News - November



	ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 9 November 2004: C h i n a Pollution Threatens the Yangtze The Yangtze River, the longest in Asia and the third longest in the world, is expected to benefit 800 million people after the South-to-North Water Diversion Project is realized. However, the river on which so many already rely has suffered severe pollution far beyond many people's imagination. ¤Read News P h i l i p p i n e s Saving a dying river OLONGAPO CITY – "A journey of a thousand mile begins with a single step," Olongapo City Mayor James J. Gordon Jr. borrowed the famous phrase to emphasize the enormous task of reviving the rivers in the city during the launching last Friday of the an environmental preservation project. ¤Read News DENR cites role of locals in protection of environment The improvement of the quality of environment in the Maasin Watershed subproject in Iloilo province has been a revelation. One formula that works is to recognized the role of locals as stewards of resources found in that environment then transforming them as government partners in development efforts. ¤Read News Economy and ecology should go together AT LAST, our economists are seeing eye to eye with our environmentalists. They seem to have realized that economy and the environment go together, just like love and marriage and horse and carriage as it says in the song. ¤Read News V i e t N a m Skin trade threatens world's few surviving tigers HANOI (Reuters) - The world's tiger population has plummeted by 95 percent from the start of the 20th century to as few as 5,000 now and is further threatened by the lucrative trade in their skins, officials have told a forum. ¤Read News 25 November 2004: P h i l i p p i n e s Senate probe on Lake Lanao ecological damage sought Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. has asked the Senate committee on environment and natural resources to look into the ecological damages in the Lake Lanao and surrounding areas in central Mindanao allegedly caused largely by the continued violations of environmental laws by six hydroelectrical power plants by the National Power Corporation. ¤Read News Political will and development A RECENT visit to the island of Camiguin, one of my favorite study islands, gave me a cause for hope and optimism for the country. The island shows that all is not bad with our country. What I saw did not surprise me. The Romualdos, the political leaders of the island, have been my friends and supporters since 10 years ago. Governor Pedro Romualdo, his Congressman son, and his Mayor son are performing a great job for the island's development. Among small islands in the country known to me, none can equal Camiguin in terms of the pace of development during the past 10 years. The Romualdo family has shown that political will works. It is a pleasure to be associated with Governor and former Congressman Pedro Romualdo and his family in the pursuit of development programs for this beautiful, peaceful island. I am truly proud of being an honorary citizen of Mahinog Municipality, this province. ¤Read News V i e t N a m Danish-funded aquaculture project shows positive results Fish-breeding farmers in central Ha Tinh province's Duc Tho district have changed their traditional aquaculture know-how thanks to a Danish-funded project on fresh water fish rearing. ¤Read News W o r l d / G e n e r a l First International Ban on Shark Finning Adopted; U.S. Initiative to Protect Sharks Succeeds at Atlantic Tuna Commission NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 22 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Conservationists are celebrating the first international ban on shark finning adopted by consensus yesterday by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Finning -- the practice of slicing off a shark's fins and discarding the carcass back to the sea - has sparked international outcry by environmental groups and governments over the last decade. A proposal to ban finning and enhance information about sharks in ICCAT fisheries was co-sponsored by the United States, the European Community, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Panama, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, and Venezuela. Representatives from Brazil, Namibia and Uruguay spoke in strong support of the proposal. The U.S. led the way by introducing a comprehensive shark proposal early in the meeting. ¤Read News Kyoto Protocol gives urgency to emissions problems The 90-day countdown to the Kyoto Protocol's entry into force began last week with the UN's formal receipt of Russia's ratification. Now, with the international treaty to become legally binding for its parties on February 16, Taiwan -- an outsider to the UN system and home to one of the world's densest traffic situations, including a higher density of small, two-stroke engines than just about anywhere else in the world -- believes it is time to rejuvenate its campaign to deal with the protocol's implications and seriously tackle the issue of local greenhouse gas emissions. ¤Read News Earth's Uncanned Crusaders: Will Sardines Save Our Skin? Scientists working off the west coast of Africa have identified sardines as an unexpected factor in global warming. ¤Read News 23 November 2004: E a s t A s i a World Bank Launches New Report Responding To East Asia's Biodiversity Challenges /noticias.info/ The rich biodiversity of the East Asia and Pacific Region needs to be effectively protected and nurtured, as the region continues to grow in economic strength, and in wealth and living standards, according to the new World Bank publication “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Langur,” released at the World Conservation Congress (WCC), which is taking place in Bangkok from Nov. 17 to Nov. 25, the Thai News Service (Thailand, 11/22) reports. ¤Read News Migratory birds getting a bad name as carriers of death Migrating wild birds have become suspect in the wake of the bird flu which killed 32 people in Asia this year and wiped out millions of poultry. But some experts believe such fears may be unfounded. ¤Read News M a l a y s i a Reclaiming protected areas An alien tree species – Acacia mangium – lines the tarred road leading to the Institute of Biological Diversity at Bukit Rengit, located within the Krau Wildlife