Green Think Tank responds to

Conservative -Liberal Democrats coalition

13th June 2010

Responding to the programme of measures on climate change and the environment announced by the new coalition government, Amy Persson, senior policy adviser at Green Alliance said:

“We welcome the range of climate change and environment measures released as part of the Conservative - Liberal Democrat coalition agreement, particularly the cancellation of the third runway at Heathrow; the intention to increase the renewable energy target; and the creation of a Green Investment Bank.

David Cameron and Nick Clegg have shown strong leadership within their parties on climate change issues and we urge them to continue this leadership as they face the huge task of overseeing the UK’s transition to a low carbon economy.

There are huge opportunities for the UK in terms of green jobs, energy security and economic renewal as we make this transition. With the economy centre stage at the present time, the most obvious consensus should be around the need to create a low carbon economy, and we welcome the announcement on a Green Investment Bank. The government must now make sure it is of the scale necessary to create jobs and leverage investment in emerging low carbon industries.

For this to happen, the previous government’s commitment to setting up the Bank with £1 billion of public capital (funded from asset sales) should be honoured. A proportion of the revenues from the auction of EU carbon permits should also be earmarked for the bank from 2012.

Green Alliance is also keen to work with the new government as they tackle the deficit. A recent Green Alliance report, Cutting back on carbon spending2, indicated that £12 billion could be slashed from the national debt through a package of public spending cuts and the abolition of tax allowances that promote growth in carbon emissions.”

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Time to get tough

13th January 2010

A new report by a committee of MPs which urges the Government to strengthen its policies for tackling climate change and to set tougher emission reduction targets has been welcomed by environmental groups.

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) called on the Government to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 42% cut by 2020 - to enable the UK to play its part in giving the world a 50:50 chance of not exceeding a global two degree rise in temperature. It also said it was important to reduce the likelihood of exceeding two degrees to well below this 50 per cent risk.  

Friends of the Earth's economy campaigner Simon Bullock told Eco;

"The Government's current climate plans are based on only a 50:50 chance of avoiding a two degree rise in temperature, a danger level that world leaders say we must avoid.

"No-one would accept a toss-of-a-coin chance of their house burning down or of there being a major terrorist attack - we mustn't take such huge risks with climate change either. The Committee is right to demand that the Government sets tougher targets for tackling climate change.

"Developing a low carbon economy can also bring huge economic advantages too - slashing energy waste and developing the UK's huge green energy potential will create new business opportunities and tens of thousands of new jobs, and help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels."

The EAC recommendations include:

·         Strengthen existing climate policies - we are only track for our current 34% target because of the recession;

·         Move to a 42% target as soon as these policies are in place;

·         Reducing risks of exceeding two degrees to below 1 in 3

·         Ensure the forthcoming National Policy Statements on new fossil fuel infrastructure are compatible with carbon budgets;

·         Do not count offset credits from countries with no limits on carbon emissions.

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Low Carbon Villages

an ethical way forward for tackling climate change

Kenyan Tourism Minister encourages tourism and travel industry to take responsibility for their carbon footprint at the launch of a new carbon offset project in Africa

 

London, 6th November 2008

The Kenyan Minister of Tourism today announced that sustainable tourism “needs to become the norm and not the exception” in order to tackle climate change and that all businesses need to take action and responsibility for their carbon footprint.

Speaking at today’s event in London held by carbon management company co2balance, the Rt Hon Najib Mohamed Balala said that as we all contribute to climate change we should all take action to confront the growing threat that it brings.

Speaking about the role of carbon offsetting in protecting Kenya’s tourism industry, as well as the environment, the minister endorsed co2balance “triple benefit” approach that aids the environment as well as the local economy and communities within Africa, saying that it is the “correct way forward in tackling climate change”.

The Minster was in London to unveil co2balance’s latest African carbon offset project, and what is believed to be the world’s first, “Low Carbon Village”, which uses a series of low carbon technologies combined into a carbon offset scheme.

The Low Carbon Village project includes locally built energy efficient stoves, biogas plants fuelled by animal waste, and social projects including the installation of solar panels in school buildings and opening up classrooms after nightfall.

Speaking at the unveiling of the Low Carbon Village Project, Mike Rigby, director ofco2balance, emphasised its social aspects, stating that it goes “beyond carbon saving”.  He said “as well as offering a carbon offset project we wanted to go further to bring about social and financial benefits.  We focused on Africa because places like Europe have the financial ability to reduce their carbon emissions on their own, whereas regions like Africa do not”.

Mr Rigby also highlighted the control that co2balance have over the scheme to ensure project success, as it is run in-house and project managed through their office in Nairobi.

Rt Hon Najib Mohamed Balala took part in two events on the day, at the Kenyan High Commission and The Clysedale Bank’s Knightsbridge Office.  At the events the Minister announced that three hotel groups in Kenya are ready to begin offering carbon offset options for their guests, with the Sands at Nomads, the Heritage Hotel and Fairmont Hotel all declaring that they will be working with co2balance to reduce the impact of their carbon footprint and will be offsetting the carbon dioxide created as a result of their guests’ stay at the hotels.

Earlier in the day the Rt Hon Najib Mohamed Balala and representatives from co2balance met MPs at the House of Commons, which was hosted by Jeremy Brown MP, to discuss climate change and the role of Low Carbon Villages and carbon offsetting projects in Africa.

Kenya has declared Thursday a public holiday to celebrate the election of Barack Obama to the US presidency. Mr Obama's father was from Kenya and his victory has prompted jubilation across the country. "We the Kenyan people are immensely proud of your Kenyan roots," President Mwai Kibaki said.

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Sea Shepherd

to Sail Alone

Sea Shepherd volunteers in action

5th November 2008

A suprise announcement from Greenpeace means that they will not be sending a vessel to oppose Japanese whaling in Antarctica this winter, leaving the more confrontational Sea Shepherd group alone in planning to harass the whaling fleet. Greenpeace are concentrating on legal measures in Japan itself to defend two of its activists who have been imprisoned.

Greenpeace spokesperson Sara Holden told Eco:

"We will not be sending a ship to the whaling grounds in the Southern Ocean this year. Instead, we will be directing all of our efforts toward work IN JAPAN, where we believe whaling will be ended forever, and where two of our activists face prison for exposing corruption and scandal in the whaling industry.

"Turning the political prosecution of these two activists in Japan against the whaling factions in Tokyo will become the central focus of a mass mobilisation campaign against the Japanese Government’s whale hunt in the Southern Ocean Whaling Sanctuary. We know that the decision not to send a ship to the Southern Ocean, as we have nine times since 1989, will be disappointing to many.

"As important as actions to protect individual whales are, we see our work to build domestic resistance to whaling in Japan as our most essential mission right now -- we believe that by challenging the whaling interests on their own turf, and exposing the corruption and waste of the publicly funded whaling programme to the Japanese taxpayer, along with the deception that has been visited on the Japanese public in calling it a "scientific programme," we will end whaling forever."

On May 15th 2008, Greenpeace Japan used undercover investigators and the testimony of informers to expose the smuggling of large amounts of prime cut whale meat from the whaling ship Nisshin Maru, disguised as personal baggage, and labelled "cardboard" or "salted stuff" and addressed to the private homes of crewmembers.

Greenpeace activists Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki intercepted one box, and discovered it contained whale meat valued at up to US$3,000. It was one of four such boxes sent to the same address. They took it to the Tokyo public prosecutor as evidence of embezzlement, but were arrested for stealing the box of whale meat.

Captain Paul Watson, Founder and President of Sea Shepherd however is unimpressed by Greenpeace's change of tactics:

"As a Greenpeace co-founder, I am deeply offended that Greenpeace has been raising millions of dollars in the name of defending whales all year and now two weeks before the Japanese whaling fleet is scheduled to depart, they announce they will not be going," said "In my opinion they collected funds under false pretences and now they have abandoned the whales. Shame on them."

The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin is scheduled to depart from Australia at the end of November on Sea Shepherd's fifth voyage to obstruct and intervene against outlaw pirate whaling activities in the Antarctic Southern Oceans Whale Sanctuary.  Due to Sea Shepherd's interventions on its past campaigns, hundreds of whales have been saved in Antarctica.

Sea Shepherd's Executive Director Kim McCoy said, "Sea Shepherd will never retreat and we will never surrender until the outlaw whalers are driven out of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary for good."

 "They can send the entire Japanese Navy down to the Southern Ocean if they like, but Sea Shepherd and the crew of the Steve Irwin will not be intimidated by this kind of brutal military thuggery. When we say we put our lives on the line to defend the whales, we mean it. It's not just a slogan for us," said Captain Watson. "I have not seen a whale die since I left Greenpeace in 1977 and I have no intention of seeing a whale die this year. They don't kill whales when we show up and they won't kill whales when we arrive again this year. They will have to sink us first."

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Smart Greens

5th November 2008

Greens have welcomed research that claims smart children grow up to vote for their policies.

An academic study compared the voting preferences of 6,000 adults in the UK's 2001 general election with their IQs as ten-year-olds.

The findings showed that those who supported the UK Green Party had the highest average childhood IQ - 108.3.

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Green Fund Launched

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn

4th November 2008

A new £6 million fund to help charitable and voluntary organisations support and develop environmental projects throughout England has been announced by Environment Secretary Hilary Benn. 

The Greener Living Fund will help voluntary organisations promote positive environmental changes to individuals and communities, helping them reduce their carbon footprints, make greener lifestyle choices and find new ways to rely less on our natural resources.

Announcing the fund and launching Defra’s Third Sector Strategy, which sets out how the department will improve the way it works with third sector groups, Hilary Benn told Eco:

“Defra is committed to working closely with voluntary and charitable organisations to tackle climate change and help everyone make positive environmental changes in their lifestyle – no matter how big or small.  I hope that this fund will make a real difference to individuals, communities and projects across the country and I look forward to seeing the results.

“I appreciate and admire the significant time and effort that these organisations undertake and believe that Defra’s Third Sector Strategy will play an important part in achieving the goal of a healthy natural environment for this and future generations to prosper.”

Kevin Brennan, Minister for the Third Sector said:

“Many third sector organisations are already leading the way on ensuring that the vital work they do is sustainable. This launch with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is a great example of how we, as a Government, can work across departments to take action to meet the challenge of climate change and reduce our impact on the planet.

“I am also delighted that today’s joint event takes place during Compact Week, celebrating ten years of Government working closely with the third sector to recognise its vital role in public service delivery. We must celebrate the third sector's commitment to sustainability and support it to do even more."

Energy and Climate Change Minister, Joan Ruddock said:

“If we want to achieve our goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and developing a low-carbon Britain, then the involvement of the third sector is absolutely vital. With around 40 per cent of emissions caused by individual choices and actions, behaviour change is crucial, and this is where third sector groups such as charities, NGOs, voluntary organisations, social enterprises and faith groups play an important role.”

Defra’s Third Sector Strategy is part of the Government’s wider commitment to working with voluntary and charitable organisations and demonstrates the department’s commitment to helping these organisations promote environmental sustainability .

The report includes:

Cold Comfort

Fuel poverty highest ever in England under Labour, new figures reveal

3rd October 2008 

While the Government's move to boost insulation is to be commended, it will be of little comfort to many families now too worried about rising fuel bills to heat their homes properly. The number of fuel poor households in England is now higher than at any time recorded since Labour came to power, shocking new Government figures estimate today.  The Government's fuel poverty strategy was slammed by Friends of the Earth and Help the Aged, who are taking Ministers to court on Monday (6th October 2008) over its failure to tackle fuel poverty.

