The appeal of gas-powered power plants has been waning justifiably under the growing global pressure to cut CO2 emissions and slow climate change. The UK in particular is under growing pressure to switch to renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar or nuclear energy but the change, as in many MEDCs, is slow to…
Category: People-environment geography
That final frontier is fast fading
Back in the 18th and 19th centuries, Americans would speak of that elusive ‘final frontier’, the wilderness that they were claiming for the present-day USA. Across the globe as population has grown exponentially during the 20th century, wilderness regions, defined as largely untouched by humans, have become increasingly rare. What is much more alarming is the rate at…
G20 promises much, but will it deliver?
G20 summit promises hope for the future of emissions and climate change… or does it? Only time will tell but it is off to a promising start as the USA and China agree to honour the Paris Climate Change agreement: G20
Welcome to the “anthropocene”
The worrying impact of humans on the physical environment has reached the point where it has arguably generated a whole new geological era: welcome to the anthropocene:
Promise of UK off-shore wind farm: too good to be true?
Mammoth British wind farm gets the go ahead: Britain is getting greener after a project to build over 300 off-shore wind turbines which will generate enough electricity to power 1.8 million homes has been given the go ahead. Located in Hornsea, off the Yorkshire coast this will be the world’s biggest off-shore wind farm to date. Very exciting…
UK bees under threat from pesticides
Environmental impact of pesticides: Long-held suspicions about the negative impact of certain pesticides commonly used in commercial agriculture have been confirmed after the release of the findings a 2-decade study into the effect of neonicotinoids on bee populations. By mapping the correlation (link) between certain plant species, bee populations and the use of neonicotinoids pesticides, it is clear…
Pollution at the Olympics
A potential link between Rio bay pollution and sick Olympic sailor suggests that water pollution in Rio has reached a deadly level: Pollution in Rio
Political drought
There is a bitter irony in the fact that farmers in Lesotho, living next to a vast lake are facing severe water shortage and drought as a result of trade agreements: Katse Dam, Lesotho
Severity of monsoon: is it linked to climate change?
Climate change and the vital importance of the monsoon: Extreme weather is becoming all too common in India. Is there a connection with global climate change?
To frack or not to frack?
Fracking compensation: the proposal to give pay-outs to residents heightens the controversy: Fracking pay-outs proposed
Energy dilemma
The energy dilemma is building in the UK as we face the reality of the finite future of fossil fuels. But is nuclear energy the best alternative? The nuclear power station debate rages over Hinkley Point: Hinkley Point: to build or not to build?
Supply and demand: the fickle oil market
Despite a globally dwindling supply, despite a continuous growth in energy consumption, oil prices victim to the caprices of the global market. A flooded oil market has made this dwindling resource bizarrely cheap… for the moment anyway: Oil prices plummet
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