Geopolitics of Climate Change: Climate Refugees

Written by: Calvin Floyd The words, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” is inscribed upon the Statue of Liberty, greeting every immigrant that has come to America since June of 1885. These words on one of our most well known national landmarks have long stood as both a…

Geopolitics of Climate Change: Race for the Arctic

Written by: Calvin Floyd The United States, China and Russia are competing in a race for the Arctic that is driven by anthropogenic climate change and profit. Seeing economic opportunities in resource extraction and shipping routes made available by melting Arctic ice, China has been driven to stake claims in the region in the last…

Challenges and Imperatives of Climate Finance

Written by: Lydia Nyachieo COP26, the 26th annual global climate summit hosted by the UN, concluded on November 12th after two weeks of intensive negotiations. Even though many civil society actors – including country delegates, climate activists, scientists and indigenous groups – had high hopes for this conference due to the increasing threat and devastation…

Who Sits on the Sidelines at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland?

Written by: Kamika Patel In 2015, almost all of the world’s countries pledged to limit global warming “well below” 2 °C compared with pre-industrial levels and to strive to keep temperatures at 1.5 °C by the end of the century as part of the historic Paris Climate Agreement. Scientists warn that any additional warming past…

2030: Electric Cars, Peak Oil, and Saudi Arabia’s Future

Written by: Saul Brodkey Soon after the first oil prospecting expeditions seventy years ago, the Arabian peninsula was tipped on its head. Saudi Arabia went from a barren desert kingdom reliant on subsistence agriculture to a bustling oasis with a GDP per capita on par with Canada. The petroleum industry accounts for nearly all exports…

A Look at the Environmental Impact of COVID-19

Written by: Chandrea Baster Disposable masks and gloves, sanitizing wipes, and plastic-wrapped paper towels and products are all items that are meant to keep us safe today. Amidst this global pandemic, these are the items that are considered essential to staying safe and minimizing the spread of the virus to keep those around you healthy….

The Consequences of Rising Amazon Deforestation for Indigenous People

Written by: Lauren Hutson According to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, between August 2018 and July 2019, the Amazon Rainforest lost 3,769 square miles of rainforest due to deforestation. This marks the highest rate of deforestation since 2008 and is a 30% increase from the previous year. In addition, an intense surge of fires…

COP25 Provides Final Opportunity For Climate Change Prevention

Written by: Allison Lee The COP25 annual gathering (2019 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) officially commenced on December 2 in Madrid, Spain. The twelve-day conference consisted of over 25,000 delegates from about 200 countries and aimed to solidify plans for limiting emissions and preventing global warming. Organizing the conference was no easy feat….