Title: Fold-Up Electric Car Coming to a City Near You On: 2012-02-08CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, February 7, 2012 (ENS) - A foldable electric CityCar has been created at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab and commercialized by a consortium of automotive suppliers in Spain's Basque region. Read More... Title: China Bans Airlines From Paying EU for Carbon Emissions On: 2012-02-08BEIJING, China, February 6, 2012 (ENS) - China's airlines will not be allowed to pay a charge on carbon dioxide emissions imposed by the European Union without government permission, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, CAAC, said Monday. Read More... Title: Chevron Appeals Pollution Ruling to Ecuador National Court, Arbitration Panel On: 2012-02-08QUITO, Ecuador, February 6, 2012 (ENS) - The world's second largest oil company, Chevron Corporation, has filed an appeal seeking review by Ecuador's National Court of Justice of local and appellate court decisions holding the company liable for $18 billion for pollution of the Ecuadorian Amazon by Texaco Petroleum from 1964 to 1992. Read More... Title: Jellyfish explosion may be natural cycle On: 2012-02-08Evidence that jellyfish are taking over the oceans is currently lacking, according to a new study published in Bioscience. Complied by a number of marine experts, the study found that while jellyfish have been on the rise in some regions it is likely due to a natural cycle of jellyfish populations and not a global boom. Read More... Title: Eight Toxics Proposed for Elimination from European Waters On: 2012-02-03BRUSSELS, Belgium, February 1, 2012 (ENS) - Fifteen chemicals would be added to a list of priority substances regulated by the EU's water framework law, under a European Commission proposal issued Tuesday. Six of them would be designated as priority hazardous substances that must be phased out within 20 years. Read More... Title: ARKive celebrates World Wetlands Day On: 2012-02-03World Wetlands Day (WWD) is an annual celebration held on the 2nd February in order to raise worldwide awareness of the importance of wetlands. The date is particularly significant, marking the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands, also known as the Ramsar Convention, which is an international treaty that represents the commitment of its members to the preservation of their wetlands. Read More... Title: Fascinating ancient Sahara site celebrated for World Wetlands Day On: 2012-02-03The UN High-Level Panel Global Sustainability released its report in Addis Ababa yesterday entitled Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing. The panel’s 99-page report, which will serve as an input to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in June, (otherwise known as the Rio+20 Summit) is a call to action, "to address the sustainable development challenge in a fresh and operational way." Read More... Title: Study Reveals Impacts of Environmental Changes on Southern Ocean Food Web On: 2012-02-03In January of this year, a comprehensive study of animals in the Southern Ocean was completed, showing that the region is under threat from climate change. Read More... Title: U.S. Joins Effort to Clean Up Space Environment On: 2012-02-01HERZLIYA, Israel, January 30, 2012 (ENS) - Decades of space activity have littered low Earth orbit with debris, and as the world's spacefaring nations increase their activities, the chance for collision increases. The security of space also is threatened by what U.S. State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for Space and Defense Policy Frank Rose Sunday called "irresponsible actors." Read More... Title: Freezing Fukushima Nuclear Plant Leaks Water On: 2012-02-01TOKYO, Japan, January 30, 2012 (ENS) - The temperature fell to minus 8.7 degrees Celsius on Sunday morning near Japan's crippled nuclear power plant, causing water pipes and valve seals to rupture, leaking tons of water. Read More... Title: State of the Union: Obama Opens Public Land and Waters to Energy Industry On: 2012-01-28WASHINGTON, DC, January 24, 2012 (ENS) - President Barack Obama used his State of the Union address tonight to announce the opening of domestic energy development both on public lands and at sea.
The President directed his administration "to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources," a policy that will have an enormous impact on the marine environment of the United States. Read More... Title: UK tops global league table for sustainable corporations On: 2012-01-28The UK has topped the annual global league table that measures and ranks the world's largest sustainable corporations.
The Global 100 is an extensive data-driven corporate sustainability assessment and inclusion is limited to a select group of the top 100 large-cap companies in the world. Read More... Title: Fast action climate mitigation measures can prevent 0.5°C of global warming and help avoid the 2°C danger limit On: 2012-01-16Washington, DC, 12 January – A new study in Science to be published 13 January identifies 14 fast action measures to reduce air pollutants that can deliver major benefits for climate, public health, and agriculture. The measures reduce emissions of black carbon and ground-level ozone, preventing 0.5°C of warming by 2050, half of the warming otherwise expected. The reductions in ozone are achieved by cutting its precursor methane. The 14 measures also save up to 4.7 million lives per year, while increasing crop yields up to 135 billion metric tons. Read More... Title: List of natural disasters and extreme weather makes 2011 the worst on record On: 2012-01-12A sequence of devastating earthquakes and a large number of weather-related catastrophes made 2011 the costliest