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Key Data from the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2026 A sandstorm sweeps across Ethiopia. iStock The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2026 paints a nuanced picture of humanity’s relationship with environmental risk. While climate and ecological threats continue to dominate the long-term outlook, the report finds that governments, businesses, and experts are increasingly distracted in the short term by geopolitical conflict, economic instability, misinformation, and technological disruption. Key Global Data Extreme weather events remained the number one global risk over the next 10 years, according to the Forum’s Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS), reflecting persistent concern over floods, droughts, wildfires, heat waves, and storms linked to climate change. Yet in the two-year outlook, environmental concerns lost ground relative to a broad range of geopolitical and societal risks that the report also covers, such as economic downturn and cyber insecurity. Extreme weather events fell from second in the previous report’s short-term outlook to fourth in the new report. Pollution dropped as well in the two-year outlook, falling from sixth in the prior report to ninth. Critical change to Earth systems—which includes risks such as ice-sheet collapse, ocean circulation disruption, and forest dieback—fell seven positions in the short-term rankings compared with the previous year’s report. Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse declined five positions, to 26th in the two-year outlook, and landed in the lower half of the short-term risk rankings despite ranking second in the list of long-term concerns. Natural resource shortages ranked sixth long-term (but only 17th short-term) in the new report. The report notes that all environmental risks declined in severity scores for the two-year horizon, suggesting not only lower rankings relative to other threats but “an absolute shift away from concerns about the environment.” Despite this near-term deprioritization, environmental threats continue to dominate the longer horizon: Five of the top 10 global risks expected over the next decade are environmental in nature. Concerns over pollution held steady beyond time horizons, ranking ninth, short-term, and 10th long-term. The GRPS also found that environmental risks give rise to the greatest long-term pessimism among experts. Nearly three-quarters of respondents described the environmental outlook over the coming decade as either “turbulent” or “stormy,” making it the most pessimistic risk category surveyed. Source: World Economic Forum

Environmental Working Group Reveals New Data on ‘Forever Chemicals’ Washing produce in tap water. Pexels Two major 2026 datasets from nonprofit, public health watchdog Environmental Working Group (EWG) highlight a growing environmental health concern: Americans are routinely exposed to harmful chemicals through both drinking water and food. EWG’s updated PFAS contamination map (PFAS refers to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or “forever chemicals,” known for their persistence in the environment and human body) and its 2026 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce find widespread, overlapping chemical exposure pathways—raising concerns about long-term human and ecological health. Key Data Points EWG’s new PFAS map identifies 9,728 locations in the US where toxic “forever chemicals” have been detected in water systems. Drinking water tests indicate that 176 million people in the US live in communities with detectable PFAS in their water supply. Federal monitoring mandated by the Safe Drinking Water Act has already found 3,539 public water systems with detectable PFAS, representing about 95% of systems tested. Separate EWG analysis identifies 41,828 industrial and municipal sites that may be producing or releasing PFAS into the environment. According to EWG, “PFAS do not break down in the environment and can build up in our bodies, and they’re known to cause a number of serious health harms.” EWG’s 2026 Shopper’s Guide is based on over 54,000 US Department of Agriculture–tested samples of fruits and vegetables. A PFAS-linked fungicide (fludioxonil) was detected in 14% of all tested produce samples. Certain fruits—such as peaches and plums—showed PFAS-related pesticide residues in around 90% of samples tested. Strawberries ranked No. 1 on EWG’s “Dirty Dozen” list, with tests showing multiple pesticide residues on a single sample, often including 10 or more different chemicals. Spinach samples contained an average of seven different pesticides, with up to 19 detected in a single sample. EWG warns that “pesticides can be harmful to health, including by disrupting the hormone and reproductive systems and harming the nervous system, especially during development and early life.” The neurotoxic insecticide permethrin—banned on food crops in Europe—was found in 76% of spinach samples. EWG says that, at high doses, “permethrin overwhelms the nervous system and causes tremors and seizures.” Many produce samples contain four or more pesticide residues per item, highlighting cumulative exposure risks. Why It Matters Together, these datasets suggest that chemical exposure linked to adverse health effects is not isolated—it is systemic, occurring across essential daily needs. PFAS persist in the environment and human body, while pesticide residues—some linked to hormone disruption and chronic disease—are commonly found even after washing produce.

Highlights from Ember’s Global Electricity Review of 2025 Spain’s Andesol Power Station. Wikimedia Global energy think tank Ember’s latest global electricity analysis finds that 2025 marked a historic clean-power turning point: Solar generated more electricity than wind for the first time, while renewables collectively overtook coal as the world’s largest source of electricity. Key Data Points: Solar grew 30% in 2025, the largest annual increase ever recorded for a single electricity source. Solar added 636 TWh (terawatt-hours) of generation, surpassing the previous record solar increase of 479 TWh set in 2024. Wind added 205 TWh, growing 8.2% in 2025, making it the second-largest source of new generation after solar. Solar reached 2,778 TWh globally, just ahead of wind’s 2,715 TWh, marking the first year solar topped wind power generation. Solar and wind together met 99% of new global electricity demand growth in 2025, sharply limiting the need for additional fossil fuel generation. Renewables generated 10,730 TWh, reaching 33.8% of the global electricity mix and overtaking coal for the first time. Coal fell below one-third of global electricity generation, while renewables moved ahead as the world’s largest electricity source. Fossil fuel generation declined by 0.2%, suggesting that clean power growth may now be strong enough to begin pushing fossil electricity into structural decline. Why It Matters: Ember’s data suggest that solar is no longer just the fastest-growing energy source—it could become the central driver of global electricity growth. The fact that solar overtook wind, renewables overtook coal, and fossil generation slipped in the same year makes 2025 a potential landmark in the clean-energy transition.

Weather in the contiguous US states was astonishingly hot and dry in the month of March. Pexels March 2026 marked an extraordinary moment in US climate history, with record-breaking warmth, widespread drought, and stark regional contrasts. According to the NOAA National Climate Report (March 2026), the month set new benchmarks for temperature and dryness, alongside climate variability across the country. Key Data Points The contiguous US average temperature reached 50.85°F, making March 2026 the warmest March in 132 years of recordkeeping. Average daytime high temperatures were 11.4°F above normal, even exceeding typical April highs by 0.9°F. More than 1,432 counties—over half the US—experienced their warmest March day on record. The period from April 2025 to March 2026 became the warmest 12-month span ever recorded in the US (since 1895). National precipitation from January to March 2026 fell to less than 70% of average, making it the driest start to a year on record. Drought expanded to nearly 60% of the contiguous US, the largest footprint since November 2022. March 2026 marked the first time any US month exceeded 9°F above the 20th-century average, underscoring the extremity of the anomaly. Temperatures in Yuma, Arizona, hit 109 degrees, breaking the national March record. In contrast, Alaska recorded its fourth-coldest March since 1925, highlighting dramatic regional divergence.

Wildfires Still a Major Threat A firefighter in Brazil's Mato Grosso state. Pexels Global tropical forests are under intense pressure from a combination of agricultural expansion, wildfires, and land-use change. The latest analysis from the World Resources Institute’s Global Forest Review and Global Forest Watch platform shows that while some recent progress has been made, overall trends remain far off track from global goals to halt deforestation by 2030. Tropical forests are critical carbon sinks, biodiversity reservoirs, and sources of livelihoods, yet they remain vulnerable to climate change and economic pressures, with around 94% of deforestation occurring in these forests. Key Data Points An estimated 4.3 million hectares (10.6 million acres) of tropical primary forest were lost in 2025. This was down 36% from 2024’s record high losses. Much of the 2025 reduction was due to a 42% decline in Brazil, which reached the “lowest level of non-fire primary forest loss on record.” However, Brazil still had the largest area of tropical rainforest loss, given the size of its forests. Forest loss in 2025 equaled more than 11 soccer fields per minute, highlighting the continued rapid pace of deforestation. Wildfire data from 2025 was incomplete, but in 2024, fires were responsible for nearly half of tropical forest loss. That marked the first time fires overtook agriculture as the leading driver of forest loss; prior to 2024, fires accounted for about 20% of losses. Wildfire-driven forest loss in 2024 released 4.1 gigatons of greenhouse gases, more than four times the emissions from all global air travel in 2023. Despite recent improvements, tropical forest loss in 2025 remains 46% higher than a decade ago, showing that gains are fragile and uneven.

