles per gallon in city driving, dwarfing every other car on the market in fuel efficiency.
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| August 5, 2009
World's Oceans Face Problem of Plastic Pollution
Some researchers believe that more than 5 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean has become a soup of plastic confetti. Now, scientists are trying to quantify the problem and are studying how plastic affects fish, marine mammals and birds.
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| JULY
July 10, 2009
As G-8 Summit Wraps Up, Obama Heads to Ghana
Margaret Warner, who has been reporting on the scene of the G-8 summit, discusses the meeting's conclusion and President Obama's next stop in Ghana.
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| July 9, 2009
G-8 Leaders Take New Steps to Curb Global Warming
As the G-8 summit wrapped up, President Obama and other leaders discussed new goals to limit climate change and assessed the unrest in Iran. Margaret Warner reports from the scene.
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| July 8, 2009
At G-8, Small Steps on Emissions, Economic Recovery
Leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations gathered in Italy on Wednesday to assess risks to the global economy and other key issues at their annual meeting. Margaret Warner reports from the summit.
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| July 8, 2009
Families Hunt for Water in Niger Valley
Once lush grazing land, the Azawak valley in western Niger now consists of mostly sand, thorns and animal excrement. Quality of life is tied to the rainy season, and during dry spells, families spend much of their time in search of water.
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| July 8, 2009
The Cap and Trade Debate
Paul Solman answers your questions on business and economic news on "The Business Desk."
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| JUNE
June 30, 2009
3.6 Trillion and Counting: New Billboard Clocks Emissions
Eight stories above midtown Manhattan, a new billboard has begun counting how much, and how fast, greenhouse gases are entering the atmosphere. Climate Central reports.
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| June 29, 2009
Wind Energy Fuels Job Hopes for Oklahoma Youth
In the final installment of her Generation Next series, which has aired on both the NewsHour and NPR, Judy Woodruff reports on how wind energy is generating new career prospects for young Americans in the Sooner State.
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| June 26, 2009
Climate Bill, Sanford's Future Top Week's Political News
Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks examine developments in the landmark climate change legislation before Congress, as well as the fallout from S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford's admission to an extramarital affair.
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| June 26, 2009
Landmark Climate Change Bill Moves Through Congress
The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday debated landmark climate change legislation that would establish a "cap-and-trade" system for carbon emissions. Kwame Holman reports.
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| June 25, 2009
'Cap-and-Trade' Emissions Bill Faces Test in Congress
As early as Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives may vote on landmark climate legislation that would establish a "cap-and-trade" system for carbon emissions. Judy Woodruff talks to analysts about the measure's pros and cons.
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| June 16, 2009
White House Says Climate Change Already Affecting U.S.
Global climate change is already affecting the United States, according to a report by federal scientists released Tuesday.
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| June 2, 2009
Stalagmites Provide Clues in Changing Rainfall Patterns
ITN's Channel 4 news correspondent Tom Clarke reports on what scientists are learning from stalagmites about the rainfall and changing weather patterns in a remote region of southwest Poland.
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| MAY
May 27, 2009
News Wrap: GM Moves Closer to Bankruptcy
In the day's other news, General Motors moved one step closer to bankruptcy as bondholders rejected the company's offer to trade bond debt for G.M. stock, and Chrysler's lawyers asked a federal bankruptcy court to allow it to sell the bulk of its assets to Fiat.
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| May 22, 2009
Salmon Streams' Struggle Continues 40 Years After Clean Water Act
Special correspondent Hendrick Smith reports on pollution in the Pacific Northwest's salmon streams four decades after the passage of the Clean Water Act. Smith's report grew out of research from his recent Frontline project, "Poisoned Waters."
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| May 22, 2009
Cap-and-Trade Bill Passes House Energy Panel
The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved Friday a cap-and-trade bill for greenhouse gas emissions. A reporter examines the bill's pros and cons and the state of the energy and climate policy debate.
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| May 20, 2009
Miller Center Debate Focuses on Energy Policy
Christine Todd Whitman, James Woolsey, John Podesta and Karen Harbert recently debated energy policy and focused on the pros and cons of nuclear energy at the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.
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| May 19, 2009
Georgia's Reliance on Coal Questioned Amid Climate Concerns
Climate Central's Heidi Cullen reports on the coal industry's role in Georgia, a state that gets over 60 percent of its electricity from coal, as new emissions and climate policies are crafted in Washington.
