| Come on in. This is the spot to find stuff you won't hear on your news or read in your papers, that you have been looking to learn about. I could go into serious tree hugger mode on this page, but I won't. That would entail a lot of screaming and cursing, but I promised that this site wouldn't get political, so I'll reserve my screaming and cursing for my Rants n' Stuff page about computer related idiocy. Like Joe Friday would say....."just give me the facts mam". So I'll try to keep this page moderately current with things going on, on our home planet, without getting too judgemental.......NAH! |
| The Doors - When The Music's Over |
| If you can read this, then you're not the President! |
| Steppenwolf - Monster/Suicide/America |
North Korea Wants More Nuclear Rewards, South Says
Friday, Nov. 14, 2008 North Korea hopes to collect additional aid from a group of nations by throwing up another roadblock in the denuclearization
process, South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said yesterday
Pyongyang said this week it had not accepted the collection of nuclear samples as part of an agreement for verifying its atomic activities and holdings, the
Associated Press reported. The verification process would be the next step in carrying out the 2007 agreement in which North Korea agreed to dismantle
its nuclear sector in exchange for economic, diplomatic and security benefits from China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States.
The process has appeared near collapse on several occasions as the parties have disagreed over details of the agreement's obligations.
The latest standoff is the result of a standard North Korean negotiating ploy, Yu said. Pyongyang consistently provokes "a small crisis before resolving a
certain issue, and receiving something in the process of resolving it," he said.
The United States says North Korea agreed to sampling and is working to resolve the matter. The nations in the six-party process are expected to meet at
some point to prepare a formal verification plan, though Pyongyang has also expressed reservations about such a written document (Kwang-Tae Kim,
Associated Press/PR-inside.com, Nov. 13). Meanwhile, the U.S. Congressional Research Service last week warned about the potential effects of the Bush
administration's October decision to remove North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, the Yomiuri Shimbunreported. The removal resulted
from Pyongyang's agreement to allow verification.
North Korea is believed to have supported Iran's nuclear program, which Western nations suspect is aimed at developing a weapons capability, and has
provided military aid for the militant Shiite organization Hezbollah, according to the report.
Following delisting, "the United States will no longer have the terrorism support list as a negotiating lever if it ever decided to address (the issue of) North
Korean activities in the Middle East in negotiations with Pyongyang," the report says. North Korea might also export some of its nuclear operations to Iran
to skirt certain obligations under the denuclearization deal, said CRS specialist Larry Niksch
Source Kim is sure good at this Nuclear blackmail shit. Someone needs to tell the little wooz to STFU!
Friday, Nov. 14, 2008 North Korea hopes to collect additional aid from a group of nations by throwing up another roadblock in the denuclearization
process, South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said yesterday
Pyongyang said this week it had not accepted the collection of nuclear samples as part of an agreement for verifying its atomic activities and holdings, the
Associated Press reported. The verification process would be the next step in carrying out the 2007 agreement in which North Korea agreed to dismantle
its nuclear sector in exchange for economic, diplomatic and security benefits from China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States.
The process has appeared near collapse on several occasions as the parties have disagreed over details of the agreement's obligations.
The latest standoff is the result of a standard North Korean negotiating ploy, Yu said. Pyongyang consistently provokes "a small crisis before resolving a
certain issue, and receiving something in the process of resolving it," he said.
The United States says North Korea agreed to sampling and is working to resolve the matter. The nations in the six-party process are expected to meet at
some point to prepare a formal verification plan, though Pyongyang has also expressed reservations about such a written document (Kwang-Tae Kim,
Associated Press/PR-inside.com, Nov. 13). Meanwhile, the U.S. Congressional Research Service last week warned about the potential effects of the Bush
administration's October decision to remove North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, the Yomiuri Shimbunreported. The removal resulted
from Pyongyang's agreement to allow verification.
North Korea is believed to have supported Iran's nuclear program, which Western nations suspect is aimed at developing a weapons capability, and has
provided military aid for the militant Shiite organization Hezbollah, according to the report.
Following delisting, "the United States will no longer have the terrorism support list as a negotiating lever if it ever decided to address (the issue of) North
Korean activities in the Middle East in negotiations with Pyongyang," the report says. North Korea might also export some of its nuclear operations to Iran
to skirt certain obligations under the denuclearization deal, said CRS specialist Larry Niksch
Source Kim is sure good at this Nuclear blackmail shit. Someone needs to tell the little wooz to STFU!
| Paul Simon - American Tune |
Alternatives To An Auto Bailout: Help The Economy And The Planet
By Jason Pelletier, Low Impact Living November 14th, 2008
Are you as tired as I am of the unending bad economic news? From the subprime crisis to the collapse of the real estate bubble to the near-failure of the
global finance industry, it just goes from bad to worse. More scary news this week — major retailers are failing (Circuit City) and one or more of our
domestic auto manufacturers appears to be next.
It now appears likely that the government (and as a result we, the taxpayers) will fund some kind of bailout for the auto industry. The price tag could be in
the $25 - $50 billion range, and that’s on top of a $25 billion loan they’ve already received from the US Department of Energy to retool their operations to
produce more efficient cars.
This really pains me. Several years ago, when the Prius began to take off, it was pretty clear (at least here in California) that this was the beginning of a
transformation rather than a little niche. It doesn’t take that much marketing insight to see that something major is happening when folks who normally
would buy $50K+ luxury cars (executives, celebrities, high-tech entrepreneurs, etc) are standing in line to buy a $22K mid-size car that looks like a
spruced-up door stop. Especially when that trend is being driven by a real-world problem that just happens to threaten the entire planet. Instead of taking
action, the US car companies pursued inaction. Instead of investing in new design on these alt-fuel cars, they lobbied hard to prevent increased fuel
economy standards. They repackaged old products based on old technologies in increasingly extravagent ways (see Hummer and Escalade) instead of
ramping up innovation. And they made sure that they used their clout (both companies and unions) to keep anyone else who might prod them to change,
such as the State of California Air Resources Board, at a standstill as well.
These companies deserve to fail, but this can’t happen. Our economy is teetering on the brink, and losing one out of every ten jobs in the US (and
probably a higher percentage of wealth, given that these jobs are high paying) would certainly push us into a deep dark hole the likes of which we haven’t
seen before. This would take a huge human toll: as much as auto unions have been part of the problem, they represent hundreds of thousands of
workers who have families to support and homes to keep out of foreclosure.
Now, I’m not an economist. But it would seem that we can either “rescue” these companies (albeit from themselves) or sustain their work forces in a way
that ensures we are fueling the creation of a new economy rather than prolonging the rattling last gasp of an old one.
Here are some thoughts, and I’d love to hear some of yours as well:
Continued... This is an interesting read and some good ideas. Too good for the congress to come up with. Check it out.
By Jason Pelletier, Low Impact Living November 14th, 2008
Are you as tired as I am of the unending bad economic news? From the subprime crisis to the collapse of the real estate bubble to the near-failure of the
global finance industry, it just goes from bad to worse. More scary news this week — major retailers are failing (Circuit City) and one or more of our
domestic auto manufacturers appears to be next.
It now appears likely that the government (and as a result we, the taxpayers) will fund some kind of bailout for the auto industry. The price tag could be in
the $25 - $50 billion range, and that’s on top of a $25 billion loan they’ve already received from the US Department of Energy to retool their operations to
produce more efficient cars.
This really pains me. Several years ago, when the Prius began to take off, it was pretty clear (at least here in California) that this was the beginning of a
transformation rather than a little niche. It doesn’t take that much marketing insight to see that something major is happening when folks who normally
would buy $50K+ luxury cars (executives, celebrities, high-tech entrepreneurs, etc) are standing in line to buy a $22K mid-size car that looks like a
spruced-up door stop. Especially when that trend is being driven by a real-world problem that just happens to threaten the entire planet. Instead of taking
action, the US car companies pursued inaction. Instead of investing in new design on these alt-fuel cars, they lobbied hard to prevent increased fuel
economy standards. They repackaged old products based on old technologies in increasingly extravagent ways (see Hummer and Escalade) instead of
ramping up innovation. And they made sure that they used their clout (both companies and unions) to keep anyone else who might prod them to change,
such as the State of California Air Resources Board, at a standstill as well.
These companies deserve to fail, but this can’t happen. Our economy is teetering on the brink, and losing one out of every ten jobs in the US (and
probably a higher percentage of wealth, given that these jobs are high paying) would certainly push us into a deep dark hole the likes of which we haven’t
seen before. This would take a huge human toll: as much as auto unions have been part of the problem, they represent hundreds of thousands of
workers who have families to support and homes to keep out of foreclosure.
Now, I’m not an economist. But it would seem that we can either “rescue” these companies (albeit from themselves) or sustain their work forces in a way
that ensures we are fueling the creation of a new economy rather than prolonging the rattling last gasp of an old one.
Here are some thoughts, and I’d love to hear some of yours as well:
Continued... This is an interesting read and some good ideas. Too good for the congress to come up with. Check it out.
The Regreening Of The Himalayas - Community Forestry
T. V. Padma, Science and Development Network
August 17, 2007
Nepal - Leafy forests replanted by communities in Nepal are flying in the face of accepted conservation practice. Now, something called "Community
Forestry" aims to mix pine with more broad leaf plants and restore forests.
The shaded path, insect buzz and distant calls of birds signal the beginning of a small forest in Nepal's middle Himalayas. Traversing up the mountains,
one sees many more such forest patches, interrupted only by red-tiled roofs and tiny terraced fields of maize and rice.
These are no ordinary forests — they are 'community forests', entirely rejuvenated from denuded mountain land by the local communities who now
manage them. Community forests have ushered in a paradigm shift in forestry science and management in Nepal and helped conserve one of the world”
²s biodiversity hotspots.
This is brahmi (Bacopa monnierii), it helps improve your memory," points out a 70-year-old local villager, Ram Prasad Ghimire, as he climbs the steep
forest path like a sure-footed goat. He continues to walk and talk, an encyclopaedia of local Himalayan herbs that get rid of worms or are used to make
incense or paper. He pauses to add, "I know their local names and uses, but don't know English. The scientists in Kathmandu who know English never
bother to come here." Reclaiming the lost forests Scientists' indifference has not deterred local communities from regenerating the forest on their own.
