International Polar Year Reports Widespread Global Warming
Snow and ice are declining in both polar regions, affecting human livelihoods as well as local plant and animal life in the Arctic, as well as global ocean and atmospheric circulation and sea level.
Climate Tipping Point Near Warn UN, World Bank
WASHINGTON, DC, February 23, 2009 (ENS) – The planet is quickly approaching the tipping point for abrupt climate changes, perhaps within a few years, according to the UN Environmental Programme’s newly released 2009 Year Book and a separate World Bank report now being presented throughout Latin America.
Infrastructure Takes a Front Seat at National Governors Meeting
WASHINGTON, DC, February 23, 2009 (ENS) – The National Governors Association 2009 Winter Meeting wrapped up today with a session on best practices from around the world for financing infrastructure repairs and upgrades.
Australian Police Seize Sea Shepherd Whale War Videos
Sea Shepherd founder Captain Paul Watson says much of material seized belongs to the Discovery Channel’s Animal Planet producer and camera crew who were videoing the confrontations with the Japanese whaling fleet for the second season of the series “Whale Wars,” which last year proved to be a popular offering for the American television channel.The police have refused to give details about the search, saying only that it was done at the request of “Japanese authorities.”
Court Overturns Illegal Bush-era Soot Pollution Standard
WASHINGTON, DC, February 25, 2009 (ENS) – A federal appeals court Tuesday ruled that Bush-era clean air standards were insufficient, sending them back to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be rewritten in a way that will better protect public health.
U.S. Supreme Court Blocks Weak Bush-era Mercury Rule
WASHINGTON, DC, February 24, 2009 (ENS) – The U.S. Supreme Court Monday declined to consider a Bush-era rule that would have allowed a cap-and-trade approach to mercury, a toxic heavy metal emitted by power plants that burn coal and oil. Power plants are the largest source of mercury in the nation.
Obama Administration Restarts Oil Shale Leasing in Colorado, Utah
“The research, development, and demonstration leases we will offer can help answer critical questions about oil shale, including about the viability of emerging technologies on a commercial scale, how much water and power would be required, and what impact commercial development would have on land, water, wildlife, and communities,” [Salazar] said.
