Here are some items in the news that we found this past week that are worth a read:

At the Intersection of Conflict and Environment
What is the role of natural resources and the environment in conflict and post conflict settings? Watch an interview with David Jensen by Geoff Dabelko at the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program. David is a Policy Manager at UNEP’s Post Conflict and Disaster Management Branch, and the interview focuses on his work and experiences in this cutting edge and very important field.

Did Kyoto Work?
In looking forward to the negotiations for a new climate treaty in Copenhagen, how well has the Kyoto Protocol (set to expire in 2012) done in its objectives? Kyoto Climate Treaty’s Greenhouse ‘Success’ at Science News has all the answers.

The Freakout over Superfreakanomics
Steve Levitt, author of Freakanomics, went to Neil’s high school. While we both enjoyed his first book, his latest effort, Superfreakanomics, has stirred up controversy because of a chapter called ‘Global Cooling’  that appears to be riddled with climate science errors. An open letter to Steve Levitt by a colleague of his at the University of Chicago (posted at Real Climate) takes aim at one incorrect assertion of the chapter – that the use of solar panels is detrimental to the climate because they are black and absorb sunlight, thereby contributing to global warming. The author of the letter uses simple arithmetic and a fair dose of dry humor to get his point across, and it is an excellent read.

Climate Change – Who Wins, Who Loses?
Which societies will fare best in a world increasingly altered by climate change? Read an interesting piece at Yale360 by Gaia Vince, the former news editor at Nature, about some of the factors that will shape how different societies adapt to a changing global environment.

Landmark Water Reform in California
California has passed a historic water bill after months of political back and forth. The bill puts caps on overall water usage across the state. Is it the best bill, could California have done better, and what obstacles remain? Hear what Peter Gleick, President of the Pacific Institute, has to say about it.

Coal Bites the Dust
Another coal power plant proposal is canceled – this time in Minnesota and South Dakota.