Over one-and-a-half centuries ago, the lower slopes of the mountains that form 83 per cent of Nepal's land were covered in natural forests. Population
pressure, commercial exploitation and mismanagement by Nepal”²s kings, government and private owners slowly stripped them away. Between 1964 and
1985, Nepal lost 570,000 hectares (about nine per cent) of its natural forest, according to government data. Until 1980, the Jiri Valley in the Dolakha
range and the Lamosangu area in the Sindhpalchowk district were two such barren, treeless areas. With their livelihoods at stake, local communities took
charge, applying their traditional knowledge of land and natural resource management to regrow trees.
They simply left the hills alone for some time, ensuring the soil contained humus — brownish-black decaying plant and animal matter that supports plant
growth — and moisture. Hardy roots of several forest species soon began to sprout and local communities later planted saplings of their choice.
Communities then drew up rules on which species should be grown, cut or left unused, and defined responsibilities and punishments for violating the
rules. By the mid-1990s the Jiri Valley had acquired a greenish tinge, and by 2005 it was dark green. Local communities — such as Ram Prasad's village,
Ghimiregaon — also became involved where other projects had failed. They took control of the 118-square-hectare Hilejaljale community forest after a
well-intentioned Australian-aided community forestry programme started planting fast-growing pine trees in the 1970s.
But the sharp pine needles were of no use for cattle fodder or bedding, the branches gave insufficient firewood and no shade, and the soil turned acidic,
which prevented undergrowth. The community started replacing the pines with broad-leaf vegetation. The tactic worked — slowly, smaller plants grew in
the trees' shade. This encouraged people to try growing fodder grass — not part of the original forest — for their cattle.
Local communities now grow different tree species in nurseries to test their growth rate; they cut, thin and prune trees, partially clear areas of dense
growth and keep inventories of trees, growth cycles and products.
"We are aiming to achieve 75 per cent mixed forest vegetation and 25 per cent pine in the coming years," says Balram Ghimire, chairperson of Hilejaljale
Community Forest User Group (CFUG). And there are strict policies: it is forbidden to start fires, put up large buildings, dig pits, hunt and catch wild
animals or encourage soil erosion.
Community forestry has revitalised and rehabilitated almost all degraded hilly slopes in Nepal in a cost-effective and sustainable manner," says Bharat
Pokharel, programme manager of a Nepal”“Swiss community forestry project. Today there are over 12,000 forest-user groups, he estimates. In fact,
Nepal's success in community forestry has created a new problem for its capital Kathmandu — nocturnal visits from leopards, whose numbers are growing
in nearby forests.
Pokharel says his experience with community forestry has made him revise some of the accepted conservation concepts, such as providing 'protected'
forest areas that are off-limits to local people. "Forests, people, agriculture and livestock together form an ecosystem that has survived for centuries," he
observes.
Dinesh Raj Buzhu, chief executive of the Kathmandu-based environment think-tank Resources Himalaya Foundation, agrees. "We cannot protect forests
without people. With community forestry, there has been a paradigm shift from species-specific conservation to landscape conservation."
The World Bank noted in an evaluation report in 2001, "Although Nepal is among the world's poorest countries, it is a global leader in engaging
communities in forest protection and management. With no precedents, the country has had to learn through trial and error and find innovative solutions
as challenges emerged."
CFUGs also organize government-recognized forest management training for communities.
An offshoot of community forestry in Nepal is that women are trained for income-generating activities, such as briquette-making. "It is now mandatory to
reserve half of any CFUG committee for women," says Shanta Neupane, vice-chairperson of the Federation of Community Forest Users, Nepal, in the
Kabure district. Training courses on small-scale technologies for compacting briquettes, oil extraction from seeds and paper-making are being introduced.
There is increasing demand for new technical knowledge to help improve livelihood options, says Balram Ghimire. Community forestry in Nepal has
survived during the past decade of political conflict between the monarchy, democrats and armed Maoist rebels. Even as the conflict paralyzed Nepal's
development, CFUGs provided drinking water, built roads and introduced irrigation and education in their areas.
Conserving biodiversity? Nepal is a biodiversity hotspot, home to 181 species of mammal, 844 species of bird and 7,000 species of plant, over a third of
which are not found elsewhere. The country has lost 11 bird species and three mammal species as a result of forest destruction.
Those involved in community forest ventures say that the number of birds is increasing, but views are mixed on the impact of community forestry on
biodiversity conservation.
There is lack of baseline information for comparing population changes over time. But officials from the Nepal”“Swiss community forestry project say there
is an overall improvement in community forests.
Community forestry has impacted biodiversity conservation in a big way, preventing local extinction of species and increasing vegetation and wildlife, says
Nakul Chhetri, a scientist at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development in Kathmandu.
Critics argue, however, that community forestry aims to supply forest products to local users, rather than to conserve or maximize biodiversity, and that
activities such as clearing, weeding, thinning and pruning reduce biodiversity.
A survey in 2005 by the state-owned Department of Forest Research and Survey of two community- and one government-owned forest notes that CFUGs
tend to conserve only "useful" species and not low-quality timber trees, shrubs, climbers, grasses and herbs, which could have negative implications for
biodiversity.
But some CFUGs have allotted specified areas for biodiversity conservation.
Hurdles to jump Despite its multiple benefits and proven success, community forestry still faces hurdles in Nepal. Social and caste hierarchies within the
forest-user groups exclude the poorest and most marginalized communities from the benefits.
Community forests form only 22 per cent of Nepal's forest area. The government continues to control the remainder, and its ecotourism and development
plans often conflict with the local community's interests.
Also, the successful model of community forestry in the hills could not be replicated in the plains, or terai, region, where the government is reluctant to
hand over the rich forests to user groups (unlike the denuded hills).
And the divide with the formal scientific community remains. "We expect scientists to introduce new findings to forest users, bring their benefits to us,
control diseases of forest trees and improve the environment. That is not happening," says Balram Ghimire. "We do not know what is being lost, as many
of the plants are not documented properly," agrees Buzhu. We are still describing new taxa and reporting new species," adds Ram Chaudhary, professor
of botany at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu.
Nepal's community forestry also struggles to gain international policy-makers' attention. A major hurdle is their exclusion from the clean development
mechanisms (CDMs) of the Kyoto Protocol, because they are a form of "avoided deforestation", says Buzhu. Only large-scale afforestation programmes
qualify for CDM. Also, CDMs are required to demonstrate reduced carbon emissions compared with a business-as-usual scenario. This has proved
difficult for Nepal”²s community forests as off-setting vegetation returns very slowly.
The Kyoto Protocol holds little meaning for remote communities in the Himalayas who associate forests with their own survival and not with a carbon
reservoir, point out the authors of a report from the nongovernmental organisation Resources Himalaya Foundation. Nepal's community forestry gives us
a new perspective on forestry science that needs to be documented and debated in developing countries, says Pokharel.
Nepal's community forests are one of the world's little-known success stories, so now is the time to turn the spotlight on them
Source This is old but too damn good to take down.
T. V. Padma, Science and Development Network
August 17, 2007
Nepal - Leafy forests replanted by communities in Nepal are flying in the face of accepted conservation practice. Now, something called "Community
Forestry" aims to mix pine with more broad leaf plants and restore forests.
The shaded path, insect buzz and distant calls of birds signal the beginning of a small forest in Nepal's middle Himalayas. Traversing up the mountains,
one sees many more such forest patches, interrupted only by red-tiled roofs and tiny terraced fields of maize and rice.
These are no ordinary forests — they are 'community forests', entirely rejuvenated from denuded mountain land by the local communities who now
manage them. Community forests have ushered in a paradigm shift in forestry science and management in Nepal and helped conserve one of the world”
²s biodiversity hotspots.
This is brahmi (Bacopa monnierii), it helps improve your memory," points out a 70-year-old local villager, Ram Prasad Ghimire, as he climbs the steep
forest path like a sure-footed goat. He continues to walk and talk, an encyclopaedia of local Himalayan herbs that get rid of worms or are used to make
incense or paper. He pauses to add, "I know their local names and uses, but don't know English. The scientists in Kathmandu who know English never
bother to come here." Reclaiming the lost forests Scientists' indifference has not deterred local communities from regenerating the forest on their own.
Over one-and-a-half centuries ago, the lower slopes of the mountains that form 83 per cent of Nepal's land were covered in natural forests. Population
pressure, commercial exploitation and mismanagement by Nepal”²s kings, government and private owners slowly stripped them away. Between 1964 and
1985, Nepal lost 570,000 hectares (about nine per cent) of its natural forest, according to government data. Until 1980, the Jiri Valley in the Dolakha
range and the Lamosangu area in the Sindhpalchowk district were two such barren, treeless areas. With their livelihoods at stake, local communities took
charge, applying their traditional knowledge of land and natural resource management to regrow trees.
They simply left the hills alone for some time, ensuring the soil contained humus — brownish-black decaying plant and animal matter that supports plant
growth — and moisture. Hardy roots of several forest species soon began to sprout and local communities later planted saplings of their choice.
Communities then drew up rules on which species should be grown, cut or left unused, and defined responsibilities and punishments for violating the
rules. By the mid-1990s the Jiri Valley had acquired a greenish tinge, and by 2005 it was dark green. Local communities — such as Ram Prasad's village,
Ghimiregaon — also became involved where other projects had failed. They took control of the 118-square-hectare Hilejaljale community forest after a
well-intentioned Australian-aided community forestry programme started planting fast-growing pine trees in the 1970s.
But the sharp pine needles were of no use for cattle fodder or bedding, the branches gave insufficient firewood and no shade, and the soil turned acidic,
which prevented undergrowth. The community started replacing the pines with broad-leaf vegetation. The tactic worked — slowly, smaller plants grew in
the trees' shade. This encouraged people to try growing fodder grass — not part of the original forest — for their cattle.
Local communities now grow different tree species in nurseries to test their growth rate; they cut, thin and prune trees, partially clear areas of dense
growth and keep inventories of trees, growth cycles and products.
"We are aiming to achieve 75 per cent mixed forest vegetation and 25 per cent pine in the coming years," says Balram Ghimire, chairperson of Hilejaljale
Community Forest User Group (CFUG). And there are strict policies: it is forbidden to start fires, put up large buildings, dig pits, hunt and catch wild
animals or encourage soil erosion.
