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India’s Push for Battery Recycling Promises Jobs, Clean Energy and Mineral Security

Reusing, recycling and repurposing batteries can reduce dependence on hard to obtain critical minerals and create a $9 billion industry, according to energy analysts

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Across India, battery recycling faces a mixture of challenges and opportunity as it plays an important role in the country's shift to clean power.A fledgling system has taken off in the past decade for recovering materials from the batteries used in electric vehicles, smartphones and other consumer electronics. The valuable minerals these companies recover — such as lithium, cobalt and nickel — are then reused in India’s growing fleet of electric vehicles and solar power installations. Recycling and repurposing batteries is a key to reducing dependence on imports for hard-to-obtain metals. “More than 40% of the country's copper and aluminum needs are met by recycling scrap and we want to aspire for the same when it comes to lithium, cobalt and nickel,” said Rajat Verma, founder and CEO of Lohum Cleantech, a 7-year-old battery manufacturing and recycling company based in Noida near India's capital New Delhi.A formalized system can potentially create 100,000 green jobs and meet nearly 40% of the country’s demand for key minerals, according to a November study by the renewable energy think tank RMI. The report found that an industry around recycling and reusing batteries could be worth $9 billion as India's battery demand skyrockets, mostly due to EVs.“What’s exciting about these materials is it’s not like plastics. You can recycle them for perpetuity and they can still have material strength and the quality you need once you refine them,” said Marie McNamara, a manager with RMI’s India program who was one of the authors of the report.But the system faces challenges. India currently has 60,000 tons of battery recycling capacity, but not all of it is used because supply chains are still being developed to supply the recovered materials to factories. One reason for this is that most of India's waste recycling is done by informal workers — estimated to be as many as four million, who deal with a variety of scrap materials beyond batteries and work without any formal contracts. Gaps between policy and implementation India is among the highest emitters of planet-heating gases as the world’s most populous nation provides power for billions of people. At the same time, its clean energy sector has grown rapidly, led by adoption of solar power and electric vehicles. India's government passed battery waste management rules in 2022 that mandate environmentally safe disposal and management of battery waste. But given the largely informal nature of scrap recycling in India, experts and recycling companies said the rule has been poorly implemented so far. Recycling in an environmentally friendly way is another challenge.The rules mandate producers meet specific collection and recycling targets for various battery types. The rules include heavy fines for violators. However, there are no specific outlets for discarded batteries and each company has to set up their own systems for recycling. Experts said a lack of a well-structured recycling industry makes it difficult for companies to implement the rule. Jaideep Saraswat, an energy expert with New Delhi-based Vasudha Foundation, said India has moved “surprisingly fast from a policy perspective,” but the right battery recycling supply chain is still missing. How battery recycling works A typical electric car battery is about 1.5 meters (5 feet) long, weighs up to 400 kilograms (882 pounds) and is usually designed to last for at least 160,000 kilometers (99,400 miles) which is usually reached after 8 to 12 years of use. Up to 90% of an EV battery's contents can be extracted after use if recycled properly.Recycling processes vary, but two common means are “shredding” battery modules into fine powder using machines or smelting them in industrial furnaces. The products of these processes are often then processed using acids or other chemicals to recover specific metals.Alternatively, discarded batteries can be repurposed to store excess solar and wind energy for homes and small shops. Repurposing involves testing the battery for defects and cleaning its components before it is sold for reuse. Toxic contaminants are at times dumped illegally by recyclers, which can cause environmental pollution, said Nishchay Chadha, CEO of U.S.-based ACE Green recycling, which has operations in India. If not done properly, recycling lithium batteries can emit carbon monoxide and other hazardous gases. The recycling process also usually produces wastewater containing heavy metals that can contaminate soil and water if improperly disposed. “We’ve not expanded much in India because we don’t see much appreciation for clean operations, whether it’s lead or lithium,” he said.RMI’s McNamara urged India to set up training programs to help scrap workers transition to more formal jobs. She said the government at the federal and state level should also provide support to the businesses who can hire these workers. “Formalization will really help drive safety and accountability, especially considering that batteries are both defined by their toxicity as well as their potential,” she said. Reducing dependence on imported minerals Globally, critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt are essential for products ranging from smartphones to electric cars. However, China controls much of the critical mineral supply chain through mining, refining and processing, according to the International Energy Agency.India doesn’t yet have any operational mines for lithium and some other key minerals, and like most of the world is dependent on its Asian neighbor. Energy experts said that effectively recovering minerals from used products can meet an important need.However, India should take baby steps first, said Chadha of ACE Green Recycling. Chadha said China takes recycling seriously because it's an important part of the supply chain, even though it’s often unprofitable by itself. “They also actually lose money on recycling, but they look at it as part of the whole puzzle where recycling is a critical part and they’re looking at making money across the whole value chain,” he said.Others in the battery sector are optimistic. “If the momentum that is there in India today continues, in my opinion, we can probably create five multibillion dollar giants in this industry,” said Verma of Lohum Cleantech.The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See – December 2025

Energy
Business
Climate

Dunedin’s inner-city greening project shows even small spaces can be wildlife havens

Medium-density housing has limited green spaces, but even small planted patches can provide enough food and habitat to enhance urban biodiversity.

