Environmental Defense Fund

06/19/2026

Ocean-based solutions like leaning into blue foods can help countries tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and food insecurity at the same time. But only if they’re backed by proper financing, policy support and country-led action.

The ocean can’t remain on the sidelines of climate policy. It sits at the intersection of climate resilience, food security and biodiversity conservation, and it’s central to delivering a more resilient future.

The ocean is the foundation for life on Earth. It supports global trade, food and nutrition systems, energy security, and economic stability, while also serving as the planet’s largest active carbon sink, absorbing roughly 25% of global carbon emissions and more than 90% of excess heat from climat...

06/19/2026

A telling new survey reveals two-thirds (67%) of U.S. registered voters identify climate change as a factor driving up cost of living at least "a little" — a strong statement as Americans face rising insurance and utility bills, grocery prices, and everyday expenses.

“People are connecting the dots... if you pursue better climate policy, the benefits to households, for the country as a whole, would exceed the costs.”

Most Democrats and moderate Republicans agree that global warming is increasing the cost of living, a new survey shows.

06/19/2026

Today marks Juneteenth, the day news of emancipation finally reached the last enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, in 1865.

EDF’s Senior VP for Equity and Justice Margot Brown reflects on why this year feels especially meaningful—and why our work to build a safer, more prosperous future remains more urgent than ever. https://www.washingtoninformer.com/juneteenth-reflection-black-freedom/

06/18/2026

In North Carolina, the receipts are clear: Clean energy is cheaper than fossil fuels.

So why are some lawmakers pushing to keep aging coal plants online and double down on costly gas plants?

If the goal is affordable power, the math doesn't add up. Because protecting the people and places we love means investing in energy that's cleaner, cheaper, more abundant—and built for the future. https://www.springhopeenterprise.com/columns/opinion-the-real-math-on-north-carolinas-power-bills-6db5d120/

06/18/2026

Bulk buying initiatives have already proved successful for rooftop solar discounts, and are now bringing the same approach to heat pumps with 10%-20% savings per install.

Community clean energy efforts like these are paying off in an affordability/efficiency win-win, as "Companies, nonprofits, and local governments are increasingly offering programs that coordinate consumer demand."

Bulk buying is a tried-and-true way to get discounts on rooftop solar. Now programs aimed at heat pumps are popping up too, helping people save thousands…

06/18/2026

🐋 A drone operator captured footage of a humpback whale engaging in the relatively recently discovered practice of 'kelping' off the coast of California.

Footage filmed by Mauricio Tassara of on June 8 shows the whale approaching a stretch of marine algae, letting it roll across its giant body, and then turning itself around with the seaweed still attached.

The phenomenon was first flagged in a 2023 submission to the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering.

A co-author of the findings told National Geographic that he believed the behavior could be related to either “mobility training” as the whales practice the “dexterity and coordination” needed for feeding, or it may be beneficial for their skin.

06/17/2026

How do we respond to the growing wildfire crisis?

By taking a more strategic approach to firefighting—and ensuring wildland firefighters have the tools, resources, and support they need—we can better protect both firefighters and nearby communities while reducing the risk of more catastrophic wildfires in the future.

Recent proposals in Congress and across federal agencies have emphasized fully suppressing wildfire. Putting out every wildfire as quickly as possible can increase the threat posed to communities by the most dangerous wildfires. Sometimes a slower approach to firefighting can help protect firefi

06/17/2026

Tonga Nolan grew up on a quiet street in North Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and remembers time spent eating and praying together with her community. But she also remembers when “death started to come” for more than a dozen neighbors and loved ones who died of cancer. Tonga has since moved out of the neighborhood, worried about the connection between her own health struggles and pollution in the air from nearby petrochemical facilities, ProPublica reports.

The Trump EPA invited dozens of these Louisiana chemical plants – and hundreds more industrial facilities in the U.S. – to request an exemption from clean air standards. 180 facilities across 38 states have been granted one of these free passes to pollute. And all it took was an email.

Read more about what it means for Tonga and other people who live near these pollution sources at the link in the comments below 👇🏻

06/17/2026

Papua New Guinea shows bold leadership with a massive marine protected area to safeguard one of the planet's most amazing ranges of ocean biodiversity.

“We take our commitment to protect 30% of our waters by 2030 very seriously, and this new MPA brings us one large step closer to that goal — in addition to ensuring environmental sustainability for present and future generations."

The largest “no-take” marine protected area in Melanesia will safeguard gray reef sharks, manta rays, green turtles, dolphins and seabirds, all while supporting country’s fisheries

06/16/2026

Stunning imagery revealed spectacular green ribbons of the Aurora Australis, as viewed from a SpaceX Dragon shuttle as it moved through space on Friday, June 5.

Footage filmed by NASA astronaut Jessica Meir shows the curling southern lights, which she said appeared on June 5.

“As opposed to the previous aurora I’ve seen, this one danced and snaked its way directly below us, putting on quite a show,” Meir wrote on X. “I am in awe of this ethereal and emotionally evocative phenomenon."