Environmental News

MPR News is your source for environment news from Minnesota and across the country.

Getting to Green: Minnesota’s energy future

Getting to Green is an MPR News series that shares stories about Minnesota’s clean energy transition, including what needs to be done to get there.

Submit a question or story for Getting to Green here.

Climate Cast

Listen to Climate Cast, the MPR News podcast all about our changing climate and its impact in Minnesota and worldwide.

Officials celebrate northern Minnesota power line that could one day help make ‘green’ steel
State and federal officials celebrated the funding and approval of a nearly $1 billion transmission line project that’s designed to help power a carbon-free future for northeastern Minnesota.
Latest Catan board game adds new challenge: produce power without over-polluting
As players build settlements, they can choose renewable energy or fossil fuels. The company behind Catan: New Energies hopes the abstract game can spark real conversations about energy use.
Climate change made Helene more dangerous. It also makes similar storms more likely
Researchers found that Hurricane Helene was stronger, rainier, and significantly more likely because of climate change. The U.S. can expect more such storms in the future as warming continues.
New EPA standards exempt most Great Lakes ships from installing new treatment systems
New standards adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency exempt the existing fleet of ships on the Great Lakes from installing new onboard ballast water treatment systems to control the spread of invasive species.
Why Massachusetts loves Nibi the beaver and is fighting to keep her out of the wild
For the past several weeks, the beloved beaver has been embroiled in a court battle over whether she should return to the wild or stay at the rescue center where she has lived since she was a newborn.
How biochar — the ‘Swiss Army knife of climate tools’ — is growing in Minnesota
Minnesota is emerging as a leader in the research and manufacturing of biochar, a substance that can combat climate change by locking away carbon for centuries. It can also provide other environmental benefits such as filtering water and improving soil.