Even small green spaces can bring nature back into cities, as our project in Ōtepoti Dunedin has shown. Over the past two years, Dunedin’s city centre has become greener and more biodiverse thanks to the installation of street-side planters. This change, though modest, proves popular with a range of insects that have moved in even though the city centre remains dominated by grey non-permeable surfaces. This real-world example shows that urban dwellers with limited green spaces can still have a positive impact on urban biodiversity through the use of planters and raised garden beds. Since most New Zealanders live in urban areas, these are the places where people frequently interact with and experience nature. The way we design cities shapes our experience of the natural world, and it should include habitat for our native flora and fauna. As housing pressure rises, stand-alone homes with private gardens are increasingly replaced by medium-density housing with limited greenspace. If we want to keep our living environments green, we have to find ways to enhance biodiversity in increasingly smaller spaces. Opportunities to connect with nature are linked to increased mental and physical wellbeing, sense of place and pro-environmental behaviours. In fact, having a connection to nature was deemed equally important as income in a recent Australian survey that ranked life satisfaction. Planning with biodiversity in mind Amid the growing recognition of biodiversity’s importance, the Dunedin City Council has started weaving it into city planning, despite the absence of national policies for modified urban habitats. The council partnered with local agency Aukaha to incorporate mana whenua values of environmental guardianship into the design of the city’s main shopping street. The native ground-covering bidibid can be used with plants of different heights to create new habitats. Author provided, CC BY-ND The upgrade of Dunedin’s George Street comprises three consecutively installed blocks, each with a slightly different theme. The first block is dominated by native plants, the second features more flowering species, and the third has a mixture of both. In total, the planters include more than 2,500 plants representing close to 60 species, of which more than half are native. These offer a variety of resources for wildlife, from food (pollen, nectar, fruit) to habitat niches created through the plants’ varying heights and physical structures. Each block’s planters have either loose stone or bark as the ground medium. Urban insect colonisation To test whether George Street’s planters actually do enhance biodiversity we conducted a two-year study of insect colonisation. Insects were sampled in traps and by vacuuming leaves. Author provided, CC BY-ND We used pitfall traps buried in the ground and hand-held vacuuming of plants to catch insects and assessed whether the planters act as stepping-stone habitats – small patches that connect fragmented urban landscapes to more natural ones, thus enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem health. Our results are promising. As expected in a harsh, disturbed urban environment, we found the insect communities in the George Street planters differ from those found in more extensive natural areas such as the Town Belt or Ross Creek, which tend to have more specialised species. However, several groups have successfully colonised the planters, including spiders, flies, native wasps, beetles and other insects. Beetles, New Zealand’s largest insect group, are good indicators of ecosystem health. We found a small population of Scopodes fossulatus, a native ground-dwelling carnivorous beetle, also present in the surrounding natural areas. Its presence indicates sufficient food resources (other smaller insects) and a functioning micro-ecosystem. Gardening for wildlife The George Street planters offer practical guidance for urban dwellers on how to enhance biodiversity in their own outdoor spaces, regardless of size. Bark was found to be more successful in attracting insects than loose stone as the planter medium. Planting vegetation of varying heights is one of the best ways to enhance urban biodiversity. This can be achieved by planting a native ground cover such as Aceana microphylla (bidibid), together with a variety of structurally complex plants between 30 centimetres and more than two metres in height. Plants with more leaf surface area and complex shapes and forms, such as Polystichum vestitum (prickly shield fern), are more likely to offer habitat, and thus attract insects, compared to structurally simple plants like Libertia (New Zealand iris) species. While non-native plants add colour, including native plants will attract native insects as they have co-evolved. George Street demonstrates that even in a small space, staggering flowering times throughout the year to provide continuous food resources is achievable: native Veronica (formerly Hebe) “Beverly Hills”, for instance, produces bright purple flowers throughout spring and summer, while non-native Lenten roses flower from late winter to spring. When sourcing native plants for pots, planters or gardens, growers should consider supporting local nurseries. They often offer a greater genetic diversity and in-depth knowledge on local climatic preferences. Most importantly, it’s good to take time to connect with nature, be it on a balcony, backyard or the seats around the George Street planters, and enjoy the species these small but mighty green spaces can attract. Jacqueline Theis receives funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. She is affiliated with the Entomological Society of New Zealand. Barbara I.P. Barratt receives funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for research on border biosecurity, risk assessment for biological control agents and native grassland ecology; from the Department of Conservation for research on endangered insect species; and from Environment Canterbury for expert advice on terrestrial invertebrates.Connal McLean is affiliated with the Entomological Society of New Zealand and a trustee of the Moths and Butterflies of NZ Trust. Yolanda van Heezik receives funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Food
Business
Health

House Backs Bill to Speed Permitting Reviews for New Energy and Infrastructure Projects

The House has approved bipartisan legislation aimed at speeding up permitting reviews for new energy and infrastructure projects and limiting judicial review

