US and Iran Overlook Differences to Save Cheetahs
Spiegel Online reports here: They may be at each other's throats on the international stage, but when it comes to saving the Asiatic cheetah, the US and Iran see eye to eye. As long as no American scientists enter Iran, that is.
Norway gives 17 million euros to protect the Amazon
AFP reports here at Yahoo News: OSLO - Norway said Tuesday it would donate 130 million kroner (17 million euros, 24 million dollars) to help protect the Amazon rainforest, the deforestation of which is leading to rising greenhouse gas emissions.
Solar energy boom may help world's poorest
Reuters reports here at Yahoo News: LONDON - A surge in investment in solar power is bringing down costs of the alternative energy source, but affordability problems still dog hopes for the 1.6 billion people worldwide without electricity.
Singapore launches fund to for clean energy research
AFP rerports here at Yahoo News: SINGAPORE - The government said Tuesday it has earmarked 50 million Singapore dollars (34.5 million US) to fund research on clean energy, such as solar power, over the next five years.
Recycling waste heat in your home
CNN reports here A Singaporean inventor shows how air conditioners can provide homes with hot water too. And here: For all the bad mouthing we dish out to the auto and manufacturing industries for the foul pollutants they force us to breathe, a wealth of evidence is suggesting that we should be looking a little closer to home for the other villains of global warming. It turns out that our homes gobble up 25 percent of the world's energy and are to thank for 19 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions (that's 4,400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, or CO2), according to a recent McKinsey report, "Curbing Global Energy Demand: The Energy Productivity Opportunity."
China: Birth defects soar in coal regions
A commission on family planning said the rate of birth defects has increased nearly 50 percent, AP reports here at CNN News: Coal mining regions of northern China are reporting a big increase in levels of defects in newborns, an apparent result of heavy pollution, state media said Monday. The rate of birth defects is related to environmental pollution," the report said, citing provincial population planning official An Huanxiao.
Clean Coal Gets a Boost in Britain
Spiegel Onlinereports here : A handful of British companies are on board with pricey technologies -- coal gasification and carbon capture -- that can greatly cut greenhouse gas emissions. And here: Germany's beleaguered Social Democrats have sought to re-invent themselves at its party congress on the weekend. Among the measures in the party's new platform are a speed limit for autobahns and a return to the party's traditional values. Observers are divided about the wisdom of the shift to the left.
What's wrong with the bees?
Yahoo News reports here: Billions of bees are disappearing, abandoning their hives and not collecting food. That's a problem for farmers, who depend on bees to pollinate their crops. Scientists aren't sure what's causing the problem, but they have some theories.
Frog killer fungus 'breakthrough'
BBC News reports here: Scientists find what appears to be a cure for the disease that is wiping out many of the world's frog species.
Preserving Polar Bears for Posterity
Spiegel Online reports here: The world may be ending tomorrow, but we're shooting a film about it now. This could be the motto of the many spectacular nature documentaries currently underway, especially in the Arctic.
MPs in call for new climate body
The government is likely to miss its own CO2 targets, the report says, BBC News reports here: A powerful new body must be established to drive climate change policy after a decade of failure by the government, a Commons committee has said.
Sun-powered desert race: The World Solar Challenge
CNN reports here: If, by some extraordinary feat of filmic conjuring, you somehow spliced Death Race 2000, Back to the Future and Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, editing out the violence, time travel and transvestism, but keeping in the racing, futuristic cars and Australian scenery, you'd probably end up with something vaguely resembling the Panasonic World Solar Challenge.
Greek president scolds citizens to do more on environment
AFP reports here at Yahoo News: ATHENS - Greek President Karolos Papoulias on Saturday criticized his fellow citizens for turning a blind eye to the environment and demanded a new "social conscience" to tackle pollution.
Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein to join EU emissions trading system
AFP reports here at Yahoo News: BRUSSELS - Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein are to link up with the European Union's carbon dioxide emissions trading system, in the first international agreement of its kind, the EU Commission announced Friday.
Biofuels 'crime against humanity'
Food prices have risen as more land is used to produce biofuels, BBC News reports here: A United Nations expert has condemned the growing use of crops to produce biofuels as a replacement for petrol as a crime against humanity.