Doctors are challenged by rising incidence for several major cancers. Pexels The latest report from the American Cancer Society, published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, reveals a complex picture—declining mortality alongside rising incidence for several major cancers. Meanwhile, other recent studies and reports show the continuing influence of environmental pollutants on cancer rates. Highlights Cancer is the second-largest cause of death in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New cancer cases are projected to be 2,114,850 in 2026. That’s roughly 5,800 new diagnoses per day, underscoring cancer’s continued challenge to public health. Cancer deaths, on the other hand, are expected to be 626,140 in 2026, or about 1,700 deaths per day nationwide. Cancer mortality has fallen 34% since 1991. This long-term decline has averted approximately 4.8 million deaths, largely due to reduced smoking, earlier detection, and improved treatments. The five-year survival rate has reached a historic high of around 70%. In other words, about 7 in 10 patients survive at least five years after diagnosis. Increasing rates are reported for some cancers, including breast, prostate, pancreas, melanoma, liver (in women), and endometrial cancers, signaling ongoing risk factors and detection trends. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death. It is expected to cause more deaths than colorectal and pancreatic cancers combined. About 1 in 3 men (39.2%) and 1 in 3 women (38.7%) will develop invasive cancer in their lifetime. Approximately 60% of diagnoses occur in people aged 65 or older, though 12% occur under age 50, highlighting concerns about younger populations. The 15th Report on Carcinogens mandated by the US Congress identifies 63 substances known to be human carcinogens and 193 “reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens — including some classes of related chemicals or substances.” Eight new carcinogens were added to the report—a chronic bacterial infection, a flame retardant, and six byproducts of water disinfection. Carcinogens can be hard to avoid, as they are present in air, water, and food. A recent study by the Institut Pasteur reported, for instance, that “living in pesticide-heavy environments could raise cancer risk by up to 150%.” A report by the Union for International Cancer Control and supported by the Clean Air Fund found that people regularly exposed to high levels of airborne particulate matter, when compared to those with lower levels of exposure, face an 11% increase in the risk of developing cancer. This includes higher increases for liver and colorectal, kidney, lung, and bladder cancers. Approximately 87% of lung cancers in men and 84% in women can be attributed to cigarette smoking. Although smoking prevalence dropped from 42% in 1964 to 11% in 2023, it remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Approximately 87% of lung cancers in men and 84% in women can be attributed to cigarette smoking. Wikimedia Takeaway The 2026 projections show progress in survival and mortality reduction alongside persistent—and in some cases rising—cancer incidence. Advances in prevention, screening, and treatment are saving lives, but the growing number of diagnoses highlights the need for continued investment in research, early detection, and lifestyle-related prevention strategies.

How Litigation Has Empowered Grassroots Environmentalism By Richard Laezman* Storm King Mountain (left) in upstate New York was the focus of a landmark environmental lawsuit ending in 1980. Across the Hudson River is Sugarloaf Mountain. Ultima Gaina/iStock Picture yourself on a trail on Storm King Mountain in upstate New York. After scampering over rocks, you stop to admire the oaks that grace the landscape. Departing from the trailhead in the morning, you ascend toward the summit through a thick blanket of fog until you reach its cliffs. At the occasional clearing, you marvel at the awesome view of the Hudson River Valley below, looking much like it did 1,000 years ago. The mountain and its surrounding area offer a breathtaking escape from New York City, only 60 miles south. A product of natural forces eons in the making, its current tranquility and beauty also owe their existence to a unique instance of human conservation: This mountain was the focus of a landmark lawsuit, Scenic Hudson Preservation Conference v. Federal Power Commission, filed by environmentalists after utility giant Consolidated Edison made plans to build a huge hydroelectric plant on the Hudson River close to Storm King Mountain. The victory of the Preservation Conference dramatically altered the way in which conservationists could challenge undesirable projects and led to many more legal wins against companies and others who wanted to harness energy at the expense of beautiful and pristine environments. Environmentalists’ Legal Power Emerges The Scenic Hudson case started in 1962, after local conservationists learned of Con Ed’s plans for a power plant at Storm King Mountain in a New York Times article. According to the Times’ September 27 article, Con Ed’s chairman told a news conference that, after studying the river for 20 years, they saw a way to use technological advancements to bring more electricity to the burgeoning downstream population—all without disrupting river traffic. The Times’ article included a schematic drawing of what was planned. Conservationists, backed by nearby towns and villages, opposed the project, saying that it would cause irreparable environmental and aesthetic harm. Their lawsuit lasted for 17 years and concluded in 1980, when Con Edison abandoned the project. Scenic Hudson … ruled that regulatory agencies should evaluate projects not just on their economics, but on environmental values. This was the first time conservationists were given so-called “legal standing” to oppose an infrastructure project not on their land. For more than 40 years, legal action has continued and expanded its scope, as society grapples to stop man-made pollution and other forms of environmental mismanagement while governments, utilities, and corporations try to fill the energy needs of growing populations. The Ripple Effects of Scenic Hudson Scenic Hudson ruled that citizens who enjoyed a natural landscape for recreational and aesthetic reasons had a legitimate role in challenging certain projects, even if they did not own specific parcels of property that would be impacted. The case further set the legal precedent that regulatory agencies should evaluate projects not just on their economics but on environmental values. Additionally, the federal government passed legislation using the same logic. The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as well as the Clean Air Act (1970) and the Clean Water Act (1972), reflected the philosophy that regulatory agencies must conduct rigorous review and consideration of the environmental impact of projects applying for regulatory approval. Environmental litigation—especially in the US—has proliferated since Scenic Hudson. In 2009, Prof. Michael Gerrard of Columbia Law School founded the Climate Litigation Database, an online resource that tracks these types of lawsuits worldwide. According to Gerrard, more than 3,000 cases have been filed worldwide as of June 30, 2025—more than 65% (1,986) in the US. The cases have had a powerful impact on environmentalism and conservation nationally and globally. For example, in the 1940s, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power began tapping into Mono Lake in the eastern Sierra Nevada. Over the years, as the waters began to dry up, the lake and its surrounding ecosystems became badly degraded. Exposed tufa (calcium carbonate) towers in California’s highly alkaline Mono Lake. The California Supreme Court ruled that the lake possesses “public trust” values of ecological, recreational, and aesthetic importance, so its water could not be unlimitedly exploited by Los Angeles. Richard E. Ellis/Wikipedia CC by 3.0 A lawsuit was brought, and in the 1983 case of National Audubon Society v. Superior Court, the California Supreme Court came to the rescue of Mono Lake. The case is considered significant by legal experts because of its unique interpretation of the so-called Public Trust Doctrine, which holds that the state owns and is responsible for protecting certain natural and cultural resources for the benefit of the public. The court ruled that the state must consider the doctrine in allocating water rights, by balancing them with ecological considerations. Subsequently, Los Angeles was ordered to reduce its diversions until lake water levels reached acceptable levels. Young Conservationists in Court More than 40 years after the conclusion of Scenic Hudson and Audubon, significant environmental litigation continued with a younger generation of plaintiffs. In Montana in 2020, a nonprofit, public-interest law firm, Our Children’s Trust, filed a lawsuit on behalf of 16 Montana youths who believed the pristine resource of the air was threatened by emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. The plaintiffs in Held v. Montana argued that the state’s support of the fossil fuel industry had worsened the effects of climate change and denied the youths’ rights to clean air that were granted to them in the state’s constitution. A district court decided in favor of the youths, ruling that the recently amended Montana Environmental Policy Act violated the state’s constitution. More specifically, it ruled that the state had violated the youths’ constitutional “right to a clean and healthful environment.” The state’s Supreme Court upheld the ruling. The ruling in Held is considered significant by legal scholars because it is the first case to successfully challenge the effects of climate change on constitutional grounds. The ruling put states on notice that they cannot ignore the effects of climate change, and it opened the door for legal challenges in other states that have