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July 1, 2014
Houston…we have a problem
Climate change and the actions people can take to combat it are hard for most people to see – and that could be part of the reason why some people are more worried about an asteroid slamming into the Earth than the threat of a warming planet, according to panelists at the AGU Science Policy Conference held 16-18 June 2014.
June 30, 2014
Under Water: Weathering the Colorado Floods
Boulder, Colorado learned a lot about its flood management practices during last September’s historic floods. But the deluge also helped the city learn about the value of less scientific measures, like public art and a good hug, said a top public works administrator at last week’s AGU Science Policy Conference, 16-18 June, 2014.
June 26, 2014
This is how AGU does science policy
By Fushcia Hoover WASHINGTON, DC – We’ve been looking forward to SPC ever since we started planning it at the beginning of the year. The Third Annual AGU Science Policy Conference, held in DC, brings together policy makers and policy shapers; from local, state, and national government who bear the responsibility to implement policy; community and industry leaders; and scientists with vital research findings and perspective on what is happening …
June 13, 2014
Go Local or Go Home
By Beth Bartel, Outreach Specialist, UNAVCO Okay, maybe that title is a bit harsh. When it comes to delivering a message about hazards and risk, there’s certainly benefit in delivering broad messages, to a broad public. But what I’d like to focus on is the power of targeting communication about natural hazards and risk to a local audience, and connecting with your audience through stories. So let’s start with one. …
June 10, 2014
Hypothetically Speaking: Using Scenarios to Anticipate the Unanticipated
Kris Ludwig, Staff Scientist, US Geological Survey Natural Hazards Mission Area We all use some form of hypothetical situations to plan our daily lives: What if it rains? Bring an umbrella. What if you’re in an accident? Buy insurance. What if there’s traffic? Learn alternate routes. On some level, we understand and accept the risk of discrete events like a storm, an accident, or a travel delay that may adversely …
June 9, 2014
WICCI and the Science / Policy Conversation
By Dan Vimont, co-chair, Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICC) I am a climate scientist who has spent my career understanding the physics of the climate system, and the impacts of climate variability and climate change. I am a co-chair of the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI), an effort to understand and prepare for the impacts of climate change that now includes over 200 individuals around Wisconsin. …
June 4, 2014
Risky Business Brings New Message—and Messengers—to Climate Debate
By Kate Gordon, Executive Director, Risky Business Despite massive scientific evidence that climate change will have significant effects on the American economy, the business and finance world is still largely turning a blind eye to climate risk. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, and Farallon Capital founder Tom Steyer started the Risky Business initiative to change this dynamic and create a new shared understanding …
June 2, 2014
The Challenges of Seismic Mitigation in Oregon: Where Science and Policy Meet
By Jeff Rubin, Emergency Manager, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Tigard, OR We’re justifiably concerned about terrorism, but natural hazards still generate far greater risk in terms of number of incidents, geographic spread, casualties, and economic impact. On the positive side, Mother Nature is not an adaptive opponent (Gaiaism notwithstanding), which means that our actions to reduce natural-hazard impact can actually yield useful results. Earthquake Country has a distinctly different …
May 29, 2014
Representative Johnson Weighs in on the FIRST Act
Read an AGU-exclusive post by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas-30th District) regarding her thoughts on the recent passage of the FIRST Act.
May 28, 2014
Increasing Disaster Resilience of Critical Infrastructure By Public/Private Partnerships Through Locally Funded Initiatives
By Mary Lou Zoback, Consulting Professor, Stanford University Friday, October 17, 2014 will mark the 25th anniversary of the M6.9 Loma Prieta/World Series earthquake that struck the San Francisco Bay Area at 5:04 PM. The shaking lasted 25 seconds. When it stopped, 62 people had lost their lives, largely the result of bridge and overpass collapse (43 deaths) as well as collapse of San Francisco homes built in a region …