year ever in terms of natural catastrophe losses. Read More... Title: Doomsday Clock Moved One Minute Closer to Midnight On: 2012-01-12WASHINGTON, DC, January 10, 2012 (ENS) - "Inadequate progress on nuclear weapons reduction and proliferation, and continuing inaction on climate change," prompted the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists today to push the hands of the Doomsday Clock one minute closer to midnight. Read More... Title: Leaked document reveals Rio+20 sustainable development goals On: 2012-01-11Nations will be asked to sign up for 10 goals and promise to build green economies at this summer's earth summit Read More... Title: Japanese to Release Anti-Whaling Trio Back to Australia On: 2012-01-11CANBERRA, Australia, January 9, 2012 (ENS) - Three Australian anti-whaling activists who boarded a Japanese whaling ship early Saturday morning will be released by the Japanese without charges, according to Australia's attorney general. Read More... Title: Europe's mountains show clear and rapid change to a warming climate On: 2012-01-11The decade from 2000 to 2009 was the warmest since global climate has been measured, and while localized studies have shown evidence of changes in mountain plant communities that reflect this warming trend, no study has yet taken a continental-scale view of the situation — until now. Read More... Title: Nigeria's oil disasters are met by silence On: 2012-01-10The global media have had little to say on Nigeria's latest oil spill and the hundreds of others that have destroyed so many lives Read More... Title: China's Largest Freshwater Lake Shrinks in Record Drought On: 2012-01-10NANCHANG, Jiangxi Province, China, January 5, 2012 (ENS) - The surface area of China's largest freshwater lake has shrunk to less 200 square kilometers (77 square miles) due to China's worst drought in 50 years, according to the Jiangxi Provincial Hydrographic Bureau. Read More... Title: Light At Night Not A 'Bright' Idea On: 2012-01-10Moonlight and starlight aren't just romantic, according to a new international study with Israeli input. This natural nighttime light is also healthier than harsh artificial light — especially LED (light-emitting diodes) white light, which suppresses the brain's night time production of Melatonin needed to regulate our biological clocks, behavior and health. Read More... Title: Is sustainability now the key to corporate success? On: 2012-01-09Companies that adopted environmental, social and governance policies in the 1990s have outperformed those that didn't Read More... Title: 'Just-in-time' business models put UK at greater risk in event of disasters, warns thinktank On: 2012-01-09Chatham House report says Britain could only withstand a week of disruption after a major event before spiralling into chaos Read More... Title: Natural Disasters Make 2011 a Record Year for Insurance Los On: 2012-01-09MUNICH, Germany, January 4, 2012 (ENS) - Devastating earthquakes in densely populated areas and a large number of weather-related disasters made 2011 the costliest year ever for natural catastrophe losses in the insurance industry, according to executives at Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies. Read More... Title: Grounded Cargo Ship Breaks Up on New Zealand Reef On: 2012-01-09TAURANGA, New Zealand, January 8, 2012 (ENS) - A cargo ship that has been grounded since October 5, 2011 on the northern end of New Zealand's North Island broke in half overnight in heavy seas. Read More... Title: Durban Delegates Debate Legally Binding Climate Pact On: 2011-12-08DURBAN, South Africa, December 6, 2011 (ENS) - As the high-level portion of the UN climate negotiations in Durban opened today, a legally binding climate treaty is once again on the table after being sidelined for years by disagreements between developed and developing countries. Read More... Title: Ban: Climate Change Agreement 'Beyond Our Reach - For Now' On: 2011-12-08DURBAN, South Africa, December 7, 2011 (ENS) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told ministers and government leaders at the UN climate talks in Durban that while "real progress" is possible at the talks, "the ultimate goal of a comprehensive and binding climate change agreement may be beyond our reach - for now." Read More... Title: Another Deadly Quake Hits Eastern Turkey On: 2011-11-10ANKARA, Turkey, November 9, 2011 (ENS) - A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck eastern Turkey Wednesday evening at 19:23 local time, rattling the same area already devastated by a stronger earthquake on October 23. Read More... Title: Australian Parliament Passes Gillard Government's Price on Carbon On: 2011-11-10CANBERRA, Australia, November 8, 2011 (ENS) - "The Gillard Government has today secured a clean energy future for all Australians," said Prime Minister Julia Gillard as the Senate approved Australia's first price on carbon emissions. "This history-making vote turns years of discussion into a reality." Read More... Title: New ISO standard to reduce environmental impacts of products and services On: 2011-10-03ISO has published a new standard in the ISO 14000 family designed to help organizations reduce the adverse environmental impacts of their products and services. Read More... Title: WHO: Millions Dying of Urban Air Pollution On: 2011-10-03GENEVA, Switzerland, September 30, 2011 (ENS) - "Across the world, city air is often thick with exhaust fumes, factory smoke or soot from coal burning power plants," says Dr. Maria Neira of the World Health Organization. "In many countries there are no air quality regulations and, where they do exist, national standards and their enforcement vary markedly." Read More... Title: World divided on new plan to combat global warming