GaiaGram - Environmental Headlines from around a planet in crisis

- Wind and solar provided 30% of all the electricity consumed in Europe in 2025-For one Californian, making the switch to solar has brought a big difference in costs.-Congestion pricing in New York City has been quite the success so far-World's first shopping mall dedicated to second-hand and recycled goods succeeds-The Trump administration issues Clean air act exemptions for industry polluters-The U.S. Dept. of the Interior is revoking seven grazing permits for bison  restoring  the prairie ecosystem in Montana_The Trump administration is siding with corporate polluters by handing out hundreds of exemptions.

A powerful winter storm has paralysed the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia with 10ft of snowArgentina wildfires ripped through nearly 30,000 acres of forestPhoenix has hottest December in Arizona since records began in 1896. California is currently classified as being in drought freeEPA tries to minimize the dumping of sewage into the Connecticut RiverThe EPA to impose more limitations on states’ authorities to block energy projectsworld needs to feed a population expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050 and cut green house gases at the same time2025 was Earth’s third-hottest year on record

-Beijing reported the cleanest year of air the city has ever recorded, attributed mainly to EV’s-Half of American homeowners are considering moving this year due to extreme weather events.-Global terrestrial biodiversity hotspots are threatened by human expansion-Expansion of Port Everglades may unprecedented damage to corals -A stand of trees 400 years old discovered in North Carolina.-Trump announces  withdrawing the United States from the bedrock international agreement on climate change.-In 2025, the US suffered a billion-dollar disaster every 10 days

-The Thwaites  “Doomsday Glacier” is dangerously close to collapse,-Juneau Alaska has seen a record amount of snow this past  December-Thousands of glaciers may vanish each year in the coming decades-China saw CO2 emissions fall this year for the first time-Renewable energy produced a record amount of electricity in Great Britain in 2025-NY’s expanded waste reduction laws took effect on January 1, 2026-Cheap Solar Is Transforming Lives and Economies Across Africa-The CT. Audubon Society's bird of the year is the Pileated woodpecker.

 -Trump administration said it would pause leases for five wind farms -Ohio Farmers Say Regenerative Agriculture Methods Helped Them Survive a Drought-A new data set map captures every source of CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion -Four biggest oil and gas companies spent the last 25 years deceptively portraying themselves -This High Seas Treaty pledges to put 30% of these waters into Marine Protected Areas -Brazil moved to protect existing forest areas called the Tropical Forests Forever Facility-The International Court of Justice cleared the way for countries to sue each other over climate change-Several endangered species experienced remarkable comebacks this year

Hello, this is Kevin Gallagher producer of Gaiagram.As we celebrate the holiday season and the end of the year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the importance of staying aware of the environmental challenges our world continues to face. At the same time, it's vital that we nurture the collective will to make meaningful changes, changes that create a positive and lasting impact on our planet.  In that spirit, I’d like to share a few of 2025’s  encouraging environmental developments this past year.-The European Union’s Nature Restoration Law is now in force-Europe are scaling up environmental restoration-Biodiversity can rebound when land is managed for nature-Colorado regulators have order a 41% reduction in emissions-California has periods consistently generating more than 100% of its electricity demand from renewables -Ireland is on track to eliminate coal from its energy mix-Sun Prairie, Wisconsin first city in the state to run all it’s city operations-North Carolina,  planted more than 69,000 native plants, removed over 71,000 pounds of litter-Connecticut passed a major climate bill that sets a legally grounded net‑zero emissions target for 2050-Maine accelerates its clean‑energy timeline, for 100% clean electricity goal up to 2040 -Ohio prioritizes clean energy over costly fossil fuels-In New York, strengthens Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act-New York regulators require a fossil‑fuel‑powered crypto mining plant to cut its greenhouse gas emissions -March 2025, renewables provided a slim majority of U.S. electricity-Hawaii replaced its last coal plant with a giant battery-US has introduced a new limit on toxic “forever chemicals” or PFA’s

A 25-Year-Old Paper On the Controversial Glyphosate Weedkiller has been RetractedU.S. EPA announces $3 billion in new funding for states to reduce exposure to lead in drinking waterReaching net zero carbon emissions will not bring quick relief from extreme heatThe beautiful ponderosa pine—is disappearing.New climate idea, to combat sea level rise, moving seawater to reflood inland depressions.NYTS SAYS Many Fighting Climate Change Worry They Are Losing the Information War.

-Floods on Indonesia’s Sumatra island displaces over three million people with 3000 injured or missing-New Delhi air has “severe and life-threatening levels of toxic pollutants.-Dust from the dry bed of the Great Salt Lake is creating a serious public health threat-Zillow, removes a feature that showed the risks to homes from extreme weather-Greenpeace exposes the plastics industry as “merchants of myth”-Seattle biodigester reduces garbage while helping residents grow their own gardens

-The Great Pacific Garbage Patch gets bigger and gives marine life a new place to live -Exxon petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to avoid disclosinghow much pollution they produce.-Iran’s capital must be moved because Tehran is out of water and subsidingAmerica's most critical urban hubs is sinking into the sea, -The global ocean are simultaneously warming, becoming saltier or fresher, losing oxygen, and acidifying-China’s effort to reduce its reliance on coal and increase its reliance on renewables is working.-COP30 Global climate talks ended with a resolution that made NO direct mention of fossil fuels, 

