As the climate warms, we are ‘primed’ for worse storms than Sandy
With the climate warming and the sea level rising, conditions are ripe for storms deadlier and more devastating than Sandy that put more people at risk. If damaging storms become more frequent, retreat from areas with mounting repetitive losses will become a topic of discussion.
Illegal sand mining — the open secret of a multi-million crore scam, India
India’s booming 157 billion dollar construction sector is expected to grow in the coming years. This means that the demand for sand and other minor minerals will increase as well, making it more difficult for the government to curb the methodical and unlawful abuse of riverbeds and coastal areas.
Let mangroves recover to protect coasts
Allowing mangrove forests to recover naturally result in more resilient habitats that benefit both wildlife and people, say conservationists.
The psychology behind climate change denial
In a new thesis in psychology, a researcher has studied the psychology behind climate change denial. The results show that individuals who accept and advocate hierarchical and dominant relations between social groups and power structures, tend to a larger extent deny the problem. This acceptance of hierarchies also extends to accepting human dominance over nature.
Great Pacific garbage patch far bigger than imagined, aerial survey shows
The vast patch of garbage floating in the Pacific Ocean is far worse than previously thought, with an aerial survey finding a much larger mass of fishing nets, plastic containers and other discarded items than imagined.
Belgium is to build its first artificial island off the coast, as climate change mitigation
Amid rising seas, Belgium plans on building an artificial island off its coast, in a step towards climate change mitigation. 8 millions euros have been provided in funding of the project study.
Resettling the First American Climate Refugees – Louisiana
The Isle de Jean Charles resettlement plan is one of the first programs of its kind in the world, a test of how to respond to climate change in the most dramatic circumstances without tearing communities apart.
Pacific Ocean “blob” fed massive toxic algae bloom
A new study finds that unusually warm Pacific Ocean temperatures helped cause a massive bloom of toxic algae last year that closed lucrative fisheries from California to British Columbia and disrupted marine life from seabirds to sea lions.
Money and sand: will there be enough for New Jersey’s beaches?
Beach replenishment is costly and exacts a heavy toll on the environment, depleting underwater ridges that are home to a broad variety of sea life. Skeptics questioned how the state and Army Corps of Engineers can commit to spending nearly $2 billion in beach replenishment through the mid 21st century.