Articles by Grist staff

Afghan Forests No Longer Blanket the Country

Increasing deforestation in war-ravaged Afghanistan is a major concern, the U.N. warned last week. The environmental degradation facing the nation is among the most severe in the world, according to Stephanie Bunker of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of the Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan, and the country is in danger of losing all its […]

Fusing over Fusion

After years of discouraging setbacks, specialists in hydrogen fusion research are banding together to revive the effort to harness energy from thermonuclear fusion. Believers say fusion energy could become a reality in the mid-21st century. Next month, scientists and engineers from around the world will convene in Snowmass, Colo., at a first-of-a-kind meeting of fusion […]

Oil's Well in California

A battle is brewing over oil drilling off the coast of California, and the controversy is likely to become an issue in the 2000 presidential race. Federal officials are expected this month to give oil companies permission to develop 40 offshore oil leases. California Gov. Gray Davis (D), California Sens. Barbara Boxer (D) and Dianne […]

Supreme Court A-Noise Enviros

The Supreme Court today refused to hear a case from environmental groups that want the feds to act more quickly to reduce noise in the Grand Canyon from sightseeing planes. The Federal Aviation Administration is developing rules that would control air traffic over the park and reduce noise by 2008, but seven enviro groups had […]