About Me
- Iosif Botetzagias
- Assistant Professor of Environmental Politics and Policy, Dept. of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece
2010: The environment year in review
The Guardian, December 27, 2010
From the 'greenest government ever' to Deepwater Horizon to the individuals of the year, John Vidal sums up the highs and lows of 2010. Read more...
Σούπα με ψιλοκομμένα πλαστικά ολόκληρη η Μεσόγειος
In.gr, 30 Δεκεμβρίου 2010
Μικροσκοπικά σωματίδια πλαστικού, συνολικά γύρω στα 250 δισεκατομμύρια κομμάτια, επιπλέουν στα νερά της Μεσογείου, απειλώντας τα ζώα που τρέφονται με πλαγκτόν και γενικά όλο το τροφικό πλέγμα, προειδοποιούν θαλάσσιοι βιολόγοι που πραγματοποίησαν δειγματοληψίες. Τον περασμένο Ιούλιο, ερευνητική ομάδα από τη Γαλλία και το Βέλγιο συνέλεξε δείγματα νερού έξω από τις ακτές της Γαλλίας, της βόρειας Ιταλίας και της Ισπανίας, σε βάθος από 10 έως 15 εκατοστά. «Η χονδρική εκτίμηση είναι ότι υπάρχουν περίπου 250 δισ. μικροσωματίδια πλαστικού σε όλη τη Μεσόγειο» δήλωσε στο Γαλλικό Πρακτορείο ο Φρανσουά Γκαλγκανί, ερευνητής του Ifremer (Γαλλικό Ινστιτούτο για την Εξερεύνηση της Θάλασσας). Διαβάστε περισσότερα...
Freshwater wildlife thrives in cleanest rivers since Industrial Revolution
Otters, water voles and species of freshwater fish which had all but vanished from waterways have made a dramatic recovery following the healthiest decade for rivers since the industrial revolution. The toxic effects of pesticides nearly wiped out the wild otter in the 1970s, but steady improvements in water quality mean their numbers are expected to make a full recovery. Otters may already have reached their maximum capacity in parts of the south-west of England, Cumbria and Northumbria. In the past 30 years, positive sightings have risen 10-fold, says a report by the Environment Agency. Read more...
Fiji Water Targeted in ‘Greenwashing’ Class Action Suit
Fiji Water Company has been named in a class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, Calif. that alleges the company has profited by greenwashing claims that it’s water products are carbon negative—which means that the production, packaging and shipment of the water removes more carbon pollution from the atmosphere than it releases into it. The lawsuit was brought by the Newport Beach, Calif.-based Newport Trial Group on behalf of Desiree Worthington and other similarly situated individuals to seek restitution for “the false claims from which [Fiji Water Company has] richly profited.”. Read more...
EU signs off on carbon permits bonanza
EurActiv.com, December 23, 2010
A new regulatory regime for dispensing around 100 billion euros of carbon permits has been approved by EU regulators, granting steelmakers and oil refineries free emission allowances in an effort to shield them from international competition after 2012. Fears that tighter controls on CO2 emissions in Europe will drive factories to relocate abroad has led the EU to grant sweeping exemptions for industries deemed to be at risk. Read more...
Ξεκίνησε η προσπάθεια για αναδημιουργία της λίμνης Κάρλας στη Θεσσαλία
In.gr, 23 Δεκεμβρίου 2010
Άρχισε την Πέμπτη η άντληση νερού από τον Πηνειό στην πολύπαθη λίμνη Κάρλα, η οποία είχε αποξηρανθεί το 1962 αλλά επανέρχεται τώρα στο θεσσαλικό τοπίο. Η λειτουργία των αντλιοστασίων θα συνεχιστεί για περίπου έξι μήνες, οδηγώντας στην Κάρλα τις χειμερινές και εαρινές απορροές του Πηνειού. Εφόσον οι βροχές είναι καλές, ο ταμιευτήρας της λίμνης θα έχει την άνοιξη 120.000 κυβικά μέτρα καθαρού νερού, όγκος που αντιστοιχεί στο 75% της χωρητικότητας. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...
