Stories about Environment from April, 2013
EU Seal Ban Maims Indigenous Way of Life in the Arctic
A European Union court in Luxembourg has upheld its ban on the commercial trade of seal products despite a challenge from Canada's Inuit and several Canadian lawmakers that it cripples the indigenous people's ability to make a living.
Chinese Dream: To Become the Father of an American
Seeing Red in China has translated current affair commentator, Jia Jia's Chinese dream. Nowadays, most Chinese middle class want to see their daughters and sons going to the U.S and...
Chronicler of Saint Lucian History Remembered
Historian and conservationist Robert Devaux was laid to rest this week, having passed away on the morning of April 16th 2013, after a battle with cancer. St. Lucian netizens have been paying tribute to a man many consider to be an environmental hero and national visionary.
Animal Welfare Included in Singapore School Syllabus
Good news for animal lovers. Singapore’s Ministry of Education has confirmed that animal welfare will be included in the new ‘Character and Citizenship Education’ syllabus for primary and secondary students.
“TrashOut”: RuNet's Interactive Map of Illegal Dumps
A new 'illegal dumps' interactive map has been launched in Russia for iOS and Android devices. The first of its kind in Russia, it allows users to mark unauthorized landfill sites.
Monsanto Nominated for Puerto Rico's Agricultural Hall of Fame
As soon as the non-profit organization Acción y Reforma Agrícola announced that it nominated the agricultural biotechnology corporation Monsanto to the Hall of Fame of Puerto Rican Agriculture, many grassroots groups demonstrated their fiercest opposition.
Chileans Debate Whether Wealth Weighs in Glaciers or Gold
Two of humankind’s most treasured resources--water and gold--have instigated a conflict between an indigenous community and a Canadian mining company over an isolated swath of Chile’s Atacama region.
East Asia's Appetite for Eels Pushing Species to the Brink
During Japan's sweltering midsummer it's traditional to eat a plate of golden-brown broiled unagi kabayaki, or broiled eel. But the tradition is now at risk. Skyrocketing demand for glass eels, once considered a high-brow delicacy, is pushing Japanese fishermen to exhaust the population and causing prices to soar.
Displaced Residents Accuse Brazilian Power Plant of False Promises
Among 4,325 people that have been either removed or indirectly affected by the construction of the Jirau and Santo Antonio dams in the Madeira river region, in the Brazilian Amazon, former river dwellers who now reside in New Mutum Paraná complain about promises that haven't been met concerning their displacement.
Guyana: Smelly City
A canal in the capital smells so rancid “it can kill a nation”. Guyana-Gyal smelled it and lived to tell the tale.
A Message from an Achuar Indigenous Leader
Amazon Watch has uploaded a video with a message from Peruvian Achuar indigenous leader Peas Peas Auyi. In the message, Peas Peas Auyi thanks Canadian allies for their solidarity in the...
Who Owns St. Lucia's Beaches…Citizens or Celebrities?
St. Lucians can usually visit any beach they choose, but thanks to a recent celebrity wedding, the beach surrounding a local resort was deemed off limits, raising longstanding questions about beach access and the cost benefits of large resorts.
São Tomé and Príncipe: Petition Against Deforestation
Raul Jorge, a Santomean citizen, launched a petition [fr] against deforestation in São Tomé and Príncipe, addressed to the current Prime Minister Gabriel Costa. The petition has already gathered more...
Haiti: CARICOM Should Speak Up
Appalled by the “legal immunity” that the United Nations appears to have in the country's cholera epidemic, Kevin Edmonds says that it's high time Caribbean leaders speak up for Haiti.
Every Minute Six Patients are Diagnosed with Cancer in China
It's official. The 'plague' of cancer is at the center of a major public health crisis in China. Six patients are diagnosed with cancer every minute, that's 8,550 new cancer patients every day, according to the 2012 China Cancer Census.
Venezuela: Fire Consumes Part of Canaima National Park
For over a week the Canaima National Park, one of the world's most precious green lungs has been burning beyond control. Many Twitter users are in dismay over the events, but not without pointing to the indolence of the Venezuelan state and that of Venezuelan politicians in general.
U.S. Food Safety Groups Urge for Veto of ‘Monsanto Protection Act’
Food Safety activists are outraged over the passage of an act by the U.S Congress that protects genetically modified seeds from litigation regardless of the effects on the health of consumers.
Iran Quake Aftershocks Reach Qatar, Bahrain
Doha News charts reactions from Qatar residents following the aftershocks of an earthquake which hit southern Iran today. The aftershocks were also felt in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, where offices...
Outbreak of New Avian Flu Kills Six in China
A strain of avian flu never before seen in humans has so far infected 21 people, with six deaths, in China, putting health authorities on high alert and prompting fears among many Chinese of the disease spreading.
Bhutan on the Road to Becoming Fully Organic
The Himalayan Kindgom of Bhutan, famous for its “Gross National Happiness” Index instead of Gross Domestic Product, has set itself the task of being the first country in the world to completely turn to Organic Agriculture.
28,000 Rivers Disappear from Chinese Map
Some 28,000 rivers in China have seemingly disappeared, according to a recent government water census. A prominent environmentalist attributes the disappearing rivers to the over-exploitation of river resources and the large hydroelectric projects.
