Dec 01 2008
enn.com» Environment news»
- Lula’s Green Light for Monsanto Has Flooded Brazil with GMO Soya & Increased Amazon Deforestation
*Lula’s government promotes genetically-modified organisms despite social opposition.
Brazil is home to one of the world’s largest areas of genetically-modified seed cultivations with 15 million hectares in 2007. The greatest increase of these crops occurred under the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, despite growing opposition from Brazilian farmers and environmentalists.
- CleanTech Goes Through The Roof
Investment managers at cleantech funds are looking at the world with totally new eyes these days — the financial crisis, which has ravaged stock prices and wiped out major financial institutions, offers buying opportunities that are unprecedented. Now’s the best time to snap up bargains, they say.
The hard numbers prove this ain’t illogical. The US clean tech sector rose 55% to more than $2.4 billion over the past twelve months. One of the main drivers of this could be the US government’s $700 billion Housing and Recovery Act stimulus package. The tax concessions boosted wind energy, geothermal and biomass projects and are expected to have a long lasting effect on the capital markets.
- Amazon deforestation trend on the increase
Brasilia, Brazil: Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon forests has flipped from a decreasing to an increasing trend, according to new annual figures released yesterday by the country’s space agency INPE.
Commenting on the figures, Brazilian environment minister Carlos Minc confirmed that the government will on Monday announce forest related carbon emission reduction targets, which will link halting deforestation to the national climate change campaign.
- U.N. climate boss warns of “cheap, dirty” energy fix
POZNAN, Poland (Reuters) - The world must avoid a “cheap and dirty” fix for the economy that could undermine the fight against global warming, the U.N.’s top climate official said on Sunday.
Yvo de Boer said the world risked a second financial crisis if governments reacted to economic slowdown by building cheap, high-polluting coal-fired power plants that might then have to be scrapped as climate impacts hit.
- US Beef Back on Shelves of South Korean Supermarkets
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korea’s supermarket chains resumed selling U.S. beef Thursday, nearly five months after the government lifted an import ban imposed over fears of mad cow disease.
South Korea banned American beef in 2003 after a case of mad cow disease was discovered in the U.S. The government lifted that ban in June - a move that sparked weeks of violent protests by South Koreans concerned about the health risks of eating U.S. meat.
- Hot air: UN climate talks to create 13,000 tonnes of carbon
Staging a global forum on climate change is a dilemma, for it adds to very problem it is trying to solve.
Around 13,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) will add to Earth’s greenhouse effect from the December 1-12 meeting of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UNFCCC said.
- A carbon-neutral way to power your home
A super-efficient system that has the potential to power, heat and cool homes across the UK is being developed at Newcastle University.
It works by burning vegetable oil to power a generator and provide electricity for the home. The waste heat from this process is then used to provide heating and hot water and is also converted to cool a fridge.
- New LED Light Bulbs Can Replace 100W Incandescents
I recently had the chance to test two state-of-the-art LED light bulbs fromEarthLED. LED bulbs have many advantages over incandescents and compact fluorescent: LEDs use very little power, they last 10 years or more, and they contain no hazardous substances. They are also tough: they can be dropped and turned off and on repeated without damage, they can operate in very cold or warm temperatures. They can also save you money in the long term despite costing $50 (for the 100 watt equivalent Evolux) and $90 (for the 60 watt equivalent Zetalux).
- Building trust tops global climate agenda
A year-long push to devise a new global climate-change treaty — one that picks up where the Kyoto Protocol leaves off — gets under way Monday in Poland, with delegates from more than 190 nations set to resume grappling with the thorny issues of how much more to cut greenhouse-gas emissions and who will pay.
- UN climate summit seeks clarity
This year’s round of UN climate talks are opening in Poland with nations attempting to set the terms of a new deal on all aspects of climate change.
The talks, in the city of Poznan, mark the halfway point in a two-year process agreed at last year’s UN conference.
Environment 
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Dec 01 2008
Environment news» news.yahoo.com»
- Quest for new climate treaty begins in earnest
(AP)
AP - Negotiators kicked off the final yearlong push Monday for a new climate change treaty — but with the U.S. government in transition, the European Union in disarray and a worldwide economic crisis, chances were hazy for a quick agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Italy threatens to veto costly EU climate change package
(AFP)
AFP - Italy will veto ambitious European Union plans to tackle climate change unless changes are made to make the package less costly to industry and consumers, a minister warned Monday.