Άρχισε την Πέμπτη η άντληση νερού από τον Πηνειό στην πολύπαθη λίμνη Κάρλα, η οποία είχε αποξηρανθεί το 1962 αλλά επανέρχεται τώρα στο θεσσαλικό τοπίο. Η λειτουργία των αντλιοστασίων θα συνεχιστεί για περίπου έξι μήνες, οδηγώντας στην Κάρλα τις χειμερινές και εαρινές απορροές του Πηνειού. Εφόσον οι βροχές είναι καλές, ο ταμιευτήρας της λίμνης θα έχει την άνοιξη 120.000 κυβικά μέτρα καθαρού νερού, όγκος που αντιστοιχεί στο 75% της χωρητικότητας. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...Και δυο καλές ειδήσεις για τους πάγους της Αρκτικής και τις πολικές αρκούδες
Σε αντίθεση με ό,τι πιστεύουν πολλοί κλιματολόγοι, η υποχώρηση των πάγων της Αρκτικής δεν είναι μη αναστρέψιμη, υποδεικνύει νέα μελέτη στο περιοδικό Nature, ενώ μια δεύτερη έρευνα προβλέπει ότι οι πολικές αρκούδες θα συνεχίσουν να έχουν πάγο να σταθούν και να επιβιώσουν. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...
The European environment – state and outlook 2010
UN climate change talks in Cancun agree a deal
BBC News, December 11, 2010UN talks in Cancun have reached a deal to curb climate change, including a fund to help developing countries. Nations endorsed compromise texts drawn up by the Mexican hosts, despite objections from Bolivia. The draft documents say deeper cuts in carbon emissions are needed, but do not establish a mechanism for achieving the pledges countries have made. Read more...
Mountain gorilla population up by 100 individuals
ENN, December 08, 2010
Conservation appears to be working for the Critically Endangered mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) in the Virunga massif region, as a new census shows an additional 100 individuals from the last census in 2003, an increase of over a quarter. The Virunga massif is a region in three nations—Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda—and covering three protected area.Read more...
EU countries launch North Sea electricity grid
Euractiv, December 06, 2010
Ten European countries, including Norway, have agreed to develop an offshore electricity grid at the North Sea, in a bold move that promoters say will give Europe the possibility of tapping into an even bigger source of energy than the Middle East's oil capacity. Ministers from all the ten 'North Seas Countries' signed of a 'Memorandum of Understanding' on December 3 to develop an offshore electricity grid seen as a major step forward for a single European market for electricity. Read more...
NASA images reveal disappearing mangroves worldwide
ENN, December 02, 2010
In August NASA and the US Geological Survey released the first-ever satellite analysis of the world's mangrove ecosystems. What they found was dire: mangroves covered 12.3% less area than previously estimated. Now, NASA has released images of the world's mangrove ecosystems, which currently cover 137,760 square kilometers. Yet this number keeps shrinking: mangroves are vanishing rapidly due to rising sea levels, deforestation for coastal developments, agriculture and aquaculture. Read more...
Η ρύπανση με υδράργυρο «οδηγεί σε ομοφυλοφιλία τα υδρόβια πτηνά»
Αρσενικά υδρόβια πτηνά που εκτίθενται σε ρύπανση από υδράργυρο αποκτούν ομοφυλοφιλικές τάσεις οι οποίες μειώνουν την αναπαραγωγική τους επιτυχία και τις προοπτικές του είδους, υποδεικνύουν πειράματα στο εργαστήριο, τα οποία προσομοίωσαν τις συνθήκες που επικρατούν στο φυσικό περιβάλλον. Οι ερευνητές του Πανεπιστημίου της Φλόριντα στο Γκέινσβιλ θεωρούν αναμενόμενα τα αποτελέσματα της μελέτης, δεδομένου ότι ο υδράργυρος είναι γνωστό ότι επηρεάζει το ενδοκρινές σύστημα πολλών ζώων. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...