The Government's annual fuel poverty progress report - which has been published today - reveals that:

• In 2008, 3.5 million households in England are estimated to be in fuel poverty - in 1998 [1] the figure was 3.4 million.
• The number of English homes in fuel poverty is estimated to have risen almost three-fold since 2004, when it stood at 1.2 million.
• The Government admits that it will miss its legal target to eliminate fuel poverty for vulnerable households by 2010.

The Government has not produced estimates for the number of houses in fuel poverty across the UK in 2008 - Friends of the Earth and Help the Aged calculate that there are now at least five million households in fuel poverty across the UK.

Friends of the Earth director Andy Atkins told Eco:

"The Government's fuel poverty strategy is in meltdown - fuel poverty in England has tripled in four years and it is estimated that more English households are now in fuel poverty than have ever been recorded under this Government's leadership.

"The only long term solution to fuel poverty is a massive energy efficiency programme. This will heat homes, cut bills and help meet our targets for tackling climate change.

 "Ministers have legal obligations to do all they can to end fuel poverty - Friends of the Earth and Help the Aged are taking the Government to court next week to ensure that they do."

Mervyn Kohler, Special Adviser for Help the Aged, says:

"Fuel poverty is escalating out of control and the response from Government has been completely feeble.  According to today's progress report, it is now obvious to all that the Government will not meet its legal obligation to eradicate fuel poverty in vulnerable households by 2010.  This is a far cry from the progress we need.

"This winter, millions of people will be cutting back on food or fuel or both, putting their health in jeopardy and living in misery.  The Government's report lists at length the measures it is taking, but with no assessment of how effective they will be at reducing fuel poverty.

"What's needed is a Government strategy that combines both short and long term solutions - crisis payments to help with the here and now and, in the longer term, improvements to the energy efficiency of our housing stock. That's why Help the Aged and Friends of the Earth have sought a
judicial review, to ensure the Government finally delivers on its duty to end fuel poverty."

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Climate Crunch

2nd October 2008

The latest climate models from the normally measured and conservative Met Office Hadley Centre make alarming reading, and bring home the consequences if Governments fail to take urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The latest climate model projections show clearly that such failure could have worrying and significant consequences for the world's climate. Even with large and early cuts in emissions, the projections indicate that temperatures are likely to rise to around 2C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. If action is delayed or is slow, then there is a significant risk of much larger increases in temperature. The uncertainties in the science mean that even if the most likely temperature rise is kept within reasonable limits, we cannot rule out the possibility of much larger increases.

The worst case scenario makes it clear that if major reductions are not made in emissions, there is a real risk that rather than stabilise climate change, there could be runaway global warming which mankind is powerless to stop. In this nightmare scenario, warming leads to vast quantities of carbon and methane being released from thawing permafrost, leading to rapid temperature rises, leading to more releases. The climate changes could be so extreme that life on earth is wiped out. It is this scenario that politicians, and many scientists, seem unwilling to make the wider public aware of, as a growing possibility.

Met Office's bleak forecast on climate change - Guardian - 2/10/08

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As Easy as EPC

Energy Performance Certificates rolled out to rental properties

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Polluters Must Pay

Vehicle Excise Duty changes are right in principle, say MPs

6th August 2008

The call by a committee of MPs for the Treasury to consider a ‘car scrappage scheme' that would offer the drivers of gas-guzzling cars a payment to trade their vehicle for a more efficient model, has been welcomed by environmentalists including Friends of the Earth - which suggested such a scheme when it gave evidence to the committee.

The Environmental Audit Committee's report, Vehicle Excise Duty as an environmental tax, concludes that "there is nothing intrinsically unfair or unusual about setting new VED rates for cars that have already purchased", and calls on the Government to consider more ambitious reforms of VED.

Friends of the Earth's Transport Campaigner, Tony Bosworth told Eco:

 "We're delighted that the MPs believe that the Government's car tax changes are right in principle - and that they have urged the Treasury to consider our suggestion of a car scrappage scheme.

"Three times more second hand cars are bought each year than new ones - so upping VED on old polluting vehicles will encourage people to choose greener models, cut fuel bills and lower carbon dioxide emissions.  Paying people to scrap their old gas-guzzler and replace it with a cleaner car will make this cheaper and easier to do.

 "Ministers must stand firm on their VED plans and do more to encourage greener travel and reduce transport's contribution to climate change - such as backing tough fuel efficiency standards for new cars and investing in alternatives such as rural public transport and faster, cheaper rail."

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Arctic Park Closed by Thaw

OTTAWA - A major national park in Canada's Arctic has been largely closed after record high temperatures caused flooding that washed away hiking trails and forced the evacuation of tourists

5th August 2008 Every year around 500 people visit Auyuittuq National Park, which covers over 19,000 square km (7,340 square miles) on Baffin Island and is dominated by the giant Penny ice cap. The park is popular with hikers and skiers. In an extraordinary development, which is yet another sign of global warming, the combination of floods, melting permafrost and erosion means that the southern part of the park will remain shut until geologists can examine the damage. Pauline Scott, a spokeswoman for Parks Canada told Eco: "We've lost huge proportions of what was formerly the trail in the park. It's disappeared -- gone," Scott said by phone from Iqaluit, capital of the Arctic territory of Nunavut. Most visitors walk through the park, starting from the southern edge, near the town of Pangnirtung. The problems started last month with two weeks of record temperatures on Baffin Island that reached as high as 27 Celsius (81 Fahrenheit), well above the July average of 12 C (54 F). This, Scott said, triggered massive melting which sent "a huge pulse of water through the park", washing away 60 km (37 miles) of a trail used by hikers and destroying a bridge over a river that is otherwise impassable. Earlier this week, once the extent of the damage had become clear, 21 visitors had to be evacuated by helicopter. "We're not as worried about the flash flooding as we are about the instability of the ground and the slumping and the cracks appearing all along that entire 60 km length (of the trail)," said Scott. Temperatures in large parts of the Arctic have risen much faster than the global average, a development that experts say is linked to climate change. Last week, giant sheets of ice totaling almost 20 square km (8 square miles) broke off an ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic and more might follow later this year, scientists said. Scott said more problems could be in store for the park. "We've had lots of hard rain in the south part of Baffin Island in the last five days so we don't know what this is doing to further destabilize melting permafrost, because this is what is causing the erosion," she said. In June, Pangnirtung declared a state of emergency for three weeks after flash flooding cut off the town's water supply and sewage system. In a separage incident last weekend, which may also have been triggered by warming, eleven climbers died in north Pakistan trying to scale the world's second-highest peak, K2. An eyewitness says 25 climbers reached the summit on Friday, but nine were stranded and froze to death after an avalanche swept away their fixed ropes. The avalanche happened when a chunk from an ice pillar snapped away on a feature called the Bottleneck. It is predicted that avalanches will become more frequent as rock faces held together by ice begin to thaw.

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Seven Years from Disaster

 

6th July 2008

The Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Rajendra Pachauri, delivered a stark warning at a gathering of European Union ministers on Friday, when he pleaded with the EU to take the lead in global talks on tackling climate change. The world is just seven years away from catastrophic climate change unless urgent action is taken.

The UN negotiations "must progress rapidly, otherwise I am afraid that not only future generations but even this generation will treat us as having been irresponsible.......The EU has to lead. If the EU does not lead, I am afraid that any attempt to bring about change and to manage the problem of climate change will collapse," said Pachauri.

"Today there is a high level of expectation. If the EU does not lead, you will not be able to bring the US on board, North America, on board. You will not be able to bring on board other countries in the world as well."

Pachauri said the IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report had dispelled any doubts about human impact on the climate system. The Panel and former US vice-president won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for their work.

Pachauri also issued a bleak warning that time was running out for dealing with the threat. In the 20th century, the temperature had already risen on average by 0.74 degrees Celsius (1.32 degrees Fahrenheit), he said.

The EU wants to limit the overall warming since pre-industrial times to 2 degrees Centigrade (3.6 F), a goal that is shared by many scientists, although leading Nasa scientist James Hansen has warned that present targets are not ambition enough.

To achieve the 2 degrees centigrade limit, said Pachauri:

"we would have to stabilise the greenhouse-gas concentration at more or less the level at which we are today......But in order to do that, we have a window of opportunity of only seven years because emissions will have to peak by 2015 and reduce after that. We cannot permit a longer delay."

Pachauri also sounded a note of caution about the 2 C (3.6 F) figure, as evidence was mounting that climate change was accelerating faster than thought. Heatwaves and floods were increasing, and higher temperatures were having a far-reaching effect on glaciers and snowfall.

"The very wise target that the EU had set of 2.0 (C, 3.6 F) may need to be looked at once more, because the impacts are turning out to be more serious than we had estimated earlier," he said.

Talks are taking place under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for a new global pact after 2012, when the current provisions of the Kyoto Protocol run out.

A major round of negotiations will take place in Poznan, Poland in December, with the climax scheduled in Copenhagen in December 2009.

The current target in the UK's Climate Bill is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60%, although a working groups is likely to recommend increasing this to 80%.

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Colombian Green Leader Freed

Joy as presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt

is rescued after six years in captivity

4th July 2008

Colombian Green presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt has been rescued by security forces after more than six years' captivity as a hostage of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Green Party Principal Speaker Caroline Lucas MEP has expressed the party's joy at the liberation of our colleague. Dr Lucas told Eco:

"We are all relieved and delighted at the news that Ingrid Betancourt, and the 14 other hostages, are safe at last and on their way home.

"Ingrid has endured an unimaginable six-year ordeal in FARC captivity, and years of death threats before that. A French national, she could have chosen an easy life in Europe or elsewhere but put herself in the line of fire to fight for democracy and peace in Colombia.

"Her personal bravery, moral courage and total commitment to the people of her country set her amongst the most inspirational women of our generation. Her safe return is a cause for celebration not just for Greens, but for all democrats."

Ingrid Betancourt was kidnapped on February 23rd 2002, while campaigning in the Colombian presidential election. The founder of the Oxygen Green Party, she served as a member of the country's Chamber of Representatives and as a Senator before launching her presidential bid.

Read CNN's report on the rescue of Ingrid Betancourt

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Carbon Cop-Out

First study of its kind into greenhouse gas emissions from

farms

3rd July 2008

The first study of its kind to provide detailed measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from farms in England has revealed big differences from one agricultural sector to another.

Farmers are today urged to go online and use the CALM (Carbon Accounting for Land Managers) calculator to measure their farms’ greenhouse gas emissions. They can then compare their results against the range found in this Natural England study.

The comprehensive study of 200 farms comes at a time when the agricultural industry is increasingly aware it must take steps to reduce its carbon footprint, particularly emissions of nitrous oxide and methane.

Agriculture is responsible for the majority of the UK’s nitrous oxide emissions caused by microbial activity in soils as a result of the application of nitrogen fertilizers – both organic and inorganic – essential for healthy crop growth. Methane emissions come mainly from livestock and manures. Both gases have a proportionally higher global warming potency than carbon dioxide.

The study shows that a typical 100 hectare cereal farm will emit the equivalent emissions of 78 cars or 50 average households in an average year.

Continued - Food for Thought

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Eco Towns under

Fresh Scrutiny

27th June 2008

The Government's flagship programme for eco towns and zero carbon new homes by 2016 is under fresh scrutiny, with claims that the eco towns offer few environmental benefits, and would be better incorporated into existing settlements.

