Articles by The Guardian

Veganism might help and it’s always good to avoid flying. But the answer to Earth’s emergency must involve political, collective action – and there are countless ways to get active.

“If we do not do things differently, we are finished,” she said. “We can’t go on very much longer like this.”

‘We are seeing the end of coal,’ says analyst as energy source with biggest impact on climate crisis falls for sixth year in a row.

The ‘amazingly cruel’ move by the National Park Service reverses Obama-era regulations which also affect wolves and coyotes.

Week of strikes and demonstrations is ‘only the beginning’, say organisers

US greenhouse gas emissions are up since 2017 and Trump’s administration has ripped up curbs on climate polluters.

The president just launched one of his most grievous attacks on the environment yet. Democrats must recognize the stakes.

This is the single largest loss of clean water protections that America has ever seen – and the timing couldn’t be worse.

Individual action alone won’t solve the climate crisis. So what political changes might help?

It’s an improvement from 100% two years ago, but GOP climate denial is cracking too slowly.

Lobbying from the petroleum industry may have convinced Republicans to denounce a carbon tax.

Industry funds ‘grassroots’ resistance to tougher rules while touting green credentials.

While we need to leave fossil fuels in the ground, America is giving the fossil fuel industry billions to extract more.

Opportunites abound to make a difference, from setting up an online petition, to joining a local green group, to entering politics.

US representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gave a speech at a global mayors event on Friday, highlighting that the world's most advanced and richest economies are failing to take sufficient steps to combat climate change.

Living ecosystems like forests, mangroves, swamps and seabeds can pull enormous quantities of carbon from the air and store them safely, but natural climate solutions currently receive only 2% of the funding spent on cutting emissions.

The Oscar-winning actor’s environmental activism may not quite stretch back to What’s Eating Gilbert Grape but he has steadily schooled himself on the oceans and climate change since the 1990s.

A small portion of the world's people use up most of the earth's resources and produce most of its greenhouse gas emissions, writes Fred Pearce. From Yale Environment 360, part of Guardian Environment Network

Story of Stuff creator Annie Leonard's new book examines the high price of the western world's obession with all things material.

Davos 2020: Greta Thunberg says 'world is on fire' and blasts leaders' climate inaction – video.

Climate crisis likely to have supercharged temperatures around world, data suggests.

Proposed mining of seabed could destroy unstudied ecosystems and disrupt vital carbon-storing functions, says naturalist.

The tech giant’s pledge to go carbon negative by 2030 leans heavily on nascent technology such as machines that suck carbon out of the air.

Almost half of the world’s sandy beaches will have retreated significantly by the end of the century as a result of climate-driven coastal flooding and human interference, according to new research.

Expert tips on how to be kinder to the planet – from cooking and cleaning to fashion and finance.

From sea level rise to habitat loss, the effects of the climate crisis are on the verge of making south Florida uninhabitable.

As habitat and biodiversity loss increase globally, the coronavirus outbreak may be just the beginning of mass pandemics.

The 50th annual call for environmental reform falls at a time when the health of people and nature has never been more urgent.

Skiers are accused of destroying the very wilderness they love. We asked two experts for their views on the sport's impact, and got two very different responses. Now have your say

Polar bears, rare wolves, aye-aye and gorillas – our readers share heart-racing encounters with the world’s wild ones

The global value of business flights is forecast to top £1.3tn by 2023 – here’s how employers can cut the environmental impact

As big global carmakers electrify their models, we ask experts about how things could shape up.

Hans-Werner Sinn’s opinion piece on whether electric cars are as climate friendly as they seem generated a good deal of controversy. William Todts, executive director of Transport & Environment, gives his response

EVs produce more CO2 than say diesel – it’s just they emit via the power plant not the exhaust pipe.

The good news is you don't need to stop eating meat and dairy all together to make a big difference – you can help save the planet by simply cutting down

Industry says it is not trying to dodge obligations but that it is a ‘matter of survival’

From cutting down on meat to contacting your local representatives and investing in clean energy, here are 15 ways to help reduce global carbon emissions

The terminology around sustainable fashion can feel confusing. Here’s what to look out for if you want to buy better.

These bloggers treasure taking a sleek, modern approach to reducing waste in their efforts to save the planet – but they face their fair share of criticism, too

Organic farmer Alice Holden's advice on what to plant when

UN health body says bacon, sausages and ham among most carcinogenic substances along with cigarettes, alcohol, asbestos and arsenic.

The oil industry saw its opening and moved with breathtaking speed to take advantage of this moment

The environmental, health and ethical benefits of veganism are beyond doubt. But what if you feel a bit intimidated by the idea? Some experts offer their advice.

It’s the wellness industry’s cash cow, and athletes’ latest choice, but scientists caution there’s still much we don’t know about the diet

The recent news about glyphosate and cancer only highlights a broader problem with our system: our obsession with killing the natural world is poisoning us.

What we consume has implications for pollution and deforestation – so we asked four leading experts how to transform our diets to be better to ourselves and the planet

Shinrin-yoku, a form of nature therapy that originated in Japan, has finally caught on stateside – but what is this outdoor business all about?

Exposure to flame retardants, which are found in strollers, carpets and electronics, can affect the nervous and reproductive system

Studies have linked long-term health issues, while regulators insist breaches of safe limits are rare.

The 3M Company, the Chemours Company and DuPont appeared before lawmakers over PFAS.

A group of more than 4,000 chemicals, PFAS have also been found in drinking water, electronics and furniture.

Thousands of potentially harmful chemicals are in products ranging from electronics to medical equipment and carpets in the US

Cosmetics and personal care items women use every day are packed with a constellation of chemicals that health advocates say could be connected to a host of health problems.

