Author: Michael Shank

Blessed Are the Climate Advocates

SLATE 05/01/15 By Michael Shank The Vatican and United Nations present the beatitudes of a new movement. This week, while at Vatican City in Rome to manage press for the first-ever meeting on climate change between Pope Francis and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, my faith in a force more […]

Global Warming Threatens R.I.

PROVIDENCE JOURNAL 05/01/15 By Michael Shank and US Congressman David Cicilline Global warming is happening, here and now. Its impact is already being felt in coastal states like Rhode Island, and greenhouse gas emissions are undeniably responsible. The evidence is all around us. Alarmingly, 2014 was the hottest year ever […]

Turkey’s Best Asset to Tackle ISIS: Ankara or America?

HUFFINGTON POST 4/17/15 By Michael Shank As Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan made his rounds recently in the Middle East, talking with Iran about ending sectarianism in the region, and with Egypt about freeing political prisoners, he would’ve done well to start at home. There’s much to do, and Erdogan […]

The Business Argument for Addressing Climate Change

ROLL CALL 04/15/15 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Mike Honda Most Americans know, in general, about climate change. Even those who dispute it have read or heard about rising tides, melting ice caps and superstorms. However, the American people remain largely unaware of how climate change will potentially affect […]

Decent Jobs, Social Justice for All Hold Key to Sustainable Development

UNITED NATIONS 03/30/15 The day’s third panel discussion was entitled, “Voices from the real economy”.  Moderated by Michael Shank, Director of Media Strategy, Climate Nexus, and Senior Fellow, JustJobs Network, it featured Nomvuzo Shabalala, Deputy Mayor of Durban, South Africa; Sanjay Kumar, Director, Self-Employed Women’s Association, Bharat, India; Vicenta Trotman, […]

United States Faces Uncertain Water Future as Drought Expands

ABC NEWS 03/30/15 By Nikolai Beilharz Drought in California in the United States is now in its fourth year, and some environmental groups say there is not enough political momentum and interest to address the problem. The water shortage has organisations like Climate Nexus, a not-for-profit group focusing on climate […]

NYC Housing: A Clear and Present Danger

HUFFINGTON POST 03/28/15 By Michael Shank In the wake of New York City’s devastating gas explosion and fire in the East Village, which destroyed residential buildings and injured dozens of New Yorkers, there couldn’t be a more critical time to take a serious look at New York’s housing situation. In […]

Cyclone Pam is Just the Start

NEWSWEEK 03/19/15 By Michael Shank and US Congresswoman Yvette Clarke In the wake of island nation Vanuatu’s devastation by Cyclone Pam, in which 320 mile-per-hour winds killed dozens of people and destroyed 90 percent of the buildings in the capital city of Port Vila, public health experts fear that the […]

UN and Climate Change: A New Kind of Challenge

THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE NEW WORLD DISORDER 3/1/15 By Michael Shank and Julia Trezona Peek Download PDF INTRODUCTION Climate change is the most complex challenge the United Nations has faced since its founding 70 years ago in 1945. It is the ultimate transnational, trans-boundary threat, more pervasive and destructive […]

How to Fix Our Police Departments

CNN 03/12/15 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Hank Johnson Editor’s Note: “Hank Johnson represents Georgia’s 4th Congressional District and serves on the House Judiciary and Armed Services committees. Michael Shank, a former congressional staffer, is adjunct faculty at George Mason University’s School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution. The views […]