Climate Change

The urgency of addressing human causes of climate change has long been apparent. To amplify this issue that's paramount to us all, KPBS has launched a Climate Change Desk to step up our coverage of this existential threat including reported stories and interviews with experts and newsmakers.

Environment

Newsom wants $200M for EV rebates. Experts say it’s not enough to fix California’s slump

Alejandro Lazo

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $200 million proposal to revive the state’s EV market would reach only a fraction of buyers, raising fresh questions about who should benefit and whether limited incentives can meaningfully move a slowing market.
How cuts to federal climate funds could threaten polar vortex research

Rebecca Hersher

Tens of millions of people are in the path of a major winter storm. Federal cuts threaten efforts to understand the causes of such weather.
Politics

Trauma of 2024 flooding persists as Southcrest awaits new storm drain system

Andrew Bowen

San Diego is planning to install a new underground drainage system and pump station along Beta Street, where some of the worst flooding occurred two years ago.
Economy

Trump promised to cut energy bills in half. One year later, has he delivered?

Camila Domonoske

Cheap gasoline, yes. Drill, baby, drill? Not so much. And electricity bills are going up, not down.
Environment

California’s plastic bag ban is only part of a broader effort. What’s next?

Tammy Murga

The state is reviewing draft rules for producers to make single-use packaging and food packaging recyclable and compostable by 2032.
FEMA is getting rid of thousands of workers in areas recovering from disasters

Rebecca Hersher

Thousands of employees whose contracts end this year will lose their jobs, FEMA managers said at personnel meetings this week. The cuts could hobble the nation's disaster agency.
Environment

Scientists call another near-record hot year a 'warning shot' from a shifting climate

The Associated Press

Scientists calculate that last year was one of the three hottest on record, along with 2024 and 2023. The trend indicates that warming could be speeding up, climate monitoring teams reported.
Science & Technology

The long-term health impacts from the LA wildfires are just becoming clear

Alejandra Borunda

The fires affected millions of people in the region. It could take years to understand the health consequences, but ongoing research is helping to prepare people to weather the next fires more safely.
Politics

The EPA is changing how it considers the costs and benefits of air pollution rules

Alejandra Borunda

The EPA won't consider the economic costs of harms to human health, at least for now. Legal and health experts are concerned that the change could make it easier for the agency to roll back rules.
Environment

California fire victims say fighting with insurance companies has delayed rebuilding

Michael Copley

Wildfires last January destroyed communities around Los Angeles. Homeowners say recovery has been slowed by fights with insurers to get their claims paid.