In The News

Greening Financial Reform

Simon Zadek August 2, 2013
Government budgets already must tackle flooding, wildfires, rising seas, eroding coastlines and other effects of climate change and should prepare to invest even more. “Trillions of dollars in ‘green finance’ – that is, low-carbon, resource-efficient investment – are needed annually to prevent climate change and natural constraints from stalling the global economy and threatening the livelihoods...

Climate Will Alter the Soil That Feeds Us

Tim Radford July 15, 2013
Global warming and climate change are about much more than temperatures – and can affect the planet and its life at microscopic levels. Researchers in US and Spain are suggesting that one species of cyanobacteria, common in the soil, could displace another cold-loving form. “The real hazard, for humans and other creatures that depend on cyanobacteria – and that adds up to all life on Earth – is...

Time for India to Clean Up Its Act

Nayan Chanda July 8, 2013
Nations all over the world are keen to explore and drill for oil and gas in a melting Arctic– even though research roundly blames human reliance on fossil fuels for a rapidly warming climate. China, Japan, India, Korea and Singapore are among 12 permanent observer states on the Arctic Council, added just five days after researchers reported the level of carbon dioxide had climbed past 400 ppm for...

UN: Unprecedented Climate Extremes Marked Last Decade

Alex Kirby July 3, 2013
The decade 2001 to 2010 was the warmest on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization, with more temperature records broken and sea levels rising twice as fast than the previous century. The WMO report, “The Global Climate 2001-2010, A Decade of Climate Extremes,“ analyzed temperature levels, precipitation and extreme weather events worldwide to reach its conclusions. Correlating...

Climate Change and Financial Instability Seen as Top Global Threats

June 28, 2013
The Pew Research Center survey assessed global attitudes in 39 nations and identified climate change seen as a threat by 54 percent, financial stability by 52 percent, Islamic extremism by 49 percent and nuclear programs in North Korea and Iran by less than 40 percent of more than 37,000 respondents. Concern about climate change was highest in Latin America at 65 percent. Top concerns of...

Smoking Gun in Malaysian Hands

Rizal Harahap, Nurfika Osman June 27, 2013
Smoke drifting toward Singapore and Malaysia from Indonesian forest fires has started a tussle among the nations. Following a preliminary investigation, Indonesia’s environment minister suggested that eight Malaysian-owned palm-oil companies are at fault for using illegal slash-and-burn techniques, the quickest and cheapest way in the short term to clear land. Six other companies, yet to be...

The Quest for Green Jobs

Doaa Abdel Motaal June 27, 2013
The goal of sustainability is a clean environment for some, good jobs for others. Confusion is particularly acute in the area of renewable energy as countries accuse one another about unfair competition in solar panels, explains Doaa Abdel Motaal, deputy chief of staff for the World Trade Organization. “Much of the competition over green jobs ignores the fact that, in today's world,...