Community forestry has revitalised and rehabilitated almost all degraded hilly slopes in Nepal in a cost-effective and sustainable manner," says Bharat
Pokharel, programme manager of a Nepal”“Swiss community forestry project. Today there are over 12,000 forest-user groups, he estimates. In fact,
Nepal's success in community forestry has created a new problem for its capital Kathmandu — nocturnal visits from leopards, whose numbers are growing
in nearby forests.
Pokharel says his experience with community forestry has made him revise some of the accepted conservation concepts, such as providing 'protected'
forest areas that are off-limits to local people. "Forests, people, agriculture and livestock together form an ecosystem that has survived for centuries," he
observes.
Dinesh Raj Buzhu, chief executive of the Kathmandu-based environment think-tank Resources Himalaya Foundation, agrees. "We cannot protect forests
without people. With community forestry, there has been a paradigm shift from species-specific conservation to landscape conservation."
The World Bank noted in an evaluation report in 2001, "Although Nepal is among the world's poorest countries, it is a global leader in engaging
communities in forest protection and management. With no precedents, the country has had to learn through trial and error and find innovative solutions
as challenges emerged."
CFUGs also organize government-recognized forest management training for communities.
An offshoot of community forestry in Nepal is that women are trained for income-generating activities, such as briquette-making. "It is now mandatory to
reserve half of any CFUG committee for women," says Shanta Neupane, vice-chairperson of the Federation of Community Forest Users, Nepal, in the
Kabure district. Training courses on small-scale technologies for compacting briquettes, oil extraction from seeds and paper-making are being introduced.
There is increasing demand for new technical knowledge to help improve livelihood options, says Balram Ghimire. Community forestry in Nepal has
survived during the past decade of political conflict between the monarchy, democrats and armed Maoist rebels. Even as the conflict paralyzed Nepal's
development, CFUGs provided drinking water, built roads and introduced irrigation and education in their areas.
Conserving biodiversity? Nepal is a biodiversity hotspot, home to 181 species of mammal, 844 species of bird and 7,000 species of plant, over a third of
which are not found elsewhere. The country has lost 11 bird species and three mammal species as a result of forest destruction.
Those involved in community forest ventures say that the number of birds is increasing, but views are mixed on the impact of community forestry on
biodiversity conservation.
There is lack of baseline information for comparing population changes over time. But officials from the Nepal”“Swiss community forestry project say there
is an overall improvement in community forests.
Community forestry has impacted biodiversity conservation in a big way, preventing local extinction of species and increasing vegetation and wildlife, says
Nakul Chhetri, a scientist at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development in Kathmandu.
Critics argue, however, that community forestry aims to supply forest products to local users, rather than to conserve or maximize biodiversity, and that
activities such as clearing, weeding, thinning and pruning reduce biodiversity.
A survey in 2005 by the state-owned Department of Forest Research and Survey of two community- and one government-owned forest notes that CFUGs
tend to conserve only "useful" species and not low-quality timber trees, shrubs, climbers, grasses and herbs, which could have negative implications for
biodiversity.
But some CFUGs have allotted specified areas for biodiversity conservation.
Hurdles to jump Despite its multiple benefits and proven success, community forestry still faces hurdles in Nepal. Social and caste hierarchies within the
forest-user groups exclude the poorest and most marginalized communities from the benefits.
Community forests form only 22 per cent of Nepal's forest area. The government continues to control the remainder, and its ecotourism and development
plans often conflict with the local community's interests.
Also, the successful model of community forestry in the hills could not be replicated in the plains, or terai, region, where the government is reluctant to
hand over the rich forests to user groups (unlike the denuded hills).
And the divide with the formal scientific community remains. "We expect scientists to introduce new findings to forest users, bring their benefits to us,
control diseases of forest trees and improve the environment. That is not happening," says Balram Ghimire. "We do not know what is being lost, as many
of the plants are not documented properly," agrees Buzhu. We are still describing new taxa and reporting new species," adds Ram Chaudhary, professor
of botany at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu.
Nepal's community forestry also struggles to gain international policy-makers' attention. A major hurdle is their exclusion from the clean development
mechanisms (CDMs) of the Kyoto Protocol, because they are a form of "avoided deforestation", says Buzhu. Only large-scale afforestation programmes
qualify for CDM. Also, CDMs are required to demonstrate reduced carbon emissions compared with a business-as-usual scenario. This has proved
difficult for Nepal”²s community forests as off-setting vegetation returns very slowly.
The Kyoto Protocol holds little meaning for remote communities in the Himalayas who associate forests with their own survival and not with a carbon
reservoir, point out the authors of a report from the nongovernmental organisation Resources Himalaya Foundation. Nepal's community forestry gives us
a new perspective on forestry science that needs to be documented and debated in developing countries, says Pokharel.
Nepal's community forests are one of the world's little-known success stories, so now is the time to turn the spotlight on them
Source This is old but too damn good to take down.
| Bob Dylan - Gates Of Eden |
Coal To Remain World's Top Power Source: IEA
Reuters November 14, 2008 10:07 AM (Originally titled "Coal To Remain World's Top Dirty Power Source" the IEA made them change it)
LONDON (Reuters) - Coal, which produces more climate-warming carbon dioxide than oil or gas, will remain the world's main source of
power until 2030 and nuclear will lose market share, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday.
Expectations of slower economic growth have led the IEA to downgrade its 2030 world electricity demand forecast to 23,141 terawatt
hours (TWh), but the share of coal generated power would rise to 44 percent by 2015 from 41 percent in 2006. It would stay at that level to
2030.
"Globally, coal-based electricity is projected to rise ... to almost 14,600 TWh by 2030, giving rise to significant increases in associated CO2
emissions," the Paris-based agency said in its World Energy Outlook.
The report from the IEA, adviser to 28 industrialized nations, says coal emissions, also including toxic and pollutant gases, can have
serious effects on the local environment and human health. Most of the growth was expected in non-OECD countries, such as China,
which the IEA expected soon to become the world's biggest electricity consumer. Its demand for power doubled between 2000 and 2006.
The IEA urged stronger policies for carbon capture and storage (CCS), saying the world was likely to make only a minor contribution in the
period.
"Market mechanisms alone will not be sufficient to achieve the demonstration program on the scale required. Another challenge is
financing the necessary CO2 transport infrastructure," it said.
Despite a global nuclear renaissance sparked by efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change, the IEA expected
nuclear's share in power generation to drop to 10 percent by 2030 from 15 percent in 2006. "Over the past few years, a large number of
countries have expressed renewed interest in building nuclear power plants," it said. "Few governments, however, have taken concrete
steps to build new reactors."
CHINA IN THE LEAD
As of the end of August, China topped the list of countries with nuclear power plants under construction, with 5,220 megawatts (MW),
followed by India at 2,910 MW and Korea at 2,880 MW.
On a brighter note, the IEA predicted the share of renewable energy to rise to 23 percent by 2030 from 18 percent in 2006. "Higher fossil
fuel prices, increasing concerns over energy security and climate change are expected to encourage the development of renewable
energy for electricity," the IEA said. The agency said high prices would constrain growth in gas-fired generation, although it remained
attractive due to lower capital costs and shorter construction time. Its market share was likely to fall slightly from 20 percent.
Looking into per capita electricity demand around the world, the IEA saw a gloomy outlook for some non-OECD countries, despite overall
anticipated strong growth. "A large number of people living there are not expected to have access to electricity even in 2030. India and
Africa have the highest number of people in this category," it said.
Per capita electricity consumption in non-OECD countries was likely to rise to almost 2,400 kilowatt hours (kWh) by 2030, but the IEA saw it
rising only to 671 kWh in Africa from 518. It would rise to 4,776 kWh in China from 1,788 in 2006.
Source Why does this not surprise me?
Reuters November 14, 2008 10:07 AM (Originally titled "Coal To Remain World's Top Dirty Power Source" the IEA made them change it)
LONDON (Reuters) - Coal, which produces more climate-warming carbon dioxide than oil or gas, will remain the world's main source of
power until 2030 and nuclear will lose market share, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday.
Expectations of slower economic growth have led the IEA to downgrade its 2030 world electricity demand forecast to 23,141 terawatt
hours (TWh), but the share of coal generated power would rise to 44 percent by 2015 from 41 percent in 2006. It would stay at that level to
2030.
"Globally, coal-based electricity is projected to rise ... to almost 14,600 TWh by 2030, giving rise to significant increases in associated CO2
emissions," the Paris-based agency said in its World Energy Outlook.
The report from the IEA, adviser to 28 industrialized nations, says coal emissions, also including toxic and pollutant gases, can have
serious effects on the local environment and human health. Most of the growth was expected in non-OECD countries, such as China,
which the IEA expected soon to become the world's biggest electricity consumer. Its demand for power doubled between 2000 and 2006.
The IEA urged stronger policies for carbon capture and storage (CCS), saying the world was likely to make only a minor contribution in the
period.
"Market mechanisms alone will not be sufficient to achieve the demonstration program on the scale required. Another challenge is
financing the necessary CO2 transport infrastructure," it said.
Despite a global nuclear renaissance sparked by efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change, the IEA expected
nuclear's share in power generation to drop to 10 percent by 2030 from 15 percent in 2006. "Over the past few years, a large number of
countries have expressed renewed interest in building nuclear power plants," it said. "Few governments, however, have taken concrete
steps to build new reactors."
CHINA IN THE LEAD
As of the end of August, China topped the list of countries with nuclear power plants under construction, with 5,220 megawatts (MW),
followed by India at 2,910 MW and Korea at 2,880 MW.
On a brighter note, the IEA predicted the share of renewable energy to rise to 23 percent by 2030 from 18 percent in 2006. "Higher fossil
fuel prices, increasing concerns over energy security and climate change are expected to encourage the development of renewable
energy for electricity," the IEA said. The agency said high prices would constrain growth in gas-fired generation, although it remained
attractive due to lower capital costs and shorter construction time. Its market share was likely to fall slightly from 20 percent.
Looking into per capita electricity demand around the world, the IEA saw a gloomy outlook for some non-OECD countries, despite overall
anticipated strong growth. "A large number of people living there are not expected to have access to electricity even in 2030. India and
Africa have the highest number of people in this category," it said.