similar environmental protections in their constitutions. The Social Injustice of Environmental Harm Sheila Foster is a professor at Columbia University’s Climate School and at the Columbia University Law School and specializes in environmental and climate justice. She told The Earth & I that the United States has a “very good system of conservation,” but that unfortunately the benefits of that system are not distributed equally, and “many communities are not protected.” That often leads to disparities between racial communities, although the divide runs deeper, she said. She explained that environmental justice in the US is as much about class as it is about race. Families on the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum—regardless of whether they are white, black, or Hispanic—have fewer housing options and that, while they may live in neighborhoods that are more affordable, the areas may also be in proximity to sources of industrial pollution. “How you talk about environmental justice,” Foster said, “depends on where you live.” On the positive side, this history of environmental injustice has also encouraged a movement to oppose such disparities. In the book From the Ground Up, Foster and coauthor Luke Cole describe how many of these communities have fought back, using grassroots activism coupled with litigation to stop corporate polluters and the harm they cause. The book describes Kettleman City, a tiny farmworker community in California’s San Joaquin Valley, where 95% of the residents are Latino. It is also home to one of the largest toxic waste dumps in the country, owned by Chemical Waste Management, about three and a half miles from the town. In 1988, the company applied to build an incinerator on the site. Residents mobilized and attended hearings to protest the facility. Their protests were ignored, and the local planning commission, followed by the county board of supervisors, approved the project. Then residents went to court, where their concerns were finally acknowledged. A judge ruled that the project’s Environmental Impact Report did not adequately address the impact on air quality and agriculture. The judge also ruled that residents had not been meaningfully included in the permitting process. Eventually, the company withdrew the project. The Pendulum Swings As is the case with all social issues, opinions on environmental litigation vary, legal interpretations diverge, and the trajectory of progress is inextricably linked to the vicissitudes of national politics. John Dernbach, Commonwealth Professor of Environmental Law and Sustainability at Widener University’s Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has written extensively about environmental litigation. Dernbach told The Earth & I that, when it comes to judicial decisions, logic can vary, and a ruling in one case that favors conservationists does not guarantee that another court will rule in a similar fashion. “Different courts employ different reasoning,” he explained, adding, “The facts of the case also matter.” While environmental litigation may face hurdles at the federal level, there are still opportunities for success. Most of these are at state level. The US Supreme Court has ruled unfavorably on environmental litigation in a number of significant cases. However, while environmental litigation may face hurdles at the federal level, there are still opportunities for success. Most of these are at state level. In an interview with The Earth & I, Gerrard, of Columbia, explained that “states are able to impose stronger environmental laws than the federal government.” For example, he noted that 30 states have adopted renewable energy standards. States have also adopted requirements for the cleanup of hazardous waste. “The law is clear that states have power,” he said. Environmental Litigation Abroad While environmental litigation has a strong legacy in the US and Europe, it is far less prevalent in developing countries. The UN Environment Programme says that, as of June 2025, there were 3,099 climate-related lawsuits filed around the world, but fewer than 10% of them were in the Global South. Nonetheless, there have been some powerful legal developments in emerging economies. Vanuatu, a low-lying Pacific island nation, was hit hard by Cyclone Pam in 2015. Graham Crumb/Imagicity.com/Wikipedia CC by SA 3.0 In 2023, for example, a case was brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, The Netherlands, concerning climate change. Also known as the World Court, this is the judicial body of the United Nations. The case was brought by a group of countries led by Vanuatu, a small, low-lying Pacific island nation especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including multiple catastrophic cyclones. Reasoning that global warming is caused largely by emissions from other, more industrialized countries, it petitioned to have its arguments considered. In 2025, the ICJ issued a landmark ruling in the case, “Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change” (Case No. 187). The 15 justices unanimously agreed that the nations of the world are responsible for greenhouse gas emissions and can be held accountable for damages. While the ruling is advisory, it sets a precedent of holding nations accountable for their emissions and could influence legal reasoning in other proceedings. Among other environmental efforts, remarkable legal strategies to clean up river basins have also been undertaken in countries like Egypt and India. In Egypt, the legendary Nile River became polluted by industrial dumping, agricultural drainage, and unlicensed shoreline construction. But because there are so many governmental “owners” of the shoreline, legal accountability had been diluted to near zero. But then Parliament swept away the bureaucratic paralysis and enacted Law No. 147 (the Water Resources Law) in 2021, which strongly unified and gave new power to the state’s legal mechanisms. It unsiloed the Ministries of Water Resources, Interior, Environment, and Justice. The law made it a major criminal offense—not just a code violation—to discharge industrial or toxic agricultural waste into the Nile, its vast network of irrigation canals, or its tributaries. The new statute empowered the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency to impose large fines of up to about $10,000 per violation, mandate immediate factory shutdowns, and bring charges against corporate executives directly for criminal jail time. Instead of waiting for slow civil litigation to unfold, the government now conducts broad enforcement sweeps. The High Court of Uttarakhand declared the Ganges and Yamuna rivers—and all their tributaries—as “legal and living entities having the status of a legal person.” A Ganges River canal in Haridwar, India, is drained and cleaned every year. Bibek 2011/CC BY SA 3.0 Meanwhile, in India, industrial and metropolitan polluters have flouted national cleanup mandates for decades, pouring toxic waste and raw sewage into the Ganges River, which is sacred to Hindus. Finally, however, in a landmark ruling (Mohd. Salim v. State of Uttarakhand), the High Court of Uttarakhand declared the Ganges and Yamuna rivers—and all their tributaries—as “legal and living entities having the status of a legal person.” By granting the river the same legal rights as a human being, the court sought to allow environmental advocates to sue polluting corporations or negligent municipalities on behalf of the river itself for bodily harm. The court appointed top state officials to act as the river’s legal guardians. The ruling touched off an explosion of debate and is now still in the appeals process. However, the High Court’s judicial rationale fundamentally transformed Indian environmental law. The National Green Tribunal and the State Pollution Control Boards have now been emboldened to issue direct, heavy financial penalties and immediate-closure orders to hundreds of noncompliant tanneries and chemical plants in the rivers’ basin. The Industry Perspective Industry groups often argue that some environmental lawsuits—while legally permissible—can become counterproductive when they are used primarily to delay or block projects rather than to address serious environmental harm. “Litigation plays a critical role in enforcing laws and protecting environmental standards,” American Council for Capital Formation Chief Economist Pinar Çebi Wilber told Daily Energy Insider. “However, when litigation becomes a substitute for policymaking, it can introduce significant uncertainty into investment decisions and delay the development of infrastructure that is essential for economic growth and energy security.” Industry advocates also argue that some lawsuits are driven less by broad environmental concerns than by local opposition movements (“Not In My Backyard” or NIMBY activism), political agendas, or attempts to extract financial settlements. Business organizations often say this creates a climate in which nearly any major project becomes vulnerable to costly delays regardless of its overall public benefit. Environmental groups say that what industry often labels “frivolous” lawsuits are often essential accountability tools, especially when government agencies fail to enforce regulations or when communities lack political power. They argue that litigation can force transparency, improve project design, protect public health, and preserve ecosystems that might otherwise be sacrificed for short-term economic gain. Thanks to Scenic Hudson, the debate has ended on whether conservation groups can have a legal voice in projects that affect the environment. Today, litigation revolves around how to balance environmental protection, democratic participation, economic development, and the need for timely decision-making. *Richard Laezman is a freelance writer in Los Angeles, California. He has a passion for energy efficiency and innovation. He has been covering renewable power and other related subjects for more than ten years.