On: 2011-10-03A new plan to curb global warming risks becoming a battleground between rich and poor nations and could struggle to get off the ground as negotiators battle over the fate of the ailing Kyoto climate pact. Read More... Title: Air Pollution Linked to Short-Term Spike in Heart Attack Risk On: 2011-09-27LONDON, UK, September 22, 2011 (ENS) - Exposure to high levels of air pollution could increase the risk of having a heart attack for up to six hours after exposure, finds research published Wednesday in the "British Medical Journal." Read More... Title: Thailand's Rivers Polluted by Factory and Residential Waste On: 2011-09-27BANGKOK, Thailand, September 26, 2011 (ENS) - Thailand's rivers are being increasingly polluted by industrial wastewater and solid waste dumping, but activists and residents say the Thai government has no clear strategy for water pollution prevention. Read More... Title: ISO and Global Reporting Initiative increase cooperation on sustainable development On: 2011-09-23ISO, the world’s largest developer of voluntary International Standards, and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), developer of the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework, have just signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to increase their cooperation. Read More... Title: ISO's sustainability path from Earth Summit to Rio+20 On: 2011-09-23ISO has just released a new brochure in preparation for the Rio+20 summit on sustainable development in 2012 on how voluntary ISO International Standards, developed through the strength of consensus among stakeholders from business, government and society, have provided tools for translating the global desire for a sustainable world expressed since the Earth Summit in 1992 into practical actions that achieve positive results Read More... Title: Typhoon Roke Batters Japan, Spares Damaged Nuclear Plant On: 2011-09-23TOKYO, Japan, September 22, 2011 (ENS) - Typhoon Roke has been downgraded to a low pressure system and is moving northeast after making landfall Wednesday on the Pacific coast of Japan's largest island of Honshu. The storm has claimed 12 lives in six prefectures, from Nagasaki in southwestern Japan to Kanagawa next to Tokyo; four other people are missing. Across the country, 367 people have been injured. Read More... Title: Clinton Opens Global Initiative With Climate Panel, Welcomes Obama On: 2011-09-23NEW YORK, New York, September 21, 2011 (ENS) - President Bill Clinton opened the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative Tuesday with a session on climate change, convened by President Felipe Calderon of Mexico and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa. Read More... Title: UN Secretary General urges countries to leapfrog HFCs to protect climate On: 2011-09-23Washington, DC, September 16, 2011 – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged countries and companies to leapfrog super greenhouse gases known as HFCs to protect the climate, in his statement today on International Ozone Day. HFCs are 2,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide at warming the climate. Read More... Title: Environmental, human rights accords continue to gather support at UN treaty event On: 2011-09-2322 September 2011 – Conventions and protocols on human rights and the environment continued to receive widespread support from Member States on the third day of the annual United Nations event aimed at promoting greater participation in global treaties and international law. Read More... Title: New Move to Develop Global Standards for Measuring Energy Use in Buildings On: 2011-08-08Paris / Nairobi, 2 August 2011 - Efforts to establish international standards for measuring energy use in buildings have received a boost, after the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) decided to consider an innovative tool developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to gauge energy consumption and CO₂ emissions in homes and offices across the world. Read More... Title: Japan to Lift Evacuation Order Around Damaged Nuclear Plant On: 2011-08-08TOKYO, Japan, August 4, 2011 (ENS) - Evacuation advisories for areas 20 to 30 kilometers from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will be lifted within weeks, according to a recovery timetable released on Wednesday by the Japanese government. Areas closer than 20 km will remain off-limits. Read More... Title: Oil Damage in Niger Delta Will Take Decades, Billions to Restore On: 2011-08-08ABUJA, Nigeria, August 5, 2011 (ENS) - Pollution from over 50 years of oil operations in the Ogoniland region of Nigeria is poisoning communities by contaminating their air, land and drinking water, an in-depth scientific assessment by the United Nations Environment Programme reveals. Read More... Title: BP Spill: Gulf Restoration Fund for States Wins Broad Support On: 2011-08-04WASHINGTON, DC, August 3, 2011 (ENS) - Conservation groups working across the Gulf of Mexico are supporting a bipartisan bill in the Senate that would direct to five Gulf states the billions of dollars in fines that may be imposed on BP and other companies found responsible for the last year's oil spill. Read More... Title: Industrial Nanoparticles Create Symptoms of Heart Disease On: 2011-08-04MUNICH, Germany, August 2, 2011 (ENS) - Exposure to nanoparticles about one-thousandth the width of a human hair produces changes in heart rate and rhythm typical of heart disease, according to new research from a team of German scientists. Read More... Title: New Study Shows Negev Solar Farm is a Death Knell for Wildlife On: 2011-08-03Builders of large solar array farms in Israel's Negev region and in places like California's Mojave Desert have had