Topic: water

Energy Demands Drain Water Resources in Southeast U.S., Policies Needed

Stressed water supplies in the Southeast United States could be relieved by introducing energy and water conservation policies outlined in a report released today by the World Resources Institute, Southface and Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance.

Public officials in the U.S. Southeast should recognize and carefully manage the relationships between energy and water.

WHAT: The World Resources Institute (WRI), Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA), and Southface will hold a tele-press conference to discuss the third report in a three-part series on energy opportunities in the Southeast United States. Water and Watts examines the region’s heavy dependence on water for electricity produced at coal and nuclear power plants. The report shows how clean energy policies can protect diminishing freshwater supplies and meet the energy demands of a growing population.

Nuclear power plants withdraw and consume the largest amounts of water, followed by power plants that use fossil fuels (coal or oil), biomass, or waste.

Nearly 40 billion gallons are withdrawn each day from Southeast freshwater supplies for thermoelectric power plants–about 65 percent of all withdrawals.

Uganda Wetland Maps Will Help Reduce Poverty, Boost Economy

Uganda’s leaders now have access to maps that will allow them—for the first time ever—to reduce poverty through better management of the country’s wetlands.

Southeast Energy Policy Briefs

The World Resources Institute (WRI)—together with the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA), Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), and Southface—compiled high-level overviews of regional opportunities to enhance energy efficiency, develop renewable electric power resources, and manage water-energy relationships. Watch WRI’s Eliot Metzger discuss the energy efficiency potential in the Southeast with Clean Skies News:

This report was prepared by Rabobank in collaboration with the World Resources Institute.

EPA Partners With WRI to Heighten Awareness of Ecosystem Services

The World Resources Institute (WRI) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a collaboration to deliver improved science and practical tools to help companies and governments protect ecosystems and address climate change.

Nation's First Green Roof and Labyrinth Opens

The nation’s first green roof and labyrinth in this ever-greener city opened today at the top of an eight-story office building one block northwest of Union Station.

Ecosystems provide a wealth of services to human populations, among them, disease regulation. But narrowly-focused development projects can threaten these ecosystems and put entire populations at risk.

When it comes to allocating money for conservation, reverse auctions can help governments get the biggest bang for their buck.

It is estimated that desertification, a process of land degradation that occurs in dryland ecosystems due to overexploitation and land mismanagement, now costs China about $2-3 billion each year.