Why Surfer-Scholar Easkey Britton Shares 'Blue Space' Science with the World By Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe* Easkey Britton is a five-time winner in the Irish National Surfing Championships. Photo courtesy of Easkey Britton Ask any surfer—or person who loves being near the water—and they’ll tell you that “the ocean heals.” The saltwater, rhythm of the waves and tides, and even the silence of open water are all known to be therapeutic. What was once anecdotal knowledge about the power of the ocean is now backed by a growing body of scientific research in a field known as “blue health” or “blue space” science. Surfers are especially aware of the need for humans to reciprocate the care that water provides. Confronted daily with plastic trash and tangled fishing gear, a growing number are taking action to protect aquatic ecosystems and ensure that water environments remain a source of healing for everyone. Advancing Blue Health Research Easkey Britton. Photo courtesy of Easkey Britton For five-time Irish surfing champion, scientist, and social ecologist Easkey Britton, the ocean is far more than a place for recreation. It is a presence in a relationship that has shaped her identity, informed her research, and inspired her advocacy for healthier connections between people and aquatic environments. Britton grew up on Ireland’s west coast, where the sea was part of everyday life. “Not somewhere separate you visited, but something woven into identity, rhythm, and belonging,” she told The Earth & I. As a child, she understood that being near the ocean changed how she felt. “The ocean became a space where I could process emotion without needing to explain it.” Today, Britton is helping to advance the growing field of blue health research—the idea that oceans, lakes, rivers, and coastlines can positively impact human health. What Is Blue Health? Blue health refers to the physical, psychological, and social benefits associated with spending time in and around water environments. Researchers have found that blue spaces can reduce stress, improve mood, encourage physical activity, restore attention, and strengthen feelings of connection to nature. But Britton believes the concept extends beyond individual well-being. “It’s about understanding how our relationship with water shapes us biologically, psychologically, and socially.” “It’s about understanding how our relationship with water shapes us biologically, psychologically, and socially.” Being near bodies of water, she says, helps “regulate the nervous system in ways we’re only beginning to fully understand scientifically.” The idea also carries an important reciprocal dimension. Blue care recognizes that healing is relational. Healthy ecosystems support human well-being, and humans can respond through conservation, sustainable practices, and responsible stewardship. The Science behind Water’s Healing Effects “This concept of blue health will only become more important in the future, as growing cities will want to utilize the waterways around which they are often built, be it a river, a lake, or on a coast,” Noah Fried, PhD candidate at the University of Vienna and coauthor of a soon-to-be-released research paper on blue spaces, told The Earth & I. Water’s significant cooling properties, for instance, help to reduce the so-called “urban heat island” effect—where concrete and asphalt store heat and radiate it back into the air. “This reduction of temperature around water already does wonders for physical and mental health during a hot day,” added Fried. Research conducted by Britton and colleagues in 2018 found that blue space health impacts included “self-esteem, self-efficacy, social confidence, resilience, and other psychological indicators (e.g., stress, mood),” as well as “prosocial behavior.” Blue space impacts self-esteem and prosocial behavior. Photo courtesy of Easkey Britton A study by Dr. Michael White and colleagues in the UK found evidence that access to “safe, clean and attractive blue spaces has a range of potential health and well-being benefits, due to a variety of mechanisms (e.g., lower temperatures, increased physical activity, lower stress, encouraging quality time with friends and family) and for a wide range of people.” Researchers also point to two influential frameworks—Attention Restoration Theory and Stress Reduction Theory—to explain why blue spaces can be so restorative. Water environments provide opportunities for mental recovery, helping replenish cognitive resources and reduce stress. Originally developed to explain the benefits of nature more broadly, these theories are increasingly being applied to aquatic environments. “More recently, we have found that water can also provide these characteristics, and that it is at least as good as ‘regular nature’ for cognitive restoration or stress reduction,” Fried said. For Britton, the most remarkable finding is the breadth of water’s influence. “What surprised me most was how multidimensional the benefits are—it’s never just one thing,” she said. “The healing potential comes from a combination of movement, sensory immersion, community, memory, meaning, and ecological connection—engaging us as whole beings.” “The healing potential comes from a combination of movement, sensory immersion, community, memory, meaning, and ecological connection—engaging us as whole beings.” Surfing as a Pathway to Connection Scientific research increasingly supports what many surfers have long experienced. Surf therapy programs are now being used around the world to support mental health, addiction recovery, youth well-being, and post-traumatic stress disorder treatment. Surf therapy in Virginia Beach, Virginia. iStock While many forms of water recreation can support well-being, surfing uniquely combines several elements associated with blue health: immersion in water, physical activity, mindfulness, concentration, and social connection. For Britton, surfing transformed her relationship with the ocean. “Competitive surfing taught me discipline and resilience, but it also taught me how to listen,” she said. “The ocean doesn’t respond to force or control. It’s an environment that quickly teaches you to adapt, pay attention, and move in response to changing conditions.” Surfing transformed Britton’s relationship with the ocean. Photo courtesy of Easkey Britton Surfing deepened an already profound relationship with the sea. “There’s something profoundly regulating about immersion in moving water—the sensory experience, the need to be present, the humility it demands,” Britton said. “It wasn’t about escape; it was about connection.” “The ocean reminds us that we are part of something larger, dynamic, and alive. And how that, in itself, can be deeply healing.” “The ocean reminds us that we are part of something larger, dynamic, and alive. And how that, in itself, can be deeply healing.” Waiting for waves encourages a heightened awareness of wind, currents, wildlife, and weather. Over time, that awareness becomes something deeper. “The sea stops being a backdrop and becomes a teacher,” Britton said. New Research on Blue Spaces Researchers continue to uncover new insights into how different water environments affect human health. Fried’s mentor at the University of Vienna, Prof. Mathew White, is a leading expert in health and environmental psychology and recipient of the Delcroix Prize for Oceans and Human Health. Forthcoming research from White and colleagues suggests that activities involving direct contact with water—even something as simple as wading in the shallows—provide greater mental health benefits than remaining on shore. The team found that oceans, rivers, and lakes all offer psychological benefits, although oceans may provide a slight advantage. “This might be because the sea is more visually expansive, or because it often seems more natural than a lake or river with a managed shore,” Fried suggested. Research by White and colleagues also suggests that environmental type and quality, visit characteristics, and individual factors influence how people experience blue spaces. From Personal Healing to Public Health To fully realize the benefits of blue health, many researchers find that human rights, equity, sustainability, and social justice must be considered alongside environmental protection. To fully realize the benefits of blue health, many researchers find that human rights, equity, sustainability, and social justice must be considered alongside environmental protection. Fried notes that women, older adults, and people with lower incomes or educational attainment may derive particularly strong mental health benefits from blue-space visits. “If people do not feel safe and if the environment seems neglected, they cannot relax and take their mind off everyday worries,” Fried said. “If properly taken care of, blue spaces can improve public health in the long run and stave off some adverse effects of climate change.” One notable example comes from Glasgow, Scotland, where the regeneration of a neglected urban canal produced measurable public health improvements over a 17-year period in nearby communities. The Forth and Clyde Canal in Glasgow, Scotland. Wikimedia “Inclusive access to high-quality blue spaces has large implications for public health,” Fried said. “Inclusive access to high-quality blue spaces has large implications for public health.” Why Access Matters For Britton, blue health science raises an important question: Who gets access to these benefits? “Access to healthy water environments is becoming an issue of social and environmental justice,” she said. Not everyone can safely or easily experience coastlines, rivers, or lakes. Barriers may include geography, economic circumstances, disability, pollution, cultural exclusion, or historical inequities. “We also know that communities most affected by environmental degradation are often those least responsible for it,” Britton added. Bridging Cultures through Water Britton’s work has also shown how water can connect people across social and cultural divides. Through projects in other countries—including Iran—she has used surfing as a vehicle for community building and cultural exchange. Easkey Britton introduced Iranian women to surfing. Photo courtesy of Easkey Britton. “You can arrive in a coastal community with a different language, religion, or politics, but once people enter the water together, something shifts,” Britton said. “You can arrive in a coastal community with a different language, religion, or politics, but once people enter the water together, something shifts,” Britton said. “Water has always connected cultures through migration, trade, story, and memory,” Britton added. “Reconnecting with that shared relationship is especially important in a time when many societies feel increasingly fragmented.” Healing Water, Healing Ourselves As blue health science advances, Britton sees an opportunity to bring together research, storytelling, and community action. “Science helps us understand the measurable impacts of environmental change and the health benefits of water connection,” she said. “But science alone doesn’t necessarily move people emotionally.” Stories help transform information into meaning and community action. “Relationships with water are rarely individual; they’re cultural and collective,” Britton said. Whether through surfing groups, swimming communities, coastal restoration projects, or intergenerational knowledge-sharing, communities help sustain care over time. Ultimately, she believes restoring our relationship with water requires both environmental and cultural renewal. “Restoring our relationship with water requires both inner and outer change,” Britton said. “We need healthier ecosystems, but we also need cultural stories that remind us we belong to the living world—and are not separate from it.” *Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe is a freelance journalist and editor. Over the past 14 years, Natasha has reported for a host of publications, exploring the wider world and industries from environmental, scientific, business, legal, and sociological perspectives. Natasha has also been interviewed as an insight provider for research institutes and conferences. Editorial notes Sources: Interview with Easkey Britton, five-time surfing champion, scientist and social ecologist Interview with Noah Fried, PhD Student, STRENGTH Research Platform, Strengthening Resilience and Preparedness to Prevent and React to Emerging Socio-Natural Hazards and Risks Environmental Psychology Group | University of Vienna

