CRS Report – Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress. Updated May 17, 2021: “The diminishment of Arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the Arctic, and has heightened interest in, and concerns about,the region’s future.The United States, by virtue of Alaska, is an Arctic country and has substantial interests… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Category Archives: Environmental Law
NOAA High Tide Bulletin
Summer 2021: When you may experience higher than normal tides between June and August, 2021. “Tides are the regular rise and fall of the sea surface caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun and their position relative to the earth. There are some factors that cause the tides to be higher than… Continue Reading
More than 1000 rivers account for 80% of global riverine plastic emissions into the ocean
Research Article. Environmental Studies. [Full text is Free] More than 1000 rivers account for 80% of global riverine plastic emissions into the ocean. J. J. Meijer, Tim van Emmerik, Ruud van der Ent, Christian Schmidt and Laurent Lebreton. Science Advances 30 Apr 2021:Vol. 7, no. 18, eaaz5803 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz5803 See also – The Ocean Cleanup:… Continue Reading
Report – Twenty firms produce 55% of world’s plastic waste
The Guardian – Plastic Waste Makers index identifies those driving climate crisis with virgin polymer production. Twenty companies are responsible for producing more than half of all the single-use plastic waste in the world, fuelling the climate crisis and creating an environmental catastrophe, new research reveals. Among the global businesses responsible for 55% of the… Continue Reading
Net Zero by 2050
International Energy Agency press release – “The number of countries announcing pledges to achieve net-zero emissions over the coming decades continues to grow. But the pledges by governments to date – even if fully achieved – fall well short of what is required to bring global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050… Continue Reading
This map of the U.S. heating up is horrifying
Fast Company – “Was it a hot day? Or is the world actually getting hotter over time? It’s hard to be sure on a day-to-day basis. Isn’t summer always a little too sweltering? Aren’t there always a few unseasonably warm days in winter? A new map proves it’s not just you: The U.S. really is… Continue Reading
Climate Change Indicators in the United States
BBC – US environmental agency releases climate report delayed by Trump: “The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said for the first time that climate change is being driven at least in part by humans. The agency made the acknowledgement in a new report that had been delayed by the Trump White House since 2017.… Continue Reading
Science and Technology Issues in the 117th Congress
CRS Report – Science and Technology Issues in the 117th Congress. May 5, 2021: “The federal government supports scientific and technological advancement directly by funding and performing research and development, and indirectly by creating and maintaining policies that encourage private sector efforts. Additionally, the federal government regulates many aspects of S&T activities. This report briefly… Continue Reading
This map shows the climate impacts on every county in the Western US
Fast Company – “…Climate change looks different everywhere. A new interactive map shows a detailed list of likely impacts by county, starting with the Intermountain West, the region bounded by the Rocky Mountains on the east and the Cascades and Sierras on the west. The tool was designed specifically for people who manage parks, and… Continue Reading
NOAA unveils new U.S. climate ‘normals’ that are warmer than ever
Washington Post – “On Tuesday May 4, 2021, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released an updated set of climate averages for the contiguous United States based on the 30-year period from 1991 to 2020, including more than 9,000 daily reporting stations. It refers to these averages* as “climate normals,” and updates them once every… Continue Reading
Bird POTY 2021 Finalists Snapshot
“Over 22,000 images were entered into Bird Photographer of the Year 2021. Competing for the £5,000 cash prize and prestigious title, photographers from 73 different countries submitted images this year. The winners of BPOTY 2021 will be announced on 1st September 2021, with the 2022 competition opening later that month. “With images coming in from… Continue Reading
Study – Deadly air pollutant ‘disproportionately and systematically’ harms Americans of color
Washington Post – “Nearly every source of the nation’s most pervasive and deadly air pollutant disproportionately affects Americans of color, regardless of their state or income level, according to a study published Wednesday. The analysis of fine-particle matter, which includes soot, shows how decisions made decades ago about where to build highways and industrial plants… Continue Reading
