Arizona Sustainability News
Researchers have known for years that old-growth forests have several benefits for Western ecosystems, yet the U.S. Forest Service has not had a policy for managing them. The agency recently announced that it is moving forward on one.
Dec. 20, 2023
Coconino County officials say wildfire threat and the resulting flooding are the most prominent dangers in the region. And in an election year, they caution that there’s no guarantee that federal dollars will continue coming in to stop it.
Dec. 18, 2023
At an annual meeting in Las Vegas, Colorado River policymakers said new rules may be a "messy compromise."
Dec. 18, 2023
The UN COP 28 climate talks have ended, and only time will tell how their outcomes affect greenhouse emissions. But with extreme climate events already upon us, a new study asks, “What if we lessen heat impacts while the slow mitigation process takes hold?”
Dec. 18, 2023
The Maricopa Association of Governments will hold an open house Saturday morning to get public input on how to reduce pollution and improve air quality.
Dec. 15, 2023
The University of Arizona's Karletta Chief traveled to Las Vegas to educate conference attendees about the uniquely Navajo challenges of accessing water and her team's progress on the Navajo Nation.
Dec. 15, 2023
The COVID pandemic saw many abuses of the legally binding International Health Regulations. Now, with a vote on IHR amendments looming this March, some fear that world leaders aren’t doing enough to guard against future pandemics.
Dec. 14, 2023
The U.S. Forest Service wants to protect 36 miles of the Upper Verde River in central Arizona by placing it under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
Dec. 14, 2023
Water management in the drought-stressed West is complicated by the interplay between mountains and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Now, new research clarifies how ENSO affects the West differently in the south than in the north.
Dec. 14, 2023
Wildfire frequency and severity are rising under climate change and, with them, health concerns about the potentially harmful contents of smoke and soot. New research expands those worries.
Dec. 13, 2023
The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources took up a pair of mining bills this week. One of them has called for changes to the mining law of 1872.
Dec. 13, 2023
The United Nations Environmental Program has released a report examining investments, subsidies and other financial transactions that can affect nature.
Dec. 12, 2023
Policymakers say a wet winter has created space for discussions about long-term water management, but they have a diverse set of interests to consider while drawing up new rules.
Dec. 12, 2023
The sound of an auger drilling along the Casa Blanca Canal, south of Phoenix, stirs up a celebration for the Gila River Indian Community on Friday. It signifies the start of a five-year pilot project to cover nearly 3,000 feet of that canal with more than 2,500 solar panels.
→ GRIC got a big shout-out at the White House Tribal Nations Summit
→ GRIC got a big shout-out at the White House Tribal Nations Summit
Dec. 9, 2023
In the area of energy, some companies and nonprofits are taking matters into their own hands — installing solar panels and battery storage units. That’s the case for one Tucson church, which created its own microgrid. But, the motivation for Shalom Mennonite Fellowship went beyond reliability and cost.
Dec. 8, 2023
Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva criticized Republicans in the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources on Wednesday as they prepared to take up a number of energy bills.
Dec. 7, 2023
The Imperial Irrigation District in California announced it will conserve 100,000 acre-feet of water in 2024, less than its initial water conservation goals.
Dec. 5, 2023
After half a century of efforts to clean up air quality in the U.S., new research finds the toll from wildfires may be overwhelming health gains in the West.
Dec. 4, 2023
Much of the warming was experienced in an El Niño pattern that is set to continue into the new year.
Dec. 4, 2023
Money from the Inflation Reduction Act approved earlier this year sets aside more than $1 billion for programs aimed at conserving Colorado River water. But, new reporting from Politico finds that may make it more difficult to negotiate deals to save water down the road.
Dec. 4, 2023
