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A critical physical geography (CPG) analysis of climate modeling

My colleague (UCLA PhD Candidate Emma Colven) and I just collaborated on an examination of climate modelling from the perspective of a human and physical geographer. The manuscript, “Bridging the Divide between Human and Physical Geography: Potential Avenues for Collaborative Research on Climate Change”, is up for review now. From the introduction: “…we examine theContinue reading “A critical physical geography (CPG) analysis of climate modeling”

Map of Indian Corn production in the United States, from the 1880 Census

Source: Walker, F. A. and C. W. Seaton. 1883. Report of the Productions of Agriculture as Reported in the Tenth Census (June 1, 1880). Washington. p. 90-110.

Afternoon twilight sky over the winter market in Karlsplatz, Vienna

Looking up at the low-slung clouds as the sun sets over Vienna, Christmas Eve (or thereabouts) just last week. Viennese find ways to enjoy their winter days in spite of the darkness.

Wildfire in West Los Angeles

Images of the Skirball Fire as seen from the Expo Line and UCLA.

Egypt Again

We lived in Cairo for the first third of 2010. I went back to do fieldwork in the Fayoum in fall 2012, well after the revolution, but nearing the height of the Morsi government’s power (and unpopularity). I hadn’t been back since. I went for several days at the end of November to the startContinue reading “Egypt Again”

DTLA at night

Beautiful

Pacific Ocean taken from just a little south of Pacifica, California.

Sea level rise in the Global South

One of my colleagues and fellow PhD candidate at UCLA, Emma Colven, is a critical political geographer through whom I learnt about the Great Garuda Project, the Indonesian government’s grand plan to defend Jakarta from sea level rise. It may also be described as a cynical ploy to attract direct foreign investment to a Dubai-styleContinue reading “Sea level rise in the Global South”

Our new paper just came out in PLoS One: Little Ice Age climatic erraticism as an analogue for future enhanced hydroclimatic variability across the American Southwest

The American Southwest has experienced a series of severe droughts interspersed with strong wet episodes over the past decades, prompting questions about future climate patterns and potential intensification of weather disruptions under warming conditions. Here we show that interannual hydroclimatic variability in this region has displayed a significant level of non-stationarity over the past millennium.Continue reading “Our new paper just came out in PLoS One: Little Ice Age climatic erraticism as an analogue for future enhanced hydroclimatic variability across the American Southwest”

Know that you’re buying into geo-engineering with coal power and its consequences

It’s lonely preaching to the converted. 😥 “As the Trump administration repeals the U.S. Clean Power Plan, a new study from the University of Michigan underscores the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions—from both environmental and economic perspectives. “For the U.S.’s most energy-hungry sectors—automotive and electricity—the study identifies timetables for action, after which the researchersContinue reading “Know that you’re buying into geo-engineering with coal power and its consequences”