Grist

The war in Myanmar, fueled by a 2021 military coup and subsequent economic collapse, has driven young people like Min to seek dangerous jobs in rare earth mining near the Chinese border. Hazardous working conditions, including fatal landslides, and environmental degradation have emerged as critical issues in Myanmar, the world's largest supplier of heavy rare earths used in both climate technologies and advanced weapons.

A Vermont experiment involves infecting 5,300 American elms with Dutch elm disease to identify disease-tolerant trees, aiming to restore the endangered species and support ecosystems and flood mitigation. The project, led by the Nature Conservancy and University of Vermont, could produce the largest genetically diverse population of resistant elms in over a century.

Brazil’s Amazon deforestation is currently at its lowest in a decade, but experts warn this progress is at risk due to the collapse of the Amazon Soy Moratorium, which previously curbed deforestation linked to soy cultivation. A new study in Science predicts 1.4 million hectares of forest loss over the next decade if current trends continue.

A majority of Utah residents opposed shrinking Bears Ears National Monument before President Donald Trump reduced its size by 90 percent through executive orders. Trump and Utah’s political leaders claimed the cuts aligned with public interest, but polls showed most Utahns supported preserving the monument. Protests and legal challenges followed, with surveys indicating 61 percent of Utahns supported maintaining Bears Ears as a national monument.

The 2026 Iran war initially caused the Strait of Hormuz to close, cutting 15 million barrels of oil per day from global circulation and prompting fears of a severe energy crisis. However, emergency measures like strategic reserve releases, increased production, and energy conservation helped avert predicted shortages and recessions, though oil prices remained elevated and some regional shortages persisted.

French Polynesia plans to challenge an American startup's seabed mining proposal in waters near its borders due to lack of consultation. The U.S. company American Deep Sea Minerals seeks permits to mine international waters surrounded by French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, and Kiribati, prompting concerns about environmental impact and international law. The Trump administration bypassed international regulations to fast-track U.S.-led seabed mining permits, drawing global criticism.

Indigenous nations, including the Sámi people in the Arctic, are demanding greater representation and resources at the United Nations to address climate change impacts and colonialism. They argue that current UN structures limit their participation to NGOs, hindering their ability to influence global decisions on adaptation and policy.

Semona Holmes in Brunswick, Georgia, lives near a former pesticide plant Superfund site, facing floodwater risks and concerns about toxic contamination. A new $15 million Superfund research center, involving six institutions, will study health effects and future exposure risks from Glynn County's toxic sites, including climate change impacts like rising seas and stronger storms.

President Donald Trump reduced the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments to 302,600 acres, cutting them to less than a quarter of their size after previous reductions in 2017. The executive orders aim to open public lands to extraction, disbanding an inter-tribal working group and facing criticism from tribal officials and experts who argue the move prioritizes mining and drilling over preservation and co-stewardship.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order imposing a one-year moratorium on large-scale data center construction. The pause aims to address concerns about energy grid strain and utility costs, with directives for environmental analysis and potential energy cost adjustments for data centers.

Over 900 wildfires are burning in Canada, with First Nations communities like Namaygoosisagagun (Collins) First Nation suffering severe destruction. Thirteen First Nations remain under evacuation orders, displacing 2,182 people, and some communities face denied government support due to lack of official recognition.

The Department of Energy removed over 1,600 pages from its Energy Saver website by July 3, including resources on home energy assessments and thermostat guidance. The purge coincided with a proposed rule to restrict future energy efficiency standards for appliances, labeled as ending 'Green New Scam' mandates. The deletion occurred amid public debate over energy conservation advice during a heatwave, with critics suggesting the removal was politically motivated.

Michigan regulators approved key permits for Enbridge Energy's Line 5 tunnel project in the Straits of Mackinac, arguing it is necessary to prevent oil spills in the Great Lakes. Opponents, including environmental and tribal groups, criticized the decision as environmentally and culturally harmful, citing destruction of wetlands and historic resources.

The Inflation Reduction Act, a major U.S. climate law, was repealed by a tax reform bill signed by President Donald Trump, derailing emissions reduction goals. However, the energy transition continues partially as some solar and wind projects proceed without subsidies, though clean energy development has slowed.

Data centers, particularly AI-focused hyperscale facilities, are expanding rapidly, consuming vast energy and water resources. Indigenous leaders globally are advocating for their communities' rights, emphasizing the need for free, prior, and informed consent and highlighting threats to lands and waters. Some Indigenous groups acknowledge potential economic benefits but stress the urgency of protecting resources and ensuring consultation.

Climate activists, including Kert Davies of the Climate Investigations Center, were hacked in 2016 after attempting to hold Exxon Mobil accountable for climate change. Phishing emails led to the exposure of meeting details, which Exxon used in legal defenses against subpoenas and lawsuits.

An American startup seeks to mine international waters near French Polynesia, Cook Islands, and Kiribati under Trump administration approval, bypassing international law. The Trump administration uses a Carter-era law to permit mining, while the UN negotiates a treaty to govern deep sea mining, facing environmental and Indigenous concerns.

Nebraska has passed a law requiring data centers to disclose their annual water use and power demand to the state. The legislation aims to address concerns about water shortages amid growing data center development, with companies like Google and Meta reporting varying water consumption levels. The state plans to use the data to identify information gaps and improve future planning.

Guatemala's 36-year civil war, which ended in 1996, disproportionately affected Indigenous Maya people through genocide and violence, with ongoing structural conflicts like land dispossession and political repression persisting. Indigenous leaders, including Mario Simón Chávez, highlight unresolved issues of self-determination and collective rights as critical to achieving peace, while the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) addresses broader definitions of conflict linked to colonization and resource extraction.

Western North Carolina communities, including Burnsville, are implementing solar-powered microgrid projects to enhance energy resilience after Hurricane Helene caused widespread power outages. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, in partnership with nonprofits, is funding 26 microgrid projects with $5 million, including stationary and mobile systems to support critical infrastructure.