-New Jersey is likely to see between 2.2 and 3.8 feet of sea-level rise by 2100-Iran is suffering from a severe drought that has depleted water sources, pushing authorities to begin cloud-seeding-Philippines communities affected by consecutive Typhoons that caused extensive damage and tragic loss of life. -The H5N1 virus, or bird flu virus has struck 66 poultry flocks Killing millions of birds-New petrochemical plants in Texas will largely be built near communities of color-Netherlands, small biogas domes that break down organic waste to produce biogas,

-French judges ruled that an oil giants advertising, website statements, and public claims were deceptive greenwashing.-Brazilian police conduct biggest crackdown on criminal networks operating illegal gold mining across the Amazon Basin.-US plans to kill nearly half a million Barred owls in the Pacific Northwest to protect  the Northern spotted owls-Indian state of Kerala has record landslides, due to Deforestation and unregulated urban expansion-Panama looks to relocate indigenous families on islands to the mainland due to rising sea levels-Micro plastic pollution is spreading throughout Idaho fish-Wind and solar generating electricity since 2021 is between 30% and 50% effective

- Hurricane Melissa tore through the Caribbean as one of the most powerful storms in recorded history - Iranian President issues a dire warning,  the Iranian capital could soon face catastrophic    water shortages- Bill Gates pushes back against what he calls a “doomsday outlook” on climate change. - Elkhorn and staghorn corals off Florida’s southern coast declared functionally extinct. - The EPA is promising to erase a scientific finding that underpins climate regulations nationwide- Warming waters and heat waves causing greater stress for California's coastal kelp forests. - California Governor Gavin Newsom travels Brazil for the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30)

45 largest meat and dairy corporations in the world were responsible for more than 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions Lake Michigan's water temperatures were the highest they'd ever been on that date since modern tracking started. Switzerland's glaciers lost 3% of their total volume this year.The waters of the north Pacific have had their warmest summer on recordUS state negotiators are battling over how to manage dwindling water resources in the Colorado River Basinclimate  report says that   humanity is hurtling toward climate chaos

Suriname is taking steps to preserve 90% of all their forestsIndia said it is planning to reach net zero by 2070Torrential rains deadly floods and landslides across MexicoA severe storm microburst confirmed to have hit Tempe Arizona Typhoon Halong tore through remote, coastal communities of Alaska380 homes in northern Vallecito Colorado evacuated  after floodwaters breached the levees Lake Corpus Christi Texas in the midst of an Abnormally Dry drought. 78% of Earth’s land has recorded its hottest month on record in the 21st century 

Renewable energy overtook coal as the world's leading source of electricity so far this yearBoston's Long Wharf saw higher than average tides known as King tides.Spain's olive, citrus, and avocado crops sustain major hail damageEuropean wild bee species, risk becoming extinctThe Amazon Rainforest underwent its most devastating forest fire season in 2024Humanity has pushed seven of nine critical planetary boundaries past their safe limitsFrance using moss-tile systems to combat air pollution.Eastern Australian humpback whale numbers bounce back

-A dangerous hazmat situation happened  in central Arizona due to flash flooding -Tampa faces $117 billion in property risk from flooding-18 houses, 6 last week, collapsed on the coast of North Carolina in just over five years, due to Beach erosion -West Antarctic Ice Sheet is at an increased risk of completely collapsing due to global warming-Karachi, with a population of 18 million, suffers from acute water shortages.-The extraction of water from aquifers in Iran is causing an area the size of Maryland to sink  -Energy Department adds “climate change,” “green” and “decarbonization”, “ to list of words to avoid”

-U.S. rivers are running hot.-Antarctica has climbed to more than 86  degrees fahrenheit in the past week. -Big Tech   follows of Big Oil, as they build data centers in the South-China is all in on becoming an ​“electrostate”.-First hybrid offspring between a green jay and a blue jay the grujay.

-Nobel laureate warns the world is on track for catastrophic levels of warming-Exposure to wildfire smoke will kill an estimated 70,000 Americans each year by 2050-Sea ice in the Arctic shrank to its annual minimum on Sept. 10-Court rules anti-climate group not exempt from Federal Advisory Committee Act-Panama’s seasonal upwelling collapsed in 2025-A new top tomato, the ‘Scarlet Sunrise” ripens in New Jersey.

-EPA stops requiring thousands of polluting facilities to report the amount of heat-trapping greenhouse gases emitted-Spain recently has been battered by torrential rain-September Drought continues to worsen in several parts of the U S.-The rapid rise and explosive spread of pelagic sargassum causing environmental concerns-Millions of brown tree snakes fundamentally altering the balance of Guam’s ecosystem -China suggests that oysters can be good at removing carbon dioxide from oceans

-85 climate experts denounce U S “Climate Working Group” report on climate change science,-Fossil Fuel and Cement Producers account for About Half the Intensity of Recent Heat Waves -The world’s methane emissions continue to rise steadily -Alaskan rivers can be seen from space as the permafrost melts, turning them orange-Pennsylvania towns are seeking government funding to replace wells contaminated by fracking-Pakistan’s Punjab flooding displaced  1.8 million people last month-China’s green energy efforts are on course to bring the fossil fuel era to an end.