BBC News | Science & Environment | World EditionNature loss 'dwarfs bank crisis' Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:23:07 -0000
The global economy loses more money from deforestation than the current banking crisis, says an EU-commissioned report.
Minister wants astronaut 'icon' Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:00:57 -0000
The UK's new science minister says he wants a British astronaut in space because that individual would inspire youngsters.
Call to maintain climate targets Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:41:39 -0000
Ed Miliband, the new energy and climate secretary, urges Europe's leaders to stick to climate change targets.
NYT > EnvironmentMaritime Organization Seeks to Cut Air Pollution From Oceangoing Ships Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:16:09 -0000
The new rules would cut the sulfur content of the fuels ships use in controlled areas along coasts by 63 percent as of July of 2010.
Check Point: 2 Endorsements of Nuclear Power, but Sharp Differences on Details Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:21:53 -0000
Both John McCain and Barack Obama endorse nuclear energy, although to differing degrees, as part of their strategy to wean the United States from its dependence on foreign oil.
U.S. Requires Ships to Cut Speed in Waters Used by Right Whales Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:03:56 -0000
The National Marine Fisheries Service’s new directive applies to some ships in patches of ocean within 20 miles of the Atlantic coastline from Massachusetts to Florida.
ENN: ClimateCutting air pollution in cities may raise global temps, says scientistCleaning air in Beijing and in other large cities suffering from pollution problems by limiting car and power-plant emissions may raise global temperatures instead of lowering them, a German scientist warns.
Carbon tax seen as best way to slow global warmingClimate taxes, not cap and trade markets alone, will lead to the vast technological changes the world's energy system needs to fight global warming, a top U.S. economist said on Thursday.
Cap and trade has emerged as the dominant attempt to slow global warming. Global deals in permits to emit greenhouse gas emissions have hit nearly $65 billion a year.
Green alarm as EU ministers mull climate opt-outsFrance, Germany and Austria called on Friday for an easing of EU climate ambitions to help industries facing an economic downturn, causing green groups to warn that the battle against climate change was in jeopardy.
L.A. Times - Environment
As water level drops at Diamond Valley, rationing becomes more likely Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
With the lake -- intended as an insurance policy in case of natural disaster -- at only 60% capacity, the MWD board could start rationing Southern California cities as soon as 2009.
Diamond Valley Lake, the giant regional reservoir in Riverside County, has been called the "jewel" of Southern California when it comes to pleasure boating and bass fishing.
Global warming will hurt tropical species too, scientists say Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Although the most significant harm from climate change so far has been in the polar regions, tropical plants and animals may face an even greater threat, say scientists who studied conditions in Costa Rica.
Air New Zealand touts being green, quirky Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
The carrier's environmental initiatives are a reflection of the nation it represents.
Thousands of Southern Californians fly to this remote country every year to check the vast stretches of unspoiled mountainous and coastal beauty made famous by the epic "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
National Geographic NewsPHOTOS: Hundreds of New Species Found off Tasmania Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0000
A "hairy" crab, spiky sea stars, and a bright red shrimp are among the 274 new species found during a research survey of Australia's deep ocean.
Birds in "Big Trouble" Due to Habitat Loss, Fishing Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0000
Bird species worldwide are in decline—a sign that the planet's health is also faltering, according to a new report.
Biggest Dinosaurs Grew Huge by Not Chewing Their Food Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0000
The biggest land animals that ever lived grew huge and were an evolutionary success in part because they swallowed large quantities of food whole, new research suggests.
USDA - Natural ResourcesForest Service Maps and General Guides.Topographic maps, specialty maps and brochures, national
trails, roadless areas.
Plants DatabaseClassification, characteristics, invasive and noxious plants, alternative crops, distribution maps, fact sheets.
National Water Management CenterDirect assistance, information, and technology on water-related issues for natural resources conservation.
The Economist: The environmentChina’s water-diversion scheme: A shortage of capital flows Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:48:13 -0000
Going thirsty so Beijing can drinkTHE water level at Wangkuai Reservoir, one of the biggest in Hebei province, is close to an historic high—in a region gripped by drought. This has been achieved by hoarding the water. Local farmers say they have received none for two years. A hydroelectric plant by the huge dam is idle. Wangkuai is preparing for what officials call a “major political task”—channelling its water to Beijing, to help boost the city’s severely depleted supplies. On September 28th, after more than four years’ work on a 307km-long (191-mile) waterway costing more than $2 billion, Beijing began receiving its top-up. Two other large Hebei reservoirs, Gangnan and Huangbizhuang (see map), were the first to feed the new channel. Wangkuai is due to open its sluices in December, says a dam supervisor. Oddly for such a large and supposedly vital project, the launch was low key. Yet the channel’s inauguration was the most notable achievement so far of what, in the coming years, is intended to become a far more grandiose diversion scheme: bringing water from the Yangzi basin to the parched north, along channels stretching more than 1,000km. ...
