The Stream, November 1: China Denies Plans to Divert Brahmaputra River
The Global Rundown
China denies a report that it plans to build a tunnel diverting water from the Brahmaputra river, which it shares with other countries. A recent round of federally-required testing shows that 71 water systems in Michigan now have higher lead levels than Flint. Future volcanic eruptions could severely disrupt the water cycle, a study finds. Climate change is causing a health crisis as diseases, air pollution, and heatwaves take lives. Biotechnologists in India develop a model for converting wastewater into biogas and bio-manure.
“This is untrue. This is a false report.” –Hua Chunying, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, in reference to news that the country plans to build a 1,000km long tunnel diverting water from the Brahmaputra river to the dry Xinjiang region. China shares the river with India and Bangladesh, who have raised concerns about China’s usage of the river in the past. The Times of India
By The Numbers
26 Number of institutions, including the World Bank and the World Health Organization, who collaborated on a recent analysis of how climate change is impacting health around the globe. The findings revealed that climate change is already causing myriad health issues, such as boosting the spread of dengue fever, exposing more elderly people to heatwaves, and increasing early deaths from air pollution. The Guardian
71 Number of water systems in Michigan that now have higher lead levels than Flint, according to the most recent federal testing. This includes the cities of Monroe, Benton Harbor, Muskegon, and Saginaw, among others. In the second half of 2016, only 24 systems had higher lead levels than Flint. MLive
Science, Studies, And Reports
A study led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research theorizes that future volcanic eruptions could cause greater levels of climate disruption. As climate change intensifies, eruptions will likely disrupt global temperatures, lower precipitation, and alter the water cycle more than past volcanic events have done. Science Daily
On The Radar
A group of Indian biotechnologists from Vignan University have developed a method of converting domestic sewage into biogas and bio-manure. The process utilizes plants such as the water hyacinth, which grows profusely in wastewater, to form a plant biomass that is then processed at biogas and biomass plants. The project aims to improve water conservation. The Hindu
Kayla Ritter is a recent graduate of Michigan State University, where she studied International Relations and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She is currently based in Manton, Michigan. Kayla enjoys running, writing, and traveling. Contact Kayla Ritter
