RSS Feed
Author Archive
‘Whole world at risk’ from simultaneous droughts, famines, epidemics: scientists
Posted by Guardian: Nafeez Ahmed on December 17th, 2013
Guardian: An international scientific research project known as the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI-MIP), run by 30 teams from 12 countries, has attempted to understand the severity and scale of global impacts of climate change. The project compares model projections on water scarcity, crop yields, disease, floods among other issues to see how they could interact.
The series of papers published by the Proceedings for the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) shows that policymakers...
Posted in 
Year 2050: is the Royal Baby destined to be a radical eco-warrior?
Posted by Guardian: Nafeez Ahmed on July 26th, 2013
Guardian: Wherever you stand on the legitimacy of the Royals, the bright new addition to their family - receiving microscopic media coverage of ludicrous proportions - has brought well wishes from all quarters of the political spectrum. A few commentators have even pointed to Prince Charles' longstanding passion for environmental issues and climate change - manifest in his earnest letters to the government - as evidence of how he intends to fulfill his caring role as grandfather to the little tot.
Indeed,...
Peak oil lives, but will kill the economy
Posted by Guardian: Nafeez Ahmed on July 22nd, 2013
Guardian: Last Monday's BBC News at Ten broadcast a report by science editor David Shukman arguing that concerns "about oil supplies running dry are receding." Shukman interviewed a range of industry experts talking up the idea that a "peak" in oil production has been "moved to the backburner" - but he obfuscated compelling evidence in his own report contradicting this view.
"There's still plenty of oil - we just haven't got all of it out of the ground yet. There's not a real danger of there being no fossil...
Peak soil: industrial civilisation is on the verge of eating itself
Posted by Guardian: Nafeez Ahmed on June 7th, 2013
Guardian: A new report says that the world will need to more than double food production over the next 40 years to feed an expanding global population. But as the world's food needs are rapidly increasing, the planet's capacity to produce food confronts increasing constraints from overlapping crises that, if left unchecked, could lead to billions facing hunger.
The UN projects that global population will grow from today's 7 billion to 9.3 billion by mid-century. According to the report released last week...
White House warned on imminent Arctic ice death spiral
Posted by Guardian: Nafeez Ahmed on May 2nd, 2013
Guardian: Senior US government officials are to be briefed at the White House this week on the danger of an ice-free Arctic in the summer within two years.
The meeting is bringing together Nasa's acting chief scientist, Gale Allen, the director of the US National Science Foundation, Cora Marett, as well as representatives from the US Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon.
This is the latest indication that US officials are increasingly concerned about the international and domestic security...