ongoing problems with nature lovers, environmentalists, and Native American Tribes. It now appears that the environmentalists in Israel may be winning out on efforts to build giant solar array farms in the Negev and Arava regions. A recent study conducted by Israel's Nature and Parks Authority (NPA) indicates that building such projects could be fatal to thousands of wild animals that live in the fragile ecosystem of these desert regions. Read More... Title: International Bog Day 2011 On: 2011-08-01To celebrate the 20th International Bog Day on Sunday 31st of July, our Affiliate Arkive is highlighting some of the amazing species that call the beautiful bog their home, and why they are such important habitats to preserve. They may have a bit of a bad reputation, but bogs are important ecological sites sustaining a unique array of species. Read More... Title: Early ISO 50001 adopters report major gains through energy management standard On: 2011-07-29Evidence that publication of ISO 50001 was eagerly awaited is borne out by the number of organizations worldwide claiming to be the first in their country or sector to have adopted the new ISO International Standard on energy management. And what is more, several are already reporting significant benefits and energy cost savings from their early ISO 50001 implementation. Read More... Title: Business leaders vital to cutting carbon On: 2011-07-29Board-level representation is essential for progress in environmental sustainability, according to new research from the Carbon Trust Read More... Title: New ISO standard aims to build confidence in the global carbon market On: 2011-07-26A new International Standard detailing the level of competency required by those responsible for verifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has been published. It is the latest addition to ISO’s toolbox of standards for addressing climate change and supporting emissions trading schemes. Read More... Title: New ISO standard improves protective clothing for agricultural farmers and workers using pesticides On: 2011-07-26A new ISO standard on protective clothing will help farmers and agricultural workers to reduce job-related risks when using liquid pesticides. Read More... Title: Fukushima cleanup going well, according to UN atomic watchdog On: 2011-07-26Cleanup work at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant is proceeding smoothly and the prospects are good for bringing it under control, the head of the U.N. atomic watchdog said Monday after a visit to the crisis-hit plant. Read More... Title: Sustainable Biofuel Schemes Win EU Approval On: 2011-07-25BRUSSELS, Belgium, July 22, 2011 (ENS) - The European Commission has approved seven voluntary schemes for ensuring that rainforests are not destroyed to grow biofuel crops. The EU aims to use at least 10 percent renewable energy in transport by 2020. Where biofuels are used to achieve this target, they must meet a set of sustainability requirements in order to receive government support or count towards mandatory national renewable energy targets. Read More... Title: World Population Day on July 11 acknowledges our most serious problem On: 2011-07-18Santa Barbara, CA, July 8, 2011 –/WORLD-WIRE/– World Population Day is an annual event, observed on July 11, to raise awareness of the problems of overpopulation and continuing population growth. It grew out of the public interest in Five Billion Day on July 11, 1987, the approximate date on which the global population reached five billion people. Less than a quarter century later, world population will reach 7 billion on October 31 this year, according to United Nations population projections. Read More... Title: American Electric Power Drops Carbon Capture Project On: 2011-07-18COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 15, 2011 (ENS) - One of the largest U.S. electric utilities has dropped its carbon dioxide capture and storage project, citing the "current uncertain status of U.S. climate policy and the continued weak economy" as contributors to the decision. Read More... Title: Accelerating Impacts from Short-Lived Climate Pollutants Threaten Human Rights On: 2011-07-18Washington, D.C., July 13, 2011 - Climate pollutant emissions violate human rights and require rapid reductions to protect the world’s most vulnerable people, according to a joint submission to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights by the Center for Human Rights and Environment (CEDHA) in Argentina and the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (IGSD) in Washington, D.C., and Geneva. Read More... Title: Climate Change Reducing Ocean's Carbon Dioxide Uptake, New Analysis Shows On: 2011-07-14ScienceDaily (July 11, 2011) — How deep is the ocean's capacity to buffer against climate change? As one of the planet's largest single carbon absorbers, the ocean takes up roughly one-third of all human carbon emissions, reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and its associated global changes. Read More... Title: Japanese Automakers Aim to Bolster Energy Security at Home On: 2011-07-14Electric vehicle drivers, the wise and uber-eco-conscious members of society, can claim to not have any tailpipe emissions. However, their emissions still exist in the form of a smoke stack from the local power plant. To have a pure green vehicle, the source of power must be sustainable and renewable. Nissan, creator of the all-electric Leaf, has developed a solar charging system that stores its power in the Leaf's lithium-ion battery. The automaker has installed 488 solar panels at its Japan headquarters, enough to power 1,800 Leafs a year. Read More... Title: Carbon Tax? Australians want snap election to voice their opinions On: 2011-07-14Two