Summit agrees tiger recovery plan
Governments of 13 countries where tigers still live have endorsed a plan to save the big cats from extinction.
Delegates at a summit in St Petersburg, Russia, agreed to double tiger numbers by 2022.The countries will focus on protecting tiger habitats, addressing poaching, illegal trade and providing the financial resources for the plan. In the last 100 years, tiger numbers have dropped from about 100,000 to less than 3,500 tigers in the wild today. Read more...
Italy Goes Solar With First Sun-Powered Road
Most people will be surprised, but Italy was the first country in the world to build motorways. In fact, the A8 "Milano-Laghi" motorway ("Milan-Lakes", as it connects the city of Milan to Lake Como and Maggiore) was completed in 1926. Time has passed and all developed nations now boast wide motorway networks, a strategic infrastructure that helps interconnecting people, places and is ultimately essential to economic growth. But Italy will soon be able to claim a new "first": the A18 Catania-Siracusa motorway, a 30km addition to Sicily's 600km motorway network, will be a fully solar-powered motorway, the first in its kind. Read more...
Environmental Sustainability Index 2010
The 2010 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks 163 countries on 25 performance indicators tracked across ten policy categories covering both environmental public health and ecosystem vitality. These indicators provide a gauge at a national government scale of how close countries are to established environmental policy goals.Visit the site...
Black magic behind illegal owl trade in India
ENN, November 07, 2010
Use of owls in black magic and sorcery driven by superstition, totems and taboos is one of the prime drivers of the covert owl trade, finds a TRAFFIC India investigation into the illegal trade, trapping and utilization of owls in India. TRAFFIC India’s report entitled "Imperilled Custodians of the Night" was launched today by Shri Jairam Ramesh, Hon. Minister of Environment and Forests at his office in New Delhi. Read more...
Organic farms better at potato beetle control
A study suggesting that organic agriculture gives better pest control and larger plants than conventional farming is sure to reignite longstanding debates about the merits of organic versus conventional agriculture. It also highlights an often-neglected aspect of biodiversity. "Organic agriculture promotes more balanced communities of predators," says David Crowder, author of the new study published today in Nature. Read more...
When the Water Ends: Africa’s Climate Conflicts
Watch the Yale Environment 360 video report on the conflicts now arising in parts of East Africa as temperatures climb and water supplies dwindle. This powerful 16-minute video, “When the Water Ends,” shows the plight of four tribes of nomadic herdsmen in Kenya and Ethiopia who now must range more widely in search of water and grazing land, bringing them increasingly into conflict with each other. Watch the video
Πρωτεύουσα της οικολογίας
ΤΑ ΝΕΑ, 04 Νοεμβρίου 2010
Η Βιτόρια-Γκαστέις, µια πόλη στην ισπανική Χώρα των Βάσκων, κέρδισε το Μάλµε, το Ρέικιαβικ και τη Νυρεµβέργη στη «µάχη» για τον τίτλο της Πράσινης Ευρωπαϊκής Πρωτεύουσας 2012. Στην πόλη αυτή, επτά στα δέκα κτίρια έχουν ηλιακούς συλλέκτες, ενώ οι κάτοικοι αυξάνονται, αλλά η κατανάλωση νερού µειώνεται. Διαβαστε περισσότερα...
Power lines 'invisible' to birds
BBC News, November 02, 2010
Birds fly into power lines because they have "blind spots" in their field of vision, according to new research. Vision experts found that cranes, bustards and storks were unable to see obstacles straight ahead when they tilted their heads downwards in flight.Birds often look down during flight to find fellow birds as well as nesting and feeding areas, say the researchers.
