As Secretary of Interior hikes, his staff rolls back regulations Photo Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke (black hat) visits national monuments in Utah Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke wears cowboy boots and Stetson hats to his office in Washington. He likes to compare himself to Teddy Roosevelt, America's original conservationist. He's been visiting national parks and monuments. Meanwhile, back in Washington, his staff is rolling back Obama-era protections of public lands. That's according to Coral Davenport of the New York Times .

Reality check: Climate change The promises of candidates during political campaigns are often made to be broken, but they do provide clues for voters who want to know what government might look like once the election is over.   Hillary Clinton describes global warming as an "urgent threat."   Donald Trump once called it "a hoax created by the Chinese." He's tried to back off a bit, but their differences are still profound, with dramatic consequences for energy policy and the environment. Clinton says she'll increase reductions in fossil fuel and build on the Obama legacy — which Trump promises to obliterate while he restores the coal industry. We hear the implications for the Paris climate accords — just approved by the European Union — and for national security.

Los Angeles Methane Pollution A study out this week shows that there’s 60 percent more methane in the air above the L.A. basin than the government had previously thought. Oil and gas production is the biggest source of methane. And today, President Obama announced a plan to get oil and gas producers to better control emissions. We hear more about the proposal and what it could mean for the fight against global warming.

EPA Struggles to Craft Obama's Environmental Legacy "Failure is not an option." So says the association of clean-air agencies about President Obama's promise to use his executive authority when it comes to climate change. The staff of the Environmental Protection Agency is struggling to regulate America's 1500 power plants to impact the environment — and avoid lawsuits. Coral Davenport reports for the New York Times .

The Booming Business of Global Warming Global warming deniers may have to take note: climate change is already big business for entrepreneurs and investors all over the world. Shell Oil has been strategizing about it for decades. Wall Street is in on the action. Coca Cola and Nike recognize it's shaping their bottom lines. We hear how money's being made -- from the Arctic to Africa and the Tropics, and how the US government will have to play catch-up. What are the potential costs of looking the other way, and the differing consequences for the haves and the have-nots?

Can the New Environmental Regulators Do More with Less? President Obama wants to curb carbon emissions at the same time he's pushing for "energy independence." Today, he announced cabinet nominations that could lead to a major confrontation over coal plants and climate change. The President's choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency is EPA veteran Gina McCarthy. His pick for the Energy Department is a physicist from MIT, Ernest Moniz. Coral Davenport covers the environment for the National Journal .