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| May 19, 2009
Analysts Mull White House's New Vehicle Emissions Standards
The Obama administration's new vehicle emissions standards would increase the fuel economy of automobiles to a minimum of 35.5 mpg by 2016. Analysts mull the plan's costs and benefits and assess the challenges ahead for the auto industry.
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| May 19, 2009
New Emissions Rules Mark Strategy Turn for Auto Industry
White House Climate Policy Chief Carol Browner explains the administration's vehicle emissions standards plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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| May 19, 2009
Obama Unveils Tougher Emissions Standards Plan
President Barack Obama outlined plans Tuesday for the nation's first wide-ranging effort to curb vehicle emissions while cutting U.S. dependence on foreign oil, calling the plan an historic turning point toward a "clean-energy economy."
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| May 15, 2009
Washington D.C.'s Bike To Work Day 2009
As people look for ways to save money and conserve energy during the recession, cities across the U.S. hosted Bike To Work Day celebrations to encourage two-wheeled, human-powered commuting. In the nation's capital, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association expected 7,500 cyclists to participate.
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| May 15, 2009
Stimulus Funds May Lend New Gusto to Bike Share Programs
Bike share programs are known to benefit both the purse and the waistline and with new stimulus funding, they may also benefit Washington, D.C.
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| APRIL
April 29, 2009
Climate Studies Suggest Need for Drastic Cut in Fossil Fuels
In order to limit the damage from global warming, the world can use only about one quarter of its known fossil fuel reserves, according to two new research studies.
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| April 22, 2009
College Students Exhibit Sustainable Designs on National Mall
At the Environmental Protection Agency's fifth annual Sustainable Design Expo on the National Mall in Washington, DC, college students exhibited their projects addressing sustainability issues including alternative energy, water purification and green buildings.
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| April 22, 2009
Young Engineers Envision Cities Of The Future
Correspondent Tom Bearden reports on a competition of young engineers designing eco-friendly urban centers of the future.
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| April 21, 2009
'Clean Coal' Debate Plays Out on the Airwaves
American television audiences are likely noticing a battle being waged during commercial breaks as millions of dollars are being spent on advertising to promote or denigrate a mysterious-sounding buzzword: clean coal technology.
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| April 17, 2009
EPA Finding Opens Door to New Emissions Regulations
An EPA report has labeled greenhouse gases as pollutants that threaten public health, paving the way for possible new emissions regulations. Analysts examine what the move means.
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| April 17, 2009
EPA Report Marks First Step Toward Climate Change Regulations
Carbon dioxide and five other heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions are a danger to public health and welfare, and possibly even national security, according to an Environmental Protection Agency scientific review released Friday.
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| April 14, 2009
Solar Energy Industry Maintains Footing Amid Recession
Amid the economic slump, there may be a silver lining for solar energy businesses that have withstood the recession so far. NewsHour special correspondent Spencer Michels reports.
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| April 10, 2009
Researchers Examine Arctic Climate Chemistry
In March, two dozen scientists travelled to Barrow, Alaska, as part of an International Polar Year research project to study the atmospheric chemistry of a changing Arctic climate. Photographer Spencer Brown spent a week documenting their trip.
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| MARCH
March 27, 2009
Joint Project Seeks to Stem Impact of Energy Production on Wyoming Wildlife
By all accounts, more than 500 gas wells in an area of eastern Wyoming known as the Jonah Natural Gas Fields have transformed 30,000 acres of rich sagebrush ecosystem into a largely industrial landscape of fuel production.
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| March 23, 2009
Cities, Towns Work to Combat Climate Change
While the United States has never fully ratified the Kyoto climate change protocol, individual cities and towns around the country are aiming to go where the nation as a whole has not.
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| March 17, 2009
What Is Global Warming?
The Earth maintains an average temperature of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 16 degrees Celsius -- temperatures that enable people, plants and animals to live safely within its atmosphere.
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| March 17, 2009
Emissions Trading Ins and Outs
Greenhouse gases harm the environment equally regardless of where they originate, so to slow climate change, it doesn't matter which region of the world cuts back on emissions as long as the global amount falls.
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| March 3, 2009
Reversing Bush Rule, Obama Resumes Safeguards for Endangered Species
President Barack Obama announced Tuesday that he wants federal agencies to resume full scientific reviews of projects that could harm endangered wildlife and plants.
