The state of the world’s environment is one of the most important stories of the new century. Debates over the impact of climate change reverberate throughout the globe. So do disputes about what actions might be necessary, both to preserve the environment and to develop sources of energy for a growing global community.
The World’s environment coverage, led by environment editor Peter Thomson, examines the health of the planet and explores the impacts of human activity on everything from the earth’s ecosystems to the food we put on our plates.
Environment
Why Guar Beans Matter
Host Lisa Mullins talks with Scientific American’s David Biello about why the humble guar bean is having an impact on profits in the hydraulic fracturing industry.
Working to Save the Iraqi Marshes
Azzam Alwash is working to restore the Mesopotamian Marshes, a formerly rich wetland habitat in southern Iraq about the size of Connecticut.
An Update on Australia’s Water Wars
Australian farmers in the Murray-Darling Basin have irrigated their fields for decades. But today, drought and over-irrigation have taken a severe toll on the environment. The Australian government has devised a plan to right the balance. The problem is: Nobody likes the plan.
The trouble with Phosphorus
Phosphorus is a vital element for producing food but there are growing concerns about supply and pollution.
WHO: Fumes from Diesel Exhaust Cause Cancer
Exhaust fumes from diesel engines do cause cancer, a panel of experts working for the World Health Organization says.
Turtles Caught in Cyprus’s Political Rift
Cyprus’s sea turtles are in trouble, but the feuding Greek and Turkish sides aren’t working together to protect them.
High Art in the Himalayas
A photography exhibit called “Rivers of Ice: Vanishing Glaciers of the Greater Himalaya” is on view this climbing season at Mt. Everest South Base Camp in Nepal.
Australia Lab to Simulate Climate Changes
One of the largest real-world studies on the future effects of climate change is under way in Australia.
Norway’s Example of Oil and Gas Boom Done Right
Norway has carefully controlled its oil and gas industry ensuring it doesn’t suffer the same fate as other countries where oil has become a curse.
Development Bust is Environmental Boon in Baja California
Coastal development in Mexico’s Baja California and the Sea of Cortez hit a wall in the 2008 crash. That was bad news for investors, but good news for conservationists, who recently have been busy protecting rare landscapes and wildlife habitat.
China Warns Foreign Embassies Not To Publish Pollution Data
China has ordered the embassies of the US and other countries to stop releasing figures on air pollution in Beijing.
ExxonMobil and Chad’s Authoritarian Regime: An ‘Unholy Bargain’
Author Steve Coll talks about his new book “Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power.” Coll blames ExxonMobil’s “outsized-influence” for poverty in oil-rich countries including Chad.
Last Days Limbo for The Exxon Valdez
Indian environmentalists are trying to stop the infamous ship from being brought to their country to be dismantled.
New Zealand Fights Bio-Invaders
The isolated island country of New Zealand is ratcheting up its fight against an invasion of unwanted species that’s destroying crops and native animals.
Palomares, the H-Bomb and Operation Moist Mop
In Spain, a nuclear controversy continues. In fact it dates back to the 1960′s when two American Air Force planes collided in midair and exploded, dropping four nuclear bombs on a tiny Mediterranean farming village.
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