China to clean up polluted lake
BBC News reports here: China is to spend millions of dollars in an effort to clean up one of its largest lakes, which has been severely polluted by years of waste dumping.
3 States Compete for Water From Shrinking Lake Lanier
The Washington Post reports here: The waters of Lake Lanier, funneled through federal dams along the Chattahoochee River, sustain about 2.8 million people in the Atlanta metropolitan area, a nuclear power plant that lights up much of Alabama, and the marine life in Florida's Apalachicola River and Bay. Now, amid one of the worst droughts on record, all three places feel uncomfortably close to running dry. That has prompted a three-state fight that has simmered for years to erupt into testy exchanges over which one has the right to the lake's dwindling water supply and which one is or is not doing its share to conserve it. The dispute, which some experts say provides a glimpse of what uncontrolled growth could mean for the future.
Seeing the carbon for the trees
Peter Seligmann writes here at BBC News: Protecting the world's remaining tropical forests will play a vital role in preventing dangerous climate change in the future, says Peter Seligmann. In this week's Green Room, he calls for a global system that offers nations an economic incentive to halt the destruction of the Earth's "lungs".
California residents face weeks of hardships
AP reports here at Yahoo News: RAMONA, Calif. - With the worst of the wildfires dying down, many Southern Californians lucky enough to find their homes still standing could nevertheless face hardships for weeks to come, including polluted air, no electricity and no drinking water. Power lines are down in many burned-over areas, and the smoke and ash could irritate people's lungs for as long as the blazes keep burning.
Coal "single greatest challenge" to averting climate change
AP reports here at CNN News: The proliferation of coal-burning power plants around the world may pose "the single greatest challenge" to averting dangerous climate change, an international panel of scientists have reported.
Much of U.S. could see a water shortage
AP reports here: WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - An epic drought in Georgia threatens the water supply for millions. Florida doesn't have nearly enough water for its expected population boom. The Great Lakes are shrinking. Upstate New York's reservoirs have dropped to record lows. And in the West, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is melting faster each year.
UN Report Warns of Environmental Train Wreck
Spiegel Online reports here: Dangerously declining amounts of drinking water, over-fished lakes and seas, a warming planet, plus a rising population: A large-scale report by the UN says the world is living beyond its environmental means.
Wolves Solidify Paw- Hold in Germany
Spiegel Online reports here: Germany is hardly known as a country full of predators lurking in the forests. But for five years now, the wolf population has been establishing a solid foothold in the country. And now, they are set to expand throughout Germany's east.
Suzuki proposes air-cooled fuel-cell motorbike
AFP reports here at Yahoo News: CHIBA, Japan - Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp. has unveiled a prototype motorbike with a zero-emission fuel-cell that is cooled by air. The motorbike, which is on display at the Tokyo Motor Show, is said to be free of noise and vibration, and has a lithium-ion battery below the tank for extra power.
Primates in danger of extinction
AP reports here at Yahoo News: BANGKOK, Thailand - Almost a third of all apes, monkeys and other primates are in danger of extinction because of rampant habitat destruction, the commercial sale of their meat and the trade in illegal wildlife, a report released Friday said.
Natural decline 'hurting lives'
BBC News reports here: Continuing destruction of the natural world is affecting the health, wealth and well-being of people around the globe, according to a major UN report. The Global Environment Outlook says most trends are going the wrong way. It lists degradation of farmland, loss of forest cover, pollution, dwindling fresh water supplies and overfishing among society's environmental ills. The UN Environment Programme (Unep) says there is a "remarkable lack of urgency" to reverse these trends.
Gore hails Sarkozy's green deal
AP reports here at CNN News: PARIS, France -- France will eliminate all energy waste by households and ban incandescent light bulbs and polluting cars, under proposals announced Thursday by President Nicolas Sarkozy, who also met with former Vice President Al Gore.
Eco Solutions
How do we sustain economic growth while preserving the planet? Every week, Eco Solutions takes viewers around the world to meet people who have thought of a solution and are putting it into practice. For more information see this page here about Eco Solutions at the CNN News website. See also our own website Ecotoolbox.com for some tips and tricks on what you can do yourself to help.
