The warmest winter on record has also brought some of the lowest snow cover on record to much of Minnesota.What does the lack of snow mean for Minnesota’s soils and farmers this year?Jeff Strock is a professor with the University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach Center.

What an unseasonably warm winter will mean for farmers this year

Well-known climate scientist Michael Mann recently won a million-dollar lawsuit against conservative bloggers.Mann alleged that he was defamed by the bloggers who said the climatologist “molested and tortured data.”So what precedent could this case set?Leigh Currie, the Director of Strategic Litigation with the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, breaks down what his win could mean for climate science.

Climate scientist Michael Mann wins defamation lawsuit against conservative bloggers

Locals in the Galapagos say climate change and the current Super El Niño could be affecting the marine life and climate there.The Galapagos Islands sit on the Equator in the eastern Pacific Ocean, just west of Ecuador at the confluence of three major ocean currents.MPR meteorologist Sven Sundgaard just returned from the islands on a trip where he got a first-hand look at what’s happening.

Super current El Niño and climate change hit the Galapagos Islands

Minnesota’s first-ever “green bank” launches this year. The Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority will distribute funding for green energy and other climate-friendly projects. The first projects from the $45 million pool could be funded early this summer.For more on the green bank is Pete Klein, interim executive director for the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority.

New ‘green bank’ for climate projects set to launch this year

A proposed carbon capture pipeline across the Midwest by Summit Carbon Solutions is awaiting approval from Iowa and other states. Minnesota approved the permit for it last year.The five-state, $5.5 billion pipeline system would capture carbon dioxide from ethanol plants and send it to North Dakota for underground storage.As more places, including ours, pursue carbon capture projects, what rules and monitoring mechanisms need to be in place to make sure things work as intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?Eric Schaeffer is Executive Director with the Environmental Integrity Project, which just released a report on the current federal rules for carbon capture projects — and what might be missing.

Report pushes for more EPA regulations of carbon capture projects

Last year was by far the warmest year on record globally. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and European datasets all confirm the numbers. That means the 10 warmest years on record globally are the past 10 years.How do climate scientists explain this unprecedented warming trend?Jared Rennie is a research scientist with NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information and he discussed what we should take away from the numbers.

Data confirm trend of warming global temperatures in last ten years

Minnesota officials have set an ambitious goal for the state to be carbon-neutral by 2050.And our Getting to Green series has been digging deep into stories of the clean energy transition. What opportunities and obstacles lie on the path to reach a carbon neutral Minnesota milestone?MPR News correspondents Dan Kraker and Kirsti Marohn guest hosted a series of conversations to talk to experts and listeners about our state's energy future.As a part of that reporting, they toured the home of William and Kristin Mroz-Risse which is now fully electric and more energy efficient. Kristin works for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency as the GreenStep Cities and tribal nations coordinator. William works in the renewable energy sector.

Take a tour of a fully electric and energy efficient home

A housing project that tackles homelessness, poverty, and climate change all in one.That’s the goal of Hillcrest Village in Northfield, Minnesota. It’s an emergency shelter and supportive housing development – powered entirely by the sun.Scott Wopata is Executive Director at Community Action Center, which was behind the project.

Northfield's new housing development tackles homelessness, poverty and climate change

Anyone getting gas and electricity service in Minneapolis will see an estimated one dollar increase in their bills come next year.The money from the slight hike is meant to go towards helping people weatherize their homes and programs to reduce carbon emissions.It’s a part of the city’s Climate Legacy Initiative and officials say it will raise an additional $10 million each year starting in 2024 for climate action.Dave Orrick wrote about the plan for the Star Tribune and broke it down on Climate Cast.

Minneapolis looks to fund climate action through minor hike in gas and energy bills

The United Nations 28th global climate conference, also known as COP28, just wrapped up in Dubai.And this year a group of 20 students from the College of St. Benedict and Saint John’s University got to observe the heated discussions about climate change and fossil fuels.Finn Dolezal was a part of that group. He’s a sophomore majoring in economics and minoring in math at Saint John's. He shared more about his time at COP28.