The new evidence suggests that the problem cannot be prevented by altering the appearance of power lines.Read more...
Birds fly into power lines because they have "blind spots" in their field of vision, according to new research. Vision experts found that cranes, bustards and storks were unable to see obstacles straight ahead when they tilted their heads downwards in flight.Birds often look down during flight to find fellow birds as well as nesting and feeding areas, say the researchers. The new evidence suggests that the problem cannot be prevented by altering the appearance of power lines.Read more...
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)
October 20, 2010
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study is a major international initiative to draw attention to the global economic benefits of biodiversity, to highlight the growing costs of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, and to draw together expertise from the fields of science, economics and policy to enable practical actions moving forward. Read more...
Are accountants the last hope for the world's ecosystems?
The Guardian, October 28, 2010
So it has come to this. The global biodiversity crisis is so severe that brilliant scientists, political leaders, eco-warriors, and religious gurus can no longer save us from ourselves. The military are powerless. But there may be one last hope for life on earth: accountants. Ecological bean counting may not seem to hold much power in slowing the massive loss of the world's species, but it appears to be moving up the agenda of the UN biodiversity conference in Nagoya as the economic implications of losing ecosystems becomes more apparent. Read more...
There’s safety in numbers for cyclists
In U.S. cities, there are a lot more people out bicycling than just a few years ago. You might reasonably think that the bicycle crash rate would skyrocket as more people, from wobbly new riders to the outright safety-averse, take to the streets on two wheels.
It's a fine, common-sense assumption -- that happens to be wrong.
Research has been steadily showing, actually, that the more people are out there riding bicycles, the safer bicycling becomes. As ridership goes up, crash rates stay flat. It's happening in Portland (see page 11 of this report [PDF]). It's happening in New York City. Read more...
95% of Consumer Products Mislead Buyers with ‘Green’ Claims
Environmental Leader, October 26, 2010More than 95 percent of consumer products claiming to be “green” commit at least one greenwashing offense, according to a report released by TerraChoice, a North American environmental marketing company and part of Underwriters Laboratories’ global network. The worst offenders are toys and baby care products, with 100 percent and 99.2 percent, respectively, guilty of some form of greenwashing. Read more...
Tiger Among US
WWF International, October 2010
Did you know that there are more tigers in American backyards than there are in the wild around the world? The United States has one of the largest populations of captive tigers in the world − estimated at perhaps 5,000 tigers, compared to as few as 3,200 in the wild. They are found in backyards, urban apartments, sideshows, truck stops and private breeding facilities.In many jurisdictions, people can legally keep a tiger on their property without reporting it to local officials or neighbors. In some states, it is easier to buy a tiger than to adopt a dog from a local animal shelter. Rarely can officials determine how many tigers there are in captivity within state borders − or where they are, who owns them, or what happens to their body parts (highly prized on the black market) when they die. Read more...
Did you know that there are more tigers in American backyards than there are in the wild around the world? The United States has one of the largest populations of captive tigers in the world − estimated at perhaps 5,000 tigers, compared to as few as 3,200 in the wild. They are found in backyards, urban apartments, sideshows, truck stops and private breeding facilities.In many jurisdictions, people can legally keep a tiger on their property without reporting it to local officials or neighbors. In some states, it is easier to buy a tiger than to adopt a dog from a local animal shelter. Rarely can officials determine how many tigers there are in captivity within state borders − or where they are, who owns them, or what happens to their body parts (highly prized on the black market) when they die. Read more...
China overtakes U.S. as biggest energy consumer
IEA calculations based on preliminary data show that China has now overtaken the United States to become the world's largest energy user. China's rise to the top ranking was faster than expected as it was much less affected by the global financial crisis than the United States. Read more...
Bring on Enviropig?: Can Genetic Engineering Make Meat a More Sustainable Food?
