climate change Archives | Northwest Public Broadcasting

‘Hey Guys, How You Doin’?’ How Jay Inslee Introduces His Ambition Beyond Washington State

By Austin Jenkins February 10, 2019

Gov. Jay Inslee enters a conference room at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College where he spoke to students in January. CREDIT: AUSTIN JENKINS/N3

As Washington Gov. Jay Inslee inches closer to a likely run for president, he's starting to sound more and more like a candidate on the stump than a two-term incumbent, even when addressing audiences at home. At a recent legislative forum in Olympia, Inslee recounted his first foray into politics 30 years ago and told the story behind one of his first votes as a freshman Read More

Report: Global Warming Could Melt At Least A Third Of Himalayan Glaciers

By NPR News February 5, 2019

The Ngozumpa Glacier in the Himalayas of Nepal, filling the valley in the foreground, now contains meltwater pools. CREDIT: Whitworth Images/Getty Images

If temperatures continue to rise, glaciers would begin to disappear, with a serious impact on the area's water resources. Continue Reading Report: Global Warming Could Melt At Least A Third Of Himalayan GlaciersRead More

Want Proof Climate Change Is Here? Look At Oregon In 2018, Report Says

By David Steves February 5, 2019

Ben Thorpe (left) and Shavon Haynes measure the snowpack on Mount Ashland. CREDIT: JES BURNS/OPB

Climate change is playing out in significant ways in Oregon, with evidence in the form of more severe wildfires, lower summer stream flows and diminishing winter snowpacks, according to the state’s fourth annual climate assessment report. Read More

Jay Inslee Plans To Head To Snowy New Hampshire To Test Possible Presidential Run

By Austin Jenkins January 18, 2019

Gov. Jay Inslee speaks about climate change in the foyer of his office. On his right is former California Gov. Jerry Brown and state lawmakers. CREDIT: AUSTIN JENKINS / NW NEWS NETWORK

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee will take his most visible step yet towards a possible bid for president when he visits New Hampshire, the first-in-the-nation primary state, on Monday and Tuesday. Continue Reading Jay Inslee Plans Read More

Idaho Gov. Brad Little: Climate Change Is Real, Must Be Addressed

By NWPB News January 17, 2019

Idaho Gov. Brad Little delivers his State of the State address inside the house chambers at the state Capitol building, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019 in Boise, Idaho. CREDIT: AP PHOTO/OTTO KITSINGER

The 64-year-old Republican sworn into office earlier this month shocked some at the Idaho Environmental Forum by declaring that climate change is real and will have to be dealt with. Continue Reading Idaho Gov. Brad Little: Climate Change Is Read More

In State Of State Address, Jay Inslee Calls For Climate Change Action, Addressing Mental Health

By Austin Jenkins January 15, 2019

Climate change topped Gov. Jay Inslee's list of priorities in his 2019 State of the State speech. CREDIT: AUSTIN JENKINS/N3

Warning that Washington state is at a "tipping point," Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday delivered a State of the State address that called on lawmakers to address carbon pollution, "transform" the mental health system and save Puget Sound orcas. Read More

Snowpack In The West Has Resisted Climate Change, But That Won’t Last Forever

By Erin Ross January 14, 2019

A snow-machine rider takes a snowpack reading as part of Community Snow Observations, a NASA-sponsored citizen science project. CREDIT: Oregon State University/Flickr

For the last 35 years, the snowpack in the West’s mountains has resisted the impacts of global warming. But that could soon change, according to a new study out of Oregon State University. Continue Reading Snowpack In The West Has Read More

Climate and Environment Radio Programs Begin in January

By Gillian Coldsnow January 9, 2019

Concern over climate change rose in late November with the release of a United Nations report on limiting global warming. “An ear-splitting wake-up call to the world,” the UN said of the report: “It confirms that climate change is running faster than we are — and we are running out of time.” What do climate scientists have… Read More

2018 Was A Milestone Year For Climate Science (If Not Politics)

By NPR News December 27, 2018

The burned remains of Paradise Elementary School is seen Friday, in Paradise, Calif. Authorities say a wildfire has all but destroyed the Northern California town. CREDIT: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

The earth's climate has been warming for decades now. But 2018 brought several major new and markedly more precise reports from scientists about what climate change is doing to the weather and how dire they expect the consequences to be. Continue Read More