Eco homes under scrutiny - Eco comment

Flint: Fewer than 10 eco-towns may be built
Building.co.uk

The Minister defends eco towns and Hips and her reliance on the ...Times

Council withdraws controversial eco-town plan - Telegraph Eco-towns: Britain's brave new worlds? - Telegraph.

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No Time to Waste

Students return from Arctic to champion WWF's climate change campaign

26th June 2008

We cannot afford to wait. This is the view shared by students Emma Bierman and Casper ter Kuile, who have just returned from a 10-day Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) voyage to the Arctic where they witnessed the impact of climate change in the region.
The pair, who both study at Warwick University, now take on roles as UK ambassadors for WWF's ongoing climate change campaign.
"The situation is far more urgent than we had perceived," said Emma. "Visiting the Arctic and hearing the scientific background has confirmed how urgent this issue is.
"We need to work hard for a social movement that will put pressure on governments worldwide to make long-term decisions about people and planet."
During the Arctic voyage, which started from Svalbard, Norway, the students – who came from around the world – visited fjords to witness the shrinking glaciers and reduction in sea ice. They also saw the wealth of Arctic wildlife, including seals, walruses, reindeer and the critically-threatened polar bear, whose habitat is disappearing.
The students got the opportunity to learn from WWF staff and experts in the field about the effects of climate change and the dangers posed by the growing economic interest in the Arctic from the oil and gas, fishing and shipping industries. They also visited Ny Ålesund, the most northern settlement in the world, and an international centre for Arctic research.
To see blogs and pictures from their journey go to wwf.org.uk/voyageforthefuture
On 30 June, Emma and Casper will deliver WWF's Get on Board petition to Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street. This asks the UK government to include a commitment to reducing CO2 emissions by at least 80% by 2050 in the Climate Change Bill currently going through Parliament. It also calls for the Bill to include emissions from aviation and shipping.

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Greenpeace heroes convicted

25th June 2008

Five Greenpeace volunteers who occupied the top of a British Airways passenger jet were today convicted at Uxbridge magistrates court.

The campaigners pleaded guilty to being in a restricted zone, boarding an aircraft and demonstrating in an airport. They were each given an 18 month conditional discharge and will pay compensation to BA totalling £5,700.

The five hit the headlines across the world in February when they walked through an open door at Terminal 1 and occupied the fuselage of the BA Airbus for two hours, hanging a banner from the tailfin reading: ‘CLIMATE EMERGENCY - NO 3rd RUNWAY'.

Anna Jones, Sarah Shoraka, Paul Della-Rocca, Frank Hewetson and Jens Loewe were protesting against Labour's plans to build a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow. The plane they scaled had just arrived for Manchester - a journey covered by the train in just over two hours - and was refuelling for another domestic flight. The five waited until all the passengers had disembarked before walking through an open door and going ‘airside'.

A widely derided government consultation into Labour's Heathrow proposals was completed the week of the Greenpeace occupation. Ministers are expected to announce a decision on the proposed expansion later this year.

One of the protesters, Anna Jones, said: "Climate change can be beaten, but not by almost doubling the size of the world's biggest international airport. That's why we occupied the top of BA's Manchester to London flight. A huge number of planes leave Heathrow every day destined for cities easily reachable by train. If we invested in high speed rail instead of climate-wrecking runways we could begin to reduce the environmental impact of Heathrow instead of increasing it."

The most popular destination from Heathrow is Paris, with sixty flights back and forth every day. Flights between Heathrow and locations easily accessible by train - such as Paris, Brussels, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Leeds/Bradford and Durham - total over 100,000 flights a year.

Flying is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, doubling in the 1990s. According to the government, flights from and within the UK account for 13% of the UK's climate impact because greenhouse gases create more global warming when emitted at altitude.

British flyers already create far more carbon emissions per head than those from any other country - nearly 40% higher than the second placed country, Ireland, and more than twice as much as Americans. The Tyndall climate research centre calculates that if aviation expands as projected, Britain will have to totally decarbonise the rest of its economy by 2050 to effectively tackle climate change.

Sarah Shoraka, another of the protesters, said: "The fight against Heathrow expansion is only just beginning. This new runway cannot and will not be built."

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Climate Criminals

24th June 2008

In a remarkable speech to the US Congress, James Hansen, one of the world's leading climate scientists, has called for the chief executives of large fossil fuel companies like Esso and Shell, to be put on trial for high crimes against humanity and nature, accusing them of actively spreading doubt about global warming in the same way that tobacco companies blurred the links between smoking and cancer, as documented in Jeremy Leggett's "The Carbon War".

This controversial accusation will not win Hansen friends among the oil companies, but must send shockwave through the boardrooms, with the possibility that directors could be made personally liable for the effects of climate change. Hansen doesn't mince his words:

"When you are in that kind of position, as the CEO of one the primary players who have been putting out misinformation even via organisations that affect what gets into school textbooks, then I think that's a crime."

He will told the House select committee on energy independence and global warming that he is now 99% certain that the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has already risen beyond the safe level.

The current concentration is 385 parts per million (ppm) and is rising by 2ppm a year. Some scientists believe we have already crossed a threshold at 350ppm where runaway warming is possible, in which one warming event triggers others, with particular reference to the changes to polar albedo as white heat-reflecting ice is replaced by dark heat-absorbing sea, and the thawing of methane hydrates, which as they release methane, cause more warming, releasing more methane. The general consensus is that the critical threshold is 450ppm which sounds a long way off until you factor in the impact of other greenhouse gases like CFCs, methane and water vapour, which give a concentration of 430ppm CO2 equivalent.

Hansen, who heads Nasa's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, says 2009 will be a crucial year, with a new US president and talks on what will follow the Kyoto agreement.

Hansen wants to see a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants, coupled with the creation of a huge grid of low-loss electric power lines buried under ground and spread across America, in order to give wind and solar power a chance of competing. "The new US president would have to take the initiative analogous to Kennedy's decision to go to the moon."

His sharpest words were reserved for the special interests he blames for public confusion about the nature of the global warming threat. "The problem is not political will, it's the alligator shoes - the lobbyists. It's the fact that money talks in Washington, and that democracy is not working the way it's intended to work."

The effectiveness of the carbon club lobbyists in blurring the issues and causing public confusion can be seen in the Mori poll which found that a majority of the British population still doubt the reality and danger of global warming.

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Named and Shamed

Car billboard ads to show climate impact

24th June 2008

Car adverts on billboards and in magazines will now be emblazoned with the car's climate impacts, after the Government agreed to change its advertising guidelines in response to the threat of legal proceedings by the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s and Friends of the Earth.

The fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of vehicles will now have to be prominently displayed, arming consumers with the information they need to choose a greener vehicle - and one that needs to be filled up with fuel less often.

The Department for Transport (DfT) admitted that it had been wrongly interpreting an EU Directive on car advertising, which says that fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions information must be prominently provided in all promotional literature. The Government has until now exempted `primarily graphical' adverts from the law with the effect that most billboard adverts did not include information about the car's carbon dioxide emissions.

The announcement came in response to a legal letter to the Department for Transport from Friends of the Earth's Rights & Justice Centre acting for the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s. The green organisations wrote to the DfT in March to point out that the UK wasn't abiding with EU law and warned the Government that they would issue Judicial Review proceedings if the guidance was not changed.

Blake Ludwig of the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s, said today:

“From now on, it won't be enough to woo consumers with a sleek and sexy image of a car in billboard ads - car advertisers will need to give real and readable facts about the car's fuel economy and environmental impact. With rising fuel costs and a growing awareness about climate change, this information is crucially important for people to make greener and cheaper choices of vehicle.

“In order to cut emissions from cars, we need both strong regulation on advertising and also strong regulation that forces car manufacturers to make more efficient cars. Today's change in the advertising rules will help encourage car-makers to build more efficient vehicles, something they have so far been very slow to do.”

Phil Michaels, Head of Legal at Friends of the Earth said:

“Until now the UK was getting away with flouting EU legislation on car advertising - but our legal action has closed the loophole.“Consumers have a right to meaningful information about how much carbon dioxide a car emits and how much fuel it guzzles, so they can choose to buy a car that will be greener and cheaper to run. We will be watching carefully to make sure that the law is now properly enforced.”

See the cars and CO2 campaign website: www.advertiseCO2.co.uk
Alliance Against Urban 4x4s website: www.stopurban4x4s.org.uk

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A Climate of Doubt

23rd June 2008

A news poll by the research group IPSOS Mori for "The Observer" has found that a staggering six out of ten UK adults agreed that 'many scientific experts still question if humans are contributing to climate change', and that four out of 10 'sometimes think climate change might not be as bad as people say'. In both cases, another 20 per cent were not convinced either way. Many of those interviewed also believe scientists are exaggerating the ‘global warming’ phenomenon. Despite this, three quarters still professed to be concerned about climate change.

The results have shocked environmental campaigners who had hoped that doubts would have been silenced by a report last year by more than 2,500 scientists for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which found a 90 per cent chance that humans were the main cause of climate change and warned that drastic action was needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions. It had been hoped that the focus would shift from prolonged debate to action, however the Mori findings suggest that a huge exercise in public education is still needed, not helped by the complexity of the science and the deliberate obfuscation of the debate by a minority of scientists and media sources with vested interests in the carbon economy.

However Professor Bjorn Lomborg, author of The Skeptical Environmentalist, said politicians and campaigners were to blame for over-simplifying the problem by only publicising evidence to support the case. 'Things that we do know - like humans do cause climate change - are being put in doubt,' said Lomborg. 'If you're saying, "We're not going to tell you the whole truth, but we're going to ask you to pay up a lot of money," people are going to be unsure.'

In response to the poll's findings, the Department for the Environment issued a statement:

'The IPCC... concluded the scientific evidence for climate change is clear and it is down to human activities. It is already affecting people's lives - and the impact will be much greater if we don't act now.'

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The End of Oil

22nd June 2008

Oil is not about to run out. However it is becoming increasingly apparent  that the supply of “easy oil”, with a high energy return on investment (EROI), has peaked. It is no good George Bush, Gordon Brown, and other western leaders calling on OPEC to increase supply. The ill-concealed fact is there is minimal spare capacity in the system. Former US Energy Secretary James Schlesinger recently concluded, “We can’t continue to make supply meet demand much longer. It’s no longer the case that we have a few voices crying in the wilderness. The battle is over. The peakists have won.”

continued - " The End of Oil"

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Recycling on the go

 

New push for recycling in public places

3rd June 2008

People will soon find it easier to recycle when they’re out and about, Environment Minister Joan Ruddock pledged today.

‘Recycle on the Go’ is a new drive to put accessible recycling bins in public places. And it’s already started, with The Royal Parks rolling out a recycling bin pilot in Hyde Park over the next three months.

A good practice guide and a code of practice will help those responsible for public places to make recycling easy and accessible. Wherever possible bins will feature the familiar Recycle Now signage so people can easily identify where and how to recycle their cans, bottles and paper.

Visiting Hyde Park to launch Recycle on the Go, Environment Minister Joan Ruddock, said:

“We need to take recycling beyond the office and home into our public spaces – that’s what this initiative is about.

‘We know that most canned and bottled drinks are consumed outside the home, when people are out and about. Even the most dedicated recycler is unlikely to take these home with them and add them to their household recycling. Often, the only responsible option is to put them in litter bins, and this means that large quantities of aluminium, plastic and glass are slipping through the net and effectively become rubbish, end up in landfill, and are lost as a resource.

‘Recycle on the Go is about making recycling a natural part of everyday life no matter where people are. But the bigger issue here is about a pushing a behaviour change around how people dispose litter when they’re away from the home.

