By Paul Greenberg, Safina Center Fellow The money shot of climate change is without doubt that of a polar bear stranded on a tiny island of ice, seemingly hopelessly adrift while the world around melts into oblivion. But as we pulled into an anchorage off Spitsbergen Island in the territory known as Svalbard this weekend,…
By Rebecca Bentzen The air is filled with the sounds of wings clicking together as thousands of eiders migrate in closely packed flocks on their way to breeding grounds on the Arctic Coastal Plain. Their wings strike each other and rustle as the birds fly low in an undulating formation that stretches as far as…
By Alix Morris, Earthwatch Institute Earthwatch scientists search for evidence of climate change in one of the most extraordinary places on the planet. Welcome to Churchill, Manitoba At the southern edge of the Arctic, in Canada’s Hudson Bay lowlands, lies Churchill, Manitoba – a small town that sits at the convergence of tundra, forest, freshwater,…
Over the last decade, market upheavals and the technological advances underpinning them have placed pressure on existing electric generation units and driven deployment of non-baseload generation, creating significant uncertainty about existing business and regulatory models. This uncertainty calls into question the fate of nuclear. The Georgia Public Service Commission on Monday saidit will decide December 21 whether to…
Fresh snow crackles under my feet as I step out of the airplane onto the cluster of Norwegian islands called Svalbard. It´s slightly past noon but still I am looking up at a black sky full of stars and dancing Northern lights. It is so dark that I can hardly see the outlines of the…
When the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, kick off with the opening ceremony this Friday, a leopard, a hare, and a polar bear will be among those gathering with athletes, dignitaries, and journalists. But fear not, these four-legged animals are Sochi’s official mascots. Leopards, hares, and polar bears are found in Russia, and each…
By Peter Mather For National Geographic Polar Bear Watch Early morning light illuminates the sky for a young grizzly bear (at left) as he wades into the Fishing Branch River in search of his next meal. Bear Cave Mountain, which holds some 25 grizzly denning caves, sits behind the river. In the Arctic Circle, grizzlies…
Every week, embark with host Boyd Matson on an exploration of the latest discoveries and interviews with some of the most fascinating people on the planet, on National Geographic Weekend. Please check listings near you to find the best way to listen to National Geographic Weekend on radio, or listen below! Hour 1 – A dozen years ago, Pete Athans, nicknamed “Mr….
By Paul Nicklen with Cristina Mittermeier It had been a long time since I had any feeling in my feet or hands as I sat on the sea ice in Svalbard, Norway, at minus 22°F. I wanted to jump around, stomp my feet, and swing my arms to entice the feeling back into my frozen…
By Emily Shenk A recent study found that the condition of polar bears in the Arctic’s Chukchi Sea has remained stable despite sea ice loss, while the condition of another population in the Beaufort Sea has declined. The researchers studied the overall health and reproductive rates of polar bears in the Chukchi Sea, located…
From October 18 to 22, 2013, I had an opportunity to participate in an intensive series of meetings and site visits organized by the World Economic Forum’s network of “Young Global Leaders.” Special thanks to the program organizers Yana Peel and Yan Yanovskiy who graciously hosted the program. The program operated under Chatham House Rules…
From October 18 to 22, 2013, I had an opportunity to participate in an intensive series of meetings and site visits organized by the World Economic Forum’s network of “Young Global Leaders.” Special thanks to the program organizers Yana Peel and Yan Yanovskiy who graciously hosted the program. The program operated under Chatham House Rules…
Every week, embark with host Boyd Matson on an exploration of the latest discoveries and interviews with some of the most fascinating people on the planet, on National Geographic Weekend. Please check listings near you to find the best way to listen to National Geographic Weekend on radio, or listen below! Hour 1 Sarah and Eric McNair-Landry are a sibling duo who have crossed…
Every week, embark with host Boyd Matson on an exploration of the latest discoveries and interviews with some of the most fascinating people on the planet, on National Geographic Weekend. Please check listings near you to find the best way to listen to National Geographic Weekend on radio, or listen below! Hour 1 Kevin Vallely is an adventurer who has put himself through many…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a long-awaited revised proposal for Clean Air Act standards to curb carbon pollution from new power plants. The rule sets separate standards for new gas-fired and coal-fired plants. It would require future coal-fired plants to limit emissions of carbon dioxide to 1,100 pounds per megawatt hour (MWh). The average U.S. coal-fired plant currently emits nearly…