Tag Archives: public health

What to Expect in 2018: Horizon Scanning Identifies Risks and Opportunities Related to Global Biological Diversity

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By Roberta Attanasio, IEAM Blog Editor

What are the emerging issues that will likely affect global diversity, ecosystem services, and conservation efforts in 2018? Results from the 9th annual horizon scan, conducted by 24 experts and described in a , identified early signs of the 15 top future challenges and trends related to themes that include new mechanisms driving the emergence and geographic expansion of diseases, innovative biotechnologies, reassessment of global change, and the development of strategic infrastructure to facilitate global economic priorities. Continue reading →

Despite Major Improvements, Levels of Air Pollution in the U.S. Are Still Unsafe

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By Roberta Attanasio, IEAM Blog Editor

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Credit: , .

Air pollution not only threatens the future of our climate by significantly contributing to global warming, it also causes some of our most common illnesses, accounting for 1 in 8 deaths worldwide.  It’s an invisible killer that is globally responsible for 36% of deaths from lung cancer, 35% of deaths from pulmonary disease, 34% of deaths from stroke, and 27% of deaths from heart disease, (WHO).

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Clean Power Plan, New Ozone Standard, and Asthma

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By Roberta Attanasio, IEAM Blog Editor

Out with the old: Syncrude facility. Credit: ,

On August 3, 2015, the Obama administration announced the finalized US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “.” The plan has been developed under the and aims to slash carbon emissions from US power plants, which account for one-third of all carbon emissions in the country, by giving each state an individual goal for cutting these emissions. The EPA estimates that the new national standards will significantly decrease carbon pollution produced by the electric sector by 2030; carbon emissions will be 32% lower than the 2005 levels. For a step-by-step guide on how the Clean Power Plan works, . Continue reading →

Fracking and Groundwater Contamination: The Known and the Unknowns

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By Roberta Attanasio, IEAM Blog Editor

, or peak water? Peak water might be the (unfortunate) answer. Alternative sources of energy may become more widely available, but there are no alternatives to water. The ongoing depletion of groundwater contained in aquifers—one of the most important sources of water on our planet—is a significant threat to our future. Many countries are already near or beyond peak water, and results from show that significant segments of Earth’s population are consuming groundwater all too quickly, without knowing when it might run out. Continue reading →