By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org We are well into summer 2013, and in the West temperatures are high, wildfires are raging, and droughts are in effect in many states. One state that has been hit particularly hard is New Mexico.  Nearly 90 percent of the state is experiencing extreme to exceptional drought conditions, and the Rio
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org Confronted with so much grim news 24/7 – severe droughts and floods, poverty, loss of biodiversity, and much, much more – people are understandably hungry for something positive. Fortunately, there are some dedicated organizations and government agencies working to improve peoples’ lives and natural environment via an approach linking issues that
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org The headlines out of the Sahel region of Africa (and Sub-Saharan Africa) are not good, and are reflective of climate change, food insecurity, and poverty.  The situation highlights the need to invest in and empower women as one answer to these problems. The Food & Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Situation Update on
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org The studies keep coming, and our society ignores them at its own peril.  This time, the issues are endangered species and loss of biodiversity. In June, scientists at Ohio State University warned that a still rapidly growing human population poses a threat to hundreds of mammal and bird species with extinction
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org According to a new report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Pakistan is “one of the most water-stressed countries in the world, not far from being classified, ‘water-scarce’.” This has huge implications for the world’s sixth most populous country, which currently stands at 182 million people.  Projections released last month by
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org The word “resilience” is being thrown around more and more these days, often taking the place of the overused “sustainability.”   Yet both words are critical as the world faces increasing threats of climate change and ways to adapt to it. The Mekong River Basin isn’t in the news much, yet a
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org. Here we are halfway through the year 2013 and it’s time for another World Population Day, officially recognized on July 11th.  This United Nations-designated day is meant to raise awareness on all facets of human population growth.  Given that the world is at 7.2 billion and counting, this is truly a
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org. As the U.S. west and southwest endures extremely high temperatures and record-breaking drought, the issue of providing water to still growing cities and regions should be at the top of the agenda. Tuscon has sweltered through 100 degree temperatures the entire month of June.  Las Vegas hit 117 degrees, tying its
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org With all the media focus on the NSA spying scandal, you might have missed the news that Egypt and Ethiopia – the second and third most populous countries in Africa, respectively – are coming into a war of words over a proposed dam on the Nile.  Though tensions have eased somewhat,
[continue reading…]

By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org At a conference in Silicon Valley, a consensus statement signed by over 500 of the world’s top global scientists was publicly released.  It outlines the main environmental issues – from climate change to pollution and population growth – that policy makers must address immediately to avoid an approaching global tipping point.
[continue reading…]