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Top Environment and Energy Topics To Watch in 2026 [1]

Explore our 10th annual Journalists’ Guide to Environment + Energy, as we scour the beat to identify 15 top stories to put on your radar for 2026. Our updated format for the special report provides a quick read and a broad scope — with insights on climate change and environmental justice, bird and insect declines, data centers and deep sea mining, deregulation and PFAS and much more. Get started here [1].

SEJ Publication Types: 
SEJ News [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [3]
Agriculture [4]
Air [5]
Biodiversity [6]
Chemicals [7]
Climate Change [8]
Disasters [9]
Economy & Business [10]
Energy & Fuel [11]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Justice [13]
Environmental Politics [14]
Environmental Studies [15]
Fish & Fisheries [16]
Forests [17]
Government [18]
Health [19]
Infrastructure [20]
Journalism & Media [21]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Military [23]
Natural Resources [24]
Policy [25]
Pollution [26]
Science [27]
Technology [28]
Waste [29]
Water & Oceans [30]
Wildlife [31]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [32]
Alaska and Hawaii [33]
California [34]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [35]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [36]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [37]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [38]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [39]
Northwest (OR WA) [40]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [41]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [42]
International [43]
Visibility: 
Public [44]
  • Read more about Top Environment and Energy Topics To Watch in 2026 [1]

From Words to Frames — Writer Learns To Wield Power of Visual Storytelling [45]

When writer Gulnaz Khan saw how global warming drove both natural loss and spiritual breaks for surrounding human communities, it started her on a PBS documentary series exploring sacred sites around the world threatened by climate change. But she also undertook another odyssey, one from writer to visual storyteller. What she learned on her journey from text to screen, in the new EJ InSight column.

SEJ Publication Types: 
EJ InSight [46]
Topics on the Beat: 
Agriculture [4]
Biodiversity [6]
Climate Change [8]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Justice [13]
Food [47]
Forests [17]
Government [18]
Health [19]
Journalism & Media [21]
Natural Resources [24]
People & Population [48]
Pollution [26]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [49]
Science [27]
Waste [29]
Water & Oceans [30]
Wildlife [31]
Region: 
International [43]
Africa [50]
Asia [51]
South America [52]
Visibility: 
Public [44]
  • Read more about From Words to Frames — Writer Learns To Wield Power of Visual Storytelling [45]

Chesapeake Bay Leaders Agree on Longer Timeline and Tribal Role in Cleanup [53]

"The revised watershed agreement extends pollution-reduction targets and bets on voluntary measures to achieve cleanup goals that have remained elusive for decades."

Agriculture [4]
Biodiversity [6]
Chemicals [7]
Climate Change [8]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Politics [14]
Fish & Fisheries [16]
Food [47]
Government [18]
Laws & Regulations [22]
People & Population [48]
Pollution [26]
Water & Oceans [30]
Public [44]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [37]
Source: Inside Climate News [54], 12/05/2025
  • Read more about Chesapeake Bay Leaders Agree on Longer Timeline and Tribal Role in Cleanup [53]

"NY City Bill Aims To Ban Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Firefighting Gear" [55]

"A new bill proposed in the New York city council would ban the use of toxic Pfas “forever chemicals” in protective gear worn by the city’s 11,000 firefighters." "Approval of legislation to ban Pfas would be major win for advocates pushing for safer gear alternatives across US"

Chemicals [7]
Disasters [9]
Environmental Health [12]
Laws & Regulations [22]
People & Population [48]
Pollution [26]
Public [44]
National (U.S.) [32]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [39]
Source: Guardian [56], 12/04/2025
  • Read more about "NY City Bill Aims To Ban Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Firefighting Gear" [55]

Whitmer 7th Governor Urging EPA To Monitor Microplastics In Drinking Water [57]

"Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last week joined governors from six other states signing onto a petition demanding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency add microplastics to its program collecting data on contaminants not currently covered by the Safe Drinking Water Act."

Chemicals [7]
Consumer [58]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Politics [14]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Pollution [26]
Water & Oceans [30]
Public [44]
National (U.S.) [32]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [39]
Source: Michigan Advance [59], 12/04/2025
  • Read more about Whitmer 7th Governor Urging EPA To Monitor Microplastics In Drinking Water [57]

"Trump Dismantles Programs Designed To Cut Electricity Demand" [60]

"The Trump administration is scrambling to ensure there’s enough electricity to power new data centers and stem rising utility bills — even as it dismantles some critical programs designed to help solve the problem."

