International

"The number of butterflies in the contiguous United States declined by 22 percent this century, a collapse with potentially dire implications."

"Butterflies are rapidly fluttering out of existence from coast to coast, according to a new assessment published Thursday, at a rate that scientists worry could upend ecosystems and undercut pollination that sustains America’s crops.

"Financial speculators are investing in a growing number of lawsuits against governments over environmental laws and other regulations that affect profits, often generating lucrative awards, the Guardian has found."

"The United States is withdrawing from the Just Energy Transition Partnership, a collaboration between richer nations to help developing countries transition from coal to cleaner energy, several sources in key participating countries said."

"The State Department will no longer share data about foreign air pollution under a program that it says is designed to help U.S. personnel and travelers abroad."

"Half of the world’s climate-heating carbon emissions come from the fossil fuels produced by just 36 companies, analysis has revealed."

"Oil prices fell on Monday afternoon to their lowest level of the year after the OPEC oil cartel and its allies affirmed plans to gradually increase crude production beginning in April."

"Scientists are gaining new insights into how plankton supports life on Earth — just as climate change is changing everything."

"The United Nations Environment Programme on Monday said a new round of negotiations toward a global plastics treaty will take place from August 5 to 14 in Geneva, Switzerland, after countries failed to agree on the parameters of a final agreement last December in Busan, South Korea."

"A gathering of countries in Rome this week agreed a plan to generate $200 billion in finance a year by 2030 to halt and begin to reverse the destruction of the natural world."