Environmental News

MPR News is your source for environment news from Minnesota and across the country.

Getting to Green: Minnesota’s energy future

Getting to Green is an MPR News series that shares stories about Minnesota’s clean energy transition, including what needs to be done to get there.

Submit a question or story for Getting to Green here.

Climate Cast

Listen to Climate Cast, the MPR News podcast all about our changing climate and its impact in Minnesota and worldwide.

Study: Freshwater fish contain concerning levels of ‘forever chemical’
The researchers with the nonprofit Environmental Working Group calculated that eating one fish a year was equal to ingesting water with PFOS at 48 parts per trillion for a month, much higher than what the Minnesota Department of Health considers a safe level for drinking water.
A kid's guide to climate change (plus a printable comic)
Learning about climate change? Here's a comic for kids about what it is and how it's affecting the planet — as explained by kids who are experiencing it. And find out how to print this comic at home!
2022 was fifth or sixth warmest on record as Earth heats up
Government science teams say that 2022 didn't quite set a record for heat, but it was in the top five or six warmest on record depending on who's doing the measuring.
'A huge concern': December storm did long-term damage to state's forests
The winter storm that smacked much of the state just before Christmas cut off power to thousands of homes, but also left long-lasting damage to the state’s forests. It’s damage that won’t be fully documented until the snow melts.
Exxon climate predictions were accurate decades ago. Still it sowed doubt
Exxon's climate research decades back painted an accurate picture of global warming, according to a new scientific paper. Still, the oil company continued climate-denying policy efforts.
Climate trends and news to keep an eye on in 2023
Last year was a banner year for clean energy with booms in solar and wind energy as well as the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest climate legislation ever. So what might be in store for 2023?
Food waste is a big problem. These small changes can help
Over one-third of the food produced in the U.S. goes uneaten, harming peoples' wallets and the climate. Here are some steps you can take in your supermarket and kitchen to cut back on waste.
Will heavy winter snows quench Minnesota's drought?
The Twin Cities is on track for its third snowiest winter ever, but that doesn’t mean the drought is over. The speed of the spring thaw will dictate how much of that needed moisture makes it into the ground. Slower is better, University of Minnesota professor Jeff Strock tells MPR News.