Entries by Codi Kozacek

The Stream, November 3: India Investigates Punjab Groundwater Contamination

The Global Rundown A study ordered by India’s National Green Tribunal will investigate the cause of groundwater pollution in areas of Punjab state. Saudi Arabia plans to more than double water prices for industrial and commercial users, inadequate investment in South Africa’s water infrastructure could lead to ‘water shedding’, and a series of grants and […]

The Stream, November 2: Biggest Threat to India Economy is Climate Change, Government Official Says

The Global Rundown Erratic monsoon patterns brought on by climate change are the biggest threat to India’s economy, a government finance minister said. South Africa declared disaster areas in two of its nine provinces due to drought, and California fined four water utilities for failing to meet state water conservation requirements. Insurance companies in Australia […]

The Stream, October 30: Malawi Hydropower Declines By Two-Thirds

The Global Rundown Low water levels in Lake Malawi are significantly cutting hydropower production on Malawi’s largest river, wells are going dry in northern India as groundwater levels drop, and Chinook salmon are declining in California’s Sacramento River as the state’s drought continues. Areas of several major cities in China performed poorly on a government […]

The Stream, October 29: South Africa Begins Water Restrictions Amid Drought

The Global Rundown A severe drought in South Africa forced utilities to put in place water restrictions for Johannesburg and other major cities, while state officials in drought-hit California prepared for floods from El Nino. Dry weather in Europe is creating a shortage of oil in some inland countries due to low river levels. Residents […]

Lake Ontario Water Level Plan Tests Attitudes Toward Environment

Plan 2014, a proposal to alter lake levels and restore wetlands, places ecosystems at the heart of decisions. Photo © Codi Kozacek / Circle of Blue Linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River is a pathway into the heart of North America traversed by ships from all over the world. […]

The Stream, October 28: Asia-Pacific Recorded 40 Percent of World’s Disasters in Last Decade

The Global Rundown Natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific region accounted for nearly half of the world total in the past decade, highlighting the need to invest in measures to protect against future disasters and climate change, according to a United Nations report. Thailand urged farmers not to plant rice this season due to a drought […]

The Stream, October 27: Climate Change Set to Create Unbearable Heatwaves in Middle East Cities

The Global Rundown Heatwaves in Middle East cities, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, are on track to become unbearably hot for humans by the end of the century if climate change continues, scientists found. Communities in the Philippines are struggling to recover from Typhoon Koppu’s floods, while floods in Texas linked to Hurricane Patricia could […]

The Stream, October 26: El Nino Drought Brings Hunger to Ethiopia

The Global Rundown A drought in Ethiopia is putting millions of people at risk of hunger, according to aid organizations, while extreme rainfall over the weekend triggered flash floods in Texas. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could have prevented a spill of toxic wastewater from a Colorado mine, a new report found, and earthquakes in […]

The Stream, October 23: South Africa Drought Could Spell Water Shortages in Major Cities

The Global Rundown Water supplies are tight in South Africa due to a drought and high demand, according to a utility serving two of the country’s major cities. Conflict and erratic rainfall threaten millions of people with food insecurity in South Sudan, while urbanization is pressuring Kenya’s Lake Nakuru. A bottling plant in China was […]

The Stream, October 22: Asia Contends With Growing Dengue Fever Problem

The Global Rundown Urbanization and flooding are two factors driving an increase in dengue fever cases in Asia, while low water levels and contaminated wells have been blamed for an outbreak of cholera in Iraq. Perth, Australia, is sinking due to groundwater withdrawals, and Cameroon’s largest city is increasing its efforts to harvest rainwater. The […]

The Stream, October 21: Mexico City Turns to Rainwater Harvesting

The Global Rundown Communities in Mexico City are expanding rainwater harvesting efforts to manage floods and water shortages. The Dalai Lama called on the world to protect Tibet’s glaciers from climate change, and New York City and Jerusalem created a new partnership to protect city water supplies from cyber attacks. Researchers in Vermont found that […]

The Stream, October 20: China Coastal Wetlands Under Threat

The Global Rundown China is quickly losing its coastal wetlands to development, with implications for water supplies and wildlife, a new report found, while environmental groups in England are concerned about the effect of a proposed nuclear power plant on the Blackwater estuary. A toxic algae bloom in the Ohio River should be a wake-up […]