Changing Climate, Water Flows Impact Bald Eagles’ Feasts On The Skagit River

By Tom Banse December 20, 2018

A bald eagle looks for its next meal along the Skagit River. Eagles converge there in great numbers every winter. CREDIT: JASON RANSOM/ NPS 2017

From mid-December to February, hundreds upon hundreds of bald eagles flock to the Skagit River in northwest Washington to feast on spawning salmon. It's one of the biggest seasonal concentrations of eagles in the Pacific Northwest, but this eagle watching hot spot is being affected by changing cycles of nature. Read More

Arctic Report Card Documents ‘Cascading Effects’ Of Warming Ocean Temperatures

By NPR News December 12, 2018

Sea ice is seen from NASA's Operation IceBridge research aircraft off the northwest coast of Greenland in March 2017. A new report says rapid warming over the past three decades has led to a 95 percent decline of the Arctic's oldest and thickest ice. CREDIT: Mario Tama/Getty Images

The Arctic has experienced the "most unprecedented transition in history" in terms of warming temperatures and melting ice, and those changes may be the cause of extreme weather around the globe, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 2018 Arctic Report Card. Read More

Taking Carbon Out Of The Air And Reusing It: Company Aims To Address Climate

By NPR News December 10, 2018

Carbon Engineering CEO Steve Oldham stands in front of the company's Squamish, British Columbia, pilot plant. It uses a chemical process to extract carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into a fuel similar to crude oil. CREDIT: JEFF BRADY/NPR

At a major climate meeting in Poland, nearly 200 countries are trying to reach a deal on dramatically reducing carbon emissions. But a recent U.N. report found that may not be enough to avoid dangerous impacts from the warming climate. In fact, the world is falling so far short of what's needed, it said, that it might be necessary to pull massive amounts of carbon dioxide Read More

West Coast Fishing And Crabbing Groups Sue Fossil Fuel Companies For Role In Climate Change

By NPR News December 9, 2018

Dungeness crab like these, caught off the coast of Alaska, have been affected by the neurotoxin domoic acid because of algae blooms in recent years, which makes them unsafe to eat. CREDIT: Michael Melford/Getty Images

Fishing groups in California and Oregon joined the legal fray by filing suit against 30 companies, mainly oil producers. The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, the plaintiff, contends that the fossil fuel industry is at fault for recent warming-related damages to the West Coast's prized Dungeness crab fishery. Read More

Report: Climate Change Is Already Bringing Problems To Northwest — And It Will Get Worse

By Cassandra Profita November 28, 2018

The Eagle Creek Fire as seen from the Cascade Locks Hatchery. To keep hatchery fall chinook from dying because of the fire, Oregon officials released them early. CREDIT: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE

The Northwest is already seeing the effects of climate change, according to a new national climate assessment. Continue Reading Report: Climate Change Is Already Bringing Problems To Northwest — And It Will Get WorseRead More

Federal Scientific Report Says Climate Change Is Already Hurting U.S. Communities

By NPR News November 24, 2018

Residences leveled by the Camp Fire line a cul-de-sac in Paradise, Calif., earlier this month. A massive federal report says climate change is contributing to larger wildfires as well as other deadly extreme weather. CREDIT: Noah Berger/AP

Climate change is already causing more frequent and severe weather across the U.S., and the country is poised to suffer massive damage to infrastructure, ecosystems, health and the economy if global warming is allowed to continue, according to the most comprehensive federal climate report to date. Read More

New Research Says Northwest Forests Will Weather Climate Change Better Than Others In The West

By Jes Burns November 19, 2018

A roadside reminder in southwest Washington's Gifford Pinchot National Forest that homes in the "wildlands urban interface" need special landscaping, building materials and maintenance to reduce the risk of being destroyed by a wildfire. CREDIT: CASSANDRA PROFITA

Climate change is expected to increase drought and wildfire vulnerability in forests across the West. But new research out of Oregon State University shows that some places will fare better than others. Continue Reading New Research Read More

Bye-Bye, Beer? Brewers Say They’ve Got A Plan On Climate Change Ahead Of Possible Price Jump

