In The News

Globalization for the Rich

Sunita Narain August 17, 2006
In the 1980s, the world’s most industrialized nations deliberately set out to create standards of global integration and trade liberalization, often foisting policies upon less-developed nations that had little say in the negotiations. In the area of trade liberalization, the world’s richest countries refuse to reduce agricultural subsidies while insisting that developing nations expose their...

Can Arnold Terminate Emissions?

Christa Case August 15, 2006
Some politicians view global heating as a major issue in upcoming elections – and are taking preemptive action. Europe, anticipating expiration of the Kyoto Treaty in 2012, created an emissions market: Companies buy and sell rights to emit greenhouse gases, and face fines for excess waste, in a market providing incentives to improve corporate practices. The system recognizes that the emissions...

The Coming Tsunami of Trash

Niall Ferguson August 14, 2006
Oceans provide food, transportation and beauty – and a place to hide trash. Yet the trash is more obvious, particularly plastic, which takes more than a century to degrade and piles up as small islands in some parts of the world. Ocean pollution exemplifies the “tragedy of the commons,” when a public resource gets abused by many and protected by none. The 1994 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea...

Cold, Hard Facts

Peter Doran August 14, 2006
Upon analyzing one small ice-free area in Antarctica, Peter Doran and his fellow researchers found that between 1986 and 2000, it had actually cooled. In fact, during that same time period, it was noted that most of the continent underwent cooling rather then warming. This evidence, coupled with another study that showed Antarctic ice sheets are thickening, caused some to conclude incorrectly...

The Village That Refused to Die

Jonathan Watts July 19, 2006
Hydro-engineers making their way to the Chezhou village in rural China didn’t expect a warm welcome, but never imagined they would be held hostage by villagers angry about the construction of a dam that will force them to abandon their homeland. The government has proposed a dam for one of China’s most ecologically diverse and beautiful areas – the Tiger Leaping Gorge. While villagers have staged...

Effect of Climate Change on Oceans Gaining Attention

Tom Paulson July 11, 2006
Richard Feely of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has long reported on how carbon emissions increase acidity of the world’s oceans. In June, a panel of scientists confirmed his findings about the destruction of ocean habitat in a federal report. The report recommends more fieldwork about the effect of carbon dioxide in acidifying the ocean. The oceans have long absorbed...

Wildfire Increase Linked to Climate

Robert Lee Hotz July 10, 2006
Climate changes – and not just land-use or forest management practices – are responsible for an increasing number of wildfires, researchers conclude after studying 34 years worth of data. The scientists also blame greenhouse gas emissions and other types of pollution for wildfire seasons that lengthen with every passing year. Wildfires affect much of the western US, but are most prevalent in the...