Per capita electricity consumption in non-OECD countries was likely to rise to almost 2,400 kilowatt hours (kWh) by 2030, but the IEA saw it
rising only to 671 kWh in Africa from 518. It would rise to 4,776 kWh in China from 1,788 in 2006.
Source Why does this not surprise me?
California gets dire warning on global warming
By Matt Nauman Mercury News November 14, 2008
Global warming will have a broad and devastating impact on California's economy over the next century, according to a report released Thursday.
Roads and bridges, the water supply, agriculture, public health and even winter skiing all will be affected by global climate change, said the report by
University of California-Berkeley agricultural and resource economics professors David Roland-Holst and Fredrich Kahrl.
The report said damage could reach many billions of dollars per year. In real estate alone, up to $2.5 trillion of the state's $4 trillion worth of homes and
other buildings are at risk from rising sea levels, wildfires and other extreme weather events occurring as the world gets warmer, it said.
The 127-page report was funded by the nonprofit Next 10 foundation that studies California's future and the intersection of the economy and the
environment.
This is the first time a major academic institution has attempted to put a price tag on the potential climate damage in California between now and the year
2100, the researchers said.
In an interview, Roland-Holst said that despite the staggering numbers, he didn't want his research to be seen as a doomsday report.
"It's not Chicken Little. It is a wake-up call," he said. "The estimates at the moment have a lot of uncertainty, but we really have to take this seriously."
Roland-Holst and Kahrl offered forecasts on the impacts of global warming on seven business sector in California.
1. Water: An estimated $5 billion in levees, aqueducts and other water systems are at risk, and costs could reach $600 million a year in what the
researchers call the "high-warming scenario."
Article Continues... The way these fires are burning today, So. Cali might not be here in 10 years!
By Matt Nauman Mercury News November 14, 2008
Global warming will have a broad and devastating impact on California's economy over the next century, according to a report released Thursday.
Roads and bridges, the water supply, agriculture, public health and even winter skiing all will be affected by global climate change, said the report by
University of California-Berkeley agricultural and resource economics professors David Roland-Holst and Fredrich Kahrl.
The report said damage could reach many billions of dollars per year. In real estate alone, up to $2.5 trillion of the state's $4 trillion worth of homes and
other buildings are at risk from rising sea levels, wildfires and other extreme weather events occurring as the world gets warmer, it said.
The 127-page report was funded by the nonprofit Next 10 foundation that studies California's future and the intersection of the economy and the
environment.
This is the first time a major academic institution has attempted to put a price tag on the potential climate damage in California between now and the year
2100, the researchers said.
In an interview, Roland-Holst said that despite the staggering numbers, he didn't want his research to be seen as a doomsday report.
"It's not Chicken Little. It is a wake-up call," he said. "The estimates at the moment have a lot of uncertainty, but we really have to take this seriously."
Roland-Holst and Kahrl offered forecasts on the impacts of global warming on seven business sector in California.
1. Water: An estimated $5 billion in levees, aqueducts and other water systems are at risk, and costs could reach $600 million a year in what the
researchers call the "high-warming scenario."
Article Continues... The way these fires are burning today, So. Cali might not be here in 10 years!
| George Harrison - Beware Of Darkness |
Europe Sits On Damning Bluefin Tuna Report
World Wildlife Fund November 14, 2008 08:58 AM
Barcelona, Spain: A European fisheries report demonstrating continuing widespread infringements
by bluefin tuna fleets despite increased fleet surveillance in the Mediterranean has been delayed until
after the conclusion of next week's key international tuna commission meeting to decide on a new
management regime for the fishery. The existence of the report, revealed today by
The Economist, undermines Europe's promise of support for strong action possibly
including temporary closure of the fishery at the International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) meeting in Marrakech, Morocco.
It also undermines European claims that it is bringing rampant bluefin overfishing
under control, with a summary hurriedly produced after repeated demands from the
European Parliament noting that extensive consultations with fishers and improved
surveillance and inspections had little effect on the low priority industry gave to
ICCAT rules.
“After decades of ignoring the science, ICCAT and member states are now trying to
outdo each other in rhetoric about how much the science must matter,” said Dr Sergi
Tudela, Fisheries director for WWF Mediterranean.
“The information gathered by Europe’s Community Fisheries Control Agency provides
unprecedented data on the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery that would have been
extremely precious for ICCAT scientists to make appropriate management
recommendations.
“Shockingly, this valuable information has been kept hidden from scientists, thus
undermining the quality of fisheries management advice — and the European
Community, representing all EU Members States at ICCAT, must be held responsible
for this.”
Earlier this year, WWF welcomed Europe's promise of vastly improved inspection and
surveillance of the bluefin fleet and fattening farms by the CFCA, based in Vigo, Spain.
The Economist claims that a comprehensive CFCA report - the product of a €20 million
investment in seeking to reign in the bluefin fishery - went to the European
Commission in August and that an abbreviated version only was provided to the
European Parliament’s Fisheries Commission earlier this month.
The abbreviated version is alarming enough, noting that “the level of apparent infringements detected in the tugs and the purse seiner
fleet is considerable”, “the (illegal) use of spotter planes for searching bluefin tuna concentrations is still wide spread” and “as regards
the recording and reporting of bluefin tuna catches . . . the ICCAT rules have not been generally respected”.
European Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg has said that the last management rules for this beleaguered fishery — agreed at a previous
ICCAT meeting in Dubrovnik in 2006 — would work, as long as there was compliance with the rules.
“This latest evidence of widespread non-compliance, information that has been hidden from ICCAT scientists and decision-makers,
should be case enough that the only solution now is to close the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery — pending a complete overhaul of
the fiasco,” Dr Tudela said.
Source The EU wastes a lot of time suing Microsoft but can't manage to do anything about overfishing. Oh hell, they're just fish.
World Wildlife Fund November 14, 2008 08:58 AM
Barcelona, Spain: A European fisheries report demonstrating continuing widespread infringements
by bluefin tuna fleets despite increased fleet surveillance in the Mediterranean has been delayed until
after the conclusion of next week's key international tuna commission meeting to decide on a new
management regime for the fishery. The existence of the report, revealed today by
The Economist, undermines Europe's promise of support for strong action possibly
including temporary closure of the fishery at the International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) meeting in Marrakech, Morocco.
It also undermines European claims that it is bringing rampant bluefin overfishing
under control, with a summary hurriedly produced after repeated demands from the
European Parliament noting that extensive consultations with fishers and improved
surveillance and inspections had little effect on the low priority industry gave to
ICCAT rules.
“After decades of ignoring the science, ICCAT and member states are now trying to
outdo each other in rhetoric about how much the science must matter,” said Dr Sergi
Tudela, Fisheries director for WWF Mediterranean.
“The information gathered by Europe’s Community Fisheries Control Agency provides
unprecedented data on the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery that would have been
extremely precious for ICCAT scientists to make appropriate management
recommendations.
“Shockingly, this valuable information has been kept hidden from scientists, thus
undermining the quality of fisheries management advice — and the European
Community, representing all EU Members States at ICCAT, must be held responsible
for this.”
Earlier this year, WWF welcomed Europe's promise of vastly improved inspection and
surveillance of the bluefin fleet and fattening farms by the CFCA, based in Vigo, Spain.
The Economist claims that a comprehensive CFCA report - the product of a €20 million
investment in seeking to reign in the bluefin fishery - went to the European
Commission in August and that an abbreviated version only was provided to the
European Parliament’s Fisheries Commission earlier this month.
The abbreviated version is alarming enough, noting that “the level of apparent infringements detected in the tugs and the purse seiner
fleet is considerable”, “the (illegal) use of spotter planes for searching bluefin tuna concentrations is still wide spread” and “as regards
the recording and reporting of bluefin tuna catches . . . the ICCAT rules have not been generally respected”.
European Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg has said that the last management rules for this beleaguered fishery — agreed at a previous
ICCAT meeting in Dubrovnik in 2006 — would work, as long as there was compliance with the rules.
“This latest evidence of widespread non-compliance, information that has been hidden from ICCAT scientists and decision-makers,
should be case enough that the only solution now is to close the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery — pending a complete overhaul of
the fiasco,” Dr Tudela said.
Source The EU wastes a lot of time suing Microsoft but can't manage to do anything about overfishing. Oh hell, they're just fish.
Another U.S. Air Force Unit Fails Nuclear Inspection
Michael Hoffman Air Force Times Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008
A U.S. Air Force nuclear missile unit failed a "nuclear surety inspection" this month, the second to do so in 2008, Air Force Times reported today.
The 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., inadequately defended the unit's nuclear-weapon storage area during the inspection,
according to the Times. The base is home to U.S. Minuteman 3 ICBMs. Personnel did pass the missile operations segment of the inspection, a two-week
drill completed Nov. 10. Air Force inspectors are scheduled to come back in 90 days to verify that base commanders have corrected the deficiencies.
Officials said no command shakeup would be made at the base. "Air Force Space Command leadership believes that the right leadership is in place at
the 341st Missile Wing to put the essential corrective actions in place,” said a Space Command release.
Nuclear-weapon personnel at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., failed a similar inspection earlier this year, but received a passing grade in August.
The routine inspections, typically conducted every 18 months, have drawn more attention in recent months following a series of security lapses involving
nuclear weapons. In one case, ground crews at Minot unknowingly loaded six nuclear-armed cruise missiles onto a bomber which then flew to another air
base. In another instance, Air Force personnel mistakenly shipped nuclear warhead fuses to Taiwan instead of helicopter parts.
The incidents led Defense Secretary Robert Gates to sack the Air Force's top leaders and demand a major review of the service's nuclear management
practices. The Air Force is scheduled to begin another nuclear surety inspection at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, S.D., beginning Dec. 3
Source Now everybody just calm down. This happens all the time. Besides they are just Nukes!
Michael Hoffman Air Force Times Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008
A U.S. Air Force nuclear missile unit failed a "nuclear surety inspection" this month, the second to do so in 2008, Air Force Times reported today.
The 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., inadequately defended the unit's nuclear-weapon storage area during the inspection,
according to the Times. The base is home to U.S. Minuteman 3 ICBMs. Personnel did pass the missile operations segment of the inspection, a two-week
drill completed Nov. 10. Air Force inspectors are scheduled to come back in 90 days to verify that base commanders have corrected the deficiencies.
