Trump administration silences federal scientists at USDA, EPA – National Park Service defies gag order with tweets on climate science

[NASA and NOAA are likely to be targeted next. –Des] [UPDATE: USDA lifts gag order: report] By Dina Fine Maron24 January 2017 (Scientific American) – President Donald Trump’s administration moved quickly this week to shore up its control over communications with the public and the press, as officials at the Environmental Protection Agency and the […]

Processed foods drive surge in obesity rates in Latin America and Caribbean

19 January 2017 (United Nations) – Obesity and overweight are on the rise throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, and are prevalent particularly among women and children, according to a new United Nations-backed report. Nearly 360 million people, or 58 per cent of the inhabitants of the region, are overweight with the highest rates observed […]

Even the most efficient coal plants put global climate goals out of reach

Brussels, Belgium, 14 April 2016 (Ecofys) – Event the most efficient coal plants are not compatible with the global climate change goals, a new study reveals. As world leaders prepare to sign the Paris Agreement on climate change next week, a report [pdf] from Ecofys published today shows that any coal-fired power generation will take […]

NASA and NOAA data show 2016 warmest year on record globally

18 January 2017 (NASA) – Earth’s 2016 surface temperatures were the warmest since modern recordkeeping began in 1880, according to independent analyses by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Globally-averaged temperatures in 2016 were 1.78 degrees Fahrenheit (0.99 degrees Celsius) warmer than the mid-20th century mean. This makes 2016 the third year […]

Oxfam report shows widening gap between rich and poor – Just 8 people now have the same wealth as the poorest 3.6 billion

[If you’re wondering about the rise of far-right, ultra-nationalist politics around the world, you need look no further than this report to understand why. –Des] 15 January 2017 (Oxfam) – The gap between rich and poor is far greater than had previously been estimated, with big business and the super-rich fueling the inequality crisis by […]

World unemployment rate to rise amid economic uncertainty, growing inequality

12 January 2017 (United Nations) – The United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) released its 2017 World Employment and Social Outlook report today, which finds economic growth trends lagging behind employment needs and predicts both rising unemployment and worsening social inequality throughout 2017. “We are facing the twin challenge of repairing the damage caused by […]

U.S. unlikely to make significant gains in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and may become net energy exporter

By Bobby Magill5 January 2017 (Climate Central) – The amount of energy Americans use and the pollution they emit from using coal, oil, and natural gas are not likely to change radically over the next 30 years, even as the U.S. becomes a major energy exporter, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Annual Energy […]

Short-lived greenhouse gases cause centuries of sea-level rise

By Jennifer Chu9 January 2017 (MIT News) – Even if there comes a day when the world completely stops emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, coastal regions and island nations will continue to experience rising sea levels for centuries afterward, according to a new study by researchers at MIT and Simon Fraser University. In a […]

Thousands of Afghan children dying of hunger amid “unprecedented” displacement

9 January 2017 (United Nations) – Despite attempts to increase food aid in Afghanistan, children bear the brunt of the country’s nutritional crisis, the United Nations humanitarian arm today reported, warning that the ongoing fighting has also led to record number of children at risk of abuse and exploitation. According to the recently-issued Humanitarian Needs […]

2016 was the second hottest year on record in U.S.

By Andrea Thompson 9 January 2017 (Climate Central) – 2016 was the second hottest year for the U.S. in more than 120 years of record keeping, government scientists announced on Monday, marking 20 above-average years in a row. Every state had a temperature ranking at least in the top seven, with two, Georgia and Alaska, […]

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