High power bills are a growing concern as freezing temperatures force large swathes of the U.S. to crank up their thermostats. The average cost of electricity in the country has risen nearly 30% since 2010. Households are feeling the squeeze more than businesses or industry, according to recent data.

This is only part of the story, however. Price trends are playing out differently across the country. And common theories about what’s driving rate hikes, from AI data centers to renewable energy, often miss the bigger picture.

Labels touting “sustainable” or “carbon-neutral” beef are increasingly common. But this marketing can be misleading: New WRI research shows that, despite some progress on reducing emissions, there’s still no such thing as climate-friendly beef.

For decades, most of the ocean was governed by a patchwork of regulations that left crucial resources like fisheries open to overexploitation. An international treaty to protect these waters finally took force on Jan. 17, marking a watershed moment for ocean conservation.

Widespread wildfires in Chile have claimed at least 19 lives and forced tens of thousands to evacuate in recent days. Globally, fires now burn twice as much forest as they did two decades ago, posing an ever-bigger threat to homes, lives and cities. We unpacked what’s behind this worrying trend.

Averaged across the country, U.S. electricity prices have risen steeply over the last 15 years. But the picture looks very different broken down by state.