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.

Climate change and your cup of joe
Coffee is a very finicky crop, needing just the right “Goldilocks” climate and altitude to produce rich, quality brews. So naturally, climate change is taking a toll.
The world's insect population is in decline — and that's bad news for humans
Environmental writer Oliver Milman says habitat loss, pesticides and climate change are killing off insects worldwide, which, in turn, threatens humans. His new book is “The Insect Crisis.”
The first step to preparing for surging climate migration? Defining it
Anywhere from tens of millions to a billion people could become climate migrants by 2050, according to a report from the RAND Corporation. The number varies widely depending on the definition used.
Nearly half of U.S. bald eagles suffer lead poisoning
Researchers report harmful levels of toxic lead were found in the bones of 46 percent of bald eagles sampled in 38 states. Similar rates of lead exposure were found in golden eagles, according to their study Thursday in the journal Science.
The extreme cold that defines Minnesota winters is getting less extreme
The shift in cold weather trends has affected everything from when you can begin ice fishing each year, to what you can plant in your yard, to the management of invasive pests.