In The News

Megafire, Exhaustion in Australia: Sydney Morning Herald

Peter Hannam, Michaela Whitbourn and Rachel Clun December 7, 2019
Three bushfires have combined into a megafire in Australia’ New South Wales of Australia. “The 'unparalled' fire season in NSW is being to strain resources, with potentially months to run,” reports a team for the Sydney Morning Herald. “About 40 of 90 bushfires across the state were yet to be contained and conditions were expected to worsen around Tuesday, with officials urging...

The World Is Drowning in Rubbish: World Today

Kate O’Neill December 5, 2019
China once accepted half the world’s plastic trash, and recycled much of that. Increased waste and sloppy cleaning encouraged China and other Asian nations to reject massive shipments from wealthy nations. “Until recently, these countries had been guilty of ‘distancing’, the practice of shifting waste ‘out of sight, out of mind’, both literally and in people’s imaginations,” explains Kate O’...

Fundraisers for Koalas: GMA

Kelly McCarthy November 27, 2019
Koalas are an iconic symbol of Australia. Bushfires and droughts are decimating their numbers and the eucalyptus groves from which they feed. “The chairman of the Australian Koala Foundation estimated that more than 1,000 koalas have been killed and nearly 80% of their habitat has been destroyed by the record-breaking fires and drought,” reports Kelly McCarthy for Good Morning America. A video of...

Australia Burns: Sydney Morning Herald

David Crowe and Max Koslowski November 13, 2019
Terrifying fires are breaking out in Australia, and leaders are divided over bushfire policies, with some pointedly avoiding action on climate change. Instead, they suggest the government could reduce hazards with more controlled fires in national parks. More than 90 percent of climate research points to coal and other fossil fuels as the reason for rising temperatures fueling floods and...

US Ends Two Science Advisory Boards: Hill

Miranda Green October 6, 2019
Donald Trump issued an executive order in June, urging departments to consider eliminating a third of the country’s advisory panels. Steps have been taken to disband two: the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Invasive Species Advisory Committee run by the Interior Department. Such panels are typically staffed by...

Not Disclosing ESG Data: Wall Street Journal

Maitane Sardon September 29, 2019
Investors prefer hearing about environmental, social and governance impacts from companies rather than surprise announcements from the media or government investigations. The term ESG investments was coined in 2005. “[W}hile companies that don’t disclose environmental and social data may not always lose investors, they are more often being passed over by new investors, in favor of firms with...

Politicizing Weather Forecasts: Washington Post

Jane Lubchenco, D. James Baker and Kathryn D. Sullivan September 10, 2019
Accurate weather forecasting saves countless lives and prevents property damage. The agriculture, defense, transportation, energy, travel and other industries rely on accurate forecasts and an expensive infrastructure of observational equipment, supercomputers and models, and researchers. Also, the National Weather Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration contribute to global...