Uncategorized – Page 27

Why Soils Matter in the Global Food Security Debate

Some of you may know (although I have to confess that I was personally unaware until yesterday) that last week was ‘Global Soil Week’ when more than 450 scientists, policy makers and practitioners from 71 countries gathered together in Berlin to discuss the role of soils in society. The theme of the week was ‘LosingContinueContinue reading “Why Soils Matter in the Global Food Security Debate”

Biodiversity Offsetting – biophilia or biophobia (love nature or loathe it)?

Another look at biodiversity offsetting, this time from John Clarkson, lecturer in Wildlife Conservation at Nottingham Trent University. He effectively mixes scientific and humanist arguments for opposing biodiversity offsetting. Trees are indeed individuals whose lifespans cover many human lifetimes. If you want to tell Mr Paterson what he needs to believe about stepping down suchContinueContinue reading “Biodiversity Offsetting – biophilia or biophobia (love nature or loathe it)?”

Climate Change and the Future of Food

Originally posted on Global Food Politics:
A draft Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report leaked last week concludes that climate change poses dramatic risks for the global food supply. Unlike previous reports, the draft report concludes that while rising mean global temperatures could have some beneficial effects on crops, overall global production will likely decline…

Biodiversity Offsetting – lose a wood, gain a wood

Some positive thoughts here on the increasingly controversial biodiversity offsetting approach to planning. The key aspect to stress from this post is ‘local’. Local systems, local offsetting, local partnerships, local responsibility and local biodiversity. Personally I am not a big fan of biodiversity offsetting as a concept (as you can see in a previous articleContinueContinue reading “Biodiversity Offsetting – lose a wood, gain a wood”

Can we make nature exciting?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWqrbYwn7K4&feature=player_detailpage This post was my first to be published at activisionary, a new independent group focusing upon environmental writing within which I am volunteering as an environmental journalist. Take a look at their site and my first article here. The automatic response to the posing of the above question may be one of disbelief forContinueContinue reading “Can we make nature exciting?”