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Indonesia’s Volcanic Eruption Claims 25 Lives

October 27, 2010 By

Rescuers scoured the slopes of Indonesia’s most volatile volcano on Wednesday after it was rocked by an eruption that spewed clouds of searing ash, killing at least 25 villagers including an old man known as the mountain’s spiritual gatekeeper.

The blast eased pressure that had been building up behind a lava dome perched on the volcano’s crater, but experts said the worst may not be over. The lava dome could unleash deadly gases and debris if it collapses.

“It’s a little calmer today,” said Surono, the chief of Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation. “No hot clouds, no rumbling. But a lot of energy is pent up back there. There’s no telling what’s next.” [Read more...]

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Wild Mushroom Foraging Is Damaging Forests, Warn Nature Groups

October 25, 2010 By

Wild mushroom foraging for commercial gain damaging local ecology, say RSPB, National Trust and Forestry Commission

The fashion for collecting wild mushrooms began with celebrity chefs such as Antonio Carluccio, and has been encouraged by those with a revived interest in local food, such as Jamie Oliver.

This year’s wet summer and mild autumn has produced bumper crops of colourful wax caps, common ceps and luscious chanterelles.

But this new generation of foodies and foragers are beginning to trample the forests and fields that feed them – as well as many animals and insects, warn those who look after the UK’s woodlands and nature reserves. [Read more...]

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UN Study Highlights Price Of Nature To Mankind

October 21, 2010 By

Governments and businesses need an overhaul of policies and strategies to respond to the rapid loss of nature’s riches, worth trillions of dollars but long taken for granted, a U.N.-backed study said on Wednesday.

Damage to natural capital including forests, wetlands and grasslands is valued at $2-4.5 trillion annually, the United Nations estimates, but the figure is not included in economic data such as GDP, nor in corporate accounts.

That “invisibility” needs to change so steps can be taken to save ecosystems that are a vital source of food, water and income, said Pavan Sukhdev, study leader for The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB), a U.N.-backed initiative. [Read more...]

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Ministry Committed To Protecting Wildlife

October 20, 2010 By

We refer to the letter “Cast net wider to stop animal traffickers” (The Star, Oct 14). We truly appreciate the concerns highlighted by the writer with regard to animal trafficking.

We would like to reiterate that the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry is very committed to protecting wildlife in this country, with the involvement of the public, NGOs, various government agencies and the private sector.

To curb wildlife smuggling, the ministry through the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) works very closely with other enforcement agencies such as the Custom and Excise Department, the Police and Armed Forces, Anti-Smuggling Unit and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. [Read more...]

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Protecting 32,000 Islands Of Ecological Purity

October 11, 2010 By

Across the Great Lakes, there’s growing interest in the ecological importance of islands and the need to keep them free of invasive plants, pests and other threats.

A new atlas compiled by U.S. and Canadian researchers catalogues their biological value and identifies threats from expanding homes, resorts, roads and marinas. The lakes contain more than 32,000 islands, making them the world’s largest collection of islands in fresh water, according to the atlas. [Read more...]

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Kids Join Fight Vs Climate Change

October 3, 2010 By

The battle against global warming and climate change should not be fought by adults alone.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines, a nongovernment organization involved in environmental concerns, believes that it is crucial to “train a new generation of climate warriors” if the government really wants to effect lasting solutions to environmental issues.

It was for this reason that WWF and HSBC launched back in 2008 their Project EcoKids, which stands for “environmentally-conscious kids.”

Three years and 15,000 students later, Project EcoKids can be considered the country’s single most effective program in teaching children in some 50 schools nationwide about climate change causes and solutions, according to WWF. [Read more...]

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Warming To The Facts On Climate

October 2, 2010 By

BRITAIN’S science academy, the Royal Society, has acknowledged the limits of current scientific understanding of climate change, revising its outlook.

A 19-page guide prepared by leading international scientists, including society fellows, is an honest account of where climate change science is clear and where it is less certain, such as the impact of energy emitted by the sun.

The ragged intersection between science and politics is the point at which much of the climate debate has been derailed. Politics demands certainty to make a convincing case for co-ordinated action. Science, on the other hand, is driven by scepticism. Each hypothesis formulated from empirical evidence needs to be challenged and tested to within an inch of its life before its veracity can be assumed. The 43 society members now believe the society’s previous position was too strident and implied a greater degree of certainty than was justified. [Read more...]

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