White House: “When President Biden signed Executive Order (E.O.) 14096 on Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All, he called on the federal government to bring clean energy and healthy environments to all, and to recognize, undo, and mitigate harms to those who have suffered from pollution and the cumulative impacts of other… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Environmental Law
Space junk is out of control. Here’s why and what to do about it
Washington Post: “The word “space” implies a lot of it: a near-infinite expanse of emptiness above the atmosphere of this crowded planet. Yet it turns out that the orbits along which rockets fly and from which satellites beam internet connectivity to Earth are a limited resource — and they’re becoming more crowded every day. The… Continue Reading
You can drink the tap water in these 50 countries maybe
Big Think: According to the CDC, 50 countries worldwide have drinkable tap water. But look closer, and the picture is more nuanced…So, which 50 countries are in the CDC’s clean tap water club? There’s most of Europe, excluding most of the Balkans, as well as most of the former Soviet states. Notable exceptions in the… Continue Reading
How Americans View Future Harms From Climate Change in Their Community and Around the U.S.
“A new Pew Research Center survey finds a majority of Americans think climate change is causing harm to people in the United States today and 63% expect things to get worse in their lifetime.When it comes to the personal impact of climate change, most Americans think they’ll have to make at least minor sacrifices over… Continue Reading
Special Flood Hazard Area and Fill Interim Report
Technical Mapping Advisory Council – FEMA: “TMAC 2023 -Special Flood Hazard Area and Fill Interim Report. “There is general agreement that changes in our Nation’s land surface and climate, due to both human and natural causes, are resulting in increased flooding and damage. The best way to combat both the current and future threat of… Continue Reading
The Consequences of Elon Musk’s Ownership of X
The New York Times [read free]: “Now rebranded as X, the site has experienced a surge in racist, antisemitic and other hateful speech. Under Mr. Musk’s watch, millions of people have been exposed to misinformation about climate change. Foreign governments and operatives — from Russia to China to Hamas — have spread divisive propaganda with… Continue Reading
Data – Information is Beautiful
“We love data. And we love getting data good and tight and comprehensive. The technical term for that is “juicy”. Juicy data. In fact, 80% of the work involved in creating an infographic is data-gathering, shaping and checking. Making the data juicy. So here, naturally, is a big-ass spreadsheet of all our best data.” You… Continue Reading
The 2023 state of the climate report: Entering uncharted territory
The 2023 state of the climate report: Entering uncharted territory. BioScience, biad080, https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biad080 Published 24 October 2023. “Life on planet Earth is under siege. We are now in an uncharted territory. For several decades, scientists have consistently warned of a future marked by extreme climatic conditions because of escalating global temperatures caused by ongoing human… Continue Reading
The Bird Migration Explorer
Audubon – “The Bird Migration Explorer captures the joy of birds and the wonder of migration through a series of interactive maps built using the latest and best-available migration and conservation science. Using this unique digital platform, visitors to the Bird Migration Explorer can learn about the full annual cycle for 458 species of migratory… Continue Reading
Share of Europe’s territory at high risk of fire has doubled in the last 50 years
European Data Journalism: “Since 1971, the share of Europe that experiences high or higher weather risk has risen from 20% to almost 40%. But there are big differences between countries. Portugal, Spain, Greece and Italy come up every year when we talk about major forest fires. You don’t have to look far back to remember… Continue Reading
E-Bike Environment and Economics Impact Assessment Calculator
“RMI’s E-Bike Environment and Economics Impact Assessment Calculator for Cities simplifies the process of assessing the impact of mode-shift from electric bikes (e-bikes) for policymakers, transportation officials, advocates, and other interested stakeholders. The tool estimates the impact of e-bikes as a substitute for short vehicle trips, based on a city-wide mode-shift to e-bikes goal; it… Continue Reading
Longer Commutes, Shorter Lives
The New York Times Magazine – The Costs of Not Investing in America [read free] “For decades, spending on the future put the nation ahead of all others. What would it take to revive that spirit?…The lack of recent progress is not a result of any physical or technological limits. In other parts of the… Continue Reading
