In The News

Just a Nudge Could Collapse West Antarctic Ice Sheet, Raise Sea Levels 3 Meters

Carolyn Gramling November 5, 2015
Freezing and melting of the Arctic and Antarctic regions along with global weather patterns are volatile. Researchers prepare models to predict when a large West Antarctic Ice Sheet will break away, eventually causing global sea levels to rise by as much as 3 meters. “Just a few decades of melting leads to ‘thousands of years of ice motion,’” writes Carolyn Gramling for Science Magazine. “More...

However Welcome, Overdue US Climate Plan Falls Short

Sunita Narain and Chandra Bhushan October 29, 2015
The world celebrates emerging US recognition that climate change is a treacherous phenomenon caused by human reliance on coal and other fossil fuels. The United States has prepared an emissions reduction framework to present to the UN climate treaty secretariat at December’s conference in Paris. Still, a report from the Centre for Science and Environment in India is highly critical of the US...

Trudeau’s Challenge: Global Climate Strategy

Terence Corcoran October 21, 2015
National leaders must respond quickly to global events and challenges. A priority for Canada is the UN climate conference that opens November 30 in Paris, suggests the Financial Post. G20 and Asia Pacific Economic Summit meetings follow in November. Voters handed a decisive win to the Liberal Party. Justin Trudeau will be sworn in as prime minister; the party holds five times the number of...

Climate Change Is a Threat to Global Security That Demands a Global Response

Neil Morisetti October 16, 2015
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly approved a resolution calling on member nations to lead at the UN climate negotiations in December and secure a deal on controlling fossil fuel emissions. NATO officials recognize that volatile weather, food and water shortages, and economic disruptions destabilize communities and exacerbate conflict. “NATO itself was also urged to improve strategic awareness of...

This Is How Rising Seas Will Reshape the Face of the United States

Chris Mooney October 14, 2015
Governments are slow in reducing reliance on fossil fuels and stemming climate change, so researchers study which areas might fall victim to intense flooding, rising seas, desertification and loss of traditional plant species. The world probably can’t avoid 1.6 meters of long-term sea-level rise. Locations where half the US population now lives could be under threat if no action is taken. Entire...

Climate Change Threatens Global Financial Crash

Paul Brown October 12, 2015
Volatile weather patterns, with severe droughts, floods and wildfires increase concern about climate change. The uncertainty contributes to a volatile stock market, and the chairman of the G20 Financial Stability Board warns that a panicked sell-off of stocks for companies reliant on fossil fuels could lead to a financial crash. Mark Carney, also governor of the Bank of England, points out that...

Xi-Obama Summit: Bridging the Trust Deficit in US-China Ties?

Robert A. Manning September 29, 2015
China and the United States disagree on many issues – including claims for the South China Sea, intellectual property protections, open access to the internet and free speech. Leaders of the world’s two largest economies also have reason to cooperate on global initiatives. Xi Jinping, China’s president and general secretary of the Communist Party, visited the United States, meeting US President...