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Archive for August 21st, 2013
UK oil & gas investment reaches record high
Posted by BusinessGreen: None Given on August 21st, 2013
BusinessGreen: The UK oil and gas industry has hailed "renewed commitment" from the government after reporting record levels of investment at a time when the coalition's energy policy is facing intense scrutiny.
Trade body Oil & Gas UK, which represents offshore operators, said investment levels this year are expected to reach £13.5bn. This represents a £6bn boost on 2012, which it attributed to new tax allowances granted by Chancellor George Osborne aiding new exploration.
"The recent sharpening of focus...
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Japan: New Fukushima Radioactive Leak Worst Since Original Accident
Posted by Environment News Service: None Given on August 21st, 2013
Environment News Service: Japan`s Nuclear Regulation Authority now says a leak of radioactive water from a tank at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant Monday is a "serious incident" not just an "anomaly" as it was originally classified on an international scale.
On Monday morning, an employee of the plant`s owner/operator Tokyo Electric Power Company on patrol found water leaking from a drain valve of a tank dike on a hillside near reactor No 4 at the power station, which has been shut down and is being decommissioned....
More than 50 large wildfires burn throughout western US
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on August 21st, 2013
Associated Press: An out-of-control forest fire threatening more than 2,000 structures near Yosemite national park was one of more than 50 active, large wildfires dotting the western US on Wednesday. The remote blaze in Stanislaus national forest west of Yosemite grew to more than 25 sq miles and was only 5% contained, causing evacuations and threatening homes, hotels and camp buildings. The fire was among the nation's top firefighting priorities, according to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho....
United Kingdom: Fracking faces a little local difficulty
Posted by Telegraph: Isabel Hardman on August 21st, 2013
Telegraph: The Balcombe protest may be annoying but it has also been pretty effective. The brouhaha over Cuadrilla's attempts to explore local oil deposits has included celebrities, guitars, bongos, compost toilets and a vegan snack bar. It even involved the arrest of the Green MP, Caroline Lucas. It has shattered the tranquillity of the pretty Sussex village -- and raised concerns about fracking. But no matter how much noise these visiting activists make, they aren't the ones who could really wreck the Government's...
What’s the Impact of China’s Rapid Urbanization?
Posted by World Resources Institute: None Given on August 21st, 2013
World Resources Institute: China’s Urban Billion is a blog series exploring China’s urbanization process. Over the coming months, Xiaomei Tan will guide readers through China’s opportunities and challenges as it transforms into an urbanized society. We will examine the urbanization process as it relates to governance, the private and public sectors, and the economy. This is the first post in this series. It originally appeared on TheCityFix.com.
The simultaneous, rapid urbanization of China and India is unprecedented–-in...
Early Exposure to BPA Linked to Anxiety and Hyperactivity in Boys
Posted by EcoWatch: Miriam Capon on August 21st, 2013
EcoWatch: We frequently see warnings about using products that contain Bisephenol A (BPA) and many plastic products are now being made with “BPA-Free” alternatives. BPA can be found in polycarbonate plastics, canned food liners and some thermal receipts. Bisphenol A is a man-made, carbon-based product which has hormone-like properties. In 2008 a study showed that 95 percent of Americans had BPA in their urine, which goes to show just how much people are still being exposed to it. Many studies have shown that...
Asian Carp Quickly Advancing Toward the Great Lakes
Posted by EcoWatch: None Given on August 21st, 2013
EcoWatch: The leading edge of the Asian carp invasion in Illinois has advanced dramatically, with spawning moving nearly 100 miles upstream this year to within 25 miles of an electric barrier that is the last line of defense guarding Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes beyond.
Data collected by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in June shows that verified spawning of Asian carp--a key indicator of a viable Asian carp population and its ability to out-compete native fish species--has moved to within...
Australia: A scientist explains the mystery behind the 2010-2011 sea-level drop
Posted by ClimateWire: Stephanie Paige Ogburn on August 21st, 2013
ClimateWire: For the past couple of decades, the oceans have been steadily rising. Each year, sea-level increases by about 3 millimeters, a constant and ominous creep responding to climate warming.
Scientists have been measuring this rise from satellites since 1993, using instruments called altimeters. But for an 18-month period that began in the middle of 2010, something surprising happened. Instead of rising, sea levels fell.
Lake Eyre, a huge catch basin for eastern Australia's rainfall, typically collects...
Risk: Federal report says Sandy recovery spending must account for future climate change
Posted by ClimateWire: Elizabeth Harball on August 21st, 2013
ClimateWire: The Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force, a presidentially appointed group in charge of coordinating rebuilding efforts in the states devastated by last year's storm, yesterday issued a report stressing the need to take climate change into account when investing federal funds in disaster recovery. The 200-page strategy outlines 69 different recommendations and emphasizes the importance of using the latest science to strengthen communities against global warming's impacts. It also acknowledges the...
‘Two planets not enough to sustain mankind’
Posted by Cape Argus: Neo Maditla on August 21st, 2013
Cape Argus: We are using 50 percent more resources than the Earth can sustainably produce, and unless we change course not even two planets will be enough to sustain mankind.
This is the message from Morne du Plessis, chief executive of WWF-SA, on Earth Overshoot Day.
This is the day of the year when people have used as much renewable natural resources as our planet can regenerate in one year.
The day was initiated by the Global Footprint Network, which uses ecological footprint data to measure what...