Politics News Articles Archive Page 7 from Wed 20 Apr 2011 to Wed 25 May 2011

How should Pakistan tackle its biodiversity crisis?

Posted Wed, 25 May 2011 12:12:00 GMT by Laura Brown

Pakistan's government promises financial support for environmental protection, but campaigners argue development is destroying their culture. At a seminar in Peshawar, the government outlined their commitment to protecting threatened species.

How should Pakistan tackle its biodiversity crisis?

Bill would help stimulate water and wastewater infrastructure investment

Posted Wed, 25 May 2011 09:09:00 GMT by Michael Clark

A bill, The Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act, has been introduced in Congress that would remove bond caps from water and wastewater infrastructure projects, stimulating much needed investment. Given current spending levels, the EPA and ASCE estimate annual spending shortfalls in the billions.

Bill would help stimulate water and wastewater infrastructure investment

The battle at the pumps - How Republicans and Democrats are waging war on high oil prices

Posted Thu, 19 May 2011 18:09:00 GMT by Laura Brown

Stalled Bills, bipartisan wars and suggestions Obama isn't doing enough to tackle high oil prices. Americans are increasingly unhappy at the pumps. Gasoline prices might have fallen for the first time in two months this week but with prices surging over $100 a barrel, it's hitting voters' pockets hard.

The battle at the pumps - How Republicans and Democrats are waging war on high oil prices

UK commits to halving emissions in fourth 'carbon budget'

Posted Tue, 17 May 2011 18:41:00 GMT by Martin Leggett

The UK committed itself to a legally-binding target on greenhouse gas emissions - promising to slash them by 50% by 2027. But the argument within the coalition government over the plan has watered down on some important points - leaving some green groups worried about the UK's fourth 'carbon budget'.

UK commits to halving emissions in fourth 'carbon budget'

Water and wildlife at risk from sweeping changes to forest rule, say top scientists

Posted Mon, 16 May 2011 22:19:00 GMT by Ruth Hendry

A bold vision for U.S. forests, but scientists are worried. After a 90 day public review period, more than 300,000 comments from people across the U.S. have urged the administration to develop a more direct policy on how to manage national forests.

Water and wildlife at risk from sweeping changes to forest rule, say top scientists

UK Government accused of hiding nuclear power subsidy

Posted Mon, 16 May 2011 18:28:01 GMT by Laura Brown

MPs accuse the government of using reforms to hide subsidy for nuclear industry. The Coalition pledged to allow new nuclear power stations to be built, but assured they would not receive public subsidy.

UK Government accused of hiding nuclear power subsidy

Protests in Chile against dam project

Posted Fri, 13 May 2011 13:25:00 GMT by Laura Brown

Protests erupt as controversial scheme is approved. It involves the construction of five hydroelectric power stations and the damming of two rivers, the River Pascua (Pasqua) and Rio Baker. The scheme, it is argued, is vital for the economic development of Chile and helping to lift the 2.5million poor out of poverty.

Protests in Chile against dam project

Mankind needs to do more with less, says new UN report

Posted Thu, 12 May 2011 17:30:00 GMT by Martin Leggett

A new report from UNEP outlines the need to make a break with a dogma that couples runaway economic growth to environmental and resource run-down. The UN's International Resource Panel says that 'decoupling' is the only way to avoid the looming crises of global warming, rising commodity prices, resource depletion and mass species extinction.

Mankind needs to do more with less, says new UN report

China and U.S. announce fisheries and climate change deals

Posted Thu, 12 May 2011 16:58:01 GMT by Colin Ricketts

The world's two largest economies have announced cooperation on fisheries and greenhouse gases. They hope to stop unregulated fish stocks from going on sale, monitor the management of threatened species and to reduce the toll of protected marine animals like sea turtles.

China and U.S. announce fisheries and climate change deals

Wi-fi technology faces disruption from climate change

Posted Tue, 10 May 2011 15:50:01 GMT by Laura Brown

UK government report identifies how infrastructure needs to plan ahead for extreme weather. The research looked at the potential impact on the UK economy from changes in temperature and the environment if projected changes in the global climate come to fruition.

Wi-fi technology faces disruption from climate change

Landmark UN Study Voices Belief in Renewable Future

Posted Mon, 09 May 2011 19:33:00 GMT by Melanie J. Martin

Major UN report shows global energy usage could become 77 percent renewable by 2050. By 2050, almost 80% of the world's energy could come from renewable sources, says a landmark report commissioned by the UN. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released the Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation on May 9th.

Landmark UN Study Voices Belief in Renewable Future

Obama seeks to extend water rules

Posted Thu, 05 May 2011 19:37:00 GMT by Laura Brown

Obama administration hopes to clarify 'vague'' Clean Water Act closing the door on majority of water pollution. In a move delighting environment groups, but drawing concern from agricultural lobbies, the new definition of the 1970s act could the increase the government's abilioty to protect streams, wetlands and other sensitge waterways from pollution.

Obama seeks to extend water rules

Halting biodiversity loss to protect European economies

Posted Wed, 04 May 2011 10:03:00 GMT by Mario Balzan

The European Commission lays out 2020 biodiversity strategy to protect Europe's biodiversity. This follows the disappointing results obtained for the 2010 biodiversity plan and the new commitments made by the EU in Nagoya, Japan. The good news is that new strategy takes into account the services provided by nature, which often defy valuation and are increasingly threatened by competing claims on nature and its use.

Halting biodiversity loss to protect European economies

EPA boosts research into E-waste solution

Posted Sun, 01 May 2011 14:00:00 GMT by Martin Leggett

The EPA is putting its weight behind a UN University led effort to get a grip on the issue of e-waste. The $2.5 million grant announced today should help the UNU's StEP program to achieve ambitious goals to research, monitor and improve the electronic waste processing chain.

EPA boosts research into E-waste solution

Australia puts on hold a revamp of environment laws

Posted Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:37:01 GMT by Laura Brown

Environment Minister says reforms must wait two years before being considered. The current legislation in Australia protecting the environment is the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Amongst other things it gives the government's environment minister powers to approve or reject industrial projects that might damage an endangered species or the environment.

Australia puts on hold a revamp of environment laws

Democratic / Republican voter schism over global warming deepens

Posted Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:22:00 GMT by Martin Leggett

The way that US citizens vote is now a major factor in their belief in global warming - with a wide majority of Republicans not seeing climate change as 'here and now', compared to a tiny minority of Democrats who deny that global warming as already upon us. That's the conclusion of a study published in Sociological Quarterly. It shows that the split is widening, and is being driven by a more polarized political debate amongst political leaders, which has pulled the public along in its divisive wake.

Democratic / Republican voter schism over global warming deepens

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