The Pangani River in Tanzania is important for many reasons: its three major dams provide 17 percent of the country’s electricity; it sustains thousands of farmers and herders living in the basin; and its flow of fresh water supports humans, industry, and ecosystems. But most…
In July, Lisa Palmer was appointed public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. She is conducting independent research and reporting on food, agriculture, the environment, and population. Her Wilson Center project, “Feeding a Hot and Hungry Planet,” will examine agriculture, population…
The eyes of the world are on Brazil now as world cup soccer kicks off in Sao Paulo. In my latest article for the science research journal Nature, I report on some of the pockets of excellence in South American science. My news feature focusses…
I’m happy to announce that the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) appointed me science communications fellow. During my fellowship, I will research and produce stories at the nexus of climate change, environment, sustainability, and social science. I will work on long form journalism articles on…
The UN is calling on investors and business to pump up their financing of low-carbon technologies By Lisa Palmer Major investors and big business met with government leaders at the United Nations recently to address the urgency of clean energy investments. Their mission? To close a huge…
With prospects in the U.S. increasingly uncertain, Peabody Energy, the world’s largest private coal company, is expanding its operations abroad. But that strategy could carry significant risks, as coal-consuming powerhouses like China are working to reduce their dependence on the fossil fuel. By Lisa Palmer…
Great stories sometimes start out with the simplest inspiration. A phrase, a conversation overheard, an observation in nature, or a bag of rice purchased from a grocery store can motivate me to report on it. The inspiration works or it doesn’t. Recently, I was about…
I recently talked with will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas at Brainstorm Green in Laguna Niguel, California. The hip-hop band founder and innovator launched a brand initiative with Coca-Cola called EKOCYCLE, which inspires brands to not only design but innovate by using recycled materials in their products. The potential for…
This week I’m in California at Fortune’s Brainstorm Green Conference. If you are attending, please contact me via the press room (#1002) or e mail me [my first name] (a t) lisa-palmer.com.
In my recent story for The New York Times I write about ways Iowa farmers are seeking to prevent nutrients from getting into streams and rivers. My article focuses on using artificial wetlands to capture and process the fertilizer that flows unabated into the Mississippi.…