Officials said no command shakeup would be made at the base. "Air Force Space Command leadership believes that the right leadership is in place at
the 341st Missile Wing to put the essential corrective actions in place,” said a Space Command release.
Nuclear-weapon personnel at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., failed a similar inspection earlier this year, but received a passing grade in August.
The routine inspections, typically conducted every 18 months, have drawn more attention in recent months following a series of security lapses involving
nuclear weapons. In one case, ground crews at Minot unknowingly loaded six nuclear-armed cruise missiles onto a bomber which then flew to another air
base. In another instance, Air Force personnel mistakenly shipped nuclear warhead fuses to Taiwan instead of helicopter parts.
The incidents led Defense Secretary Robert Gates to sack the Air Force's top leaders and demand a major review of the service's nuclear management
practices. The Air Force is scheduled to begin another nuclear surety inspection at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, S.D., beginning Dec. 3
Source Now everybody just calm down. This happens all the time. Besides they are just Nukes!
Amur Leopard
The cat that stalks alone: An endangered solitary hunter
Common Name:
Amur leopard, Far East leopard, Manchurian leopard, Korean leopard; Léopard d'Amur (Fr); (Sp)
Scientific Name: Panthera pardus orientalis
Habitat: Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests
Location: South of the Far East-Primorskii region (Russian Far East), Tzilin, Heilundzyan Provinces (Northern China).
Status: IUCN: Critically Endangered (CR A2c; D)
CITES: Appendix I
Population: Less than 40 individuals
Background: The leopard is rarely found in cold or high-elevation environments and is best
known in its more familiar home in the savannas of Africa, where populations are relatively stable.
However, in the northernmost part of its range, a rare subspecies of this cat lives in the temperate
forests and harsh winters of the Russian Far East. This is the Amur leopard
(Panthera pardus orientalis), also known as the Far East leopard, the Manchurian leopard or the
Korean leopard. IUCN's 2000 Red List of Threatened Species classifies the subspecies as
Critically Endangered, and the CITES has listed it on Appendix I.
In 1998, the Russian government adopted a strategy for the conservation of the Amur leopard.
WWF is supporting anti-poaching activities in the Barsovy wildlife refuge, as well within the whole
leopard habitat in the Russian Far East. The organization is also implementing programmes to
stop the traffic in Amur leopard parts and to increase the population of prey ungulate (hoofed) species in the leopard's habitat. WWF staff are also
monitoring the leopard population and its habitat.
Physical Description: The Amur leopard has some very distinguishing features. The hairs of its summer pelt are 2.5 cm long but in winter they are
replaced by 7 cm long ones. Apart from its long winter coat, the Amur leopard is easily told apart from other leopard subspecies by its widely spaced
rosettes with thick borders. It also has longer legs, probably an adaptation for walking through snow.
The Amur leopard is habitually nocturnal and solitary. Nimble-footed and strong, it carries and hides unfinished kills so that they are not taken by other
predators.
Size: Adult males: 32-48 kg, exceptionally large males weigh
up to 75 kg. Females: 25-43 kg.
Colour: Light colour in the winter,
more reddish-yellow in the summer.
Habitat:
Major habitat type
Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests
Biogeographic realm
Palearctic
Range States
Russia, China, probably North Korea
Geographical Location
South of the Far East-Primorskii region (Russian Far East),
Tzilin, Heilundzyan Provinces (Northern China).
Ecological Region
Russian Far East Temperate Forests
Interesting Facts: The Amur leopard has been reported to leap more than 6 m horizontally and more than 3 m vertically.
Source: World Wildlife Fund ("World Wide Fund For Nature" in the EU)
Insert Steve Irwin voice here--> "Ain't she a beauty!"
The cat that stalks alone: An endangered solitary hunter
Common Name:
Amur leopard, Far East leopard, Manchurian leopard, Korean leopard; Léopard d'Amur (Fr); (Sp)
Scientific Name: Panthera pardus orientalis
Habitat: Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests
Location: South of the Far East-Primorskii region (Russian Far East), Tzilin, Heilundzyan Provinces (Northern China).
Status: IUCN: Critically Endangered (CR A2c; D)
CITES: Appendix I
Population: Less than 40 individuals
Background: The leopard is rarely found in cold or high-elevation environments and is best
known in its more familiar home in the savannas of Africa, where populations are relatively stable.
However, in the northernmost part of its range, a rare subspecies of this cat lives in the temperate
forests and harsh winters of the Russian Far East. This is the Amur leopard
(Panthera pardus orientalis), also known as the Far East leopard, the Manchurian leopard or the
Korean leopard. IUCN's 2000 Red List of Threatened Species classifies the subspecies as
Critically Endangered, and the CITES has listed it on Appendix I.
In 1998, the Russian government adopted a strategy for the conservation of the Amur leopard.
WWF is supporting anti-poaching activities in the Barsovy wildlife refuge, as well within the whole
leopard habitat in the Russian Far East. The organization is also implementing programmes to
stop the traffic in Amur leopard parts and to increase the population of prey ungulate (hoofed) species in the leopard's habitat. WWF staff are also
monitoring the leopard population and its habitat.
Physical Description: The Amur leopard has some very distinguishing features. The hairs of its summer pelt are 2.5 cm long but in winter they are
replaced by 7 cm long ones. Apart from its long winter coat, the Amur leopard is easily told apart from other leopard subspecies by its widely spaced
rosettes with thick borders. It also has longer legs, probably an adaptation for walking through snow.
The Amur leopard is habitually nocturnal and solitary. Nimble-footed and strong, it carries and hides unfinished kills so that they are not taken by other
predators.
Size: Adult males: 32-48 kg, exceptionally large males weigh
up to 75 kg. Females: 25-43 kg.
Colour: Light colour in the winter,
more reddish-yellow in the summer.
Habitat:
Major habitat type
Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests
Biogeographic realm
Palearctic
Range States
Russia, China, probably North Korea
Geographical Location
South of the Far East-Primorskii region (Russian Far East),
Tzilin, Heilundzyan Provinces (Northern China).
Ecological Region
Russian Far East Temperate Forests
Interesting Facts: The Amur leopard has been reported to leap more than 6 m horizontally and more than 3 m vertically.
Source: World Wildlife Fund ("World Wide Fund For Nature" in the EU)
Insert Steve Irwin voice here--> "Ain't she a beauty!"
Malaysian Logging Plans Threaten Sumatran Rhinos And Malayan Tigers
WWF November 13, 2008 09:13 AM
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia: Habitats of the critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros and the endangered Malayan
tiger are under threat from a plan to clear nearly 19,000 hectares of forest in north-eastern Malaysia.
A Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) has revealed that the Terengganu state government has
proposed to extract all commercially valuable timber in 12,630ha of forest, adjacent to the 6,130ha of forest
reserve currently being cleared for the construction of two hydropower dams.
The Tembat and Petuang Forest Reserves also act as a water catchment area for Tasik Kenyir, the largest
man-made lake in South-east Asia. They are currently being logged to build the Puah and Tembat dams and are home to the Sumatran rhinoceros and
Malayan tiger.
The forest reserves also fall within the dam catchment area. In addition the DEIA, which was available for public viewing recently, states that 30 per cent
of the existing elephant population within the project area will be forced into nearby plantations, creating more human-elephant conflict.
“Evidence on the ground also suggests that logging and clearing of the reservoir area has already proceeded prior to the approval of the DEIA,” said
Dato’ Dr. Dionysius Sharma, CEO of WWF-Malaysia. “There seems to be little regard for relevant laws and the DEIA process.”
A survey conducted as part of the DEIA has revealed evidence of the presence of the elusive Sumatran rhinoceros within the Tembat Forest Reserve,
and as recently as August 2008 a survey by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks’ Sumatran Rhinoceros Task Force revealed evidence such as
feeding trails and horn scratch marks.
Both forest reserves are also habitats for other endangered wildlife like the Malayan tiger and Malayan tapir, which are totally protected under the
Protection of Wildlife Act 1972.
Dato’ Dionysius also expressed his concerns over the anticipated high erosion rate due to the logging activity and forest clearing in the area, leading to
deterioration in river water quality.
“The Kelah fish population found in rivers there will undeniably decrease,” he said. Kelah has high conservation and commercial values.
The DEIA report also states that the deterioration in river water quality in Sungai Tembat and Sungai Terengganu Mati will affect eco-tourism and that
high soil erosion and sedimentation will affect fish biodiversity and spawning grounds.
Dato’ Dionysius further stated that logging in a dam catchment forest will increase siltation and could reduce the dam lifetime in the long run, even if
logging was only carried out during the construction stage of the dam. “This is because forests take many years to regenerate and fully resume their
ecosystem function as water catchment and for soil protection,” he said.
Source
WWF November 13, 2008 09:13 AM
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia: Habitats of the critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros and the endangered Malayan
tiger are under threat from a plan to clear nearly 19,000 hectares of forest in north-eastern Malaysia.
A Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) has revealed that the Terengganu state government has
proposed to extract all commercially valuable timber in 12,630ha of forest, adjacent to the 6,130ha of forest
reserve currently being cleared for the construction of two hydropower dams.
The Tembat and Petuang Forest Reserves also act as a water catchment area for Tasik Kenyir, the largest
man-made lake in South-east Asia. They are currently being logged to build the Puah and Tembat dams and are home to the Sumatran rhinoceros and
Malayan tiger.
The forest reserves also fall within the dam catchment area. In addition the DEIA, which was available for public viewing recently, states that 30 per cent
of the existing elephant population within the project area will be forced into nearby plantations, creating more human-elephant conflict.
“Evidence on the ground also suggests that logging and clearing of the reservoir area has already proceeded prior to the approval of the DEIA,” said
Dato’ Dr. Dionysius Sharma, CEO of WWF-Malaysia. “There seems to be little regard for relevant laws and the DEIA process.”
A survey conducted as part of the DEIA has revealed evidence of the presence of the elusive Sumatran rhinoceros within the Tembat Forest Reserve,
and as recently as August 2008 a survey by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks’ Sumatran Rhinoceros Task Force revealed evidence such as
feeding trails and horn scratch marks.
Both forest reserves are also habitats for other endangered wildlife like the Malayan tiger and Malayan tapir, which are totally protected under the
Protection of Wildlife Act 1972.
