International

"The plastics contaminating every corner of the Earth contain thousands of unregulated toxic chemicals. As global plastic talks end without a treaty, health experts say negotiators must consider their toxic cargo."

"UN talks on creating a global pact to stem plastic pollution collapsed in Geneva with no agreement or clear way forward after chaotic nights of negotiations failed to break a deadlock over whether to include measures aimed at curbing runaway plastic production."

"Negotiators working on a treaty to address global plastic pollution discussed a new draft of the text Wednesday that wouldn’t limit plastic production or address chemicals used in plastic products."

"The Trump administration is on a rogue quest to mine critical minerals from the ocean floor — and recent global negotiations over the fate of deep-sea mining reveal just how alone the U.S. is on the issue."

"Antarctica’s krill fishery has shut down months ahead of schedule after reaching its full seasonal catch-limit—a historic first. The early closure is fueling urgent calls to protect the Southern Ocean’s fragile marine ecosystems from mounting industrial fishing and climate change."

"Commercial fishing that recently resumed in a vast protected area of the Pacific Ocean must halt once again, after a judge in Hawaii sided this week with environmentalists challenging a Trump administration rollback of federal ocean protections."

"Biologists once thought that humans did little to affect the course of evolution in the short term. But a recent study of cod in the Baltic Sea reveals how overfishing and selective harvest of the largest fish has caused genetic changes that favor slower growth and smaller size."

"Redwood Materials says second-life batteries are the cheapest form of long-duration storage. If true, battery startups are in trouble — and renewables are in luck."

"As temperatures soar around much of the world, people are cranking up the air conditioning, but blasting icy air into buildings fuels global warming, which increases demand for more cooling, creating a vicious circle."