Articles by Grist staff

Do You Zaire What I Zaire?

Africa already feeling effects of climate change, will be hit harder While some people question whether climate change is happening, many Africans are already beginning to feel its effects — and, says a new U.N. report, the continent is at greater risk than previously thought. Some 480 million Africans could face water-security issues by 2025 […]

Homeland Insecurity

World’s energy future looks dim, says new report A report issued today by the International Energy Agency says global demand for power could surge 53 percent by 2030 unless governments push clean, efficient energy. “The energy future we are facing today, based on projections of current trends, is dirty, insecure, and expensive,” says Claude Mandil, […]

Vote for Grist!

Our Election Day coverage offers hope and a blogging blitz Here at Grist, we love Election Day. There’s a certain buzz in the air, a feeling that all Americans face a united calling. Yeah, yeah, we know only 38.2 percent of Americans bother to vote — but we’re doing our dangedest to remain optimistic. So […]

Cliff’s Notes on saving corals and mangroves

Yo-ho-ho mateys! Me hopes ye've not yet thrown ye-selves to Davey Jones' locker over the depressing fishy news of late. Begad, buckos, I could cry enough tears to fill me empty noggin o' rum twice over ... not that I did, mind ye ... it's just the ol' patch makes me eye water a bit. Arrr ...

But in the interest of putting a positive spin on things, I point you to the climate survival guides recently published by two major conservation groups. One focuses on coral reefs -- the "tropical rainforests of the ocean" -- and the other on mangroves -- actual forests near the oceans (confused yet?). And both offer strategies that could protect these fragile ecosystems in the wake of climate change -- even if we can't reverse climate change itself. Think of the reports as wonkier versions of the Worst Case Scenario Handbook.