The Sport Can Transform People through Challenge, Nature, and Community By George Daniel Urioste* The author climbing on Mount Wilson, Red Rock National Conservation Area, Nevada, against a backdrop of the rugged area’s distinctive red sandstone rock faces. Photo courtesy of George Daniel Urioste Long before I tied into a rope or placed my hands on sandstone, I was surrounded by my rock-climber parents’ stories of adventure, exploration, and deep respect for the natural world. This led me into years of rock climbing in the mountains of southern Nevada, Arizona, Utah, California, the Andean nations of South America, and elsewhere. The cliffs became my teachers, offering lessons in patience, humility, and stewardship. While rock climbing will not appeal to everyone, to those it does, a transformational relationship with the natural world awaits. Parents Led the Way My parents were among the pioneers who helped establish rock climbing in the Red Rock National Conservation Area in southern Nevada, not far from Las Vegas. Through decades of dedication and vision, they developed many of the area’s classic climbing routes, helping transform Red Rock into one of the world’s most celebrated climbing destinations. Growing up among these towering sandstone cliffs—and literally following in my parents’ footsteps—shaped far more than my love of climbing. It taught me to love the land itself. Some of my earliest memories are not of reaching summits or completing difficult routes but of watching the desert come alive at sunrise, listening to the wind move through the canyons, and feeling a sense of belonging in wild places. Over time, I realized that climbing was not simply about moving upward; it was about developing a relationship with the natural world. As climbers, we often enter landscapes that few people experience intimately. We touch ancient rock formations, witness fragile ecosystems, and observe up close the subtle rhythms of nature. These experiences cultivate gratitude and responsibility. The more time I spent climbing, the more I understood that these places were not merely playgrounds for recreation. They were living environments worthy of protection. Loving nature and caring for the Earth became inseparable from my identity as a climber. What continues to draw me back to climbing is not simply the thrill of reaching the top of a route. It is the journey itself, the moments of uncertainty overcome by determination, the beauty of wild landscapes, and the deep connections that develop between people facing challenges together. Some of my closest friendships were forged hundreds of feet above the ground, where trust is not optional but essential. In climbing, success is rarely an individual achievement. We depend on one another for safety, encouragement, and support. This shared responsibility fosters empathy, compassion, and a profound sense of community. For countless climbers, the sport becomes a pathway for personal transformation, influencing emotional well-being, mental health, environmental awareness, and human connection. Many people view climbing as a sport defined by strength, endurance, and technical skill. While these physical demands are certainly part of the experience, they only scratch the surface of what climbing is about. For countless climbers, the sport becomes a pathway for personal transformation, influencing emotional well-being, mental health, environmental awareness, and human connection. Through its unique combination of physical challenge, mental engagement, and social interdependence, climbing reveals not only what we are capable of accomplishing but also who we are becoming. One of the author’s climbing companions on an escarpment in Red Rock National Recreation Area, Nevada. Photo courtesy of George Daniel Urioste Climbing and ‘Active Mindfulness’ One of the most remarkable aspects of climbing is its ability to demand complete presence. In our increasingly distracted world, moments of true mindfulness can be difficult to find. Yet climbing naturally creates them. Every handhold, foothold, and movement requires careful attention. When I climb, the constant noise of everyday life fades away. Moments of true mindfulness can be difficult to find. Yet climbing naturally creates them. Every handhold, foothold, and movement requires careful attention. The only thing that matters is the texture of the rock beneath my fingertips, the movement of my body, and the rhythm of my breathing. Psychologists often describe this experience as a “flow state,” where action and awareness become fully merged. According to a 2021 study by Katharine Wheatley, climbing functions as a form of active mindfulness that silences intrusive thoughts and focuses attention entirely on the present moment. This mental immersion has significant benefits for emotional health, according to a thesis by Leeann Wilcox at Winona State University. Indoor bouldering and outdoor traditional climbing challenge participants to confront obstacles, manage frustration, and persevere through failure. Every difficult route presents a choice: Give up or continue trying. Over time, climbers learn that setbacks are not signs of inadequacy but growth opportunities. This process develops resilience and emotional flexibility while reinforcing self-confidence. Standing beneath a towering cliff or overlooking a vast desert canyon reminds us that we are part of something much larger than ourselves. Insights about ‘What Truly Matters’ Outdoor climbing introduces an additional layer of healing through direct contact with nature. Research has found that traditional climbing combined with exposure to natural environments provides particularly strong psychological benefits and reductions in anxiety. Unlike indoor climbing gyms, natural landscapes inspire awe, humility, and perspective. Standing beneath a towering cliff or overlooking a vast desert canyon reminds us that we are part of something much larger than ourselves. A group of friends getting equipped for a day of rock climbing in Red Rock National Recreation Area. Photo courtesy of George Daniel Urioste These moments of awe can have powerful psychological effects. Research suggests that exposure to nature helps reduce stress, interrupt patterns of overthinking, and calm the nervous system. Problems that once seemed overwhelming often feel more manageable when viewed against the backdrop of mountains, deserts, forests, or oceans. The natural world has a remarkable ability to restore perspective and remind us of what truly matters. Beyond reducing stress, time spent outdoors can improve overall well-being. Studies have linked exposure to natural environments to enhanced mood, lowered anxiety, and greater emotional balance. For many climbers, these benefits extend beyond mental health and into a deeper sense of spiritual connection. The experience of moving across a cliff face often creates feelings of gratitude, wonder, and reverence that are difficult to replicate elsewhere. Perhaps most important, spending time in these landscapes often inspires a desire to protect them. Climbers witness firsthand the beauty and fragility of natural environments. We see the effects of drought, erosion, pollution, and human impact. As a result, many climbers develop a strong conservation ethic. The places that challenge us, heal us, and inspire us become places we feel responsible for protecting. Adventure therapy researchers suggest that meaningful experiences in wilderness settings foster emotional growth, reflection, and environmental stewardship. The more we become connected to nature, the more motivated we are to care for it. Collaboration over Competition In many ways, climbing teaches a philosophy of reciprocity. The Earth gives us opportunities for adventure, healing, and personal growth. In return, we are called to respect and protect the landscapes that make those experiences possible. Whether through conservation efforts, sustainable recreation practices, or simply sharing our appreciation for wild places with others, climbers can play an important role in preserving the natural world for future generations. While climbing profoundly affects individuals, its influence extends equally into the social realm. The climbing community is built upon trust and mutual dependence. Nowhere is this more evident than in the relationship between climber and belayer. A climber’s safety depends entirely upon another person’s attentiveness and competence. This level of trust creates bonds that are both rare and meaningful. The author with his wife, Mili (center), and sister, Susi, in the Calico Basin area of Red Rock National Recreation Area. Photo courtesy of George Daniel Urioste Because communication is essential for safety, climbers often discuss fears, uncertainties, and limitations openly. This vulnerability strengthens relationships and fosters empathy. Research examining climbing culture found that the structural necessity of climbing partnerships promotes deep relational trust and cooperation. Tanna Naylor similarly notes that climbing partnerships frequently develop unusually strong bonds because each partner is directly responsible for the other’s well-being. The culture of climbing reinforces the idea that growth is often a shared journey. Climbers regularly share knowledge, encourage one another, and celebrate collective success. Whether solving a difficult sequence or supporting a friend through a challenging ascent, the culture of climbing reinforces the idea that growth is often a shared journey. The author, mugging for the camera with arms spread wide while on a granite cliff face in Yosemite National Park, California, some 2,000 feet above the woods on the valley floor. Photo courtesy of George Daniel Urioste Ultimately, rock climbing demonstrates that human growth often emerges through meaningful challenge. The sport strengthens the body, but its deepest impact lies in its ability to transform the mind, nurture the spirit, and cultivate a profound connection with both people and the natural world. Through movement, trust, awe, and shared struggle, climbing reminds us that we are connected to each other, to the Earth, and to something larger than ourselves. For me, climbing has never been solely about reaching the top of a route. It has been about learning to appreciate the beauty of wild places, developing friendships rooted in trust, and discovering a sense of purpose in caring for the landscapes that have given me so much. Every climb becomes a reminder that healing ourselves and healing the earth are not separate endeavors. They are intertwined journeys. When we spend time in nature, challenge ourselves, and build meaningful relationships, we often emerge not only stronger but also more compassionate, more grounded, and more committed to protecting the world that sustains us. *George Daniel Urioste is a schoolteacher, rock climber, and freelance author who lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.

