On Saturday, June 13, 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with her Canadian counterpart, Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon, in Niagara Falls to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Boundary Waters Treaty. While the Treaty governs all international waters shared by Canada and the USA, its primary application is to Great Lakes’ policy. As part of the…
Something that many people wonder about climate change, especially in light of the current economic crisis, is whether we can afford to focus on the climate when there are so many other pressing global issues like the economy, terrorism, and major public health crises. Part of our mission here at the Columbia Climate Center is…
Don’t get upset–it is merely an instance of irony. Irony works in getting people’s attention and emphasizing the real meaning behind it. The video is more for the general public who are not familiar with water issues, but it can also be motivating to professionals and people who are active concerning water issues. The message…
Dennis Blair is a serious man. A retired, four-star admiral with a legendary knack for water skiing behind his warships, the multi-talented Blair currently serves as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) under President Obama. This position oversees the 16 national intelligence agencies, coordinating their efforts while informing the policy makers – including the President,…
We’ve been following some of the issues related to the drought in California. In response to water shortages, a “water bank” has been implemented to allow users who do not use all of their water to sell it to other users. In theory, such a system allows water to be used in an efficient manner,…
Displacements Already Underway, Says Report
CHICAGO, June 30, 2009 – Supporting rigorous professional training for future leaders in the field of sustainable development, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced today grants totaling $7.6 million to nine universities in seven countries to establish new Master’s in Development Practice (MDP) programs. The Foundation has committed $15 million to seed…
We hear a lot about the impact of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Africa. But if you’re keeping track, you may as well add bacterial meningitis to the list of nasty diseases that plague the continent. Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the thin lining that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord, known as…
When gender is mentioned in the context of climate change, it’s generally to point out women’s greater vulnerability to climate change’s impacts. Indeed, women do tend to be more vulnerable than men, especially in less-developed countries, and they have different capacities to cope. The reasons for the gender differences include rights to home and land…