In Katowice, Protesters Disrupt a U.S. Event Promoting Fossil Fuels
For the second year in a row, climate advocates disrupted the U.S. government's attempts to promote coal and other fossil fuels at the United Nations climate conference.
Kate Wheeling
Kate Wheeling is a staff writer at Pacific Standard, where she specializes in criminal justice and the environment. She was previously an associate editor and editorial fellow at Pacific Standard. Wheeling has a bachelor's degree in behavioral neuroscience and a master's in science journalism. She has also written for Outside, Science, and Discover magazine.
Over a Dozen Climate Activists Denied Entry to Poland Amid Crackdown
Civil society says the Polish government is violating human rights and undermining the global climate negotiations by denying entry or deporting climate advocates.
How to Feed the World Without Breaking the Paris Agreement
The world's population is expected to balloon to nearly 10 billion by midcentury.
The World Bank Makes History on Climate Finance
Highlights from the first week of the 2018 United Nations climate summit in Poland.
At COP24, the Shipping Giant Maersk Is Leading the Way to Zero Emissions
Left out of the Paris Agreement in 2015, the shipping industry is finally joining the rest of the world on the path to decarbonization.
'The Virus Is Spreading': A Conversation With Harjeet Singh
A veteran climate finance expert explains the funding questions that could make or break the Paris rulebook.
Should Corporations That Pollute Have Any Influence at Climate Summits?
Corporations with large carbon footprints tend to undermine global efforts to solve the climate crisis, according to climate advocates.
Youth Activists Submit Their Demands at COP24: 'We're Fighting. Where Are You?'
While climate negotiators meet behind closed doors, climate activists have put out their own set of demands.
Electric Aviation Is Poised for a Revolution—and It's About Time
Replacing gas-guzzling planes with electric ones could put a real dent in global emissions—if we can get them in the sky fast enough.
Why the Simplest, Most Effective Climate Action You Can Take Is in the Kitchen
American climate action might be stymied at the federal level, but there's one place you can still make a major difference: on your plate.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Corrects the Record at COP24 in Poland
A news digest from day two of the United Nations climate conference, in quotes.
'There Is No Plan B': COP24 Kicks Off in Poland
The global climate summit kicked off in Poland over the weekend, with climate leaders stressing the need for urgent action.
Your Guide to This Year's Global Climate Summit
This year's climate negotiations have been billed as the most important COP since Paris. Here's what that will look like—and why you should care.
Here's Why People Are Worried About the Aviation Industry's Plans to Cut Emissions
Airlines are pushing for a global carbon market, but environmentalists say it won't be enough to prevent uncontrolled growth in aviation emissions.
Will the U.N.'s Dire Climate Report Light a Fire Under Negotiators at COP24?
The latest report from the IPCC finds that climate action is both urgent and possible. Political will might be in shorter supply.
The Latest U.N. Gap Report Shows Which Countries Are Falling Farthest Behind on Climate
Major countries are still whiffing on their Paris Agreement pledges.
How Has the National Climate Assessment Changed Since 2000?
The latest assessment paints a bleak picture of the future.
Jeff Sessions Leaves the Trump Administration With a Tough Legacy on Crime and Immigration
Here's how Sessions, who resigned Wednesday at Trump's request, will be remembered.
Big Oil Has Spent Millions Trying to Defeat a California County's Ballot Measure
Oil companies have contributed $8 million to fight against Measure G, a ballot measure in San Luis Obispo County that would block the expansion of local oil operations.
What Will the Mid-Terms Mean for Abortion Access?
With Roe v. Wade under threat, the stakes are high for abortion protections in states across the country.
How Kate Brown, Progressive Governor of a Historically Progressive State, Wound Up in a Tight Mid-Term Race Against a Republican
The embattled Oregon governor talks to Pacific Standard about offshore oil, sexism in politics, and her neck-and-neck race against political newcomer Knute Buehler.
If Proposition 3 Passes, 2018 Could Become California's Highest-Funded Year for Water Projects in Decades
A quick guide to Proposition 3, among the more confusing measures on which Californians will vote on November 6th.
The Trump Administration Approves the First Offshore Oil Facility in Federal Waters Off of Alaska
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke on Tuesday announced the approval of the first offshore oil production facility in federal waters off the coast of Alaska.
Dispatches: Santa Barbarans Rally Against Efforts to Expand Fracking in California
News and notes from Pacific Standard staff and contributors.
Here's What Trump Gets Wrong About California's Water Supply
No, the state does not really have plenty of water.
