World
Wetlands Day brings new hope for the lapwing
Wetlands, one of the most important habitats for plants and wildlife
but also one of the most threatened ecosystems on earth, is celebrated in Shropshire
today on World Wetlands Day through the launch of a new project.
Mark
Hancox, a wildlife photographer, was in the right place at the right time to capture
these images of an opportunistic kestrel staging a daring aerial attack to steal
a barn owl’s breakfast right out of its beak.
Councillors give elk and wild boar right
to roam on estate
Highland councillors
yesterday over-ruled their own countryside access officer and agreed to allow
wild boar and elk to continue to roam over part of a Sutherland estate.
Expensive chocolates and flowers are what most lovers expect
from their sweethearts on Valentine’s Day. But a charity is urging couples to
give each other another, less traditional gift – a red squirrel.
The humpback whale
remains inshore off Baginbun Head area and was once again very active, with several
breaching displays observed yesterday 01/02/10 by Martin Colfer.
A Shark Project
Officer started work in Oban this week on a new project run by the Scottish Sea
Angling Conservation Network. The project is funded by Scottish Natural Heritage
(SNH) and Leader.
The first hazel catkins are beginning to turn yellow and swing
loose on the twigs. So far they have been hard and brown, but now they justify
their name “lamb’s tails”.
Six
promising marine energy technologies will share 22 million pounds ($35.04 million)
of UK government funding to speed up deployment of full scale prototypes, the
Carbon Trust said on Tuesday.
Britain could struggle to hit its target of getting 15 percent
of its energy from renewable resources within the next decade, according to a
UK government report submitted to the European Union.
Northern Ireland opinion divided
on animal snaring
An animal welfare
charity is pushing for an end to the snaring of foxes in Northern Ireland but
countryside groups claim existing controls are sufficient.
Government gives go-ahead for 'green' gas to heat
homes
Five projects to pipe "green"
gas into people's homes for heating are set to go ahead after the Government announced
support for the renewable technology today.
World
Wetlands Day is being celebrated with the full recognition of Africa’s Lake Chad
as a wetland of international significance, fulfilling an agreement made a decade
ago by the four nations that share it.
Today
is World Wetlands Day and this year’s theme – Caring for wetlands: an answer to
climate change – highlights the bonds between wetlands, biodiversity and climate
change.
European nations agreed on Tuesday how they would carve up billions
of euros of European Union funding to help develop advanced renewable power or
carbon-trapping technology.
Researchers writing in the February issue of BioScience
propose reintroducing small, managed populations of wolves into national parks
and other areas in order to restore damaged ecosystems.
The Peruvian National Protected Areas Service has decided to
allocate funds to help protect a large swath of the Amazon this year, which is
home to several endangered species and indigenous groups.
Huge hydroelectric dam approved in Brazil's Amazon
Brazil's government has granted an environmental license for
the construction of a controversial hydroelectric dam in the heart of the Amazon
rainforest, the Environment Minister said on Monday.
Lopsided fish show that symmetry is only skin deep
Putting function before form, members of the Perissodinus
genus of fish have developed a hugely lopsided jaw that provides a distinct feeding
advantage.
France will support
a ban on global trade in bluefin tuna, but in exchange wants to be granted an
exclusive fishing zone for line-caught tuna as well as aid to retrain laid-off
fishermen, a newspaper said on Monday.
Goals on reducing greenhouse gases announced by major industrialised
nations are a step forward, but not enough to forestall the disastrous effects
of climate change by the middle of this century, UN officials said yesterday.
Effects of forest fire on carbon emissions,
climate impacts often overestimated
A
recent study at Oregon State University indicates that some past approaches to
calculating the impacts of forest fires have grossly overestimated the number
of live trees that burn up and the amount of carbon dioxide released into the
atmosphere as a result.
Climate scientist at centre of email row
defends his research
The scientist
at the centre of an ongoing row about climate research has defended his work against
allegations published in today's Guardian that he covered up flawed data on temperature
rises.
Much has been written - not least on this website - and much
more surely will be written over the coming months about supposed inconsistencies,
errors, misjudgements and poor practice among climate scientists.
China skeptical as foreign
firms push carbon capture
China needs
to overcome its skepticism about carbon capture technologies if it is to bring
down the costs of meeting its CO2 targets, experts at a clean coal conference
said.
Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott are set to lock horns on how Australia
should tackle climate change - the issue that gave Mr Abbott the Opposition leadership
- when they face off for the first time in Parliament today.
Fifty-five countries
accounting for almost 80 percent of world greenhouse gas emissions have pledged
varying goals for fighting climate change under a deadline in the "Copenhagen
Accord," the United Nations said on Monday.
