End Poverty
“All for ourselves, and nothing for other people, seems, in every age of the world, to have been the vile maxim of the masters of mankind.” – Adam Smith
Desertification/Land Use
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification defines desertification as land degradation, which is the “reduction or loss in arid, semi‐arid, and dry sub‐humid areas, of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of rain‐fed cropland, irrigated cropland, or range, pasture, forest, and woodlands resulting.
Smart Cities
Sustainability is the process of maintaining change in a balanced environment, in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development and institutional change are all in harmony and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations.
Health Impacts
“Whether we and our politicians know it or not, Nature is party to all our deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner sense of justice than we do.”― Wendell Berry Health Impacts of Climate Change When people talk about climate change, they usually refer to the impact it […]
Extreme Weather
Extreme Weather History | References “Scientists predict a major upturn in the incidence of extreme weather events due to the changing climate. According to the National Wildlife Foundation, the maximum wind speeds of tropical storms/hurricanes are expected to rise 11% by the end of the 21st century. Total rainfall is also expected to increase by […]
Climate Crisis, Science, and Education
This alert from the Alliance of World Scientists (AWS) stresses that the world is in danger due to the climate crisis and that a paradigm shift is required. Here is an excerpt from the introduction: “The current environmental crisis calls for a different view of scientists’ and citizens’ roles and capacities.” This letter was first […]
Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: Rapid degradation of the world’s large lakes
This alert from the Alliance of World Scientists (AWS) brings to light disturbing evidence from studies pertaining to the ecosystems of the world’s large lakes. Here is an excerpt from the article’s abstract: “Large lakes of the world are habitats for diverse species, including endemic taxa, and are valuable resources that provide humanity with many […]
Scientists’ Warning on Endangered Food Webs
This alert from the Alliance of World Scientists (AWS) examines the collapse of food webs as a result of global change stressors. The following is an excerpt from the abstract: “All organisms are ultimately dependent on a large diversity of consumptive and non-consumptive interactions established with other organisms, forming an intricate web of interdependencies. In […]
Solutions for Humanity on How to Conserve Insects
This alert from the Alliance of World Scientists (AWS) examines insect diversity loss, the value of insects, and solutions for preventing further insect decline. The following is an excerpt from the abstract: “The fate of humans and insects intertwine, especially through the medium of plants. Global environmental change, including land transformation and contamination, is causing […]