Articles by Grist staff

Science orgs plead for more funding for severe-weather preparation

More floods, storms, and droughts are a-comin’, and the U.S. lacks funding to predict and prepare for ’em, say eight scientific organizations. The groups, including the American Geophysical Union and American Meteorological Society, made a plea Wednesday for Congress and the next U.S. president to double the current budget for climate research and forecasting between […]

Colorado utility voluntarily shuts down two coal plants

Two coal-fired power plants in Colorado will be shut down — not because green groups sued like crazy to make it happen, but because a utility volunteered. Citing concerns about public health and greenhouse-gas emissions, Xcel Energy asked permission of state regulators to close its coal plants, and regulators have approved the plan. Xcel becomes […]

Snippets from the news

• Lease sale held in Gulf of Mexico. • First half of 2008 coolest of last five years. • Nations meet to talk climate in Ghana. • Shareholder resolutions related to climate change doubled over last five years. • Five Midwest states violated air-pollution standards. • Southwest getting less rain.

Two of world’s richest men visit Canadian oil sands

The richest and third-richest men in the world made a surprise visit to an oil-sands operation in the Canadian province of Alberta on Monday. Investor Warren Buffett and Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who are said to have a combined worth of $120 billion, “were exercising curiosity, basically saying, ‘Wow, this is neat,'” says Greg Stringham […]