Oregon's Governor Will Sign an Executive Order Banning Offshore Drilling
Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced a plan to block offshore drilling off the state's coast on Monday.
The Trump Administration Asks the Supreme Court to Block a Youth Climate Lawsuit
The Trump administration is asking the United States Supreme Court to block a lawsuit filed by young Americans seeking to force more federal action on climate change.
How Will Hurricane Michael Affect Oil Operations in the Gulf?
Though this hurricane will likely only hit the oil industry with a glancing blow, the industry won't always be able to weather the storm.
Climate Change Is Bad for Your Mental Health
As temperatures rise, mental health often declines, but researchers still don't know why.
Brett Kavanaugh's Confirmation Is a Blow to the #MeToo Movement
The conservative judge's confirmation was nearly derailed by allegations of sexual misconduct and partisanship. His confirmation highlights the limits of the #MeToo movement.
What to Expect From the U.N.'s Big New Climate Report
The United Nations' highly anticipated climate science report is due out Monday, and it's unlikely to bring good news.
For Ford, Could the Senate Hearings Open Up Old Wounds?
Research shows that the trauma of sexual assault lingers for victims, and ruminating over the memory of an assault could re-traumatize survivors.
Waste From Central California's Oil Fields Is Spreading Underground, Threatening Water Supplies
In California's Central Valley, the oil industry has been dumping wastewater into unlined—and under-regulated—ponds, threatening the state's limited groundwater and the humans who rely on it.
'We Have to Bring Our Democracy Back to Life': A Conversation With Al Gore
Pacific Standard sat down with the former vice president at the Climate Reality Project leadership training summit in Los Angeles this week.
Americans Want Businesses—Not Local Governments—to Reduce Straw Pollution
In a new poll, nearly 80 percent of respondents supported companies switching to biodegradable straws.
The Arctic's Oldest, Thickest Sea Ice Is Breaking Up
Arctic ice north of Greenland that normally remains frozen even during the summer has opened up.
Nebraska Becomes the First State to Use Fentanyl for a Lethal Injection
Officials in Nebraska used fentanyl to execute a death row inmate on Tuesday, marking the first time the powerful opioid has been used to carry out the death penalty in the United States.
Dispatches: Finding Climate Change Clues in Ancient Ice
News and notes from Pacific Standard staff and contributors.
A Voting-Machine Manufacturer Installed Remote-Access Software
Election Systems and Software admitted to installing remote-access software on election management systems sold between 2000 and 2006.
A Dozen Russian Military Officers Have Been Indicted for Hacking During the 2016 Presidential Campaign
The hackers used spearfishing messages and installed malicious software to spy on users and steal data.
Climate Scientists Call on Jerry Brown to End Oil Extraction in California
There is no way to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement if California continues extracting oil and gas unabated.
California Meets Its 2020 Emissions Goal Early
California reached a critical emissions reduction milestone four years earlier than expected, data released Wednesday shows.
Republicans Want to Delay the Confirmation of Scott Pruitt's Replacement
Given their narrow majority, Senate Republicans prefer to let Andrew Wheeler continue as acting administrator rather than squeeze in another confirmation fight before the November mid-terms.
RAICES Offers to Cover Bail for Mothers Detained at the Border
The Texas-based legal non-profit will offer the Trump administration $20 million to cover the bail bonds of detained migrant mothers separated from their children at the border.
Trump Announces Brett Kavanaugh as His Supreme Court Nominee
Kavanaugh's confirmation could solidify the Supreme Court's conservative majority for decades.
The First Hurricane of the 2018 Season Is Headed for the Caribbean
Hurricane Beryl, currently a Category 1 storm with top wind speeds of 80 miles per hour, is expected to make landfall by late Sunday night.
Here's Why Environmental Groups Aren't Celebrating Pruitt's Departure
Conservationists believe Andrew Wheeler, the acting administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, may be even more dangerous than his predecessor.
Who Is Andrew Wheeler, the EPA's New Acting Administrator?
The former coal lobbyist is likely to continue with the Trump administration's efforts to roll back environmental oversight, but with far fewer scandals than his predecessor.
A Temporary Housing Program for Displaced Puerto Ricans Is Granted an Extension
A federal judge ruled Tuesday to extend a Federal Emergency Management Agency program providing temporary housing to Puerto Ricans lacking shelter in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
Utah Senator Mike Lee Is Among the Candidates Being Interviewed for a Supreme Court Seat
President Donald Trump interviewed Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) on Monday to replace Justice Anthony M. Kennedy on the Supreme Court.