Climate Change

Young activists from Portugal take 32 governments to court for failing to address climate change

By Barry Hatton, Helena Alves, Associated Press

Six Portuguese children and young adults are set to take 32 European governments to court Wednesday for what they say is a failure to adequately address human-caused climate change in a violation of their human rights.

As the threat of wildfires rises, groups tasked with fighting them turn to AI for help

By Kelvin Chan, Associated Press

With wildfires becoming larger and more intense as the world warms, firefighters, utilities and governments are scrambling to get ahead of the flames by tapping into the latest AI technology.

U.S. will establish diplomatic ties with the Cook Islands and Niue as Biden prepares to host Pacific summit

By Aamer Madhani, Associated Press

President Joe Biden is set to establish diplomatic relations Monday with two South Pacific nations, the Cook Islands and Niue, as his administration aims to show to Pacific Island leaders that it is committed to increasing American presence in the region.

What to know about California’s new proposed rules for property insurance companies

By Adam Beam, Associated Press

California's insurance commissioner says he will write new rules for insurers in the nation's most populous state. Ricardo Lara's announcement on Thursday comes after state lawmakers failed to agree on a new law for insurance companies.

Massachusetts becomes first to ban purchase of single-use plastic bottles by state agencies

By Associated Press

Massachusetts buys about 100,000 of the plastic water bottles each year. The order bars all executive offices and agencies from purchasing single-use plastic bottles under 21 fluid ounces except in cases of emergency.

Governors, Biden administration push to quadruple efficient heat pumps by 2030

By Isabella O'Malley, Associated Press

Heat pumps use little electricity, yet are able to heat and cool buildings. Since they often replace oil or gas furnaces that add greenhouse gases to the air, they can meaningfully address climate change.

Left behind and grieving, survivors of devastating Libya floods call for accountability

By Samy Magdy, Yousef Murad, Associated Press

Thousands of Libyans have lost family members, friends and neighbors in the devastating floods that engulfed the country's east. Many survivors are still sheltering inside the wrecked city, waiting for word that the bodies of their loved ones have been…

UK Prime Minister Sunak delays ban on new gas and diesel cars by 5 years in contentious climate shift

By Jill Lawless, Associated Press

Sunak says Britain remains committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, but in a way that won't "impose unacceptable costs on hard-pressed British families."…

UN chief warns ‘gates of hell’ are at hand in climate summit, but carbon polluting nations remain silent

By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press

In his Wednesday special climate ambition summit he was pleading with major polluting nations to do more. Those nations remain silent.

President Biden uses executive power to create a New Deal-style American Climate Corps

By Matthew Daly, Associated Press

The White House said Wednesday the program will employ more than 20,000 young adults who'll build trails, plant trees, help install solar panels and do other work to boost conservation and help prevent wildfires.