To recap 2025, NewsForKids.net is taking a look back at some of the most interesting stories we’ve covered this year.
Today we’re looking at some of this year’s big stories related to climate and the environment.
The government of the Marshall Islands has protected a huge area of ocean around two remote atolls. The step is designed to protect important marine and bird life, and to help scientists learn more about the area. The government says it’s their first marine protected area (MPA), but it won’t be their last.
It was incredibly cold across much of the US last month, but scientists report that worldwide, it was the hottest January ever recorded. As heat records continue to be broken, some researchers believe global warming could be speeding up. Not all scientists agree.
Last year, the US got more of its electricity from wind and solar power than from coal. It’s the first time that’s ever happened, and it shows how quickly the US is moving toward cleaner energy sources. Because renewable energy is so cheap, it will probably continue to grow, despite President Donald Trump’s push to increase fossil fuel use.
On Earth Day – April 22 – the XPrize announced the winners of its Carbon Removal contest. A company called Mati Carbon won the $50 million prize. Their method is simple, but it could remove huge amounts of carbon dioxide and also help farmers grow more food.
Last year, the world lost more forests than ever before. The biggest cause of this loss was fires. Land clearing for farming and other human activities was also a major cause. The results are very worrying for the planet, which relies on forests to help fight climate change.
Last Wednesday, the United Nations’ highest court ruled that countries must protect people from the “urgent” threat of the climate crisis. The court said countries which don’t take steps to fight global warming might have to pay for the damage they’ve done. The court’s opinion could lead to more lawsuits over the climate crisis.
Under US President Donald Trump, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a plan that would remove a 2009 decision that says climate change is dangerous. If the plan goes through, it will make it extremely hard for the US government to limit pollution that causes global warming.
Heat waves across Europe are bringing record temperatures and dangerous, widespread wildfires. Southern European countries like Spain, Greece, and Portugal are being hit especially hard. But summer heat waves have also caused problems in Northern Europe and elsewhere around the globe.
In early August, people representing over 180 countries met for 10 days in Geneva, Switzerland. They hoped to reach an agreement on dealing with plastic pollution. But the meeting ended in failure. Most countries wanted to put limits on producing new plastic. But countries that produce lots of plastic fought the idea.
A huge offshore wind farm project near Rhode Island has been suddenly stopped by the US government. The project, which is 80% completed, was meant to bring clean energy to hundreds of thousands of homes. Some people worry that the government is making it too hard for wind power projects to succeed.