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.

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Climate Cast

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

Prepare for another summer of air quality alerts, but less than 2023
Minnesotans can expect more air quality alerts than usual this summer, but probably won’t have to hide out from the wildfire haze as much as last year, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
A U of M scientist is using leaf glow to better track climate change
Professor Rui Cheng is behind the research. She says leaf glow offers a more direct and accurate way to understand the effects of climate change on ecosystems in the Arctic and boreal regions, which are experiencing some of the fastest rates of temperature warming in the world.
Why wonky building codes could be key in reducing state’s climate impact
Building codes set minimum safety requirements for how new homes should be designed and constructed. But they can also be an important behind-the-scenes tool to fight climate change.
A seafood bounty lures sea lions to S.F.'s Pier 39 in numbers not seen in 15 years
It's a popular rest stop for sea lions, but the docks at the tourist hot spot these days are unusually packed out with the slippery residents. Conservationists are buoyed by the surge in visitors.
RD Offutt Farms sues White Earth Nation over water permits
In a lawsuit filed Friday, RD Offutt farms asked a federal judge to issue a judgment that the White Earth Nation does not have the authority to regulate potato farmers’ groundwater use. RDO is challenging a White Earth ordinance requiring growers to get a tribal irrigation permit.