‘It’s especially fitting that Recycle on the Go is being launched during Recycle Week, when the spotlight is on giving an extra push to our recycling efforts.’

Colin Buttery, Deputy CEO of The Royal Parks said:

‘Recycle on the Go is an excellent way to encourage greener waste management in public places. Building on the success of our recycling programme at events, the new code of practice is further informing the Royal Parks’ approach to our recycling pilot in Hyde Park.’

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Fuel Folly

Biofuels boom risks increasing landlessness among world's poor

2nd June 2008

The global biofuels boom risks harming poor people in poor countries by forcing them off land they depend on, says a report published today by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

But the report adds that biofuels are not all bad, and shows that their production can also allow poor groups to increase their access to land and improve their livelihoods if the right policies are in place.

The report comes as world leaders meeting in Rome this week hear calls for new guidelines on biofuels, which some have blamed for diverting resources from food production. It points out that all biofuels are not equal and recommends policies that would increase the social benefits biofuels production can bring to the rural poor in developing countries.

"Despite the highly polarised debate, biofuels are not all good or bad," says lead author Lorenzo Cotula of IIED. "Biofuels can either help or harm the world's poor depending on the choice of crop and cropping system, the business model, and the local context and policies."

Biofuel production is set to expand in the coming years despite growing concerns about the role of biofuels in mitigating climate change, promoting deforestation and taking land formerly used to produce food.

The report shows that that large-scale biofuel production is affecting poor people's access to land in Africa (e.g. Mozambique, Tanzania), Asia and the Pacific (India, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea) and Latin America (e.g. Colombia).

Elsewhere however small-scale farmers have been able to increase their access to land to seize opportunities that the biofuels boom brings.

"Biofuels can benefit poor producers but only if they have secure land rights," says Cotula. "In many places the rush to produce biofuels takes place where local land rights are insecure, which results in poorer people losing out. What are often lacking are both adequate land laws and the local people's capacity to claim and secure their rights."

The report shows that large and small-scale biofuels producers can co-exist, if governments and the private sector have the right policies and practices.

The findings have direct implications not only for national and local tenure systems in producer countries, but also for international processes such as a post-Kyoto regime to address climate change, for certification schemes and for policies in importing countries.

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Made a Noise!

 

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WWF honours global conservation work

Greenpeace orang-utans swing

into action against Dove

The company behind some of the world's biggest brands, including Dove, is driving the destruction of the last remaining habitats of the orang-utan and massively speeding up climate change, according to environmental group Greenpeace.

Simultaneous "direct actions" are taking place across the UK and Europe, and a damning new report has been released highlighting Unilever's use of palm oil supplied by companies that are systematically destroying the rainforests of Indonesia.

In a Unilever factory at Port Sunlight near Liverpool, sixty Greenpeace volunteers (many dressed as orang-utans) are occupying and overrunning production lines. Meanwhile in London, workers at the company's riverside HQ are being greeted by jungle noises, orang-utans above the entrance to the building itself and a giant billboard spoofing Dove's "real beauty" advertising campaign.

The actions coincide with the launch of a new report containing fresh evidence showing where Unilever's suppliers are destroying peatland forests and orang-utan habitats to grow palm oil.

The report, entitled Burning up Borneo, accuses Unilever of contributing to this destruction by continuing to buy from these suppliers, and doing nothing to prevent the massive expansion of the palm oil industry further into Indonesia's peatland forests.

The study explains how growth in the palm oil sector is having a devastating effect on Indonesia's biodiversity. Orang-utan numbers have fallen so drastically that they are now under serious threat of extinction. By mapping out areas controlled by key suppliers, the report explains how companies with direct links to Unilever are now clearing the last remaining habitats of the orang-utan. The report contains field research and photographs collected on the ground by Greenpeace over recent months.

The preparation of land for new palm oil plantations also releases huge amounts of carbon dioxide as the forests and peatlands of the region are drained and then burnt. Internationally, Unilever is one of the largest consumers of palm oil and the expansion of the industry threatens to derail international efforts to tackle climate change. Indonesia is now the third largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, largely as a result of deforestation.

Reacting to the news, Greenpeace Executive director John Sauven said: "Unilever, the company behind global brands like Dove, is contributing to one of the greatest environmental crimes happening in the world right now.

"By doing nothing to stop its suppliers destroying rainforests and peatlands to grow palm oil, Unilever is helping to kill off the last remaining orang-utans on the planet and massively speeding up climate change.

"Unless Unilever cleans up its act then the orang-utan could soon become extinct in the wild, and our chances of avoiding climate disaster could disappear with them."

Unilever chairs the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an industry body charged with ensuring the sustainability of palm oil. Despite the fact that the RSPO was established in 2002 there is still no certified palm oil on the market and forest destruction continues apace. Many of the companies accused of rainforest destruction in the Greenpeace report are key members of the RSPO.

Greenpeace is demanding Unilever publicly calls for an end to the expansion of palm oil into forest and peatland areas and stops trading with suppliers that continue to destroy rainforests.

Sauven continued: "Unilever pretends to be a responsible company, but what it's really responsible for is profiting from rainforest destruction. If they invested as much in sorting out their suppliers as they do on greenwashing their brand, they could fix this problem for good."

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School Run?

That will be £75 please!

22nd April 2008

Pioneering Richmond Council, a Liberal Democrat run administration in South West London, is to trial a new charge this September, which will see parents using a car for the school run charged up to £75 a year for the most polluting vehicles. The proposal has delighted many environmentalists who see the use of large cars to ferry children around as one of the worse excesses of our times, but infuriated some parents and the motoring lobby.

Margaret Morrissey, of the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, said the scheme was "unfair and unrealistic ... Mums and small children are such an easy target for councils. They should try offering some parking provision and stop this nonsense." She added that the scheme would have no deterrent effect because thousands of parents had no choice about using bigger cars. Many families have three or four children, and they need the space to fit child seats the Government insists on."

Richmond introduced "environmentally friendly" parking charges based on vehicle emissions in 2006 and now the authority has gone further by introducing its "permits for school parents", affecting hundreds of people across 13 schools in the borough.

A Richmond council spokesman told Eco that the authority was merely following central Government's lead. "The Government is trying to reduce school-run car use and we support it," he said. "We want to drive down CO2 emissions in the borough, and become the most sustainable council in the ­country."

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Food or Fuel?

            

14th April 2008

Almost nine out of ten Britons have no idea that biofuels are now being added to their petrol, according to the first ever public attitudes survey on the controversial alternative fuels. The research also revealed that, of those who knew what biofuels are, three quarters would prefer the Government to curb emissions by improving public transport or making cars greener.

The YouGov survey, commissioned by Friends of the Earth, also revealed that 78 per cent of the public agree that European governments should make vehicle manufacturers double the fuel efficiency of new cars by 2020 in order to tackle climate change. And that more than two thirds of people think the Government is not doing enough to improve public transport.

The Government's Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO), brought in to meet EU regulations, means all petrol sold in the UK will have to include at least 2.5 per cent biofuels - made from crops- from 15 April 2008. But although the move aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and cut carbon emissions, new scientific evidence shows that the growth in biofuels could actually increase greenhouse gas emissions through land conversion and greater use of chemical fertilisers.

Worryingly, two thirds of those surveyed by Friends of the Earth were unaware that the growth in biofuels is contributing to the destruction of rainforest.

Friends of the Earth believes the UK Government and the EU should scrap their biofuels targets and tackle transport pollution by investing in better public transport and strengthening proposals for mandatory emissions limits on all new cars.

Friends of the Earth biofuels campaigner, Kenneth Richter, said:

"Most people will be horrified to know the Government is putting biofuels in our petrol when the damage they do to forests could make climate change worse. It's time for a new direction in transport policy.

"People want to see real green transport solutions that will make a difference to their lives - like better public transport and smarter cars that burn less fuel. It's now up to the Government to set us on the right track."

The growing of biofuels has become a hugely controversial issue as the practice has contributed to massive increases in the cost of food that have led to riots in Egypt, Haiti, Mexico, Pakistan and Bangladesh. In Haiti, one of the world's poorest nations, the Government has been brought down following the death of five people including a UN peacekeeper. Most Haitians earn no more than $2 a day, and they have struggled to feed themselves as the prices of rice, beans and fruit have risen by 50% in the last year.

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Every Little Helps

      

               The 50,000 seat stadium would see 71 houses bulldozed

12th April 2008

The nation's largest supermarket has been given a shock to the system after Merseyside grandmother Dot Reid applied for planning permission to demolish the home of Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy. The 58-year-old said Sir Terry, who lives in a mansion in Hertfordshire, deserved a taste of his own medicine. She plans to turn the site of the Tesco boss's house into a community garden. The grandmother lives on Spicer Grove where there are a mix of bungalows and houses, which would be bought under a compulsory purchase order and demolished under the plans.

Mrs. Reid helped set up a housing co-operative which was given government money to build the homes, which were finished in 1992.

She told Eco: "These are more than just houses, they are homes. I have been living under the threat of losing my home for 18 months now and it is very stressful. I want Sir Terry to have a taste of what we have to put up with. When we found out about the plans by Tesco and Everton, we thought it was disgusting."

Mrs Reid has submitted an application to Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council in Hertfordshire for permission to demolish Sir Terry's 1930s mansion in Cuffley.

Mrs Reid has grand plans for the site.

"It's going be a nice community area. Trees and ponds and a little play area for the children, somewhere for the old people to go and sit and relax."

A council spokeswoman told Eco: "Welwyn Hatfield BoroughCouncil has received a planning application from a resident of Kirkby relating to the demolition of a property in Cuffley and use of the space as a community garden.This application will go through the normal planning process. A spokesman for Tesco said: "This is just a publicity stunt. Unlike this application, for our application we spoke to hundreds, if not thousands, of residents in Kirkby, the vast majority of whom recognise this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which will create 2,000 jobs."

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    The Real Credit Crunch

         

12th April 2008

Residents of UK cities ranked in eco-debt index

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        Plastic Planet

           

10th April 2008

A new survey by the Marine Conservation Society (MSC) has found that more plastic than ever is being washed up on our shores. The survey found that 60% of all litter is plastic, up 126% since the survey began in 1994. Nearly 4,000 volunteers combed 168.5km of coast and 354 beaches, removing over 346,000 litter items. The average density of UK beach litter was 2,054 items per kilometre - an average of two items for every metre stretch of beach.

MCS Litter Projects Coordinator, Emma Snowden, said: "The results are truly shocking, in the last 10 years plastic drinks bottles have increased by 67 per cent, plastic bags by 54 per cent and cigarette butts by 44 per cent. Plastics are of particular concern as they could persist in the marine environment for centuries with fatal consequences for marine wildlife."

Ultimately the plastic poses a threat to human health as larger items eventually break down into small plastic pieces and microscopic dust, which can be consumed by filter feeding animals, such as barnacles. Pollutants can be attracted onto the surface of plastic pieces and pose a previously unrecognised threat to marine animals who swallow them. They can then possibly be passed on in the food chain to fish and then to humans.

Sadly, the tide of plastic litter is not just an unsightly blight on Britain’s magnificent coastline. Over 170 species of marine wildlife including seabirds, turtles and whales have been recorded mistaking marine litter for food resulting in starvation, poisoning and fatal stomach blockages. In addition, plastic packaging and discarded fishing nets injure, entangle and drown some of Britain’s favourite marine wildlife, including seals and dolphins.

