March 2010
138 posts
Earthquake Predicting Toads?!? Yes, Earthquake... →
photo: Lida via flickr. It’s long been known that many animal species somehow are aware of impending natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis, but new research shows that…
6.4 Gigawatts More Solar Power Installed Last Year... →
photo: Wayne National Forest via flickr. Despite difficult financial circumstances, the global solar industry added additional capacity of 6.4 gigawatts in 2009, according to a new…
UK House of Commons Exonerates Phil Jones & Says... →
An enquiry by the UK House of Commons into the conduct of the University of East Anglia and Professor Phil Jones has concluded by saying there is no evidence to challenge the…
Obama to Announce Expanded Offshore Drilling Later... →
photo: Enricco Strocchi via flickr. You read it right. Later today at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, President Obama and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will announce new plans to
UN Will Airlift Nine Orphaned Gorillas Into Congo... →
photo: Chrissy Olson via flickr. In an effort to help replenish the population of gorillas in a reserve in the east part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, UN peacekeepers from the
Sierra Leone Health Worker Strike Ends in Doctors'... →
When Sierra Leone announced free health care for pregnant and nursing women and children, the government did not adjust health workers’ pay accordingly.
A small victory for…
Put It To Rest: IPCC Chair Pachauri Cleared of... →
photo: Copenhagen Climate Congress IPCC chair Rajendra Pachauri even went so far to make public how much his tailor charges him for his suits in defending himself against claims he was…
UN Human Rights Rep in Kabul Calls for Repeal of... →
The UN adds its voice to a growing number of critics of an Afghan law that grants amnesty to militia leaders responsible for human rights abuses.
The United Nations’ highest human rights…
Do North Korea, Myanmar, The Democratic Republic... →
The top republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee misrepresents the work of the Human Rights Council.
Following up on my previous post on the UN Human Rights Council, it is…
Developing Nations From Morocco to Mexico Stepping... →
photo: Warren Rohner via flickr. Don’t say COP15 amounted to totally nothing… Renewable Energy World has an interesting run down of what 25 of the developing nations are doing in…
James Lovelock Says Humans 'Not Clever Enough' to... →
photo: John Bracken via flickr. Ah, James Lovelock… The 90-year old originator of the Gaia Theory has just been interviewed by The Guardian and boy is it a doozy. Lovelock…
Morning Coffee - 30 March 2010 →
Summary: Putin vows revenge for subway bombings; 10 Mexican students killed at false checkpoint; Ban Ki-moon off to Central Asia; Vodou leaders honor Haiti’s earthquake dead; A mine may…
No Day After Tomorrow Yet: Gulf Stream Doesn't... →
image: Jet Propulsion Laboratory At least one potentially dire consequence of climate change predicted by some models doesn’t appear to be happening yet: BBC News reports that though it…
The US Consumer Technology Industry Association... →
The industry association’s annual convention saw a growing conversation about how the wireless industry is using its networks and devices to transform health care.
In the hallways of…
'Financial Kingpin' of Climate Change Denial... →
image: Greenpeace A new report from Greenpeace exposes one of the major, yet little known, financial backers of climate change denial, including fueling the “Climategate” fire. “Koch…
Shaking Hands with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar →
Part two of a two part series about why political reconciliation with a brutal warlord should be treated with extreme caution.
Representatives from Hezb-i-Islami, the smallest of…
Democratic Republic of Congo: a new strategy for... →
Lord’s Resistance Army attacks on civilians show that Eastern Congo needs more and better UN Peacekeeping assets.
Yesterday, in a new report, Human Rights Watch condemned the Lord’s…
Asian Monsoon Pumps Air Pollution Into... →
photo: Jakob Montrasio via flickr. We’ve known for some time that air pollution created in Asia—largely because of fast expanding economic activity fueled by coal—spreads far and…
Morning Coffee - 29 March 2010 →
Summary: Obama makes a surprise visit to Afghanistan; UN conference aims to raise $11.5 billion for Haiti; Pope Benedict dismisses child sex abuse scandal as “petty gossip”;Suicide…
Himalayan Glaciers Shrank 16% in Past 50 Years:... →
photo: Karunakar Rayker via flickr. In the wake of this year’s reassessment of the speed with which Himalayan glaciers are melting, and what year most of them might be gone, the Indian Space Research Organisation
An Earth Hour Message: Turn on the Lights with... →
Photo courtesy Jonathan Talbot, World Resources Institute
By Ulrich Bang
Millions of people around the world will show their support for climate action today by turning off their…
What is the real sense of the Senate? →
With health care legislation out of the way, the U.S. Senate will finally be able to return its attention to climate and energy issues. Last fall, the Clean Energy Jobs and Power Act (CEJAP), the…
An Earth Hour Message: Turn on the Lights with... →
Photo courtesy Jonathan Talbot, World Resources Institute
By Ulrich Bang
Millions of people around the world will show their support for climate action today by turning off their…
The Bloody Hands of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar →
Part one of a two part series about why political reconciliation with a brutal warlord should be treated with extreme caution.
Representatives from Hezb-i-Islami, the smallest of…
What is the real sense of the Senate? →
With health care legislation out of the way, the U.S. Senate will finally be able to return its attention to climate and energy issues. Last fall, the Clean Energy Jobs and Power Act (CEJAP), the…
Niger: Can Political Changes Help Alleviate Food... →
In spite of Niger’s wealth of natural resources and multi-billion dollar mining deals, Nigeriens have seen little improvement to their quality of life.
