Climate Change

The wide-ranging plan is entirely voluntary, but leaders say that they have buy-in and that each of the action items is economically feasible without drastic changes to beef prices or profits for producers, processors and retailers.

Buildings across St. Louis of 50,000 square feet or more must comply with new energy guidelines — or face fines of up to $500 a day beginning in 2025.

Some farmers and environmentalists say the federal program, which is heavily subsidized by U.S. taxpayers, discourages growers from adapting to climate change and should be redesigned.

Research from Washington University is the first to identify a direct link between cognition and animal response to climate change.

In Missouri, winters are about 4 degrees hotter on average than in 1970 — and farmers are starting to feel the effects.

Nearly half of the world’s plant species are at risk of extinction. New research from the Missouri Botanical Garden aims to better predict which species can be grown outdoors in St. Louis.

All private coal plants in the state must eliminate carbon emissions by 2030. Publicly owned ones have until 2045 to achieve the same goal.

The Metro East coal-fired power plant must cut emissions 45% by 2035 and eliminate them completely by 2045 if it wants to remain open.

The new law promises significant changes for communities in the state, but it will take a few years before residents start to see them where they live.

Missouri and Illinois have few state regulations directly related to tornado safety. Some elected officials are now questioning whether current building requirements are enough to protect residents from powerful storms.