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House approved legislation Thursday aimed at speeding up permitting reviews for new energy and infrastructure projects and limiting judicial review.The bill, dubbed the SPEED Act, would enact the most significant change in decades to the National Environmental Policy Act, a bedrock environmental law that requires federal agencies to consider a project’s possible environmental impacts before it is approved. The bill was approved, 221-196, and now goes to the Senate.Republicans and many Democrats believe the 55-year-old law has become mired in red tape that routinely results in years-long delays for major projects. The law requires detailed analysis for major projects and allows for public comments before approvals are issued. A recent study found that environmental reviews total hundreds of pages and take nearly five years to complete.The House bill would place statutory limits on environmental reviews, broaden the scope of actions that don’t require review and set clear deadlines. It also limits who can bring legal challenges and legal remedies that courts can impose. “The SPEED Act is a focused, bipartisan effort to restore common sense and accountability to federal permitting,'' said Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, the bill's chief sponsor.While NEPA was passed “with the best of intentions,” it has become unwieldly in the decades since, said Westerman, who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee and has long pushed for permitting reform."Unfortunately, what was meant to facilitate responsible development has been twisted into a bureaucratic bottleneck that delays investments in the infrastructure and technologies that make our country run,'' Westerman said Thursday on the House floor.Democrats agreed that the permitting process has become unwieldy, but said the House bill does not address the real causes of delay and undercuts public input and participation while overly restricting judicial review.“The SPEED Act treats environmental reviews as a nuisance rather than a tool to prevent costly, harmful mistakes," said California Rep. Jared Huffman, the top Democrat on the Natural Resources panel. “Weakening environmental review won’t fix permitting challenges (and) won’t help us build the clean energy future that we need,” Huffman said. "Gutting NEPA only invites more risk, more mistakes, more litigation, more damage to communities that already face too many environmental burdens.”Huffman and other Democrats also complained that the bill could harm wind and solar projects that are being shut down by the Trump administration. A last-minute change this week allows the administration to continue to block some offshore wind projects, bending to demands by conservatives who oppose offshore wind.The American Clean Power Association, which represents wind developers, pulled its support for the bill because of the changes, which were demanded by Republican Reps. Andy Harris of Maryland and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey.The GOP amendment “fundamentally changed legislation that represented genuine bipartisan progress on permitting reform,'' said Jason Grumet, the group's CEO. “It’s disappointing that a partisan amendment .... has now jeopardized that progress, turning what should have been a win for American energy into another missed opportunity.”Harris, who chairs the conservative House Freedom Caucus, defended the change, which he said “will protect legal actions the Trump administration has taken thus far to combat the Biden offshore wind agenda,” including a project in Maryland that the administration has moved to block. Westerman called the change minor and said that without it, "we probably would not have gotten permitting reform done.” Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, the bill's co-sponsor, said lawmakers from both parties have long agreed that "America’s broken permitting system is delaying investments in the basics we need — energy, transportation and housing. Support for the measure "gives me hope that Congress is finally ready to take the win'' on permitting reform, Golden said.House approval of the permitting measure shifts focus to the Senate, where a broader deal that includes changes to the Clean Water Act to facilitate pipeline projects and transmission lines is being considered. Democrats, including Sens. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, also are pursuing legislation to make it harder for Trump to cancel permits for clean-energy projects. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See – December 2025

Energy
Resources
Water

Costa Rica Biologists Identify New Insect Species in Museum Collections

Biologists at the University of Costa Rica have uncovered 16 new species of leafhoppers after examining insect collections that sat untouched in museums for over three decades. The find also includes nine species newly recorded in the country, pushing the total known Scaphytopius species in Costa Rica to 29. Carolina Godoy and Andrés Arias-Penna led […] The post Costa Rica Biologists Identify New Insect Species in Museum Collections appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Biologists at the University of Costa Rica have uncovered 16 new species of leafhoppers after examining insect collections that sat untouched in museums for over three decades. The find also includes nine species newly recorded in the country, pushing the total known Scaphytopius species in Costa Rica to 29. Carolina Godoy and Andrés Arias-Penna led the research, starting their review in 2023. They pored over specimens from the University of Costa Rica’s insect museum and others held in U.S. institutions. “We looked at material stored for years and spotted many unidentified species in the Scaphytopius genus,” Godoy explained. “This led us to detail their taxonomy and confirm the new ones.” These leafhoppers, part of one of the planet’s largest insect families, feed on plants and jump like small cicadas. Adults measure under six millimeters, with younger stages even smaller. Though not widely recognized, they hold key positions in ecosystems and signal environmental conditions. The team pinpointed the new species in biologically rich spots across Costa Rica. Locations include La Selva Biological Station in Sarapiquí, humid Caribbean forests, the Osa Peninsula, and Talamanca’s mountains. Some names reflect local features or pay tribute to scientists: Scaphytopius vulcanus draws from Guanacaste’s Cacao Volcano, while S. hansoni honors biologist Paul Hanson. Others, like S. ancorus and S. viperans, evoke their distinct forms. Before this study, published in Zootaxa in September 2025, records of the genus in Costa Rica stopped at four species in 1982. The update fills a long-standing gap and shows how museum archives can yield fresh insights. Arias-Penna, who curates the UCR insect museum, noted that these insects might appear in everyday settings. “People could find them in their gardens without realizing,” he said. The discovery underscores Costa Rica’s role as a biodiversity hub, where protected areas still hide unknowns. Researchers stress that the actual number of species may exceed current counts, calling for continued exploration. Godoy and Arias-Penna’s work not only adds to global knowledge but also supports conservation efforts by highlighting overlooked groups. This breakthrough came from routine checks of old collections, proving that science advances through patient review. As Costa Rica protects its natural wealth, findings like these reinforce the need to study even the smallest inhabitants. The post Costa Rica Biologists Identify New Insect Species in Museum Collections appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Conservation
Forests
Mountains

Sarah Burton obituary

My partner, Sarah Burton, who has died of cancer of the appendix aged 73, was a formidable legal and environmental activist. She held senior roles at Greenpeace UK, Greenpeace International and Amnesty International.She joined the law firm of Seifert Sedley in the late 1970s, after impressing them with her negotiating skills for the Seymour Place Co-operative, in London. During the 1980 Blair Peach inquest, Sarah secured a high court order stopping proceedings and requiring the coroner to sit with a jury. Continue reading...

