The Earth’s environment is the source of economic, social, cultural activities, with nature shaping human life over the centuries. The rapid growth in the world population, from 1 billion in 1830 to 7 billion today, add pressures for air quality, oceans, land use and resources as basic as water. Awareness is building about over-reliance on fossil fuels, how carbon and other emissions contribute to global warming and volatile weather. Every industry requires energy, and cross-border industrialization, transportation and other economic activities contribute to environmental degradation. Yet globalization also spurs awareness and activism over the need for global cooperation and standards to promote sustainability and environmental protection.

Cooking the Climate With Coal

Rather than conserve, governments and consumers hurry to secure and use energy resources
Jeff Goodell
June 7, 2006

Desert Cities Are Living on Borrowed Time, UN Warns

Increased temperatures and less rainfall put desert cities in a sticky spot
John Vidal
June 9, 2006

Pollution Killing River They Said Was Too Big to Poison

Chinese report warns that enormous Yangtze River is not, in fact, impervious to pollution
Jonathan Watts
June 6, 2006

Drought Insurance for the Third World

Drought insurance could replace flagging aid to afflicted countries
Beat Balzli
May 15, 2006

Not Out of the Woods Just Yet

Rapid development is eliminating global forests as a renewable resource
Don Melnick
May 5, 2006