For the first time, a climate change model has drawn direct links between CO2 emissions and increased human mortality. The model, created by Stanford University Professor Mark Jacobson, is considered by many to be the most complex and complete atmospheric model worldwide, taking into account many feedbacks between climate change and air pollution. It estimates that for every one degree Celsius increase in global temperature caused by carbon dioxide, the world will experience upwards of 20,000 additional air pollution-related deaths per year.

For the past 15 years, scientists have been exploring a novel new way to combat global climate change. The technique, known as ocean iron fertilization (OIF), uses iron to spur the growth of oceanic algal blooms, which, theoretically, could draw tons of carbon from the atmosphere via photosynthesis. After a decade of experimenting, however, many scientists remain concerned about the practicality, efficacy, and ecological safety of large-scale deployment.

Two months ago, EarthTrends reported on the hazards of indoor air pollution, which results in 1.6 million premature deaths every year. One of the simplest solutions to this pressing global problem is the introduction of improved stoves that release fewer toxic emissions. Past efforts to employ such technologies, however, have generally been small-scale and have failed to achieve significant global impact. The Shell Foundation's "Breathing Space" program is now planning to introduce the first market-based model for clean-burning wood stove technology, with the ambition of reaching millions of poor households throughout the world.

Following three consecutive years of record-setting growth, the global wind energy market is projected to continue expanding in 2008. China and the United States, which together account for roughly half of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, will record some of the fastest growth from this carbon-free energy source. In total, the world's current installed capacity of 94 GW will save about 122 million tons of CO2 emissions every year, a significant yet still insufficient figure in light of increasing climate change concerns.

The oil sands of Alberta, Canada contain the second largest known reserve of oil in the world. With global demand for oil expected to increase nearly 40 percent over the next quarter century and production becoming increasingly dominated by Middle Eastern countries, Canada's oil sands are an important global resource. However, mining this oil is extremely environmentally costly--producing one barrel of oil from the oil sands generates three times more greenhouse gas emissions than a barrel of conventional oil. Several environmental organizations are now calling for a halt on further oil sands project approvals until effective emissions reduction strategies are employed.

Some of the world's largest financial institutions have begun responding to the challenges of climate change, acknowledging that efforts to mitigate and adapt to rising temperatures are a growing driver of global business. A recent report ranked 40 of the world's largest banks based on their actions to address climate change. On a 100-point scale, the top-performing bank achieved only 70 points and the median score was 42, indicating that significant opportunities for progress remain.

Brazilian authorities this month announced a drop in the rate of Amazon deforestation for the third year in a row. Approximately 11,224 square kilometers of forest were lost between August 2006 and July 2007, down from 14,039 square kilometers during the previous 12-month period. However, threats against the Amazon are numerous and increasing in intensity, leading major environmental organizations to believe that this recent upward trend may be short-lived. According to the WWF, a global conservation organization, logging, livestock expansion and worsening drought could result in the disappearance of 55 percent of the Amazon rainforest by 2030.

China's water problems, which include chronic drought and ubiquitous pollution, could reach crisis proportions in coming decades. Experts have predicted that in 2030, when the Chinese population grows to 1.6 billion people, domestic water consumption will reach 100 percent of water availability. Although a large population and breakneck economic growth are at the root of China's water troubles, global warming is expected to exacerbate the problem.

For the third year in a row, the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) has ranked 56 countries--collectively responsible for over 90% of energy-related CO2 emissions--based on their emissions trends and efforts to combat global warming. The 2008 rankings depict a story similar to that of the 2007 edition: the world's top two emitters, the United States and China, place troublingly low, while European countries occupy six of the top ten spots. Interestingly, China moved up in the rankings since last year due to improvements in domestic and international climate policy, whereas the United States fell two places to rank second to last, only ahead of Saudi Arabia.

Global water consumption increased sixfold in the last century--more than twice the rate of population growth--and will continue growing rapidly in coming decades. Yet readily available freshwater is a finite resource, equivalent to less than one percent of the water on Earth. What's more, water and populations are unevenly distributed across the globe; arid and semi-arid regions receive only two percent of all surface runoff yet account for 40 percent of the global land area and house half of the world's poor. Finally, our existing freshwater resources are under heavy threat from overexploitation, pollution, and climate change. Given these trends, equitably providing adequate water resources for agriculture, industry and human consumption poses one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century.