Ecology and Environment

By Jan Wesner Childs Scientists studying climate change expected layers of permafrost in the Canadian Arctic to melt by the year 2090. Instead, it’s happening now. A new study published this week in the journal Geophysical Research Letters revealed that unusually warm summers in the Canadian High Arctic between 2003 and… »

Human Wrongs Watch By Baher Kamal Yet another under-reported human-made disaster: the relentless desertification of Planet Earth that may make uninhabitable some regions like the Middle East, endanger food security, aggravate climate crisis, and force more and more millions of people to flee. But before listing the main… »

This comes as a new study by Brown University finds the U.S. military emits more greenhouse gases each year than many countries, including Sweden and Portugal. The study found that if the Pentagon were a country, its emissions would make it the world’s 55th largest contributor. The study’s author, professor… »

Tory hopefuls [to the post of Prime Minister] under fire for accepting cash from company linked to major ‘climate science denial’ group. Johnson has yet to declare the funding, ‘raising questions about who else is bankrolling him’. By Peter Geoghegan 12 June 2019 for openDemocracy A prominent… »

Permafrost covers 25% of the Northern Hemisphere. It is the world’s largest icebox, and its landmass is 4.5xs larger than Antarctica, 6.5xs larger than the United States.  It is stuffed full of carbon locked in frozen ground accumulated over eons, which, by way of contrast, makes coal power plant emissions… »

By S G Vombatkere In the years immediately preceding World War II, Winston Churchill is quoted as having said: “The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing expedients, of delays, is coming to its close … … in its place we are entering a period of consequences”. World War II, purported… »

Parakram Pyakurel, Solent University for The Conversation Several countries – including France, Norway and the UK – have plans to phase out cars powered by fossil fuel before 2050, to reduce air pollution and fight climate change. The idea is to replace all conventional vehicles with electric… »

By Baher Kamal* How governments spend taxpayers money to subsidise fossil fuels that cause deadly air pollution – A reminder to mark 5 June World Environment Day.   Perhaps the most direct way to introduce this tough issue is what the United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, statedjust one week… »

Massive demos preparing to express people’s horror at Trump’s visit to the UK. It’s an official State visit so the Queen and the Royal Family will provide the photo opportunities to give some polish to the most racist, misogynistic liar ever to serve as President of the US. And to… »

Dénes Csala, Lancaster University for The Conversation Monday May 27 was a public holiday in the UK, the fourth such “bank holiday” in the past six weeks. On each of these days, people made fewer commutes, they left their computers and machines switched off, and the country generally… »