Renewable energy sources have existed for centuries but in recent decades, have become key to combatting climate change. Prioritizing energy sources with low carbon footprints is critical to managing and reversing temperature increases, water shortages, and other negative impacts that have resulted from generations of fossil fuel use. While wind has been instrumental to this energy transition, offshore wind has greater potential than traditional onshore wind due to the size difference of the turbines. Not only does offshore wind have higher energy capacity but can do so in a much smaller physical footprint than onshore wind. Though the European Union (EU) has been the front runner in offshore wind development, the United States (U.S.) has made tremendous progress over the past two decades with more growth on the horizon.
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The UN Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, also known as the BBNJ, was convened in late 2017 to develop a new legally binding instrument under the UN Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
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Pollination is an ecosystem function that serves as the foundation for all life on Earth. Pollination occurs when the pollen grains from the anther of one flower are transferred to the stigma of another flower. Often facilitated by insects, bats, and birds, this process is necessary for plants to produce seeds. Unfortunately, the importance of pollination in our lives is often overlooked and undervalued.
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On October 5th, more than 1,000 birds collided into McCormick Place in downtown Chicago, IL. While Chicago has historically been one of the most dangerous cities for migratory birds, this catastrophe in the worst in recent history.
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Throughout the mid-1900s, bald eagles were on the brink of extinction. A combination of habitat destruction, illegal killing, and insecticide poison reduced the population of these magnificent birds to dangerously low numbers. Fortunately, through the enactment and implementation of a variety of environmental laws, bald eagles have made one of the most successful recoveries in this history of conservation.
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