WIWES contributed by Joe Ravetz
Emergence of Mediterranean Sea acidification studies
Increases of atmospheric CO2 and associated decreases in seawater pH and carbonate ion concentration this century and beyond are likely to have wide impacts on marine ecosystems including those of the Mediterranean Sea. Consequ...
Geoengineering “solves” carbon problems but…
Geoengineering "solutions" to deliberately reduce the effects of continued greenhouse gas emissions can destabilize global and regional climates - and also the political and legal framework. Among many possible examples: A flee...
Growing frequency of floods in Europe and the world
The number of flooding events in Europe and the world has doubled since 2005 (when 50 severe events were reported). The figure increased in 2006 (67 floods), 2007 (73 floods), 2008 (77 floods) and 2009 (88 floods). However, 201...
Growing selection of sperm by donor social and cultural group
Despite opposition from many quarters (religious groups, some feminists and minority support and children’s rights advocates) the trend takes off, with celebrity endorsement (and donation) and media promotion. Markets in spe...
Emergence of secondary carbon financial vehicles
Over the last decade there has been exponential increase in the volume of secondary carbon financial trading (e.g. compliance security, securitization etc). These are a logical development which spreads risk and provides securi...
Advances in portable and autonomous greenhouse units
Advances in portable and autonomous greenhouse units are made, both in basic science and in deployment. These work on the ‘nano-generation’ principle of embedding solar panels and micro-fuel cells into construction material...
Growing environmental legal class actions on no-win no-fee b ...
There is rapid growth of environmental legal class actions on no-win no-fee basis. This originated as local and regional lawsuits in respect of specific and discreet environmental effects. There is now debate on the potential ...
Growing failures of social care in educating young people
New evidence mounts demonstrating the lack of educational engagement and achievement among young people from social care backgrounds. The perceived crisis of social care is intensified as “cycles of deprivation” accumulate ...
Automatic learning through neuro-data transfer
Automatic neuro-education is technologically possible but at a price - and therefore available only to wealthy people (or those singled out by powerful institutions for such enhancement). Techniques are developed for neurologic...
Cities are lunch for plastic bag-bugs
Synthetic organisms are developed for use in the industrial production of plastics, both to extend product life and to accelerate environmental bio-degradation. The latter varieties prove difficult to control and in some tests ...
Carbon crunch and the climate bubble
Who will bail out the climate bubble? Global carbon markets and pricing mechanisms fulfil the aspirations of the global climate community. But they quickly lead to runaway speculation, high-risk carbon derivatives markets, and ...
Trace pollutants cause ethnic air cleansing in Europe
The hazard of trace pollutants in urban air are shown to be focused on certain ethnic minorities, e.g. Pakistani or certain EU groups, who are more susceptible to hereditary disorders such as B-thalassaemia. This rapidly leads ...
Risk assessment “saves" millions of lives but…
Risk assessment research could save millions of lives but also lead to new social disasters. Such as "ghost towns" or abandonment of "unwanted people". Highly influential risk assessment could unexpectedly result in a widesprea...
Growing importance of the role of finance in sustainable gro ...
The financial sector is playing a growing role in sustainable growth.
Medical research on ethnic variations in vulnerability to tr ...
The papers are apparently quite neutral and the authors did not realize that this evidence would be used by extremists, to inflame an already tense situation in deprived urban areas.
