Troubled Islands: Hurricanes, Oil Spill and Sea Level Rise

The Chandeleur Islands, are remote, tenuous strips of sand that have served as surf breaks for the steadily sinking Biloxi Marsh. Some islands could disappear entirely in coming decades, exposing huge swaths of marshland to the waves of the open sea.

Warning Systems Often Don’t Help Tsunami Victims

There are questions about whether Indonesia’s system was working properly, but even if it was, a tsunami generated by an earthquake so close to shore can reach land long before there’s a chance to raise an effective warning, experts say. Seaside communities need to learn to read natural signs, such as earthquakes and unnaturally receding seas, and immediately move away from the coast.

L’île Mystérieuse

It isn’t on the map, no one knows what to call it, and it could vanish at any moment.

Tests warned of cement troubles before BP blowout

It’s the first finding from the commission looking into the causes of the oil rig’s explosion. The independent investigators do not address other decisions that could have contributed to the cement’s failure and the eventual blowout.

Costa Rica Recognized for Biodiversity Protection

“We are declaring peace with nature,” said Mario Fernández Silva, the ambassador of Costa Rica. The nation wins 2010 Future Policy award for pioneering legal protection of natural wealth. The EU and Canada lead the way to extinction, with China and Brazil close behind,” noted the CBD Alliance.