http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu Tapping experts in climate, geology, oceanography, ecology, sustainable development, global health, energy, food and water, State of the Planet captures stories of how the Earth works and how we can sustainably make our lives better. Mon, 20 May 2013 14:45:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/02/10/wild-oysters-deemed-functionally-extinct/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/02/10/wild-oysters-deemed-functionally-extinct/#comments Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:09:47 +0000 Katie Horner http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=11497 A recent Valentine’s Day-inspired article in the Grist pointed out that oysters are the only delicacy that enhances The Mood and water quality. Don’t get too excited, though: a new study published this week in BioScience revealed that oysters are “functionally extinct” in many parts of the world where they were once abundant, and nothing [...]]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/02/10/wild-oysters-deemed-functionally-extinct/feed/ 2 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/02/02/in-the-arctic-more-than-elsewhere-things-are-heating-up/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/02/02/in-the-arctic-more-than-elsewhere-things-are-heating-up/#comments Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:15:10 +0000 Katie Horner http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=11023 According to a new international study, water flowing into the Arctic Ocean from the North Atlantic is the warmest it has been in the past 2,000 years.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/02/02/in-the-arctic-more-than-elsewhere-things-are-heating-up/feed/ 2 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/01/26/michigan-case-demonstrates-growing-importance-of-courts-for-water-issues/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/01/26/michigan-case-demonstrates-growing-importance-of-courts-for-water-issues/#comments Thu, 27 Jan 2011 03:49:01 +0000 Katie Horner http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=10816 According to a recent report by Deutsche Bank, the number of US lawsuits related directly or indirectly to climate change rose by nearly 300% between 2009 and 2010. In addition to cases focused more broadly on climate change, there have also been a growing number of cases focused specifically on water regulations. Examples of the increasing importance of courts in the arena of water law abound (I recently wrote about a case involving EPA-mandated water rules in Florida), but the most current noteworthy case was decided in the Michigan Supreme Court at the end of December.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/01/26/michigan-case-demonstrates-growing-importance-of-courts-for-water-issues/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/01/20/despite-grim-water-futures-china-and-us-discuss-everything-but-water/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/01/20/despite-grim-water-futures-china-and-us-discuss-everything-but-water/#comments Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:43:15 +0000 Katie Horner http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=10657 Notably absent from this week’s program is any planned dialogue regarding energy demand and water supply, two issues whose inverse trajectories are threatening the environmental and economic futures of both nations.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/01/20/despite-grim-water-futures-china-and-us-discuss-everything-but-water/feed/ 2 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/01/14/could-east-river-tides-help-power-nyc/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/01/14/could-east-river-tides-help-power-nyc/#comments Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:30:05 +0000 Katie Horner http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=10602 Typically, discussions about hydropower center around hydroelectric dams and ocean wind turbines. That could change, however, if Verdant Power – an energy company based out of New York – succeeds in its latest venture.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/01/14/could-east-river-tides-help-power-nyc/feed/ 1 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/01/04/e-p-a-sued-for-trying-to-protect-the-environment/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/01/04/e-p-a-sued-for-trying-to-protect-the-environment/#comments Tue, 04 Jan 2011 18:50:23 +0000 Katie Horner http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=10219 Early last month, Florida sued the US Environmental Protection Agency in an effort to block new clean water regulations that the agency announced last month and which it plans to begin enforcing in 2012.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/01/04/e-p-a-sued-for-trying-to-protect-the-environment/feed/ 4 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/12/07/parched-for-peace-the-fertile-crescent-might-be-barren/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/12/07/parched-for-peace-the-fertile-crescent-might-be-barren/#comments Tue, 07 Dec 2010 19:57:27 +0000 Katie Horner http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=9352 This past October, the Levant Desalination Association and Nosstia, an organization of expat Syrian scientists, arranged a conference in the capital city of Damascus to discuss Syria’s water crisis.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/12/07/parched-for-peace-the-fertile-crescent-might-be-barren/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/12/03/parched-for-peace-a-slight-digression-just-for-kicks/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/12/03/parched-for-peace-a-slight-digression-just-for-kicks/#comments Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:38:59 +0000 Katie Horner http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=9284 Yesterday, FIFA announced that the 2022 World Cup would be held in Qatar, the first Middle Eastern country ever chosen to host the tournament.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/12/03/parched-for-peace-a-slight-digression-just-for-kicks/feed/ 2 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/11/22/parched-for-peace-the-uae-has-oil-and-money-but-no-water/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/11/22/parched-for-peace-the-uae-has-oil-and-money-but-no-water/#comments Mon, 22 Nov 2010 21:44:05 +0000 Katie Horner http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=8827 One of the greatest challenges to sustaining 1.8 million people in an extremely arid locale is water, which in the coastal city of Dubai is abundant but not potable.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/11/22/parched-for-peace-the-uae-has-oil-and-money-but-no-water/feed/ 3 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/11/15/parched-for-peace-a-miniseries-on-the-mideast-water-crisis/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/11/15/parched-for-peace-a-miniseries-on-the-mideast-water-crisis/#comments Mon, 15 Nov 2010 20:00:22 +0000 Katie Horner http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=8544 For a vast majority of the past fifty years, oil and its abundance defined the Middle East. In coming years, however, that part of the world may well be defined by the dearth of a different natural resource: water.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/11/15/parched-for-peace-a-miniseries-on-the-mideast-water-crisis/feed/ 3