Stories about Environment from July, 2011
Owls of Singapore
According to the blog of Celebrating Singapore's Biodiversity 2010, ten species of owl have been recorded in Singapore. Unfortunately for Harry Potter fans, all but one of the owl species featured in the Harry Potter movies are not found in Singapore
Hungary: Times to Spend and Times to Save
Eva Balogh of Hungarian Spectrum takes a critical look at governmental investments in the energy industry, and asks whether they are wise, looking at the country's increasing economic reliance on foreign lenders.
Guinea: Mass Slaughter of Cattles After Ethnic Clashes
According to guineelibre.com [fr] “Over 1,200 cattle were slaughtered after ethnic clashes between Fulani and Malinke – the minority groups of Guinea – reported residents of the village of Thiakoro, in south-eastern Guinea.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Impressionistic Art
Woman of Color blogs about a new artist who paints impressionistic landscapes.
Bermuda: Out of Sync Development
Of the controversial Bazarian development, Vexed Bermoothes says: “We have some screwy priorities in this country. We refused to plan for housing that our international executives could buy…and then we give concessions in order to develop the same thing under the guise of tourism.”
Cuba: Interview with Palacios
the voice of el morro interviews Hector Palacios, a name associated with “the internal opposition in Cuba.”
Peru: Congressmen Remove Signatures from Moratorium for GM Seeds
Global Voices Translation Manager and author Juan Arellano reports [es] that 9 congressmen from the APRA political party have removed their signatures from a 10 year moratorium for genetically modified seeds. The issue will have to be debated again by the incoming congress. Juan shares reactions to the news via...
Japan: Indie Music Rocks the Nukes
With a spreading nuclear crisis and related issues such as radiation fears, new energy policies on the horizon and an uncertain future for the operating reactors, Japanese netizens have started a revival of music videos with a clear anti-nuclear message.
Bahamas: Land Use Planning
As the government considers using the Exumas island chain “as a model for land use planning throughout the country”, Bahama Pundit‘s Larry Smith says that “the $64,000 question is how to make all these good intentions real to the average Bahamian as well as to developers.”
China: Mining in Tibet
The Tibetan Plateau shares some data with its readers on mining activities in Tibet.
Cuba: The Challenges of Agriculture
Iván García blogs about the experience of a farmer who is convinced that “the main responsibility for the scarcity of agricultural and cattle products is the Cuban government.”
Russia: Arctic environment and exploitation
Mia Bennet at Foreign Policy Blog writes about plans for a dual exploitation and environmental cleanup of the Russian Arctic.
Russia: Worries of wildfires
Two-Zero of Moscow Blog writes about the worries in Russia that last year's catastrophic wildfires will repeat themselves this year.
Ukraine: Tymoshenko's Courtroom Drama
Since late June 2011, former Prime Minister of Ukraine and one of the Orange Revolution's leaders, Yulia Tymoshenko, has been on trial in capital Kyiv for abuse of power regarding a natural gas contract with Russia. If found guilty she faces up to ten years in prison.
Australia Unveils Carbon Pricing Package
Australians remain divided after Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s announcement of a Clean Energy package with a carbon price of $A 23 per tonne and an emissions trading scheme from 2015. Bloggers note that Australia is the only country in the world with an economy-wide carbon tax.
Brazil: Report Reveals Unsustainable Practices of Biofuel Industry
Though biofuel has been acclaimed as the best exit for the world’s struggle for energy resource and a 'green' alternative which can reduce carbon emission, a recent study by the NGO Reporter Brasil on the Brazilian ethanol chain production reveals its high socio-environmental cost.
Sri Lanka: Wild Animals Get Their Own Hospital
Malaka Rodrigo at Window To Nature informs that a hospital for animals, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka, has been set up in Hiyare Forest Reserve by the Wildlife Conservation Society of Galle (WCSG) with aid from the Nation’s Trust Bank.
China: Exploding Watermelon Is Safe?
Local state media exposed that farmers in China's Jiangsu province are experiencing a problem with “exploding watermelons” due to the overuse of growth enhancing chemicals. The Ministry of Agriculture has recently asserted that the chemical growth enhancer for watermelon is safe, but Chinese netizens are doubtful.
Bahamas: Saving the Forests
“Ever since the pine forests of the Bahamas were logged during the first 60 or so years of the last century, their ultimate survival has been in jeopardy due to conflicts with agricultural and commercial development”: Blogging at Bahama Pundit, Larry Smith says that “a new Forestry Act passed last...
Russia: Some fishy business
John Helmer of Dances with Bears speculates on whether Russian business mogul, Gennady Timchenko, really is so innocent of the allegations against him using political contacts to forward his business interests as the businessman claims. Timchenko's recent involvement in the Russian fish industry supposedly points in another direction.
Sao Tome and Principe: Insight on Rare Birds
The blog Island Biodiversity Race features an expedition to learn about the birds of Sao Tome and Principe, “to show how rich and unique the biota of the islands is and at the same time, how poorly known”.