Climate Change [8]
Economy & Business [10]
Energy & Fuel [11]
Environmental Politics [14]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Pollution [26]
Public [44]
National (U.S.) [32]
Source: E&E News [61], 12/04/2025
  • Read more about "Trump Dismantles Programs Designed To Cut Electricity Demand" [60]

Trump Loosens Gas Mileage Rule for Cars, Gutting Biden’s Climate Policy [62]

"President Trump on Wednesday threw the weight of the federal government behind vehicles that burn gasoline rather than electric cars, gutting one of the country’s most significant efforts to address climate change and thrusting the automobile industry into greater uncertainty."

Air [5]
Climate Change [8]
Consumer [58]
Economy & Business [10]
Energy & Fuel [11]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Politics [14]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Pollution [26]
Transportation [63]
Public [44]
National (U.S.) [32]
Source: NYTimes [64], 12/04/2025
  • Read more about Trump Loosens Gas Mileage Rule for Cars, Gutting Biden’s Climate Policy [62]

Trump Admin’s Data Center Push Could Open the Door for New Forever Chemicals [65]

"The EPA is prioritizing review of new chemicals to be used in data centers. Experts say this could lead to the fast approval of new types of forever chemicals — with limited oversight."

Chemicals [7]
Climate Change [8]
Energy & Fuel [11]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Politics [14]
Infrastructure [20]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Pollution [26]
Technology [28]
Public [44]
National (U.S.) [32]
Source: WIRED [66], 12/03/2025
  • Read more about Trump Admin’s Data Center Push Could Open the Door for New Forever Chemicals [65]

"Trump Admin Backs Monsanto Effort To Limit Roundup Lawsuits Over Glyphosate" [67]

"The Trump administration is backing Monsanto in its effort to get the Supreme Court to shield it from liability over cancer claims related to its Roundup weedkiller, a move that could anger the Trump administration’s allies in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement."

Agriculture [4]
Chemicals [7]
Consumer [58]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Politics [14]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Pollution [26]
Science [27]
Public [44]
National (U.S.) [32]
Source: The Hill [68], 12/03/2025
  • Read more about "Trump Admin Backs Monsanto Effort To Limit Roundup Lawsuits Over Glyphosate" [67]

"Canada Lifts Climate Laws for Alberta Oil Sands, Planning Pipeline" [69]

"Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada signed a sweeping agreement on Thursday that laid the groundwork for a new oil pipeline to expand Alberta’s oil sands, exempting the province’s energy industry from several environmental laws."

Climate Change [8]
Consumer [58]
Energy & Fuel [11]
Environmental Health [12]
Environmental Politics [14]
Infrastructure [20]
Laws & Regulations [22]
People & Population [48]
Pollution [26]
Transportation [63]
Public [44]
National (U.S.) [32]
Canada [70]
Source: NYTimes [71], 12/03/2025
  • Read more about "Canada Lifts Climate Laws for Alberta Oil Sands, Planning Pipeline" [69]

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Source URL:https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution?page=51

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[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/sej-news/top-environment-and-energy-topics-watch-2026 [2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/sej-news [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/activism [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/agriculture [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/air [6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/biodiversity-1 [7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [12] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [13] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-justice [14] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [15] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmentalists [16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/fisheries [17] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/forests [18] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [19] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/health [20] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/infrastructure [21] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [23] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/military [24] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [25] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [27] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/science [28] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/technology [29] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/waste [30] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/wildlife [32] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [33] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/alaska-and-hawaii [34] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [35] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-lakes [36] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-plains [37] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mid-atlantic [38] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mountain-west [39] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast [40] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northwest [41] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southeast [42] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest [43] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international [44] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [45] https://www.sej.org/publications/ej-insight/words-frames-writer-learns-wield-power-visual-storytelling [46] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/ej-insight [47] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/food [48] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [49] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/religion-faith-and-spirituality [50] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/africa [51] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/asia [52] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/south-america [53] https://www.sej.org/headlines/chesapeake-bay-leaders-agree-longer-timeline-and-tribal-role-cleanup [54] https://insideclimatenews.org/news/04122025/chesapeake-executive-council-bay-cleanup/ [55] https://www.sej.org/headlines/ny-city-bill-aims-ban-toxic-forever-chemicals-firefighting-gear [56] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/02/nyc-firefighters-pfas-forever-chemicals-bill [57] https://www.sej.org/headlines/whitmer-7th-governor-urging-epa-monitor-microplastics-drinking-water [58] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer [59] https://michiganadvance.com/2025/12/02/whitmer-joins-democratic-governors-calling-on-the-epa-to-monitor-microplastics-in-drinking-water/ [60] https://www.sej.org/headlines/trump-dismantles-programs-designed-cut-electricity-demand [61] 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