Chlorpyrifos, a chemical used to treat pest infestations, was banned from residential use in 2000 but is still used in agriculture.

Exposure to potentially toxic substances that are part of modern life only adds to the many anxieties of parenting. Here’s what action you can take.

If you live in the US, your grocery store is full of substances banned in Europe. Use our handy tool to find out what they are and how to avoid them.

We are exposed to synthetic chemicals in plastics, cosmetics and food every day. Could it be making us toxic? Our environment reporter was tested for over 1,530 chemicals to find out.

A long list of potentially harmful ingredients banned in the EU are legally allowed in the US due to historically relaxed regulations.

Researchers say simply sitting and enjoying the peace has mental and physical benefits.

Heavily processed food has recently been linked to poor health and even early death. No wonder clean eating is having a moment

Health, climate change, animal welfare... what’s driving more people and brands to embrace a plant-based lifestyle? We investigate, and, below, four vegans explain their choice

The air you breathe, the water you drink and the food you eat all rely on biodiversity, but right now it is in crisis – because of us. What does this mean for our future and can we stop it?

Biggest analysis to date reveals huge footprint of livestock - it provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of farmland

Customers are demanding transparency as they take an increasing interest in the ethical practices of those they buy from.

What's the carbon footprint of...? Find out here

A carbon footprint is an estimate of the climate change impact of activity – such as making a product, living a lifestyle or running a company.

Report says plastic from Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé and Unilever products could cover 83 football pitches every day.

Graphic imagery should be used on petrol pumps and air tickets, experts say.

Most new electricity globally was green and coronavirus bailouts must boost this further, says agency.

Experts call for solutions to be enforced immediately to halt global population collapses.

Somebody cut the cake – new documents reveal that American oil writ large was warned of global warming at its 100th birthday party.

From urban farming to drones, innovation can help fill the gap between production and consumption

If we want the US’s majestic national parks, clean air and water for future generations we must press leaders to address food’s environmental impact.

After a crisis, private contractors move in and suck up funding for work done badly, if at all – then those billions get cut from government budgets. Like Grenfell Tower, Hurricane Katrina revealed a disdain for the poor.

Policy tweaks won’t do it, we need to throw the kitchen sink at this with a total rethink of our relationship to ownership, work and capital.

20 fossil fuel companies can be directly linked to more than one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions in the modern era.

Scientists say extreme weather events are getting worse as emissions rise and the planet warms.

In the face of the climate disaster it helped create, the Australian government has given us only lies and denial.

Report advises Australia to maintain drought preparations, even in times of normal rainfall

Plastic is everywhere – in our food, air, water and oceans. But do we know enough to determine how harmful it is to our health?

With climate catastrophe on the horizon, we should reject this orgy of consumption – and find joy in not shopping at all.

Global emissions must fall by 7.6% a year for next decade to avoid crisis, report says.

Scientists are discovering more and more about the internal lives of animals. But what does this mean for the way humans behave?

Populations disappearing in areas where temperatures are getting hotter, scientists say

Berserk beasts, trashed crops, vengeful villagers: tales of ‘conflict’ come thick and fast as humans and elephants are forced into closer contact. But does it have to be war? Across Asia and Africa, there are hints of how we might live in peace

Pressure is mounting against multi-faceted smugglers but the legal case, though strong, is enormously complex.

Three recent studies point to just how broad, bizarre, and potentially devastating climate change is to life on Earth. And we’ve only seen one degree Celsius of warming so far.

People do have a responsibility – to stay informed and demand the politicians make the planet their priority

Humanity’s demands on the planet are unsustainable. A policy of investment in renewable energy, green jobs and zero-emission housing is needed

National retailers like Whole Foods are stocking more biodynamic brands, but horticultural critics continue to question biodynamic’s unconventional methods

As we reflect on a year of extreme weather and ominous climate talks, Guardian environment writer Fiona Harvey explains why 2019 could see some much-needed breakthroughs

If population levels continue to rise at the current rate, our grandchildren will see the Earth plunged into an unprecedented environmental crisis, argues computational scientist Stephen Emmott in this extract from his book Ten Billion

New data shows how fossil fuel companies have driven climate crisis despite industry knowing dangers.

A relatively small number of fossil fuel producers and their investors could hold the key to tackling climate change.

Sustainability can bring benefits to everybody – including company execs with their eyes on the bottom line.

Carbon offset schemes allow individuals and companies to invest in environmental projects around the world in order to balance out their own carbon footprints.

Inspired by the Black Friday counter-movement Buy Nothing Day, I want to see if I can go a whole 12 months without spending on anything but bills and food.

There are real obstacles to environmental progress, but we must focus on what we are for, not just what we are against.

Researchers talk of ‘biological annihilation’ as study reveals billions of populations of animals have been lost in recent decades

The huge loss is a tragedy in itself but also threatens the survival of civilisation, say the world’s leading scientists

Insects could vanish within a century at current rate of decline, says global review

The world has two years to secure a deal for nature to halt a ‘silent killer’ as dangerous as climate change, says biodiversity chief

Fossil fuel companies have been aware of their impact on the planet since at least the 1950s

US and Brazil unlikely to meet Paris agreement pledges - while Russia has not even made one

Statement sets out ‘vital signs’ as indicators of magnitude of the climate emergency

The alarm bells of the climate crisis have been ringing in our ears for years and are getting louder all the time - yet humanity has failed to change course. What is wrong with us?

The beloved science educator and children’s show host appeared on Last Week Tonight to help explain carbon-pricing