Author: Anna Mazhirov

Anna Mazhirov was the Senior Research Assistant for the Columbia Climate Center, where she worked on climate change communication and carbon management education. Graduating Duke University in 2010, she received a degree in English and Environmental Science & Policy. She contributed to “The Psychology of Climate Change Communication,” while interning for the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions. As well as writing about the environment, Anna has created nonfiction multimedia content for the Middle East Fellowship, the Jazz Loft Project, and Duke’s Center for Documentary Studies. Her interests include biodiversity and conservation and documentary media.

Climate News Roundup: Week of 4/08

EU CO2 law could scupper global climate talks, Reuters, Apr 11 A European Union law that charges airlines for carbon emissions is “a deal-breaker” for global climate change talks, India’s environment minister said, hardening her stance on a scheme that has drawn fierce opposition from non-EU governments. U.S. airlines have said they would grudgingly comply,…
Climate News Roundup: Week of 4/01

EPA to impose first greenhouse gas limits on power plants, Washington Post, Mar 27 The US EPA issued its first regulations addressing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The regulation is a New Source Performance Standard, meaning that it applies only to new power plants that are not yet permitted or under construction. The standard…
Climate News Roundup: Week of 3/04

Climate Change May Kill OFF 900 Bird Species, Treehugger, Mar 7 Scientists say climate change is likely to drive up to 900 bird species into extinction by the end of the century unless additional conservation measures are taken. Tropical bird species are particularly vulnerable because they are adapted to living in a stable climate, where…
What Really Sways Public Opinion on Climate Change

Being part of the Columbia Climate Center, which endeavors to improve public understanding of climate change as part of its mission, I was dismayed, but not surprised to read a study confirming that dissemination of scientific information on climate change to the public has a minimal effect on public opinion. A recent analysis shows that…
Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/19

Climate change increased likelihood of Russian 2010 heatwave, The Guardian, Feb 21 The extreme Russian heatwave of 2010 was made three times more likely because of man-made climate change, according to a study led by climate scientists and number-crunched by home PC users. But the size of the event was mostly within natural limits, said…
Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/22

Signs of New Life as U.N. Searches for a Climate Accord, New York Times, Jan 24 The recently concluded meeting in Durban, South Africa, which established a new mandate for concluding a binding agreement of some sort by 2015, has given the process new life and hushed many of its critics. Christina Figueres, the Costa…
African Forests, Threatened, but Resilient

Forests and climate change are fundamentally interrelated. Forests play a role in mitigating climate change by trapping and storing carbon in their trees. Currently, the world’s forests and forest soils store more than one trillion tons of carbon – twice the amount in the atmosphere. The African continent is home to 30% of the world’s…
Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/01

Police Inquiry Prompts New Speculation on Who Leaked Climate-Change E-mails, Jan 1, New York Times Speculation has revived about the identity of the hacker responsible for releasing more than 1,000 private e-mails on the Internet in an attempt to discredit climate scientists. In November, another round of e-mails between scientists were distributed online before the…
Climate News Roundup: Week of 10/09

Nations Heading to Durban Climate Talks Remain Deeply Divided, Oct 10, New York Times U.N. climate chief Christiana Figueres lauded a climate change meeting in Panama as “good progress” this weekend, even as environmental activists warned that the world’s only structure for curbing greenhouse gas emissions appears about to crumble. The next time diplomats meet,…

Climate News Roundup: Week of 4/08

EU CO2 law could scupper global climate talks, Reuters, Apr 11 A European Union law that charges airlines for carbon emissions is “a deal-breaker” for global climate change talks, India’s environment minister said, hardening her stance on a scheme that has drawn fierce opposition from non-EU governments. U.S. airlines have said they would grudgingly comply,…
Climate News Roundup: Week of 4/01

EPA to impose first greenhouse gas limits on power plants, Washington Post, Mar 27 The US EPA issued its first regulations addressing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The regulation is a New Source Performance Standard, meaning that it applies only to new power plants that are not yet permitted or under construction. The standard…
Climate News Roundup: Week of 3/04

Climate Change May Kill OFF 900 Bird Species, Treehugger, Mar 7 Scientists say climate change is likely to drive up to 900 bird species into extinction by the end of the century unless additional conservation measures are taken. Tropical bird species are particularly vulnerable because they are adapted to living in a stable climate, where…
What Really Sways Public Opinion on Climate Change

Being part of the Columbia Climate Center, which endeavors to improve public understanding of climate change as part of its mission, I was dismayed, but not surprised to read a study confirming that dissemination of scientific information on climate change to the public has a minimal effect on public opinion. A recent analysis shows that…
Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/19

Climate change increased likelihood of Russian 2010 heatwave, The Guardian, Feb 21 The extreme Russian heatwave of 2010 was made three times more likely because of man-made climate change, according to a study led by climate scientists and number-crunched by home PC users. But the size of the event was mostly within natural limits, said…
Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/22

Signs of New Life as U.N. Searches for a Climate Accord, New York Times, Jan 24 The recently concluded meeting in Durban, South Africa, which established a new mandate for concluding a binding agreement of some sort by 2015, has given the process new life and hushed many of its critics. Christina Figueres, the Costa…
African Forests, Threatened, but Resilient

Forests and climate change are fundamentally interrelated. Forests play a role in mitigating climate change by trapping and storing carbon in their trees. Currently, the world’s forests and forest soils store more than one trillion tons of carbon – twice the amount in the atmosphere. The African continent is home to 30% of the world’s…
Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/01

Police Inquiry Prompts New Speculation on Who Leaked Climate-Change E-mails, Jan 1, New York Times Speculation has revived about the identity of the hacker responsible for releasing more than 1,000 private e-mails on the Internet in an attempt to discredit climate scientists. In November, another round of e-mails between scientists were distributed online before the…
Climate News Roundup: Week of 10/09

Nations Heading to Durban Climate Talks Remain Deeply Divided, Oct 10, New York Times U.N. climate chief Christiana Figueres lauded a climate change meeting in Panama as “good progress” this weekend, even as environmental activists warned that the world’s only structure for curbing greenhouse gas emissions appears about to crumble. The next time diplomats meet,…