Climate & Environment

A slight cool down kicks in for Southern California with gloomy mornings near the coast and partly cloudy afternoons.

California’s wind and solar projects face new federal hurdles

Clean-energy projects have new deadlines for federal tax credits and limits on foreign parts, taking aim at California’s climate agenda. Eleven major solar projects and one onshore wind project now face potential delays or cancellation.

A row of wind turbines spins in the Mojave Desert surrouned by Joshua trees.

California's climate laws get a skeptical second look — from Democrats

California Democrats have made a series of moves to blunt or roll back environmental laws. What's behind the shift?

Despite three 911 calls, two homebound disabled men died in the Eaton Fire waiting for rescue

911 recordings obtained by LAist shed light on why and how emergency planning continues to leave people with disabilities behind.

A photo of a blue brochure with photos of Anthony Mitchell Sr, an older man with brown skin, and, Justin Mitchell, a younger man with dark brown skin who both passed away in the Eaton Fire. In the right corner of the brochure is a blue and white football that reads "Touchdown in Heaven"

Why California native bees are struggling to keep up with honey bees

And why that matters for native plant ecosystems.

Cooler weather this weekend for SoCal

We're going to see between 5 and 10 degrees of cooling in SoCal this weekend.

A sandy beach packed full of people, umbrellas, and towels. Several light blue lifeguard stations are scattered along the coast, and the ocean waters can be seen in the distance.

Advice on rebuilding after fires — from people who've lived it

Six months after the Eaton and Palisades fires, survivors and experts offer advice and perspective at an LAist event.

Four people sit in chairs on a stage. A woman holds a microphone and speaks while gesturing with her hand.

High bacteria levels prompt warning against going in water at 7 LA County beaches

Here’s a list and a map of the affected beaches.

An aerial view of the Santa Monica Pier, with a ferris wheel, rollercoaster, and shops elevated from the ocean on the right hand side. The left shows a nearly-empty sandy beach, with a blue lifeguard tower towards the top.

Cal Fire rolled out an AI chatbot. Don’t ask it about evacuation orders

California pushes AI in government, but the wildfire chatbot falls short.

Firefighters use tools to dig near flames from a wildfire that burns through a wooded area.

Congress is killing clean energy tax credits. Here’s how to use them before they disappear

Just a few weeks remain to tap federal programs that make purchasing an EV, heat pump or solar panels more affordable.

A couple stands arm in arm, looking at their home’s rooftop solar panels.

LA County renters without AC swelter in heat waves with little recourse, study finds. That might change

There are no state or local protections for tenants without cooling. That could soon change.

An apartment building has multiple stories and ornate mouldings around openings to a fire escape.

California could flood like Texas. But thunderstorms likely won’t be to blame

Deadly floods like those in Texas are rare in California, but climate change-fueled storms could make them more likely, climate scientists say.

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