Over the weekend, people around the world turned out in huge numbers to protest the burning of fossil fuels. The protests - the largest since before the coronavirus pandemic - were meant to send a strong message to political leaders: "Take climate action now."
Published in “Environment”
On August 29, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a huge change in the rules designed to protect America's wetlands. The EPA was forced to change the rules because of a Supreme Court decision that took away protection from most wetlands.
On Sunday, Ecuador held a special vote on whether oil drilling should be allowed in Yasuni National Park. The vote was part of a larger election to choose the country's next president. Nearly 60% of Ecuadorian voters chose to protect the park.
On August 1, new rules went into effect in the United States that make it against the law to sell most incandescent light bulbs. These are older-style light bulbs that create light by heating a wire. The law is expected to save energy and help the environment.
Last week, three wildfires swept through the island of Maui in Hawaii. The fires have killed at least 96 people and destroyed over 3 square miles (8.5 square kilometers) of land. Some of the fires are still burning, but the danger seems to have passed.
In a world-record effort to help save a rare sea creature, Australian scientists have released hundreds of baby seahorses into the wild. The tiny seahorses are endangered, and the scientists hope the new seahorses will help their numbers grow.
Recently, people around the world have been experiencing some of the hottest weather ever recorded. In some places, the weather has been so hot that it's been dangerous. The extreme weather is being caused by climate change.
The United States has destroyed the last of its chemical weapons. This means that the last known chemical weapons in the world are gone. The event marks the end of a long effort to get rid of all chemical weapons worldwide.
On June 16, a huge chunk of rock and dirt fell from a mountain above the Swiss village of Brienz. Somehow, the rockslide missed the village by a "hair". The road leading to the village was damaged, but the village itself appears to have been unhurt.
A group of young people are suing the state of Montana for failing to protect the environment for their future. The trial began last week. The results of the trial could be important in showing whether governments can be forced to take climate action.
The world's most famous "school striker", Greta Thunberg, has held her last school strike for the climate. Ms. Thunberg, who's 20, graduated from high school last Friday. She says she'll continue to fight for climate action, she just won't be skipping school anymore.