Dato’ Dionysius also expressed his concerns over the anticipated high erosion rate due to the logging activity and forest clearing in the area, leading to
deterioration in river water quality.
“The Kelah fish population found in rivers there will undeniably decrease,” he said. Kelah has high conservation and commercial values.
The DEIA report also states that the deterioration in river water quality in Sungai Tembat and Sungai Terengganu Mati will affect eco-tourism and that
high soil erosion and sedimentation will affect fish biodiversity and spawning grounds.
Dato’ Dionysius further stated that logging in a dam catchment forest will increase siltation and could reduce the dam lifetime in the long run, even if
logging was only carried out during the construction stage of the dam. “This is because forests take many years to regenerate and fully resume their
ecosystem function as water catchment and for soil protection,” he said.
Source
The same trip again. Species not indigenous to certain
areas being shipped as pets, or for experimentation, or
hitching rides on hulls or in cargo. Ballast water discharge spewing unwanted organisms with them. Well it is now more
than ever, something we need to be on the watch for as our world shrinks. This certainly isn't the first and surely won't be
the last time this happens. I see so many of these stories, I decided I should start a new section. Alien Invasion. sigh..........
Foreign Weed Clogs Rivers And Broads
ANTHONY CARROLL Norfolk Eastern Daily Press, UK 15 November 2008 06:11
A desperate fight has started to prevent large stretches of the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads disappearing under the green mass of an insidious alien
invader.
The fast growing floating pennywort has began to take root in the Rockland Broad on the River Yare and the River Waveney near Diss since last autumn.
If left unchecked the plant, which originates from North America and grows up to 20cm a day, could spread and clog up both river systems. Once it takes
hold it can grow up to 15m in just one season causing large parts of waterway to be submerged by the life choking de-oxygenating vegetation.
To stop the invasion of the unwanted plant a £17,000 fight-back has been launched by the Norfolk Non-native Species Initiative. All week, excavators
have been ripping out chucks of floating pennywort from both sites.
And next week volunteers will meticulously begin removing remaining plants and any tiny fragments which can still root and re-grow. It may take three
years to make sure all of the plants have gone. Floating pennywort was first introduced to Britain in the 1980s for tropical aquaria garden ponds and was
first spotted in the wild in Essex in 1991.
The Broads clean-up campaign is being funded by Defra, the Environment Agency and the Broads Authority and follows similar work on the Beccles
Marshes in 2005. Julia Stansfield, from the Environment Agency said: “This plant can grow so thickly that it makes water look like dry land. The sad thing
is that this plant need not be here.
“It does not grow naturally and was probably thrown out of someone's garden pond or accidentally allowed to escape.”
When the floating pennywort was discovered last autumn by Rockland St Mary and near Diss an operation was immediately launched to rip out the plants
- however despite all best efforts the plants returned and started to spread.
Michael Sutton-Croft, co-ordinator for the Norfolk Non-native Species Initiative, said: “The most cost effective way to deal with these species is to prevent
them from becoming established in the first place. “Failing that a rapid response is the next best option. We already know that floating pennywort has the
potential to cause significant problems, so by acting now to eradicate this species we are saving time and money in the long run.”
Floating pennywort - hydrocotyle ranunculoides - has been reported in 90 sites mainly across southern England and Wales.
Source A weed from America? Well scoop that shit up and ship it back. I could use a bowl right about now.
areas being shipped as pets, or for experimentation, or
hitching rides on hulls or in cargo. Ballast water discharge spewing unwanted organisms with them. Well it is now more
than ever, something we need to be on the watch for as our world shrinks. This certainly isn't the first and surely won't be
the last time this happens. I see so many of these stories, I decided I should start a new section. Alien Invasion. sigh..........
Foreign Weed Clogs Rivers And Broads
ANTHONY CARROLL Norfolk Eastern Daily Press, UK 15 November 2008 06:11
A desperate fight has started to prevent large stretches of the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads disappearing under the green mass of an insidious alien
invader.
The fast growing floating pennywort has began to take root in the Rockland Broad on the River Yare and the River Waveney near Diss since last autumn.
If left unchecked the plant, which originates from North America and grows up to 20cm a day, could spread and clog up both river systems. Once it takes
hold it can grow up to 15m in just one season causing large parts of waterway to be submerged by the life choking de-oxygenating vegetation.
To stop the invasion of the unwanted plant a £17,000 fight-back has been launched by the Norfolk Non-native Species Initiative. All week, excavators
have been ripping out chucks of floating pennywort from both sites.
And next week volunteers will meticulously begin removing remaining plants and any tiny fragments which can still root and re-grow. It may take three
years to make sure all of the plants have gone. Floating pennywort was first introduced to Britain in the 1980s for tropical aquaria garden ponds and was
first spotted in the wild in Essex in 1991.
The Broads clean-up campaign is being funded by Defra, the Environment Agency and the Broads Authority and follows similar work on the Beccles
Marshes in 2005. Julia Stansfield, from the Environment Agency said: “This plant can grow so thickly that it makes water look like dry land. The sad thing
is that this plant need not be here.
“It does not grow naturally and was probably thrown out of someone's garden pond or accidentally allowed to escape.”
When the floating pennywort was discovered last autumn by Rockland St Mary and near Diss an operation was immediately launched to rip out the plants
- however despite all best efforts the plants returned and started to spread.
Michael Sutton-Croft, co-ordinator for the Norfolk Non-native Species Initiative, said: “The most cost effective way to deal with these species is to prevent
them from becoming established in the first place. “Failing that a rapid response is the next best option. We already know that floating pennywort has the
potential to cause significant problems, so by acting now to eradicate this species we are saving time and money in the long run.”
Floating pennywort - hydrocotyle ranunculoides - has been reported in 90 sites mainly across southern England and Wales.
Source A weed from America? Well scoop that shit up and ship it back. I could use a bowl right about now.
| 2 cool web cam volcano sites. See what they are doing in real time. And no, you can't see it at night. LOL Augustine Volcano Cam on Cook Inlet Alaska H D Full Screen Mt. St. Helens Volcano Cam |
| No, fuck YOU Mr. President Tell Bush what you think! E-mail him at president@whitehouse.gov |
| Smokey The Bear says "Remember... only Bush can prevent forests" |
E-mail Newsletters you should read.
Environmental News Network
Global Security Newswire from The Nuclear Threat Initiative
Endangered Earth Online from The Center For Biological Diversity
Progress Report From American Progress Action Fund
Environment News Service
Christian Science Monitor The best source for unbiased world news
reporting. Don't let the name scare you. They've won 7 Pulitzer Prizes.
Greenpeace My former employer. They know how to do the right thing.
Environmental News Network
Global Security Newswire from The Nuclear Threat Initiative
Endangered Earth Online from The Center For Biological Diversity
Progress Report From American Progress Action Fund
Environment News Service
Christian Science Monitor The best source for unbiased world news
reporting. Don't let the name scare you. They've won 7 Pulitzer Prizes.
Greenpeace My former employer. They know how to do the right thing.
| Don't like what you are reading? Write or E-mail your Congress person and Senators. You don't have to be old enough to vote to speak out. It is, after all, your world too! Find them at the Contacting the Congress Data Base |
| Angry Hippy says " You can steal my money You can steal my girl But don't play me for stupid While you're trashing my world I ain't your bitch to put up with that" |
| Calculate your gas savings, if the government demanded higher MPG standards using existing technology, with The Sierra Club MPG Calculator |
| A good link to more eco friendly sites The LOVEARTH ® NETWORK |
| Want some info on hemp for fuel? Check out the Hemp Industries Association web site. Support retailers that sell hemp products. Push the button to find one near you. |
| "A good man takes care of his animals, but wicked men are cruel to theirs." Proverbs 12:10 |
| Sumatran Rhinos OMG! They are so friggin cute! |
| Poor little guy! People talk about awful things aliens do to abduction victims, but tolerate this shit being done by our species. How fuckin' sick is that? |
History of North Oregon Coast Dunes Reads Like An Alien Movie
Oregon Coast Beach Connection 10/20/08
(Warrenton, Oregon) - It's a place on Earth invaded by an alien species. It's been taken over by giant, soft things as well, killing much of the native life in
the area and completely changing the landscape so it could survive.
Sounds like an alien sci-fi flick, doesn't it? It's actually the north Oregon coast, from Seaside up to Warrenton, and the alien invaders we're talking about
are invasive species of plants and the massive expansion of dunes we see all the time there, and always think of as simply something natural that belongs.
Tom Horning, a geologist living in Seaside, says all of the area known as the Clatsop Plains is actually big foredunes, where originally it was grassy,
prairie land with actual soil underneath. Now much of the area 100's of yards from the water is mostly sand.
Mankind changed that dynamic over 100 years ago, and thus drastically changed the landscape. Back then, and back when Lewis and Clark and crew
first set foot in the area, huge chunks of land didn’t even exist, like many parts of what is now Fort Stevens State Park. It's a story of changes in river flow,
ocean currents, invasive plant species, and more interference by humans. There's more to those dunes than pretty postcards: they're a testament to
what happens when you screw with nature.
Horning said old photos of Gearhart show the beach right below the houses along the west side of town. All of the dune, nearly 2000 ft of it, has
developed since about 1900.
"In a nutshell, the dunes have been growing at a high rate since the Columbia River jetties were built around 1890," Horning said. "The jetties narrowed
the wide-open mouth of the river by about 80 percent, from a pre-jetty width of about eight miles to less than two miles. This increased the ebb-tide flow of
the river, and the increased currents swept sand out into deeper water, keeping the shipping channel considerably deeper than it had been."
As a result, fewer ships wrecked, an area called Peacock Spit enlarged, and dredging by the Army Corps of Engineers added more sand to the spit,
forming a large ebb-tide delta outside the mouth of the river.
“In the earlier parts of the 20th century, Peacock Spit was so large that it frequently was exposed at low tide where fisherman played baseball, or so I
have been told,” Horning said.
Peacock Spit eventually washed away, but it has served as a reservoir of sand for long-shore currents, which sweep north and south along the beaches
on either side of the Columbia. Because the spit enlarged after construction of the jetties, more sand was swept south and north, and the beaches
increased in width and height. Then, winds blew even more sand into the dunes from the newer, wider beaches. So much sand blew into the dunes that
the native vegetation was swamped and overrun by rampaging dunes.
