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Environmental Policy
The ozone hole was going to destroy life as we know it, but an unprecedented global effort fixed the problem.
The idea that it’s “too late” to reduce emissions fuels cynicism and despair, putting us on an even worse trajectory.
Robotaxis can transform cities by improving mobile efficiency, equity, and safety — if cities adopt policies that prioritize the public good.
Preindustrial life wasn’t simple or serene — it was filthy, violent, and short. The Industrial Revolution was imperfect, but it was progress.
41mins
“Progress happens when we choose to make it happen. It happens through choice and effort. And ultimately, to make progress happen, we have to believe in it.”
Bold megaprojects could turn dry depressions into thriving new hubs of life.
Solar power has the disadvantage that there's no Sun at night. Satellite startup Reflect Orbital wants to change that, but at what cost?
In this excerpt from "The Formula for Better Health," Tom Frieden explores how Alice Hamilton transformed public health in her fight against lead poisoning.
Here are three ways to do it better.
Across planet Earth, dark and pristine night skies are an increasingly rare resource. These photos showcase the best of what we still have.
Nuclear chemist Tim Gregory joins Big Think to make the case that nuclear energy can still transform the world for the better.
In "After the Spike," Dean Spears and Michael Geruso show why policy, rather than high population density, has the most significant impact on the environment.
Here in 2025, many of us claim to come to our own conclusions by doing our own research. Here's why we're mostly deluding ourselves.
5mins
“I think the key point is that doesn't mean game over. That doesn't mean we're flipped into a world, and to a point of no return.”
The history of catastrophe shows that true resilience comes not from restoration, but from reinvention.
1hr 17mins
"It's not that I don't think these problems are big or that they're urgent, but I can start to see that these problems are solvable."
We've wasted our time and resources ideologically policing and punishing each other for far too long. Here's a better route to prosperity.
The primary causes of global climate change are all due to human activity. Adding aerosols to our atmosphere only exacerbates the problem.
Retrofitting America's aging dams for hydropower — while removing ecologically harmful ones — may be a productive path forward.
We need to fully acknowledge problems, while vigorously pursuing solutions. Call it “solutionism.”
An authentic career strategy built around sustainability involves embedding these key principles into all jobs, argues Marilyn Waite.
"You’ll be able to fly twice as fast as a Boeing or Airbus, and it’ll be like the cost of flying business today."
A wave of innovation is coursing through the nuclear industry — but ingrained opposition is the biggest roadblock.
The carbon market and offsetting system have created “carbon cowboys” and perpetuated forms of neo-colonialism and other inequities.
Around the world, biofuels, so-called green energy sources, are waving major red flags.
They’re in our brains, hearts, and blood — but what are they doing to us?
Philosopher Peter Singer argues it's time to examine a morally dubious practice.
Australia's AAPowerLink boasts three global superlatives: largest solar farm, largest battery, and longest power cable.
A scientist’s first-hand account shows the world can tackle a global environmental crisis.
12mins
“You can find examples of really big environmental problems that we've already solved.” Climate change is solvable, argues Hannah Ritchie.