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.

Icier Minnesota winters mean more slips, slides and falls
Have you ever fallen on the ice? MPR News host Angela Davis talks about why climate warming is making Minnesota winters icier and what we can do to prevent those falls and broken bones.  
Climate talks end on a first-ever call for the world to move away from fossil fuels
Leaders from nearly 200 countries agreed on the need to transition away from fossil fuels. But representatives of nations most vulnerable to climate impacts were not happy with the final deal.
Making oil is more profitable than saving the planet. These numbers tell the story
Major oil companies are under pressure to invest more money in clean energy — but there's a big hurdle: It's still a hell of a lot more profitable to produce fossil fuels.
Climate activists struggle to be heard at this year's U.N. climate talks
Protests are a common part of global climate meetings, but activists say they're facing restrictions at this year's U.N. climate meeting hosted in the UAE.
Heat pumps poised to accelerate Minnesota’s green energy transition
Heat pumps are making inroads in Minnesota as a cost-effective, carbon-friendly way to heat homes and businesses, and new state and federal incentives have the industry gearing up for more growth.
Minnesota farmers want help fending off voracious deer
Farmers across the state want the Department of Natural Resources to do more to curb damage from large herds of white-tailed deer. A DNR official said it would be difficult for the state to compensate farmers for all wildlife losses. But agency staff are drafting regulatory proposals to address the deer problem that they could unveil during the upcoming legislative session.
Large invasive carp catch in Mississippi triggers worry, new calls for deterrent
There's no evidence yet that invasive carp are reproducing in Minnesota. Still, some environmental advocates say the DNR should move quicker to stop invasive carp from establishing a permanent presence here.