thirds of Australians want a snap election on the government's controversial plan to tax carbon pollution, a poll showed on Wednesday, as Prime Minister Julia Gillard crosses the nation in a campaign-style blitz to sell the scheme. Read More... Title: Millions of African Climate Refugees Desperate for Food, Water On: 2011-07-08NAIROBI, Kenya, July 6, 2011 (ENS) - The worst drought in 60 years is causing a severe food crisis in East Africa. In Kenya, the world's largest refugee camp is overwhelmed as 10,000 climate refugees from across the drought-stricken region arrive each week seeking water, food and shelter. Read More... Title: U.S. EPA Curbs Air Pollution Blowing Across State Lines On: 2011-07-08WASHINGTON, DC, July 7, 2011 (ENS) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today finalized Clean Air Act regulations that will slash hundreds of thousands of tons of pollutants from coal-fired power plants that drift across state borders. The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule is intended to protect over 240 million Americans living in the eastern half of the country once it takes effect on January 1, 2012. Read More... Title: CSR With Hotel Soap and “Clean the World” On: 2011-07-08Have you ever given much thought to what happens to those little bars of soap that you come across in hotel rooms? What happens when you open one of those neatly packaged bars and use it? Perhaps you don’t even finish it and leave it there and assume housekeeping will throw it away. According to Clean the World, hotels discard millions of pounds of soap and shampoo in the U.S. These products often end up in already overflowing landfills and contaminate fragile groundwater systems. Read More... Title: Exxon oil spill on Yellowstone River impacts farms On: 2011-07-07Governor Brian Schweitzer vowed on Tuesday to cling to Exxon Mobil like "the smell on a skunk" for as long as it takes to get the company to clean up a weekend oil spill that fouled an otherwise pristine stretch of the Yellowstone River in Montana. Read More... Title: Dr. Helen Caldicott: Fukushima Nuclear Meltdown Much Worse Than Chernobyl On: 2011-07-07Although several months have passed since the devastating earthquake and tsunami occurred in Japan, the resulting nuclear power plant crisis, and the effect on the world environment is still far from over. The health risks caused by the meltdown of nuclear fuel rods in at least three reactors actually melting down will be felt for hundreds of years to come. Read More... Title: ISO strengthens cooperation with World Organization for Animal Health On: 2011-07-07ISO and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on 6 July 2011 signed a cooperation agreement on international standards related to the trade of animal and products derived from animals. Read More... Title: UN: Only Green Technology Can Avert 'Planetary Catastrophe' On: 2011-07-06NEW YORK, New York, July 5, 2011 (ENS) - Humanity is near to breaching the sustainability of Earth, and needs a technological revolution greater and faster than the industrial revolution to avoid "a major planetary catastrophe," warns a new United Nations report. Read More... Title: Conservative MEPs defeat new climate change targets On: 2011-07-06Conservative MEPs yesterday defied Prime Minister David Cameron and narrowly swung a vote against tougher European climate change targets Read More... Title: Britain's richest man to build giant Arctic iron ore mine On: 2011-07-06Britain's richest man is planning a giant new opencast mine 300 miles inside the Arctic Circle in a bid to extract a potential $23bn (£14bn) worth of iron ore. Lakshmi Mittal's 'mega-mine' is believed to be the largest mineral extraction project in the region but threatens unique wildlife. Read More... Title: South Africa's rhino success brings big increase in poaching On: 2011-07-05Poachers have killed nearly 200 rhinoceros in South Africa so far this year, a huge increase in the number of deaths as criminal gangs increasingly use automatic weapons and helicopters to hunt down their prey. Read More... Title: Chinese coal pollution has had a 'cooling effect on the planet' On: 2011-07-05Sulphur pollutants from coal-fired power stations in China have tended to cool the global climate over the past decade in contrast to the warming effect resulting from rising concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, scientists have found. Read More... Title: Huge rare earth deposits found in Pacific On: 2011-07-05Vast deposits of rare earth minerals, crucial in making high-tech electronics products, have been found on the floor of the Pacific Ocean and can be readily extracted, Japanese scientists said on Monday. Read More... Title: Monaco’s Prince Albert II asked to pay back dodgy Malaysian donation On: 2011-07-04BASEL, SWITZERLAND, June 30, 2011 –/WORLD-WIRE/– Bruno Manser Fund, the Swiss rainforest advocacy group, is calling on Monaco ruler Prince Albert II to pay back a controversial 100,000 euro donation he received last year from Malaysia’s First Lady, Rosmah Mansor, for his environmental foundation, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. Read More... Title: Extreme weather link 'can no longer be ignored' On: 2011-07-04Scientists are to end their 20-year reluctance to link climate change with extreme weather – the heavy storms, floods and droughts which often fill news bulletins – as part of a radical departure from a previous equivocal position that many now see as increasingly untenable. Read More... Title: Oil spill on Montana's Yellowstone River forces evacuation On: 2011-07-04(Reuters) - An undetermined amount of crude oil spilled from an ExxonMobil pipeline into the Yellowstone River in Montana, prompting evacuations of nearby