Climate Change

A new study from Kansas State University researchers is the first to measure how a changing climate is hurting wheat production in the Great Plains. And it points to a future with more extreme heat, drought and wind.

The CleanAirNow Coalition was one of many environmental groups that, along with 16 U.S. states, sued the U.S. Postal Service over their plan to purchase heavily-polluting gasoline trucks. Now the USPS will electrify its fleet of mail delivery vehicles.

Missouri saw flooding, drought, extreme heat and bitter cold in 2022. Meanwhile, in Kansas, drought-fueled wildfires are exhausting resources and adding importance to the fight to conserve water. We'll take a look at the biggest climate stories of the year.

Lack of rainfall and water restrictions are two early signs of the future that are causing water worries to bubble up in Lincoln. As drought plagues the state, and with climate change promising more of the same, there is a plan to have a second water supply in place by 2048.

Bison grazing on native prairie for three decades transformed the landscape, allowing wildflowers to thrive that can feed legions of bees and butterflies.

For the first time, the state board voted Wednesday to say that Kansas shouldn’t pump the Ogallala aquifer dry to support crop irrigation. The underground water source has seen dramatic declines in recent decades.

Johnson County courts are expanding a program that focuses on treating individuals with mental illness or drug issues, instead of punishing them. Plus: Scientists are grappling with how to better define and predict extreme weather events causing havoc across the Midwest.

Midwesterners are becoming more familiar with derechos after two major storms hit the region in as many years. Scientists are grappling with how to define the storms, gather data and predict what the future of derechos will look like.

In past Decembers, City Council has approved a tenant's bill of rights, right to counsel for residents facing eviction and other major legislation. This year, officials are hoping to pass policies to regulate short-term rentals and support small businesses

In the Midwest and Great Plains, widespread drought has dried up lakes and rivers, ignited wildfires, decimated crop harvests and left cattle with no grass to eat. The ripple effects of this and future droughts will continue to affect our diets, health and economy for generations to come.

Think of this year’s drought as a sort of dress rehearsal to consider the drier, hotter future that scientists predict climate change has in store. Long-lasting droughts could alter the way we live.

As climate change threatens the Great Plains, bison may be a key to creating resilient prairies. Plus, a look at the Farm Bill, a $500 billion plan that sets policy on everything from crop insurance to food benefits.