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.
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?
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.
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission unanimously accepted Summit Carbon Solution’s route permit application. It also ordered an environmental review of the project which has drawn opposition from communities along the proposed route in northwestern Minnesota.
Climate activists say the changes, which have been in the works since 2019, are long overdue. Developers will need to calculate their projects’ carbon footprint and methods they considered to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
There were ample climate challenges this year. There were also major developments in climate solutions. MPR News reporters share their top stories from across the state.
As Minnesota battles through a ground blizzard, let’s put these recent big winter storms that have slammed the area into a broader climate context. Minnesota's winters are getting warmer — that's one of the main impacts we're seeing here in Minnesota because of climate change. But are they also getting snowier?
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