| New
Book Adds Timely Voice to Water Debate
The
global water crisis could kill tens of millions
of people over the next 20 years, but the "soft
path" for water can help solve these problems
in a fair and sustainable fashion. That was the
central message Peter H. Gleick, President of the
Pacific Institute, brought to a weeklong series
of presentations, meetings, and interviews held
in Washington, DC last week. In town to launch the
new edition of "The World's Water," the
DC trip kicked off with a presentation and lunch
at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars,
which was well attended by representatives from
aid agencies, environmental organizations, and governments
both foreign and domestic. During the week, Dr.
Gleick met with senior White House representatives
and members of the State Department to discuss the
U.S. position at the upcoming Johannesburg World
Summit on Sustainable Development. Capping off the
week, Gleick appeared on C-SPAN's Washington Journal.
A
recording of the C-SPAN show is available online
More
information on The World's Water: 2002-2003, including
a link to purchase the book, is available online
Military
Faces Serious Threat from Warming
Elizabeth
L. Chalecki, a Research Associate with the Pacific
Institute, presented a paper on the national security
effects of climate change at the 2002 Biennial Conference
on Regional Security Issues, held from July 16-18
at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies
in Honolulu. The conference was a unique opportunity
for academics, government officials, and military
officers from all over the Asia-Pacific region to
come together and discuss security issues that impact
their nations. Ms. Chalecki's paper finds that armed
forces across the globe will faces serious challenges
of mission and readiness from the impacts of global
warming. While in Honolulu, Ms. Chalecki was interviewed
by National Public Radio Hawaii on the results of
the conference, how climate change will affect national
security, and what the impacts of climate change
might be for Hawaii.
Environmental
Security: A Case Study of Climate Change, is available
online without charge
Now
Online: Johannesburg Summit Page, Lomborg Review,
Updated Climate Change Bibliography Pacific
Institute Creates Johannesburg Summit Web Page
The
World Summit on Sustainable Development -- also
know as the Johannesburg Summit -- will take place
at the end of August and water issues are sure to
be a topic of much discussion. The Pacific Institute
has created a Web page that draws together pertinent
research on water for those attending or covering
the summit. One topic that we hope will be discussed:
The "soft path" for water. As outlined
on our Web page, the soft path for water -- which
emphasizes productivity, efficiency and community-scale
projects over massive new infrastructure -- can
help millions gain access to clean drinking water
without destroying our natural world.
More
information on the soft path for water
New
Review of "The Skeptical Environmentalist"
Online
A
new review by Peter H. Gleick of "The Skeptical
Environmentalist" is now online. This new review
focuses more specifically on water issues, while
the review Dr. Gleick wrote for the Union of Concerned
Scientists in Spring of 2002 looks at the book more
broadly.
Both
review are available online
New
Version of Climate Change and Biodiversity Bibliography
A new version of the climate change impacts on biodiversity
and ecosystems bibliography is now online. The bibliography,
updated every two months, is searchable and now
has more than 3500 citations.
The
Climate Change and Biodiversity Bibliography is
online |
 |
Upcoming
New
Report on Deaths from Dirty Water Due in Mid-August
The
Pacific Institute is preparing a short white-paper
on the possible death toll from water-related disease.
Initial estimates find that over 100 million people
could perish from preventable, water-related diseases
over the next 20 years unless efforts to provide
safe drinking water are greatly accelerated.
Pacific
Institute Readies Major Water Efficiency Report
for Fall
Two
major new studies of commercial and industrial,
and residential water use are nearing completion.
The research looks at how much water schools, businesses,
homes, and gardens use in an effort to increase
efficiency and productivity of water.
Whales
Hold their Breath for Stronger Protections
William
C.G. Burns, an affiliate with the Pacific Institute,
has been commissioned by the Agreement on the Conservation
of Cetaceans of the Black and Mediterranean Sea
to prepare a report and make a presentation at the
treaty's meeting in October in Tunisia. The report
will focus on the role of the precautionary principle
in implementing the treaty and protecting cetaceans. |
