Historic efficiency improvements would meet only a fraction of the projected gap Agricultural yields in both rain-fed and irrigated areas grew at an annual rate of about 1 percent between 1990 and 2004, a major driver of overall water productivity improvements. A similar rate of improvement occurred in industry. Were agriculture and industry to sustain […]
Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing mankind. It claims many lives. And it also costs a great deal, given the rising trend in weather-related natural catastrophes and resulting losses. Whilst a number of factors are involved, there is clear evidence indicating that one cause is climate change. Climate protection is necessary and […]
By RUTH SIMON and JAMES R. HAGERTY The proportion of U.S. homeowners who owe more on their mortgages than the properties are worth has swelled to about 23%, threatening prospects for a sustained housing recovery. Nearly 10.7 million households had negative equity in their homes in the third quarter, according to First American CoreLogic, a […]
This graph shows the uptake history over the industrial era (ad 1765 to ad 2008) computed from the time-varying inventory. (The corresponding space- and time-varying change in surface disequilibrium of CO2 driving this uptake is also estimated by our inversion method.) There has been a sharp increase in ocean uptake since the 1950s in response […]
From The Oil Drum: World crude oil, condensate and oil sands production peaked in 2005 at an annual average of 73.72 million barrels per day (mbd) according to recent EIA production data. 2008 production was slightly less than 2005 creating a peak plateau from 2005 to 2008 as shown in the chart below. Production is […]
From Calculated Risk: The chart shows overall U.S. property total returns, quarterly (at annual rates) and lagging four quarters. This appraisal-based, lagging index shows sharp negative returns exceeding the deterioration of the RTC (Resolution Trust Corp.) period of the early 1990s. Second quarter 2009 returns indicate the possibility that total returns, while still negative, may […]
This graph shows the evolution of the various sources and sinks of anthropogenic CO2 between ad 1765 and ad 2005. Our results indicate that the terrestrial biosphere was a source of Cant until the 1940s, roughly in line with previous model-based estimates3, 18, after which it turned into a sink of anthropogenic CO2. Taken over […]
The net relative sea level trend in mm/year after subtracting the effects of the vertical movement of the platform and the inverse barometric pressure effect utilising all the data collected since the start of the project up to the end of June 2009. Australia National Tidal Centre, Bureau of Meteorology, The Australian Baseline Sea Level […]
By Amy GoldsteinWashington Post Staff WriterMonday, November 16, 2009; 3:14 PM The number of Americans who lack dependable access to adequate food shot up last year to 49 million, the largest number since the government has been keeping track, according to a federal report released Monday that shows particularly steep increases in food scarcity among […]
By JOHN McFARLAND, Associated Press Writer FORT WORTH, Texas — With the Texas population expected to nearly double over the next 50 years, lawmakers and water experts gathered Monday to convey an important message: We’re running out of water. There is no shortage of alarming statistics to make that point. Texas’ population of about 24.3 […]