The March of Climate Determinism

In the late 2000s, a new climate change story line emerged in the media.

The seeds for this narrative were perhaps sown ten years ago, when a worst-case scenario report commissioned by the Pentagon triggered breathless headlines about a research field known as “abrupt climate change.” Perhaps you saw the 2004 movie.

The sensationalist portrayal of a sudden climate-induced doomsday was dismissed in scientific circles as implausible, but the film caught people’s attention.

What followed was a more sober analysis from Beltway think tanks assessing the linkages between climate change and geopolitical strife. Congress held hearings on the climate/national security nexus and the issue –while politically contentious–was taken seriously in the U.S. military and intelligence communities. Indeed, climate change was projected to be a major driver of future conflicts and instability around the world.

I wrote about this emerging issue on numerous occasions in the late 2000s, including in this space. (Here’s a more recent round-up of high profile studies.)

In the last several years, some scholars and influential pundits have argued that global warming played a major role in the Arab Spring. The notion that climate change sparked Syria’s hellish civil war has also gained currency in some circles.

When we get to this point–when famines and wars with deeply rooted socio-political causes–are attributed to climate change–we are approaching the same territory inhabited by those who routinely cast every severe weather event and catastrophe in the context of climate change. (This unfortunate tendency is rued by some in the climate community.)

Researchers who study the environment/security intersection–and who strive to remain unbiased–know that the climate change-security discourse has taken a problematic direction. (Indeed, some warned about it.) At the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security program, read this new post by Francois Gemenne, who writes:

Debate on the human security dimensions of climate change has often been cast from a deterministic perspective, where global warming will automatically translate into mass migrations, competition for resources and land, and ultimately conflict and devastation. There are two problems with this rhetoric.

To understand those problems, read the whole commentary. And when you’re done, check out this 2007 piece by Mike Hulme, who also warned about the seduction of climate determinism.

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Japanese astronaut to command space station in March

Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata is seen on a monitor during a training exercise in a cetrifuge at the Star City space centre outside Moscow, August 9, 2013.

Credit: Reuters/Sergei Remezov

By Irene Klotz

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida | Wed Aug 28, 2013 5:58pm EDT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - The first Japanese astronaut to live aboard the International Space Station is preparing for a return flight, this time to serve as commander, officials said on Wednesday.

Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, is due to leave in November with a pair of veteran astronauts from the United States and Russia.

Wakata, 50, is expected to take command of the orbital research outpost in March, marking the first time a Japanese astronaut will lead a human space mission.

"It means a lot to Japan to have its own representative to command the International Space Station," Wakata told a news conference broadcast from the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

"It's a big milestone for Japan ... to have this experience," he said.

In 2009, Wakata became the first astronaut from Japan to live aboard the $100 billion research laboratory that flies about 250 miles above Earth.

Japan, one of 15 nations participating in the project, provided the station's largest and most elaborate laboratory, named Kibo, as well as cargo resupply ships.

Wakata, who was part of two missions on NASA's now-retired space shuttles, is training for his fourth flight along with NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin, both 53.

Mastracchio, a veteran of three shuttle missions and one of NASA's most experienced spacewalkers, will be making his first long-duration flight. Tyurin will be living aboard the station for a third time.

Command of the station typically rotates between a U.S. astronaut and Russian cosmonaut. In 2009, Belgium astronaut Frank De Winne became the first European to command the station. Canada's first commander, Chris Hadfield, was in charge from March until May.

Wakata, a native of Saitama, Japan, holds a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering, a master's in applied mechanics and a doctorate in aerospace engineering from Kyushu University. Before being selected as an astronaut in 1992, he worked as an aircraft structural engineer for Japan Airlines.

Wakata's first two spaceflights, in January 1996 and October 2000, were aboard NASA space shuttles. He was Japan's first live-aboard space station resident from March to July 2009. Upon returning to the station in November, Wakata will serve as a flight engineer before taking over command in March.

(Reporting by Tom Brown,; Editing by Stacey Joyce)

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The Checklist: Fitness and nutrition advice for March

March is my pudgiest month. Winter has made it challenging to get to the gym or outside for regular runs. But now spring is nigh (it officially starts March 20!), and shorts-wearing weather can't be far behind. So now's the time to start getting in shape for the warm months ahead. I will if you will.

