The Stream, November 10: Carbon Dioxide Levels Reach Record High Again

The Global Rundown

Global levels of carbon dioxide reached a record high average last year for the 30th year in a row, spelling bad news for climate change. South Africa’s government could spend millions to assist farmers affected by a severe drought, while an irrigation district in California is planning to build more groundwater banking facilities to store floodwater. A dam failure at an iron ore mine in Brazil forced communities to shut off drinking water hundreds of kilometers downstream. Oil pollution in the Niger Delta remains a persistent problem.

“I don’t think anything has changed in terms of the Niger delta and the Ogoni environment. The benefits of oil revenue are still elusive. Delta communities still have no electricity, no basic services. And the oil spills keep happening.”–Patrick Naagbanton, founder of the Center for Environment, Human Rights and Development, on slow progress to clean up oil pollution in the Niger Delta. (Guardian)

By The Numbers

300 kilometers Distance downstream of a dam failure at a Brazilian iron ore mine that communities needed to shut off drinking water supplies. Reuters

$26 million Amount set aside for disaster relief in South Africa, where a severe drought is hurting farmers and drawing down water supplies in Johannesburg. Reuters; Bloomberg

Science, Studies, And Reports

Carbon dioxide emissions reached their highest average globally in 2014, the 30th year in a row that they have set new record highs, according to the World Meteorological Organization. The atmosphere averaged 397.7 parts per million of CO2 last year. Reuters

On The Radar

California’s Fresno Irrigation District is building more “groundwater banking” facilities to capture floodwaters and redirect them into underground aquifers. The facilities aim to take advantage of events like this year’s El Nino, which is expected to bring heavy rainfall to the parched state this winter. Los Angeles Times

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek