1 in 3 Tree Species Worldwide at Risk of Extinction, Report Finds

The world’s trees — the lungs of our planet and the foundation of many ecosystems — are in trouble. According to the first Global Tree Assessment, 38 percent of tree species are at risk of extinction. The assessment, led by Botanical Gardens Conservation International and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission Global Tree Specialist Group, is an initiative…

https://oldowanranch.com/1-in-3-tree-species-worldwide-at-risk-of-extinction-report-finds/

World Meteorological Organization Reports Record High Emissions for 2023

Yet again, global greenhouse gas emission concentrations have risen to record highs for 2023, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). In particular, atmospheric carbon dioxide is reaching a record pace as it soars to new highs, with the amount of carbon dioxide emissions accumulating in the atmosphere reaching an 11.4% increase in just the past two decades, the…

https://oldowanranch.com/world-meteorological-organization-reports-record-high-emissions-for-2023/

Protected: Introducing In Focus: Igniting Leadership

This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: The post Protected: Introducing In Focus: Igniting Leadership appeared first on The Aspen Institute.

https://oldowanranch.com/protected-introducing-in-focus-igniting-leadership/

Stewarding Success: CSP Renewals Suffered in the 2018 Farm Bill Period

EDITOR’S NOTE: On October 9, 2024, NSAC released “Stewarding Success: CSP Under the 2018 Farm Bill”, a comprehensive analysis of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) over the course of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). The report offers an in-depth analysis of CSP’s enrollment trends, conservation practices supported, and funding impacts, including the effects of the…

https://oldowanranch.com/stewarding-success-csp-renewals-suffered-in-the-2018-farm-bill-period/

The ‘Soft Path’ of Water for Farmers in the Western US

When Peter Gleick moved to California in the 1970s, the state had more than a million acres of cotton in production and little control over the use of its rapidly depleting groundwater. Today, California grows a tenth the amount of cotton and groundwater use has been brought under control. For Gleick, an author and cofounder of the water-focused Pacific Institute…

https://oldowanranch.com/the-soft-path-of-water-for-farmers-in-the-western-us/

Unraveling the Genetic and Environmental Factors Behind Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Mark Zylka, Ph.D., is uncovering how genetic and environmental factors intertwine to influence neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

https://oldowanranch.com/unraveling-the-genetic-and-environmental-factors-behind-neurodevelopmental-disorders/

NIH Investigates Influences of Environmental Exposures on Type 2 Diabetes

The new study will look at how environmental exposures can affect risk for type 2 diabetes and related complications in the U.S.

https://oldowanranch.com/nih-investigates-influences-of-environmental-exposures-on-type-2-diabetes/

Artificial Light at Night in the Arctic Indicates Rapid Growth of Industrial Activities

In the Arctic, 85 percent of areas affected by artificial light at night (ALAN) are because of industrial activities, not urban development, indicating the rapid increase of these destructive undertakings in the region. Human activity affected more than 800,000 square kilometers in the Arctic in 2013, a press release from the University of Zurich (UZH) said. According to the UZH-led…

https://oldowanranch.com/artificial-light-at-night-in-the-arctic-indicates-rapid-growth-of-industrial-activities/

Millions of People in Lower 48 States May Be Relying on PFAS-Contaminated Groundwater for Drinking

Roughly 71 to 95 million people living in the contiguous United States — more than one-fifth of the population — may be reliant on groundwater with detectable concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for their drinking water, according to a new study by the U.S Geological Survey (USGS). The research provides the first national estimates of PFAS in…

https://oldowanranch.com/millions-of-people-in-lower-48-states-may-be-relying-on-pfas-contaminated-groundwater-for-drinking/

Urban Green Spaces Are Increasingly Vital for Preventing Heat-Related Deaths, Analysis Finds

As global warming worsens, green spaces in urban areas will play an important role in providing respite. According to a new analysis, these urban green spaces will be crucial in preventing heat-related deaths, which have been on the rise in recent years. The analysis, published in BMJ Open, reviewed a selected 12 studies on the influence of urban green spaces on heat-related…

https://oldowanranch.com/urban-green-spaces-are-increasingly-vital-for-preventing-heat-related-deaths-analysis-finds/