ENN, October 12, 2010
Food safety advocates may shudder at the thought, but a team of scientists in Canada have come up with a new breed of pig that is intended to make meat a greener, more sustainable food. The Enviropig is engineered to have the same meat quality as your typically breeded Yorkshire pig, with all the ideal protein and fat content developed for the market. But in addition, it is also engineered to produce less toxic manure that releases fewer pollutants into the atmosphere, thereby making it a more environmentally sustainable option for large scale pig farmers. Read more...
Sewage from passenger ships and ferries banned from the Baltic Sea
Ship sewage will no longer be allowed to foul the Baltic Sea. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Friday agreed to ban the discharge of sewage from passenger ships and ferries in the Baltic Sea. The decision comes after a three year WWF campaign to stop the dumping of waste water in the Baltic Sea. The decision will make the dumping of waste water illegal starting in 2013 for all new ships, and from 2018 for all ships, when sufficient port reception facilities are available. A special IMO working group will develop criteria for "adequate port reception facilities". Read more...
Wind turbines wrong colour for wildlife
A study has revealed that a wind turbine's colour affects how many insects it attracts, shedding more light on why the turbines occasionally kill bats and birds. Scientists say that turbines, most commonly painted white or grey, draw in insects. These then lure bats and birds - as they pursue their prey - into the path of the turbine blades.Support for the idea comes from another study showing that bats are most often killed by turbines at night and in summer, when insects are most abundant.Read more...
Ο εφιάλτης νέας διαρροής
Τα καλά νέα είναι ότι έπειτα από μέρες έκτακτης εργασίας, τα τοιχώματα της δεξαμενής του εργοστασίου της δυτικής Ουγγαρίας από το οποίο διέρρευσε ένα εκατομμύριο κυβικά μέτρα τοξικής λάσπης, στέκονται ακόμη όρθια. Τα κακά νέα είναι ότι η κυβέρνηση πιστεύει πως η δεξαμενή έχει καταστραφεί τόσο, που μια νέα ολέθρια διαρροή είναι πιθανόν να συμβεί ανά πάσα στιγμή. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...
Water map shows billions at risk of 'water insecurity'
BBC News, September 29, 2010
About 80% of the world's population lives in areas where the fresh water supply is not secure, according to a new global analysis. Researchers compiled a composite index of "water threats" that includes issues such as scarcity and pollution. The most severe threat category encompasses 3.4 billion people. Writing in the journal Nature, they say that in western countries, conserving water for people through reservoirs and dams works for people, but not nature. Read more...
Innovation of the Week: Using Dirt to Make Water Clean
Worldwatch Institute, September 23, 2010
In 2004 Peter Njodzeka founded the Life and Water Development Group Cameroon (LWDGC) with a rather simple goal. “ I wanted to see the people in my area have clean water,” he said. “And we kept expanding. That’s how it started.”. While Peter was growing up in Nkuv, the small village in Cameroon where he was born, no one had clean water. The water available for drinking was also used by livestock and wildlife, as well as for the whole village’s washing. Every year at least one child would die from illness caused by the dirty water and most households reported having at least one sick family member in the past six months at any given time.Read more...
In 2004 Peter Njodzeka founded the Life and Water Development Group Cameroon (LWDGC) with a rather simple goal. “ I wanted to see the people in my area have clean water,” he said. “And we kept expanding. That’s how it started.”. While Peter was growing up in Nkuv, the small village in Cameroon where he was born, no one had clean water. The water available for drinking was also used by livestock and wildlife, as well as for the whole village’s washing. Every year at least one child would die from illness caused by the dirty water and most households reported having at least one sick family member in the past six months at any given time.Read more...
NYC Reveals ‘Green’ Infrastructure Plans
New York City wants to curb water runoff that sends sewage into city waterways through the use of “blue” roofs that have a series of drainage pools and “green” or grass- or ivy-covered roofs, reports Reuters.
