Dozens of Chicago activists met last week to plan a defense of environmental policies that appear vulnerable under the administration of President Donald Trump.

Why did the Trump transition team target Department of Energy staffers who worked on climate change? What does the future hold for climate research and nuclear weapons? A one-on-one interview with the current U.S. Secretary of Energy.

Local lawmakers and activists are pushing for Chicago to join a rapidly growing list of cities worldwide that have committed to the fossil fuel divestment movement.

To get children and teens interested in science, technology and engineering careers, Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry is planning a new program examining the world around us and the role of humans in it. 

The average global temperature in August tied with July as the hottest month since record keeping began in 1880, according to NASA. 

Using a process similar to photosynthesis, scientists from Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Illinois at Chicago have converted carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas, which can produce methanol and diesel fuels.

In response to the National Weather Service’s air quality alert, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has declared an Air Pollution Action Day for the Chicago area on Wednesday.

Coral reefs evolved 240 million years ago, but now scientists say coral reefs could be gone before the end of this century. They say the biggest threat is the warming ocean water. Three major institutions in Chicago are now actively engaged in the fight to save the coral reefs.  

The terms of the historic global pact were agreed upon by 195 countries on Dec. 12, 2015, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, but Friday – Earth Day – marks the first day of the yearlong signing period.

A recent report from the Obama administration warned that changes to the climate could lead to thousands more Americans dying prematurely every year from a variety of causes. Local scientist and professor Seth Darling discusses the challenges of climate disruption and shares his thoughts on creating a path to a sustainable future.

A new interactive exhibit on climate change at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum addresses “the defining issue of our time,” says Steve Sullivan, senior curator of ecology at the museum. 

There are signs that climate change is having negative effects on maple syrup production. Researchers are now surveying maple trees in the Midwest to look for them.

New reports show that Earth’s surface temperature last year was its highest since modern temperature record keeping began in 1880. The global record was also broken in 2014, although 2015 saw dramatic increases by comparison.

Experts from the American Security Project are in Chicago to sound the alarm that inaction on climate change weakens the United States' national security position. We'll talk with retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Lee Gunn and Andrew Holland, senior fellow with the American Security Project and a former aide to ex-Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel during Hagel's time in the Senate.

Pope Francis' recent views on climate change are sparking debates within the Catholic community. Joining us are Mark Potosnak, a member of the Catholic Climate Covenant and assistant professor of environmental science at DePaul University, and Mary Anne Hackett, president and CEO of Catholic Citizens of Illinois.

Pope Francis released an encyclical on the environment on Thursday. In the 192-page encyclical, the pope makes the case for a partnership between science and religion to fight climate change.