“Grazing lands in the grassy prairies of Clatsop Plains were buried under an advancing sheet of sand that extended hundreds of yards inland; courtesy of
the Army Corps of Engineers, of course,” Horning said. “They are not to blame entirely, as dune rampage has been a common event in the history of
Clatsop Plains, based on photos and maps prior to 1900 that show wide open prairies devoid of trees. Had sand not swept in periodically, the forests
would have migrated out to the active dune line and trees would have been common throughout Clatsop Plains.”
Article Continues here This story is kind of interesting because we are one of the alien species who invaded and changed
this area. Lots of nice current/historical pics on the site to see. Check em out.
Oregon Coast Beach Connection 10/20/08
(Warrenton, Oregon) - It's a place on Earth invaded by an alien species. It's been taken over by giant, soft things as well, killing much of the native life in
the area and completely changing the landscape so it could survive.
Sounds like an alien sci-fi flick, doesn't it? It's actually the north Oregon coast, from Seaside up to Warrenton, and the alien invaders we're talking about
are invasive species of plants and the massive expansion of dunes we see all the time there, and always think of as simply something natural that belongs.
Tom Horning, a geologist living in Seaside, says all of the area known as the Clatsop Plains is actually big foredunes, where originally it was grassy,
prairie land with actual soil underneath. Now much of the area 100's of yards from the water is mostly sand.
Mankind changed that dynamic over 100 years ago, and thus drastically changed the landscape. Back then, and back when Lewis and Clark and crew
first set foot in the area, huge chunks of land didn’t even exist, like many parts of what is now Fort Stevens State Park. It's a story of changes in river flow,
ocean currents, invasive plant species, and more interference by humans. There's more to those dunes than pretty postcards: they're a testament to
what happens when you screw with nature.
Horning said old photos of Gearhart show the beach right below the houses along the west side of town. All of the dune, nearly 2000 ft of it, has
developed since about 1900.
"In a nutshell, the dunes have been growing at a high rate since the Columbia River jetties were built around 1890," Horning said. "The jetties narrowed
the wide-open mouth of the river by about 80 percent, from a pre-jetty width of about eight miles to less than two miles. This increased the ebb-tide flow of
the river, and the increased currents swept sand out into deeper water, keeping the shipping channel considerably deeper than it had been."
As a result, fewer ships wrecked, an area called Peacock Spit enlarged, and dredging by the Army Corps of Engineers added more sand to the spit,
forming a large ebb-tide delta outside the mouth of the river.
“In the earlier parts of the 20th century, Peacock Spit was so large that it frequently was exposed at low tide where fisherman played baseball, or so I
have been told,” Horning said.
Peacock Spit eventually washed away, but it has served as a reservoir of sand for long-shore currents, which sweep north and south along the beaches
on either side of the Columbia. Because the spit enlarged after construction of the jetties, more sand was swept south and north, and the beaches
increased in width and height. Then, winds blew even more sand into the dunes from the newer, wider beaches. So much sand blew into the dunes that
the native vegetation was swamped and overrun by rampaging dunes.
“Grazing lands in the grassy prairies of Clatsop Plains were buried under an advancing sheet of sand that extended hundreds of yards inland; courtesy of
the Army Corps of Engineers, of course,” Horning said. “They are not to blame entirely, as dune rampage has been a common event in the history of
Clatsop Plains, based on photos and maps prior to 1900 that show wide open prairies devoid of trees. Had sand not swept in periodically, the forests
would have migrated out to the active dune line and trees would have been common throughout Clatsop Plains.”
Article Continues here This story is kind of interesting because we are one of the alien species who invaded and changed
this area. Lots of nice current/historical pics on the site to see. Check em out.
| The species idiota washingtonius in their natural habitat. Young adult males are known to leave their indigenous area in the hill country of So. Texas, and go as far south as Cabo San Lucas, in search of females, and can be seen begging for shooters at many cantinas in the spring. Alpha males, like the one on the left, will force younger males within the group, to engage in territorial fights, rather than risking injury to themselves. They are considered endangered and environmental groups are hoping the species will soon be extinct. |
U.S. Revamps Rail Security Standards
Friday, Nov. 14, 2008 The U.S. Homeland Security Department yesterday released new rules aimed at securing rail shipments of hazardous material
and deterring potential terrorism threats to the nation’s railroad system. “By striking a sensible balance of security guidelines with certain regulatory
requirements, we’re enabling the rail and chemical industries to be stronger partners,” Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in a statement.
“The results are sound security measures without excessively burdening owners and operators” (U.S. Homeland Security Department release I, Nov. 13).
The regulations would further establish the Transportation Security Administration's authority to search rail cars and railroad infrastructure involved in
transporting dangerous substances, along with some sites that send or collect such materials by rail. The rules would also require rail firms and some
associated hazardous material sites to appoint staffers who would communicate with DHS and TSA officials about about security and intelligence matters.
Freight and passenger rail lines would be expected to immediately report suspicious events and possible threats to TSA officials.
Railroad companies would be required to physically scrutinize hazardous cargo -- including shipments of highly radioactive substances and dangerous
materials that could be inhaled -- before it departs. Carriers would be compelled to create “positive and secure handoff procedures” for such shipments at
their departure, transfer and destination points. TSA officials would be empowered to request the positions of dangerous cargo shipments, and railroad
companies would be required to provide the positions of specific rail cars within several minutes and relay the locations of all sensitive deliveries within 30
minutes. The railroad industry is creating a tracking system for dangerous cargo in collaboration with the Transportation Security Administration.
In addition, some rail firms have already dramatically decreased the amount of time that they leave sensitive cargo unsupervised in higher-risk urban
locations, the department said. The new rules are expected to enter into force 30 days after their publication in the Federal Register (U.S. Homeland
Security Department release II, Nov. 13).
Source This is typical of our stupid government. Insuring our safety by creating more paper work. HEY! Here's an idea. Take a
couple soldiers off K.P. duty, give them guns and have them ride shotgun on those nuclear material trains. NAH! Too expensive!
Friday, Nov. 14, 2008 The U.S. Homeland Security Department yesterday released new rules aimed at securing rail shipments of hazardous material
and deterring potential terrorism threats to the nation’s railroad system. “By striking a sensible balance of security guidelines with certain regulatory
requirements, we’re enabling the rail and chemical industries to be stronger partners,” Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in a statement.
“The results are sound security measures without excessively burdening owners and operators” (U.S. Homeland Security Department release I, Nov. 13).
The regulations would further establish the Transportation Security Administration's authority to search rail cars and railroad infrastructure involved in
transporting dangerous substances, along with some sites that send or collect such materials by rail. The rules would also require rail firms and some
associated hazardous material sites to appoint staffers who would communicate with DHS and TSA officials about about security and intelligence matters.
Freight and passenger rail lines would be expected to immediately report suspicious events and possible threats to TSA officials.
Railroad companies would be required to physically scrutinize hazardous cargo -- including shipments of highly radioactive substances and dangerous
materials that could be inhaled -- before it departs. Carriers would be compelled to create “positive and secure handoff procedures” for such shipments at
their departure, transfer and destination points. TSA officials would be empowered to request the positions of dangerous cargo shipments, and railroad
companies would be required to provide the positions of specific rail cars within several minutes and relay the locations of all sensitive deliveries within 30
minutes. The railroad industry is creating a tracking system for dangerous cargo in collaboration with the Transportation Security Administration.
In addition, some rail firms have already dramatically decreased the amount of time that they leave sensitive cargo unsupervised in higher-risk urban
locations, the department said. The new rules are expected to enter into force 30 days after their publication in the Federal Register (U.S. Homeland
Security Department release II, Nov. 13).
Source This is typical of our stupid government. Insuring our safety by creating more paper work. HEY! Here's an idea. Take a
couple soldiers off K.P. duty, give them guns and have them ride shotgun on those nuclear material trains. NAH! Too expensive!
Japan CO2 Hits Record
Reuters November 12, 2008 08:31 AM
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's greenhouse gas emissions rose to a record high in the year to March, putting the world's fifth-largest carbon dioxide
producer at risk of an embarrassing failure to achieve its Kyoto target over the next four years.
The increase of 2.3 percent last year, largely due to the closure of Japan's biggest nuclear power plant after an earthquake, will ratchet up the pressure
for it to give up its efforts to control emissions through voluntary measures and adopt tougher limits on industry like the European Union and Australia.
With developing countries already questioning Tokyo's political will to rein in emissions and top CO2 polluters China, the United States and India free from
Kyoto's 2008-2012 targets, Japan's actions will be seen as a milestone as governments struggle to agree on a successor to the protocol next year.
Emissions rose to 1.371 billion metric tons of CO2 equivalent in the Japanese fiscal year through March, after a 1.3 percent decline the previous year,
Ministry of the Environment data showed on Wednesday.
Analysts said immediate action was called for if Japan was to cut emissions by the estimated 13.5 percent needed to hit its 2008-2012 target under Kyoto
of just under 1.2 billion tons, down 6 percent from 1990 levels. "We immediately need a set of effective policies to drive a change towards a more
climate-friendly society," Tetsunari Iida, executive director of Tokyo's Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP), an environment policy NGO.
Unlike the European Union, Japan has been reluctant to set a mandatory cap or a carbon tax on companies' emissions. Steelmakers and other
manufacturers resist such caps, saying they would hurt their products' worldwide competitiveness. The task of cutting emissions may grow even harder
with the world tilting toward what may be its worst recession in decades, one that may divert governments' focus away from climate change and the
trillions of investment dollars required to stem it. Although Japan is set to review next year its current measures, based on voluntary pledges on emission
cuts across major industries, that could be too late, analysts said.
For a graphic of Japan's CO2 emissions, click on: here
A rise was widely expected after the world's biggest nuclear plant, run by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), had to suspend operations following a July
2007 earthquake, forcing utilities to meet demand by burning more coal, oil and natural gas, all of which emit far more greenhouse gases.
The plant is expected to remain shut until beyond next March. While Japan's utilities have stepped up their buying of U.N. carbon offsets, Wednesday's
data suggests they may have to buy more if Japan is to meet its global pledge, potentially driving up global carbon credit prices.
Article continues... Oh goody! I wanna be a carbon credit speculator. Or even better! A carbon credit cartel boss! HELL YA!
