Rio+20, the Unhappy Environmental Summit
Government negotiators from 188 nations met, and failed, in an attempt to find a breakthrough at the United Nations conference on sustainable development. In the end, this conference was a conference to decide to have more conferences…
UN Aims at Universal Access to Clean Energy by 2030
UN chief Ban Ki-moon outlined plans at the Rio+20 summit to provide universal access to energy by 2030 with tens of billion of dollars in funding from business and investors, for 1.3 billion people in more than 50 developing countries.
Single-Track Sustainability Solutions Threaten People and Planet
A radical new approach to science and innovation is urgently needed to steer us within planetary boundaries and secure human wellbeing, fostering diverse types of innovation and empowering the grassroots creativity of poorer people, experts say.
Northeast Passage Soon Free from Ice Again?
The Northeast Passage, the sea route along the North coast of Russia, is expected to be free of ice early again this summer.
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.
For the Future of Our Planet, a Dialogue Between Generations
For the sake of our planet, a conversation that needs to be heard is the one between generations, between elders and young people around the world, and those who are in between…
Return to Rio: Second Chance for the Planet or Tipping Point?
Twenty years ago, when the world’s leaders pledged to protect Earth’s climate and biodiversity at the Rio Earth Summit, they knew it would not be easy. But few could have guessed how much worse the situation would get.
The Word: Sink or Swim
Scientists predict an economy-destroying, 39-inch sea level rise, but North Carolina drafts a law to make it eight inches. A comedic depiction of the NC legislators proposal. A short video from The Colbert Report, Comedy Central.
Climate Change Led to Collapse of Ancient Indus Civilization, Study Finds
A new study combining the latest archaeological evidence with state-of-the-art geoscience technologies provides evidence that climate change was a key ingredient in the collapse of the great Indus or Harappan Civilization almost 4000 years ago. Once extending more than 1 million square kilometers across the plains of the Indus River from the Arabian Sea to the Ganges, the Indus civilization was the largest of the first great urban cultures that also included Egypt and Mesopotamia.