My partner, Sarah Burton, who has died of cancer of the appendix aged 73, was a formidable legal and environmental activist. She held senior roles at Greenpeace UK, Greenpeace International and Amnesty International.She joined the law firm of Seifert Sedley in the late 1970s, after impressing them with her negotiating skills for the Seymour Place Co-operative, in London. During the 1980 Blair Peach inquest, Sarah secured a high court order stopping proceedings and requiring the coroner to sit with a jury.In the mid-80s, with her law partner Mike Seifert, she coordinated representation for thousands of striking miners and fought off countless injunctions. During the strike, she gave birth to her daughter, Hannah, receiving a large bouquet from Arthur Scargill.Born in New York to Henrietta (nee Berman), an accountant, and Irving Novak, a garment worker who owned his own business, Sarah went to Long Beach high school, Long Island. She moved to Britain in the early 70s, worked as a legal secretary, and took evening classes to become a solicitor; she qualified in 1980. She married Rick Burton in 1973 and they divorced amicably three years later, remaining friends.In 1990, Sarah joined Greenpeace UK as their first in-house lawyer. When British Nuclear Fuels obtained an injunction preventing Greenpeace UK from stopping BNFL dumping nuclear waste into the Irish Sea, Sarah advised that foreign activists – not bound by UK courts – could lawfully block BNFL’s wastepipe. She was right. She left in 2002 and became an independent consultant for a number of NGOs and charities; in 2006 she joined Amnesty International as campaign programme director.From 2009 to 2018 she managed senior programme staff at Greenpeace International, in Amsterdam. In 2009 she travelled to Sumatra, where illegal logging threatened a local community. When told to bring whatever she would take on a camping trip, she replied: “A hotel reservation?” Surrounded by armed soldiers, she asked the community whether they wanted to move or stay. They chose to stay, and she insisted Greenpeace stay with them. In time, the soldiers withdrew.Sarah retired in 2018 and we moved to Bridport, Dorset, in 2020, where she embraced painting and steel drumming. A founder of Lawyers for Nuclear Disarmament, she also served on the boards of Natural England, English Nature and the Public Law Project.Though known for her courage, Sarah was proudest of mentoring young women activists who went on to lead within Greenpeace and other NGOs. After 20 years together we celebrated our civil partnership in April.She is survived by me, her daughter, Hannah, and her brother, Milton.

Activism
Business
Waste

Pumas Are Snacking on Penguins in Argentina—and the Abundant Birds Are Changing the Prowling Cats' Behavior

Mountain lions are adapting to their defenseless, predictable prey, which return to Patagonia seasonally to nest and breed, new research suggests