The new plan, called “NYC Green Infrastructure” (PDF), would replace the existing approach for sewer overflow control with a mix of green and traditional infrastructure measures that are expected to reduce sewer overflows into waterways, reports Sustainable Business. Read more...
The new plan, called “NYC Green Infrastructure” (PDF), would replace the existing approach for sewer overflow control with a mix of green and traditional infrastructure measures that are expected to reduce sewer overflows into waterways, reports Sustainable Business. Read more...
One in five plant species face extinction
One in five of the world's plant species – the basis of all life on earth – are at risk of extinction, according to a landmark study published today.
At first glance, the 20% figure looks far better than the previous official estimate of almost three-quarters, but the announcement is being greeted with deep concern. The previous estimate that 70% of plants were either critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable was based on what scientists universally acknowledged were studies heavily biased towards species already thought to be under threat. Read more...
Largest offshore wind farm opens off Thanet in Kent
BBC News, September 23, 2010
The world's biggest offshore wind farm off Kent has been officially opened. Swedish energy giant Vattenfall said the 100 turbines are expected to generate enough electricity to power 200,000 homes. Energy Secretary Chris Huhne is visiting the project, which has been built seven miles (12km) off Foreness Point in Thanet. Construction work at the £780m [1 bn euros] wind farm began two years ago and was completed in June. Read more...
The world's biggest offshore wind farm off Kent has been officially opened. Swedish energy giant Vattenfall said the 100 turbines are expected to generate enough electricity to power 200,000 homes. Energy Secretary Chris Huhne is visiting the project, which has been built seven miles (12km) off Foreness Point in Thanet. Construction work at the £780m [1 bn euros] wind farm began two years ago and was completed in June. Read more...
'Lost' frogs found after decades
BBC News, September 22, 2010
A mission aimed at rediscovering amphibian species thought to be extinct has yielded its first results. Conservationists have turned up live specimens of two West African frogs and a cave-dwelling salamander from Mexico. The salamander was last seen in 1941, and was rediscovered by abseiling into caves deep in the forest. The expeditions are partially designed to bring attention to the plight of amphibians around the world, with a third of species at risk of extinction. Read more...
A mission aimed at rediscovering amphibian species thought to be extinct has yielded its first results. Conservationists have turned up live specimens of two West African frogs and a cave-dwelling salamander from Mexico. The salamander was last seen in 1941, and was rediscovered by abseiling into caves deep in the forest. The expeditions are partially designed to bring attention to the plight of amphibians around the world, with a third of species at risk of extinction. Read more...
Who's On Board With The Copenhagen Accord?
January 31, 2010 marked the deadline for parties to the Copenhagen Accord to submit their respective plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. While the UNFCCC Secretariat has signaled this is not a hard deadline, the inclusion of this date, and countries' reaction to it, will provide an indication of whether the Copenhagen Accord can lead to a fair, ambitious and binding agreement to solve the climate crisis. USCAN is tracking media reports and UNFCCC submissions on how countries are engaging with the accord and associated emissions reduction commitments. Read more...
How Peru's wells are being sucked dry by British love of asparagus
The Guardian, September 12, 2010
Asparagus grown in Peru and sold in the UK is commonly held up as a symbol of unacceptable food miles, but a report has raised an even more urgent problem: its water footprint. The study, by the development charity Progressio, has found that industrial production of asparagus in Peru's Ica valley is depleting the area's water resources so fast that smaller farmers and local families are finding wells running dry. Water to the main city in the valley is also under threat, it says. It warns that the export of the luxury vegetable, much of it to British supermarkets, is unsustainable in its current form. Read more...
Freshwater turtles face 'bleak future'
BBC News, September 10, 2010
Freshwater turtles are in catastrophic decline, according to a new analysis by Conservation International (CI).The group says more than a third of the estimated 280 species around the world are now threatened with extinction. The unsustainable collection of turtles for food and to supply a lucrative pet trade are the key drivers behind the fall in numbers. Habitat loss as a result of river-damming for hydro-electricity is another major concern. Read more...