Argentina: Fishy business Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:48:13 -0000
Patagonia’s troubled watersIT IS the conventional image of a grizzled gaucho lassoing cattle on the endless pampas that conjures up the notion of a still untamed frontier in Argentina. But if anywhere in the country resembles the wild west it is the waters off its long eastern shore, especially the windswept Patagonian coast, where fishermen prowl for squid, shrimp and hake. A combination of overfishing, weak regulation and belligerent unions has left the industry floundering, incidentally dealing a blow to Argentina’s decades-long effort to populate and develop its desolate southern steppes.The country’s biggest fishing fleet is based at Mar del Plata, in Buenos Aires province. Much of its workforce is employed informally, without legal contracts. The problems are of a different order at Puerto Madryn, the Patagonian home of the second-biggest commercial fishing fleet. Fishing businesses received subsidies in the 1980s and 1990s to set up there, as part of a government effort to develop Patagonia. These companies flourished after Argentina’s big devaluation of 2002, because they export all of their catch but most of their costs are in pesos. Catches were plump and so were profits. ...
Conservation: Living on the edge Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:04:35 -0000
More species of wildlife are under threatIT IS not just investment bankers who face extinction: more animals are now at risk too. The International Union for Conservation of Nature publishes the Red List, its annual inventory of species under threat, on Monday 6th October. The bleak news is that of the 44,838 species considered, 16,928 are threatened with extinction, including almost a quarter of the world's mammals. It is not all bad news though. Some endangered species, such as African Elephants and Wild Horses, are beginning to recover. Less photogenic beasts should beware; conservationists find it easier to stir up public sympathy for charismatic megafauna. Emma's Giant Rat and Rameshwaram Parachute Spiders are a lot less cuddly but just as much at risk. ...
Reuters: EnvironmentGreen alarm as EU ministers mull climate opt-outs Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:48:25 -0400
LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - France, Germany and Austria called on Friday for an easing of EU climate ambitions to help industries facing an economic downturn, causing green groups to warn that the battle against climate change was in jeopardy.
"Lost" deer rediscovered in Indonesia Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:23:42 -0400
OSLO (Reuters) - A "lost" type of deer has been found on a remote mountainside in Indonesia's Sumatra island 80 years after the last confirmed sighting, experts said Friday.
Carbon tax seen as best way to slow global warming Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:33:24 -0400
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Climate taxes, not cap and trade markets alone, will lead to the vast technological changes the world's energy system needs to fight global warming, a top U.S. economist said on Thursday.
NPR Topics: EnvironmentClimate Change And Species Movement Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:43:00 -0400
As the world's climate changes, many species are being forced out of their old habitats. While some species are able to migrate to cooler territory, those in the tropics may have no where else to go.
In Yosemite, Scientists Find Species Movin' On Up Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:00:00 -0400
Scientists have retraced the century-old steps of legendary naturalist Joseph Grinnell through Yosemite National Park. They found that most species have moved to higher, cooler elevations. Their study is published in this week's issue of the journal Science.
U.S. Sugar Tastes Sour To Everglades Tribe Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:00:00 -0400
In Southern Florida, there's a battle over a restoration plan for the Everglades. On one side: environmental groups, public officials, and sugar industry executives. On the other side: the Miccosukee, a small group of native Americans that actually live there.
UN News Centre - Environment, ShelterDo more, invest more in mitigating impact of natural disasters, Ban tells world Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Much more needs to be done and much greater funding made available to mitigate the devastating toll of natural disasters in an age when climate change threatens to increase both their frequency and severity, according to a United Nations report released today.
Experts devise action plan to examine impact of climate change on health - UN Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Experts at a meeting convened by the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) today agreed on a plan of action to create guidelines on the impact of climate change on human health.
On International Day, UN stresses need to make hospitals safe from disasters Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
United Nations officials are marking the International Day for Disaster Reduction with a call to invest more to make hospitals safe in the event of natural hazards such as earthquakes and cyclones, stressing that doing so not only saves lives but is highly cost-effective.
Environment Challenges and Opportunities UNIDOs Cleaner Production Program B-SPAN Washington D.C.On July 22nd, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) hosted a roundtable on the United Nations Industrial Development Organizations (UNIDO) Cleaner Production (CP) program. The program and network aims at building capacity for CP in participating countries, providing a place for dialogue between industry and government. The program allows UNIDO to address the gap that exists between competitive industrial production and environmental concerns.
The Release of Environmental Sustainability An Evaluation of World Bank Group Support B-SPAN Washington D.C. On July 22nd, 2008, the World Bank presented a panel discussion to recognize the release of Environmental Sustainability An Evaluation of World Bank Group Support, written by John Redwood, Jouni Eerikainen, and Ethel Tarazona. Event Chair Vinod Thomas, Director General of the World Banks Independent Evaluation Group, opened the panel by explaining the importance of the report regarding the broader implications for both the Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).
2. Global Tiger Conservation Initiative Symposium B-SPAN On June 9 2008, the World Bank launched the Global Tiger Conservation Initiative with a thematic symposium held at the World Banks headquarters in Washington D.C. The event, entitled Tiger Conservation Moving Lessons Learnt Towards a Winning Strategy, brought together tiger conservation experts to discuss lessons in trade, governance and finance, as well as steps going forward in this important effort.
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