Global

European Water Mission Lifts Off

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A European satellite is set to provide major new insights into how water is cycled around the Earth. The Smos spacecraft will make the first global maps of the amount of moisture held in soils and of the quantity of salts dissolved in the oceans. The data will have wide uses but should improve weather forecasts and warnings of extreme events, such as floods. Miras will measure changes in the wetness of the land and in the salinity of seawater by observing variations in the natural ...

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International Energy Agency Key World Energy Statistics

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The IEA, which was established in November 1974, has over the years gained recognition as one of the world’s most authoritative sources for energy statistics. Its all-encompassing annual studies of oil, natural gas, coal, electricity and renewables are indispensable tools for energy policy makers, companies involved in the energy field and scholars. In 1997 the IEA produced a handy, pocket-sized summary of key energy data. This new edition responds to the enormously positive reaction to the books since then.

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WE NEED LEGISLATION THAT WILL SAFEGUARD OUR OCEANS

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Earth’s atmosphere isn’t the only victim of burning fossil fuels. About a quarter of all carbon dioxide emissions are absorbed by the earth’s oceans, where they’re having an impact that’s just starting to be understood. Leading scientific experts believe that it’s possible to cut back on global warming pollution, improve the overall health and durability of our oceans, and prevent serious harm to our world—but only if action is taken quickly and decisively.

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Infographic Of The Day: It's A Small World, Afterall

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If you're wondering how "close" two places are, a geographic map doesn't help much anymore. If the airports are good--or if there's a bullet train nearby--hundreds of miles might as well be down the street. Point being, "distance" is now really a function less of geography, than of the transport networks we've invented.

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Fossil Fuel Production Up Despite Recession

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World production of fossil fuels-oil, coal, and natural gas-increased 2.9 percent in 2008 to reach 27.4 million tons of oil equivalent (Mtoe) per day.1 (See Figure 1.) In the first half of the year, producers strained to meet global demand, but when the recession took hold later in the year the market was swamped by excess supply. Energy prices reflected this shift: oil peaked at $144 per barrel in July, then fell to $34 per barrel in December.2 Continuing a decade-long trend, most of the growth was in the... region.

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Climate Roulette

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They say that everyone who finally gets it about climate change has an "Oh, shit" moment--an instant when the full scientific implications become clear and they suddenly realize what a horrifically dangerous situation humanity has created for itself. Listening to the speeches, groundbreaking in their way, that President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered September 22 at the UN Summit on Climate Change, I was reminded of my most recent "Oh, shit" moment.

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Oil Demand Has Peaked in Developed Nations, Never to Return -- Report

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Demand for oil in developed nations peaked in 2005, and changing demographics and improved motor-vehicle efficiency guarantee that it won't hit those heights again, IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates says in a new report. Reduced petroleum demand in developed nations could make their economic growth less vulnerable to oil price shocks, the report states. Nonetheless, global oil demand is still expected to grow, overall, driven by China and other developing nations as the world economy recovers.

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Food Production "Must Rise 70%"

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Food production will have to increase by 70% over the next 40 years to feed the world's growing population, the United Nations food agency predicts. The Food and Agricultural Organisation says if more land is not used for food production now, 370 million people could be facing famine by 2050. The world population is expected to increase from the current 6.7 billion to 9.1 billion by mid-century. Climate change, involving floods and droughts, will affect food production.

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World 'Will Miss Biodiversity Loss Targets'

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World Will Miss 2010 Target To Stem Biodiversity Loss, Experts Say; As losses accelerate, missed target is "certain;" Growing water needs, mismanagement leading to "catastrophic decline" in freshwater biodiversity; Biodiversity science evolving from sounding alarms to finding solutions; New systems being created to monitor biodiversity, inform policy; http://uk.oneworld.net/article/view/163774/1/5795

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Giant, Mucus-Like Sea Blobs on the Rise, Pose Danger

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Beware of the blob—this time, it's for real. As sea temperatures have risen in recent decades, enormous sheets of a mucus-like material have begun forming more often, oozing into new regions, and lasting longer, a new Mediterranean Sea study says (sea "mucus" blob pictures). And the blobs may be more than just unpleasant. Up to 124 miles (200 kilometers) long, the mucilages appear naturally, usually near Mediterranean coasts in summer.

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