Wanyun Shao, Ph.D
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"Climate Change" or "Global Warming?"

6/22/2017

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     Climate change and global warming have been used in mass media interchangeably for some time. These two terms however refer to different but related phenomenon. Global warming is "the increase in Earth’s average surface temperature due to rising levels of greenhouse gases,"  while climate change is "a long-term change in the Earth’s climate, or of a region on Earth."  Or put it simply, "global warming is one symptom of the much larger problem of human-caused climate change."
     
     The differences between these two terms do not only reflect in their definitions but also manifest in public reactions when hearing these two terms. For instance, global warming are more likely to generate negative feelings, compared to climate change. Meanwhile, survey data suggests that these two terms have both been politicized, making the strategy to increase using climate change in the public discourse less effective in closing the political division than many scientists hope it to be.
     
     Are these two labels different or similar to the American public? A new study finds  that Republicans are more likely to believe in the existence of climate change (74.4%) than global warming (65.5%), whereas Democrats are equally inclined to accept the existence of both (94%). In other words, the difference of these two labels still matters among some Republicans. 
     
     The silver lining, though, is that a majority of Republicans believe in the existence, whether it's global warming or climate change.

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Remove dams to build marshes and wetlands

6/22/2017

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     River sediments are essential to building marshes and wetlands. When a river meets with a large body of water such as an ocean, the velocity of water decreases, so does its carrying capacity. This causes sediments to deposit at the intersection of river and ocean, forming lands. What happens when rivers are deprived of sediments? Dams around the world have kept sediments from flowing downstream to build marshes and wetlands. Now, with the rising sea level, the realization that marshes and wetlands act as natural barriers leads to calling for dam removal.
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Elon Musk's vision to go to Mars

6/16/2017

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    Elon Musk has demonstrated to the world his high-flying ambition to make our civilization cross-planetary, in case tragic events may bring an end to the world as we know it. Read about his vision to go to Mars.
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Coastal Louisiana is sinking faster than many projected

6/16/2017

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     We know that coastal Louisiana has been sinking, due to a combination of land subsidence and sea level rise. A new study shows that the current sinking rate is what many considered "worst case scenario."

    Land subsidence has been going on for thousands of years. Many scientists believe the construction of dams and oil and gap extraction activities worsens this situation by intervening the natural Mississippi delta building process. Sea level rise due to temperature increase further complicates this matter. Despite the intensive efforts to protect and restore coastal Louisiana, many residents in rapidly sinking areas have no choice but relocate.

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The French government tries to entice foreign scientists

6/10/2017

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In a political climate that is increasingly hostile to American scientists, the french government is gesturing to them by offering 4-year grants worth up to €1.5million each.
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Let the market speak for itself

6/7/2017

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     Despite the denial of human-caused climate change and intention to bring coal back at the federal level, many states are behind a movement to push renewable energy. Surprisingly, the force is the strongest among the reddest states.
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Articles to react to Trump's decision on the Paris Accord

6/5/2017

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   In the wake of President Trump's announcement to withdraw from the Paris Accord, many have written about the implications that will unfold in days and years to come.

   Here are some pieces about its implication on foreign affairs:

Not only disastrous for the planet but even more catastrophic for the U.S.
The U.S. reneging may make others less committed.
Trump's decision erodes American credibility among nations.
Now, finally they say what they mean and they mean what they say about "America First."



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My piece on the Conversation: Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris Accord cedes global leadership to China

6/1/2017

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President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris Accord shocked the whole world. What does it mean?

I just published a piece, "Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris Accord cedes global leadership to China" on the Conversation.

Here is the last paragraph:

"The domestic environmental crisis has increased Chinese public concern about climate change. By pulling the United States back from international leadership to address climate change, President Trump has opened up an opportunity for China to step up. At this historic moment, China has every incentive to become a global climate leader."


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    Wanyun Shao, Ph.D

    I am a geographer who studies the relationship between human society and the environment at various geographic levels. I apply both quantitative (i.e., statistics and geospatial models) and qualitative (i.e., in-person interviews and policy analysis) methods in my research.

    As a National Academies of Sciences Gulf Research Program Early-Career Research Fellow, my current research is focused on the U.S. Gulf Coast Region.


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