Daily Roundup: January 18, 2011

Ups and Downs: The U.S., China, Ethiopia, and parts of northern Europe are among the few places expected to be able to grow more crops as a result of climate change, according to a new study. The bad news: It won't be enough to ward off an increase in world starvation. Yahoo! News

Sustainable Oasis: The Sahara Desert may become a source of food, water, and energy, thanks to the signing of an agreement that would allow for the development of a pilot system. Inhabitat

Greenest of Them All: Abu Dhabi, neighbor to flashy Dubai, hopes to become the world's first carbon-neutral, zero-waste city with the 2013 completion of its Masdar development project. Los Angeles Times

Snails as Sensors: A Russian waterworks facility has recruited six giant African snails to monitor air pollution coming from its sewage incinerator. TreeHugger

A Mammoth Idea: Using a cloning technique, Japanese researchers will attempt to bring back the mammoth, a species believed to be extinct for over 5,000 years. Huffington Post

--Molly Oleson