A study, published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that a drop in air pollution levels during the 2008 Beijing Olympics was linked to decreased risk factors for heart problems, stroke and blood clots there.

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The United States consulate in Shanghai has begun issuing its own pollution statistics, giving a much more pessimistic assessment of the city's air quality than official Chinese data. The US consulate began releasing hourly air quality data from a monitoring device in its city centre compound Monday, posting results online and on Twitter, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

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Like everyone else, most business leaders want their companies to be good neighbors and respected members of the community -- commitments long reflected in corporate social responsibility policies. But today, the drivers of environmental action go deeper than philanthropic motives, or doing the right thing. They also go beyond regulatory compliance. For a growing number of companies, "going green" is now a core business strategy. Those companies committed to minimizing their environmental footprints and factoring the value of nature into their business plans are the ones that will lead their industries in earnings growth, productivity, innovation and employee satisfaction in the decades ahead.

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Escaping the dust storms and drinking water shortages in the polluted Aral Sea area of northern Uzbekistan, Berdimurat moved to the city of Angren several years ago. The 53-year-old expected a more wholesome environment in a greener and less remote part of the country, but instead his health deteriorated and his respiratory problems grew steadily worse.

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The Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy (YCELP) and the Center for Earth Information Science Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia University designed the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), a metric that focuses on a set of environmental issues for which governments can be held accountable. The EPI tracks outcome-oriented indicators based on best available data in core policy categories and promotes action through transparent and easily visualized metrics that allow political leaders to see the strengths and weaknesses of their nation’s performance compared to peer countries. The analysis centers on two overarching environmental objectives: 1) reducing environmental stresses on human health and 2) promoting ecosystem vitality and sound natural resource management.

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Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has called on Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) members to exchange and take-stock of information and initiatives to address climate change and its adverse effects on natural places of attraction, as well as tourism businesses and activities.

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The iPad’s light, sleek, simple construction belies its complex origins. There’s a lot of stuff in the iPad: aluminum and glass, of course, but also other heavy metals and toxic chemicals. And manufacturing each 1.44-pound iPad results in over 285 times its own weight in greenhouse gas emissions. The manufacturing of and material used in the iPad are two reasons why the iPad must be made in China — and not just in the ways you’d expect.

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The UAE is one of the frontline countries facing climate issues and has in recent years witnessed dramatic weather events like snowfall in the rugged mountains to the north, extremely chilly winds, very dry winters, dust storms, and longer hot spells.

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Imagine yourself leaning against the railing of your European cruise liner. You marvel at the Mediterranean scenery, the sparkling blue sea, the dazzling island that awaits you as the ship glides toward the next port. Suddenly, a jolt throws you against the railing—the ship hit a reef and is taking on water. The vessel begins to list and loudspeakers blare instructions in five different languages. You frantically climb to the high side of the ship, dodging throngs of panicked passengers at the lifeboat stations. You manage to get onto a lifeboat and reach land safely, but, tragically, not everyone is so lucky—a number of passengers drown.

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As we approach the quintessential ‘green’ holiday — April 22, Earth Day — one academic study should provide important perspective on the United States role in the world.

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