Megan Rowling
Before joining AlertNet, Megan Rowling worked as a freelance print and television journalist in Britain, France and Japan. She has a strong interest in Central America, with a focus on issues surrounding development and trade. Her other pet topics are climate change and corporate responsibility. She's currently struggling to complete an MSc in development management!
Biofuels spark fears of land grabbing, 'peak food'
Author: Megan Rowling
Not so long ago, biofuels were being hailed as the answer to the world's fossil fuel addiction. These days, the media is full of warnings about the potential harm of growing crops for fuel instead of food.
Britain's Independent newspaper reports that African scientists and activists want a moratorium on new biofuels projects because they're taking over millions of acres of the continent's best farmland.
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Author: Megan Rowling
Not so long ago, biofuels were being hailed as the answer to the world's fossil fuel addiction. These days, the media is full of warnings about the potential harm of growing crops for fuel instead of food.
Britain's Independent newspaper reports that African scientists and activists want a moratorium on new biofuels projects because they're taking over millions of acres of the continent's best farmland.
...
Pressure builds for global battle plan on climate change
Author: Megan Rowling
Just how big a threat to the world is climate change? Listening in on a press conference at U.N. headquarters in New York on Monday, you'd have heard British billionaire businessman Richard Branson describing it as "a crisis that is bigger than World War I and II combined". Or New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg emphasising, "This is just as important as stopping nuclear proliferation. This is just as important as stopping terrorism." The sociologist Ulrich Beck argues that huge global risks like climate change are so different from what we've experienced so far, it's more accurate to describe them as "unknown unknowns". ...
Author: Megan Rowling
Just how big a threat to the world is climate change? Listening in on a press conference at U.N. headquarters in New York on Monday, you'd have heard British billionaire businessman Richard Branson describing it as "a crisis that is bigger than World War I and II combined". Or New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg emphasising, "This is just as important as stopping nuclear proliferation. This is just as important as stopping terrorism." The sociologist Ulrich Beck argues that huge global risks like climate change are so different from what we've experienced so far, it's more accurate to describe them as "unknown unknowns". ...
Pressure builds for global battle plan on climate change
Author: Megan Rowling
Just how big a threat to the world is climate change? Listening in to a press conference at U.N. headquarters in New York on Monday, you'd have heard British billionaire businessman Richard Branson describing it as "a crisis that is bigger than World War I and II combined". Or New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg emphasising, "This is just as important as stopping nuclear proliferation. This is just as important as stopping terrorism."
The sociologist Ulrich Beck argues that huge global risks like climate change are so different from what we've experienced so far, it's more accurate to describe them as "unknown unknowns".
...
Author: Megan Rowling
Just how big a threat to the world is climate change? Listening in to a press conference at U.N. headquarters in New York on Monday, you'd have heard British billionaire businessman Richard Branson describing it as "a crisis that is bigger than World War I and II combined". Or New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg emphasising, "This is just as important as stopping nuclear proliferation. This is just as important as stopping terrorism."
The sociologist Ulrich Beck argues that huge global risks like climate change are so different from what we've experienced so far, it's more accurate to describe them as "unknown unknowns".
...
Bolivia declares emergency amid heavy rains
Author: Megan Rowling
Media reports from La Paz say the Bolivian government has declared a state of emergency due to flooding caused by constant heavy rains since the end of November - a result of the La Nina weather phenomenon. So far, 21 deaths have been reported and around 20,000 families have been affected in several departments, with some 13,000 of these losing houses and livestock. According to the Pan-American Health Organisation, food aid is being sent to the affected regions, and there are warnings of health emergencies in some areas. ...
Author: Megan Rowling
Media reports from La Paz say the Bolivian government has declared a state of emergency due to flooding caused by constant heavy rains since the end of November - a result of the La Nina weather phenomenon. So far, 21 deaths have been reported and around 20,000 families have been affected in several departments, with some 13,000 of these losing houses and livestock. According to the Pan-American Health Organisation, food aid is being sent to the affected regions, and there are warnings of health emergencies in some areas. ...
War films seek to buck the 'feel-bad' factor
Author: Megan Rowling
In the United States, at least, 2007 was judged to be a pretty bad year for war films. As Edward Helmore noted in the Observer last month, a clutch of multi-million dollar movies on conflict and terrorism - including Lambs for Lions, Rendition and The Kingdom - got the big thumbs down from moviegoers and critics alike, pretty much bombing at the box office.
But why? One explanation is people have simply had enough of war, and don't want it shoved down their throats in their leisure time too (the liberal view). Or perhaps they don't welcome criticism of the troops when they're still being killed and injured in the field (the conservative view).
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Next entries
Author: Megan Rowling
In the United States, at least, 2007 was judged to be a pretty bad year for war films. As Edward Helmore noted in the Observer last month, a clutch of multi-million dollar movies on conflict and terrorism - including Lambs for Lions, Rendition and The Kingdom - got the big thumbs down from moviegoers and critics alike, pretty much bombing at the box office.
But why? One explanation is people have simply had enough of war, and don't want it shoved down their throats in their leisure time too (the liberal view). Or perhaps they don't welcome criticism of the troops when they're still being killed and injured in the field (the conservative view).
...