residents on Saturday, authorities said. Read More... Title: ISO action plan proposes standards to combat oil spill disasters On: 2011-07-01ISO has developed an action plan on International Standards that could help the oil and gas industry prevent or mitigate disasters like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 and the Montara oil spill off the coast of Western Australia in 2009. Drawing on the lessons learned from the two disasters Read More... Title: New Zealand's lost penguin faces long swim home On: 2011-07-01An Emperor penguin found in New Zealand will be released into the ocean when fully fit so it can swim the 3,000 kilometres (1,900 miles) home to Antarctica, wildlife experts said Wednesday. Read More... Title: Jellyfish Close Scottish Nuclear Power Plant On: 2011-07-01EDINBURGH, Scotland, June 30, 2011 (ENS) - A nuclear power station in eastern Scotland manually shut down its two reactors Tuesday after large mass of jellyfish was found in its seawater filter screens, the operating company said today. Read More... Title: Malaysia expected to maintain position as world’s largest producer of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil On: 2011-06-30KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is expected to maintain its position as the world's largest producer of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) given continued support from the country's oil palm companies and the Government, said Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) secretary-general Darrel Webber. Read More... Title: Fresh water supplies are going to run out, so what can do to make the taps keep running? On: 2011-06-30This may seem like a surprising statement, but the world's supply of fresh water is finite. As global population rises, the demand for food – and the water that produces it – grows inexorably. Globally, farming accounts for 70 per cent of our withdrawals from this fixed "bank account", this in the face of ever-greater domestic and industrial usage Read More... Title: U.S. Polluted Beach Closings, Warnings Spiked in 2010 On: 2011-06-30WASHINGTON, DC, June 29, 2011 (ENS) - Polluted stormwater runoff and sewage overflows carrying oil, and human and animal waste fouled beaches around the country in 2010, causing the second-highest number of closing and advisory days in more than two decades, finds the Natural Resources Defense Council in its annual beachwater quality report issued today. Read More... Title: Palm oil threatens New Guinea's species says study: how to buy sustainably On: 2011-06-29A new report by environmental organization WWF examines the threat faced by the unique species of New Guinea, over 1,000 of which were discovered as recently as 1998-2008. The report identifies the production of palm oil as one of the major threats facing the wildlife of New Guinea; however there are several steps consumers can take to ensure that foods containing palm oil come from sustainable sources. Read More... Title: Economic Indicators Point Toward Growth in Renewable Energyon Record On: 2011-06-29The cost benefit ratio of "coal fired" electricity vs "solar" will equalize or fall in favor of solar. In a recent report from Bloomberg news, Mr. Mark M. Little, the global research director for General Electric Co., predicts that solar power may be cheaper than electricity generated by fossil fuels within 3-5 years. A combination of rising energy prices with lower production cost and higher efficiency will make solar cost competitive with conventional coal fired electric generation. Read More... Title: Globally, Year 2010 Ranked Second Warmest on Record On: 2011-06-29ASHEVILLE, North Carolina, June 28, 2011 (ENS) - For the planet as a whole, 2010 was one of the two warmest years on record, according to three independent datasets detailed in the latest State of the Climate report, released today by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the American Meteorological Society. Read More... Title: Flooded Nebraska Nuclear Power Plant Releases No Radiation On: 2011-06-28OMAHA, Nebraska, June 27, 2011 (ENS) - Nuclear Regulatory Commission chief Gregory Jasko is today inspecting Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station in Nebraska, where a protective berm broke Sunday, allowing Missouri River flood waters to surround containment buildings. Read More... Title: Newly Found Species on World's Large Islands Already at Risk On: 2011-06-28GLAND, Switzerland, June 27, 2011 (ENS) - At least 1,060 new species were discovered on the island of New Guinea from 1998 to 2008, but unsustainable logging and plantation agriculture are destroying their habitats, finds a study by the global conservation organization WWF. On another of the world's large islands, Madagascar, off Africa's coast, a separate WWF report shows the 615 new species found from 1999 to 2010 are threatened by logging and resource extraction. Read More... Title: Parts of Minot, North Dakota flood On: 2011-06-27The swollen Souris River whose waters deluged North Dakota's fourth-largest city of Minot, was expected to crest early on Sunday, with storms threatening to complicate efforts to contain the biggest flood in area history. Read More... Title: American Carbon Capture and Storage Industry Starts Capturing CO2 On: 2011-06-27ATLANTA, Georgia, June 21, 2011 (ENS) - American technology for the capture, transport and storage of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, CO2, is beginning to emerge. A 25-megawatt carbon capture and storage facility in Alabama began capturing carbon dioxide last week, the Southern Company utility announced June 13. Read More... Title: Sunflowers to clean radioactive soil in Japan On: 2011-06-27Campaigners in Japan are asking people to