http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/science_society/environmental_policy/ Read the latest news on environmental policy. Read scientific findings relating to conservation, environmental issues and biodiversity. en-us Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:05:01 EST Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/science_society/environmental_policy/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123132637.htm Richer nations with competitive crop production and few trade barriers would fare the best if climate change, weather events or other factors cause yields of grain and oilseed crops to become more volatile, a new study has found. Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123132637.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117161212.htm In recent decades, a new global middle class has exploded, with a total population exceeding one billion people. A new study explores the consumption attitudes of some of these members of the "new class." Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117161212.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091125081622.htm Six new international studies show that cutting greenhouse gases, in particular ozone and black carbon, can quickly save millions of lives worldwide in addition to slowing climate change. Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091125081622.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123152224.htm Using historical data on the relationship between temperature and conflict in Africa, researchers have estimated the effect of rising temperatures due to global warming. They concluded that the incidence of African civil war could increase 55 percent by 2030, resulting in an additional 390,000 battle deaths if future wars are as deadly as recent ones. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123152224.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124152803.htm Popular thinking about how to improve food systems often misses the point, according to the results of a three-year global study of salmon production systems. Rather than pushing for organic or land-based production, or worrying about simple metrics such as "food miles," the study finds that the world can achieve greater environmental benefits by focusing on improvements production and distribution. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124152803.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111114910.htm Fossil carbon dioxide emissions increased by 40 percent from 1990 to 2008, according to new findings. Coal has bypassed oil as the largest source of CO2 emissions. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111114910.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118143301.htm India may rank only a distant fourth in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, behind China, the United States and Russia, but its rapid economic growth rate coupled with aging and inefficient energy infrastructure suggest dire environmental consequences if "business as usual" continues. That's why experts have bee working to improve India's energy efficiency. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118143301.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116131714.htm Plans to be discussed at the forthcoming UN climate conference in Copenhagen to cut deforestation in developing countries could save some species from extinction but inadvertently increase the risk to others, scientists believe. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116131714.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116143617.htm A new paper examines the potential of a REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) mechanism to provoke ecological damage and/or promote ecological cobenefits. Such analysis is key as negotiations and discussions continue between now and early December when the United Nation's Framework Convention on Climate Change holds its 15th Conference of the Parties, where an agreement on REDD may emerge. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116143617.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171647.htm The American health-care sector accounts for 8 percent of the country's carbon dioxide emissions, according to a first-of-its-kind calculation of health care's carbon footprint. Researchers used expenditures from different parts of the health care sector to measure the industry's potential effect upon global warming through the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171647.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091113130008.htm With the countdown to the climate change summit in Copenhagen underway, a new article says that rich countries need to pay the full incremental cost of low carbon technology for developing countries to avoid dangerous climate change. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091113130008.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111083055.htm Because land use changes are responsible for 50 percent of warming in the US, policymakers need to address the influence of global deforestation and urbanization on climate change, in addition to greenhouse gas emissions, experts urge. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111083055.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104161834.htm Heavy traffic corridors in the cities of Long Beach and Riverside are responsible for a significant proportion of preventable childhood asthma, and the true impact of air pollution and ship emissions on the disease has likely been underestimated, according to researchers. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104161834.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211534.htm North American car manufacturers have come bottom of the league in the largest ever international study of the global automobile sector's sustainability performance. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211534.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102204438.htm As African leaders prepare to present an ambitious proposal to industrialized countries for coping with climate change in the part of the world that is most vulnerable to its impacts, a new study points to where and how some of this money should be spent. The study projects that climate change will have highly variable impacts on East Africa's vital maize and bean harvests over the next two to four decades. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102204438.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102121456.htm A recent assessment finds some positive trends among indicators of biodiversity loss in China -- notably, growth in forest coverage and improvements in marine ecosystems. However, other indicators, such as the rate of discovery of invasive species, are worsening. Many animals are under growing threat. