• Spreck Rosekrans puts things in perspective: In 1980, scientists said that “‘no more than 25-30 % of the natural flow [of the Delta] can be diverted without disastrous consequences.’ Diversions have risen well beyond [that] threshold, to an average of 48% to date in the 21st century.”
• A rap on water conservation from San Diego, e.g., “Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink/ Squandered when we wash the car, wasted in the kitchen sink.” Too bad he only talks about rationing. How about this: “If you want to end the Crisis/Then just raise the Price-is!“
• The UK gov’t says “further research into the feasibility of using geo-engineering options could be merited. If research goes ahead, we have identified a number of desk, field, laboratory and climate model-based studies as priorities for the research community to consider [PDF]. Others are more skeptical.
• “With increasing frequency, wealthy, food-importing, and water-scarce countries—particularly the Arab Gulf states and the rich countries of East Asia—are investing in farmland overseas to meet food security needs. Similarly, the private sector is pursuing farmland deals abroad, with many investors perceiving land as a safe investment in an otherwise shaky financial climate. This run on agricultural land has been described as a new phase of the world food crisis… The Wilson Center hosted a half-day conference that examined the patterns and motivations of such investments; considered the implications for investors, host countries, and food security; and highlighted case studies from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the former Soviet Union.”
• Biodiversity: “We identified 100 scientific questions that, if answered, would have the greatest impact on conservation practice and policy.” Here’s the paper [PDF]
• Ed Glaeser points out an inconsistency: “The old mantra “think globally, act locally,” is pretty silly. Local environmentalism is often bad environmentalism, because keeping one’s backyard pristine can make the planet worse off…. Environmentalists should, presumably, be out there lobbying for more homes in coastal California, but instead, for more than four decades, California environmental groups, such as Save the Bay, have fought new construction in the most temperate, lowest carbon-emission area of the country.”

hattips to FCRN, SS and DW