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.

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Climate Cast

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

May 15, 2024 4:36 PM

What's worse for disease spread: animal loss, climate change or urbanization?

Scientists are looking at the ways humans change the planet — and the impact that has on the spread of infectious disease. You might be surprised at some of their conclusions.

by Jonathan Lambert

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May 15, 2024 1:24 PM

How you can use a new tool that looks at climate change in your own backyard

The tool allows users to see how a future, warmed climate will look and feel in their own backyards. It provides highly localized climate projections across Minnesota of more than 30 different variables, including rainfall and temperature, soil moisture and snow cover, water temperature and ice cover.

by Cathy Wurzer, Alanna Elder and Dan Kraker

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May 15, 2024 12:56 PM

Minnesota waterways recovering from drought

The rain we’ve gotten so far this spring have been good news for Minnesota’s lakes, rivers and ponds.

by Cathy Wurzer and Paul Huttner

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May 15, 2024 5:55 AM

Miniature poodle named Sage wins Westminster Kennel Club dog show

The miniature poodle won the top prize Tuesday night at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, in what veteran handler Kaz Hosaka said would be his final time at the United States' most prestigious canine event. After 45 years of competing and two best in show dogs, he plans to retire.

by The Associated Press

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May 15, 2024 4:00 AM

New online tool allows for close-up look into Minnesota’s changing climate future

University of Minnesota researchers are launching a new online tool today that allows people to visualize how a future climate will look and feel, down to a 2.5 mile scale. The goal is to help engineers, farmers and others better plan for a climate-changed future.

by Dan Kraker

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May 14, 2024 3:13 PM

Minnesota lawmakers back $12M for invasive carp barrier in Mississippi River

The DNR will partner with federal agencies to design and install the barrier at Lock and Dam No. 5 near Winona to keep invasive carp from swimming upstream on the Mississippi. The funding bill is headed to Gov. Tim Walz for his likely signature.

by Kirsti Marohn

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May 14, 2024 1:37 PM

Westminster dogs are ‘poetry in motion’: A Minnesotan judge’s reflections on the prestigious dog show

Barbara Selton from Bloomington is a masters obedience judge at the Westminster Dog Show. Best in Show will be announced Tuesday evening.

by Cathy Wurzer, CJ Younger and Ellen Finn

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May 13, 2024 6:43 PM

Biden's National Monument expansion applauded by allies, but big obstacles loom

President Biden dramatically expanded two national monuments in California. But there are growing concerns that federal land managers are struggling to manage existing monuments designated since 2016.

by Kirk Siegler

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May 13, 2024 5:12 PM

Appeals court lifts injunction on Minneapolis’ 2040 plan

The city of Minneapolis can resume work under its 2040 Comprehensive Plan following an appeals court ruling Monday. That’s the plan that gained national attention when it made Minneapolis the first U.S. city to end single-family-only zoning.

by Megan Burks