January 2010
197 posts
Why the Sudden Criticisms of Susan Rice? →
There’s been some recent criticism of Ambassador Rice suggesting that she is somehow neglecting her duties at the UN.
There’s been some recent criticism of Ambassador Rice suggesting that…
It's Time for the IPCC to Open Up & the... →
New Scientist argues that the IPCC needs to ‘Let the sunlight in on climate’. Photo: Jon Ross via flickr. In the wake of recent events surrounding the IPCC’s inclusion of speculative…
Migratory Birds Leaving Earlier in Spring Because... →
photo: Sebastien Bertu via flickr. Some migrating birds may be more able to adapt to changing climate that previously thought. Writing in Current Biology researchers studying the…
Poorly-Placed US Weather Stations Produce Cool... →
photo: SurfaceStations.org Here’s one for the more climate contrarian people among TreeHugger’s readership: A new study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research -…
In Praise of the Save Darfur Movement →
Laura Rozen reports that the Save Darfur Coalition president Jerry Fowler is stepping down.
Laura Rozen reports that the Save Darfur Coalition president Jerry Fowler is stepping down….
Decreased Water Vapor in Atmosphere Slowed Last... →
image: NOAA Here’s an interesting addition to global warming science: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that decreases in water vapor ten miles above the Earth…
Morning Coffee - 29 January 2010 →
Summary: UN held secret talks with Taliban; Anti-vax doctor censured; UN: Relief falling behind in Haiti; Panel 50 Gitmo detainees should be held indefinitely, U.S. State Dpt. budget safe….
Former UN Afghanistan Head Calls for Political... →
A former top UN official reflects on the past eight years of international engagement in Afghanistan and calls for a new peace process to bring an end to the long-running conflict.
In a…
"This is Our Moment" For Clean Energy Legislation... →
NRDC is pulling out all the stops on pressuring the Senate to pass clean energy legislation and, as you can see above, has employed a healthy dose of celebrity endorsement to get everyone to…
Iceland Leads World in Environmental Performance -... →
Gullfloss waterfall, Iceland. Photo: O Palsson via flickr. A new survey of how well nations are meeting their environmental policy goals has been presented at the World Economic Forum…
Agriculture, Hunger, and Globalization →
Mauritius wants farmland in Mozambique, multinationals are supporting small farmers, and the countries best at fighting hunger support either privatization or increased government control over…
Renewable Diesel Breakthrough - Engineered E.coli... →
image: Wikipedia We’ve written about the progress of biofuels company LS9 and their quest to produce a renewable diesel fuel from engineered E.coli for the past three years….
Roundup: SOTU Foreign Policy Reacts →
Though many, including me, have said that Obama didn’t say much in terms of foreign policy (and related policies) last night, there has been a lot said about the little he did say.
Though…
President Buys Congress a Newspaper Subscription →
Despite, as Mark pointed out, a banner year in foreign policy, Obama shies away from true initiative abroad in his State of the Union.
Those of you who aren’t plugged into the matrix might…
Aid Agencies Amplify Call for Civilian Delivery of... →
UN Dispatch reports from the London Conference on Afghanistan.
“We must ensure that development does not falter in Afghanistan,” Mercy Corps UK director Mervlyn Lee said in his opening…
Rebuilding Connections After the Quake →
To reconnect families affected by the earthquake, Telecoms Sans Frontieres visited the largests camp for internally displaced persons in Port-au-Prince.
By Myriam Annette, read part 1 of…
Note to Peretz: Don't Put Down the Contributions... →
In a bizarre post at the New Republic, Editor in Chief Marty Peretz denigrates the contribution of Arabs and Arab states to the Haiti relief efforts.
In a bizarre post at the New…
Americans' Attitudes Cool Towards Global Warming -... →
photo: James Jordan via flickr. Yale University has just released an updated survey about the attitudes of the people in the United States about climate change which quantifies…
The Obama Administration's First Year in... →
One year in, what has President Obama accomplished in US foreign assistance? So far, we’ve seen a lot of delays and a handful of impressive promises.
One year in, what has President Obama…
US Official Tells Wind-Powered World Bank to Stop... →
photo: Gustavo Madico via flickr. There’s all sorts of pot and kettle talk going on in this one. The Times of India reports that US Executive Director at the World Bank Group…
Algae Producers Strike Back, Dispute Poor... →
photo: Sustainable Initiatives Fund Trust via flickr. At the end of last week researchers from the University of Virginia dropped a bombshell on the algae biofuel industry, producing an
Morning Coffee - 27 January 2010 →
Summary: UN takes 5 Taliban officials off the terrorist list; Scientology arrives in Haiti; Chinese pet lovers want cats and dogs off the menu
Top Story: …
UK Government Supports Effort to De-List Some... →
A British diplomat tells UN Dispatch that the UK government would support an effort to de-list some Taliban from a UN sanctions list.
In an interview with the New York Times on Sunday, the…
Holocaust Remembrance Week at the UN →
For those in the New York area, there are a host of events at the United Nations this week to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz
There are a host of events at…
Bill Gates' Annual Letter for the Gates Foundation →
The Gates Foundation published Bill Gates’ annual letter yesterday. His focus was on innovation, and its importance in the future of our planet.
