Entries by Nadya Ivanova

The Stream, April 2: Fracking in Texas, Pennsylvania and Wyoming

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New findings that indicate elevated levels of methane in water near gas drilling sites in Pennsylvania raise questions about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) earlier statement that water in the region did not pose a health risk, according to Bloomberg News. Meanwhile, EPA has also dropped its claim that an energy company contaminated drinking […]

The Stream, March 30: Great Lakes Water Levels

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A new report by a U.S.-Canadian advisory panel recommends against large-scale engineering projects to control the Great Lakes water levels, saying people across the region should instead adapt to nature’s swings, Detroit Free Press reported. Chicago has announced a $7 billion, three-year plan to transform the city’s infrastructure. The program, which will touch nearly every […]

The Stream, March 29: Shale Gas Prospects in China and California

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Water Shortage Years of uncontrolled digging of wells in Yemen has almost sucked the Arabian Peninsula country dry, according to Reuters. Can new projects stave off a looming water catastrophe? With no major natural freshwater sources, Cuba relies primarily on the whims of weather to supply itself with water. But experts warn that climate change […]

Satellite Perspectives: NASA’s GRACE Program Sees Groundwater From Space

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A first-of-its-kind space mission shows dips in groundwater supplies globally. Image © 2012 Connor Boals/Circle of Blue The winning design by Richard Vijgen in the World Water Day competition by HeadsUP! and Visualizing.org will be on display in New York City's Times Square for one month. Titled “Seasonal and Longterm Changes in Groundwater Levels,” Vijgen's […]

The Stream, March 28: Diminishing Water Could Slow Clean Energy Development

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Diminishing supplies of water, metals and biomass could slow the deployment of clean energy technologies by 2035, Reuters reported, citing a new study by the Stockholm Environment Institute and by business initiative 3C. Some low-carbon technologies use more water than conventional fuels. Read the policy brief to find out why cutting carbon emissions and saving […]

The Stream, March 27: Uncertain Future for Shale Gas in Poland

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Shale gas drilling is off to a disappointing start for investors in Poland, the country thought to have the biggest unconventional gas reserves in Europe, according to Bloomberg News. Explorers in Poland are confronting rising costs, a lack of rigs, tighter environmental rules and shale layers that are harder to drill than expected. China’s biggest […]

The Stream, March 26: Tighter Rules for Coal Seam Gas in Australia?

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South Australia has become the third Australian state to agree to the federal government’s tightened approvals process for future coal seam gas and large-scale coal mining projects, Platts reported. Water Security Germany has offered to help resolve the water disputes in Central Asia and to invest in water-saving solar and wind energy in the region, […]

The Stream, March 22: Closing World’s Water Deficit Could Cost $104 Billion Annually

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On World Water Day, we look at: Water Innovation Hindustan Times features examples of grassroots water innovation in India. With 1.2 billion people, India is teeming with innovators and places to try out ingenious ideas in energy, water, banking, and health care, according to Fast Company. What makes a country ideal for innovation? Israel could […]

The Stream, March 20: Connecting the Dots Between Water Stress and Food Prices

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Hydropower and Water Security Two of the world’s biggest energy companies have pledged to measure the economic, social and environmental effects of their big hydropower projects using new voluntary guidelines, according to the Guardian. The building of dams and the increasing water consumption in upstream Afghanistan negatively affects water supply to Iran and could exacerbate […]

The Stream, March 19: The Water Factor in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

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U.S. scientists are investigating whether DNA from Asian carp found in waterways near Chicago suggests that the invasive species have evaded the electronic barrier and are moving closer to the Great Lakes, Associated Press reported. China plans to produce 6.5 billion cubic meters (230 billion cubic feet) of shale gas annually by 2015 and increase […]

The Stream, March 15: On Weather Extremes, Land Grabs and Nuclear Power

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Climate Change Australia should brace itself for higher temperatures and more weather extremes, such as intense rainfalls and droughts, according to a government report. The more chaotic weather will be an especially big challenge to miners and farmers, who are already building bigger holding dams for flood waters and altering cropping practices. About 3.7 million […]

The Stream, March 13: South American Gold Rush Triggers Worries Over Water

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What are “social-environmental” conflicts? Why are mining projects triggering mass protests in Argentina and Peru? Le Monde reports on the gold rush for South America’s mineral resources and the local response. Agriculture Water pollution from pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture is costing billions of dollars a year in developed countries and will become worse […]