2012

Tracking How the World Guzzles Water

Author: 

JOANNA M. FOSTER
Tracking How the World Guzzles Water
Show

With the world’s freshwater supplies under mounting pressure from pollution and galloping consumption, understanding the how, where and why of water use is more important than ever.

To that end, scientists from the University of Twente in the Netherlands have released a new study analyzing the quantity and distribution of global water use from 1996 to 2005.

Level: 

Category: 

Year: 

Caribbean's high crime rate is hindering development, report says

Author: 

Frederika Whitehead
Caribbean's high crime rate is hindering development, report says
Show

UNDP reports says violent crime, police corruption and failings in justice system are having a detrimental effect on business and investment, and could be blocking development

High levels of violent crime in the Caribbean are hindering development, according to the latest United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report on the region, published last week.

The Caribbean is home to 8.5% of the global population and yet 27% of the world's murders take place in the region.

Level: 

Year: 

Category: 

Geographic Area: 

Dutch researchers invent a process to turn plants into plastics

Author: 

Fox Van Allen
Dutch researchers invent a process to turn plants into plastics
Show

It should come as no surprise to learn that the world is over reliant on petroleum, from the gas we put in cars to the plastic bags we take groceries home in. We're still trying to figure out how to make electric cars popular, but scientists at Utrecht University in the Netherlands may have solved the plastic bag half of the problem, creating an innovative new process that turns plant material to plastic.

Level: 

Year: 

Category: 

Geographic Area: 

Logging blamed for Philippine flood deaths

Logging blamed for Philippine flood deaths
Show

It is now two months since the devastating floods that hit the southern Philippines, killing more than 1,000 people and leaving many more homeless.

Officials admit that deforestation was the cause of much of the destruction and the government says it has renewed efforts to prevent any more trees being cut down.

But the BBC has seen evidence that logging is still causing concern that December's disaster could be repeated.

Kate McGeown visited one of the worst affected areas in Mindanao to see the impact of the floods and hear from locals.

 

Level: 

Year: 

Category: 

Geographic Area: 

World Bank launches global coalition for marine protection

Author: 

Jonathan Watts
The Global Partnership for Oceans is a political boost for the world’s over-fish
Show

Global Partnership for Oceans, comprising governments, NGOs, scientists and businesses, is a boost for overfished, polluted and warming oceans

A new partnership to raise $1.5bn (£633m) for the world's oceans, double marine protected areas and rebuild fish stocks was launched on Friday by the World Bank.

Level: 

Category: 

Year: 

UN chief launches sustainable energy initiative

Author: 

AFP
UN chief launches sustainable energy initiative
Show

ABU DHABI — UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon launched on Monday an initiative designating 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, with the aim of reaching its set goals by 2030.

He called on governments, the private sector and civil society to actively support his initiative, at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.

"This is the right time for this initiative," he said.

Level: 

Category: 

Year: 

Gisele Bündchen Visits Slum in Kenya

Author: 

Christine Hsu
Gisele Bündchen Visits Slum in Kenya
Show

Model and advocate Gisele Bündchen was in Nairobi, Kenya on Friday drawing attention to a lack of electricity for much of the world’s population and advocated for a United Nations effort to get more investment to resolve the problem.

"Energy affects everything. Children can study at night when they have access to electricity. If we can bring electricity to everyone, we can help people to survive," she told a press conference.

Level: 

Year: 

Category: 

Geographic Area: 

When cooking can be deadly

Author: 

David Lindsay
Show

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (CNN) -- An estimated 3 billion people -- nearly half the world's population -- still use an open fire as their primary source of energy for cooking and heating.

But there's a problem: the smoke.

"You have respiratory issues, lung disease, you've got pneumonia, and you've got longer-term issues like cancer and heart disease as well that can result from exposure to indoor air pollution," said Radha Muthiah, executive director of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves.

Year: 

Category: 

Level: 

What Companies Can Learn From Cities on Climate Change

Author: 

Ann Goodman
What Companies Can Learn From Cities on Climate Change
Show

How might urban climate change affect business? What can business -- and cities -- do about it? And how might each help the other prepare for a potential threat to what's clearly a mutually beneficial relationship?

Who better to answer the questions than Cynthia Rosenzweig, Senior Research Scientist at NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and the Columbia University Earth Institute, and Adjunct Professor at New York City's Barnard College.

Level: 

Category: 

Year: 

Pages