The Gates Foundation published Bill…
Notes From a Quasi-Scandal: IPCC Chair Says He... →
Dr. Rajendra Pachauri speaking with reporters during COP15. Photo: Matthew McDermott. Repercussions from the recent news that an incorrect non-peer reviewed statement about Himalayan…
Earthquake Aftermath: Delivering Food and... →
A World Food Program insider describes how relief workers regrouped in the immediate aftermath of the Haiti earthquake to provide aid to desperate Haitians.
By Mariko Hall, Consultant,…
New Haiti PSA →
A new public service announcement on Haiti from the UN Foundation shows how the UN is helping Haiti
A new public service announcement on Haiti from the UN Foundation shows how the UN is…
Viva Mexico – Challenges and opportunities for the... →
The beaches of Cancun will be hosts of COP 16. After a lukewarm result from Copenhagen it will be up to the Mexican government to create the environment that will make a legally binding…
Morning Coffee - 26 January 2009 →
Summary: A spate of suicide attacks rocks Baghdad; Hunger stalks Haiti; The Year in Women’s Rights; China renames peak “Mt. Avatar.”
Top Story: CRIMINAL MINDS
1.5 Billion Kilowatt-Hours More Green Power... →
photo: Zechariah Judy via flickr. The Environmental Protection Agency is touting the latest numbers from its Green Power Partnership program, which works with some 1,200…
Hit Job on Susan Rice Falls Short →
A hit job against Susan Rice making the rounds on the internet is chock full of distortions.
A hit job on Susan Rice written by John Bolton’s former spokesperson is making its rounds on…
Mucking Around in Hydraulic Fracturing →
Exxon Mobil and XTO announced their merger last month.
When Exxon Mobil and XTO Energy Inc. announced their $41 billion merger last month, the news was big enough to penetrate the…
Solar Power Brings Clean Water & Clean Lighting to... →
photo: United Nations Development Programme via flickr. Amidst the rubble of earthquake in Haiti and all the efforts to mobilize funding to help with the relief effort, I just…
US Navy to Demonstrate Biofuel-Powered 'Green... →
photo: Wikipedia We’ve reported a number of times on efforts by the US military to lower the environmental footprint of its operations, most recently how the Navy is researching …
IAEA Sends Much-Needed X-Ray Machines to Haiti →
Beyond acting as the world’s nuclear watchdog, the IAEA also fosters “the role of nuclear science and technology in sustainable development” and also, apparently, in emergency assistance. How…
Social Media Revolutionises Disaster Response for... →
By Kate Ausburn
On Tuesday January 12th, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake devastated the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The earthquake has destroyed the nations capital of Port-au-Prince…
El trabajo de Cáritas en Haití →
comentar | reenviar | imprimir—> imprimir REDACCIÓN CÁCERES - 25-01-10 Imagen de ayuda que proporciona Cáritas en Haití
El pasado 19 de enero …
What If the Global Economy Was a Giant Hamster? or... →
This is one of the funniest takes I’ve ever seen on what it is the single most important topic in the green movement. Forget climate change, forget renewable energy, forget peak oil, forget…
Morning Coffee - 25 January 2010 →
Summary: UN seeks to drop some Taliban from terror list; Ethiopian jet crashes off Lebanon; Lack of building codes doomed Haiti; Zelaya to leave Honduras.
Top Story:
Afghanistan Moves Parliamentary Elections to... →
Afghanistan’s electoral body announced yesterday that parliamentary elections originally scheduled for May 22 will be delayed until September.
Afghanistan’s electoral body announced…
Small Wars Journal on Military Response to Haiti →
At Small Wars Journal, Gary Anderson offers some advice to military personnel trying to provide humanitarian assistance in Haiti.
At Small Wars Journal, Gary Anderson offers some advice…
Afghanistan : UN Dispatch Goes to the London... →
Check back regularly as the London conference gets underway and I bring you updates from the people and events discussing, debating and shaping the way forward in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan…
The Lancet is Off-Base About Aid Agencies →
The Lancet just published an editorial criticizing international aid agencies. They get some things right, but not enough.
The Lancet just published an editorial intensively criticizing…
Suicide is a Leading Cause of Death for Women in... →
Suicide is now the leading cause of death among women in Nepal age 15-49. Women of childbearing age more likely to die by their own hand than in childbirth.
Suicide is now the leading…
Algae Biofuels Enviro-Impact Found Worse Than Corn... →
photo: Ethan O’Connor via flickr. Algae biofuels certainly hold lots of promise in terms of yields. Certainly lots of fossil fuel companies seem to be betting on them to be what…
NASA Makes it Official: 2000-2009 Was Hottest... →
The map shows temperature changes for the last decade—January 2000 to December 2009—relative to the 1951-1980 mean. Warmer areas are in red, cooler areas in blue. The largest temperature…
Haiti Earthquake PSA →
A Haiti earthquake PSA from the UN Foundation, “Help the UN Help Haiti.”
A Haiti earthquake PSA from the UN Foundation.
Television Weathermen Aren't Climatologists, Tell... →
photo: Mr. T in DC via flickr. Continuing on the climate is not weather theme: If you read only one thing over the next two days on climate change make it this piece from …
Morning Coffee - 22 January 2009 →
Summary: UN expands Haiti relief efforts beyond Port-au-Prince; Ban announces “stimulus plan” for Haiti; Report: the Pakistani military tried to force President Zardari to resign.
Top Story: