• Climate Change

A Climate New Year’s Resolution for 2021: Greening Construction and Building Operations

• buildings
• climate change
• CO2
• conservation
• construction
• emissions
• energy efficiency
• warming

A U.N. report suggests that a major impediment to carbon reductions and meeting the Paris Climate targets is the construction and building industry. Carbon dioxide emissions from building construction hit an all-time high in 2019, and the annual rate of decarbonizing buildings has been slowing.

Why this Matters: Building maintenance and construction create nearly 40% of global energy-related CO2 emissions, according to GlobalABC.

• Animals

New Whale Population Discovered in Indian Ocean

• blue whale
• conservation
• Indian Ocean
• whales

by Natasha Lasky, ODP Contributing Writer A study published last week in the journal Endangered Species Research reports the discovery of a new group of blue whales living in the Indian Ocean. Researchers identified this new group of whales from their distinct song: “a slow, bellowing ballad” as the New York Times reported. There are […]

• Animals

Utah’s Largest Wildlife Overpass Sees Impressive Early Results

• conservation
• Utah
• wildlife corridor

by Amy Lupica, ODP Contributing Writer Dozens of animals are using Utah’s largest wildlife overpass sooner than expected, and experts are excited about what this means for the safety of people and local wildlife. The overpass, which was built over Interstate 80 in Utah, is 50 feet wide and 320 feet long and serves as […]

• Land

Maasai Mara Conservancies Get Some Relief

• Africa
• conservation
• Conservation International
• game reserve
• Maasai Mara

The Maasai Mara is home to 25% of Kenya’s wildlife and the place of the greatest annual migration of animals on Earth. The land is owned by the indigenous Maasai people, who lease it to conservancies for tourism operations, which in turn fund conservation efforts that drive wildlife tourism. The conservancy conservation model that makes […]

• Land

Trump Administration Proposes List of Conservation Projects After Deadline

• conservation
• Great American Outdoors Act
• LWCF
• Trump

by Natasha Lasky, ODP Contributing Writer On Monday, the Trump administration submitted an index of projects that will get funding under a conservation program, which could help protect a number of important national parks throughout the nation. The only issue is that the administration submitted this list a week after it was due to Congress.  […]

• Politics

And The Winner Is…Local Ballot Initiatives on Climate and Environment

• #30x30
• ballot
• climate change
• conservation
• funding
• land
• parks
• Vote

OK so there may not have been a big blue wave at the federal level this week, but several ballot initiatives at the state and local level proved that when climate and conservation were on the ballot, they won.

Why This Matters: Regardless of what happens at the federal level, measures like these at the state and local level are the key to achieving 30% of the land and waters in the U.S. protected from development by 2030, as well as for combatting climate change.