Coastal Habitats Emit Substantial Carbon

Destruction of coastal habitats may release as much as 1 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year, 10 times higher than previously reported, according to a new Duke led study. Published this week in the online, peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE, the analysis provides the most comprehensive estimate of global carbon emissions from the loss of these coastal habitats to date: 0.15 to 1.2 billion tons. 

Energy Film Producer to Visit Campus

A collection of short films about our energy needs and future will be shown Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. in Duke's Energy Hub. At this event, there will be a panel discussion with the filmmakers and sponsors, as well as with Nicholas Institute Director Tim Profeta and other Duke scholars highlighted in the film series.

Researcher on N.C. Fracking Commission 

Amy Pickle, senior attorney for state policy at the Nicholas Institute, has been appointed by Gov. Beverly Perdue to North Carolina's Mining and Energy Commission. The Commission was legislated by the General Assembly to develop regulations governing hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," of underground shale gas reserves in the state. Watch their first meeting live, 1-5 p.m. Sept. 6. 

Fall Seminar Series Kicks Off

Join the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and the UPEP Environmental Institution for our Fall 2012 seminar series, featuring leading experts discussing a variety of environmentally focused topics. Goldman Environmental Prize recipient Ikal Angelei discusses "Mega Dams vs. Local Livelihoods in Lake Turkana Region" Sept. 14.

Study: Forest Carbon Offsets in the U.S.

Forested lands in the United States represent a significant carbon sink and could play an important role in climate change mitigation. In the Journal of Environmental Management, researchers examine the costs associated with forest carbon offset project implementation and whether these costs actually present a barrier to private landowner participation in emerging carbon offset markets.  

Storify of Clean Energy Twitter Talk 

Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions researchers recently hosted a conversation on Twitter following the release of case studies exploring the opportunities and barriers associated with clean energy. During the conversation, these experts discussed the studies' successes, obstacles and financing, and provided an overview of renewable energy in the Southeastern United States. 

N.C. Law Could Save Consumers Millions

North Carolina electricity consumers could save millions of dollars because the state began retrofitting power plants with pollution-reducing technologies a decade ago, well in advance of pending federal mandates, according to a Duke University study. 

Paper: The Future for Ethiopia

Alongside the persistent challenges of poverty and rural subsistence, many low-income countries such as Ethiopia face new problems brought by climate change and surging global economic activities. A new paper by Duke researchers examines the impacts of global climate change and donor assistance on economic development in food security in Africa.