Pumas Are Snacking on Penguins in Argentina—and the Abundant Birds Are Changing the Prowling Cats’ Behavior Mountain lions are adapting to their defenseless, predictable prey, which return to Patagonia seasonally to nest and breed, new research suggests Sarah Kuta - Daily Correspondent December 18, 2025 10:45 a.m. Magellanic penguins are easy prey for the large cats. Tompkins Conservation / Rewilding Argentina Roughly a century ago, European sheep herders began settling Argentina’s Patagonia region and killed off as many potential predators as possible to protect their flocks. Pumas, also known as mountain lions and cougars, mostly disappeared from the landscape, which allowed other creatures—including Magellanic penguins—to thrive. In recent decades, however, pumas have started to rebound. And the cats’ return has led to some unexpected ripple effects: Mountain lions, which are typically solitary animals, are now congregating near seasonal Magellanic penguin colonies to feast upon the little black and white birds, scientists report in a paper published December 17 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The researchers set up 32 trail cameras to gather photos and videos of the interactions. Tompkins Conservation / Rewilding Argentina Once pumas were extirpated from the region in the early 20th century, the Magellanic penguins started to move in from nearby islands. Without four-legged predators roaming around, they apparently felt safe and comfortable enough to start breeding on the mainland. Today, their coastal colonies can include tens of thousands of nests. In 2004, Argentina established Monte León National Park to protect a large swath of coastal Patagonia. The creation of the park helped pumas regain their foothold in the region and led to a novel predator-prey relationship between the large cats and the mid-sized penguins. Did you know? Pumas aren't "big cats" Despite their large size, mountain lions aren’t considered “big cats” by scientists. That name technically refers to members of the genus Panthera, which includes lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards and snow leopards. Pumas are the only living members of the Puma genus. Scientists knew mountain lions were snacking on Magellanic penguins—anecdotal reports started popping up around 2007, study co-author Emiliano Donadio, science director at the Fundación Rewilding Argentina, tells BBC Wildlife Magazine’s Graeme Green. But Donadio and his colleagues wanted to learn more about how this new food source was affecting the predators’ behavior and movements. Penguins spend part of the year on the coast, during their breeding season, and the rest of the year at sea foraging, so the natural conditions were ideal for research. Did pumas behave differently when the penguins were present versus when the birds were absent? Researchers put GPS collars on 14 pumas within the park, then tracked their movements from September 2019 to December 2023. They also set up 32 wildlife cameras to watch the cats’ behavior and estimate their numbers when penguins were present versus when they were absent. Researchers put GPS tracking collars on 14 pumas in the park. Tompkins Conservation / Rewilding Argentina The data showed clear evidence that the pumas had adapted to their new prey. When the penguins showed up and started nesting, the pumas shrank their territories, the study revealed. And when the birds returned to the water at the end of the breeding season, the cats expanded their territories once again. Regardless of the penguins’ presence, about 13 pumas roamed per 39 square miles, the team found. That’s the largest density of pumas ever documented at one site, which is roughly double the density of the past record-holding location. This means the solitary cats were interacting with each other more often—and doing so relatively peacefully. The results suggest mountain lions are more tolerant of each other when there’s a smorgasbord of defenseless, predictable, easy-to-snatch prey around—similar to how bears typically congregate without incident along northern rivers during the annual salmon run. Mountain lions are spending more time near each other when the penguins are nesting. Tompkins Conservation / Rewilding Argentina “We tend to think of pumas as extremely aggressive and intolerant,” Donadio tells National Geographic’s Meghie Rodrigues. “But when food is abundant and concentrated, there’s no need to defend it.” The findings weren’t necessarily surprising to the researchers, as mountain lions are an “incredibly resilient species,” says study co-author Mitchell Serota, an ecologist at Duke Farms, a center of the Doris Duke Foundation, to ABC News’ Julia Jacobo. They inhabit a wide range, from Canada to nearly the southern tip of South America, and they thrive in a variety of ecosystems, including forests, grasslands, shrublands and deserts. They’re also known to have diverse diets and seem willing to take advantage of whatever prey is available—whether that’s tiny mice or enormous elk. Jake Goheen, a wildlife ecologist at Iowa State University who was not involved with the research, agrees, telling the New York Times’ Alexa Robles-Gil the findings represent “an extraordinary example of how flexible large carnivores can be.” Scientists don't know how many penguins the pumas are killing. Tompkins Conservation / Rewilding Argentina For now, the study authors say their research has only scratched the surface. They don’t know the long-term effects on the penguins’ numbers, although recent surveys suggest the birds’ population is growing. And mountain lions in the region usually hunt guanacos, a four-legged relative of the llama, so how might their seasonal penguin feasts affect their predation of these creatures? Moreover, the findings demonstrate the complexity of animal reintroduction and environmental restoration efforts. Contrary to popular belief, reintroducing large carnivores doesn’t mean an ecosystem will revert to its historic state. “When we start to rewild the land, the species that are coming back might find a system that is a bit different from the one that they used to inhabit 100 years ago—and they adapt to it,” Donadio tells National Geographic. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

Mountains
Animals
Food

Along the Texas Coast, a New Sanctuary Aims to Protect the Endangered and Rare Whooping Crane

Partners at the International Crane Foundation and The Conservation Fund have secured permanent protection of more than 3,300 acres of high-priority wintering habitat for whooping cranes near Port Aransas, Texas