St. John's student reflects on experience at COP28

A major focus of this year’s global climate summit, COP28 or the Conference of the Parties, is the Loss and Damage Fund which was established at last year’s conference.The idea behind it is for developed nations to financially compensate developing countries dealing with the harmful — and very costly — impacts of climate change. On the first day of this year’s conference, global leaders agreed to operationalize that fund with some countries pledging as much as $100 million right away. The U.S. plans to contribute $17.5 million if Congress gives the green light. Still, some say a lot more will be needed — hundreds of billions more. Nfamara Dampha is a research scientist at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment and he’s taking part in the discussion at COP28 as a delegate for the Gambia. Last year, the small country was hit with its largest rainfall in more than thirty years, causing more than $125 million in damage. As these climate events continue, Dampha says developed countries not only have a legal responsibility to help vulnerable countries but also a “moral and ethical responsibility”.

U of M scientist advocates for developing countries at global climate summit

The fifth National Climate Assessment came out last week. It’s an important report that lays out the impacts of climate change across the U.S.In it this year is a chapter on the specific ways climate change affects indigenous communities — and why indigenous leadership and self-determination are essential for addressing the climate crisis.One of the authors of that chapter is Mike Dockry, an assistant professor with the University of Minnesota Department of Forest Resources. He specializes in Tribal and Indigenous Natural Resource Management. He gave us a closer look at the chapter on Climate Cast.

U.S. report includes calls for Indigenous leadership and self-determination to fight climate change

10 percent of U.S. transportation greenhouse gas emissions come from plane travel according to the Environmental Protection Agency. But a first-of-its kind initiative is looking to slash those numbers by creating a hub to scale the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Estimates show that SAF can reduce the lifecycle carbon emissions of flying by more than 80 percent.Peter Frosch is CEO of the Greater Minneapolis St. Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership, one of the partners involved in the effort.

Minnesota initiative looks to boost production of sustainable aviation fuel

Insurance losses from climate-enhanced extreme weather disasters are changing the insurance landscape. And this week, several groups have sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and the Financial Stability Oversight Council to call for greater federal oversight of the insurance industry in light of soaring disaster costs.Anne Perrault, finance policy counsel with advocacy group Public Citizen, shared more about the asks.

Groups call for greater federal oversight of insurance industry

President Biden made a visit to Minnesota farmers this week to highlight investments in our region’s rural economy.But with climate change-driven weather whiplash the last few years, how are our local farmers really doing?Dan Guenthner runs Common Harvest Farm near Osceola, WI. He spoke about the challenges of farming in the face of climate extremes.

Farming in the face of climate extremes

Climate change is wreaking havoc on the global insurance market. That’s the takeaway from a piece in Grist that points out natural disasters now cost the U.S. insurance industry $100 billion a year.Lois Parshley wrote about the trends in the first of a 4-part series for Grist.

Climate change is wreaking havoc on the global insurance market

Go Midwest, young man?That’s the title of a recent piece in Time Magazine that touts the Midwest as a place people will likely move to in the future. So which factors make the Midwest a potentially attractive place to relocate? Alana Semuels, the author of that piece, shared more about her findings.

Climate change has some moving to the Midwest

Minnesota leaders set an ambitious goal to be carbon-neutral by 2050. What will it take to carry out Minnesota’s green energy transition?Here at MPR News we’re tracking Minnesota’s clean energy progress, in a series called Getting to Green.We talk about it with MPR News reporters Dan Kraker and Kirsti Marohn.

Follow Minnesota's green transition with MPR News Getting to Green series

Congress is due to pass a new farm bill this year. This major piece of legislation sets the rules for all things food and agriculture for the next five years.While it’s still yet to be written, some say the bill needs to bring changes to conservation programs and crop insurance to help farmers become more resilient to climate change.Michael Happ is with the Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy and he’s been looking at the bill.

As new farm bill gets drafted, some hope for changes to support sustainable farming

An increase in water vapor in the atmosphere is driving more extreme weather around the world.How is that playing out here in Minnesota?John Abraham, Thermal Sciences Professor and Mechanical Engineering Program Director at University of St. Thomas, shared more about the little known but growing climate concern.

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