Blog Posts: pollution

At worst, plastic bans can create unintended environmental problems. At best, they ignore the systemic issues creating waste in the first place.

Toxic air pollution. Plastic-filled oceans. Sucking carbon from the skies. These are just a few of the stories that will shape 2018's legacy.

A new report by the Global Carbon Project and the University of East Anglia found 2017 had the highest levels of carbon pollution on record. Global carbon dioxide emissions from human activities and specifically from fossil fuels will reach record highs by the end of the year.

Besides the cost to human health, the pollution's environmental impacts make China's fourth-largest city less attractive to corporate investment.

In the 100 days since President Donald Trump took office, his administration has embarked on an all-out assault on the environment. A new timeline documents rollbacks, budget cuts and more.

The Chesapeake Bay is one of America's most treasured waterways, but also one of the most polluted. Experts in this WRI Podcast examine nutrient trading as a potential solution.

Florida's Treasure Coast has turned toxic this summer, as a foul-smelling algae bloom resembling guacamole has made some of the Sunshine State's beaches untouchable. One cause is the controlled release of water from an over-full Lake Okeechobee into local rivers that flow east to the Atlantic and west to the Gulf of Mexico.

Four Chinese cities are pursuing systems that turn "sludge," the organic matter left over from treated sewage, into energy. The systems can reduce emissions, energy consumption and water pollution all while saving money.

The cut-flower industry takes a heavy toll on the land, water and climate. Researcher Kathleen Buckingham explains.

Solving the challenges of air and water pollution will require more than the adoption of top-down solutions or greener technology. It will require countries to address key governance challenges, like inaccessible information and a lack of public participation.