“Everyone can help prevent some of the most common plastic items littering our beaches and seas by reducing their use,“ Emma Snowden continues, “By taking simple steps such as taking re-usable  bags to the supermarket, re-filling plastic bottles with good old-fashioned tap water, and disposing of litter responsibly, including cigarette butts, we can all make a difference”.

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Tipping Point

              

7th April 2008       

A Nobel prize-winning scientist has warned that the world's climate is approaching a tipping point, past which there will be no going back, and with catastrophic consequences. Mario Molina, a Mexican who shared a Nobel prize in chemistry in 1995 for groundbreaking work on chlorofluorocarbon gases and their threat to the Earth's ozone layer says there will be "almost irreversible consequences" if the Earth warms 2.5 degrees Celsius (4.5 degrees F) above what it ought to be.

"Things are changing and there's no doubt that it's as a result of human activities," he said. "Long before we run out of oil, we will run out of atmosphere..... You keep changing the temperature gradually but then suddenly things change dramatically....Trying to keep it (warming) below two degrees (Celsius) means we want to keep the change at most twice or three times what it has changed already. And that's because it's unrealistic to change it by less, because of what we have already done," Molina said.

"The idea to keep the temperature change not above 2.5 (degrees Celsius) is precisely to reduce the possibility of these tipping points happening," he added that warming beyond that would pose "a risk that is not acceptable to society."    

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         Tesco Town

         

7th April 2008       

An investigation by Eco has revealed that one of the 15 sites on the Government's short-list of potential eco towns, is owned by Tesco. The site is Hanley Grange in Cambridgeshire, and the bid was put forward by a company called "Jarrow Investments".

However Eco has uncovered the fact that Jarrow owns much of the land on behalf of Tesco. Jarrow is also project managing the development on behalf of the supermarket chain.

Tesco is expected to announce annual profits of £2.8 billion this week, and already accounts for one pound in every seven spent on goods in Britain. It is blamed for the demise of many family owned small businesses in town centres. News that the supermarket chain now plans to muscle in on the eco town developments is an alarming sign for campaigners already concerned about Tesco's growing influence.

The bid from Jarrow to build one of the eco towns makes no mention of Tesco's involvement or any supermarket, but when approached about the issue Tesco admitted that it planned to build a superstore as part of the new eco town. A Tesco spokesperson said: "The store would be one of the first carbon-neutral stores ever. What Tesco brings is not only the land and the ability to put the retail in, but it is also leagues ahead of competitors in environmental initiatives." He denied that the retailer had deliberately kept its involvement under wraps.

In response, Vicky Hird, of Friends of the Earth, demanded "complete openness" about who was behind the eco-towns, adding:

"For too long food retailers have been riding roughshod over planning regulations."

The involvement of Tesco's in the Government's flagship environmental project threatens to undermine public confidence in eco towns at a time when there have already been widespread protests from people living near the proposed sites about inappropriate development of the countryside.

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      Food Riots in Haiti

                            

6th April 2008

It is reported that 4 people have been killed in the latest food riots, this time in Haiti. Eco's source says scores of people went on the rampage in the town of Les Cayes, in Southern Haiti, blocking roads, looting shops and shooting at UN peacekeepers. The UN has confirmed that its personnel opened fire at some of the armed protesters.

For two days running, parts of Haiti have been erupting into violence triggered by the soaring cost of food. The demonstrations against the high cost of living began on Thursday in a number of towns, but in some areas they turned into riots. On Friday, thousands took to the streets again, with some blocking roads, burning cars and looting shops. A small group of protesters also broke into the UN compound in Les Cayes. The prices of rice, beans and fruit in Haiti have gone up by 50% in the last year. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the Americas. Around 80% of the population lives on less than $2 (£1) a day.

The riots in Haiti follow a similar pattern to recent riots in Mexico and Pakistan, where rising food prices have also led to unrest. Other nations including India, have imposed export controls. India has been hit by food price inflation of over 8%, and has restricted rice exports. The rise in food prices is being blamed on the new problem of competition for agricultural land for biofuel crops, the world's soaring population, and the trend for the burgeoning population of Asia switching to a diet containing more meat.   

The UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, has called for a comprehensive review of the policy on biofuels as a crisis in global food prices - partly caused by the increasing use of crops for energy generation - threatens to trigger global instability:

"We need to be concerned about the possibility of taking land or replacing arable land because of these biofuels.......While I am very much conscious and aware of these problems, at the same time you need to constantly look at having creative sources of energy, including biofuels. Therefore, at this time, just criticising biofuel may not be a good solution. I would urge we need to address these issues in a comprehensive manner."  The UN's own special rapporteur on the right to food, Jean Ziegler, has called biofuels "a crime against humanity", and called for a five-year moratorium.

Eco comment: Food for Thought

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   First Hydrogen Plane    

              

6th April 2008

The world's first hydrogen-powered plane has been flown successfully by aviation giant Boeing, in a series of three test flights near Madrid in Spain. It was powered by hydrogen fuel cells, which produce only heat and water as exhaust products. Boeing's chief technology officer John Tracy said the flights were "a historical technological success" and "full of promises for a greener future". However the firm said it did not believe fuel cells could be the primary power source for large passenger aircraft.

Hydrogen could be used as a secondary source of energy for large planes, according to Nieves Lapena, the engineer responsible for the test flights, but this may take some time to develop. "In my opinion, we are talking about a delay of about twenty years," she said.

Other companies are also seeking to develop more environmentally-friendly planes, amid concerns over their contribution to climate change. Earlier this year, the airline Virgin Atlantic conducted the first commercial flight powered partly by biofuel, and last year, defence firm Qinetiq flew a solar-powered plane for 54 hours

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Defra launches new organic advisory

service for farmers

Defra has launched a free national information and advice service for farmers thinking of converting to organic production methods. Plans were approved by the European Commission and funding made available to reintroduce the service.

The new advisory service, which will be delivered by Natural England (NE) on Defra’s behalf, will provide conventional farmers with free and impartial information and advice on the principles and mechanics of organic production to help them decide whether conversion is appropriate for their enterprise. It will comprise of a national helpline (which will provide initial advice and a comprehensive information pack), a dedicated website and a free on farm advisory visits service that will supplement the initial advice provided, where appropriate.

Welcoming the announcement Lord Rooker, Minister for sustainable food and farming said:

“As a Government we are  keen to encourage English farmers to convert and adopt more sustainable production practices and take advantage of the wide range of opportunities offered by rising demand for organic food.

“The Organic Research Centre has an established record of providing the agriculture sector with high quality impartial conversion information and advice and we are delighted to be collaborating with them and NE in the delivery of this new service.”

Sir Martin Doughty, Chair of Natural England, said:

"This is good news for farmers wishing to convert to organic production and subsequently good news for wildlife. One of the potential barriers to conversion is a lack of knowledge by non organic producers about organic principles and production methods – a barrier which OCIS, delivered by the Organic Research Centre, will help to remove.”

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Go Slow!

15 mph zones on the way

24th March 2008

The Government will this week announce planning guidelines for the new eco-towns, that include central pedestrianised zones with a speed limit of just 15 miles per hour. The aim is to improve air quality and fitness, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the plans for eco towns, all homes would be built within 400 yards of a public transport stop and less than 800 yards from the nearest shops, which the Government argues will mean just 25 to 40 per cent of journeys will require a car, compared with the current national average of 85 per cent.

Housing Minister Caroline Flint told Eco that the Government had an opportunity to "deliver a programme which will genuinely revolutionise the way people live" and would not shy award from controversial ideas.

She said: "These developments will be exemplars for the rest of the world, not just the rest of the country. It's critical that we get it right - and I make no apology for setting the bar as high as possible."

This will please cyclists and pedestrian pressure groups but has predictably infuriated the roads lobby. Nigel Humphries, of the Association of British Drivers (ABD), said the move was the latest in a long line of attacks on drivers by the Government and questioned whether the move would make people abandon cars:

"It is ridiculous. It is another step towards the return of the man with the red flag walking in front of the car. The Government has got to think of a different way. It just shows how flawed the idea of eco-towns is if they have to bully people into getting out of their cars in this way."

A shortlist of carbon neutral eco-towns will be drawn up from the current list of 60 possible sites in the coming weeks, although many of the proposed locations are proving controversial, with protests marches and demonstrations taking place.

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Liverpool Goes Green!

As part of Liverpool’s 2008 celebrations the city will be turning green with a plenitude of environmentally themed events and installations that will deliver a planet-friendly and sustainable legacy for Merseyside. 

During the next 11 months a series of events will showcase the region’s climate change projects, celebrate the natural environment and support moves to transform derelict, brownfield landscapes into new, rejuvenated green spaces. And the environmental themed activities will lead to more than 2.5 hectares of woodland established in Merseyside. 

In addition to the thousands of new trees to be planted across Merseyside in 2008 there will also be the creation of two new community woodlands, innovative green ‘billboards’, solar-powered cinema, green fayres and a summer of cultural events taking place in the Mersey Forest. 

Liverpool’s 08 green agenda is being drawn-up by the Forestry Commission and the Northwest Regional Development Agency in partnership with Liverpool Culture Company and Liverpool City Council as well as numerous local and regional environmental organisations. The ‘green team’ came together to support the organisers of Capital of Culture in their desire to deliver a more sustainable future for the region, and highlight issues around the environment and sustainability during Liverpool’s 08 celebrations. 

Liverpool City Council’s executive member for the environment, Cllr Berni Turner, said: 

“We are already dedicated to making Liverpool as green as possible – for example, recycling is easy and accessible for everyone, and we only use green energy to power council buildings.

“It’s fantastic news that we’re working in conjunction with so many different partners across the region to make sure there are a wide variety of green events taking place across Liverpool this year.  

“It’s really important that we work together to promote the ‘green message’ and as a result get as many people involved as possible.” 

Keith Jones from the Forestry Commission North West, added: 

“Working with partners such as The Mersey Forest and NWDA we want to celebrate all that is great about this wonderful city, which is pivotal part of our diverse and rich region. It’s fantastic news that Liverpool’s festivities will incorporate our own ‘green’ culture, making trees, woodlands and forests integral to the Capital of Culture programme.” 

Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the NWDA, said: 

“Delivering Liverpool’s Green 08 celebrations once again highlights the region’s strong commitment to tackling climate change and promoting sustainability. It is vital that we work to reduce our environmental impact whilst enhancing our natural environment and it is great to see Merseyside embracing these themes during its year in the spotlight.”  

Delivering a Green 08 - projects in the pipeline.

Green Streets Merseyside

Urban greening that utilises tree planting and maintenance to improve local communities’ quality of life. Individually tailored to meet the needs and aspirations of each neighbourhood taking part in the project, Green Streets Merseyside is managed by The Mersey Forest and will operate across Merseyside. targeting areas of environmental deficit and tackling a range of social, health and economic issues. The projects started this January and will run to November 2008. 

Green Billboard

Believed to be a ‘world’s first’, the Green Billboard is a sustainable advertising medium made entirely from willow trees, which offers a range of environmental benefits that conventional hoardings cannot provide. The world’s first green billboard was installed in Merseyside in late 2007. A second green billboard will be placed in Merseyside and both hoardings will display Liverpool 08 advertisements. 

Croxeth Country Fair

Croxteth’s annual 2-day festival of the countryside and countryside activities from floristry, animal welfare and a medieval festival will this year include a cinema powered by the sun and the ‘One Tree’ exhibit. 

Newsham Park

The listed Newsham Park in Liverpool’s Kensington district is celebrating its 140th anniversary this year (2008) and the city’s cultural status by planting a host of new trees to create a new community resource. 