WOLFBERRY WHOOPING CRANE SANCTUARY, Texas (AP) — Carter Crouch has been fascinated by the whooping crane’s conservation story for as long as he can remember. The white bird, named for its “whooping” call, is one of the rarest in North America and was among the first to be protected by the Endangered Species Act.It’s a story that began decades ago when they were on the brink of extinction. Today, more than 550 whooping cranes migrate from Canada to Texas in the winter. It's the last self-sustaining wild flock in the world.A new sanctuary aims to further protect them. The International Crane Foundation, The Conservation Fund and the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program announced Thursday the acquisition of more than 3,300 acres (1,336 hectares) of vital winter habitat for the whooping crane. Only 16 of the birds existed in Texas in the early 1940s, but thanks to decades of conservation work, they’ve rebounded. Still, more work remains as the birds face threats from urban development, climate change, infrastructure for planet-warming oil, gas and coal and more.Crouch, director of Gulf Coast programs for the International Crane Foundation, said the crane’s story is complicated with many successes and some setbacks, but all in all, conservationists have come a long way. “We have a long way to go still, so there’s a lot of story to be written, and I’m super excited to be a small part of that.” An imperiled species, threatened habitat Standing at about 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall, the whooping crane is the tallest bird in North America with wingspans of up to 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) wide, so they need large landscapes to live in. They're snowy white as adults with black wing tips and a red forehead. It's one of 15 crane species in the world across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North America — 10 of which are threatened with extinction. The last wild and self-sustaining flock of whooping cranes breeds and nests in the wetlands in and around Canada’s Wood Buffalo National Park before beginning their 45-day 2,500-mile (4,023-kilometer) southern migration each winter to forage and roost in and near Texas’ Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. The birds, which can live more than 20 years in the wild, mate for life and spend much of their lives raising families. Cranes around the world face numerous challenges. Poaching and poisons threaten some species, and the wetlands and grasslands they need to survive are disappearing. Since the 1970s, 35% of the world’s wetlands have been lost because of human activities, according to the United Nations. The Fish and Wildlife Service estimates the U.S. alone has lost at least 80% of its grasslands.Climate change is worsening the threats. Sea level rise can wipe out the low-lying coastal wetlands in Texas, and loss of permafrost due to warming is among their habitat threats in Canada. Changing rain patterns mean there's less wetland availability in the Great Plains and other regions. “Generally it’s just a really long-lived group of birds, so they’re pretty sensitive to some of these threats that we’re throwing at them,” Crouch said. A safe haven for whooping cranes and other species On a recent morning, after a thick fog cleared, Crouch and a team of scientists roared a boat aptly called Crane Seeker down a channel along the Gulf of Mexico to look for whooping cranes. They anchored the boat, pointed their spotting scope, and patiently observed the birds for nearly an hour, diligently jotting down every minute what they were doing. Flying. Wading in shallow water. Eating crabs or wolfberries.The federally endangered aplomado falcon and the threatened black rail bird also call this region home. The new sanctuary southwest of Houston is made up of two properties purchased for just over $8.4 million thanks to grants, fundraising and hundreds of donations. One property, named the Wolfberry Whooping Crane Sanctuary, will be owned and managed by the International Crane Foundation, and the other by The Conservation Fund until the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program buys it off and ultimately owns it. The name is inspired by the Carolina wolfberry, a shrub that produces a small, red berry whooping cranes love to eat. It's found here in the coastal habitats of Texas, along with the blue crabs, mollusks and fish they also eat. Conservationists have a lot of work to do on the sanctuary. Much of the prairie has been overtaken by shrubs, so they'll be using prescribed burns and other means to restore the grassland. With the public's help, they'll also plant smooth cordgrass to improve the marshes and protect shorelines from erosion, which will also serve as storm buffers for nearby residents. Volunteers will also assist with the annual Christmas bird counts. And once the sanctuary is up and running, they hope to add guided tours and other educational events. A reliable place to see whooping cranes These protected lands near Texas’ Aransas National Wildlife Refuge are the only place in the U.S. where people can reliably see whooping cranes, said Julie Shackelford, Texas director for The Conservation Fund. It's a destination for birders worldwide, with visitors boosting the economies of nearby communities like Rockport and Port Aransas. In the winters, a “couple hundred people every day go out just to see the whooping crane” with their young, said Shackelford, a fellow bird enthusiast. She described helping to protect the land for future generations as “super gratifying.” Mike Forsberg knows these birds intimately. As a conservation photographer, he's spent countless hours over the years taking photos of North America's cranes, even publishing books about them. He has a podcast about whooping cranes, too, and just finished shooting a documentary. He calls himself a proud member of the growing “craniac community.” “The heart of keeping anything on the Earth ... has to do with making it personal to you, and cranes are just a great doorway in,” said Forsberg, a faculty member at the University of Nebraska. His 2024 book, “Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes” posed the question of whether these birds can survive a 21st century world. “Of course they can,” he said. “They’re resilient. But it’s up to us. And these habitats that are being protected now by the (International) Crane Foundation and by folks who just manage their land with a certain ethos ... that’s critical.”Pineda reported from Los Angeles.The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environmentCopyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See – December 2025

Conservation
Climate
Extinction

Portland faces pressure to reduce storage capacity at fuel hub amid quake risks

Community activists want the 20% drawdown to start immediately while the city proposes to complete it by 2036.

The city’s proposal to reduce storage capacity at the fuels hub in Northwest Portland has drawn sharp criticism from community advocates and others who argue the proposed timeline is dangerously slow given seismic risks and climate threats. The clash came to a head at a Planning Commission hearing Tuesday night as city staff outlined a plan for a 20% reduction to be completed by 2036. Environmental activists, tribal representatives and neighborhood groups pressed for the drawdown to start immediately and called for raising the targets as fuel use falls statewide. The dueling proposals are part of an effort to chart a future path for the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub, a 6-mile stretch on the Willamette River along U.S. 30 between the Fremont Bridge and the southern tip of Sauvie Island. Eleven companies own fuel terminals there that store crude oil, diesel, renewable diesel and other fuels in more than 400 aging tanks. Over 90% of Oregon’s fuel supply comes through the hub. Numerous studies, including a seismic risk assessment by Multnomah County, have shown the fuels could spill and explode if the soil under the tanks liquifies during a massive earthquake generated by the Cascadia Subduction Zone. The hub also faces numerous climate threats, including wildfires, flooding and landslides. Earlier this year, the city outlined four alternatives for the hub’s future, including a 17% drawdown of existing unused tank storage capacity. The three other alternatives did not call for reducing fuel storage – two called for the expansion or limited expansion of renewable and aviation fuels at the hub and a third prohibited all fuel expansion but without a drawdown. Ultimately, after considering community input, city staff settled on the most stringent option and their proposed draft for the hub’s future recommends a 20% drawdown on existing unused fuel storage capacity by 2036 as well as amendments to prohibit fuel expansion at existing terminals and to support risk reduction at the hub. Under the city proposal, companies at the hub would have to submit a baseline inventory of in-service tank capacity by October 2026. Whether companies abide by the drawdown requirement would be measured in 10 years – there are no interim requirements, something many advocates criticized.Aster Bloem, a spokesperson with the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, said the 2036 timeline aligns with how long companies at the hub have to complete seismic tank upgrades as required under a new Oregon law and monitored by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The 10-year timeline also gives the companies time to figure out which tanks will come out of service and to reconfigure the remaining storage tank capacity, she said. Interim drawdown requirements could potentially interfere with the seismic upgrades, Bloem said.But activists with several community groups said Portland should speed up the drawdown timeline and make fuel storage reduction targets even more stringent. Multiple speakers urged the city to impose the drawdown requirement immediately, or as soon as the City Council adopts the policy code. “The city cannot wait 10 years to act, yet BPS (the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability) proposals do nothing to meaningfully reduce the risk over the next decade. We cannot afford that delay,” Heather King, the co-executive director of the nonprofit Willamette Riverkeeper, told the commission. The city reached its calculation of a 20% drawdown by 2036 based on a percentage of empty space in tanks now. Federal data shows that currently, on average, tanks are filled only to 70% of their capacity, leaving 30% empty. About a third of that empty space is reserved to prevent spills, said city planner Tom Armstrong. The drawdown target would mean companies at the hub could no longer use the empty excess space to store more fuel. City officials said Oregon’s need for fuel will decrease slightly by 2036, making it somewhat easier to restrict the use of tank space by that time without affecting fuel supply reliability in the state. If that’s the case, said opponents, then why not make the companies reduce their capacity now. A 20% drawdown is already possible and should be implemented right away, community groups said. Advocates proposed measuring drawdown needs based on actual tank daily fill levels reported to the Oregon fire marshal’s office, rather than estimated tank capacity based on federal Energy Information Administration data. The state data showed that only 40% of the tanks’ overall capacity is being used on average instead of 70% according to the federal data. “Drawdown must be based on data, not projections based on best ‘guesses,’” said Nancy Hiser, a Linnton resident and community advocate who for years has warned about the dangers of an earthquake-caused spill at the hub. Advocates also said adjustments to the drawdown restrictions should be done every three to five years to align with the decrease in Oregon’s demand for liquid fuels and as the state transitions to electrification of cars and trucks. Bloem, the bureau spokesperson, said city staff matched the federal data with a storage tank capacity inventory that they compiled from Multnomah County and DEQ data. The resulting modeling estimated how much of their available storage companies use each year.The state data, on the other hand, is less useful, Bloem said, because it includes only average daily volumes and peak daily volumes, not total volumes. Also, due to confidentiality rules, the city cannot report data for individual terminals, she said. Bloem said the city will continue to monitor the hub and may adjust the drawdown requirements, beyond the 10 years. “As the fuel needs in Oregon change, there could be future opportunities to change the city’s requirements,” she said. The public can continue to submit written testimony until Friday.The Planning Commission will discuss the proposals during two work sessions in January and February. The commission will vote Feb. 10 on its recommendation to the City Council. Another opportunity to provide testimony will be open from Jan. 13 to Jan. 23.