grow sunflowers, said to help decontaminate radioactive soil, in response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster that followed March's massive quake and tsunami. Read More... Title: Dangerous Fungi in Most Dishwashers On: 2011-06-24Scientists have found a possibly harmful fungus that grows in dishwashers, surviving high temperatures, aggressive doses of detergents and rinsing salts and both acid and alkaline types of water. Read More... Title: Suit Launched to Force EPA to Address Black Carbon Pollution Accelerating Sea-ice, Glacial Melt On: 2011-06-24SAN FRANCISCO— The Center for Biological Diversity notified the Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday of its intent to file a lawsuit against the agency for its failure to take action to reduce black carbon, a potent global warming pollutant. Last year, the Center filed a formal petition asking the EPA to set water-quality criteria for black carbon, or soot, to help protect sea ice and glaciers under the Clean Water Act. Wednesday’s notice of intent to sue urges the agency to respond promptly to the Center’s petition. Read More... Title: ISO's magazine highlights donor support for developing countries to benefit even more from standardization On: 2011-06-23Standardization plays an important role in the economic growth of developing countries. ISO therefore supports developing countries in increasing their participation in the development, adoption and implementation of International Standards in sectors and subjects of interest to them. Read More... Title: The Explosive Truth About Veggie Burgers On: 2011-06-23If there is anything to be learned from America's industrial food machine (in case you missed Food Inc. and other seminal critiques), it is this: nothing can be trusted. Until recently, many vegetarians have been all too happy to jump on the veggie burger bandwagon for a yummy protein fix, believing in earnest that theirs was a healthy choice that benefits the environment. Including me. Read More... Title: Life Cycle Assessment of EVs Reveals Startling Results On: 2011-06-23A number of articles and blogs published this week paint a negative picture of electric cars based on a British study published earlier this month. The study attempts a comparative life-cycle assessment (LCA) of conventional, hybrid and electric cars and prompted "downer" headlines such as, "Electric Cars May Not Be So Green After All" and "More Bad News For The Chevy Volt". Read More... Title: Mass Extinction of Ocean Species Soon to Be 'Inevitable' On: 2011-06-22LONDON, UK, June 21, 2011 (ENS) - The oceans are at high risk of entering a phase of extinction of marine species unprecedented in human history, a panel of international marine experts warns in a report released today.A deadly trio of factors - warming, acidification and lack of oxygen - is creating the conditions associated with every previous major extinction of species in Earth's history, the panel warned. Read More... Title: Russia's Premier Vladimir Putin underlines importance of ISO International Standards On: 2011-06-22Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, expressed the continuing support of his country for the development of ISO International Standards that contribute to trade, industry and technology. Read More... Title: ISO 50001 energy management standard impacts the bottom line On: 2011-06-22Substantial improvements in energy efficiency with positive financial impacts have been experienced both by a major company and by a small business taking part in a pilot programme to test the new ISO 50001 energy management standard. Read More... Title: MIT Study calculates cost of lax air pollution regulations in China On: 2011-06-21A new study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change looks at the cost to the Chinese economy of lax air quality regulations between 1975 and 2005. The MIT researchers found that air pollutants produced a substantial socio-economic cost to China over the past three decades. Read More... Title: Over 900 species added to endangered list during past year On: 2011-06-21The past twelve months have seen 914 species added to the threatened list by the world's authority of species endangerment, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s Red List. Over 19,000 species are now classified in one of three threatened categories, i.e. Vulnerable, Endangered, and Critically Endangered, a jump of 8,219 species since 2000. Read More... Title: Global Warming Lawsuit On: 2011-06-21The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a global warming lawsuit against five big power companies, its most important environmental ruling since 2007 and a victory for the utilities. The utilities — American Electric Power Co Inc, Southern Co, Xcel Energy Inc, and Duke Energy Corp, along with TVA — account for about 10 percent of US carbon dioxide emissions. The justices unanimously overturned a ruling by a U.S. appeals court that the public nuisance lawsuit now involving six states (California, Connecticut, Iowa, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont) can proceed in an effort to force the coal-burning plants to cut emissions of gases that contribute to climate change. In a defeat for environmentalists, the Supreme Court agreed with the companies that regulating greenhouse gases should be left to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the clean air laws.