By NPR News October 20, 2018

The barley used to make beer as we know it may take a hit under climate change, but growers say they are already preparing by planting it further north in colder locations. CREDIT: DEAN HUTTON/BLOOMBERG

Newly published research predicting beer prices could double as rising global temperatures and more volatile weather cause shortages of barley created a big splash. But brewers and barley growers say you shouldn't drown your sorrows just yet: They have a plan. Read More

Old Growth Could Be Key For Native Songbird Species To Beat Climate-Change Heat

By Jes Burns October 1, 2018

OSU PhD student Hankyu Kim set a decoy designed to trigger the territorial instinct of hermit warblers. The small songbirds will be caught, tagged and released so their movements can be tracked. CREDIT: GREG DAVIS

Increasingly hot and dry summers in Oregon and Washington have started to affect some of our most impressive travelers – the songbirds that migrate thousands of miles to breed here each spring. Continue Reading Old Growth Could Read More

Study: Climate Change Hits National Parks Hard. North Cascades Is No Exception

By Courtney Flatt September 25, 2018

A view of the North Cascades view from Eldorado Peak. CREDIT: RICHARD DROKER/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR

Climate change is heating up national parks much faster than the rest of the U.S. That’s according to a first-of-its-kind study that looked all 417 national parks, including those in the Northwest. Continue Reading Study: Climate Read More

To Predict Effects Of Global Warming, Scientists Looked Back 20,000 Years

By NPR News August 31, 2018

As the climate warms, drought is killing large numbers of trees in California. Scientists are looking to the past to try and understand how the ecosystems of today may be changing. Ashley Cooper

More than 40 researchers concluded that climate change would make ecosystems such as deciduous forests, grasslands and Arctic tundra unrecognizable. Continue Reading To Predict Effects Of Global Warming, Scientists Looked Back 20,000 Read More

Insects Could Eat Twice As Much Wheat By The End Of The Century

By NWPB News August 30, 2018

A burn scar near Moro, Oregon, from the Substation Fire. CREDIT: ERICKA CRUZ GUEVARRA

Climate change might lead to bigger populations of hungrier insects. This could have serious consequences for grain-growing regions in the Northwest and across the world. Continue Reading Insects Could Eat Twice As Much Wheat By The End Of The Read More

As Wildfire Seasons Worsen, Scientists Point To Summer Precipitation As Major Driving Factor

By Emily Schwing August 20, 2018

Washington fire managers responded to nearly 70 new fire starts August 11, 2018, including the Grass Valley Fire that threatened the Grand Coulee Dam area and forced hundreds of evacuations. CREDIT: INCIWEB

Wildfire activity in the American West is likely to get worse in coming years. A new study out in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences points to the lack of precipitation in the summer as the major driving factor when it comes to increasing fire severity. Read More

Gulf Of Alaska Cod Are Disappearing. Blame ‘The Blob’

By NPR News August 20, 2018

Fisherman Darius Kasprzak searches for cod in the Gulf of Alaska. The cod population there is at its lowest level on record. CREDIT: ANNIE FEIDT

The cod population in the Gulf of Alaska is at its lowest level on record. Scientists say the culprit is a warm-water mass known as "the blob." Continue Reading Gulf Of Alaska Cod Are Disappearing. Blame ‘The Blob’Read More

Four Years After Carlton Complex Devastated Okanogan County, What Have We Learned?

By Ashley Ahearn August 17, 2018

In this July 24, 2014, the remains of structures that were destroyed by wildfires near Pateros, Wash. The Carlton Complex fire was the largest in Washington State history. CREDIT: AP IMAGES/TED S. WARREN

For people living in the “wildland-urban interface,” wildfire risk is the new normal, and the risk is increasing as more people move into places where cul-de-sac meets forest or sagebrush. Continue Reading Four Read More

In The Mountain West, Spring Is Springing Sooner, Throwing Nature’s Rhythm Out Of Whack

By NPR News July 24, 2018

A yellow-bellied marmot keeps an eye out while it gets a bite to eat. Related to groundhogs, yellow-bellied marmots are getting fatter and bigger because of the longer growing season brought on by climate change. CREDIT: Nathan Rott - NPR

A warming climate is knocking nature's rhythms out of sync. High in the Rocky Mountains, scientists have been tracking the impact for decades. Continue Reading In The Mountain West, Spring Is Springing Sooner, Throwing Read More