How the AI Boom is Reshaping Local Communities By Dhanada K. Mishra* Anti-data-center sentiment in rural Kansas neighborhood, May 2026. Wikimedia On a massive, windswept swath of private farmland in Box Elder County in northern Utah, local residents are worried about what “the cloud” will feel like when it finally lands. The Stratos Project Area artificial intelligence (AI) and defense mega data center that they are debating—and which the Box Elder County Commission approved in May—would not be a vague digital abstraction. It would be a concrete complex of server halls, substations, cooling towers, and backup generators on three sites over 40,000 acres—large enough to draw power as if it were a small city. What truly grabbed headlines about the new data center was its projected heat generation. A Utah State University physics professor estimated that, under certain assumptions, the facility could release waste heat into the air and water equivalent to the energy of 23 atomic bombs per day. The analogy was intentionally dramatic, but it captured a real concern: In a warming West already facing shrinking snowpack and a stressed Great Salt Lake, many fear that a vast new heat source and water user could exacerbate local conditions in the wrong direction. Supporters of the new “hyperscale” data center, which is backed by Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority, counter that the campus “will fund modern buildings at Hill Air Force Base,” the Salt Lake Tribune reported. It will also “leave ratepayers unaffected by generating its own power with natural gas, reuse its water, bring in new jobs and keep the United States competitive against China in the artificial intelligence race,” the newspaper said. Box Elder County’s project—and its public outcry—are not an isolated case. Across the United States and beyond, communities from Arizona to Virginia and even faraway India are wrestling with the local consequences of an AI‑driven data center boom. Once tucked quietly into industrial parks, data centers are now among the most visible—and contested—pieces of infrastructure being built. Once tucked quietly into industrial parks, data centers are now among the most visible—and contested—pieces of infrastructure being built. Behind our phones’ gentle notifications lies a hard question: Can we design the infrastructure powering AI so that it supports, rather than strains, the places where it is built? From Invisible Servers to Electric Cities The first shock for many communities is the sheer scale of electricity that modern data centers demand. Hyperscale facilities serving AI workloads often require 100 megawatts of power or more—roughly equivalent to the load of a small city—concentrated on a single campus or cluster. A Google data center, Council Bluffs, Iowa. Wikimedia For local utilities, that can mean massive new substations, high‑voltage transmission lines, and grid upgrades compressed into a few years rather than decades. When several projects arrive at once, planners worry that they will have to delay connecting other industrial customers, lean more heavily on gas‑fired peaker plants, or even consider new fossil‑fuel capacity to keep up. Communities understandably ask whether they will end up paying higher rates so that faraway users can chat with AI chatbots or train the next generation of models. Communities understandably ask whether they will end up paying higher rates so that faraway users can chat with AI chatbots or train the next generation of models. Yet energy experts also see an opportunity. Some types of computing, especially AI model training and batch analytics, do not have to run at a precise minute or in a specific place. In principle, these “flexible computing” workloads could be shifted to times of day when solar and wind output are strongest, or to regions with abundant clean power, turning data centers into adjustable loads that smooth rather than stress the grid. Data center infrastructure is growing in the United States. National Renewable Energy Lab/Wikimedia Water: The Peak-Day Problem If electricity tends to dominate public debate, water may be the subtler constraint. Prof. Shaolei Ren, associate professor at the University of California, Riverside campus, who studies the environmental footprint of digital infrastructure, suggests that communities must look beyond simple annual totals. Annual water use is useful, he tells The Earth & I, but it can hide the real infrastructure issue: Water systems are stressed by peak daily demand, not just the sum over a year. A project with modest annual use can still cause large spikes on hot, dry days—exactly when local systems are already under pressure. Communities should therefore insist on both annual estimates of water usage and peak daily demand, including under drought conditions, before they sign off on a project. Ren also emphasizes that water and energy need to be “planned together,” not treated as separate checkboxes. The best strategies are not simply “use less water at any cost,” because some alternatives—such as abrupt shifts to dry cooling—can drive up electricity consumption and emissions. More promising approaches include using nonpotable or reclaimed water where feasible: With on‑site storage, the data center can draw less from the system during peak hours, improve cooling efficiency, and transparently evaluate the trade‑off between water use and electricity demand. Diesel Backups and Air Quality Most people never see the diesel generators that sit behind modern data centers, but local residents may certainly hear and smell them. These rows of engines are there to satisfy strict reliability expectations: If the grid fails, the servers must stay on. Ren points out that even though backup generators are intended for rare emergency use, they can still matter locally. Diesel units emit high levels of nitrogen oxides and fine particulate pollution when they run; the risks of air pollution are especially acute in communities already overburdened by highways, ports, warehouses, or power plants. Diesel units emit high levels of nitrogen oxides and fine particulate pollution when they run; the risks of air pollution are especially acute in communities already overburdened by highways, ports, warehouses, or power plants. Regulators therefore need to ask where the generators are located, how often they may run (including tests), and how their emissions combine with existing local burdens. That cumulative perspective is particularly important in places like Northern Virginia’s “data‑center alley” and emerging clusters such as Box Elder County, where concerns about air quality and heat are now intertwined. And Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center in Ashburn, Virginia. Wikimedia Cleaner options exist. Large‑scale battery storage paired with renewables can provide fast, clean backup for at least short outages, while cleaner fuels or stringent emissions controls can reduce pollution from any remaining generators. But, as with water and energy, these alternatives must be designed into the project from the start; communities rarely get a chance to renegotiate once the concrete is poured. Chart showing data center power demand in the United States over time. RCraig09/Wikimedia Land, Jobs, and the Local Bargain A large AI campus does not just draw electricity and water; it also remakes land and local economies. A large AI campus does not just draw electricity and water; it also remakes land and local economies. A single facility can convert hundreds of acres of farmland or open space into fenced compounds, access roads, and electrical yards. For some towns, this is a welcome sign of investment; for others, it feels like an industrial takeover. Construction brings a wave of temporary jobs, but long‑term employment at a highly automated facility may be modest relative to its footprint, especially once maintenance and security personnel are established. Generous tax incentives can further dilute the fiscal benefits that were used to justify the project in the first place. Urban‑planning scholar and University of Michigan Assistant Professor Xiaofan Liang tells The Earth & I that some of the most important local impacts—shifts in housing markets, transportation patterns, land‑use change, or social cohesion—may only emerge over longer time horizons and are still poorly documented. Because these changes are hard to quantify and fall outside the immediate permitting checklist, they are often overlooked during approvals. Many jurisdictions currently permit data centers under broad industrial or commercial labels. Liang argues that the underlying concerns—energy demand, water consumption, noise, setbacks, environmental impacts—are not entirely new to zoning, but the scale and intensity of those impacts can be far greater than for traditional industrial uses. Cities may be able to gain finer-grained control over siting and design by asking for explicit zoning language for AI data centers while following new practice reports from planning associations. For communities trying to negotiate better outcomes, Liang suggests starting with a big-picture understanding of how a data center actually works—asking which regional power lines and water systems it will depend on, what the development life cycle will look like, and which agencies or companies will control each decision point. Practical tools such as public hearings, community benefit agreements, and clear permit conditions can then turn that knowledge into leverage. What a Community-Integrated Data Center Looks Like Ren argues that a truly community-integrated data center would be designed around several elements: Local infrastructure limits, not just the company’s computing roadmap Use of water sources that do not diminish community water security Reporting both peak and annual water and energy demand Choosing cooling technologies based on local grid and climate conditions Investing in shared infrastructure whenever the facility creates new burdens. Moreover, for backup power, a community-integrated data center would minimize diesel reliance where feasible and carefully evaluate local air quality impacts. A truly community-integrated data center would be designed around local infrastructure limits, not just the company’s computing roadmap. Liang also sees two complementary ideas emerging under the same banner. The first is the concept of community-integrated data centers as large commercial facilities that deliberately build community goals into their projects. That can mean outreach or sustainability teams, formal community benefit agreements, funding for nonprofit initiatives such as digital access programs, and architecture and streetscapes that genuinely fit the surrounding neighborhood. The second idea is more experimental but goes further and imagines community‑run data centers. These remain mostly conceptual, but researchers are exploring the technical feasibility of smaller‑scale, locally controlled facilities that process local data under local governance. In these visions, a data center might reuse an abandoned factory, share a building with a workforce‑training center, bundle rooftop solar and broadband upgrades, and be governed through community institutions rather than only corporate boards. Around the world, existing projects hint at what this future could look like in practice. In Odense, Denmark, for instance, Meta’s data center was designed with heat recovery in mind. Instead of simply releasing warm exhaust air, the facility captures low‑temperature waste heat from its servers and feeds it into the city’s district heating network via large heat pumps, donating up to 100,000 megawatt‑hours of heat each year—enough to warm thousands of local homes. In Hong Kong and several US metros, cloud providers now cool data centers with recycled or nonpotable water, developed in partnership with local utilities, to reduce pressure on drinking water supplies. These projects are far from perfect, but they show that with planning and partnership, resource footprints can be dramatically reduced. Choosing the Future of the Cloud In the debate over the unknowns of AI data centers, certain questions arise: What if projects started with a mindset to size the facility to fit within local grid and water constraints? What if the center was designed to use reclaimed water and on-site storage to shave peak demand? Other concerns are to equip them with batteries and minimal diesel, and connect to nearby homes, farms, or greenhouses via a system that turns waste heat into a community asset. Finally, can the centers be paired with investments in broadband, workforce training, and local public spaces? In these scenarios, a data center next door might still be controversial—but it would look less like a looming industrial threat and more like an unusual but honest neighbor, one that does its share to keep the community livable in a warming world. The AI boom guarantees that more data centers are coming. The question is whether they arrive as opaque, resource‑hungry bunkers, or as carefully planned pieces of shared infrastructure. Treating data centers as grid citizens and potential community partners—rather than invisible clouds floating above the physical world—opens up room for negotiation and creativity. The examples already emerging in places like Odense, Quincy, and Hong Kong show that when communities, regulators, and companies make different choices early enough, the cloud can support the ground beneath it instead of overwhelming it. *Dhanada K. Mishra is a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan and is currently working as the Managing Director of a Hong Kong-based AI startup for building technology for the sustainability of built infrastructure (www.raspect.ai). He writes on environmental issues, sustainability, the climate crisis, and built infrastructure.

