Table of Contents
Environmental Issues Health and Medicine International Issues Policy and Research Issues Transportation Events and Open Meetings

Environmental Issues


Replacing Indian Point Nuclear Energy

The energy generated by New York's Indian Point nuclear power plant could be replaced if it closes in coming years, but political, regulatory, and financial hurdles would make doing so difficult, says a new report from the National Research Council. With early planning and sufficient resources dedicated to replacing lost capacity and meeting expected increases in demand, the reactors could be retired in 2013 and 2015 without causing a major disruption.

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Evidence of Global Warming

There is sufficient evidence from tree rings, retreating glaciers, and other "proxies" to say with confidence that the last few decades of the 20th century were warmer than any comparable period in the last 400 years, according to a new National Research Council report. There is less confidence in reconstructions of surface temperatures from 1600 back to AD 900, and very little confidence in findings on average temperatures before then.

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Health and Medicine


Asbestos Exposure Is Linked to Cancer of the Larynx

Sufficient scientific evidence indicates that asbestos exposure can cause laryngeal cancer, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. There is suggestive but ultimately insufficient evidence that asbestos exposure can cause pharyngeal, stomach, or colorectal cancer; the evidence about esophageal cancer and asbestos is indeterminate.

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Emergency Care System Needs Funds, Coordination

The nation's emergency medical system is overburdened, underfunded, and highly fragmented, says a new series of three reports from the Institute of Medicine. The reports call for a significant infusion of funds to bolster the system's capabilities and recommend actions to reduce crowding of emergency departments, boost the number of specialists involved in emergency care, and increase regional collaboration among all emergency medical services in an area.

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International Issues


World's Academies Urged to Support Women in S&T

The US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and other national academies of science are being urged in a new report from the InterAcademy Council to help reverse the underrepresentation of women in scientific and technical fields, as well as their low numbers among the academies' memberships. The council, based in Amsterdam, is an international organization that was created by 90 academies, including the NAS.

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Policy and Research Issues


Science Academies Issue Statements on Infectious Diseases, Energy

The US National Academy of Sciences joined 11 other national science academies in calling on world leaders, particularly those of the G-8 countries meeting in July in Russia, to tackle the problems of avian influenza and other infectious diseases through cooperative, global strategies. The academies also urged leaders to jointly implement policies for improving the efficient use of energy and achieving sustainable, reliable, and environmentally acceptable energy supplies for all nations.

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Facing Hazards and Disasters: Understanding Human Dimensions

As evidenced by Hurricane Katrina, the Indian Ocean tsunami, the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, and other recent events, our understanding of, and response to, hazards and disasters could be greatly improved. For example, research is needed to understand how the characteristics of different types of events--including predictability, forewarning, magnitude, and duration of impact--affect societal vulnerability and response. This report includes over 30 recommendations for research to advance knowledge about mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery related to disasters (including terrorist acts) that have catastrophic physical and social impacts.

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Transportation


Technologies to Improve Consideration of Environmental Concerns in Transportation Decisions

The Transportation Research Board has released a report on "Technologies to Improve Consideration of Environmental Concerns in Transportation Decisions." This "research results digest" describes eight technologies that may be used by transportation agencies at all levels in their consideration of environmental concerns when making transportation decisions. The 38-page report is posted at the accompanying link.

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Events and Open Meetings


MEETING: International Capacity Building for the Protection and Sustainable Use of Oceans and Coasts

The Committee on International Capacity Building for the Protection and Sustainable Use of Oceans and Coasts will hold its inaugural meeting July 6-8 at the National Academies' Keck Center in Washington DC. Open sessions, to be held the afternoon of the 6th and the morning of the 7th, will include discussions with representatives of the Packard Foundation (a sponsor of the project), World Bank, and Wildlife Conservation Society of Kenya; a draft agenda is posted at the accompanying link. If you would like to attend the sessions of this meeting that are open to the public or need more information please contact Jodi Bostrom, by email at <jbostrom@nas.edu> or by telephone at 202 334 2628.

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MEETING: Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee

The first meeting of the National Academies Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee will be held July 6-7 at the Academies' Keck Center in Washington DC. Open sessions, scheduled the afternoon of the 6th, will include presentations by other groups working on guidelines and by groups currently using the guidelines; a draft agenda is posted at the accompanying link. If you would like to attend the sessions of this meeting that are open to the public or need more information please contact Anne Jurkowski, by email at <ajurkowski@nas.edu> or by telephone at 202 334 1442.

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WORKSHOP: Historic and Archaeological Preservation in Transportation

The Transportation Research Board is sponsoring the Historic and Archeological Preservation in Transportation Summer Workshop on July 23-26 in Williamsburg, Virginia. The workshop will include a plenary session celebrating the 40th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act and sessions covering archaeology and science, battlefields in transportation, the use of historic contexts, interstate highway evaluations, and other important historic preservation issues in transportation. The preliminary workshop program and more information about the event are posted at the accompanying links.

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