On Feb. 18, 2010, what has been…
Morning Coffee - 26 March 2010 →
Summary: Future pope was told pedophile priest would go back to work with kids; Striking Mexican miners face off with federal authorities; French dude hacks Obama’s twitter; Europe makes…
ICC Gets Some Love from the Obama Administration.... →
The Obama administration outlines a new era of cooperation between the U.S. and the ICC, but one thorny issue remains.
The International Criminal Court’s governing body, the Assembly of…
North Korea Comes Under Criticism at The Human... →
The Human Rights Council adopted a sharply worded resolution condemning human rights abuses in North Korea. The resolution passed 28 to 5, with 13 abstentions.
In Geneva this afternoon the
Introducing: United in Peacekeeping →
A brand new website that provides quick summaries of all current UN peacekeeping missions and how they affect U.S. interests.
Our sponsors at the Better World Campaign, which is a…
Morning Coffee - 25 March 2010 →
Summary: U.S. & Russia strike historic nuclear disarmament deal; Is Portugal the next Greece?; Vatican sex abuse board headed by future pope ignored complaint about U.S. priest suspected…
Why Tuberculosis Terrifies Me →
If there is one infection that terrifies me, it’s tuberculosis. Not AIDS, not influenza. TB; it keeps me up at night. It has the capacity to devastate our planet in ways we can’t even imagine…
Memo to Amanpour →
ABC announced on March 18 that CNN’s chief international correspondent, Christine Amanpour, would become the new host of This Week. UN Dispatch plays producer.
When ABC announced on March…
Farming Ban in Uganda Strips Rwandan Refugees of... →
Policy makers face the complex task of repatriating refugees from the 1994 Rwanda conflict and genocide.
Characterizing Rwandan refugee settlements in his country, Tarsis Kabwegyere, the…
Climate change to cost 6% of GDP each year: IMF →
Climate change to cost 6% of GDP each year: IMF:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday said that countries in the Southeast Asia, including the Philippines,…
World Water Day: Clean Water for a Healthy World →
Consider all of the ways you’ll encounter water today. For myself, I will drink it by the glass and in the form of tea; I will use it to cook and clean up afterward; I will avoid it with the help of…
Morning Coffee - 24 March 2010 →
Summary: Russia revamps its prison colonies
Top Story: UN ENVOY SUPPORTS KARZAI NEGOTIATIONS
The new UN envoy to Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura,…
More Accurate Measurement, Reporting, and... →
A lack of trust wafted through the Copenhagen air when negotiators gathered at December’s United Nations climate summit. While many developing countries offered emission reduction commitments,…
As Canadian Arctic Melts, Harper Administration... →
Photo courtesy USFWS
The Canadian government didn’t win many fans at December’s Copenhagen climate summit. Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s administration staunchly opposed further…
The UN Reaches out to Holywood →
A video montage of film and television scenes involving the United Nations.
A few moments ago, I finished taping a blogging heads segement with Charli Carpenter. Among other things, we…
Facing a Water Crisis, India Should Look Beyond... →
India and Russia are forging ahead with their nuclear cooperation, despite the many environmental and financial concerns about nuclear power. As part of an agreement signed last week during…
Improving Quality of Life in Sprawling Slums →
Introducing our latest contributor, Penelope Chester, who writes about an innovative solution to help slum dwellers escape grinding poverty.
Ed note: We want to welcome our…
Free Sammy! Whale Shark in Dubai Aquarium Should... →
Sammy shares that aquarium with some 65,000 other fish. Photo: Lori Greig via flickr. Dubai’s aquariums can’t catch a break. First one in a mall cracks at the seams and now the one…
Morning Coffee - 20 March 2010 →
Summary: Pakistan arrests end secret UN/Taliban negotiations; The hunt is on for the Juarez Consulate killers; Canada drops contraception from maternal health plan.
Top Story:
Winters Were Colder in Your Parents' Day: New... →
A symptom of changing climate, Worldwatch shows us that not only are winters in New England averaging three degrees warmer than they did 100 years ago, trees have a ten day longer growing…
Maldives Prez Says Stopping Climate Change Isn't... →
Mohamed Nasheed speaking during COP15, photo: Matthew McDermott. I’m only going to feign momentary offense at Maldives’ President Mohamed Nasheed, because I happen to think there’s…
Scary: Report Shows Global Spike in Resistant TB →
A World Health Organization report shows increasing prevalence of hard-to-treat strains of Tuberculosis. And a funding gap to fight it.
Probably one of the scarier and generally …
Antonio Banderas Joins the UN →
Antonio Banderas becomes the next Hollywood star to join the United Nations as a goodwill ambassador.
You loved him in Philadelphia, saw his performance lacking in The Mask of Zorro, now,…
Morning Coffee - 18 March 2010 →
Summary: UN: A quarter of a billion people escaped slums in 2000s; Burma frees jailed U.S. activist; Human egg raffle sparks international furor; 3 shot dead in Nigeria at tomb fire…
Heat scavenging: New technologies allow heat to be... →
Heat scavenging: New technologies allow heat to be recycled too:
“WATER, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink,” lamented the becalmed Ancient Mariner. Oddly, the…