Form>Wood

This May, Merseyside will host the Northwest Forestry Framework conference for the design, architectural and engineering sectors. The event will celebrate wood as one of the planet’s most valuable resources and launch a rolling programme of regional timber and timber-products events. 

Princes Park Carnival

For 2008 4 bowling greens will be transformed in a green field during the carnival complete with an organic café and circus performances. 

Newlands

Across Merseyside two new large-scale community woodlands will be created on sites that were once used for landfill. The multi-million pound environmental regeneration of some of the region’s most undervalued land will lead to multi-use green space that will transform Merseyside’s landscape into a green and pleasant land. 

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Verdant Vision

16th February 2008

Green Euro-MP for the South East Caroline Lucas gave an impassioned keynote speech at the Green Party's Spring Conference at Reading Town Hall.

To a packed audience of Party members and media, Dr Lucas slammed the current Labour government for its failure of political courage, lack of radical action on climate change and its failure to learn the lessons of its disastrous domestic and foreign policies.

She said: "Never has an opposition with radical vision, political courage and practical policies been more urgently needed. Never has the muddy middle ground of the grey parties' policies been less up to the job.

"We have had enough of the yawning gulf between rhetoric and reality; enough of the drifting duplicity at the heart of government - and enough of a politics without purpose.

"I am so proud to be part of a political party that stands up for its principles. And I'm proud of all of our local councillors and the work they do, combining radical vision and practical policies to deliver real social and environmental change - day in, day out.

"It is because elected Greens make a real difference that more and more people are joining us, and ever more people are voting for us."

Highlighting the weaknesses of Westminster's opposition parties, she said:

"None of the three Westminster parties dares to challenge the dogma of neo-liberal economics and endless economic growth, despite the mounting evidence that the materialism driven on by our contemporary consumer capitalism is killing the human spirit even as it destroys the natural world.

"None of the three Westminster parties dares to take a principled stand against replacing Trident, despite the fact that upgrading our nuclear weapons system puts us in breach of international law, and makes the world a much more dangerous place.

"Not one of them has the political vision, the courage, or the commitment to carry through the kind of green energy revolution that we so urgently need to see, the massive programme of rigorous energy efficiency, the far-reaching investment in renewable energy, and the dramatic demand reduction strategies.

"Only the Green Party offers both the radical vision and the practical solutions to address the increasingly complex challenges we face today. For example, a number of Groups are beginning to consider a New Green Deal, which could address both the impending credit crunch as well as the urgent need to tackle climate change. With local government bonds, this would provide a safe haven for savings - in banks or in pension funds - which in turn could be used to kickstart a massive public works project to create new jobs and improve the efficiency of our public buildings."

Praising the electoral successes of the Party, she said: "We now have a record number of councillors on a record number of Councils, with Group status on 22 out of 40, and potential power-broking positions on several - and in Oxford, where we have 8 city councillors and 5 county councillors.

"So we're on course for our first Green MPs, who won't just be representative of, and cheerleaders for, local communities. They will signal nothing less than a sea change in British politics."

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Sumatran tigers being sold into extinction

14th February 2008

Wildlife trade monitoring network, TRAFFIC have released a survey today warning that laws protecting the critically endangered Sumatran tiger have failed to prevent tiger body parts being offered on open sale in Indonesia.

Chinese medicines containing tiger and rhino parts
"Successive surveys continue to show that Sumatran tigers are being sold body part by body part into extinction," said Heather Sohl, Wildlife Trade Officer, WWF-UK.
"This is an enforcement crisis. If Indonesian authorities need enforcement help from the international community they should ask for it. If not they should demonstrate they are taking enforcement seriously," she explained.
The survey, The tiger trade revisited in Sumatra, Indonesia, found that tiger body parts, including canine teeth, claws, skin pieces, whiskers and bones, were on sale in at least one in ten of 326 retail outlets surveyed during 2006 in 28 cities and towns across Sumatra in Indonesia.
"Sadly, the decline in availability appears to be due only to the dwindling number of tigers left in the wild," said Julia Ng, Programme Officer with TRAFFIC Southeast Asia and lead author of the survey.
Outlets included goldsmiths, souvenir and traditional Chinese medicine shops, and antique and precious stone vendors.
The survey conservatively estimates that 23 tigers were killed to supply the products seen, based on the number of canine teeth on sale.
All of TRAFFIC's surveys have indicated that Medan, the capital of North Sumatra province, and Pancur Batu, a smaller town situated about an hour from Medan, are the main hubs for the trade of Tiger parts.

Advertising sign for chubas, traditional Tibetan outfits trimmed with tiger or leopard fur
Sumatra's remaining few tigers are also under threat from rampant deforestation by the pulp and paper and palm oil industries. The combined threats of habitat loss and illegal trade – unless tackled immediately – will be the death knell for Indonesia's tigers.
The Sumatran tiger is already listed as critically endangered on IUCN's red list of threatened species, the highest category of threat before extinction in the wild.
The report recommends that resources and effort should be concentrated on effective enforcement to combat the trade by arresting dealers and suppliers. Trade hotspots should be continually monitored and all intelligence be passed to the enforcement authorities for action. Those found guilty of trading in tiger and other protected wildlife should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
"The Sumatran tiger population is estimated to be fewer than 400 to 500 individuals. It doesn't take an expert to work out that the Sumatran tiger will disappear like the Javan and Bali tigers in years to come if the poaching and trade continues," concluded Ng.
TRAFFIC is the wildlife trade monitoring network of WWF and the World Conservation Union, the IUCN.

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Leaked report reveals shipping emissions

14th February 2008

Responding to a leaked UN report which shows that international shipping accounts for 4.5 percent of global emissions of carbon dioxide [1], Friends of the Earth's Head of Campaigns Mike Childs said:

"The UN study highlights the alarming growth in carbon dioxide emissions from the shipping industry. It reinforces Friends of the Earth's call for the Government to include?all the UK's?emissions - including the UK's share of emissions from international shipping and aviation -? in its new climate change law. It's ludicrous to leave them out. A bit like introducing a drink driving law that discounts whisky. We hope the Governments acknowledgement that shipping must take its share of the responsibility for tackling climate change means that they will now be included.

The Big Ask, Friends of the Earth campaign for a strong climate change law which:

*Includes UK's share of emissions from international shipping and aviation

*Commits the UK to cutting its emissions by 80 percent

*Ensures steady progress by cutting emissions by at least 3 per cent a year

Individuals can take action in support of the campaign at www.thebigask.com.

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C-Charge victory welcomed by 4X4 campaign

Sian Berry, co-founder of the Alliance Against Urban 4x4

14th Feb 2008

Huge public support delivers higher charge for gas-guzzlers

The Alliance Against Urban 4x4s is celebrating victory today after Ken Livingstone agreed to a scheme to levy a higher congestion charge on gas-guzzling cars in London. Siân Berry and Blake Ludwig, co-founders of the Alliance, were at a City Hall press conference this morning to hear the announcement that their campaign had been successful.

The Mayor outlined the results of a three-month public consultation in late 2007. The new emissions-based Congestion Charge will create a sliding scale of charges for cars emitting higher and lower levels of carbon dioxide emissions.

Cleaner cars in VED tax bands A and B will receive a 100% discount on the current rate of £8, and cars in the highest-emitting band G will pay a higher rate of £25 per day.

The announcement follows a determined campaign by the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s, which produced a detailed report in 2006 proposing the scheme. 1 The Alliance's report set out how the sliding payments could be implemented in response to TfL's dismissal of the idea of an emissions-related charge in 2004.

Co-founder of the Alliance and Green Party London Mayor candidate, Siân Berry said today:

"I am delighted with the level of public support for the emissions-based charge - this is key policy we have called for since we began our campaign. We look forward to seeing these measures finally doing something positive to reduce dirty, wasteful, unnecessarily large 4x4s and other highly polluting cars from our streets.

"There is simply no need for these vehicles in our cities and the evidence shows that financial penalties and rewards will make a real difference to shifting consumers to use public transport more or to drive a less polluting car. Our report to the Mayor demonstrated that a higher charge could deter up to 40% of gas-guzzling Band G cars from coming into central London."

Blake Ludwig, co-founder of the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s says, "We know from the enormous amount of support for our campaign, and from our own surveys, that charging the most polluting cars a higher congestion charge will be very popular with the public. When we started campaigning for this measure in 2005, we asked 5,400 shoppers in central London their opinion and 95 percent agreed with the idea."2 This level of support has been mirrored in similar surveys.

"Naturally, we are delighted with today's announcement. Not only have we changed the image of 4x4s and made them less popular and less acceptable for city driving, we have now achieved this concrete measure that we hope will work to reduce the number of dangerous, polluting cars in our city and set an example to cities everywhere.

"This measure also sends a strong message to those manufacturers who are currently failing to clean up their vehicle fleets. They are perfectly able to make cars in every class, including 4x4s, that don't create the excessive amounts of emissions of band G cars, yet that is where they profit the most. With this new Congestion Charge helping to change people's buying habits, the pressure is now on manufacturers to produce and advertise cleaner cars for their UK customers."

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Killer Jellyfish on the Move

Killer jellyfish are on the move. Affected by warming seas and shifting currents, their populations are exploding, and they are being found of the coast of Britain. The warning comes in a film "Invasion of the Jellyfish" to be screened by Channel 5 on Tuesday 12th February. It focuses on the change in behaviour patterns of jellyfish in the Pacific Ocean off Japan and Australia due to depleted food resources as humans fish the world seas.

The threat is very real. Only last November, a 10 mile wide, 13 metre deep swarm of jellyfish overwhelmed  Northern Ireland's only Salmon farm, wiping out a £1 million of stock. Billions of small jellyfish, known as Mauve Stingers, flooded into the cages about a mile into the Irish Sea, off Glenarm Bay and Cushendun.

The danger comes from box jellyfish and another equally poisonous species, Irukandji. The box jellyfish is so packed with venom that the briefest of touches can bring agonising death within 180 seconds, and if threatened it goes into a breeding frenzy, sending out millions of eggs.

The swarms of jellyfish are causing major concern in the Pacific. The Japanese government arranged for an assualt on the swarms of jellyfish by dragging razor sharp wire through them, but this back-fired, causing them to spread more rapidly.

The jelly fish are remarkably adapted for survival. They have four brains that operate competitively in the search for food, a highly complex sensory capacity and the ability to distinguish colour, the ability to live in inhospitable waters at a depth of up to 10,900 metres, and a total of 24 eyes with moveable pupils giving them 360-degree visibility. Box jellyfish have 6-8ft long tentacles. Just 5-6ft across the body is enough to kill a human in seconds.

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Biofools

9th February 2008

Two studies published in the journal "Science" show that a range of biofuel crops now being grown as "green" alternatives to oil-based fossil fuels release far more carbon dioxide into the air than can be absorbed by the growing plants.

The scientists found that with some crops, it would take several centuries of growing them to pay off the "carbon debt" caused by their initial cultivation. The environmental costs do not take into account any extra destruction to the environment, for instance the loss of biodiversity caused by clearing tracts of pristine rainforest. Joe Fargioine of the US Nature Conservancy who was the lead scientist in one of the studies, comments:

"All the biofuels we use now cause habitat destruction, either directly or indirectly. Global agriculture is already producing food for six billion people. Producing food-based biofuel, too, will require that still more land be converted to agriculture. This research examines the conversion of land for biofuels and asks the question 'is it worth it?' Does the carbon you lose by converting forests, grasslands and peat lands outweigh the carbon you 'save' by using biofuels instead of fossil fuels? And surprisingly the answer is 'no'. These natural areas store a lot of carbon, so converting them to croplands results in tons of carbon emitted into the atmosphere."

