Oil

An offshore well in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana

14,000 Inactive Oil and Gas Wells Are Unplugged in the Gulf of Mexico

Capping these potential sources of methane could cost $30 billion. But targeting wells in shallow waters would have the highest impact, a new study finds

An offshore drilling and production platform in the Gulf of Mexico, which is the largest offshore fossil fuel production basin in the United States.

Methane Emissions Are Higher Than Thought From Gulf of Mexico Drilling

The climate impact of oil and gas production in the Gulf is double what government agencies estimate, according to a new study

The Kokalik River in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska

Massive Arctic Oil Drilling Project Gets the Green Light

The Biden administration approved a controversial proposal for drilling in Alaska, which could produce massive amounts of carbon emissions each year

A rupture in the Keystone pipeline system led to an oil spill into Mill Creek near Washington, Kansas.

Keystone Pipeline Leaks 14,000 Barrels of Oil in Kansas

This is the largest onshore crude pipeline spill in nine years and the biggest in the system’s history

President Biden speaks at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on November 11. 

New Rules Could Slash 36 Million Tons of Methane by 2030

Biden announced plans for tackling the powerful greenhouse gas, which could go into effect by the end of next year

Honolulu, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu

Hawaii Closes Its Last Coal-Fired Power Plant

The state plans to use 100 percent renewable energy by 2045

An industrial fracking well

Children Living Near Fracking Sites Have an Increased Risk for Leukemia, Study Suggests

Researchers find negative health impacts for young people and newborns related to oil and gas development

Jaenschwalde Power Station, a brown coal power plant in Germany.

To Prevent Catastrophic Damage by 2100, Climate Experts Warn 'It's Now or Never'

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states deep and rapid cuts to greenhouse gases are needed by 2025 to avoid an 'unlivable world'

The oil slick in the ocean extended an area of over 320 football fields and has dirtied waters and beaches, resulting in many dead birds and seals washing up onshore.  

Tsunami-Triggered Oil Spill Devastates Marine Wildlife on Peru's Coast After Volcanic Eruption in Tonga

The country declared a 90-day environmental emergency after 264,000 gallons of crude oil contaminated a biodiverse swath of its coastal ecosystems

Carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels fell more than 5 percent last year but jumped back up in 2021.

Global CO2 Emissions Have Returned to Near Pre-Pandemic Levels

A new report shows carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels jumped by more this year than they fell during 2020

An explosion seen off the Caspian Sea on July Fourth was attributed to a mud volcano eruption.

Azerbaijan Mud Volcano Erupts in Fiery Display

The flames towered an impressive 1,600 feet into the air

The oil crisis affected everything from home heating to business costs. But the impact was most obvious on the roads.

History of Now

Gas Shortages in 1970s America Sparked Mayhem and Forever Changed the Nation

Half a century ago, a series of oil crises caused widespread panic and led to profound shifts in U.S. culture

A new way of chemically recycling single-use plastics might offer an incentive to keep them out of landfills.

Innovation for Good

New Chemical Process Turns Single-Use Plastics Into Fuels

Researchers say their method can break down hard-to-recycle plastics using half the energy of existing techniques

To aid the turtles in flushing out their digestive systems clogged with crude oil, workers at the sea turtle rescue are feeding them mayonnaise, which will break down the tar and make it easier to expel out.

Turtles Caught in Disastrous Oil Spill Treated With Mayonnaise

The tar-covered animals were given the condiment to flush out their digestive systems

A woman at the Gador nature reserve in Israel holds a dead baby sea turtle covered in tar from the oil spill on Feb. 20, 2021.

Oil Spill Off Israeli Coast Covers Beaches and Wildlife in Tar

Authorities are searching for the ship responsible for the unreported spill

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is home to an abundance of wildlife such as polar bears and caribou, which the region's Indigenous communities rely on and hold sacred.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Will Not Face Mass Oil Drilling—for Now

Large oil companies skipped out on the auction, but environmentalists say a worrisome precedent has been set

Plastics can take hundreds of years to naturally degrade in the environment, something this new combination of enzymes can accomplish in a matter of days.

New Research

Engineered 'Super Enzyme' Breaks Down Plastic

The new enzyme could allow for infinite recycling of common PET plastic used in water bottles and clothing

Prototype biodegradable flip-flops made using algae.

New Research

Researchers Use Algae to Make Biodegradable Flip-Flops

The shoes break down in about 18 weeks under the right conditions

A visual representation of global methane from January 26, 2018. Red areas indicate higher concentrations of methane swirling in the atmosphere.

New Research

World Methane Emissions Hit New High

Agriculture and fossil fuels drive a surge in global emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas

Original Caption: Firemen stand on a bridge over the Cuyahoga River to spray water on the tug Arizona, as a fire, started in an oil slick on the river, sweeps the docks at the Great Lakes Towing Company site in Cleveland Nov., 1st. The blaze destroyed three tugs, three buildings, and the ship repair yards.

The Cuyahoga River Caught Fire at Least a Dozen Times, but No One Cared Until 1969

Despite being much smaller than previous fires, the river blaze in Cleveland 50 years ago became a symbol for the nascent environmental movement

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