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Durban…is there hope?

Durban…is there hope?

Esther Babson ’13 Literature on the potential of Durban all focus on the Kyoto Protocol; and with good reason. As 2012 is the end of the commitment period, decisions need to be made in Durban about how countries want to continue in dealing with climate change. Durban could be the rebirth of Kyoto with a second commitment period set up, or it’s death place with nothing set up for the upcoming years. As of now, it … Read entire article »

Filed under: Climate Change, Environmental Politics, Key COP17 Issues

What are the priorities?

What are the priorities?

By Maggie Rees The country of South Africa is a rapidly developing country with high hopes of reaching a resilient economy, healthier quality of life, and strong political power.  Such an agenda requires setting priorities for development.  Obviously, certain priorities advance in this hierarchy.  In many cases, legislation sticks to the urgencies reflected by a country’s economy, or other factors; when this occurs, the state often loses sight of the individual.  Local governments have propensities to … Read entire article »

Filed under: Climate Change

Durban’s Challenge

Durban’s Challenge

By Timothy Damon ’12 With a population of more than 3.5 million people and an area of more than 2,300 km2, Durban is one of the most significant urban and economic centers in South Africa. A port city, it is on the front lines of climate change – at risk from storm surge and sea-level rise in addition to heat waves and air pollution. The local government has initiated some steps to address these hazards, but … Read entire article »

Filed under: Climate Change, Environmental Politics

A Balancing Act That Is Considerably Less Fun Than a Circus

A Balancing Act That Is Considerably Less Fun Than a Circus

By Sam Pollan, ‘14 Balance is important. Finding a way to spend adequate resources across several fields is a necessary, but difficult, task. This is doubly true for climate change. The debate about where to allocate funds or establish green infrastructure is full of head shaking and face palms. Just as Dr. Mike MacCracken warned about how people need to utilize all mitigation solutions before seeking climate remediation, the world needs to prioritize which venture will … Read entire article »

Filed under: Climate Change, Environmental Politics