News Archives

Week of November 14, 2004

It's easy being green

In an op-ed today in the New York Times, Will Rogers argues that results show Americans are united on one issue regardless of their party, the environment.

Posted by Jennifer on Saturday, November 20 2004, 3:10 PM

Picture of the Day

In honor of animals in the Arctic, who are being battered by global warming, today we have an arctic fox.

Posted by Jennifer on Friday, November 19 2004, 7:34 AM

New species count shows declines in many

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) has released a report assessing global biodiversity, and their judgement is grim. The report lists more than 15,000 species, both flora and fauna, in some degree of trouble — from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered. This is 3,000 more than previously reported.

"The fact that we know more makes the situation look worse, of course, because we can list more and more species in trouble. But that isn't why the trend is accelerating - it is a real phenomenon," Dr Simon Stuart, who has authored a Global Species Assessment (GSA) to accompany the Red List, told BBC News.

The report includes the first thorough assessment of amphibian species, which was reported in Science last month. Amphibians are now considered to be the group most in danger of extinction among those included in this report.

Posted by Jennifer on Thursday, November 18 2004, 6:48 PM

The locusts come again

Egypt is experiencing a swarm of locusts that observers say is of "biblical proportions". This is the first such swarm they've seen in 50 years, and they're floating around Cairo in huge clouds. The swarm is an offshoot of an even larger swarm from Western Africa, and so far hasn't showns any signs of moving into the agriculturally fertile Nile Valley. Locals are hopeful the swarm will move on soon, but in the meantime officials have okayed pesticides to kill the insects.

Posted by Jennifer on Thursday, November 18 2004, 1:24 PM

In the Himalayas

Glaciers in the Himalayas, as in so many places, have started to melt. This creates several threats for the surrounding lands: first, that local lakes may spill, dams break, and the resulting floods kill people and wildlife. Then, if the melting continues, the lands could end up in drought. Already, river flows are shrinking. Experts believe as much as 70% of flows in the Ganges, which is filled by Himalayan rivers, could disappear over time.

Mountaineers who love climbing Mount Everest are also concerned. They are asking the UN to place Mount Everest on the list of World Heritage Sites, which might aid in risk assessment and the development of mitigation efforts.

Posted by Jennifer on Wednesday, November 17 2004, 6:02 PM

Even a little smog

Scientists crunching numbers have documented that even a little increase in smog can lead to increases in deaths, almost immediately. The study covered 95 urban areas, and has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Posted by Jennifer on Wednesday, November 17 2004, 9:19 AM

Parts of Australia may become uninhabitable

A leading Australian think tank warns that parts of Australia may become uninhabitable due to global warming and pollution. Extreme weather events and an increase in insect-born diseases may force large movements of the human population, said Australia Institute executive director Clive Hamilton. He was speaking to the Climate Change Taskforce, which was meeting to make recommendations about responses to climate change.

"Sometimes as an environmentalist I'm afraid to say these sorts of things, until I read the reports by the scientists who say things even more scary."

Posted by Jennifer on Tuesday, November 16 2004, 10:23 AM

Winners and losers

As the climate changes over the next few centuries, some species will decline but others will increase, depending on whether they find conditions that favor their survival. This means that while we're likely to lose the polar bears, it looks like we're going to have a LOT of squid.

Posted by Jennifer on Tuesday, November 16 2004, 7:55 AM

Filming bears

A friend pointed me to this fascinating article by a documentary filmmarker in Alaska, and her adventures among the coastal brown bears. It's a story of adventure mixed with tedium, and is accompanied by some lovely photographs. I can't wait to see the final outcome of her film footage.

Once again, for those pesky registrations, try Bugmenot.

Posted by Jennifer on Sunday, November 14 2004, 5:34 PM

World Turning

Back to the home page.

World Turning Forums

A quiet place at the moment. Make yourself at home, but try to be kind. No spamming!

The Learning Center

Environmental information and news sites

Return to the Archives page.

This site is a one-person project; I design, research, and bang together every word, graphic, and html tag. Learn more about me and my background. I update this page as quickly as I can, so drop by often. But please don't use the content elsewhere without permission. Send me email: Jennifer B Powell.

Disclaimer:
The opinions expressed in these pages, unless otherwise noted, are my own opinions. I make a great effort to ensure that all information is accurate, but cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information contained on this site. If you catch any errors here, please let me know.

Powered by Coranto.