State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Politics7

  • Water-Energy Dependency May Put a Damper on Water Banking in California

    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,…

  • “The Truth About Water Wars”

    We’ve all heard about the horrors of the genocide in Darfur, followed Nicholas Kristof’s evangelical Op-Eds, and seen the benefit concerts to raise money towards the cause. Perhaps some know too of the ethnic differences tinting much of the clash, know the history of relations between the Sudanese government and the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army.  But few…

  • NYS agencies phasing out bottled water

    On March 10th Ju Young posted an extremely informative entry on bottled water, “Do you still drink bottled water?” The message to cut down on bottled water is still big in advertising, environmental groups, the media, politics, and just about everywhere else. It’s also an ongoing topic of discussion in the Water Center offices. In…

  • Water Security in Asia

    Decreased access to a safe, stable water supply in Asia “will have a profound impact on security throughout the region,” warns an Asia Society Leadership Group report released on April 17. In response to the cascading set of consequences reduced access to fresh water will trigger—including impaired food production, the loss of livelihood security, large-scale…

  • Central Asian Water Summit

    This week five leaders of Central Asian nations are holding a summit to try and achieve a solution to their bitter dispute over water use in one of the driest regions of the world.  According to Reuters, the trouble over sharing water across borders has been bubbling to new heights with its growing scarcity.  Presidents…

  • Water Wars in Ethiopia

    For centuries tribal people in the Omo River Valley of Ethiopia have been content to live according the flood cycle of the river.  In recent years, a certain development has caused much blood to be spilled over territorial claims on the river.  Automatic weapons are now in the hands of almost every male in the…

  • Water-Energy Dependency May Put a Damper on Water Banking in California

    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,…

  • “The Truth About Water Wars”

    We’ve all heard about the horrors of the genocide in Darfur, followed Nicholas Kristof’s evangelical Op-Eds, and seen the benefit concerts to raise money towards the cause. Perhaps some know too of the ethnic differences tinting much of the clash, know the history of relations between the Sudanese government and the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army.  But few…

  • NYS agencies phasing out bottled water

    On March 10th Ju Young posted an extremely informative entry on bottled water, “Do you still drink bottled water?” The message to cut down on bottled water is still big in advertising, environmental groups, the media, politics, and just about everywhere else. It’s also an ongoing topic of discussion in the Water Center offices. In…

  • Water Security in Asia

    Decreased access to a safe, stable water supply in Asia “will have a profound impact on security throughout the region,” warns an Asia Society Leadership Group report released on April 17. In response to the cascading set of consequences reduced access to fresh water will trigger—including impaired food production, the loss of livelihood security, large-scale…

  • Central Asian Water Summit

    This week five leaders of Central Asian nations are holding a summit to try and achieve a solution to their bitter dispute over water use in one of the driest regions of the world.  According to Reuters, the trouble over sharing water across borders has been bubbling to new heights with its growing scarcity.  Presidents…

  • Water Wars in Ethiopia

    For centuries tribal people in the Omo River Valley of Ethiopia have been content to live according the flood cycle of the river.  In recent years, a certain development has caused much blood to be spilled over territorial claims on the river.  Automatic weapons are now in the hands of almost every male in the…