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| FEBRUARY
February 20, 2009
NASA to Launch Its First Carbon-Testing Satellite to Measure Greenhouse Gas
NASA plans to launch a satellite Tuesday that will measure concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere, providing scientists with the most complete and precise set of measurements yet of the greenhouse gas.
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| February 20, 2009
NASA Launches Orbiting Carbon Observatory
NASA is set to launch its Orbiting Carbon Observatory satellite on Feb. 23. Atmospheric scientists and climatologists are expecting the satellite's measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide to dramatically improve their knowledge of the earth's carbon cycle.
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| February 17, 2009
With Green Energy's Limitations, Scientists Hunt for Alternatives
As the Obama administration highlights the importance of finding and investing in renewable energy, states such as California are trying to determine whether wind, solar and other renewables can replace a significant amount of fossil fuel. Spencer Michels reports.
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| February 12, 2009
More Satellite Collisions Could Occur, Experts Say
As space officials continued to track the debris fields created by Tuesday's collision of two satellites, experts warned that more crashes will inevitably occur in the increasingly crowded orbits above Earth.
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| February 2, 2009
Tenn. Coal Ash Disaster Raises Concerns about Similar Sites Nationwide
In December, tons of spilled coal ash devastated the town of Kingston, Tenn. Tom Bearden reports on the disaster's effects on residents, cleanup efforts and the debate over safety standards for other coal ash storage sites around the country.
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| JANUARY
January 30, 2009
As Wind Power Usage Grows, Wind Farms Expand
On his 120-acre farm in Minnesota, Richard Peterson harvests crops of corn, soybeans and, since 2005, wind. His turbine is just one of 67, all housed on adjoining farmland, that make up a wind farm capable of generating 100 megawatts of power.
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| January 28, 2009
In Iowa, Questions Arise on Impact of Ethanol Production
Al Gore testified before Congress Wednesday on the urgency of energy policy reform and made the case for easing America's reliance on carbon-based fuels. Heidi Cullen of Climate Central reports on an emerging debate over the changing land use and impact of ethanol production in Iowa.
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| January 26, 2009
Obama Orders Regulators to Revisit Fuel Standards
President Barack Obama pledged renewed U.S. leadership to fight global warming Monday, as he ordered regulators to revisit the tightening of fuel-economy standards for new cars and trucks. Experts debate the significance of the announcement for automakers.
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| January 26, 2009
On Day Six, Obama Takes on Global Warming
President Barack Obama asked regulators to reconsider waivers that would allow California and other states to set their own standards for auto emissions and responded to new concerns about the economy at the start of his first full week in office. Jeffrey Brown reports on the developments.
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| January 26, 2009
Obama Moves to Revise Fuel Efficiency Policies
President Barack Obama on Monday ordered federal regulators to reexamine two policies that could lead to tougher fuel-economy standards for new cars and trucks.
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| January 23, 2009
Environmental Groups Weigh Impact of Obama 'Midnight Rules' Freeze
On his first day in office, President Obama ordered a freeze on all pending federal rules put forward by the Bush administration during its final days -- including several controversial environmental regulations.
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| January 22, 2009
New Study Shows Warming Trend in Antarctica
Antarctica, a part of the world that researchers had previously believed was bucking the trend of global warming, is getting warmer after all, according to a newly released study.
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| January 13, 2009
Energy, Education Nominees Begin Confirmation Hearings
Along with Secretary of State nominee Hillary Clinton, the nominees for Secretary of Education and Secretary of Energy began their Senate confirmation hearings Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Ray Suarez reports on the process.
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| January 13, 2009
Chu Vows to Fight Global Warming at Confirmation Hearing
Nobel-prize winning physicist Steven Chu said at a hearing Tuesday that if he is confirmed as energy secretary, he plans to aggressively pursue policies to combat global warming.
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| January 6, 2009
Bush to Establish World's Largest Marine Sanctuary
President Bush on Tuesday created three new marine protected areas in the Pacific Ocean, safeguarding more than 195,000 square miles of coral reefs, underwater volcanoes, rare fish and unique habitats.
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| January 2, 2009
Slowing Great Barrier Reef Coral Growth Worries Scientists
Coral in Australia's Great Barrier Reef are growing at their slowest rate in at least 400 years, according to a new study.
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| January 1, 2009
Volatile Fuel Prices Shift Off-shore Drilling Debate
The past year's volatile gas prices are impacting the ongoing debate on whether to drill for oil off the coasts of Virginia and California. Spencer Michels reports on how the price swings and new technology are affecting the controversy.
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ENVIRONMENT
