Wednesday, 18 Dec 2002

One Night in Bangkok

In a triumph for population-control efforts and another sign that the U.S. is out of step with international policy trends, Asia-Pacific countries yesterday rejected the Bush administration's stand against abortion and condom use among teens. The vote came during a U.N.-sponsored Asian and Pacific Population Conference, held this week in Bangkok, which concluded with the adoption of an action plan on population policies for the region. U.S. delegates objected to some of the wording of the plan, including references to "reproductive health services" and "reproductive rights," saying the phrases could be interpreted as advocating abortion and underage sex. Delegates from other nations easily overruled the U.S. constituency. The final text contains the controversial phrases, and proposes curbing population growth by fighting poverty through 12 different tactics, including increasing family planning options, working toward greater gender equity, and combating HIV/AIDS.

'Tis Better to Give

From the Enron scandal to environmental rollbacks, it seems like the headlines these days are dominated by greed, recklessness, self-interest, and shortsightedness. What's a concerned citizen to do? How about giving to Grist this holiday season? In exchange for your generosity and altruism, you'll help ensure that we keep publishing top-notch environmental news until the cows come home to organic pastures. Your great-great-grandchildren will thank you -- and so will we.

Is That USGS or USBS?

Here's some news to make you think twice about the reliability of government figures: The U.S. Geological Survey has announced that there is far more coal bed methane gas available in the Powder River Basin than previously thought -- while simultaneously acknowledging that the Rocky Mountain West contains far less oil than the agency had claimed in earlier estimates. In the Powder River Valley, which straddles Montana and Wyoming, the USGS says there is a whopping 14 times more coal bed methane than suggested in initial studies, for a total of some 14.3 trillion cubic feet. (That estimate reflects all gas in the region, not just the portion that would be economically feasible to extract.) Despite environmental concerns, the basin is widely seen as a cornerstone of the Bush administration's energy policy. Meanwhile, the USGS estimated that it had exaggerated its 1995 estimate of oil in the Rocky Mountain West, another favored Bush energy source, by 844 million barrels.

10,000? Maniacs!

After two decades of struggle, Pennsylvania has finally secured legislation requiring the state to design and implement a water-conservation strategy. The Water Resources Planning Act, signed into law this week by outgoing Gov. Mark Schweiker (R), is widely seen as a first step in determining the amount of water available in Pennsylvania, as well as establishing how watersheds can best be protected and how the state can prepare for drought. The law stipulates that anyone who uses an average of 10,000 gallons of water per day over a 30-day period must tell the state where the water came from and how much was used. It also establishes a state advisory board and six regional advisory boards, which together will be responsible for developing a water conservation plan by 2008. Contrary to what you might expect, most of Pennsylvania's environmental groups -- including the Sierra Club, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Clean Water Action, and others -- are unhappy about the law, largely because it gives the state board veto power over the conservation plan.