Stories about Environment from February, 2012
Macedonia: Skopje's Pollution Monitoring Saga Continues
NGO Greenbox is compensating for the lack of web interface for the air pollution measuring system in Skopje by posting photos of the display on their blog. Filip Stojanovski writes about the initiative.
Puerto Rico: March Against the Pipeline
Hundreds of people joined the "National March: Puerto Rico stands firm against the Pipeline" led by the organization Casa Pueblo. Photojournalist Ricardo Alcaraz shares some of his pictures of the protest in San Juan.
Iran: A pro-animal blog was filtered
Sepehr Salimi writes another pro-animal and pro-environment blog got filtered in Iran.Dadkhahi Heyvanat az Ensanha (animals ask people for justice) used to write about pets.
Azerbaijan: The Caspian Sea in ice
Sheki, Azerbaijan posts photographs showing the Caspian Sea, generally considered the largest lake in the world, encrusted with ice. An earlier post also depicts Baku, the capital, covered in snow.
Peru: Problems with Access to Information and Forestry Transparency
The Peruvian Press Council reported on a “Public Hearing: Access to Information and Transparency Forest,” accompanied by a training workshop on related issues in the town of Nueva Cajamarca, San Martin. Journalist and blogger Juan Carlos Lujan, who was one of the trainers, recounts [es] the problems faced due to...
Tajikistan: Energy Loss Reduction project continued
Avicenna writes about the Energy Loss Reduction Project in Tajikistan, which has just received additional financing of $18 million from the World Bank Board.
Italy: Historic ‘Guilty’ Verdict in the Eternit Asbestos Trial
It is a historic verdict: on February 13, 2012 in Turin, northern Italy, the two top senior executives of the multinational Eternit, a producer of asbestos, were sentenced to 16 years in prison after a criminal trial began in 2009. Here are the reactions of the associations and the families of asbestos victims in Italy and Europe.
Haiti: Students in Sheds
Haiti Grassroots Watch explores the issues surrounding the non-reconstruction of the state university in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake.
Iran: Enviromental blogs under fire
Sepher Salimi, a leading environmentalist blogger writes about filtering of several green and environmenal blogs in recent years.
Armenia: Activists #Occupy Yerevan Park
Green spaces in Armenia continue to dwindle at an alarming rate, but a small yet dedicated group of environmental activists has also grown. Now, in order to prevent further damage, they are attempting to occupy a Yerevan park.
Lebanon: Why is Horsh Beirut Closed?
Lebanese blogger Rami(at +961) shares his opinion about the state of Beirut's public park Horsh Beirut, which has been closed for decades for unknown reasons in his latest post.
Mali: The River Niger in Pictures
Boukary Konaté, a member of the Global Voices community in Mali, recently toured rural schools on a traditional Malian boat as part of a digital literacy project. This boat trip was an opportunity to explore his own country and to illustrate the many aspects of the 2,600 miles-long Niger river. Here are some snapshots, taken during the journey.
Malaysia: Petition Against Sarawak Dams
An online petition urges the Malaysian government to review its plan to build twelve “highly destructive” hydroelectric dams in Sarawak that will displace tens of thousands of people and flood large tracts of tropical rainforest.
Chile: Aysen Region Social Movement Gains Strength
Last year, the Aysen Region was on the national spotlight due to the controversial dam project Hydroaysén. Today people are once again paying attention to this region in the Chilean Patagonia after locals held a series of protests calling for better quality of life and lower living costs.
Armenia: Homophobia as PR for the Yerevan Municipality
Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on homophobic comments left on the Facebook page of the new Mayor of Yerevan, Taron Margaryan, in response to recent environmental protests in the city. Noting that the discriminatory remarks were made by municipal employees, including the person responsible for public relations, the blog says that...
Australia: Climate Skeptics in Denial Over Heartlandgate Controversy
Allegations of the Heartland Institute funding an Australian scientist to promote climate skepticism have brought denials from fellow skeptics in response to a barrage of criticism. Funding of and by think tanks, and their independence and objectivity, is an ongoing source of online debate in Australia
Bolivia: Conflict Over Road Through TIPNIS National Park Continues
In October 2011 President Evo Morales signed off a law declaring the Indigenous Territory National Park Isiboro Sécure "untouchable", cancelling the road project that sought pass through its heart. However, the conflict has resurfaced.
Video: Showcasing the Beautiful Landscapes of Chile and Patagonia
A moving short film by Gnarly Bay Productions follows a couple travelling through Chile and Patagonia, showing the beautiful landscapes found in this corner of South America.
Peru: The Water March Arrives in Lima
Finally the Water March arrived in Lima. For two days, different activities developed for the defense of water throughout the country. Juan Arellano gathers some citizens' reports of these final days and the activities that ended the march.
Slovakia, Hungary: Shrouded in Smog
Blogger Ulrika Lejnarová, highlighting air pollution data from the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute [sk], wonders [sk] why Slovakia, while often paying attention to the critical conditions in Hungary [en], is doing little to inform its own citizens of the domestic situation adequately, in order to avoid health complications.
Hungary: Another Environmental Catastrophe in the Making
In October 2010, a toxic spill from a red sludge reservoir in Kolontár caused the greatest environmental disaster in Hungary's recent history. Atlatszo.hu and Greenpeace are now drawing attention to another hazardous waste reservoir, in the town of Almásfüzitő, which is "leaking like a sponge" and is already causing grave environmental and health damage.
