The Amazon Basin is becoming a hot spot for oil and gas exploration. New developments are mostly found in the Amazon Headwaters, extending in an arc from Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, western Brazil, and Bolivia. These discoveries bring great promise for economic development. Yet they also pose grave threats to indigenous forest dwellers and to the incomparable … [Read more...] about The benefits of drilling inland as if it were offshore
To Hell With Citizen Consultations
Three years ago, three colleagues and I were semi-kidnapped by a crowd of irate citizens. During half an hour, they surrounded our vehicle and held us hostage until their demands were heard. Although this was not the first occasion where I found myself in the middle of such a disturbance, it was the first in which we were the focus of the social conflict. This was ironic, … [Read more...] about To Hell With Citizen Consultations
Where Does your Fish Come From?
The majority of marine capture fisheries resources are considered to be close to maximum exploitation worldwide, and nearly half are already completely exploited. Generally when you think about overexploitation, you imagine enormous international fishing fleets, but small scale fishing generates more than half of marine and inland capture worldwide, almost all of them destined … [Read more...] about Where Does your Fish Come From?
3 Ways we can do hydropower better
In 2013, hydropower supplied three-quarters of all renewable electricity and nearly one-sixth of the world’s electricity. According to the World Energy Council[1], the total installed global hydropower capacity has grown by 27% since 2004. Because more than half of the hydropower capacity newly commissioned in 2014 is in China, it is no coincidence that the 5th World … [Read more...] about 3 Ways we can do hydropower better
How much are health and the environment worth?
Mercury exists in several forms and is a naturally occurring element found in air, water and soil. Mercury in the air eventually settles into either water or soil. Once deposited, certain microorganisms can change Mercury into methylmercury, a highly toxic substance that builds up in fish, shellfish and animals that eat fish. Mercury exposure at high levels can damage the … [Read more...] about How much are health and the environment worth?