Nathan Rott
Nathan Rott is a correspondent on NPR's National Desk, where he focuses on environment issues and the American West.
Based at NPR West in Culver City, California, Rott spends a lot of his time on the road, covering everything from breaking news stories like California's wildfires to in-depth issues like the management of endangered species and many points between.
Rott owes his start at NPR to two extraordinary young men he never met. As the first recipient of the Stone and Holt Weeks Fellowship in 2010, he aims to honor the memory of the two brothers by carrying on their legacy of making the world a better place.
A graduate of the University of Montana, Rott prefers to be outside at just about every hour of the day. Prior to working at NPR, he worked a variety of jobs including wildland firefighting, commercial fishing, children's theater teaching, and professional snow-shoveling for the United States Antarctic Program. Odds are, he's shoveled more snow than you.
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Another large fire season is casting smoke across the country, with conditions ripe for major devastation. But not all fires are bad, and the widespread burning also brings long-term benefits.
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The deadliest fire in American history was in a place many don't associate with wildfire: Northeast Wisconsin. The warming climate is amplifying the risk of more major fires outside the Western U.S.
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Buckling roads in the Pacific Northwest are just one example of how climate extremes can damage all kinds of infrastructure. President Biden wants to make it more resilient to heat, floods and storms.
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Deepening drought is raising fears of another bad year for wildfires. It's also expected to trigger more water cutbacks in a number of states.
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One of President Biden's most popular infrastructure proposals hearkens back to FDR's New Deal. A Civilian Climate Corps would aim to tackle climate change while caring for public lands.
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World leaders meet later this year to fight a global extinction crisis. Scientists are urging them to take bold action, pointing to the current pandemic as an example of what's at stake.
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Sea level rise is threatening billions in coastal property. A California lawmaker is proposing a novel way to retreat from the threat: buying and renting out properties as long as they're habitable.
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Her historic confirmation is also symbolic, as the agency was long a tool of oppression against Indigenous peoples. Haaland will be key to President Biden's ambitious efforts to combat climate change. -
The Biden administration is moving to restore protections for migratory birds. It's the latest step to reverse a number of environmental rollbacks under former President Donald Trump.
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If confirmed as interior secretary, Deb Haaland would be the first Native American cabinet member. Republican opponents have attacked her support for aggressive action on climate change.
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Climate change is fueling more destructive, harder-to-control disasters like last year's massive wildfires. The mental and emotional toll for firefighters and first responders is alarming.
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Addressing climate change is one of the Biden administration's top priorities. NPR looks at President Biden's pledge to stop new oil and gas leasing on public lands and the challenges he might face.