Activism
Climate
Energy

Texas environmental agency struggles with backlogs after years of budget cuts, study finds

Years of budget reductions have left the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality struggling to investigate complaints, with over 1,000 cases stuck in backlog.

The Corpus Christi Ship Channel. The Environmental Protection Agency rejected a permit this week for a proposed oil export terminal offshore from Corpus Christi. (Pu Ying Huang | The Texas Tribune)The Texas Commission for Environmental Quality has struggled to keep up with enforcement claims amid years of cuts to the state environmental agency’s budget, according to a recent study. When adjusted for inflation, TCEQ’s budget was cut by roughly one-third between 2010 and 2024, even as the number of regulated industrial facilities in the state increased, according to an analysis by the Environmental Integrity Project. The agency in 2010 had a budget of $539 million. The agency most recently worked on a $407 million budget in 2024. That reduction coincides with a case backlog TCEQ faces. As of August, the agency reported a backlog of 1,480 enforcement cases. In some cases, claims remain untouched for several years, said Kathryn Guerra, a former TCEQ employee who now works as an agency watchdog with the nonprofit group Public Citizen. “Historically, the agency’s own enforcement policy was to hold enforcement cases for several years,” said Guerra, who also worked with EIP for their Texas analysis. “And that unfortunately created for the TCEQ a really extensive backlog of pretty complex cases. In one instance, very recently, we saw an enforcement case go before the commissioners for approval, that was 10 years of enforcement action.” RELATED: Harris County secures legal win against TCEQ over grace period for concrete plants According to the TCEQ, of the 9,198 complaints filed in 2025, just 6% of claims were investigated within five days. Nearly 55% of claims took a month or more to address. That could leave some communities without recourse, said Andrew Quicksall with SMU’s environmental health and compliance quality program. “It’s like any other sort of enforcement or investigation that you may do,” Quicksall said. “Eventually things get backlogged to a point where you can’t address them. And we have those problems where we have environmental claims that go without investigation because the backlog is so large.” Quicksall also said cuts at the federal level have also strained the TCEQ’s enforcement bandwidth. In the past, the EPA would help investigate state claims, but as the federal agency faces its own cuts, state cannot rely as much as in year prior. The EIP’s report also found that during the last legislative session, TCEQ requested nearly $60 million in additional funding and over 150 new staff positions to address its growing workload. Following the 2025 Legislative Session, lawmakers only approved part of TCEQ’s $60 million and increased staffing request only granting the agency 67 new positions and a $47 million budget. That limited funding can shape how vigorously the agency pursues enforcement, Guerra said. “TCEQ has discretion to implement its own enforcement policies, and we’re seeing those policies be very lenient towards industry,” he said. “The agency can be its own worst enemy with those enforcement policies because they’ve created a really complex backlog of cases by just holding them. Ultimately, what that means is that the communities that are suffering from environmental harm are not seeing any relief.” TCEQ declined to provide a comment for this story, but the agency did send its annual enforcement policy report. In that report the agency says nearly a third of complaints are never investigated by the TCEQ but are either referred to another agency or are closed because of insufficient information. The agency does acknowledge in its report that it has steered away investigators from enforcing new complaints because they were assigned to reducing its backlog. Texas has seen a boom in industry and population in recent years. Advocates warn that if those trends continue, the reduced TCEQ budget may not be able to keep up with new enforcement claims in both existing and new sectors like data centers coming into the state. In North Texas, Google already has two data centers in Red Oak and Midlothian with plans to build two more centers in the coming years. Google alone plans to invest $40 billion in Texas over the next two years. Other companies have also made plans in recent months, with millions of dollars coming to the state. While state leaders have been eager to bring in these facilities, the massive centers use a significant amount of energy and water. TCEQ, in a letter to the state legislature, warned increases in permits and new technologies like AI data centers could strain the agency’s operation. “Without additional resources, it will be difficult for TCEQ to meet the increasing demands placed on the agency, including emerging technologies, and maintain state primacy for many of its programs.” the agency told lawmakers ahead of this year’s session. Guerra worries growing industry could strain the already stretched investigators. “I’m very concerned about the TCEQ’s capacity to regulate the industries it presently regulates and with this really booming expansion of AI and data centers that, by nature, take up significant resources and thereby need regulating,” said Guerra. Despite seeing a marginal increase in the past few years, the TCEQ is not positioned to handle growing demand, according to SMU’s Quicksall. “Our population is exploding,” Quicksall said. “And that’s kind of a hidden issue here. We should be increasing [the budget] because of our increasing population. These state budget numbers that come out are not per capita of the total budget. But of course, our emissions, our environmental needs, roughly, are per capita. And so while you see the last three and now four years as increases, in reality, we’ve only just now gotten back to where we were 15 years ago.” Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is KERA’s breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Emmanuel at erivas@kera.org. KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.

