Stories about Environment from June, 2009
Trinidad & Tobago: Smelter Not Welcome
“The State wants the people of Trinidad to believe that only a handful of residents of La Brea do not want the smelter. This is not true”: Attillah Springer and Rights Action Group T&T republish a press statement regarding the proposed Alutrint aluminium smelter in La Brea.
Nigeria: Wiwa v Shell: $15.5 million settlement
Sokari writes about Wiwa's case against Shell for human rights violation in Nigeria: “The case has been settled out of court with $10 million going to the 10 plaintiffs and $5 million being gifted to the Ogoni people.”
Israel: Dubai Futuristic Farm out of Star Trek
Writing at Mideast Youth, Green Prophet from Israel, discusses development in the UAE and notes: “Environmental projects including specially designed buildings, business parks and residential centers are years ahead of other countries. And now, a project in Dubai is developing something even more awesome: A vertical farm that looks like...
Bahrain: Birds in Photos
Bahrain Obs posts some pictures of black-winged stilts in this post.
Jamaica: Valuing Treasures
Jamaica's Snailwriter notices that construction on the Treasure Beach canal has stopped: “Of course, it ‘stopped’ after the National Works Agency…had finished what they intended to do in this Phase One, had packed up their bulldozers and headed off to seek other funding to complete the destruction.”
Russia: Tornado Near Moscow
Photos and video of yesterday's tornado near Moscow – at LJ user bukvalno‘s blog (RUS).
Africa: Interested in African Wildlife? Ask Erin
Ask Erin is a blog by Erin Keyes of African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) where she gives AWF supporters a forum for asking questions about African wildlife and AWF’s work in Africa.
D.R. of Congo: First field visit after the war
Makambo shares his thoughts on his first field visit after the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo: “The eastern DRC near Virunga National Park went through some rough times due to the recent war. Consequently, field visits have been very limited. I am happy that I can now travel...
Brazil: Land reform or deforestation boost for the Amazon?
Brazilian president Lula da Silva has a controversial bill that will legitimize land-grabbing in the Amazon prior to 2004 on his hands. Will the law help the forest escape further deforestation or is it going to benefit land owners only, and be the last straw for an Amazon rain forest already on its way to destruction?
Dominica: Going Green?
“It’s obvious that business as usual, handouts as usual and corruption as usual in our nature isle is not getting us where we want to go”: Dominica Weekly sees merit in talk of a “green economy” for the island.
U.S. Virgin Islands: Mild Season?
News of St. John links to a report which suggests that “the hurricane season which began Monday may be quite mild in the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
Taiwan: Hiking to Jialuo Lake
Jialuo Lake is at 2,300 metres altitude in the mountains of Northern Taiwan. Stu Dawson and Neil Wade blogged about hiking to the lake with many photos revealing the beauty of the area.
Nepal: Energy Matters
Nepali Perspectives…. discusses the current situation of the energy Industry in Nepal and its perils and potentials.
Barbados, Haiti: Hurricane Season 2009
Barbadian Pull! Push! and Haiti Innovation rue the arrival of the 2009 hurricane season.
Yemen: Humans Vs Baboons
From Yemen, Omar Barsawad takes a closer look at a colony of baboons living in the valley of Hadhramout, near Seiyoun, and notes: “Humans consider baboons – pests; we always overlook the fact that it is us, humans, who are the most destructive and most dangerous here on earth.”
Ukraine: Abandoned Village in Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
Chernobyl and Eastern Europe posts a video of an abandoned village in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
Haiti, D.R.: Tensions Erupt
“Tensions along the Haitian-Dominican border often revolve around environmental issues,” writes Repeating Islands, adding: “This was once again the scenario…as violence erupted in northwestern Dominican Republic after authorities destroyed plots planted with fruits and vegetables by Haitians on Dominican protected land.”
