In Case You Missed It - The Week of July 17-July 23

- The U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification released a report detailing the latest figures, graphics and maps on desertification, land degradation and drought.

- Duke University researchers report that children living close to airports have higher blood lead levels than other children.

- The California Air Resources Board has proposed rules to tighten vehicle emissions standards even further by 2025, such that new vehicles emit 75% less smog-forming pollution than today's vehicles.

- Environmental and public health groups filed suit against the EPA for missing a six-month deadline to determine that the Los Angeles Basin failed to meet the ozone standard in November 2010.  (LA Times)

- Mayor Michael Bloomberg donated $50 million to the Sierra Club to use in its efforts to decommission 1/3 of existing coal-fired power plants by 2020. (NY Times)

- To pollute or not to pollute? A new study finds that particulates in the atmosphere have slowed global warming by as much as one-third.