The air got cleaner in 2020, thanks to the pandemic
But a climate-driven historic wildfire season held back progress on emissions.
ClimateWatch: Climate Change News & Features
389-day Arctic research mission brings urgent call for climate action
"Trying is not enough anymore. We must take action," warns one scientist who spent more than a year gathering data in the rapidly warming far north.
U.K. leader says new gas cars sales will be banned in a decade
PM Boris Johnson brings forward deadline on sale of new gas and diesel cars and vans as he promises Britons a future full of green jobs.
What Biden can do to "reverse the trajectory" on climate change
If President-elect Joe Biden has his way, the tide is about to turn on climate policy. But how much could he really do without Senate support?
Bezos announces first winners of $10 billion climate-change pledge
Prominent environmental nonprofits dominate the first round of "Bezos Earth Fund" grants, which total $791 million.
What climate policy could look like under a President Biden
The president-elect has a bold plan for going green — here's what he can do even without support from lawmakers.
Theta forms, breaking record for most named storms in a season
This is storm number 29, breaking the record of 28 tropical storms set in the memorable season of 2005.
Joe Biden vows to rejoin Paris climate deal if elected
Biden, who has his own climate change agenda, signaled the exodus would end the day he enters office.
Tropical Storm Eta ties record for most named storms in a season
While the number of storms in 2005 was also 28, this is the first time the name Eta will ever be used.
What is fracking, and where do Trump and Biden stand on it?
The issue has been raised numerous times as the candidates make their final push to reach voters in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
Trump falsely claims wind energy "kills all the birds"
"I know more about wind than you do," Mr. Trump said during the presidential debate, erroneously claiming it "kills all the birds."
Colorado wildfires show "climate change is here and now"
As bad as this year has been, scientists warn it's "unlikely that the records from 2020 will stand for long."
Inside Gen Z's fight for climate change action
"We are racing against time," one 18-year-old activist says. "We want our future to be better."
For many climate change finally hits home
With record wildfires and hurricanes ravaging the United States, the effects of extreme weather events made worse by climate change are becoming more visible, and costly, to more and more Americans
Largest wildfire in Colorado history burns over 167,000 acres
The blaze, which is expected to surge again into the weekend, has surpassed 167,000 acres.
Amy Coney Barrett's views on climate change – and why it matters
Barrett said, "I don't think my views on global warming or climate change are relevant to the job I would do as a judge." Many scientists disagree.
Fierce storms and wildfires to dramatically spike, U.N. agencies say
"Extreme weather and climate events have increased in frequency, intensity and severity as result of climate change and hit vulnerable communities disproportionately hard," according to the report.
Panera introduces "climate-friendly," low-carbon food items
National chain is first to partner with World Resources Institute in offering meals for environmentally conscious.
Half of the Great Barrier Reef's corals have died since 1995
Larger species have been affected hardest – almost disappearing from the far northern reaches of the reef.
Prince William launches ambitious "Earthshot Prize" to save the planet
Britain's future king and a cadre of high-profile partners are offering $65 million in reward money over 10 years for solutions to 5 daunting environmental challenges.
Harris says a Biden administration will not ban fracking
Kamala Harris pushed back against Mike Pence's assertion that the Biden administration would implement the Green New Deal.
How Biden's climate plan compares to the Green New Deal
"Joe Biden's climate plan isn't everything, but it isn't nothing at all," one leading climate activist told CBS News.
California wildfires scorch more than 4 million acres, breaking record
Cal Fire said there have been more than 8,200 wildfires since the start of the year — and the flames have burned an area larger than Connecticut.
Greenland Ice Sheet will melt at fastest rate in 12,000 years
The Greenland Ice Sheet is on track to melt four times faster than it has at any point over the last 12,000 years.
How to reduce food waste during the coronavirus pandemic
During the pandemic, food meant for restaurants is piling up in landfills, while lines at food banks are growing every day. But, there are things individuals can do to help.
Science
World's first commercial carbon storage facility gets first CO2 injection
The first commercial carbon storage facility has been inaugurated off Norway's coast, but is storing CO2 deep under the seabed really the answer?
U.S. scientists work to preserve vulnerable species at a Smithsonian lab
Experts at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute care for endangered species on 32,000 sprawling acres in Northern Virginia.
See Hurricane Erin from the International Space Station
As Hurricane Erin hovered over the Atlantic Ocean, the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season was spotted from above by cameras on the ISS.
Capturing the melting of glaciers, with data and art
For more than 40 years, glaciologist Mauri Pelto has been measuring shrinking glaciers in Washington State. He's been joined by his daughter, artist-scientist Jill Pelto, whose watercolors provide another view of the drastically-changing landscape.
Capturing the melting of glaciers, with data and art
For more than 40 years, glaciologist Mauri Pelto has been measuring the shrinking glaciers in the rugged North Cascade Mountains of Washington State. He's been joined by his daughter, artist-scientist Jill Pelto, whose watercolors provide another view of the drastically-changing landscape, as the effects of human-caused climate change on glaciers becomes even more starkly apparent. This story was provided by Climate Central.
What a shooting star looks like up close
A meteorite appeared as a fireball seen in several states, including Georgia, where it landed in a house. Dave Malkoff explores its past.
62-year-old fish thought to be oldest-ever trout found in Great Lakes
Researchers say that a lake trout recently captured in Lake Superior is believed to be the oldest-known specimen of its species ever caught in the Great Lakes, estimated to be 62 years old.
mRNA tech could help fight cancer, but cuts threaten progress, experts say
Federal funding cuts to mRNA technology research doesn't just impact COVID vaccines — experts say it could stall progress in treatment for cancers, rare disease and more.
New species of "deceptively cute" ancient whale found on beach
Scientists have discovered a razor-toothed whale that prowled the seas 26 million years ago, saying the species was "deceptively cute" but a dangerous predator.
Why ASMR is making a lot of noise
ASMR (or autonomous sensory meridian response) is the tingling sensation some people experience from certain sounds or visuals – a "brain massage," in the words of Maria Viktorovna, who's been called the "ASMR queen." Correspondent Faith Salie talks with Viktorovna about her wildly successful "Gentle Whispering" videos, and with physiology professor Craig Richard, who discusses ASMR's physical effects. Salie also visits Whisperwave, New York City's first ASMR spa. [Originally broadcast Dec. 8, 2024.]
Meteorite that ripped through Georgia home's roof is older than Earth
A mysterious fireball blazed across the sky in broad daylight on June 26, sparking hundreds of siting reports in Georgia and South Carolina.
Butterfly populations rapidly declining in Midwest
A new study finds that butterfly populations are rapidly declining in the Midwest. Elise Zipkin, one of the authors of the study, joins "The Daily Report" to discuss.
Perseids meteor shower will peak this week. But will the moon ruin views?
The Perseids meteor shower — considered one of the best shows in the sky — is set to peak this week.
New image shows high-speed comet visiting from another solar system
Discovered last month by a telescope in Chile, the comet known as 3I-Atlas is only the third known interstellar object to pass our way.
NOAA updates hurricane forecast
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updated the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season forecast. CBS News' Jessica Burch reports.