EarthTrends blogs
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August 2008 Monthly Update: Air Pollution's Causes, Consequences and Solutions
August 20, 2008
The hazy skies over the 2008 Summer Olympics have placed Beijing's air quality at the top of news headlines for more than a month. However, outdoor air pollution, whether in the form of visible haze or invisible ozone and carbon monoxide, is a problem in nearly every country in the world.read more
Assisted Colonization: Saving Species or Creating New Invasives?
August 5, 2008
Many vulnerable species are facing reduced numbers because the adaptations that have served them for thousands of years make them unable to survive small changes in temperature or precipitation. When faced with climate change and other threats to their habitat, some species may not be able to relocate quickly enough to save them from extinction.
A new technique called assisted colonization may prove to be an innovative solution.read more
EarthTrends Job Opening: Fall/Winter Internship
July 31, 2008
We are looking for a highly motivated and innovative person to play a significant role in the ongoing development and management of EarthTrends. The successful applicant will help to fulfill WRI's mission of guaranteeing public access to information and analysis related to sustainable development and the environment.read more
Freedom of Information and Environmental Protection in China
July 28, 2008
On May 1, 2008, the Regulations on Government Disclosure of Information officially took effect, making China one of 70 countries worldwide that has enacted comprehensive freedom of information (FOI) legislation. The objective of the Chinese regulation specifically is "to ensure that citizens, legal persons and other organizations can obtain government information by lawful means and increase government transparency."read more
Two New Visions for America's Energy Future
July 22, 2008
Speaking before an enthusiastic crowd at a sold-out DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., former Vice President Al Gore issued a challenge to "repower America." Gore's challenge is undoubtedly ambitious: he wants the entire U.S. electricity sector to shift to zero-carbon sources like wind, solar, and geothermal in the next 10 years.read more
Climate Change Putting Coral Reefs At Risk
July 18, 2008
The impacts of climate change are already being felt, especially in the most fragile and marginal ecosystems around the world. In particular, coral reefs, which are extremely sensitive to changes in the temperature and acidity of the water in which they form, are being destabilized by a changing ocean environment. Several scientific studies have demonstrated that many of the world's coral reefs are precariously close to total failure. A new study, while confirming this conclusion, does offer some hope.read more
China's New Ministry of Environmental Protection Begins to Bark, but Still La...
July 17, 2008
March 28, 2008, saw the launch of China's Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP). As stated in its mission, this new cabinet-level ministry will take responsibility for China's environmental governance. MEP is tasked to develop and organize the implementation of environmental protection; to manage all related planning, policy and standards; and to coordinate across jurisdictions and levels of government to solve the country's major environmental problems.read more
Finding a Safe Level of Carbon Dioxide for the Global Atmosphere: Results of ...
July 9, 2008
Most discussions around international climate change—the Kyoto Protocol, the Lieberman-Warner Bill introduced on the floor of the U.S. Senate last month, and the G8 discussions taking place this week—include targets for emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHG). A more direct question was addressed at the Tallberg Forum in Sweden last week: regardless of emissions, how much CO2 can actually accumulate in the Earth's atmosphere without causing enormous and irreversible impacts on human society and the natural environment?read more
Video: Air Pollution Means Mexico City Residents Losing Sense of Smell
July 1, 2008
To the list of air pollution's health effects, add another one: loss of sense of smell.
Mexico City residents can't detect subtle smells as well as residents of neighboring Tlaxcala, researchers at Mexico's National University (UNAM) have reported, though the regions are quite similar in both culture and climate. The primary difference: Mexico City has much higher levels of air pollution. read more
Invasive Species, China, and the Olympics
June 27, 2008
As the Olympic Games approach, China has come under fire for its environmental track record. Tales of Beijing and other cities' infamous pollution and images of highly polluted lakes and rivers have met with demands for action, both within China and internationally, and have produced some meaningful results. Yet another environmental crisis looms: biological invasions. Indeed, while perhaps not as overt as choking smog or pea-green water, the ecosystems of this vast nation are increasingly threatened by invasive species.read more
