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Archive for September 10th, 2014
Californian voters support water bond two-to-one, poll finds
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on September 10th, 2014
Reuters: A two-to-one majority of California voters support the state's $7.5 billion water bond that is slated for November's ballot, according to a new poll.
The bond measure, which has been contentiously debated by the legislature and Governor Jerry Brown for the past few years, would improve the water quality, supply and infrastructure in drought-stricken California, if passed by voters.
The poll, conducted by the independent and non-partisan Field Research Corp, found that citizen awareness of the...
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Hundreds dead as heaviest downpour in 50 years rains down on India and Pakistan
Posted by Blue and Green: Richard Heasman on September 10th, 2014
Blue and Green: The heavily militarised region of Kashmir, shared by both India and Pakistan, has endured the worst rainfall in 50 years as flash floods took thousands by surprise, with no warning issued by India’s weather office.
The current death toll stands at 400 people, with thousands still trapped on rooftops. Citizens have expressed criticism against both Indian and Pakistani authorities for the lack of preparation and response to the disaster, regardless of a similar event occurring in 2010.
On the...
British winters becoming more extreme, scientists warn
Posted by Blue and Green: Tom Revell on September 10th, 2014
Blue and Green: British winters are becoming more extreme, with unpredictable swings between very mild, stormy winters and very cold, snowy ones becoming more likely, a new study has warned.
Surveying seasonal records dating back to 1899, experts from the Met Office, the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the University of Sheffield found that seven of the 10 most extreme winters came in the last decade.
“If this trend continues, we can expect more volatile UK winter weather in decades to come,” said Prof...
Thousands Rescued From Deadly Flash Floods in India, Pakistan
Posted by Environment News Service: None Given on September 10th, 2014
Environment News Service: Hundreds of people have lost their lives in the the heaviest monsoon rains to fall for 50 years in the Himalayan region of Jammu & Kashmir. Thousands are still trapped on rooftops, and a massive rescue and evacuation is in operation
After three days, thousands are still trapped on rooftops, and a massive rescue and evacuation operation by the National Disaster Response Force and the Indian Armed Forces in the flooded Kashmir valley is in full swing with more helicopters, boats and rescue materials...
Malaysian palm oil chief misleads on deforestation
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on September 10th, 2014
Mongabay: One of Malaysia's top palm oil officials has once again misled the public on the state of forests in Malaysia.
Speaking at a recent conference on palm oil sustainability in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysian Palm Oil Council CEO Yusof Basiron asserted that 80 percent of Sarawak's forests are "still undeveloped", indicating "there's no issue of deforestation", as reported by the Malaysian Star.
Basiron's remark is undercut by recent scientific papers showing that less than 20 percent of Sarawak is covered...
Researchers link climate change, vegetation and water
Posted by Merced Sund-Star: None Given on September 10th, 2014
Merced Sund-Star: As the climate warms, sources of the water so critical to life everywhere on Earth are drying up. By the end of this century, communities dependent on fresh water from mountain-fed rivers could see significantly less water, according to a new climate model recently released by University of California researchers. For example, people who get fresh water from the Kings River could see a 26 percent decrease in river flow. Why? Think of the environment to which humans are accustomed as a huge jigsaw...