Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Bush pushes Artic drilling, strangulated biodiversity research, green plasma TVs and much more....

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Tuesday, February 5, 2008
News of Note

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration on Monday again asked Congress to allow oil and natural gas drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, saying $7 billion could be raised in leasing fees from energy companies.

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NEW DELHI - A group of Indian botanists say that the country's stringent biodiversity laws are stifling research.

In an article in the latest issue of Current Science (25 January), published by the Indian Academy of Sciences, the scientists say India's "draconian" rules on free exchange of biological samples could "totally isolate Indian biodiversity researchers and is akin to a self-imposed siege on scientists in the country".

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - President George W. Bush should not have exempted the Navy from obeying laws intended to protect endangered whales and other marine mammals by curbing the use of sonar off the California coast, a federal judge ruled on Monday.

AMAGASAKI, Japan (Reuters) - Panasonic maker Matsushita said it planned to start selling plasma TVs next year that consume half as much power as its current models.

Agriculture is possibly the most important sector of global activity. It is a source of foods, fibers and, increasingly, fuel. It provides livelihoods and subsistence for the largest number of people worldwide. It is vital to rural development and therefore critical to poverty alleviation. Up to 40% of the land’s surface is used for agriculture, along with 70% of the world’s fresh water supply. Today, agriculture accounts for 38.7% of total global employment.

Population growth and increasing affluence in some countries are increasing demand for food and changing the types of food in demand — from grain to meat, for example, a change that requires more farmland. More land is being used to grow fuel crops, and climate change and water scarcity are compromising the ability of agricultural lands to deliver quality produce.

ENN Spotlight

Every two years, the California Energy Commission (CEC) releases an Integrated Energy Policy Report in which it makes recommendations for energy policy in the state, including changes to Title 24, the energy efficiency portion of the building codes. In its 2007 report, CEC recommends adjusting Title 24 to require net-zero-energy performance in residential buildings by 2020 and in commercial buildings by 2030. According to Panama Bartholomy of CEC, the commission does not need new legislation to incorporate these goals and is already moving to put them in place.

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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Planes made in the European Union from 2015 may be quieter and less polluting thanks to a 1.6 billion euro ($2.4 billion) research project launched by the EU Commission and the aeronautics industry on Tuesday.

Aerospace firms will pool research to develop technology that cuts noise around airports and build engines that use less energy and can run on alternative fuels.

Natural flyers like birds, bats and insects outperform man-made aircraft in aerobatics and efficiency. University of Michigan engineers are studying these animals as a step toward designing flapping-wing planes with wingspans smaller than a deck of playing cards.

The new U.S. Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), signed into law last month as part of the revised Energy Bill, sets high goals for the U.S. biofuels industry. It calls for the production of 36 billion gallons of biofuels—mainly ethanol and biodiesel—annually by 2022, with 21 billion gallons coming from so-called “advanced biofuels,” which can be produced using a variety of new feedstocks and technologies. Of this, roughly 16 billion gallons is expected to be from “cellulosic biofuels,” derived from plant sources such as trees and grasses.

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By: International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement
BBC World presents "The Ivory Poaching Wars," an Earth Report documentary that tracks illegally poached elephant ivory on its journey from Africa to Japan and the United States, with the help of an African enforcement agency and DNA analysts from the United States. By: Essential Environmental Products International
Former MLB, World Series winner Darrell Evans is fed up with the current MLB steroid scandal. Darrell is committed to use his popularity and those of his retired colleagues to promote environmental issues and at the same time improve the image of Major League Baseball players everywhere. By: the RAND Corporation
Across the country most cities, regions, and states have recognized that they must begin to address the impacts of climate change. But the speed and seriousness of these climate impacts facing each region of the country remains deeply uncertain, complicating the ability of governments at all levels to respond to the challenge. By: Stockholm International Water Institute
To help improve living conditions for the 2.6 billion that live without access to adequate sanitation, the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) announced its intentions to increase its efforts on sanitation issues during the upcoming UN International Year of Sanitation. For example, the 2008 World Water Week in Stockholm "Progress and Prospects on Water: For A Clean and Healthy World," organised by SIWI in August 2008, will include a special focus on sanitation. By: Environmental Law Institute
Left alone, Brownfields are a cost to society. They can drain the economy, pose/present safety and environmental challenges and blight community health and vitality. On the other hand, Brownfields Redevelopment can stimulate the economy, eliminate risk to our health and environment, and revitalize communities. Florida continues to lead the country in this area. Over the past 3 days, significant progress has been achieved to advance this urgent need for community revitalization. This progress is the result of a series of unique events-outlined below-that serve the common goal of community development and improved public health. By: the Center for Biological Diversity
In response to information about a mysterious illness that has been associated with the deaths of more than 8,000 bats, on Tuesday conservation groups asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to close all bat hibernation sites and withdraw all federal permits to "take" - that is, harm or kill - imperiled bats until the cause of the deaths is understood. One species of bat that is at risk is the endangered Indiana bat. By: National Wildlife Federation
More than 600 prominent scientists from across the United States are calling on Congress to pass legislation that will curb America's global warming pollution and help protect wildlife and other natural resources threatened by global warming. Spearheaded by some of America's greatest scientific minds, including Harvard Professor E.O. Wilson, Thomas Lovejoy, Paul Ehrlich and Camille Parmesan, the scientists have sent a letter to Congress urging action. By: The Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced today the protection of 600 acres along the southern flank of Ute Mountain. The property is located just south of the 14,000-acre Ute Mountain parcel conserved by TPL and the BLM in 2005. It was the last private parcel within a 42 square mile area in and around Ute Mountain. This acquisition completes the protection of one of New Mexico's most notable landscapes, ensuring the spectacular views and recreational opportunities remain for generations to come. The property will be managed by the BLM for recreation and wildlife habitat.

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