Freshwater turtles are in catastrophic decline, according to a new analysis by Conservation International (CI).Methane Reduction from Cattle
ENN, September 09, 2010
Methane is a significant green house gas that can lead to global warming. It is also commonly produced by many animals including humans and cattle. Cow belches, a major source of greenhouse gases, could be decreased by an unusual feed supplement developed by a Penn State dairy scientist. Read more...
Landfill could be greener than recycling when it comes to plastic bottles
The Ecologist, September 08, 2010
For regions with adequate space and little recycling infrastructure, disposing of bottles in landfill generates a lower carbon footprint than recycling or incineration. The ubiquitous PET bottle, used around the world to package drinks, may best be buried after use rather than burnt or reconverted into a second-life product. Read more...
NYC sky-scrapers dim lights to help migratory birds
A growing number of New York sky-scrapers are switching off their lights to help reduce the number of birds hitting the high-rise buildings.The "lights out" project - organised by NYC Audubon - runs until 1 November, when migratory birds are expected to have completed their autumn migrations. The Empire State and Chrysler buildings are among those dimming their lights.An estimated 90,000 birds each year are killed in the city as a result of striking glass-fronted buildings. Read more...
Αποσύρεται ο λαμπτήρας πυράκτωσης των 75 watt
ΤΑ ΝΕΑ, 01 Σεπτεμβρίου 2010
Από σήμερα αποσύρεται ο πλέον συνήθης στη χρήση λαμπτήρας πυράκτωσης των 75 watt, η παραγωγή και οι εισαγωγές του οποίου στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση παύουν, με τα καταστήματα να καλούνται πλέον να διαθέσουν τα αποθέματά τους. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...
Greenland's prime minister lambasts Greenpeace for raiding Arctic oil rig
The prime minister of Greenland has accused Greenpeace of threatening the safety of oil workers and the environment after four activists forced a controversial deep-sea exploration rig in the Arctic to shut down today. Just before dawn, the four campaigners used three high-speed inflatable boats to evade the Danish navy before clambering on to the British-owned rig and slinging mountaineering-type platforms beneath it about 15 metres above the sea. The raid forced the Edinburgh-based oil exploration firm Cairn Energy to suspend drilling, escalating tensions between the Greenlandic government and Greenpeace. Read more...
Εμφύλιος στην Κρήτη για το νερό
ΤΟ ΒΗΜΑ, 29 Αυγούστου 2010
Εμφύλιος πόλεμος μαίνεται στη Δυτική Κρήτη για το νερό. Τοπικοί πολιτικοί παράγοντες, υπηρεσιακά στελέχη, κάτοικοι αστικών περιοχών και αγρότες ένα... κουβάρι. Οι αγρότες καταγγέλλουν τους ΤΟΕΒ (Τοπικοί Οργανισμοί Εγγείων Βελτιώσεων) ότι μεροληπτούν υπέρ των ξενοδοχειακών μονάδων, οι οποίες δεν έμειναν το καλοκαίρι ούτε στιγμή χωρίς νερό. Οπως λένε χαρακτηριστικά «στις τουριστικές περιοχές σπαταλιέται το νερό και εμείς δεν έχουμε να ποτίσουμε» . Δεν είναι τυχαίο ότι για πρώτη χρονιά φέτος η Κρήτη κατανάλωνε «εισαγόμενα» λαχανικά (ντομάτες κ.ά.) καθώς πολλές καλλιέργειες καταστράφηκαν εξαιτίας των προβλημάτων στην υδροδότηση. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...
Απελευθέρωσαν 50.000 ζώα στην Καστοριά
Ελευθεροτυπία, 27 Αυγούστου 2010
Άγνωστοι απελευθέρωσαν 50 χιλιάδες γουνοφόρα ζώα τη νύχτα στην Καστοριά. Τα περισσότερα από αυτά ψόφησαν λόγω ζέστης, σύμφωνα με την Πυροσβεστική Υπηρεσία. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...
