More than 50 peregrine
falcons have been poisoned, trapped, shot or had their chicks stolen this year,
according to reports, in one of the worst years on record for persecution of the
protected bird.
Pigeon fanciers are being accused of targeting peregrine falcons
in the West Midlands in a series of sick attacks, including lacing their prey
with poison.
Father and son farmers Jim and Stuart Russel have proved to be
wise owls when nesting boxes they put up have resulted in seven rare chicks setting
up home there.
East
Antrim MP Sammy Wilson said Friday past was "one of the most pleasing days I have
had as a public representative in this area and as Environment Minister".
Research from analysts
Poyry says that the UK can massively expand wind power by 2030 without suffering
power cuts or a melt-down of the National Grid.
Plans to develop offshore wind farms in the South West "can now
move forward" following a comprehensive government assessment of environmental
impacts, the southwest sustainable energy agency has claimed.
Today,
Wildlife Trusts across the East coast of England launch a new website, http://www.northseawildlife.org.uk/
to help promote protection of North Sea marine life.
Wetland funding
is good news for wildlife, but it’s only a start
River
conservation experts at the RSPB have welcomed today’s news that the government
will invest £10million in our waterways and wetlands - but warn that more still
needs to be done.
WWF
urges action to protect Borneo rhino's habitat
The
future of one of the world's rarest animals, the Borneo rhino, depends on action
taken to protect the forest reserves where it lives, conservation group WWF said
Wednesday.
Groups seek federal protection for giant,
spitting worm
Conservationists filed
a petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday seeking federal
protection for the Palouse earthworm — a worm that spits at its predators
Tiny marine organism lives
double life to survive extinction
Two
separate species of tiny marine organisms, a sea-floor dweller and an ocean surface
swimmer, are one and the same despite radical differences in lifestyle, according
to new research.
Researchers ... have managed to make out the "self-irrigating"
mechanism of the desert rhubarb, which enables it to harvest 16 times the amount
of water than otherwise expected for a plant in this region based on the quantities
of rain in the desert.
While the world has focused on the destruction mankind has brought
to coral reefs, the massive loss of an equally important ecosystem has been widely
ignored.
Norway helps endangered eel wriggle from fish
nets
Norwegian fisheries regulators
in a landmark decision have banned all fishing of the critically endangered European
eel starting in 2010 and cut 2009 catch quotas by 80 percent.
The Group of Eight rich nations summit in Italy next week is
likely to call on industrialised countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions by
80 percent by 2050, a report said Wednesday.
Canada worst, Germany best on climate change: report
Canada ranks last among the Group of Eight (G8) industrialised
nations for tackling climate change while Germany is top, the green group WWF
and the German insurance giant Allianz reported on Wednesday.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
has called for Japanese companies to help fight global warming through green investment
and ambitious emission cut targets, a business lobby said.
As Western governments
dither at the negotiating table over how to help the world's poorest people cope
with climate change, some unlikely saviours have stepped up to the plate: the
giants of the global insurance industry.
The amount
of carbon locked away in frozen soils in the far Northern Hemisphere is double
previous estimates and rapid melting could accelerate global warming, a study
released on Wednesday says.
Sea ice at lowest level in 800 years near Greenland
New research, which reconstructs the extent of ice in the sea
between Greenland and Svalbard from the 13th century to the present indicates
that there has never been so little sea ice as there is now.
Sweden to take on climate change mission
for Kyoto successor
Sweden has taken
over the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union, vowing to tackle
climate change and combat soaring unemployment in Europe following the global
economic crisis.
China unveils $140bn plan to build seven giant wind farms by
2020
The Chinese government yesterday
announced plans for a $140bn (£84bn) wind farm building programme that will see
seven giant wind farms, each with a minimum capacity of 10GW, built by 2020.
US EPA approves California auto emissions standard
The Obama administration on Tuesday approved California's long-standing
bid to set its own tough standards for vehicle emissions, a decision in tune with
a national plan to boost fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases linked to
climate change.