Jimmie Powell, another member of the scientific team at the Nature Conservancy added:

"In finding solutions to climate change, we must ensure that the cure is not worse than the disease...We cannot afford to ignore the consequences of converting land for biofuels. Doing so means we might unintentionally promote fuel alternatives that are worse than the fossil fuels they are designed to replace. These findings should be incorporated into carbon emission policy going forward."

Professor Stephen Polasky of the University of Minnesota, an author of one of the studies published in Science, said that the incentives currently employed to encourage farmers to grow crops for biofuels do not take into account the carbon budget of the crop.

"We don't have the proper incentives in place because landowners are rewarded for producing palm oil and other products but not rewarded for carbon management. This creates incentives for excessive land clearing and can result in large increases in carbon emissions."

Even before these studies, the European Union was already having second thoughts about its policy aimed at stimulating the production of biofuel. Stavros Dimas, the EU environment commissioner, admitted last month that the EU did not foresee the scale of the environmental problems raised by Europe's target of deriving 10 per cent of its transport fuel from plant material.

There is also a serious moral dimension to using agricultural land to grow biofuel crops: it is pushing up food prices. The crops being grown to fuel cars are making the lives of the poor worse.

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Donkey Power

9th February 2008

Residents of Chalford village near Stroud have come up with a novel solution to the problem of how to get their groceries back to their homes, some of which are inaccessible by car: donkey power! The suggestion was first put forward in a community newsletter, and the idea is catching on among villagers aware of their environmental responsibilities.

Archive pictures of the village dating from the 1930s show donkeys delivering bread and coal from a nearby canal. However, the special deliveries stopped in the 1950s. Now the campaign, called "Bring Back the Chalford Donkey", is gathering pace.

One resident, Dave Andrews, said: "It's a brilliant idea, we are all behind it. Not only would it resurrect the history of our beautiful village, but it is an eco-friendly way to get our groceries up the hill. Some residents have resorted to ordering their shopping to be delivered from supermarkets but we don't want their vans turning up in our village. We would much rather get our stuff up with the help of a donkey."

Local people are new asking their parish council to contribute to the £300-£600 cost of buying a donkey from a nearby sanctuary.

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Greenpeace launches "Efficiencity"

9th February 2008

Greenpeace have launched a great new website that shows what an environmentally-friendly city of the future will look like, complete with wind turbines, eco-houses, and decentralised energy. Looking similar to the popular computer game "Simcity", it's great fun and educational. The aim of the site is to help visitors visualise what is possible, and to see the folly of investment in new nuclear and coal power stations.

Visit Efficiencity

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Exploring the Amazon Canopy

A new approach to sustainable tourism is being pioneered in the Amazon by Tim Kovar. He is using his climbing skills as a certified instructor to develop the technique of passive climbing, and takes visitors up to experience the canopy for themselves.

With this technique there is no rush to get to the top, as some of the best experiences are to be had in the middle canopy.

Done properly, this adventurous way of exploring the unknown upper levels of the jungle has less impact on the forest than "bushwacking" through unknown territory.

 

 

 

 

For more information, see Tim's site: http://www.treeclimbingnorthwest.com

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The Day After Tomorrow

In a move reminiscent of the film "The Day After Tomorrow", which predicted the failure of the Gulf Stream that gives the UK a temperate climate, a new range of sensors is to be deployed across the Atlantic, from Florida to the Canary Islands, to provide early warning that the Gulf Stream might be failing. The system is to be called Rapid Watch, and will monitor whether cold water from the melting Arctic and Greenland is starting to move the Gulf Stream away from our coasts. Were it not for the Gulf Stream, the UK would have a climate similar to Canada, with snowstorms and frozen ports.

'The Day After Tomorrow suggested the Gulf Stream could fail within a couple of days,' comments Rapid Watch's co-ordinator, Meric Srokosz of the Southampton Oceanographic Centre. 'In reality, a collapse will take a lot longer, but could still occur in about 10 years.'

Some measurements suggest that the Gulf Stream may already be slowing down, which could be a sign that it is shifting.

'Certainly, it is critical we now find out how the Gulf Stream is behaving,' added Srokosz. 'It has an immense influence on our climate - and our lives.'

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Disappearing Amazon

A senior Brazilian scientist, Dr Carlos Nobre, has raised the alarm about the accelerating destruction of the Amazon rainforest over the past four months.

"I think the past four months is a big concern for the government and now they are sending people to do more law enforcement," Dr Nobre, told a seminar in Washington yesterday. "But I can tell you that it [deforestation] is going to be much higher than 2007." The Amazon is under multiple threats, including road building, cattle ranching, illegal logging, soya and biofuel cultivation. Last month the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) published a report saying that the rainforest could be gone by 2030. Two years ago the Amazon was hit by a drought that reduced the river to a trickle and last year there were fires that scatterered ash over Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil.

Brazil's President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has made a series of commitments to safeguarding the Amazon and his Environment Minister, Marina da Silva, has been praised for her stance on conservation.

However there is criticism of the government's record in office based around its tendency to favour industrial growth over environmental concerns.

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£50 Million Climate Pledge

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on a visit to China, has pledged £50 million to help combat climate change, specifically to fund technology to boost energy efficiency as well as increase the use of clean coal and carbon capture systems.

The prime minister is due to visit Taiyang Gong Power Station, which recycles its own heat sources to produce hot water, on the outskirts of Beijing today.

Mr Brown is being accompanied on the trip by more than 20 leading British and European business figures including Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson and CBI Director General Richard Lambert.

But Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said Mr Brown should not "shy away" from raising the issue of human rights - particularly those in Darfur - with China, which has strong political and economic ties with Sudan.

"China must both address its own human rights record and uphold the values of the United Nations. It can no longer turn a blind eye to the grave human rights abuses continuing in countries like Sudan," he said.

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Laughing Gas

The gas producing countries like Russia will be laughing all the way to the bank, with the news that British Gas is the latest company to raise its prices, by 15%, for gas and electricity. The news will increase the average annual dual fuel bill by £130.

Phil Bentley, managing director of British Gas, said:

"As the UK's biggest buyer of gas, we want lower gas prices. However, lower availability of supplies from both the UK and the continent, coupled with higher global oil prices, have forced up wholesale prices. We can't absorb the burden of these higher energy prices and the costs of delivering a cleaner environment. Ultimately, the best way of reducing energy bills is to make our homes more energy efficient."

By way of some compensation, British Gas is offering free insulation to all homeowners over 70.

Earlier this week, EDF energy said it was adding £100 a year to its customers' bills, with a 12.9% increase in gas prices and a 7.9% increase in electricity prices.

This followed npower's decision to raise prices two weeks ago, by as much as 27% for some of its customers.

It seems as though the years of cheap energy in the developed world are coming to an end, and as well as Peak Oil, there are now declining supplies of natural gas to worry about, with a massive transfer of wealth to those nations with reserves, including Russia and Iran.

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Langurs Languish

Indian monkeys have been in the news recently after the deputy mayor of New Delhi was attacked by a band of rhesus macaques, stumbled, and fell to his death. The city has long struggled to contain the monkeys, which overrun government buildings and temples, scare passers-by and sometimes bite or snatch food from unsuspecting people. Ironically the deputy mayor had been criticised for failing to curb the nuisance the monkeys were causing.

Less well known is the plight of Hanuman Langur monkeys, who are named after the Hindu monkey-god, and have also shared India with the human population for thousands of years. Hanuman, the mighty ape that aided Lord Rama in his expedition against evil forces, is one of the most popular idols in the Hindu pantheon. Believed to be an avatar of Lord Shiva, Hanuman is worshipped as a symbol of physical strength, perseverance and devotion. During the day of Hanuman, Hindu people make food offerings to the hanuman monkeys.

The monkeys live in groups of up to 120. Indians used to treat the Langurs with reverence, but they are now threatened by encroachment on their habitat and reduced tolerance of their damage to crops and produce. Although Hanuman Langur monkeys are classified as at low risk, this situation could change if their habitat is further endangered.

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Penguins in Peril

Numbers of four species of penguins in Antarctica are in rapid decline, according to a report released to coincide with the climate talks in Bali.

Many colonies have fallen in size by 50 per cent as the penguins have been squeezed by the effects of climate change and overfishing, the WWF said in its report, "Antarctic Penguins and Climate Change". The penguins are being driven from their traditional nesting sites by melting ice. Warming in the Antarctic western peninsula is taking place about five times faster than other parts of the planet. Sea ice on the western peninsula of Antarctic has retreated 40 per cent in the last three decades. Other factors are the decline in the stocks of krill, a shrimp-like creature eaten by the penguins, and overfishing by humans.

The quantities of krill, which live under the ice where they feed on microscopic plant life, are estimated to have fallen 80 per cent in the last decade alone in part of the continent’s western peninsula.

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Green home service launched

Hilary Benn, the environment secretary  

Environment Secretary has announed a "one-stop" energy advice service to help householders save on bills and tackle global warming:

"When it comes to cutting your carbon footprint, the old adage 'there's no place like home' really is true. We need to make this as easy as possible for people to do. There's a lot of help out there in the form of grants, advice, and other assistance, but it's hard to know where to start.....The Green Homes Service will cut through the confusion by providing a one-stop shop, including a green MOT for your home and a green home makeover."

The new service, consisting of a regional network of shops, will be rolled out nationwide by 2011. It will be build upon the existing Energy Saving Trust with more than £100m of investment. The approach signals a shift towards an approach using incentives to combat climate change, and a move away from more unpopular punitive measures such as road pricing.

Philip Sellwood, the chief executive of the Energy Saving Trust, said: "A simple no-nonsense approach with practical green advice is what people are after, tailored for them and that is right for their lifestyles.

"They want a total green solution, delivered by one impartial, trusted organisation. This is what Green Homes will provide."

Benn said that the service aimed to help people save energy and water, reduce waste, recycle more and use greener modes of transport by flagging up financial support schemes and help with things like home insulation.

He announced the plan during a visit to a north London flat where new homeowner Jo Bloom was receiving advice from energy "doctor" Frances Galvanoni of the Energy Saving Trust.

Galvononi said: "The average house produces six tonnes of CO2 a year, enough to fill up a hot air balloon." Bloom said she knew the important of reducing her carbon footprint but said it was important that people could get expert tips in how to conserve energy:

"If everyone did their bit here and there, it would make a difference. We have to wake up."

Benn said he had made changes himself, by turning down the thermostat in his home and installing energy-efficient lightbulbs.

Householders will be given a single point of contact for advice on reducing their energy through the one-stop Green Home Service, which will offer home energy audits and dispense advice about reducing harmful greenhouse-gas emissions.

An energy "doctor" involved in the launch of the service said that savvy homeowners could end up saving up to £250 on bills by becoming more energy efficient.

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Biofuels threaten climate

Many of the largest food and fuel companies risk climate change disaster by driving the demand for palm oil and biofuels grown on the world's greatest peat deposits.

Unilever, Cargill, Nestlé, Kraft, Procter & Gamble, as well as all leading UK supermarkets, are large users of Indonesian palm oil, much of which comes from the province of Riau in Sumatra, where an estimated 14.6bn tonnes of carbon - equivalent to nearly one year's entire global carbon emissions - is locked up in the world's deepest peat beds. If the peatlands continue to be destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations, this will significantly add to global climate change emissions, the report says. Nearly half of Indonesia's 22m hectares of peatland has already been cleared and drained, resulting in it having the third-highest man-made carbon emissions, after the US and China. Destruction of its peatlands already accounts for nearly 4% of all global greenhouse gas emissions.