Διαβάστε επίσης: Απελευθέρωσης ζώων συνέχεια. Μετά την Καστοριά σειρά είχε η Κοζάνη (29/8/2010)
Mauritania plants trees to hold back desert
ENN, August 20, 2010
Mauritania has launched a tree-planting program aimed at protecting its capital from the advancing desert and coastal erosion, a project that could eventually extend thousands of kilometers across Africa. The project is part of a broader ant-desertification plan, the "Great Green Wall," launched by the African Union in 2005 to try to create a 15 km-wide wall of greenery stretching 7,000 km between Africa's east and west coasts. Read more...
Φωτοβολταϊκά και σε μικρά οικόπεδα
ΤΑ ΝΕΑ, 27 Αυγούστου 2010
Φωτοβολταϊκά συστήματα ακόμη και σε μικρά εκτός σχεδίου οικόπεδα, μη άρτια και οικοδομήσιμα, θα μπορούν στο εξής να βάζουν οι μικροεπενδυτές, δυνατότητα που μέχρι τώρα δεν είχαν. Στην πράξη αυτό σημαίνει ότι θα μπορεί πλέον να αξιοποιήσει κανείς ένα οικόπεδο τριών- για παράδειγμα- στρεμμάτων που έχει στο χωριό για εγκατάσταση ισχύος 100 κιλοβάτ, κάτι που που λύνει τα χέρια χιλιάδων μικροεπενδυτών ανά την Ελλάδα. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...
Giant turtle's demise the fault of humans, study says
BBC News, August 16, 2010
Humans helped drive a species of giant turtle to extinction almost 3,000 years ago, according to a study in PNAS.It is one of the first cases that clearly shows that humans played a role in the demise of the giant, extinct animals known as "megafauna". An Australian research team discovered turtle leg bones - but not shells or skulls - on an island of Vanuatu. The bones date to just 200 years after humans' arrival, suggesting they were hunted to extinction for their meat. Read more...
The Right to Water
E-Environment Magazine, August 17, 2010
On Wednesday, August 11, the United Nations General Assembly declared water and clean sanitation a basic human right. Some 122 countries supported the resolution, while the U.S. and Canada, along with 40 other countries, chose to abstain from the vote.
Introduced by Bolivia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Pablo Solon, the resolution is the first step in solving a growing epidemic. Solon says: “At the global level, approximately one out of every eight people do not have drinking water," reports the World Health Organization and of UNICEF in a 2009 document titled "Diarrhea: Why Children Are (Still) Dying and What We Can Do." It continues: "every day 24,000 children die in developing countries due to causes that can be prevented, such as diarrhea, which is caused by contaminated water. This means that a child dies every three-and-a-half seconds.". Read more...
AstraZeneca Tops Climate Counts Scorecard among Four Sectors
Environmental Leader, August 19, 2010
The latest Climate Counts scorecard, an updated evaluation of 47 of the top companies in the pharmaceutical, home and office furnishing, toys and children’s equipment and large appliance sectors, shows that companies continue to improve their climate commitment, but their pace is far slower than what is required to meet the climate challenge, says the nonprofit group. AstraZeneca tops the climate performance scorecard among the four sectors with 79 points out of a possible 100. Read more...
Largest tidal power device unveiled
BBC News, 12 August 2010
A device thought to be the largest tidal turbine of its type to be built in the world has been described by its developer as "simple and robust". Atlantis Resources unveiled its AK-1000 at Invergordon ahead of it being shipped to a European Marine Energy Centre test site off Eday, Orkney. The device stands 22.5m (73ft) tall and weighs 1,300 tonnes. It has two sets of blades on a single unit to harness ebb and flood tides and could generate one megawatt of power - enough electricity for about 1,000 homes. Read more...
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