People in Emerging Markets Catch Up to Advanced Economies in Life Satisfaction
PewResearch | READ STORY

People in emerging economies are considerably more satisfied with their lives today than they were in 2007. A Pew Research Center survey finds that publics in emerging nations now rival those in advanced economies in their self-reported well-being. The rise in happiness among middle income countries is driven in large part by attitudes in Asian nations, such as China, Indonesia and Malaysia. People in developing economies are also happier today than they were seven years ago, though the improvement has been more modest.

War on Poverty Turns 50: Are We Winning Yet?
CATO | READ STORY

The War on Poverty is 50 years old. Over that time, federal and state governments have spent more than $19 trillion fighting poverty. But what have we really accomplished? Although far from conclusive, the evidence examined in this report shows that we have successfully reduced many of the deprivations of material poverty, especially in the early years of the War on Poverty. However, these efforts were more successful among socioeconomically stable groups such as the elderly than low-income groups facing other social problems. Moreover, other factors like the passage of the Civil Rights Act, the expansion of economic opportunities to African Americans and women, increased private charity, and general economic growth may all have played a role in whatever poverty reduction occurred.

A new view of the housing boom and bust; morgtages by race 2001-2013
Urban Institute | READ STORY

This new interactive map by the Housing Finance Policy Center shows 13 years of data on more than 100 million mortgages in 24 seconds. See how lending patterns by race and ethnicity have changed throughout the entire United States

Digital divide exacerbates US inequality
Financial Times | READ STORY

The majority of families in some of the US’s poorest cities do not have a broadband connection, according to a Financial Times analysis of official data that shows how the “digital divide” is exacerbating inequality in the world’s biggest economy. High quality global journalism requires investment. But the new figures from the Census Bureau, which collected data on internet use at a sub-state level for the first time last year, show how hard it will be to hit that target in the next five years. There are still 31m households in the US without a home or mobile broadband subscription.

Climate Wizard
The Nature Conservancy | READ STORY

Climate Wizard enables technical and non-technical audiences alike to access leading climate change information and visualize the impacts anywhere on Earth. The first generation of this web-based program allows the user to choose a state or country and both assess how climate has changed over time and to project what future changes are predicted to occur in a given area. ClimateWizard represents the first time ever the full range of climate history and impacts for a landscape have been brought together in a user-friendly format.

3 Infographics Explain Our Climate Past and Future
WRI | READ STORY

The final installment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) fifth assessment report (AR5), set to be released this weekend, is the most comprehensive evaluation of climate change to date. Its findings are both alarming and clear: Climate change is already affecting communities and ecosystems across the planet, and without urgent action, it’s poised to worsen. This article presents three infographics related to the IPCC report: the history of carbon emissions, the global carbon budget, and our emissions future.