16 April 2015 BOOK RELEASE: The Great Transition: Shifting from Fossil Fuels to Solar and Wind Energy Earth Policy Institute: Lester R. Brown, with Janet Larsen, J. Matthew Roney, and Emily E. Adams. “The worldwide transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy is under way,” said Lester R. Brown, EPI President and lead author. “As fossil fuel resources shrink, as air pollution worsens, and as concerns about climate instability cast a shadow over the future of coal, oil, and natural gas, a new world energy economy is emerging. The old economy, fueled largely by coal and oil, is being replaced with one powered by solar and wind energy.” The Great Transition details this evolving trend, focusing on falling prices and rising adoption for wind, solar, electric vehicles, hydropower, geothermal energy, and energy efficiency; and the emerging turn from coal, nuclear power, oil, and traditional transportation that is happening faster than anticipated. To view contents/PP presentation/ to order
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15 April 2015, Severe drought due to climate change: Where and when? New research from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) shows that some regions may see unprecedented levels of drought before 2050—drawing increasing urgency to calls for adaptation and updated water management policy. Many regions of the world, including the Mediterranean and the western United States, may see unprecedented drought due to climate change before the year 2050. These findings were presented this week at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Vienna, Austria. Read More here
2 April 2015 World Resource Institute: Tree Cover Loss Spikes in Russia and Canada, Remains High Globally. “New, high-resolution satellite-based maps released today by the University of Maryland and Google on Global Forest Watch, a partnership of over 60 organizations convened by the World Resources Institute, reveal a significant recent surge in tree cover loss largely in Russia and Canada during 2013…” Read More here
31 March 2015 Despite deforestation, the Earth is getting greener. “Analysis of 20 years of satellite data has revealed the total amount of vegetation above ground globally has increased by almost the equivalent of 4 billion tonnes of carbon between 2003 and 2012. This is despite ongoing large-scale deforestation in the tropics. An Australian-led international team of scientists published the findings in Nature Climate Change, finding a range of causes for the increase. The increase in vegetation primarily came from a lucky combination of environmental and economic factors and massive tree-planting projects in China,” said Dr Yi Liu a lead author and remote sensing scientist from the Climate Change Research Centre at the University of New South Wales.” Read More here