Articles – Page 2 – LCA Resources

Expanding renewable energy means new mining of critical materials–but not at any cost

July 15, 2025 / Energy

Local Climate Action The renewable energy transition needs a number of raw materials for batteries, electric motors and general electrification, which are mined from the earth as minerals and then processed into a purer form for manufacturing. Mines and processing plants can take years to develop, and many of the current supply chains are controlled […]

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Emerging scientific consensus: Homo Sapiens a threatened non-charismatic species

April 22, 2025 / Biodiversity

by Neil Auwarter Last quarter we explored what economic theory identifies as the core challenge to climate action: the “tragedy of the commons.” But a tide of new research tells a different story. It suggests the primary obstacle to saving the Earth’s climate — and thus ourselves — is the same faced by bats, lizards

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Tackling the wildfire crisis: Policy solutions and strategies for a safer future

April 22, 2025 / Climate Action, Natural Lands

Local Climate Action Over the last few decades, wildfires in the United States have evolved from a regional concern to a national crisis. As the frequency, intensity and scale of these fires continue to rise, it’s clear that they are not isolated natural disasters — they are the result of a complex web of environmental,

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Keeping climate work moving forward in difficult times

April 22, 2025 / Climate Action

Local Climate Action The 2015 Paris Agreement (or Paris Accords) is an international treaty signed by 196 parties, including the United States. The parties committed to the shared goal of keeping the increase in global surface temperature below 2°C by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and taking other effective actions. Each time Donald Trump has become

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Rare earths are critical minerals for green energy transition

April 22, 2025 / Energy

Local Climate Action A transition to a world based on renewable electricity has a potential bottleneck — the need for inexpensive and readily available rare earths. The rare earths (actually metals) are a family of 17 elements, most of them in a row called the lanthanides in the lower part of the periodic table. According

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The fight to avert a climate tragedy must go local under Trump 2.0.

January 17, 2025 / Climate Action, Climate and Society

by Neil Auwarter As Americans prepare for a second Donald Trump presidency, the fight against climate change faces a new threat. Trump has vowed to undo Biden’s key climate achievements, reverse the U.S. commitment to the Paris Agreement, and ramp up fossil fuel production. If he follows through, it will fall to state and local

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Local climate action increases amidst the struggle to achieve a healthier planet

January 17, 2025 / Climate Action, Climate and Society

Local Climate Action As climate activists prepare for the impending Trump era and the potential for a rollback of federal climate protections, local governments and grassroots movements are stepping into the gap, proving that meaningful climate action does not have to come from Washington. Through innovative policies, community-led initiatives and dedicated grassroots activism, local communities

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Eating less beef really can make a difference

January 17, 2025 / Agriculture, Consumer Action

Local Climate Action The climate crisis often appears so daunting that it’s hard to imagine how one person can make a difference. In fact, if meat eaters cut back on beef consumption, they would significantly decrease greenhouse gas emissions. The details of why beef is so much worse for the climate than other foods are

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Harris v Trump on climate

October 7, 2024 / Climate and Society

by Neil Auwarter Harris would safeguard the climate; Trump would pour gas on the problem In principle, Americans share a desire for future generations to thrive and prosper. But when it comes to climate, only one of the major presidential candidates would put this principle into practice. Kamala Harris has a strong record of climate

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How a Harris/Walz administration could advance climate equity