Stories about Environment from June, 2010
Belize: Mayans Win Right to Land
Repeating Islands reports on a landmark court ruling “in favor of 38 Mayan Communities in the Toledo District”, which confirms their rights to the land surrounding their communities.
Chile: Organizations and Citizens Against Mining Project in Magallanes
Manuel Luis Rodriguez writes in the blog Coyuntura Política [es] about a mining project in Isla Riesco (Riesco Island) in the Magallanes region. He says that about 50 NGOs and 12 international entities signed a statement against the project because it endangers the flora and fauna of the island and...
Chile: From California to Chile on Biodiesel
Maria Jose Calderon and Carlos Herrera embarked on a 6-month road trip from California, USA to Chile in a biodiesel truck. The couple traveled Latin America in search of grassroots initiatives to help the environment, and they documented their findings and their journey through videos, photos and blogging.
Egypt: Heat Blamed for Hurghada Oil Spill
There is an oil spill off the coast of Hurghada and Egyptian officials are blaming it on “oil seeping from the ground due to heat.” Egyptian Chronicles has more here.
Egypt: Unrest in North Sinai
It may be off the radar – but Zeinobia reports on unrest in North Sinai. Click here for more.
Africa: The Great Green Wall of Africa
Gold discussing the Great Green Wall of Africa: “The Great Green Wall of Africa was first suggested by the ex-Nigerian Prez Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2005…”
Ukraine: Gorbachev and Chernobyl
Window on Eurasia writes about Mikhail Gorbachev's order to hold the May Day demonstration in Kyiv shorly after the Chernobyl catastrophe.
Ukraine: Kyiv Farmers’ Markets
Photos of berries, fruit and vegetables sold at Kyiv farmers’ markets this summer – at The Pickle Project, here and here.
Seychelles: Visiting Vallée de Mai
I Love Seychelles writes about Vallée de Mai in Seychelles. Vallée de Mai is a nature reserve, which is on the UNESCO world heritage list.
Myanmar: Decrease in opium production
Words of Life quotes from a report that opium production in the Shan State of Myanmar went down this year because of the El Nino phenomenon
Bolivia: Evo Morales and His Indigenous and Environmental Challenges
In the blog Pronto, Miguel Centellas writes that despite the logical assumption that indigenous groups would never go against Evo Morales, “the government is losing its grip on the indigenous movement.” Centellas analyses the indigenous and environmental challenges the Bolivian government is facing.
Brazil: Standing Against Mining in Gandarela
Local communities and netcitizens who care for the biodiverse Serra da Gandarela in Minas Gerais, Brazil, are taking a stand against Vale S.A. - a major mining multinational whose record is not one of the best at the eyes of environmental groups.
Worldwide: The oil spills that don't make the news
The tragic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has the world's attention on the devastation that badly managed oil extraction can bring. However, in some places around the world, people live with toxic spills such as these and through videos people try to bring the world's attention to their plight.
Illegal bird trades in Indonesia and the Philippines
EngageMedia uploads an investigative video report on the illegal bird trades in Indonesia and the Philippines
Indonesia: Video on protest against mangrove forest conversion
EngageMedia uploads a video of a protest action demanding the Aceh Governor in Indonesia to stop the conversion of mangrove forest to palm oil plantation.
Russia: Charges Against Alexanyan Dropped
Robert Amsterdam reports that “Russian prosecutors have finally dropped their case against Yukos lawyer Vasily Aleksanyan”: “But I don't really see this as a sign of clemency or change, or a sudden recognition of judicial independence. Russia just admitted that it held an innocent individual for two years for no...
Russia, Belarus, Moldova: Gas Wars
Updates on the gas dispute between Russia and Belarus – at Leopolis, Jamestown Foundation Blog, and BelarusDigest. A May 28 post on Moldova's relationship with Gazprom – at RFE/RL's Transmission.
Brazil: “Tsunami” hits some of the poorest riverside cities
At least 46 people have been killed and an estimated hundreds are missing after torrential floods swept through states in the north-east Brazil, in the worst environmental tragedy in the local population's memory.
Bangladesh: Outstanding Bangladeshi Researcher Completes Jute Genome Sequencing
Monir Uddin Ahmed at Science and Technology blog congratulates Bangladeshi scientist Dr. Maqsudul Alam for successfully completing Jute Genome Sequencing.
Costa Rica: Week-long March Against Mining
Habla Costa Rica [es] reports on a march against mining which will start July 12 and end July 18. The march was organized by a group of citizens under the name “Coordinadora Ni una sola mina” (Coordination Not One Single Mine). The blog post includes a schedule of the march...
Taiwan: “When the Excavators Came to the Rice Fields”
Now occupying only 1.8% of total GDP in Taiwan, no one can deny that local agriculture has lost its once highly-respected status and is almost dying under many political decisions that are not in favor of agriculture. Or we can say that farming is no longer regarded as important and...
