The world is getting warmer and natural hazards are becoming more intense, likely bringing higher economic losses in the future. Today, four major weather perils result in expected economic losses of USD 200 billion annually. With more severe weather coming, economic losses are set to rise. The study analysis finds …
EIGHTEEN months after the Pinatubo erupted, much of the landscape in the Zambales, Pampanga and Tarlac provinces is blanketed by what looks like slurry, but is in fact volcanic sediment deposited by lahars -- thick, flowing mixtures of volcanic material and water. Lahars carry much more sediment than the muddiest …
AT LEAST 600 million of the 1.5 billion urban inhabitats in AsiaAfrica and Latin America live in squattersettlements on illegally occupied land or in housingdevelmopment schemes that never received municipalapproval. Their houses fail to meet government buildingstandards and their inhabitants are victims of overcrowdingpoor constructionlack of piped waterrudimentarysanitationinadequate drainage and …
DURING the 1992 September-October southern spring, the world's ozone layer dropped to the lowest levels recorded in 35 years. According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the ozone levels over northern Europe, Russia and Canada last winter and spring were 12 per cent below the seasonal average. The Antarctic ozone …
THE International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is located very picturesquely amidst emerald green paddy fields against a backdrop of hills in Los Banos, Philippines. The institute has generated many controversies and has even been accused of stealing germplasm from rice-growing countries. Hybrid rice varieties developed at IRRI in the 1960s …
THERE was this jeepney driver in the Philippines who, along with an exceptionally devout pastor, knocked on heaven's door for entry. St Peter went through their credentials and bestowed a heavenly smile on the driver, allowing him to pass through the pearly gates. But, to the pastor, St Peter said, …
GOAT RAISERS in the Philippines have discovered that ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala), which has been planted in several parts of the world including India, and is a panacea for environmental ills, from soil degradation to fuelwood and fodder shortages, can also deworm goats. Young seeds ground into a paste and mixed …
A hundred million dollars in cash and services seems a lot of money, but nobody's complaining. For that's the sum the Westinghouse Corpo-ration paid to the Philippines government as part of the settlement to the government's suit alleging that Westing-house and a subcontractor bribed a business associate of Ferdinand Marcos, …
The Doha climate conference stretched beyond deadline but ended in what can best be described a nail-biting finish. This was the 18th conference of parties (COP) to the climate convention, which meets once a year to push for action to cut greenhouse gas emissions, which are so intertwined with economic …
“I care” is the slogan of CoP19 at Warsaw. With this symbol, Poland wants to tell the world that it cares for climate change. But the facts are otherwise. Next to the biggest climate conference, Poland is also hosting the biggest coal conference in Warsw. That’s symbolic of the position …
