Climate & Environment

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.

A rescue worker stands among storm debris and uprooted trees, with his hand covering his face during a search effort.

Photos: Sea lions are released after toxic algae bloom in Southern California

Marine mammal researchers are investigating how sea lions were affected by the longest toxic algal bloom on record off the coast of Southern California. Some sea lions are being released back into the wild.

Patchouli is one of the last sea lions released from the Marine Mammal Care Center after a toxic algae bloom in Southern California.

4 things to know about SoCal’s flood systems in the wake of the Texas tragedy

In the wake of the tragedy in Texas, LAist set out to get answers about the flood situation here.

On the left of a frame a black asphalt bike path where a woman wearing a gray sweater and beanie rides her bike. Next to her is the LA River where a man sits on the slopping concrete that leads to the water. He wears a flannel shirt and white beanie as he looks out at the water. The river flows downstream and there are multiple trees in the middle of the brown, rushing water. The skies are gloomy.

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