Latin American and Asian cities lead way in planning for global warming

Cities worldwide are increasingly aware of the need to prepare for the effects of climate change, including increased variability in temperatures and extreme weather events, but are often hampered by limited financial resources and political commitment. However, Quito, Ecuador, not considered a global leader by most measures, is at the forefront of metropolises worldwide: in planning for climate change.

Senate Panel Approves Sea-Level Rise Bill, North Carolina

Unfazed by a heavy barrage of worldwide criticism and outright ridicule by sources ranging from Scientific American to the “Colbert Report,” the N.C. Senate’s Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Committee approved a new version of a bill that restricts the use of scientific modeling in state and local public policy and regulations to predict future sea-level rise.

The Coral Triangle Day is Under Way!

The first ever Coral Triangle Day is celebrated on June 9, at beaches in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji, to highlight the importance of marine conservation and to raise awareness of marine biodiversity, in an area where fast population and economic growth have fuelled unsustainable coastal development and boosted demand for expensive marine resources.

US Braces for Tsunami Debris, but Impact Unclear

More than a year after a tsunami devastated Japan, killing thousands of people and washing millions of tons of debris into the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. government and West Coast states don’t have a cohesive plan for cleaning up the rubble that floats to American shores.

World Oceans Day 2012

June 8 marks the 20th observance of World Oceans Day, a global event that has been recognized by the United Nations since 2008. “…One network has linked every creature on Earth since the beginning of time: the Oceans that cover more than 70% of our planet’s surface…”