Author Archive

How climate change contributed to Syria’s civil war

MPR: A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academies of Science draws a connection between climate change and the civil war in Syria. A devastating drought in the region from 2007 to 2010 forced a mass migration to the cities. That dramatic social change fomented a rebel movement and government backlash that has killed more than 200,000 people since 2011, according to the United Nations. The Pentagon has listed climate change as a national security thread since 2010. Last...

As Pipeline Production Soars in Minnesota, Critics Urge Focus Safety

MPR: Every day, about 2.3 million barrels of crude oil crosses Minnesota through 10 pipelines, and eight trains carry another 500,000 barrels. Eight of the pipelines are operated by Enbridge Energy and the other two by the Koch Pipeline Company, which transports 465,000 barrels a day to the Twin Cities through its MinnCan line. Soon, there will be much more. North Dakota's oil fields hit a major milestone this week, hitting daily production of a million barrels. Although there is not a single oil...