Environment articles
Get unbiased data and visuals on energy, climate, natural resources, and environmental protection.
Are major natural disasters increasing?
The number of natural weather disasters with damages of more than a billion dollars has increased over the last forty years, from an average 3.3 per year in the 1980s to 17+ from 2014–2023.The National Centers for Environmental Information has kept track of billion-dollar natural disasters since 1980 and cites increased exposure, vulnerability, and climate change as reasons for the increase.Are billion-dollar natural disasters becoming more frequent?Of the 10 years with the most natural disasters, nine were in the last decade.Since 1980, there have been 395 natural weather disasters in the US with total costs over $1 billion in 2024 dollars, including 201 severe storms, 63 tropical cyclones (or hurricanes), 44 floods, 31 droughts, 24 winter storms, 23 wildfires, and nine freezes. In total, these disasters cost $2.77 trillion (adjusting for inflation) and took the lives of nearly 16,500 people.The bulk of these events happened post-1990: In the 1980s, there were a total of 33 billion-dollar natural disaster events, with 2,994 deaths. In the last 10 full years (2014–2023), this number rose to 173, resulting in 5,872 deaths. All told, nearly 40% of the billion-dollar climate events that have hit the US since 1980 happened between 2017 and the present day.
Sep 6, 2024What is carbon capture and storage?
From electric vehicle charging stations to renewable energy, the US is increasingly turning to new technology to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis.One emerging technology is carbon capture and storage, and some of the $369 billion in climate and clean energy incentives in 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act includes funds for such projects. While the carbon capture industry is still emerging, it is set up to play an important role in achieving net zero emissions in the coming decades.How does carbon capture work?Carbon capture and storage is a process that captures carbon dioxide emissions, compresses, transports, and stores it deep underground. The carbon capture occurs either at carbon-emitting sources such as coal-fired power plants, known as point source capture, or directly from the atmosphere, known as direct air capture. It is then transferred to large-scale storage facilities and stored in formations such as natural saline reservoirs, depleted oil/gas fields, or other stable formations with high capacities.Carbon capture traps carbon dioxide that’s already been generated. This differs from renewable energy, which produces energy with fewer emissions, and carbon offsets, which permit purchasers to create some emissions in exchange for a fee to fund greenhouse gas reduction.How many carbon capture projects are active? Where are they located?A Department of Energy database identified 417 carbon capture projects as of January 2023. Of these projects, 169 are active. The rest are completed, on hold, potential, or terminated.
Mar 28, 2023Is home insurance getting more expensive?
Property insurance in the US is getting more expensive and, in some cases, harder to obtain, according to a 2023 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report.The report links the rising prices and limited access to three main causes:Macroeconomic changes, including higher-than-average inflation and interest ratesIncreased costs of damages from natural disastersRegulatory changes, particularly in California and FloridaWhat do we know about rising property insurance prices?Public data on how much Americans are spending on property insurance is limited.According to the Office of Financial Research, the property and casualty insurance industry in the US has struggled in recent years, experiencing industry-wide losses every year from 2017–2022 except for one.In March 2024, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen suggested that consumers are dealing with consequences: “Americans across the country are seeing the affordability and availability of their insurance policies decline as a result of increasingly severe climate-related disasters.”That month, the Treasury Department launched a project in partnership with state insurance regulators to collect more data on how climate risk is impacting insurance markets.
May 9, 2024What are green banks?
The Inflation Reduction Act — which was signed into law by President Joe Biden — invests $300 billion in deficit reduction and nearly $370 billion in energy security and climate change programs over the next 10 years.One of the environmental provisions inside the bill establishes a National Green Bank, a program that's designed to help launch and leverage private funding for clean energy projects across the US.Green banks are banking institutions that use public and private funding to incentivize the transition to clean energy. The banks are initially funded with public dollars and then use the proceeds from their investments or other private dollars to fund more environmental-related projects. For example, a green bank might loan money to a company that's installing solar rooftops or to a homeowner that wants to buy a heat pump. Green banks are either government-owned or semi-public.The first green bank opened in 2010, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Sep 7, 2022How have flood insurance premiums changed?
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is more than $20 billion in debt as of 2022. This is partly due to the increase in the number of flooding events in the US in recent years. But another factor is the need for changes in how flood insurance premiums are calculated for homeowners in the program.Past attempts to fix the issue in Congress were delayed or scrapped due to outcry from homeowners facing sharp increases in their insurance premiums after government subsidies were eliminated. In 2012, legislation opened the way for more fundamental changes.Beginning last October, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched Risk Rating 2.0, a new pricing methodology aimed at making public flood insurance more equitable and transparent. This marks the biggest transition in public flood insurance since the beginning of the NFIP in 1968.According to projected premium changes, 23% of policyholders should see their rates decrease under Risk Rating 2.0, while 77% will see their premiums rise. Policyholders in high-risk areas, such as those along the Gulf Coast, will see a majority of the premium increases.As of 2018, more than a quarter of NFIP policyholders are low-income households. The goal of Risk Rating 2.0 is to redistribute the cost of flood insurance more equitably across all policyholders by adjusting for individual risk factors and income levels. Ultimately, FEMA aims to increase total flood insurance coverage through the changes, but a potential rise in private flood insurance could complicate these efforts.
Oct 24, 2022What does the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration do?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a subdivision of the Department of Commerce responsible for understanding and predicting changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts. NOAA shares this knowledge and information with others and helps conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. It was established in 1970.
Updates annuallyHow many dams does America have?
According to the Army Corps of Engineers, the US has 91,804 dams across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Guam.Approximately 65% of all dams are privately owned, while federal, state, and local government agencies own 31%. The remaining 4% belong to public utility companies and tribal governments, or remain unlisted. Federal agencies, such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the US Army Corps of Engineers, or the Bureau of Land Management, own and operate 5,399 dams.
Nov 16, 2023How many energy jobs are there in the US?
The energy sector is a critical part of the US economy, offering employment opportunities across industries.In 2022, 8.12 million people had energy-related jobs, a substantial contribution to the national employment landscape — roughly 5% of all jobs in 2022, and exceeded the number of people employed by federal and all state governments combined.This figure includes people in a spectrum of roles across electric power generation, transmission, distribution, storage, fuels, energy efficiency, and motor vehicles. As of 2022, the energy sector has recovered 71% of the jobs lost in 2020’s pandemic-driven economic downturn.Approximately 38% of these positions, or 3.1 million, are classified as clean energy jobs by the Department of Energy (DOE). These jobs focus on energy conservation, alternative energy development, pollution reduction, or recycling.Energy jobs occupy an increasingly important role in the nation’s energy transition, as the US works toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.Which states have the most energy jobs?Texas leads the nation in energy jobs, employing over 936,000 individuals in the energy sector, roughly five out of every 100 working-age people. Oil and natural gas production alone employed more than 280,000 people.California comes next at over 911,000 energy jobs, with just shy of four out of every 100 people working in the energy sector. Driven by its renewable energy commitment, California leads all states in energy efficiency jobs – which focus on reducing energy use and costs, and enhancing sustainability – with nearly 80% more of these jobs than any other state.Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio have high job numbers in car manufacturing and maintenance, employing over 600,000 people and accounting for almost a quarter of all car-related energy jobs in the country.
Apr 12, 2024