Energy
Health
Nature

CalPERS’ $60 billion investment in ‘climate solutions’ lacks environmental standards, transparency

CalPERS won't say what climate companies it invests in. The pension also holds positions in fossil fuel, airlines, plastics manufacturing and technology.

Guest Commentary written by Allie Lindstrom Allie Lindstrom is a senior strategist for the Sierra Club’s sustainable finance campaign Jakob Evans Jakob Evans is a senior policy strategist with Sierra Club California In November the California Public Employees Retirement System announced it invested $60 billion in “climate solutions,” toward a goal of $100 billion by 2030. While the announcement highlighted several deals, the pension’s overall strategy remains shrouded in secrecy. As the largest public pension in the U.S., what CalPERS does has major impact. Yet it does not disclose a complete list of its climate-focused investments, nor the criteria it used to select them.  When asked how CalPERS defines climate investments, its staff points to a “taxonomy of mitigation, transition and adaptation” — meaning investments that reduce carbon emissions, support cleaner technologies for polluting businesses and help communities adapt to climate impacts. This taxonomy captures the right themes but is a woefully sparse definition for a pension that prides itself on climate leadership.  Climate finance around the world faces credibility challenges. Research has found climate dollars going to everything from airports to ice cream shops.  CalPERS can and should do better. The Sierra Club and the California Common Good coalition have asked CalPERS to be more transparent and adopt science-based principles to guide its climate investment strategy.  That became more important after research revealed CalPERS’ climate plan included $3.56 billion invested in fossil fuel companies, as well as in airlines, plastics manufacturers and tech companies. A sign at California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) headquarters in Sacramento. Photo by Max Whittaker, REUTERS CalPERS’ climate plan aims to not only reduce carbon emissions through its portfolio, but to reduce the risk that climate change poses to the pension fund.  Risk reduction should be front of mind, as studies show pension funds are particularly vulnerable to the wide-ranging economic impact of climate change and could face declines in investment return of up to 50% by 2040. That would be a massive shock to all pensions working to deliver safe, secure retirements for beneficiaries. What remains unclear is how CalPERS’ investments in polluting companies actually address climate risk.  CalPERS has defended its fossil fuel outlay by emphasizing the investments are “small,” and “a green asset is a green asset.” That doesn’t cut it. The investments lack what is called “additionality” — they’re not new investments, and they don’t unlock resources for decarbonization.  Simply put, holding investments in fossil fuel companies does not protect workers’ savings from the systemic risk of climate change. A climate plan that counts anything with a whiff of “green” as a climate investment does not represent a commitment to allocating capital where it’s needed to scale clean energy solutions and stabilize markets. Every dollar invested in polluting companies — that isn’t being leveraged to drive change — is a dollar that could have been invested in reducing emissions and protecting communities.  Fossil fuel investments do not belong in CalPERS’ climate solutions portfolio.  By keeping its criteria for climate solution investments vague, CalPERS may think it is preserving flexibility to develop a cutting-edge strategy. But it is missing the opportunity to show how public money can be invested to proactively protect workers’ livelihoods, retirement savings and communities.  CalPERS’ climate plan counts progress in billions of dollars, but it doesn’t measure the things that matter most, such as the amount of emissions reduced, communities served and clean energy deployed.  System-level risks require system-level solutions. For a fund of CalPERS’ size and influence, that means using its leverage to mitigate the risks of climate change that threaten the economy and beneficiaries’ pensions.  CalPERS can start by adopting science-based principles that set clear exclusions on what does — and does not — constitute climate investments, and by clearly defining strategies for mitigation, adaptation and transition.  CalPERS should be applauded for identifying that climate change poses a clear risk to its beneficiaries’ savings and the entire economy. Many pensions have yet to follow suit.  But it has yet to articulate a bold enough vision to effectively mitigate those risks. 

Climate
Business
Science

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