Global patterns of civil conflict are directly associated with planetary-scale climate change. Specifically in tropical countries, the risk of civil war have just been shown to double in warmer El Niño years (to about 6% risk per country per year) compared to cooler La Niña years (when the risk is about 3%). “When you think…
Risk of riots linked to food prices
In 19th century Bavaria rye prices correlated to property crime rates (see Correlations from weather to sociology). When food prices spiked in 2008 commentators were smart enough to mention this might have something to do with the riots across the 3rd world (see World’s poor are up in arms over food prices). The first half…
New evidence UN Secretary General was killed by British mercenaries in 1961
This week new evidence that former UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld was murdered on 18th September 1961 has been covered by The Guardian. The Wikipedia entry about him already lists a number of “conspiracy theories”. Who was Dag Hammarskjöld? Swedish diplomat and economist who worked hard to promote peace tending to favor the independence of…
News from Kenya: food price spike worsen hunger, smartphone sales skyrocket
While the emergency in the Horn of Africa was triggered by prolonged droughts, especially in areas struggling with conflict and internal displacement such as Somalia, food prices that are near the record high levels seen in 2008 also contributed to the situation.– The World Bank, Food Price Watch report according to The Guardian, August 2011…
News not on my TV, not in my newspaper…
Colombia, oil The Marxist rebels in Colombia, FARC, bombed an oil company’s car. One died, six were injured. Why? Probably as part of an extortion scheme. “This attack … is a true crime against humanity.” – Vice President Angelino Garzon Well, at least it’s an attack on the country’s oil business.View Larger MapSources: Reuters / Colombia…
Where is the water? A 3 min video at Climate Change TV
I made a three minute video about lakes disappearing from Google Maps satellite photos and a rainy day in Copenhagen for Climate Change TV. Check it out. If you like it, head over to the competition website and vote for it, please. I haven’t had the time to watch all of the other videos yet….
How al Shabaab is wrecking Somalia
All those of us not living under a rock are aware of the famine in East Africa. Some of us have even read a bit about the al Shabaab militia getting in the way of relief efforts. Should one donate when part of the contribution might end up bribing the militia? A recent UN report…
Watch FUEL
Director Josh Tickell takes us along for his 11 year journey around the world to find solutions to America’s addiction to oil. A shrinking economy, a failing auto industry, rampant unemployment, an out-of-control national debt, and an insatiable demand for energy weigh heavily on all of us. Fuel shows us the way out of the…
UN Security Council concerned climate change may aggravate threats to peace
On the initiative of small island states, Germany, Britain, the US and other members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) climate change was this week linked to conflict. Steiner and Ki-moon testified to the rationale: “There can be little doubt today that climate change has potentially far-reaching implications for global stability and security in economic,…
I had a full page in a Danish newspaper this week
Page 18 of Dagbladet Information Thursday 21st of July 2011. If you can read and understand Danish proceed to the original online version: information.dk / Økokrig – alle krige handler om naturens ressourcer. If you don’t understand Danish you can try the Google Translate version.
While everyone’s on holiday: Ghosts of the past, crises of the present and warnings for the future
From the distant and near past The Washington Post reports Oil leaks from 233 World War II shipwrecks could threaten US coast as vessels corrode. oil and fuel leaks could devastate coastal communities and environments. NOAA is taking an inventory of more than 30,000 coastal shipwrecks. It has narrowed the worst-threat list to 233 vessels….
Ecowar 2.1
Don’t panic, you’re at Ecowar. I merely changed the good old custom tweaked and heavily bloated design for a fresh standard one. I’m also trying out some new stuff. Some stories develop too fast for a one-man blog to follow. But on the new page Inside the wire, under the radar the job is done…