UN, IOC say Beijing's bad air a problem
AP reports here at Yahoo News: BEIJING - Beijing's polluted air is raising the likelihood that some Olympic events may be postponed for a day or two, although special restrictions should keep the skies clean much of the time, the International Olympic Committee said Thursday.
'Bird-friendly' call for gardens
BBC News reports here: UK householders can halt the decline of many birds by making their gardens more wildlife-friendly, a charity says. The charity's Homes for Wildlife scheme, which is launched on Saturday, will call for gardeners to plant deciduous trees, native shrubs and climbers like as honeysuckle or roses - all of which provide food and shelter for birds.
Who's Footing the Bill?
Spiegel Online reports here: While German Chancellor Angela Merkel lets herself be celebrated as the savior of the world's climate, her cabinet is embroiled in a tense struggle over a planned program to help reduce the greenhouse effect. Under the program, Germany's homeowners, renters and drivers could face billions in additional costs.
Is Global Warming Fueling Forest Fires?
LiveScience.com writes here at Yahoo News: Wildfires that raged in Southern California this week and forced more than half a million people from their homes spread so rapidly in part because the landscape was parched by a hot, dry summer—conditions that may become more of a norm for the Southwest, thanks to global warming.
Red river brings cancer to Chinese village
CNN News reports here: A woman blames her husband's death on the brown water used to irrigate crops.
Climate threat to biodiversity
The last mass extinction wiped out one-fifth of life on Earth, BBC News reports here: Global temperatures predicted for the coming centuries could trigger a mass extinction, UK scientists have warned.
Spanish conservative blasted for downplaying climate change
AFP reports here at Yahoo News: MADRID - The leader of Spain's conservative party was blasted Tuesday for downplaying the threat from climate change at a conference attended by Al Gore, winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize for raising awareness of the issue.
White House edits CDC climate testimony
AP reports here at Yahoo News: WASHINGTON - The White House severely edited congressional testimony given Tuesday by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the impact of climate change on health, removing specific scientific references to potential health risks, according to two sources familiar with the documents.
Honda sees future for fuel-cell cars
AFP reports here at Yahoo News: TOKYO - Honda Motor Co. on Tuesday predicted a bright future for hydrogen fuel-cell cars, saying mass production of the next-generation, eco-friendly vehicles may happen within a decade.
London Olympic Organizers Hope to Reform Britain
Spiegel Online reports here: Organizers of the 2012 London Olympics want to leave Great Britain with a legacy of greener, car-free travel habits -- by banning all cars from the games. But can the Tube handle it?
Flamingos Decapitated in Frankfurt Zoo
Spiegel Online reports here: In a grisly murder case, merciless killers have slain four flamingos in Frankfurt Zoo. The unknown assassins struck during the night, decapitating three of the birds and strangling a fourth to death.
'Unexpected growth' in CO2 found
Inefficient use of fossil fuels has been singled out, BBC News reports here: Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere have risen 35% faster than expected since 2000, says a study.
Planet in Peril at CNN
Deforestation - Species Loss - Climate Change - Overpopulation. CNN examines these issues in a four-hour global television event. CNN takes viewers around the world in a two-part, four-hour documentary that examines our changing planet. This worldwide investigation, shot in high definition, looks at four key issues: climate change, vanishing habitats, disappearing species and human population growth. To tell this story, Anderson Cooper, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Animal Planet's Jeff Corwin traveled to some of the most remote and remarkable places on Earth. From exposing illegal wildlife trading undercover in Southeast Asia to seeing first–hand the devastating effects of deforestation in Brazil, they have gathered evidence on the unsettling changes taking place all around us. Planet in Peril premieres October 24 and 25 at 1300 or 1900 GMT to watch this important documentary on CNN International.
US ethanol plan causing food prices to surge
AFP reports here at Yahoo News: OTTAWA - Attempts to reduce US dependence on imported oil by adding more ethanol to its gas tanks are only driving up food prices while delivering moot energy benefits, a Canadian bank warned on Monday.
