Mapping Implications of the Gulf Disaster and a Clean Energy Future
Ecosystem Services and the Gulf Disaster
BP’s massive oil spill jeopardizes the underpinning of economic wealth in the G ulf of Mexico . Ecosystem services form the backbone of the recreation, tourism, and fishing industries, enhance property values along the coast, sequester carbon dioxide and provide storm and hurricane protection. But the massive BP oil spill puts many of these G ulf ecosystems in great jeopardy.
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A Vision for Clean Energy in Asia
Manish Bapna (WRI Executive VP & Managing Director) offers a few lessons and insights from the 5th Asia Clean Energy Forum which are essential for success in fostering a clean energy revolution. ” Asia leads the world in the concept of ‘frugal innovation’ … Imagine what could happen if you unleashed that entrepreneurship to focus on renewable energy technologies.”
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Summarizing the Investigations on Climate Science
A series of international investigations into recent climate science controversies are now publishing their findings, and so far, they have cleared climate scientists of manipulating the evidence, and reaffirmed the integrity of the basic science. Here is a quick summary of the investigations and their findings to date.
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Degraded Land, Sustainable Palm Oil, and Indonesia’s Future
In May 2010, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared a policy to develop oil palm plantations on “degraded land” instead of forest or peatland. But what does “degraded” really mean? Under Project POTICO, WRI and Indonesian partner Sekala developed a methodology for identifying degraded land acceptable for sustainable oil palm plantation expansion.
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What’s Next for Indonesia-Norway Cooperation on Forests?
In May 2010, Norway agreed to contribute up to $1 billion towards reducing deforestation and forest degradation and loss of peatland in Indonesia . The “Letter of Intent” is a promising first step, yet the two countries must still settle key details of the agreement.
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WRI Climate Data Now Available In Google Public Data Explorer
WRI is working with G oogle’s Public Data Explorer to make our data related to climate change more approachable and interactive than ever. These new data visualizations can be embedded in other websites and easily shared via email or social networks.
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Storm Warning for Deepwater Horizon Spill: Major Hurricanes in Southern U.S. (1950-2005). NOAA predicts an 85% chance of an “above normal” hurricane season this year. Hurricanes could spread oil over a far wider area or potentially carry oil inland via storm surges.
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U.S. Gulf Offshore Oil Production: Moving into Deeper Water Horizons. Offshore oil production in the U.S. portion of the G ulf of Mexico represents 30% of total U.S. oil production. As oil reserves in shallow water decline, production moves into ever-deeper water, incurring greater risk.
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Green Jobs and Competitive Industry: The Net Benefits of Climate Legislation
The U.S. is falling behind in the clean energy revolution. Without comprehensive climate policy, the country stands to lose green jobs and long-term competitive advantages that would come from increased energy efficiency and a strong domestic market for clean energy technologies.
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WRI Summary of the Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage and Related Provisions of the American Power Act (Kerry-Lieberman). This summary generally follows the structure of the relevant provisions.
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Analyzing Environmental Trends in Asia
Climate change and water scarcity will pose serious threats to countries in South and Southeast Asia over the next several decades. WRI and HSBC frame the key challenges of analyzing the financial impacts of environmental trends on the region’s economies and industrial sectors.
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New Website and Survey Look Behind-the-Scenes at Ecolabels’ Environmental Claims
Today, hundreds of ecolabels worldwide compete to tell us which products are best for the planet. The 2010 G lobal Ecolabel Monitor ( Ecolableindex.com) – a collaboration between WRI and Big Room Inc. gives a behind-the-scenes look at how different ecolabels certify their products.
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Other News
The future of US Southeastern forests depend on how they’re valued (West Virginia Public Broadcasting)
PuneCleanTech to bring cheer to clean tech start ups (Business Standard, India )
Towards a New Economy and a New Politics ( G us Speth in Solutions Journal)
Species loss is a silent epidemic that threatens our planet (David Suzuki)
Find out more about WRI’s ongoing work – visit WRI in the News.
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WRI Annual Report 2009
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