Reuters November 12, 2008 08:31 AM
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's greenhouse gas emissions rose to a record high in the year to March, putting the world's fifth-largest carbon dioxide
producer at risk of an embarrassing failure to achieve its Kyoto target over the next four years.
The increase of 2.3 percent last year, largely due to the closure of Japan's biggest nuclear power plant after an earthquake, will ratchet up the pressure
for it to give up its efforts to control emissions through voluntary measures and adopt tougher limits on industry like the European Union and Australia.
With developing countries already questioning Tokyo's political will to rein in emissions and top CO2 polluters China, the United States and India free from
Kyoto's 2008-2012 targets, Japan's actions will be seen as a milestone as governments struggle to agree on a successor to the protocol next year.
Emissions rose to 1.371 billion metric tons of CO2 equivalent in the Japanese fiscal year through March, after a 1.3 percent decline the previous year,
Ministry of the Environment data showed on Wednesday.
Analysts said immediate action was called for if Japan was to cut emissions by the estimated 13.5 percent needed to hit its 2008-2012 target under Kyoto
of just under 1.2 billion tons, down 6 percent from 1990 levels. "We immediately need a set of effective policies to drive a change towards a more
climate-friendly society," Tetsunari Iida, executive director of Tokyo's Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP), an environment policy NGO.
Unlike the European Union, Japan has been reluctant to set a mandatory cap or a carbon tax on companies' emissions. Steelmakers and other
manufacturers resist such caps, saying they would hurt their products' worldwide competitiveness. The task of cutting emissions may grow even harder
with the world tilting toward what may be its worst recession in decades, one that may divert governments' focus away from climate change and the
trillions of investment dollars required to stem it. Although Japan is set to review next year its current measures, based on voluntary pledges on emission
cuts across major industries, that could be too late, analysts said.
For a graphic of Japan's CO2 emissions, click on: here
A rise was widely expected after the world's biggest nuclear plant, run by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), had to suspend operations following a July
2007 earthquake, forcing utilities to meet demand by burning more coal, oil and natural gas, all of which emit far more greenhouse gases.
The plant is expected to remain shut until beyond next March. While Japan's utilities have stepped up their buying of U.N. carbon offsets, Wednesday's
data suggests they may have to buy more if Japan is to meet its global pledge, potentially driving up global carbon credit prices.
Article continues... Oh goody! I wanna be a carbon credit speculator. Or even better! A carbon credit cartel boss! HELL YA!
Japan Rejects Report To Cut Whaling Target
Reuters November 13, 2008 09:08 AM
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan rejected a report Thursday that it would cut by 20 percent the number of whales it planned to hunt in the Southern Ocean
because of anti-whaling protests, but said it would keep its moratorium on catching humpbacks.
The Asahi Shimbun daily reported that Japan aimed to cut its target to 700 minke and 50 fin whales in the
southern summer hunt, due to start shortly, which Australia's environment minister said would be the first
cut in numbers since Japan started its current whaling program 21 years ago.
Japan, which considers whaling to be a cherished cultural tradition, abandoned commercial whaling in
accordance with an international moratorium in 1986, but began what it calls a scientific research whaling
program the following year.
A government official said there was no truth to the Asahi report, which said the reduced target was because
of high-seas skirmishes with anti-whaling activists in recent years and dwindling demand for the meat from
Japanese consumers.
"There is no change to our plans," said Toshinori Uoya, assistant director of the far seas fisheries division
at the Fisheries Agency.
Japan still planned to hunt around 850 minke whales and 50 fin whales, the same target as last year, Uoya said.
It would also continue to avoid killing humpback whales for now, while the International Whaling Commission
(IWC) held talks on "normalising" its functions, he added.
Previous plans to hunt humpbacks had sparked an outcry from activists, with the endangered whales popular
among whale watchers for their distinctive silhouette and acrobatic leaps.
Japan's annual hunts have led to heated clashes between whalers and activists, with activists boarding a whaling ship last year and Japan and Australia
exchanging complaints, although both agreed not to let the issue hurt diplomatic ties.
Japan said sabotage by activists reduced its catch to 551 whales last season. YES! How fuckin' sweet is that?
"We plan to do all that we can to prepare ourselves against protests this season, although we can't go into detail on what we will do," Uoya said.
Australia's Environment Minister Peter Garrett, citing the Asahi report in parliament, said that any reduction in Japan's whaling target would be an
encouraging sign that international opposition to scientific whaling was having an effect.
"Since 1987, the target has only increased, including more than doubling the number of whales targeted between 2004/05 and 2005/06," he said.
Source
Reuters November 13, 2008 09:08 AM
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan rejected a report Thursday that it would cut by 20 percent the number of whales it planned to hunt in the Southern Ocean
because of anti-whaling protests, but said it would keep its moratorium on catching humpbacks.
The Asahi Shimbun daily reported that Japan aimed to cut its target to 700 minke and 50 fin whales in the
southern summer hunt, due to start shortly, which Australia's environment minister said would be the first
cut in numbers since Japan started its current whaling program 21 years ago.
Japan, which considers whaling to be a cherished cultural tradition, abandoned commercial whaling in
accordance with an international moratorium in 1986, but began what it calls a scientific research whaling
program the following year.
A government official said there was no truth to the Asahi report, which said the reduced target was because
of high-seas skirmishes with anti-whaling activists in recent years and dwindling demand for the meat from
Japanese consumers.
"There is no change to our plans," said Toshinori Uoya, assistant director of the far seas fisheries division
at the Fisheries Agency.
Japan still planned to hunt around 850 minke whales and 50 fin whales, the same target as last year, Uoya said.
It would also continue to avoid killing humpback whales for now, while the International Whaling Commission
(IWC) held talks on "normalising" its functions, he added.
Previous plans to hunt humpbacks had sparked an outcry from activists, with the endangered whales popular
among whale watchers for their distinctive silhouette and acrobatic leaps.
Japan's annual hunts have led to heated clashes between whalers and activists, with activists boarding a whaling ship last year and Japan and Australia
exchanging complaints, although both agreed not to let the issue hurt diplomatic ties.
Japan said sabotage by activists reduced its catch to 551 whales last season. YES! How fuckin' sweet is that?
"We plan to do all that we can to prepare ourselves against protests this season, although we can't go into detail on what we will do," Uoya said.
Australia's Environment Minister Peter Garrett, citing the Asahi report in parliament, said that any reduction in Japan's whaling target would be an
encouraging sign that international opposition to scientific whaling was having an effect.
"Since 1987, the target has only increased, including more than doubling the number of whales targeted between 2004/05 and 2005/06," he said.
Source
Wonders Of Ocean Life Counted In Massive Census
CNN.com November 12, 2008 08:50 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A city of brittle stars off the coast of New Zealand, an Antarctic expressway where octopuses ride along in a flow of extra salty water
and a carpet of tiny crustaceans on the Gulf of Mexico sea floor are among the wonders discovered by researchers compiling a massive census of marine
life.
"We are still making discoveries," but researchers also are busy assembling data already collected into the big picture of life in the oceans, senior
scientist Ron O'Dor said.
The fourth update of the census was released Sunday ahead of a meeting of hundreds of researchers that begins Tuesday in Valencia, Spain. More than
2,000 scientists from 82 nations are taking part in the project, which is to be completed in 2010.
A discovery that delights O'Dor is that many deep-ocean octopuses share an Antarctic origin. As the Antarctic got colder, ice increased and octopuses
were forced into deeper water, he said in a telephone interview.
Salt and oxygen are concentrated in the deeper waters, he said. This dense water then flows out, carrying along the octopuses that have adapted to the
new conditions, enabling them to spread to deep waters around the world.
Deep-water octopuses worldwide, he pointed out, lack the ink sack that allows their shallow-water cousins to shoot out a camouflage screen.
After all, if they live where it is dark, ink is unnecessary, said O'Dor, a Canadian member of the research team.
Article continued at CNN.com
CNN.com November 12, 2008 08:50 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A city of brittle stars off the coast of New Zealand, an Antarctic expressway where octopuses ride along in a flow of extra salty water
and a carpet of tiny crustaceans on the Gulf of Mexico sea floor are among the wonders discovered by researchers compiling a massive census of marine
life.
"We are still making discoveries," but researchers also are busy assembling data already collected into the big picture of life in the oceans, senior
scientist Ron O'Dor said.
The fourth update of the census was released Sunday ahead of a meeting of hundreds of researchers that begins Tuesday in Valencia, Spain. More than
2,000 scientists from 82 nations are taking part in the project, which is to be completed in 2010.
A discovery that delights O'Dor is that many deep-ocean octopuses share an Antarctic origin. As the Antarctic got colder, ice increased and octopuses
were forced into deeper water, he said in a telephone interview.
Salt and oxygen are concentrated in the deeper waters, he said. This dense water then flows out, carrying along the octopuses that have adapted to the
new conditions, enabling them to spread to deep waters around the world.
Deep-water octopuses worldwide, he pointed out, lack the ink sack that allows their shallow-water cousins to shoot out a camouflage screen.
After all, if they live where it is dark, ink is unnecessary, said O'Dor, a Canadian member of the research team.
Article continued at CNN.com
| What my 3 ex wives (still trying to tell me what to do! sigh...) said I should say: IN ACCORDANCE WITH TITLE 17 U.S.C. SECTION 107, THIS MATERIAL IS DISTRIBUTED WITHOUT PROFIT TO THOSE WHO HAVE EXPRESSED A PRIOR INTEREST IN RECEIVING THE INCLUDED INFORMATION FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. angryhippy HAS NO AFFILIATION WHATSOEVER WITH THE ORIGINATOR OF THIS ARTICLE NOR IS angryhippy ENDORSED OR SPONSORED BY THE ORIGINATOR. "SOURCE" LINKS ARE PROVIDED AS A CONVENIENCE TO HIS READERS AND ALLOW FOR VERIFICATION OF AUTHENTICITY. HOWEVER, AS ORIGINATING PAGES ARE OFTEN UPDATED BY THEIR ORIGINATING HOST SITES, AND IN SOME CASES PAGES ARE TAKEN FROM 2ND PARTY SITES, THE VERSIONS POSTED MAY NOT MATCH THE VERSIONS READERS VIEW WHEN CLICKING THE "SOURCE" LINKS. angryhippy MAKES EVERY EFFORT TO POST LINKS TO THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE AND GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. |