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sustainability roundtable

Pha That Luang monument, Laos. (Johan Kharabi)

Facing Limited Economic Options, Laos Turns to Dams

The sight of another British environmentalist advocating a non-development approach in one of Asia's poorest nations is a cringe-worthy irony. more
Zipingpu Dam, upriver from the town of Dujiangyan, Sichuan, China.

Freshwater as a Dwindling Resource

Rohit Viswanath says the next few decades will see major confrontations over water. more
Mekong River, Laos.

Expert: Nations Must Adopt the UN Watercourses Convention

Does the Mekong River Commission (MRC) have the international support it needs to be effective? more
(San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive/Flickr)

Welcome Back to the Industrial Revolution

Adam Moser calls a Green Marshall Plan flat-out unlikely. more
Municipal water and sewer bond issuance in the United States, 2008-11. (Source: Thomson Municipal Market Monitor)

A New Model for Clean Water in the 21st Century

Christine E. Boyle discusses the implications of the current economic crisis on ensuring clean water supplies throughout the world. more
(United Nations Photo/Flickr)

A Global 'Green' New Deal Still Within Reach

Taking a "glass half-full" approach, Shen Yamei says the ongoing worldwide recession won't necessarily derail a green agenda. more
A factory smokestack in New Jersey emits pollutants into the atmosphere. (United Nations Photo/Flickr)

Economic Crisis May Make it Impossible to Break Climate Change Deadlocks

Ravi Narayanan: economic woes may prevent any concerted effort to resolve the WTO or climate change impasse. more
The United Nations Headquarters in New York City. (United Nations Photo/Flickr)

Can The UN Regulate Domestic Environmental Policy?

Christine E. Boyle asks why a member state would ever agree to heed international environmental organization that may limit its domestic policy choices. more
Construction of a structural column in Indonesia, 2010. (Shanghai Daddy/Flickr)

The Real Issues Behind Sustainable Development

Limiting the destruction of natural eco-systems and protecting local livelihoods, while improving quality of life, are key to sustainable development. more
No trash. California, 2008 (José Antonio Galloso/Flickr)

How to Clean Up the Pacific Ocean

Christine E. Boyle says that most countries have few incentives to actively pursue a solution to ocean pollution, but existing maritime and fisheries organizations do. more