Caribbean tourism industry urged to face warming risks
AP reports here at Yahoo News: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The Caribbean tourism industry, the lifeblood for many island economies, needs to brace itself for stronger hurricanes, more frequent droughts and rising sea levels resulting from global warming, scientists said Monday.
Rising seas threaten Thai capital
AP reports here at CNN News: At Bangkok's watery gates, Buddhist monks cling to a shrinking spit of land around their temple as they wage war against the relentlessly rising sea.
Seafood Escapes from German Supermarket
Spiegel Online reports here: Lobsters in Germany took fate into their own claws and broke out of an Asian supermarket. They now face a brighter future in an animal home.
New York sends in the ladybirds
BBC News reports here: More than 700,000 ladybirds have been released in two New York City housing complexes in an effort to kill insects without using artificial pesticides.
Oceans may be losing ability to absorb CO2
AFP reports here at Yahoo News: PARIS - The world's oceans may be losing their ability to soak up extra carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, with the risk that this will help stoke global warming, two new studies say.
Experts bid to help birds of prey
BBC News reports here: Experts from 60 countries are to gather for a conference at Loch Lomond aimed at helping save rare birds of prey. Delegates will try to develop an international agreement to conserve endangered migratory birds in Europe, Africa and Asia. Eagles, falcons, harriers, kites, buzzards and osprey are among the 77 species of birds that could benefit.
Rising seas threaten 21 mega-cities
AP reports here at Yahoo News: BANGKOK, Thailand - Cities around the world are facing the danger of rising seas and other disasters related to climate change. They include Dhaka, Bangladesh; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Shanghai and Tianjin in China; Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt; Mumbai and Kolkata in India; Jakarta, Indonesia; Tokyo and Osaka-Kobe in Japan; Lagos, Nigeria; Karachi, Pakistan; Bangkok, Thailand, and New York and Los Angeles in the United States, according to studies by the United Nations and others.
Greece to bolster pollution penalties
AFP reports here at Yahoo News: ATHENS - The Greek government on Friday said it would bolster inspections and penalties for environment polluters amid growing public indignation following several recent cases of water and air contamination.
Wily Foxes Embrace Easy City Life
Spiegel Online reports here: More and more foxes are seeking their fortunes in German towns, where food is ample and people sometimes mistake them for overgrown dachshunds. But the furry predators come bearing an unwelcome guest -- parasites.
German team wins solar home competition
AP reports here at Yahoo News: WASHINGTON - A team of students from Germany's Technische Universitat Darmstadt won a weeklong competition Friday on the National Mall for the best, most efficient and well-designed and -engineered solar home.
45 bird species in Malaysia face extinction: report
AFP reports here at Yahoo News: KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia faces the extinction of 45 bird species in the next five to 10 years if it fails to introduce protected areas and breeding programmes for endangered species, a report said Thursday.
Farm bird numbers 'hit new low'
BBC News reports here: The number of wild farmland bird species breeding in England is at the lowest level since records began, a key government wildlife "indicator" shows.
CNOOC to builds offshore wind power plant
AFP reports here at Yahoo News: BEIJING - China National Offshore Oil Corp, the country's top offshore oil producer, said Wednesday it would construct an offshore wind power plant in a bid to help energy conservation in the country.
Costa Rica gets forest fund boost
BBC News reports here: The US and conservation groups will cut $26m (£12.8m) from Costa Rican debt in return for the country spending the same sum on forest protection.
Economic Costs of Climate Change 'Will Affect Every American'
OneWorld.net reports here at Yahoo News: Independent economists and environmentalists are warning of dire consequences for the U.S. economy if policy makers fail to take urgent action on climate change.
Papua New Guinea's riches 'at risk'
BBC News reports here: Conservation groups are calling on the international community to protect Papua New Guinea (PNG) against mining, over-fishing and logging.
Human waste can help save planet: Indian expert
AFP reports here at Yahoo News: A cheap system to recycle human waste into biogas and fertiliser may allow 2.6 billion people in the world access to toilets and reduce global warming, an Indian environmental expert said Tuesday.
Biodiversity said to be key to healthy forests: study
AFP reports here at Yahoo News: Forests planted with a diverse species of trees will be better able to withstand pest infestation than those that are sown plantation-style with just one species, a study released Monday said.