More than 1.4m hectares of virgin forest in Riau has already been converted to plantations to provide cooking oil, but a further 3m hectares is planned to be turned to biofuels, says the Greenpeace report

Carbon is released when virgin forests are felled and the swampy peatlands are drained to provide plantation land. The peat decomposes and is broken down by bacteria and the land becomes vulnerable to fires which often smoulder and release greenhouse gases for decades.

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Bill Misses Target

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has committed the UK to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 60% before 2050 to help tackle global warming.

The Climate Change Bill will make the UK the first country to put carbon emissions reduction targets into law.

Along with the measures on climate change, the Queen's Speech also included an Energy Bill, which aims to reduce emissions while ensuring secure energy supplies.

It will allow private investment in offshore gas supply projects as well as carbon capture and storage, and boost renewable energy in the UK.

An independent committee on climate change will be set up to advise on "five-year carbon budgets" - part of a new commitment to carbon reduction.

Environmentalists welcomed the move, but said higher targets were needed.

While the bill will also enforce reductions of greenhouse gas emissions of between 26% and 32% by 2020, Mr Brown previously said he would consult the new committee to see if bigger reductions wererequired.

Green campaigners have urged the government to go further.

A report from think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research, the RSPB and WWF on Monday claimed the government's 60% target did not go far enough.

Instead, it claimed Britain could achieve an 80% cut by 2050.

Yearly targets 'needed'

Tony Juniper, director of Friends of the Earth, said he was "delighted" the UK was to become the first country "to introduce legislation to cut its contribution to climate change".

"But the government must strengthen its proposed legislation if it is to be truly effective and deliver the scale of action that scientists are now calling for." He said Britain needed to set yearly targets, as well as show a commitment to reducing emissions by 80% by the middle of the century.

He also called on the government to include international aviation and shipping, which are currently not covered by the Bill.

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An Eco-Build ‘First’ for Dorset Primary School

 12th November 2007

“St Mary’s Primary School in Thorncombe has become the first in Dorset to have a ‘sustainable’ classroom added to their existing school building.” 

This brings them in line with the government recommendations in the Sustainable Schools Action Plan, which focuses and encourages environmentally friendly teachings within the curriculum and also puts green emphasis on the campus itself and within the surrounding community. The eco-extension was well supported by parents, governors, local businesses and residents, who organised many fundraising events to pay for the build, which took place during the summer holidays. 

Key elements of this innovative design include: -

 

St Mary’s sets a shining example of environmental education at work and is also a Silver accredited eco-school, this status only shared with 3 other schools in the county and they are well on their way to becoming the first in Dorset to achieve the top award.

Further details: Tracey Smith

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Deeper Carbon Cuts Needed

Britain has held out the possibility of deeper reductions to its carbon emissions than the 60 percent cut by 2050 it has already announced, saying it would seek the advice of a new watchdog on whether to go further.

Two protesters dressed as polar bears and holding signs calling for 80 percent cuts greeted Benn when he gave a speech on Monday at the Royal Gardens at Kew, near London.

"Have you got any good news for us?" one of the protestors asked the minister.

"We're going to ask the Climate Change Committee to review whether 60 percent is enough," Benn replied.

The watchdog committee, which will be set up under the new bill, will also report on whether Britain's targets should cover international aviation and shipping, which are not presently covered in the draft. 

The government announced a draft climate change bill in March that would aim to cut emissions from 1990 levels by at least 26 percent by 2020 and by 60 percent by 2050.

Campaigners have said the government should have gone further and promised to cut emissions by 80 percent.

Announcing changes to the draft bill, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said the government would ask a new Climate Change Committee to report by late 2009 on whether the proposed cuts "should be deeper still".

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US airforce in green move

By early 2011, the U.S. Air Force aims to make sure its entire fleet of bombers, fighters, transports and other aircraft can use a domestically produced 50-50 blend of synthetic and petroleum-based fuel.

William Anderson, an assistant Air Force secretary, said the goal was to reduce energy demand, look for cleaner power sources and to reuse captured carbon commercially, for instance to enhance the growth of biofuels or improve oil well production.

"We can get ourselves very close to a zero carbon footprint," said Anderson ahead of talks on the issue with counterparts in Britain and France next month.

"Not today. Not tomorrow. But maybe a decade or so down the road," he told a briefing at the State Department's Foreign Press Center.

Anderson said the Air Force's economic clout as a purchaser could help promote sources of power that do not add to emissions of greenhouse gases. Such gases trap heat in the atmosphere.

The largest U.S. solar-electric power array of 14.2 megawatts is to open in December at Nellis Air force Base in Las Vegas, and Anderson said Congress had asked the service to consider if its bases are appropriate sites for small nuclear facilities.

Anderson said the effort on synthetic jet fuel had been spurred by the 2006 challenge to the nation from President Bush to wean itself from its "addiction" to imported oil. Oil supplies are diminishing, Anderson said.

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Record fine for BP

The US Department of Justice has fined oil giant BP $373m (£182m), for fraud and environmental violations.

The fine includes a $50m punishment following a fatal Texas refinery explosion in 2005 that killed 15 people and injured 180 others.

That sum is the highest environmental fine of its kind.

The DoJ has also made other allegations against the firm, including manipulating the price of propane as well as price inflation.

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Earth at point of no return

The speed at which mankind is using and abusing the Earth’s resources is putting humanity’s survival at risk, scientists have said.

The bleak assessment of the state of the environment globally was issued as an “urgent call for action” amid growing concerns of worldwide waste, neglect and governmental inertia.

Fundamental changes in political policy and individual lifestyles were demanded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as it gave warning that the “point of no return” for the environment is fast being approached.

The damage being done was regarded by the UN programme as so serious that it said the time had come for the environment to be a central theme of policy-making instead of just a fringe issue, even though it would damage the vested interests of powerful industries.

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Climate Change-

Deniers Fight Back

Secondary schools across Britain are to be sent copies of the controversial television film The Great Global Warming Swindle, as the polemical battle over climate change heats up in the wake of last week's Nobel Peace Prize award to former US vice president Al Gore and the UN's climate change panel. Gore's film "An Inconvenient Truth" was distributed to all schools by the Government.

The main figure behind the move is Viscount Monckton, the journalist and former policy adviser to Margaret Thatcher, who is likely to couple film, made by radical television producer Martin Durkin and aired on Channel 4 in March, in a package with an anti-climate change film of his own entitled Apocalypse No!.

Shot last week before at audience of 400 students at the Cambridge Union, it features Lord Monckton, the brother-in-law of another well-known climate change sceptic, The Independent columnist Dominic Lawson, giving a long presentation intended as a mirror-image of that given by Mr Gore in An Inconvenient Truth – but from a completely sceptical point of view.

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Deal on ozone and climate relief The Antarctic "ozone hole" should repair in about half a century

Geldof defends role as Tory Advisor

Bob Geldof has promised to remain politically "non-partisan" after agreeing to advise the Conservative Party on global poverty. The singer, who had a key role in the Make Poverty History campaign, commented:

"I don't care who I have to go to to try to make this agenda work. I'm not a Labour Party member; I'm not a Tory party member. I've no intention of becoming any of those things.

"I've done this for 20 years. I have an expertise. If I can be of benefit to help shape another party's policy towards this agenda, then I will do it."

Although the non-partisan nature of Mr Geldof's involvement is being stressed, it is nevertheless quite a coup to get him involved. New Tory leader David Cameron said the former Boomtown Rats frontman would help the party "go in the direction that he and we both want to go.....This summer, millions of British people took part in the Make Poverty History campaign. A new generation of concerned citizens want prosperity for themselves and progress for the poor, whether living on the other side of the street or the other side of the world.......Conservatives have a vital contribution to make to the debate about globalisation and poverty."

This latest coup for the Conservatives follows close on the heels of the appointment of Zac Goldsmith to the Tory Environment Working Group, showing Cameron's gift for headline grabbing initiatives in co-opting media friendly faces with a big following among radicals.

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Zac Goldsmith - The Green Gambler

Turquoise Tory Zac Goldsmith is the suprise choice to lead David Cameron's new environment working party. Son of James Goldsmith, and nephew of the founder of "The Ecologist" magazine Teddy Goldsmith, Zac was expelled from Eton for possessing dope, and has since flirted with the radical edge of the green movement, as editor of the Ecologist. A paradoxical mix of establishment and radicalism, he plays regular poker in a private room at Annabel's casino. He married Shererazade - the daughter of asset-stripper John Bentley and socialite Viviane Ventura - six years ago and they run an organic farm in Devon, and try to keep their three young children fed on chemical-free food.But he has concluded that, for all their efforts, environmentalists have not been winning battles, and has rethought his attitude to politics. He still loathes Tony Blair ("Very slippery ... I would not trust him with my dog") and sees Labour as too authoritarian and centrist.

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By Deborah Zabarenko

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The last few decades were the warmest on Earth in the past 400 years, and may well have been warmer than any comparable period since the Middle Ages, U.S. scientists reported on Thursday.

In a separate study, climate experts blamed global warming for much of the hurricane-fueling rise in temperatures in the North Atlantic last year, when there were a number of devastating hurricanes, including Katrina.

In a new report by the National Research Council, researchers said they were highly confident the mean global surface temperature was higher in the past 25 years than any comparable period during the previous four centuries.

They had less confidence the past quarter-century was hotter than any comparable period in the years from 900 to 1600, but found that plausible. For the years before 900, the scientists said they had very little confidence about what the Earth's mean surface temperatures were.

They did not dispute multiple measurements that showed the world warmed up by about 1 degree F (0.6 C) over the course of the 20th century, a quick rise compared with previous centuries.

The scientists also noted that temperature reconstructions for periods before the Industrial Revolution -- when levels of climate-warming greenhouse gases were much lower -- supported the notion the current global climate change was caused by human activities, rather than natural variations in climate.

"Natural climate variability is something that we'd like to know about," said Kurt Cuffey of the University of California-Berkeley, who served on the council's committee and spoke at a Webcast about the report.

"But if we did know for example that the climate was as warm at 1000 AD as it is now, it would have no essential impact on our understanding of climate change in the 20th century, the role of humans in causing it and the need to think seriously about how that may evolve in the next few centuries," he said.

The human causes of global warming have been under dispute, especially by a skeptical Bush administration, but are generally accepted by scientists as a key factor in climate change.

Figuring out global temperatures over the past 150 years is relatively simple, since reliable records exist. But for the years and centuries before that, researchers must read clues left by the growth rings on trees, the retreat of glaciers and even old paintings and diaries that document climate.

Such clues are called proxies, and scientists began using them in sophisticated ways in the 1990s to estimate Earth's surface temperature in past eras.

The council's report was prompted by a request from the U.S. Congress, spurred by a controversial 1998 report in the journal Nature that used a number of sources, including proxies, to estimate temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere over the last 1,000 years.

That report concluded the hemisphere was warmer during the late 20th century than at any other time in the past millennium, and that the 1990s were the warmest decade and 1998 was the warmest year during that whole period.

In another report on climate change, a new analysis blamed global warming for about half of the extra hurricane-fueling warmth in the waters of the tropical North Atlantic in 2005. Natural cycles were only a minor factor, according to research by Kevin Trenberth and Dennis Shea of the National Centre for Atmospheric Research.

Further reading - Warm Species invading Antarctica - BBC

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