Desertification

By Thalif Deen | (Inter Press Service) | – – UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – The UN’s heavily-hyped Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were approved by more than 160 world leaders at a summit meeting in September, are an integral part of the world body’s post-2015 development agenda, including the eradication of hunger and poverty by […]

Children

Parenting in Fear: Leaving a Climate Apocalypse to our Children

contributors

Frida Berrigan | ( Tomdispatch.com ) | – – Madeline is in the swing, her face the picture of delight. “Mo, mo,” she cries and kicks her legs to show me that she wants me to push her higher and faster. I push, and push, and push with both hands. There is no thought in […]

Climate Change

Global Warming: Sierra Nevada snowpack at 500-year low, Worse Coming

contributors

By Valerie Trouet | (The Conversation) | – – In the Mediterranean climate of California, with its warm, wet winters and hot, dry summers, the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains plays a critical role. It serves as a natural water storage system that feeds waterways and reservoirs during the dry summer months. That’s why […]

Climate Change

Water Being Used as Weapon of War in Syrian Conflict, UN Warns

contributors

By Lauren McCauley, staff writer. | (Commondreams.org) | – – Compounded by scorching heat wave, Syrians are experiencing ‘deliberate’ water cut-offs, often for weeks at a time The United Nations on Tuesday said it has reason to believe that groups in the Syrian conflict are using the country’s scarce water supply as a weapon of […]

Desertification

NOAA: July 2015 was most Torrid Month on Record, caused by burning Fossil Fuels

contributors

IBTimes UK | (Video News Report) | – – IBTimes UK: “Global warming: July 2015 was the hottest month ever recorded” Addendum: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports: “The July average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.46°F (0.81°C) above the 20th century average. As July is climatologically the warmest month for […]

Climate Change

Global Warming: Humans made California drought 15-20% worse by Burning Coal, Gas, Oil

contributors

By Park Williams | (The Conversation) | – – With each passing year, human-caused global warming bullies California for more water. Each year, the heat squeezes more moisture from soils and ecosystems. This is because, as the atmosphere warms, its demand for moisture rises. Just as a puddle evaporates more quickly on a warm day, […]

Acidification of Oceans

Defying Saudis, Iran: Muslim thinkers call for Action on Climate Change at Istanbul Conference

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Attendees at the International Islamic Climate Change Symposium in Istanbul from 20 countries produced, and 60 of them signed, a declaration this week warning of the dangers of climate change and urging urgent action to curb carbon dioxide emissions. But, I fear the press reporting on […]

Climate Change

California at the Cutting Edge of our new Mega-Drought Normal

contributors

By William deBuys | ( Tomdispatch.com) – – Long ago, I lived in a cheap flat in San Francisco and worked as the lone straight man in a gay construction company. Strangely enough, the drought now strangling California brings back memories of those days. It was the 1970s. Our company specialized in restoring the Victorian […]

Climate Change

GOP Pres. Candidates AWOL on Clean Power Plan

contributors

The Tree | – – Exactly one week after the United States government finalized its historic Clean Power Plan, the traditional opponents of the transition from dirty energy to clean renewables have failed to muster any credible attacks, let alone offer plans of their own. Last week’s Republican presidential debate included ten candidates, but not […]