>>more Read More... Title: Bonn Climate Talks Fail to Resolve Future of Kyoto Protocol On: 2011-06-20BONN, Germany, June 17, 2011 (ENS) - Climate talks over the past 10 days have made "clear advances on key issues" and identified issues that require "high-level political leadership" ahead of the United Nations' annual climate summit in Durban in December, the UN's top climate official said today. Environmental groups say progress in Bonn was "uneven" at best and "poisonous" at worst. Read More... Title: New ISO standard on phased implementation of environmental management systems will benefit SMEs On: 2011-02-22ISO has just published a new standard in order to help organizations, and in particular small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) use a phased approach to implement an environmental management system (EMS). Read More... Title: Biofuels potential harm to biodiversity. A European report and recommendation On: 2010-12-28Biofuels and their invasive potential is a problem being address worldwide. A report was written for the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (known as the Council of Europe-Bern Convention) by the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) - an agency led by the Italian Ministry for the Environment.
Following the report the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention, worried that the increase of biofuel cropping systems may lead to cultivation escapes of invasive taxa with subsequent negative effect on native biological diversity, adopted advices to reduce impacts, of potentially invasive alien plants being used as biofuel crops, on species biodiversity and natural ecosystems. Read More... Title: The Paradox of Efficiency On: 2010-12-28Several thousand officials from 194 countries just gathered in Cancún, Mexico, for yet another global climate summit. Dissatisfied with the pace of climate diplomacy, many individuals are now wondering what they can do about climate change on their own.
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For years now, climate activists from Al Gore to Leonardo DiCaprio have argued that individual actions like driving more economical cars and using more efficient light bulbs are a crucial element in the effort to address global warming. The United Nations' climate panel and the International Energy Agency both echo this sentiment, insisting that higher energy efficiency could reduce energy consumption by up to 30 percent—making improved efficiency an effective remedy for climate change. But is this really true? Read More... Title: The Economist Speculates on the Future of Vertical Farming On: 2010-12-28A recent Economist article asks the question of vertical farming, "Does it really stack up?" In theory, it's a win-win-win concept for the environment, feeding growing urban populations locally, and increasing space for agriculture without more land use. But the reality is that vertical farming is costly energy-wise due to the need for artificial lighting and insufficient space for renewable energy installations on skyscrapers. While many designs exist, no large scale vertical farm has been built yet. However, Will Allen's Growing Power did receive approval this year from the Milwaukee city planning commission to build a five story greenhouse, perhaps marking a step toward the fruition of the first vertical farm. Read More... Title: Governments around the World are Acting to Reduce their Footprints On: 2010-12-06The EU's commitment to renewable energy has helped to advance renewable energy sources like wind power. Other encouraging signs are also in evidence in the European auto industry. EU legislation, passed in 2008, requires manufacturers to reduce CO2 by one fifth by 2015. Business Week is reporting that European car makers are ahead of schedule in their efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, thanks in part to increased consumer demand for more efficient Air pollution in major cities in Asia exceeds the World Health Organisation's (WHO) air quality guidelines and toxic cocktails result in more than 530,000 premature deaths a year, according to a new report issued on Tuesday. Issued by the U.S.-based Health Effects Institute, the study found that elderly people with cardiopulmonary and other chronic illnesses were especially vulnerable and they tended to die prematurely when their conditions were exacerbated by bad Read More... Title: Have yourself a Merry Green Christmas! On: 2010-12-06I'm guessing Christmas shopping has already started for many and I know of some people who have put up trees already. Christmas is a nice season: it wraps up the end of the year, gives us time to contemplate, spend time with families, shop and eat. Who doesn't like all of that? Modern Christmas is also supremely consumerist, so like with other holidays, it is essential to consider your personal footprint Read More... Title: Air pollution exceeds safety limits in big Asian cities On: 2010-12-06Air pollution in major cities in Asia exceeds the World Health Organisation's (WHO) air quality guidelines and toxic cocktails result in more than 530,000 premature deaths a year, according to a new report issued on Tuesday. Issued by the U.S.-based Health Effects Institute, the study found that elderly people with cardiopulmonary and other chronic illnesses were especially vulnerable and they tended to die prematurely when their conditions were exacerbated by bad air Read More... Title: Governments around the World are Acting to Reduce their Footprints On: 2010-12-06The EU's commitment to renewable energy has helped to advance renewable energy sources like wind power. Other encouraging signs are also in evidence in the European auto industry. EU legislation, passed in 2008, requires manufacturers to reduce CO2 by one fifth by 2015. Business Week is reporting that European car makers are ahead of schedule in their efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, thanks in part to increased consumer demand for more efficient vehicles Read More...
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