Tag: Journalism

In many ways, populations in developing countries are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than those in wealthier, industrialized cultures. And in the Andes of South America, this vulnerability can be seen particularly clearly in the poor nation of Bolivia. As the effects of climate change become increasingly destructive to the water supply and traditional ways of life in Bolivia, and as Bolivian president Evo Morales becomes more vocal and impassioned at international climate change conferences, the literature analyzing Bolivia’s problem is increasing. The current array of scholarly literature about climate change in Bolivia details the climate-related processes behind the water stress, focusing on ways for Bolivian cultures to adapt to climate change. Contemporary journalistic literature on the subject, however, focuses primarily on portraying current conditions for people in Bolivia who are being affected by climate change, particularly indigenous Bolivians. Through the study of these two bodies of literature, this analysis aims to show the lack of the valuable social context within the technical climate change reports that influence national policies within Bolivia, a country that will feel climate change’s effects much sooner and much more intensely than most.

Pacific salmon populations are currently in decline. Due to a history of exploitation of their environment, certain types of salmon are at risk of extinction. Along with overfishing and fishery practices, climate change is considered a large factor in the depletion of salmon. Although the destruction of salmon affects all types of cultures, many indigenous cultures depend heavily on salmon for sustenance and as part of their culture. A study on the St’át’imc tribe provides a number of adaptation strategies such as alternative sources of protein like deer or the more abundant pink salmon. Salmon hold an integral place in native communities and the adaptation strategies to maintain salmon are explored and initiated. These communities had traditional ways of maintaining salmon populations before the exploitation of their ecosystems disturbed the species. A combination of these traditional strategies and innovative adaptation techniques must be considered in order to maintain the diversity and quantity of pacific salmon.

In the Guadalupe river basin of Texas, a low lying stretch of coastal marshes and grasslands, human development and weather alterations are beginning to cause problems for whooping cranes and humans alike. There is not enough water there to support both humans and animals, especially in times of drought. Whooping Cranes have never lived easy. Ignoring difficulties with migration from Alberta, Canada to Texas each year, a combination of human interference and habitat loss has now brought their shrinking populations even closer to extinction. Losing a species from our planet is a tragedy in itself, but even more frightening is the idea that humans are also struggling with an increasingly stressed water management system in Texas, along with the cranes. In the foreseeable future, we may watch the existence of the whooping crane come to an end, but what about humans living in this area? The effect of human development needs to be weighed more accurately with water availability and climate changes in the Guadalupe river basin. Water marketing should reflect the shortages occurring and that will occur to a greater degree in times of drought, and should also succumb to enhanced water conservation solutions. Lastly, laws regarding habitat protection and wildlife preservation need to support the climate in Texas more than they support development and economical gains.