Green New Forest

Catch Shares: Will a solution for Fisheries work for Bushmeat?

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 07:59:39 +0000

Capturing and eating fish and rainforest wildlife, including large primates, for human sustenance has been practiced for generations. However, as human populations have grown and demand for these resources has increased, species in coral reefs and tropical rainforests–the most diverse ecosystem types on the planet–have been put in jeopardy.

Though both ailing fisheries and dwindling wildlife populations have received much attention and attempted remediation, these problems have been difficult to tackle because of competing interests among conservationists and fishermen/hunters who base their livelihood on harvesting wildlife. Two recently released studies offer new insight into the problem of harvesting wildlife, and perhaps even a solution.

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World Water Week 2008

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:28:24 +0000

More than 2,400 scientists and policymakers convened in Stockholm last month for the 2008 World Water Week summit. This year’s summit was focused on sanitation access, although a variety of interdisciplinary research was presented for discussion.

Inadequate sanitation is a known cause of infectious diseases and death in the developing world. In response, improvement in sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation became one of the UN Millennium Development Goals. According to the World Health Organization, improving sanitation is especially challenging in Asia and the Pacific where, “one in three people lack access to safe, sustainable water supplies, and one in two to sanitation.” (See Figure 1)

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Phenology: The Effects of Climate Change on Ecosystem Health

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:48:55 +0000

Mother Nature’s calendar has been showing increasingly less resemblance to the seasonal patterns of the past, with tangible effects on both humans and the natural environment. Pollen-releasing grasses, shrubs and trees have started to appear earlier, expanding the hay fever season. Drought, forest fires and invasive alien species have caused serious damage to some of the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems.

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Assisted Colonization: Saving Species or Creating New Invasives?

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:08:28 +0000

Many vulnerable species are facing reduced numbers because the adaptations that have served them for thousands of years make them unable to survive small changes in temperature or precipitation. When faced with climate change and other threats to their habitat, some species may not be able to relocate quickly enough to save them from extinction.

A new technique called assisted colonization may prove to be an innovative solution.

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EarthTrends Job Opening: Fall/Winter Internship

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:16:52 +0000

We are looking for a highly motivated and innovative person to play a significant role in the ongoing development and management of EarthTrends.
The successful applicant will help to fulfill WRI’s mission of guaranteeing public access to information and analysis related to sustainable development and the environment.

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Freedom of Information and Environmental Protection in China

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:28:19 +0000

On May 1, 2008, the Regulations on Government Disclosure of Information officially took effect, making China one of 70 countries worldwide that has enacted comprehensive freedom of information (FOI) legislation. The objective of the Chinese regulation specifically is “to ensure that citizens, legal persons and other organizations can obtain government information by lawful means and increase government transparency.”

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