Earth Wise

A look at our changing environment.

You are here: Home / Archives for united nations

united nations

Pests And Crops In A Warming World

By Leave a Comment

By the year 2050, scientists predict that there will be two billion more people to feed in the world.  And climate change isn’t making that task any simpler.  From extreme weather events to rising global temperatures, climate change is expected to affect the types of food we grow, and to negatively affect the food production needed to feed the growing population.

[Read more…] about Pests And Crops In A Warming World

A Small Win For Coral

By Leave a Comment

The Belize Barrier Reef is the largest barrier reef system in the Northern Hemisphere.  It extends roughly 200 miles, and is made up of a series of coral reefs, cays and islands, many of which are covered with mangroves. It was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1996, and added to its endangered list in 2009.  

[Read more…] about A Small Win For Coral

Climate Change And Temperature Variations

By Leave a Comment

It’s no surprise that not everyone on the planet is equally responsible for the effects of climate change.  For instance, the Northern Hemisphere, which is home to 13 of the 15 largest countries by GDP, emits far more greenhouse gases than the Southern Hemisphere does.  But the whole planet heats up as a result. 

[Read more…] about Climate Change And Temperature Variations

New Rules For Ocean Conservation

By Leave a Comment

In a recent report to a United Nations ocean conference, scientists are warning that new rules are desperately needed to protect marine life in the open seas.  That’s because more than 60% of the ocean has no conservation rules since it’s located outside national jurisdictions.  The open ocean is at risk from climate change, over-fishing, deep sea mining, farm pollution, and plastics pollution. 

[Read more…] about New Rules For Ocean Conservation

A Plastics Promise

By

It’s estimated that five to thirteen million tons of plastic enters our oceans annually, where much of it can linger for hundreds of years.  According to a report by the World Economic Forum and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, scientists estimate that there is 165 million tons of plastic swirling about in the oceans right now.   And we are on pace to have more plastic than fish (by weight) in the world’s oceans by 2050. That’s some scary stuff. 

[Read more…] about A Plastics Promise

Pesticides And Food Insecurity

By

A newly released report by the United Nations takes a strong stance against the use of industrial agrochemicals, saying that they are not necessary for feeding the world.  The continued use of pesticides at the rate the world currently does in fact can have very detrimental consequences.

[Read more…] about Pesticides And Food Insecurity

Bleached And Dying

By

Climate change is posing a major threat to the future of coral reefs.  According to a recent United Nations-backed study, if swift action is not taken to curb greenhouse gas emissions, annual coral bleaching events will affect nearly all of the world’s coral reefs.  And coral bleaching can result in serious coral mortality – as Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has recently illustrated.  

[Read more…] about Bleached And Dying

Plant Protein On The Rise

By

The United Nations declared 2016 to be the International Year of Pulses.  Pulses, which are also known as grain legumes, are a group of 12 crops that includes dry beans, dry peas, chickpeas and lentils.  They are high in protein as well as fiber and various vitamins.  Pulse crops are highly sustainable and require much less water than many other food crops.  So there is a real effort underway to promote their production as part of improving food security around the world.

[Read more…] about Plant Protein On The Rise

Natural World Heritage Sites

By

Natural world heritage sites exemplify the world’s greatest areas of natural beauty, ecology, geology, and biodiversity.  They are recognized internationally for their value as places with significance that is “so exceptional as to transcend national boundaries and be of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity.”  Many of these areas also are a vital source of food, fuel, and water for rural communities, and provide a revenue stream for national economies through tourism and recreation.  The livelihoods of some 11 million people are directly dependent on these areas. 

[Read more…] about Natural World Heritage Sites

WAMC Northeast Public Radio

WAMC/Northeast Public Radio is a regional public radio network serving parts of seven northeastern states (more...)