Tropical Dolphins Are Appearing In Pacific Northwest Waters

By NWPB News April 20, 2018

A pod of bottlenose dolphins and false killer whales was spotted off the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. CREDIT: LUKE HALPIN/HAPLIN WILDLIFE PRESERVE

While searching for seabirds in July of 2017, biologist Luke Halpin instead saw a sea bubbling with about 200 bottlenose dolphins and 70 false killer whales. It would be an unusual sight anywhere — bottlenose generally travel in much smaller groups — but Halpin’s sighting was made more remarkable by where it happened. These usually tropical animals were off the west coast Read More

Good News For Fishing Industry: Pacific Heat Wave ‘The Blob’ Appears To Be In Retreat

By Jes Burns March 19, 2018

Unusual ocean and climate conditions have significantly harmed several Washington fisheries. Six fisheries in the state could now seek federal assistance to help bring things back to normal. CREDIT: SEAN O'CONNOR

Ocean conditions off the Pacific Northwest seem to be returning to normal after a three-year spike in water temperature. It’s promising long-term news for fishermen who are looking ahead in the short term to yet another year of low salmon returns. Read More

Snowpack Has Drastically Declined In The West This Century

By Courtney Flatt March 2, 2018

There’s a lot less snow in the western U.S. than there was a century ago. That’s according to new research that found dramatic declines in snowpack as the seasons have gotten warmer. Continue Reading Snowpack Has Drastically Declined In The West This CenturyRead More

Idaho Senate Committee Keeps Climate Change In New Science Standards

By NWPB News February 23, 2018

An Idaho Senate panel voted February 22 to retain all references to man-made climate change in proposed science standards for K-12 education, which could end a three-year fight over the rules. Continue Reading Idaho Senate Read More

Northwest Coastal Wetlands Won’t Survive High Sea Level Rise, Scientists Say

By Jes Burns February 22, 2018

Tess Forstner (USGS) up the measuring tool as part of a study to determine the effect of sea level rise on coastal wetlands in the West. CREDIT: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Over the next century, sea level rise is expected to wreak havoc on the U.S. coastlines – and a new analysis shows that the Northwest is not immune. Nearly all coastal wetlands in Oregon, Washington and California will be swamped at the highest predicted sea level change. Read More

Climate Activists Protest Puget Sound Energy Plan To Keep Using Coal

By Eilís O'Neil February 22, 2018

Activists gather outside the Renton Community Center to protest Puget Sound Energy's plan to continue using electricity from coal.

About 100 activists gathered Wednesday, Feb. 21 to protest Puget Sound Energy’s plan to keep producing electricity from coal until 2035. PSE is the company that likely keeps your lights and Wifi on if you live in the Puget Sound area but not in Seattle. Their main concern was climate change. Read More

With Less Snow, Can Color-Changing Northwest Hares Adapt To Avoid Predators?

By Tom Banse February 22, 2018

Snowshoe hares at a University of Montana research facility.

While you may be able to easily change your coat when the snow melts, it’s not so simple for animals whose fur turns white in winter for camouflage. A new study finds they'll need to rapidly evolve to match a climate with less snow. Continue Read More

How A Grassroots Effort In Vancouver Fought Big Oil — And Won

By Molly Solomon February 16, 2018

East Vancouver residents Alona and Don Steinke have been protesting the Vancouver Energy oil terminal since 2013. CREDIT: MOLLY SOLOMON

Early this year, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said no to a massive oil-by-rail terminal proposed in Vancouver, Wash. The $210 million Vancouver Energy project, a joint venture from Tesoro and Savage, would have brought up to 360,000 gallons of crude oil a day on trains traveling along the Columbia River. Read More

Climate Change Could Mean Less Maple Syrup For Your Pancakes

By NPR News February 12, 2018

New technologies that replace the traditional bucket and tap method of getting sap from sugar maples may help combat climate change's effect on the trees CREDIT: BRIANNA SOUKUP/PORTLAND PRESS HERALD/GETTY IMAGES

As the climate gets warmer, sugar maple trees will have a harder time producing enough sap to meet demand. Luckily, scientists and maple syrup-makers are on the case. Continue Reading Climate Change Could Mean Less Maple Syrup For Your PancakesRead More

