Weekend Reads: Earth, Wind and Fire

For your reading pleasure this weekend, I've put together some of my favourite pieces from The Conversation global network over the last seven days that focus on our precious planet Earth, provide analysis to the rhetoric being spouted by some long-winded politicans and give insight into the terrible wildfires raging in Califorrnia.

Earth, Wind and Fire: Enjoy.

Have a great weekend and we'll back in your Inbox on Monday.

Scott White

Editor

Weekend Reads

Sticker shock: Conservation costs and policy complications

Andrea Olive, University of Toronto

Carving up ecosystems or opening them to development puts the survival of species at risk.

Pourquoi la diversité biologique est la condition de notre survie

Eric Muraille, Université Libre de Bruxelles

Il est urgent de reconsidérer l’importance de la diversité. Elle n’est pas une simple richesse. C’est à la fois une propriété du vivant et une condition indispensable à sa survie.

The uncertain future of U.S. coal communities

Sandeep Pai, University of British Columbia; Hisham Zerriffi, University of British Columbia

Despite politically powerful coal communities helping elect a president who vowed guarantee their continued prosperity, their future remains more uncertain than ever.

Let’s create climate policy that will survive elections

Chad Walker, Queen's University, Ontario

In order to address a warming planet over the medium and long-term, climate policy must be designed to be adaptable and indeed attractive to those across the political spectrum.

Theresa May’s deal is almost exactly the Brexit the UK voted for

Craig Berry, Manchester Metropolitan University

Controlling immigration was the most important concern for Brexit voters and May's deal does that.

Theresa May’s Brexit deal: here’s how the factions want to rewrite it

Simon Usherwood, University of Surrey

And why it’s not enough to be against the Withdrawal Agreement.

How fierce fall and winter winds help fuel California fires

Faith Kearns, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Max Moritz, University of California, Santa Barbara

The dry, hot, downslope Santa Ana winds of Southern California fan late fall wildfires that have largely traveled through – and are fueled by – homes and other structures.

The bitter lesson of the Californian fires

David Bowman, University of Tasmania

The California fires are just the most recent in a series of major wildfires. Together, they suggest we need to look at alternative ways of living with fire.