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102121456.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171728.htm A new study compares neighborhoods' walkability (degree of ease for walking) with local levels of air pollution and finds that some neighborhoods might be good for walking, but have poor air quality. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171728.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026180207.htm In hopes of preventing the next global pandemic and a possible death toll into the millions, researchers have launched an unprecedented international effort to find and control diseases that move between wildlife and people. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026180207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090924123312.htm To adequately prepare today's students for tomorrow's global economy, one teacher education expert favors "transcultural education," which he defines as an experience that goes beyond the traditional rite-of-passage trip to western Europe. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090924123312.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022141128.htm While carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas and the focus of climate treaties, other pollutants that stay in the atmosphere for only days or months also contribute to global warming. Researchers argue that policymakers should plan a summit now to look at these pollutants, which range from soot to ozone and methane, because they will be more complicated to regulate than is the case with carbon dioxide. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022141128.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022141126.htm Scientists have identified an important but fixable error in legal accounting rules for bioenergy that could, if uncorrected, undermine efforts to reduce greenhouse gases by encouraging deforestation. They propose a fix that accounts for the direct and indirect land use impacts of biofuels. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022141126.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100502.htm Britain's children and young people are potential agents of change for the development of more sustainable communities in the UK, according to new research. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100502.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013105631.htm Could sustainable architecture address pollution, climate change and resource depletion by helping us build self-sufficient, off-grid, housing from "waste," including vehicle tires and metal drinks containers? That's the question researchers in Australia are trying to answer. Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013105631.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016112637.htm Watching television has no significant impact on viewers' knowledge about the issue of climate change, a new study suggests. However, reading newspapers and using the Web seem to contribute to people's knowledge about this issue. Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016112637.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006112846.htm "Blue haze," a common occurrence that appears over heavily forested areas around the world, is formed by natural emissions of chemicals, but human activities can worsen it to the point of affecting the world's weather and even cause potential climate problems, according to a new study. Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006112846.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007223743.htm A new report argues that conventional oil production is likely to peak before 2030, with a significant risk of a peak before 2020. The report concludes that the UK Government is not alone in being unprepared for such an event -- despite oil supplying a third of the world's energy. Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007223743.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007124729.htm A team of Spanish scientists from a variety of fields has analyzed the effects of human activity on the peridunal lagoons in the Doñana National Park. Results show that the lagoons are in the process of regressing, largely due to the extraction of underground water for the Matalascañas tourist resort (Huelva). Moreover, the natural effects of the ecosystem itself are further aggravating the situation. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007124729.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006155858.htm Water scarcity as a result of climate change will create far-reaching global security concerns, says Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, chair of the intergovernmental panel on climate change, at the 2009 Nobel Conference at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn., on Oct. 6, 2009. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006155858.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002120414.htm A new analysis of climate risk shows that even moderate carbon-reduction policies now can substantially lower the risk of future climate change. It also shows that quick, global emissions reductions would be required in order to provide a good chance of avoiding a temperature increase of more than 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level -- a widely discussed target. Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002120414.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090930141543.htm Government subsidies persuade some people to change habits, but social shame works even better, suggests a recent study of efforts to reduce elevated childhood death and disease rates blamed on the microbial pathogens that cause diarrhea in rural India. Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090930141543.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090925115453.htm A recent commentary suggests that the US should spend roughly $197 million more than it currently does to research the impact of climate change on public health. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090925115453.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090923102405.htm If you find yourself more concerned about highly publicized dangers that grab your immediate attention such as terrorist attacks, while forgetting about the more mundane threats such as global warming, you're not alone. Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090923102405.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090923143339.htm New approaches are needed to help humanity deal with climate change and other global environmental threats that lie ahead in the 21st century, according to a group of 28 internationally renowned scientists. Thu, 24 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090923143339.