- Climate juggernaut on the horizon, UN talks told
(AFP)
AFP - War, hunger, poverty and sickness will stalk humanity if the world fails to tackle climate change, a 12-day UN conference on global warming heard on Monday.
- Environmental groups file complaint on Nestle water ads
(Reuters)
Reuters - Canadian environmental groups have filed a misleading advertising complaint against Nestle disputing claims in an ad by the world’s largest food company that its bottled water has numerous ecological benefits.
- Greens go nuts at UN climate talks
(AFP)
AFP - Armed with walnuts, apocalyptic art and a small green dinosaur, environmentalists spiced up the UN climate talks here Monday with colourful demands for action on global warming.
- UN officials launch “Year of the Gorilla”
(AP)
AP - The “Year of the Gorilla” began Monday — a U.N. effort to raise money for primates threatened with extinction from disease, hunting and deforestation.
- Brazil sets plan to cut deforestation by 70% over 10 years
(AFP)
AFP - The Brazilian government on Monday announced a plan under which it would cut deforestation of the Amazon by 70 percent over the next decade.
- Global Environmental Court Could Punish U.S. and Others
(LiveScience.com)
LiveScience.com - The United States’ dodge of the Kyoto Protocol and other environmental initiatives might no longer go unpunished in the future.
- Gov’t to consult with provinces on climate talks
(Reuters)
Reuters - Canada’s environment minister said on Friday the federal government would give the country’s provinces a consultative role in any negotiations with the United States on a North American pact to cut greenhouse-gas emissions.
- Beijing claims early victory over air pollution
(AP)
AP - Beijing said Monday it has already reached its target number of 256 “blue-sky days” this year, with the help of ambitious environmental measures the city imposed to cut emissions for the Olympic Games.
Environment No Comments
Dec 01 2008
Environment news» nationalgeographic.com»
- PHOTOS: A World of Crabs From One Tiny Island
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During a massive expedition to Vanuatu, scientists collected 600 different crab species. The international team of 153 experts gathered a total of nearly 10,000 different species of living organisms.
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- Sky Show Tonight: Jupiter, Venus, Moon to Make “Frown”
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The planetary bodies will shine just a few degrees apart in an unusual cosmic conjunction on Monday night.
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- Sources of Saturn Moon’s Supersonic Water Jets Revealed
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Data from the Cassini spacecraft shows that the geysers on the south pole of Enceladus are gushing out from vents that are each about the size of a professional sports stadium.
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- Oldest Turtle Found; May Crack Shell-Evolution Mystery
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Prehistoric turtle fossils discovered in China without fully formed shells may be the missing link that shows how the modern-day reptiles got their distinctive hard backs, experts say.
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- VIDEO: Rangers Return to Congo Park
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A deal between the government and rebel leaders has enabled rangers to return to Congo’s Virunga National Park to look after endangered mountain gorillas.
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- PHOTOS: Pacific Shipwrecks Potential Toxic Time Bombs
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Nearly 3,700 World War II shipwrecks lie submerged in the Pacific Ocean, some containing noxious cargo including oil, diesel, gasoline, chemicals, and even unexploded ordnance.
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- Hurricanes Blow Away Bats, Spread Genes to New Islands
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Though usually harmful, hurricanes also strengthen bat populations by literally picking up the animals and redistributing them in other islands, a Caribbean study shows.
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- VIDEO: Deep Sea Robo-Help
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Scientists searching the depths of the ocean for undiscovered marine life off the coast of Maine get help from a well-equipped robot.
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- Huge Impact Crater Uncovered in Canadian Forest
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A new radar-like survey technique that “strips” vegetation away to create images of the bare Earth is bound to find even more impact craters hidden worldwide, experts say.
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- PHOTOS: Tiny Tropical Island Yields a Wealth of Species
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Using 21st century technology, an international group of scientists conducted an old-fashioned expedition on a little-studied South Pacific island in the Republic of Vanuatu. They collected 10,000 different species, 2,000 of which may be new to science.
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