Run in a relay

Maybe you can't get in good enough shape by March 26 to run the whole SunTrust National Marathon, but perhaps you can aim to be part of a relay team. For the second year, families, friends or co-workers can form three-person relay teams for the United Way Team Half Marathon. Two runners run five miles each, and the third runs 3.1 miles. It's a great way to get a taste of marathon running. Proceeds benefit Kids RunDC, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and United Way.

Having a goal, such as running a race, can help motivate you to start or stick with a fitness plan. Registration costs $150 per team and must be submitted online by March 20. For more information, call 866-786-0262 or visit www.nationalmarathon.com.

Health o' the Irish

This St. Patrick's Day, in addition to wearing green, celebrate by baking your own Irish soda bread. Try the recipe for Dark Irish Soda Bread from the Food section's recipe database. It uses whole-wheat flour, so if you eat a slice or two, you can feel good about following the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, which call for eating at least three servings of whole grain daily. This recipe makes a 12-slice loaf, with each slice containing 113 calories and just one gram of saturated fat.

Sadly, though that nice pint of Guinness Stout you might down with your bread is brewed from barley, a whole grain, the stout itself doesn't contribute to your whole-grain intake.

As I wrote in last week's column, eating whole grains is associated with maintaining a healthful weight. And because whole grains deliver a lot of nutrients per calorie, they're an efficient way of getting all the vitamins and minerals you need in a day without overeating. I'll drink to that!

March mindfulness

Counter the March Madness in your life with a dose of mindfulness. The practice of living consciously in the moment can keep you calm and focused and even help with weight management, says Annie Mahon, founder of Circle Yoga in Chevy Chase D.C. When you eat mindfully, you concentrate on and savor every bite you eat, which in turn can keep you from eating more than you need. "If you sit and eat it mindfully, it can be a huge joy," Mahon says. Families can practice mindful eating simply "by taking a moment of silence before you begin eating so everyone can enjoy their food," she suggests.

You can learn more about applying mindfulness to your home life at a March 12 workshop at Circle Yoga. Led by Mahon and instructor Linda Feldman, it costs $40 if you register by March 5; after that, it's $45. Circle Yoga is at 3838 Northampton St. NW. Call 202-686-1104, e-mail info@circleyoga.com or visit www.circleyoga.com.

Shop for spears

Asparagus makes its way to the produce section this month, a sure reminder that spring is on the way. The vegetable is chock-full of folate, which can help reduce your risk of obesity. A cup of raw asparagus adds up to just 27 calories, so you can afford to splurge.

Be aware that eating asparagus may make your urine smell like sulfur. Scientists aren't sure if this happens to everyone, or if only some of us can detect the scent. But asparagus is too good for you to skip it for this reason! A recipe to try: Grilled Asparagus With Lemon.

Play with your food

The American Dietetic Association has named March National Nutrition Month, and this year's theme is "Eat Right With Color." The idea is that for optimal nutrition, we should choose a variety of foods in all kinds of colors. That means putting more fruits and vegetables on our plates, along with whole grains, lean proteins and dairy, and making them the cornerstone of a weight-loss plan, says ADA spokesman Jim White. "Colorful foods like fruits and vegetables give you more bang for your buck," nutritionally speaking, he says. The fiber and water they contain can "decrease your appetite, make you feel full, fast." White's suggestions include:

Red: cherries, peppers, beets, tomatoes

Orange: apricots, cantaloupes, carrots, sweet potatoes

White, tan, brown: bananas, cauliflower, brown pears, mushrooms

Green: avocados, asparagus, grapes

A tip: Rather than stashing fruits and veggies in the fridge, wash and cut them and keep them out on the counter, where you and your family are more likely to see and reach for them.

CPR follow-up

A reader pointed out to me that the CPR class finder I recommended in February's Checklist didn't list local classes. Turns out I hadn't caught on to some glitches on the American Heart Association's Web site. As it happens, March is American Red Cross Month, and you can find a CPR class in the area at www.redcross.org (click on "Take a Class"). Cross my heart!

Looking ahead

Tell us: Know of a great fitness- or nutrition-related event in the next few months? E-mail details to checkup@washpost.com for possible inclusion in The Checklist.

Next week: The Eat, Drink & Be Healthy column returns with a focus on ranch dressing.

For nutrition news, visit the Checkup blog , follow @jhuget on Twitter and subscribe to the Lean & Fit newsletter by going to washingtonpost.com/wellness.

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Science Signaling Podcast, 19 March 2013

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Science Signaling Podcast, 12 March 2013

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