HUFFINGTON POST 04/22/16 By Michael Shank This was a big week for the United Nations, which came out strong on climate and the sustainable development goals and witnessed major milestones in recent months. First, on climate, post-Paris, there were over 160 countries signing the deal at UN headquarters on Earth […]
MSNBC 10/27/15 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Matt Cartwright The World Health Organization’s somewhat startling finding this week, that processed meats can be carcinogenic, has suddenly brought national dietary policy into sharp focus. Although the headline is an unsettling one, it is nonetheless altogether timely because of what is […]
ROLL CALL 10/16/15 By Michael Shank and US Congresswoman Yvette Clarke New Yorkers will need to get used to storms like Superstorm Sandy, according to a study published recently by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Instead of every 500 years, scientists from the PNAS anticipate these storms […]
USA TODAY 10/05/15 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Charles Rangel New research on the frequency of Sandy-type storms makes acting on climate change more urgent The news last week that New York City faces Superstorm Sandy-level flooding every 25 years, instead of every 500 years, is a wet blanket […]
DAILY BEAST 10/03/15 By Michael Shank In case you hadn’t guessed, a new study shows “superstorms” will be much more frequent in the years ahead. As Hurricane Joaquin devastates the Bahamas and feints toward the east coast of the United States, and as American communities hunker down for superstorm potential, […]
TIME 10/02/15 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Raul Grijalva The world wastes more than 1.3 billion metric tons of edible food each year When it comes to tackling climate change, one of the greatest challenges we face is understanding the myriad factors that influence our warming planet. Addressing some […]
THE CONVERSATION 09/23/15 By Michael Shank Cities are acting ambitiously on climate change and that has big implications for the rest of the planet. Urban officials last week attended the US-China Climate Leaders summit and announced a raft of carbon emissions targets, clean energy partnerships, and initiatives around transpacific climate […]
MEDIUM 09/23/15 By Michael Shank As Pope Francis arrives in Washington this week, the buzz about what he’ll say to the U.S. Congress and the United Nations is ubiquitous. One need not veer far from what Francis has already summoned in his encyclical, Laudato Si’, to know his exact delivery, […]
DAILY BEAST 09/21/15 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Lloyd Doggett Pope Francis is not just pontificating. His urgent message is about preserving human life. One might imagine, or hope, that Congress would experience the historic address of Pope Francis to a joint session later this week as something beyond […]
THE HILL 08/31/15 By Michael Shank Announced in the quiet of Congressional recess, new data published this week by Consumer Reports indicates that ground beef often contains bacteria that causes sickness in humans and resists drug treatment. Congress should take note. Fortunately, the United States Department of Agriculture already rolled […]