In The News

All at Sea Over Resources in East Asia

Barry Wain August 14, 2007
As Asia celebrates ongoing economic growth, the nations that ring the South China Sea cannot resolve their dispute over geographic features that dot the sea. The waters could cover rich reserves of oil and gas, and more than half the world’s merchant fleet sails across every year. Nations that prove claims to islands and rocks hope to collect those resources. Six countries claim the Spratly...

How to Deal With a Falling Population

August 9, 2007
Between 1900 and 2000, the world’s population quadrupled, today standing at 6.5 billion people. But in some parts of the world – including the US, Europe, Japan, China – the fertility rate is lower then the replacement rate, causing experts to worry about a declining population. Institutions in developed nations, designed for growth, will be affected: For example, worker-retiree rations will be...

Khomeini's Children

August 3, 2007
The governments of the US and Iran may dismiss each other as great evils, but the youth in Iran may see merit in some American ways. A literate, urbanized youth population, comprising the majority of the post-revolution generation, remains religious and traditional, but is unwilling to forgive Iranian leaders for economic failures. Unemployment, addiction and prostitution are widespread. Although...

Immigration, Populations, Climate Change, Ideologies

J. Russell Tyldesley July 6, 2007
Conflict over immigration, economic growth, climate change, territorial claims, limited energy or water supplies all increase as the world grows more crowded. Such conflicts would be easier to resolve if population growth slowed, argues J. Russell Tyldesley. The world’s population now stands at more than 6.5 billion, as compared with 1.5 billion in 1900, 2.5 billion in 1950, with more than 9...

In a World on the Move, a Tiny Land Strains to Cope

Jason DeParle June 28, 2007
In Cape Verde, the number of people who have migrated approaches the number of people who have stayed behind, and everyone has a close relative in either Europe or North America. So many Cape Verdeans, such as Antonia Delgado, receive money from those abroad. She raises her granddaughter’s son, who rarely sees his mother because she works in Portugal. Despite stricter immigration policies, many...

Megacities, Mega Dreams for a Connected World

Suketu Mehta June 14, 2007
Throughout the history of the world, cities have lured people for both cooperation and competition. Megacities of the modern era such as Bombay not only symbolize dreams and dashed hopes, they also pose an array of consequences for the interconnected world. The paradoxes are many, with disaster making way for renewal and today’s sacrifices and long-term planning delivering future promise, writes...

Global Effort to Save Endangered Crops Gets $37.5 Million Infusion

Andrew C. Revkin April 20, 2007
The combined pressures of climate change with a growing population could threaten crop diversity and global food supplies. An international effort to save endangered crop seeds, including a global database on plant gene banks, is underway, from Global Crop Diversity Trust and the United Nations Foundation. Weather, neglect and war can eliminate rare strains of barley, coconut, taro, wheat and...