At the height of the Cold War in the 1950s, the Greenland ice sheet hosted a number of clandestine U.S. Army bases whose job it was to get an estimated 600 medium-range ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads ready for deployment. The largest of these sites was Camp Century, which had the public facade of a science station. The Army never finished what it started at Camp … [Read more...]
11 more cities that could run out of drinking water
Cape Town is in the unenviable situation of being the first major city in the modern era to face the threat of running out of drinking water. However, the plight of the drought-hit South African city is just one extreme example of a problem that experts have long been warning about - water scarcity. Despite covering about 70% of the Earth's surface, water, especially … [Read more...]
Why is water sacred to Native Americans?
The Lakota phrase “Mní wičhóni,” or “Water is life,” has become a new national protest anthem. It was chanted by 5,000 marchers at the Native Nations March in Washington, D.C. on March 10, and during hundreds of protests across the United States in the last year. “Mní wičhóni” became the anthem of the almost year-long struggle to stop the building of the Dakota Access … [Read more...]
Elephant trophies to be allowed back into the US
The Trump administration plans to allow trophies from elephants hunted legally in Zimbabwe and Zambia to be brought into the US, a reversal of Obama-era policy. That means US hunters will be able to bring the ivory of elephants they have killed into the US, potentially disrupting a push to end the global ivory trade. While hunting elephants is legal in numerous African … [Read more...]
Global deal to limit use of HFCs a win in the battle against climate change
A global deal to limit the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in the battle to combat climate change is a “monumental step forward”, John Kerry, the US secretary of state, has said. The agreement, announced on Saturday morning after all-night negotiations in Kigali, Rwanda, caps and reduces the use of HFCs – a key contributor to greenhouse gases – in a gradual process … [Read more...]
Norway sued over Arctic oil exploration plans
The Norwegian government is being sued by climate activists over a decision to open up areas of the Arctic Ocean for oil exploration, a move they say endangers the lives of existing and future generations. The plaintiffs, led by environmental organisations Greenpeace and Youth and Nature, will on Tuesday claim that the Norwegian government has violated a constitutional … [Read more...]
Climate litigation creates a strong mandate for global climate action
Two years ago, a courageous law student, Sarah Thomson (pictured, right), sued the New Zealand Government over its weak climate targets. Now she’s made history. On 2 November, 2017, the High Court of New Zealand issued a game-changing ruling. It found that climate change presents significant risks and government actions on climate change are subject to judicial scrutiny. The … [Read more...]
Death and devastation in Puerto Rico after worst storm in 80 years
After hours of hurricane-force winds and torrential rain, Puerto Ricans emerged from shelters to find that their island was still under threat from landslides, flash floods and crippled water and electricity systems. Hurricane Maria – the worst storm to hit Puerto Rico in more than 80 years – felled trees, smashed buildings and tore roofs from homes. Chest-deep floodwaters … [Read more...]
3 Dead as Hurricane Irma batters Florida coast
Hurricane Irma bore down on southern Florida on Sunday with 130 mile-per-hour (210 kph) winds, flooding Miami streets and knocking out power to more than 1.6 million homes and businesses. Even before it came ashore, Florida was feeling Irma's fury with at least one man killed, a woman forced to deliver her own baby and trees and apartment towers swaying in high winds. The … [Read more...]
Houston submerged by ‘unprecedented’ flooding after Hurricane Harvey
Tropical Storm Harvey sent devastating floods pouring into the nation's fourth-largest city on Sunday as rising water chased thousands of people to rooftops or higher ground and overwhelmed rescuers who could not keep up with the constant calls for help. The incessant rain covered much of Houston in turbid, gray-green water and turned streets into rivers navigable only by … [Read more...]
An interview with brave Dakota pipeline eco-saboteurs
Jennifer Murnan and Max Wilbert of Deep Green Resistance interviewed Ruby Montoya and Jessica Reznicek following their press release claiming responsibility for multiple incidents of sabotage of the Dakota Access Pipeline and construction equipment. Jennifer: First, thank you so much, Jessica and Ruby, for having this conversation today. Could you talk a little bit about who … [Read more...]
Climate change is killing us right now
The most obvious effect of global warming is not a doomsday scenario. Extreme heat is happening today, and wreaking havoc on vulnerable bodies. A young, fit U.S. soldier is marching in a Middle Eastern desert, under a blazing summer sun. He’s wearing insulated clothing and lugging more than 100 pounds of gear, and thus sweating profusely as his body attempts to regulate the … [Read more...]
Once again, climate change cited as trigger for conflict
The national security establishment needs to prepare for a series of global crises sparked by climate change, a group of experts wrote in a report released today. The analysis by the Center for Climate and Security identifies 12 “epicenters” where climate change could stress global security, possibly igniting conflicts around the world. American diplomats and military … [Read more...]
