National (U.S.)

COP30 — Why It Won’t Save the Planet

Just under two months from the start of the annual global forum for managing climate change — the United Nations’ conference of parties beginning Nov. 10 in Belém, Brazil — our Backgrounder analysis laments the vanishingly small chance that nations will agree on managing steadily rising greenhouse gas emissions. A look at the obstacles, plus COP30 reporting challenges, from hotel expenses to diplomatic spin.

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Teaming Up To Tap Into Texas Regulatory Capture

When reporters from Inside Climate News and The Texas Tribune teamed up on a multipart series about Texas environmental regulators, they found state agencies sidestepping science, the law and accountability. The beneficiaries? The oil and gas industry. Their prizewinning reporting was praised for its data analysis, and public records and field reporting. Read an Inside Story Q&A with Martha Pskowski of Inside Climate News.

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September 19, 2025

Reporting the Amazon: Safety, Mental Health and Climate Accountability

In this in-person, interactive roundtable event in NYC, co-organized by Mongabay, the Committee to Protect Journalists and the Society of Environmental Journalists, Mongabay's award-winning reporter (and SEJ board member) Karla Mendes will be in conversation with the Committee to Protect Journalists on how to bridge local-to-global coverage on the road to COP30. 3:30 - 5 p.m. EDT.

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"Riding the High From Data Centers, the Grid Cannot Kick Its Gas Habit"

"Big Tech’s AI frenzy is pressing up electricity demand around the country. The power grid is stuck in natural gas-fuelled inertia, slow to bring new clean energy projects online and leaving consumers on the hook."

Source: Inside Climate News, 09/15/2025

How Tribal Radio Stations Are Preparing For A Future Without The CPB

"In the most remote parts of Alaska, staying in touch can involve a bit more effort than sending a text. Cell service is spotty, highways are nonexistent, and the postal service remains a vital lifeline, delivering supplies and mail by plane. But for anyone who wants to broadcast a different kind of message — a reminder to pick up milk, for example, or birthday wishes — there’s always the Muktuk Telegram."

Source: Nieman Lab, 09/15/2025

Dwindling Colorado River Can’t Wait For States To Cut Water Use, Experts Say

"A group of experts says Western states urgently need to cut water use to avert a deepening crisis on the Colorado River. The river’s major reservoirs are less than one-third full, and another dry winter would push reservoirs toward critically low levels."

Source: LA Times, 09/15/2025

"Can Bipartisan Support in Congress Save NOAA From White House Cuts?"

"Both House and Senate lawmakers have advanced bills rejecting the Trump administration’s proposal to eliminate climate research at the weather agency."

Source: Inside Climate News, 09/15/2025

"Under Trump, FDA Seeks To Abandon Expert Reviews of New Drugs"

"FDA leaders under President Donald Trump are moving to abandon a decades-old policy of asking outside experts to review drug applications, a move critics say would shield the agency’s decisions from public scrutiny."

Source: KFF Health News, 09/15/2025

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