New Russian Arctic Park to protect key polar bear habitat

ENN, June 17, 2009

The 'Russian Arctic' park is located on the northern part of Novaya Zemlya, a long island that arcs out into the Arctic Ocean between the Barents and Kara Seas. It also includes some adjacent marine areas.
WWF has long been lobbying for the park, which is also a key area for walrus, wild reindeer and bird population. The park creation excludes all industrial activities.
"This is exactly the sort of thing we need to see from Arctic governments," says Neil Hamilton Director of WWF International’s Arctic Programme. Read more...

Urban frontrunners — cities and the fight against global warming

EEA, June 15 2009

Barcelona is becoming a leader in solar energy use, Malmö is developing a carbon neutral residential area and London is setting ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets. Cities are joining in the fight against climate change.
As concentrations of human activity, Europe's cities and towns account for 69 % of the continent's energy use and thus most greenhouse gas emissions. Seen another way, however, the characteristics of urban settings offer important opportunities for sustainable living. Already, population density in cities means shorter journeys to work and services, greater use of public transport, and smaller dwellings requiring less lighting and heating. As a result, urban dwellers consume less energy per capita than rural residents. In some cities, policy-makers are now going further, implementing a variety of measures to combat greenhouse gas emissions. Read more...

Ο τόνος κολυμπά προς την εξαφάνιση

TA NEA, 13 Ιουνίου 2009

Στη Βρετανία ο τόνος είναι το ψάρι με τη δεύτερη μεγαλύτερη κατανάλωση (πρώτος είναι ο σολομός). Στους Αμερικανούς αρέσει επίσης πολύ. Στην Ιταλία είναι ένα συνηθισμένο φαγητό, το ίδιο στην Ισπανία, στη Γαλλία και στη Γερμανία. Οι Γιαπωνέζοι όμως είναι οι μεγαλύτεροι λάτρεις του τόνου και ιδιαίτερα του κυανόπτερου, που στις ψαραγορές του Τόκιο φτάνει τα 150 ευρώ το κιλό. Και αυτή η λαιμαργία της Ιαπωνίας για τον πιο σπάνιο και πιο εκλεκτό από τους τόνους είναι που έφερε φέτος την πρώτη μεγάλη κρίση στο είδος. Η υπεραλιεία έχει οδηγήσει τον κυανόπτερο του Ατλαντικού στα πρόθυρα της εξαφάνισης. Θα έχει εξαλειφθεί μέσα σε μόλις τρία χρόνια, σύμφωνα με το Παγκόσμιο Ταμείο για τη Φύση (WWF). Εντούτοις την περασμένη εβδομάδα η αγγλοαμερικανική αλυσίδα εστιατορίων Νobu αρνήθηκε να τον βγάλει από το μενού της. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Train can be worse for climate than plane

ENN, June 08, 2009

True or false: taking the commuter train across Boston results in lower greenhouse gas emissions than travelling the same distance in a jumbo jet. Perhaps surprisingly, the answer is false.
A new study compares the "full life-cycle" emissions generated by 11 different modes of transportation in the US. Unlike previous studies on transport emissions, Mikhail Chester and Arpad Horvath of the University of California, Berkeley, looked beyond what is emitted by different types of car, train, bus or plane while their engines are running and includes emissions from building and maintaining the vehicles and their infrastructure, as well as generating the fuel to run them. Read more...

Κτηνωδία με αλλεπάλληλα περιστατικά βασανισμού σκύλων μέχρι θανάτου στην Κρήτη

in.gr, 12 Ιουνίου 2009

Σκυλιά βασανισμένα μέχρι θανάτου, κρεμασμένα με σκοινί από δέντρα και φράχτες να αργοπεθαίνουν.
Τρία πρωτοφανή περιστατικά βασανισμού σκύλων έχουν σημειωθεί το τελευταίο διάστημα στον Τρυπητό και τα Έξω Μουλιανά Σητείας, καθώς και στην περιοχή Μαλλίων Κρήτης.
Τα τοπικά φιλοζωϊκά σωματεία έχουν υποβάλλει καταγγελία στην αστυνομία και απευθύνουν έκκληση σε όποιον έχει πληροφορίες για τους δράστες της απίστευτης κτηνωδίας να επικοινωνήσει με τις αρμόδιες Αρχές. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Floating wind turbine launched

BBC News, June 5, 2009

The world's first floating wind turbine is to be towed out to sea this weekend.
Statoil's Alexandra Beck Gjorv told the BBC the technology, the Hywind, to be put off Norway's coast - "should help move offshore wind farms out of sight".
And it could lead to offshore wind farms eventually being located many miles offshore, away from areas where they cause disruption, Ms Gjorv added. This would benefit military radar operations, the shipping industry, fisheries, bird life and tourism. Read more...

Beavers return after 400-year gap

BBC News, May 29, 2009

A total of 11 beavers have been released into the wild in Argyll as part of a reintroduction programme. Four more may join the Scottish Beaver Trial being run in Knapdale Forest.
The beavers have been brought to Scotland from Norway and their release marks a return to the UK after a 400-year absence.
The release will be studied to determine whether the trial should be extended and beavers reintroduced across Scotland. Read more...

EU greenhouse gas emissions fall for third consecutive year

EEA, May 29, 2009

European Union emissions of climate-changing greenhouse gases (GHG) declined for the third consecutive year in 2007, according to the EU's GHG inventory report compiled by the European Environment Agency. The EU-27's overall domestic emissions were 9.3 % below 1990 levels, which equalled a drop of 1.2 % or 59 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent compared to 2006. The EU-15 now stands 5 % below its Kyoto Protocol base year levels. Read more...