environment

Before the High Line opened in New York City in 2009, the unsightly remnants of a long-abandoned elevated railroad spur were part of everyday Manhattan life. Now, thanks to the work of local organizations who pressured city officials, it’s a stunning public park, a rare greenway among high-rise buildings and even a conservation area for the city’s native plants.

Last year’s United Nations climate conference in the United Arab Emirates ended on a surprising high note as the world’s countries endorsed a landmark agreement to transition away from fossil fuels. After weeks of tense negotiation, the conference produced a slew of unprecedented commitments to ramp up the deployment of renewables, adapt to climate disasters, and move away from the use of coal, oil, and gas.

Over the last few years, in particular, there has been large-scale destruction of the Amazon rainforest. The massive scale of destruction has led to questions about what can be done to save and preserve the remaining Amazon rainforest and best ensure that such steps have the backing of the public at large.

Rescuers in Taiwan planned to bring in heavy equipment on Saturday to try to recover two bodies buried on a hiking trail, while more than 600 people remained stranded in various locations, three days after the island’s strongest earthquake in 25 years.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck off the east coast of Taiwan on Wednesday, killing at least nine people and injuring more than 960 in the island's strongest temblor in 25 years, while small tsunami reached nearby islands in Japan's southwest.

Cherry blossoms bloomed Friday across Japan including Tokyo and Kyoto, coming slightly later than usual following relatively low temperatures seen in many areas through March, the weather agency said.

Water companies in England have faced a barrage of criticism as data revealed raw sewage was discharged for more than 3.6m hours into rivers and seas last year in a 105% increase on the previous 12 months.

What will cities look like a decade from now? Utrecht offers clues as it takes green living to the next level. Ducklings swim in convoy behind their mum along Catharijnesingel canal in Utrecht. It’s the only tailback you’ll see here these days, now the motorway has gone. 

California is not on track to meet its greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal for 2030, new data released by nonprofit think tank Next 10 and prepared by consulting firm Beacon Economics reveals.

Mongolia’s nomadic herders are facing a savage “dzud” winter, with more than 2 million livestock frozen to death so far. Scientists say this lethal phenomenon — extreme cold and heavy snow following summer drought — is occurring more frequently and is linked to climate change.