Expert Warns of Earlier, Longer Wildfire Seasons—Calls for “Hand in Paw” Solutions By Gordon Cairns* Beavers are “snow drought” busters. ljphoto7/iStock Across the American West, winter is no longer what it used to be. In 2026, scientists warned of a historic “snow drought”—a phenomenon where snowpack fails to accumulate even when precipitation occurs, often because temperatures are too warm for snow to form. This shift, they said, may not be just a seasonal anomaly—it could be a structural change, with cascading consequences for water, ecosystems, and wildfire risk. Snow deficits or droughts—which have also been seen in Europe and eastern Russia, according to a 2020 study—sit at the intersection of climate science, water security, and ecological resilience. In the American West, it raises urgent questions about how these communities can adapt as their “frozen reservoirs” disappear. Irreplaceable Snowpacks Snowpack functions as the West’s most important natural reservoir. While lakes and man-made reservoirs hold a small fraction of the water needed each year, the mountain snowpacks supply up to 75% of annual water resources as they slowly melt through the spring and summer months. In recent years—and dramatically in 2026—snow levels across much of the western US region fell, with some areas reporting near-record lows due to unusually warm winters and precipitation falling as rain instead of snow. A Rainy Winter for Many In California, state-of-the-art technology devised in conjunction with NASA—using lasers to record snow depth down to 3 cm (1.1 in)—has uncovered a worrying picture. This spring, snow was only 18% of the average for the time of year. Mountain lakes in California can’t make up for water losses from low snowpack. trekandshoot/iStock Unfortunately, California is not alone. According to the latest US Drought Monitor, almost two-thirds of the lower 48 states are now grappling with the impact of the most widespread spring dry spell since the monitor began recording 26 years ago. This spring, snow [in California] was only 18% of the average for the time of year. The consequences are already unfolding. Without snow cover, landscapes dry earlier, vegetation becomes more flammable, and wildfire seasons begin sooner and last longer. Already this year, wildfires have ignited unusually early across multiple regions, with hundreds of thousands of acres burned before spring even began—an alarming preview of what may become the new normal. The Issue of Timing The snow drought problem is twofold: Not only is there less water collected from snowmelt, but the timing of when the snow falls is making the impact worse. In an interview given earlier this year, Dr. Emily Fairfax, an eco-hydrologist and assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, explains that while the issue of not having enough water is clear, “[t]he timing is a little more nuanced.” “If we have all of our precipitation coming too soon, and then we have a big dry period,—or if we oscillate back and forth between rain, snow, warm, cold, warm, cold—the end result is that we just don't have as much water at the end of the winter—and we've lost a lot, either to downstream runoffs that are premature or to evaporation,” she says. Earlier Fire Season Many US states are now experiencing the first devastating effect of snow drought—an earlier fire season. Fairfax explains that forests comprising mostly conifers and evergreens are increasingly becoming drought-stressed: “You move into spring, you move into summer and they are already highly flammable, very dry fuels. You also have an effect of when your annuals die off in the fall and then leaf litter with all this brush and dead material. It's normally a nice insulating layer and habitat for a lot of really critical species, but it also becomes excessively dry, so you have a really flammable understory … underneath very flammable overstories and canopies.” She adds: “There are multiple layers of pathways for fire to move quickly through entire landscapes.” Many US states are now experiencing the first devastating effect of snow drought—an earlier fire season. Cottonwood Fire in Nebraska, March 13, 2026, marked an early fire season. Wikimedia Downstream Effects Just as mountain streams eventually trickle down to the sea, the snow drought’s impact will eventually hit the cities, towns, and farms of the plains. Already, restrictions on the water supplied to some municipalities and agricultural concerns are increasing. The US Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation has issued an April–September 2026 water supply forecast for the Yakima Basin, which covers 10% of south-central Washington state. It predicts that those with pro-ratable water rights—such as cities, irrigation districts, individual farms and industries—will be receiving less than half of their full water allotments. It is expected other states will soon follow suit. And the impact will not just be on the water supply but also on power. The forecast for Lake Powell—a reservoir on the Colorado River in Utah and Arizona—shows minimum power pool elevation being reached by December 2026. If the water drops below this point, the Glen Canyon Dam in Page, Arizona, which produces enough electricity to help supply the power needs for more than 350,000 homes, may no longer generate hydroelectricity. In late April, the Bureau of Reclamation announced additional water flow to mitigate the losses to this reservoir and dam. The Small but Mighty Beaver Countermeasures to snow drought range from forest thinning, prescribed burns, and regenerative land practices to building climate-resilient infrastructure. But Fairfax believes the best and most cost-effective solutions come from nature itself—such as employing the humble beaver. These semi-aquatic rodents have been a hydrologic force on the American continent for millions of years, she notes. They’ve been “doing things like restoring our rivers, building wetlands, supporting [as] ecosystem engineers. … That's one way to help slow the water down and make it accessible when we need it, without having to completely control everything ourselves.” “Because honestly,” she adds, “we don't necessarily have the time or the money or the manpower to do it on our own. But luckily, nature can be our biggest ally.” “Beavers and climate change actually go hand in paw. The beavers build wetlands, and these wetlands are exceptionally good at slowing water down, keeping it on the landscape, and routing it onto the floodplain, where it could seep into the soil and recharge those aquifers.” “Beavers and climate change actually go hand in paw. The beavers build wetlands, and these wetlands are exceptionally good at slowing water down, keeping it on the landscape, and routing it onto the floodplain, where it could seep into the soil and recharge those aquifers.” In fact, beavers are the perfect partners, Fairfax continues: “Beaver wetlands are unique because they're the only wetland type that has an engineer on staff 24/7/365, permanently dedicated to keeping that part of the land wet, healthy, and soggy.” A beaver dam in Spearfish, South Dakota. sstevens3/iStock Separately, research is being done at Stanford University on where to reintroduce beaver populations in the West, says a 2025 article in Water Online. The North American beaver population has fallen from an estimated 60 million to 400 million in the mid-1800s to roughly 10 million to 15 million today “because of extensive hunting, habitat degradation, and trapping,” the article said. Human endeavors can help, as well, Fairfax notes: “We can engage in restoration; we can try to restore large wood to our rivers. We can do riparian planting, basically planting the things that like to live alongside creeks, so that they can help slow water down, too.” She adds that changing our behavior, from where we allow livestock to graze, to designing zonal developments giving rivers enough space, will also have a positive impact. “Rivers can serve a lot of purposes, and today one of the most important purposes is helping us deal with these increasingly dry winters and flammable springs and summers.” “Challenges like these often feel like they are out of our control, but they’re not,” she concludes. “If every county, if every stream just inches a little bit more towards health, that can have a really cascading difference. And it can be something we can see.” *Gordon Cairns is a freelance journalist and teacher of English at the Forest Schools, based in Scotland.

