Global Warming

Climate Change and Violent Conflict:


The impact of climate change will make the poorest communities across the world poorer. Many of them are already affected by conflict and instability and thus face a dual risk. International Alert’s new research, A Climate of Conflict: The Links Between Climate Change, Peace and War and The Double-Headed Risk (world map of “countries at risk), finds that the consequences of climate change will fuel violent conflict, which itself hinders the ability of governments and local communities to adapt to the pressures of climate change

Source: Internation Alert

Global Warning

The Center for American Progress (CA) today issued "Global Warning - The Security Challenges of Climate Change", a chapter in a new report entitled “The Age of Consequences.” During the course of the past year, a high-level working group of foreign policy experts, climate scientists, historians, and other specialists has met regularly to investigate the national security and foreign policy implications of climate change. Many of the key findings of this task force, which was directed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Center for a New American Security, are presented in the new report.

“The Age of Consequences” is organized around three possible climate change scenarios that were developed by Pew Center Senior Climate Scientist Dr. Jay Gulledge, in consultation with other leading experts in the field. CAP’s chapter, “Global Warning - The Security Challenges of Climate Change,” analyzes the foreign policy and national security implications of the most moderate of these scenarios over a 30-year timeframe.

Foreign Drug Manufacturers

New GAO Report: 1 November 2007:


Preliminary findings suggest weaknesses in the FDA’s program for inspecting foreign drug manufacturers . This report, which includes testimony before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, discusses preliminary information on (1) the extent to which the FDA has accurate data to manage the foreign drug inspection program, (2) the frequency of foreign inspections and factors influencing the selection of establishments to inspect, and (3) issues unique to conducting foreign inspections.


Source: Government Accountability Office

Housing Nonprofit Organization

NeighborWorks America is the "national nonprofit organization created by Congress to provide financial support, technical assistance, and training for community-based revitalization efforts." The website features news, case studies, and reports on subjects such as aging in place, disaster preparedness, foreclosure solutions, home equity protection, manufactured housing, predatory lending, and refinancing. It includes materials about campaigns, such as its free telephone consultation service on foreclosure solutions, and listings of local NeighborWorks member organizations.

Alliance for Climate Protection

The mission of The Alliance for Climate Protection, founded by former U.S. vice president Al Gore, "is to persuade the American people -- and people elsewhere in the world -- of the importance and urgency of adopting and implementing effective and comprehensive solutions for the climate crisis." Its site features articles with suggestions for reducing climate change at home and at work, stories about people who are working to help solve the crisis, and video clips.

The people involved in the Alliance bring with them substantial cross-sectoral experience covering government (both public service and political), business (including energy, technology, finance and media), and civil society (within and beyond the environmental communities).

Sustainable Biofuels

Destination Iowa: Getting to a Sustainable Biofuels Future:

Iowa has made a huge investment in corn-based ethanol and reaped some benefits from the biofuels boom--but not without costs to the environment and the economy. Now it’s time for Iowa to make the investments needed to transition to the next generation of biofuels and boost renewable energy production. Destination Iowa, the first report in an exciting new partnership between the Sierra Club and the Worldwatch Institute, explains where Iowa’s bioeconomy is today, where it can go in the future, and charts a course for getting there.


Source: Sierra Club

GAO Reports and Testimonies

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) today released the following reports and testimonies:

--Global Health: U.S. Agencies Support Programs to Build Overseas Capacity for Infectious Disease Surveillance. GAO-07-1186 (September 28).
--Energy Efficiency: Opportunities Exist for Federal Agencies to Better Inform Household Consumers. GAO-07-1162 (September 26).
--Maritime Security: The SAFE Port Act and Efforts to Secure Our Nation's Seaports, by Stephen L. Caldwell, director, homeland security and justice issues, before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. GAO-08-86T (October 4).
--Stabilizing and Rebuilding Iraq: Serious Challenges Confront U.S. Efforts to Build the Capacity of Iraqi Ministries, by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-08-124T (October 4). --Combating Terrorism: Law Enforcement Agencies Lack Directives to Assist Foreign Nations, statement for the record by Jess T. Ford, director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism, House Committee on Homeland Security. GAO-08-144T (October 4).

Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office