What Amazon Doesn’t Want You To Know About The Cloud

By John Ryan February 12, 2018

Pedestrians crossing the street in front of Amazon's headquarters in Seattle. CREDIT: MEGAN FARMER

Carbon emissions by the tech giants that dominate cloud computing are surging, even as companies like Amazon and Microsoft take steps to tame their climate impact. Continue Reading What Amazon Doesn’t Want You To Know About The CloudRead More

Scientists Say Long-Buried Ice Age Forest Offers Climate Change Clues

By NPR News February 9, 2018

Ben Raines, an environmental reporter for AL.com, holds pieces of wood he collected from a cypress forest discovered in the depths of the Gulf of Mexico. A scientist says having an intact forest from the ice age is rare. CREDIT: DEBBIE ELLIOTT/ NPR

The remarkable discovery of an intact ancient cypress forest in the Gulf of Mexico may reveal a lot about climate change — the past and the future. Continue Reading Scientists Say Long-Buried Ice Age Forest Offers Climate Change CluesRead More

Washington ‘Valve Turner’ Sentenced To Prison For Shutting Down Oil Pipeline

By Courtney Flatt February 7, 2018

The five climate activists arrested after shutting down Canada-to-U.S. pipelines pose for a photo. They were identified by Climate Direct Action as (left to right): Emily Johnston, Annette Klapstein, Leonard Higgins, Ken Ward, and Michael Foster.

A Washington climate activist is the first “valve turner” to go to prison for shutting off the flow of oil from Canada’s tar sands region into the U.S. Continue Reading Washington ‘Valve Turner’ Sentenced To Prison For Shutting Down Read More

Young People Delayed In Federal Climate Suit, But They’d Rather Be In Court

By Rachael McDonald February 5, 2018

Youth plaintiff Hazel V., 13, of Eugene, Ore., speaks during a news conference outside of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, December 11, 2017. CREDIT: ERIC RISBERG/AP PHOTO

The 21 young people who are suing the federal government over climate change are waiting for an appeals court in Oregon to rule on whether their case can go forward. Continue Reading Young People Delayed In Federal Climate Suit, But They’d Read More

Can Kelp And Seagrass Help The Northwest Adapt To Ocean Change?

By Jes Burns January 31, 2018

The oceans off Oregon and Washington are ground zero for acidification, and Northwest scientists are working on new ways to adapt. Continue Reading Can Kelp And Seagrass Help The Northwest Adapt To Ocean Change?Read More

As Seattle Booms, A New Reality: The Carbon-Concrete Conundrum

By Eilís O'Neil January 24, 2018

As the Pacific Northwest economy booms, it’s using a lot of concrete to build buildings, roads, and other infrastructure. Making all that concrete is a big part of our carbon footprint, and it all comes from one plant: Ash Grove in south Seattle. Continue Read More

‘Climate Leader’ Seattle: Lots Of Promises, Lots Of Pollution

By John Ryan January 11, 2018

For more than 10 years, Seattle leaders have said the city will lead the nation in fighting climate change. But the lofty words have been matched by continuing clouds of carbon emissions. Seattle dumps as much carbon dioxide into the sky as it did 25 years ago. Read More

Climate Activists Urge Washington Lawmakers To Take Action In 2018

By Enrique Pérez de la Rosa January 8, 2018

Climate activists rallied today at the state capitol, the first day of the legislative session. They want Washington state to be powered exclusively by renewable energy within 10 years. Continue Reading Climate Activists Urge Washington Lawmakers Read More

Can Migratory Birds Survive Rapid Climate Change? The Answer May Be In Their Genes

By PBS Newshour January 8, 2018

By: Teresa Carey, PBS Newshour A migratory bird can predict its own future, and this crystal ball-like indicator can be found in its genes. In a study published Thursday in Science, biologists at the Center for Tropical Research found certain genetic traits in yellow warblers can gauge how well they will keep up with the pace of… Read More

Western Seedling Shortage: Your Future Christmas Tree Might Be Hard To Find

By Anna King December 14, 2017

Christmas trees could be in shorter supply in about eight years. That’s because the nation is going through an evergreen seedling shortage now. Listen You might be in the market for a Christmas tree right about now, but have you thought about what type of Christmas tree you want in eight years? Believe it… Read More