Are Modern Lifestyles Fueling a Global Health Shift? By Mark Smith* The rates of a variety of cancer types are rising among younger people. iStock Medical experts around the globe are engaged in vital detective work: to figure out why cancer is increasingly developing among young people. Meanwhile, lifestyle is coming under suspicion as one of the possible contributing factors. One study conducted by medical experts connected to several institutions, including Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, described early-onset cancer as an "emerging global epidemic." The American Cancer Society (ACS) projects that the number of global early-onset cancer cases will surge by a staggering 31% by 2030, accompanied by a 21% increase in global young adult mortality. According to the data, the most common early-onset cancers (EOCs) include breast, lung, stomach, and colorectal cancers, followed by thyroid, pancreatic, and liver cancers. The race is on to find what is driving the phenomenon. But with such a complex disease, a single specific driver is hard to pin down, and much remains unknown. A doctor examining X-ray images. iStock Is It Just Better Detection Rates? Cancer develops when cellular DNA mutates, causing cells to divide uncontrollably, forming a tumor in an organ or a blood cancer such as leukemia. The possible contributing factors to such a mutation are varied, ranging from family history to how we live our lives. Figuring out the impact of the factors we can control—such as diet and exercise—may be important in designing prevention strategies that can reduce the incidence of cancer. Although overall cancer mortality is dropping due to better treatments, alarmingly, the number of new diagnoses in young people is climbing by roughly 1% to 2% annually. Dr. Meredith Shiels is a senior investigator at the US National Cancer Institute. She led a landmark study that analyzed trends for 33 cancer types among different age groups. The results showed that the incidence of 14 cancer types increased among people under 50, with nine of those types also increasing in older populations. The results showed that the incidence of 14 cancer types increased among people under 50, with nine of those types also increasing in older populations. Speaking to The Earth & I, she said there are several factors that can influence cancer incidence rates, including changes in screening and detection and alterations to cancer classification systems. But sadly, cases are not the only thing moving: Deaths for specific types are also creeping up. Shiels noted that because young adult deaths for certain varieties—like colorectal and uterine cancers—are also increasing, it pointed to a genuine shift, not merely one built on better, or at least different, detection rates. Dr. Meredith Shiels. Photo courtesy of Meredith Shiels However, she cautioned that there is still not enough evidence to understand what the primary drivers are, due partly to a lack of data specifically about younger people. “Much of what we know about cancer risk comes from studies of older people, where cancer risk is highest, so we know a lot less about cancers that occur at earlier ages,” she said. “It is likely that the same factors that contribute to average onset cancer risk also contribute to early-onset cancer risk, but we cannot say definitively that that is the full explanation.” Shiels pointed to a recent analysis carried out in the UK that showed that established behavioral risk factors are unlikely to fully explain rising early-onset cancer rates. Trying on hats to wear after chemotherapy. Wikimedia Examining Lifestyle Factors While the specific array of factors contributing to elevated rates of cancer in the young is not yet known, lifestyle has increasingly come under the spotlight. While the specific array of factors contributing to elevated rates of cancer in the young is not yet known, lifestyle has increasingly come under the spotlight. Dr. Despina Handolias is a consultant medical oncologist based in Melbourne, Australia, and a member of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. A global advocate and researcher in lifestyle medicine, she speaks widely on how lifestyle factors can drive the cellular mutations that are the building blocks of tumors. Dr. Despina Handolias. Photo courtesy of Despina Handolias She says research points to a complex picture that includes an accumulation of environmental and lifestyle factors that begin early in life. “The most significant lifestyle drivers include dietary factors and physical inactivity,” she told The Earth & I. “This is particularly relevant to the commonest EOCs, including breast and digestive system cancers [and] particularly colorectal cancer. Dietary factors that pose the most risk include ultraprocessed and snack foods, processed meats and red meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages.” Handolias said that when diets high in these food categories and low in whole plant foods are adopted from an early age, it disrupts the gut microbiome—the ecosystem of trillions of bacteria in our digestive tract that regulates health. Over time, this diet exposes the body to cancer-causing molecules while reducing the diversity of these helpful gut bacteria. This cumulative damage alters the body's metabolic and immune systems, creating an environment where cancer is much more likely to develop. “Sedentary lifestyles and lack of physical activity affect immune system surveillance. Metabolic factors and gut microbiome health are also likely to significantly impact the rates of EOC,” she added. Experts also cite other contributing factors when it comes to rising rates. Prof. Marc Gunter is a leading chair in cancer epidemiology at Imperial College London, specializing in how diet, obesity, and lifestyle habits drive tumor development. He said obesity was an established risk factor for at least 13 cancer types—some of which have been rising in younger people, including cancer of the uterus, colorectal cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Dr. Marc Gunter. Photo courtesy of Marc Gunter “Recently, our research has shown that excess weight is associated with higher risk of colorectal cancer below age 55. As obesity has been increasing in many parts of the world for the past few decades, it is likely that this explains at least part of the rise in cancers in younger people.” He said it was not yet fully understood how obesity causes cancer, but added that many of the metabolic and hormonal changes often seen in people with obesity—such as higher levels of the hormones insulin and estrogen—as well as inflammation, can contribute to cancer development and so are likely causes, at least for some cancers. While the recurring consensus is to exercise caution in classifying cancer rates and their causes, many experts agree that healthy lifestyle habits can help reduce risk and improve overall well-being. They also argue that individuals need greater access to the social, economic, and environmental conditions that support healthy choices. While the recurring consensus is to exercise caution in classifying cancer rates and their causes, many experts agree that healthy lifestyle habits can help reduce risk and improve overall well-being. Stephanie McBurnett, RDN, serves as the lead nutrition educator for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a US-based health advocacy group of over 17,000 doctors. Her work focuses on translating cancer data into public health policy and actionable, plant-based cancer prevention strategies. Stephanie McBurnett, RDN. Photo courtesy of Stephanie McBurnett She echoed the view of other experts that there are multiple reasons for the cancer increases, but echoed colleagues that practical lifestyle changes matter. She said: “The most protective habits are simple but powerful—eat more fiber-rich plant foods, move daily, avoid tobacco, limit alcohol, maintain a healthy weight, and prioritize sleep.” She said ideally such habits should begin in childhood, but that it was “never too late.” She added that societies cannot make prevention solely the responsibility of individuals, and that healthy choices must be “accessible, affordable, and built into the places” where people live, learn, work, and receive care. “Prevention should not be a privilege,” she said. “Prevention should not be a privilege.” “Communities need culturally relevant education, affordable healthy foods, safe places to be active, and policies that make the healthy choice the easy choice.” Avoid a “Blame Game” Crucially, many experts warn against letting the spotlight on lifestyle devolve into a “blame game.” Identifying modern habits as potential contributing factors does not mean young cancer patients brought the illness upon themselves. Many experts suggest the rise is being fueled in part by systemic, generational shifts in our food systems, hidden environmental exposures, and altered childhood microbiomes which—when combined with our individual genetics—create forces that no single person can entirely control. The rise in cancer among the young is an undoubtedly complex picture—and whatever their area of specific expertise, many experts are cautious about attributing it to any one driver alone. Genetic predisposition, environment, and lifestyle factors form a complex tapestry that medicine is still endeavoring to fully understand. But with the acceptance that more research is needed among the young, as well as a push to make positive lifestyle options more widely available and accessible to everyone, there is hope that rates that are currently going up could one day be brought down again. *Mark Smith is a journalist and author from the UK. He has written on subjects ranging from business and technology to world affairs, history, and popular culture for the Guardian, BBC, Telegraph, and magazines in the United States, Europe, and Southeast Asia.