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PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Harming Wildlife the World Over: Study
›This article, by Sharon Guynup, originally appeared on Mongabay.
In Hawaii and elsewhere in the North Pacific, few hatchlings are emerging from the nests of endangered hawksbill and green sea turtles. In Wisconsin, some tree swallows have failed to produce offspring. In California, infectious diseases are now more common in southern sea otters. In Michigan, bluegills are swimming slower. In the Arctic, some hooded seals and their pups have thyroid problems. And in North Carolina’s Cape Fear River, American alligators have been found with lesions and unhealed, infected wounds.
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ECSP Weekly Watch | October 2 – 6
›A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program
A Warming World is Accelerating the Spread of Dengue
Dengue is now endemic in most Latin American countries. But scientists warn that a warming climate is increasing the pace of breeding and transmission of dengue-carrying mosquitoes, and bring them into new countries.
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Can China’s Eco-Authoritarianism Lead Global Climate Action?
›In a time where climate action is urgent, there are debates how China’s “eco-authoritarianism” can move climate and environmental policies faster than in liberal democracies. Although eco-authoritarianism has some benefits, it is no “green bullet” as divisions between China’s central and local governments and a lack of civic participation can slow or derail some climate and pollution policies.
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Connecting the Dots: Women’s Political Empowerment and Reproductive Health
›The Biden-Harris Administration marked a significant milestone earlier this year by hosting the second Summit for Democracy—which highlighted steadfast commitments to advancing women’s political and civic engagement. Global efforts towards achieving gender equality have not prevented the continuing worldwide underrepresentation of women in political decision-making—hindering progress towards empowerment and equal participation.
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New Journal | Q&A with Environment and Security’s Editorial Team
›Environment and Security is a new journal published by the Environmental Peacebuilding Association and SAGE Publishing. The journal represents the evolution of a field of study that began in earnest in the 1990s and has emerged today—in an era increasingly defined by climate change—as an issue area of paramount importance. ECSP spoke with the journal’s editorial team about what sparked its launch and what readers can expect.
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Africa’s First Climate Summit: From Victim to Leader?
›The UN Environment Programme has described Africa as the most vulnerable region in the world to climate change. Despite only being responsible for 3% of global emissions, the continent has been battered by extreme weather events, including droughts, cyclones, wildfires, and sandstorms. One in three people across Africa faces water scarcity. The continent’s agricultural sector, which represents a significant share of African countries’ GDP and employment, is highly exposed to climate change.
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ECSP Weekly Watch | September 25 – 29
›A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program
Land Rights Prevail: Indigenous Groups Celebrate Major Win in Brazil
On September 21, Brazil’s Supreme Court upheld Indigenous peoples’ rights to their traditional lands. The judges rejected a proposed cutoff date, which stipulated that Indigenous communities could only hold land titles if they were physically present on the land on October 5, 1988: the date on which Brazil’s current Constitution was adopted.
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China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Powering a Low or High Carbon Future?
›China Environment Forum // Guest Contributor // Vulnerable Deltas // September 28, 2023 // By Chuyu LiuChina’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) can significantly affect the country’s domestic and overseas energy transition and decarbonization agenda. Electricity projects in China’s BRI investments, contrary to popular impressions of being part of a monolithic “project of the century,” have divergent implications for the host country’s shift away from coal-based power plants.