28.10201810/28/2018
Brazil’s Amazonian Mangroves: Crucial for Climate Change Mitigation

Brazil’s Amazonian Mangroves: Crucial for Climate Change Mitigation

By In EnvironmentTags , , ,

Brazil’s Amazon is home not only to the world’s largest tropical forest, but also one of the world’s largest mangrove areas. Mangroves are collections of different tree and shrub species found in tropical coastal regions, growing in waterlogged soils. They can be recognized because of  their large roots protruding from soils—roots they use to ‘anchor’themselves from strong incoming tides. There are over 80 distinct mangrove tree species, and can sequester or store large amount of carbon in their soils, which can be stored for multiple centuries. Deforestation of mangroves results in the release of sequestered carbon dioxide, as trees, plants, and soils release stored carbon once they are logged and cleared or burned. Although mangroves represent only 0.6% of global tropical forests, a new, long-term study published in the journal Biology Letters shows that these mangrove forests contain much more stored carbon than previously thought, and that their deforestation accounts for as much as 12 percent of greenhouse gas emissions produced by all tropical deforestation worldwide.

24.10201810/24/2018
Is Climate Change a Security Issue?

Is Climate Change a Security Issue?

By In climate change, Environment, green infrastructure, ResilienceTags , , , , ,

There is a significant yet still under-researched connection between climate change and security-related risks. The frequency of extreme weather events, including flooding, severe droughts and other associated impacts of global warming are contributing to the reduction of crop yields, diminishing water resources, and ultimately impacting human livelihood. In some cases, these events have contributed to the migration of ‘climate refugees’ in order to meet their basic human needs, including access to water, food, electricity, and shelter. As a result, climate change is increasingly entering the policy arena as a significant security issue.

04.09201804/28/2021
This One Simple Action Could Enhance Your Health and Wellbeing

This One Simple Action Could Enhance Your Health and Wellbeing

By In Environment, sustainability, urban forestryTags , , ,

Spend time outside.
Yup, that’s it! Just go outside, in nature as wild as possible, as often and for as long as you can. More exposure to nature seems to be more helpful, but even a little bit – indoor houseplants, tree-lined streets, the sound of birdsong through an open window – has incremental benefits.

06.08201808/06/2018
France’s Energy Future with Macron at the Helm

France’s Energy Future with Macron at the Helm

By In clean energy, Environment, Nuclear, Renewable EnergyTags , , , ,

France is in the enviable position of having among the lowest energy costs in Europe, coupled with low carbon emissions--thanks to 58 nuclear plants that provide 75% of France’s total energy consumption. As a result of nuclear investment, France is currently the largest net-exporter of energy in the world, bringing in revenues estimated at 3 billion euros annually.

But the French nuclear plants were designed with an expected 40-year life-span, and their average age is now 35 years. And France, while using a high percentage of recycled nuclear fuel in power production, still faces the problem of how to handle waste products. Thus, the government faces a choice: invest in renewing the fleet of nuclear plants or invest in renewables—or support a mix of the two. Decommissioning old nuclear plants, building a new generation of plants, developing a system of renewables—all these options come with significant price tags.