Reserve in Pahang. ¤Read News 22 November 2004: C h i n a Oil Leak Fouls Farmland A crude oil leak early Wednesday morning in Yan'an, in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has caused serious pollution and US$480,000 in economic losses, officials say. ¤Read News P h i l i p p i n e s Little-known organization has global reach NEWS of two conventions held in two Colorado cities, Denver and Boulder, opened our eyes to the work of some professional groups and the potential benefits for the Philippines if they were invited over. ¤Read News G e n e r a l / W o r l d Weighing the pros and cons of going green The road-map towards sustainable mobility currently focuses on improving the traditional internal combustion engine to consume and emit less, switching to cleaner fuels (better quality diesel, natural gas, biofuels and electricity) and using advanced powertrains (hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell technology). ¤Read News Kyoto Protocol to Enter into Force 16 February 2005 Bonn, 18 November 2004 ¨C The 90-day countdown to the Kyoto Protocol¡¯s entry into force was triggered today by the receipt of the Russian Federation¡¯s instrument of ratification by the United Nations Secretary-General. The Protocol will become legally binding on its 128 Parties on 16 February 2005. ¤Read News 08 November 2004: C h i n a Taiyuan: From Gray to Blue Describing the heavens above the city of Taiyuan, provincial capital of Shanxi, as blue used to be an oxymoron. Local residents now say that sapphire skies are nothing new. What happened? ¤Read News M a l a y s i a Corals reefs teeming with fish and giant clams PETALING JAYA: The coral reefs at the site of the marina project in Tioman are very much alive, according to environmentalists who conducted a survey of the area early last month. ¤Read News P h i l i p p i n e s Reforestation of Pampanga River Basin starts CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines -- Efforts to re-green the forests of the Pampanga River Basin, the fourth largest flood drainage area in the country, have finally taken off. ¤Read News G e n e r a l / W o r l d Recycling e-waste ALMOST every home has one – a drawer full of old mobile phones and batteries that have outlived their usefulness. And as is often the case, one never knows what to do with these redundant electronics, and they almost always end up in the garbage bin. ¤Read News 05 November 2004: C h i n a Beijing facing pollution "state of emergency" BEIJING (Reuters) - China's capital is in "a state of emergency" because of air pollution and one of the biggest polluters in the city, host of the 2008 Olympics, will slash production till the end of the year, state media says. ¤Read News Poyang Lake Wetland Applies for World Heritage The wetland of China's largest freshwater lake, Poyang Lake in eastern Jiangxi Province, has been applied for a world natural World Heritage, according to a provincial government source on Thursday. ¤Read News W o r l d / G e n e r a l Protecting Kids from Environmental Hazards Expectant mothers are notorious worriers. As the nesting instinct kicks in, they will lower their bellies down to the floor to scrub every corner with a toothbrush. This craziness makes them climb tall ladders to organize a messy closet shelf. In some cases, it makes them ban all solvents, bleached paper products and imported grapes from the premises. ¤Read News 04 November 2004: C h i n a China, Japan, ROK join hands to protect black-beaked gull JINAN, Nov. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) have agreed to launch a joint project to protect a breeding ground of rare black-beaked gull at the Yellow River Delta, which is expected to go into formal operation from 2005. ¤Read News M a l a y s i a Centre to pay more for turtle eggs KUALA TERENGGANU: The Turtle and Marine Ecosystem Centre (Tumec) will pay more for Olive Ridley and Hawksbill turtle eggs from traders following a drastic reduction in landings of the two species on beaches under its jurisdiction. ¤Read News Rare fish find spurs naturalists PETALING JAYA: The discovery of a rare and threatened marine fish at the Endau-Rompin National Park has strengthened the belief that the park could be home to more diverse species. ¤Read News P h i l i p p i n e s Recent findings on southern Palawan THE main findings on southern Palawan environment and marine resources of the Marine and Ocean Affairs Center -Department of Foreign Affairs-sponsored Palawan Expedition conducted on March 16-26, 2004 are the subject of 10 papers that are being prepared for publication this month. This column is a summary of these findings. ¤Read News T h a i l a n d Endangered species list growing BANGKOK. - The world's list of endangered species is growing at an alarming and unprecedented rate as governments pay less and less attention to green issues, a major global environmental body said on Tuesday. ¤Read News V i e t N a m Asia, Europe discuss cooperation in clean technologY Ha Noi, Nov. 3 (VNA) - Cooperation between Asia and Europe to develop clean technologies is the main theme of a workshop which opened in Ha Noi on Wednesday. ¤Read News W o r l d / G e n e r a l Male Fish Producing Eggs in Potomac River Something fishy is happening in the headwaters of the Potomac River. Scientists have discovered that some male bass are producing eggs—a decidedly female reproductive function. ¤Read News 03 November 2004: P h i l i p p i n e s Seeing Green : Forest 'returns' to La Mesa BANTAY Kalikasan (Filipino for Environment Watch) is one of ABS-CBN Foundation's frontline projects currently being undertaken to maintain the La Mesa Watershed, once known simply as La Mesa Dam. ¤Read News No let-up in patrols along the straits JOHOR BARU: The marine police will not slow down in watching out for smugglers in the Straits of Malacca during the Hari Raya festive season. ¤Read News Shanghai Teaches Children to Love Wildlife Experts gathered in this metropolis Thursday to discuss ways of educating urban youth about the importance of taking care of wild animals. ¤Read News RP to host 10th International Living Lakes Confab in 2005 The Philippines, home of Asia’s second largest freshwater basin, will host the 10th Living Lakes Conference in May next year, Laguna Lake Development Authority chief Dr. Jun Ynares III said. ¤Read News