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922162303.htm Worried that dust from a nearby construction zone will harm your family's health? A new sensor from researchers in Israel, called 'Dust Alert', can help families and authorities monitor the quality of the air they breathe and precisely determine the chemical composition of toxins. Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922162303.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921091751.htm Total greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions currently proposed by industrialized countries fall short of the pathway to reaching a 2 degree target as referred to by the UNFCCC Kyoto Protocol negotiating group, despite the fact that the cost of meeting these pledges is much lower than anticipated, according to a study released today. Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921091751.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090920204459.htm A new study indicates most of the world's low-lying river deltas are sinking from human activity, making them increasingly vulnerable to flooding from rivers and ocean storms and putting tens of millions of people at risk. Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090920204459.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921091833.htm A new report by leading food and sustainability scientists calls for Europe to take a new approach on food security, prioritizing health and sustainability in research and using a holistic view when making policy. Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921091833.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090918100004.htm The largest US subsidies to fossil fuels are attributed to tax breaks that aid foreign oil production, according to new research. The study, which reviewed fossil fuel and energy subsidies for Fiscal Years 2002-2008, reveals that the lion's share of energy subsidies supported energy sources that emit high levels of greenhouse gases. Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090918100004.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915140919.htm Processes and policies governing the reuse and recycling of electronic products need to be standardized worldwide to stem and reverse the growing problem of illegal and harmful e-waste processing practices in developing countries, according to experts behind the world's first international e-waste academy. Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915140919.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090911095358.htm The world faces a compounding series of crises driven by human activity, which existing governments and institutions are increasingly powerless to cope with, a group of eminent environmental scientists and economists has warned. Pointing to global action on ozone depletion (the Montreal Protocol), high seas fisheries and antibiotic drug resistance as examples, they call for a new order of cooperative international institutions capable of dealing with issues like climate change -- and enforcing compliance where necessary. Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090911095358.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915192232.htm Health experts warn that failure to agree radical cuts in carbon dioxide emissions at the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen this December spells a global health catastrophe. Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915192232.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090911191721.htm Scientists have warned that UN negotiations aimed at tackling climate change are based on substantial underestimates of what it will cost to adapt to its impacts. The real costs of adaptation to climate change are likely to be two-to-three times greater than estimates made by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the researchers say. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090911191721.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907162320.htm Aquaculture, once a fledgling industry, now accounts for 50 percent of the fish consumed globally, according to a new report by an international team of researchers. And while the industry is more efficient than ever, it is also putting a significant strain on marine resources by consuming large amounts of feed made from wild fish harvested from the sea, the authors conclude. Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907162320.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090819110016.htm Targeted investments in climate science could lead to major benefits in reducing the costs of adapting to a changing climate, according to new research. The study shows that investments made now, can lead to as much as 10-20 percent improvement in climate predictions for the UK and Europe in the coming decades, and up to 20 percent across the rest of the globe. Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090819110016.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090902133625.htm What do abrupt changes in ocean circulation and Earth's climate, shifts in wildlife populations and ecosystems, the global finance market and its system-wide crashes, and asthma attacks and epileptic seizures have in common? According to new research, all share generic early-warning signals that indicate a critical threshold of change dead ahead. Sat, 05 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090902133625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090902112752.htm More computers discarded by consumers in the United States are getting a second life in developing countries than previously believed, according to a new study -- the most comprehensive ever done on the topic. The findings may ease growing concerns about environmental pollution with toxic metals that can result from dismantling and recycling computer components in developing countries. Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090902112752.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090903065033.htm The EU is doing little to meet its carbon reduction targets while funding rules elsewhere are blocking green energy schemes in poor countries, experts from the Oxford's Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment say. Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090903065033.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090901104846.htm Hot on the heels of the Royal Society's Geoengineering the Climate report, September's Physics World contains feature comment from UK experts stressing the need to start taking geoengineering -- deliberate interventions in the climate system to counteract man-made global warming -- more seriously. Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090901104846.htm