Month: February 2001

Canada acts to prevent threat of water loss to Great Lakes

Canada’s government has introduced legislation to prevent bulk water removal from the Great Lakes, which face dropping levels.

Puerto Ricans allege abnormally high cancer rate due to military testing

Residents of a Puerto Rican island say that years of US Navy tests has led to cancer rates 52% above the norm.

European bank loans for Palestinian water project are misguided, say NGOs

A West Bank water extraction project designed to aid the peace process could sacrifice long-term environmental sustainability in the region in return for short-term political gain, according to an independent study published on 5 February.

Italy presents ambitious plans for the environment and criticises failure to act on global warming.

The Italian environment minister has proposed ambitious new targets in his report on the state of the environment but warned of increasing flood risks from global warming.

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Environment Agency should hand navigation authority functions to British Waterways, says waterway user group

Britain’s largest waterway user group has put its weight behind British Waterways as the sole waterways navigation management body, a move that would remove such responsibilities from the Environment Agency.

Research team discovers new large mammal species in China

A Chinese-British expedition has discovered a new species of two-humped camel living in the sand dunes on the edge of the Tibetan mountains, which can survive on salt water.

Thirty percent of third world pesticides pose serious health and environmental threat

Two United Nations agencies have warned that around 30% of pesticides marketed in developing countries “are posing a serious threat to human health and the environment”, and called for legally-enforced specifications on production and use internationally.

Guyanese group accuses mining company of polluting pristine rainforest

Residents and workers in one of the world’s most intact and biologically diverse areas accuse a Canadian mining group of knowingly releasing cyanide into the main water source.

New computer system aids biosolid disposal

A new computerised mapping and recording system should help water companies and waste management contractors to meet their legal obligations when spreading biosolids on land.

New Philippine president announces tough measures to crackdown on rubbish crisis

The Philippines new president made the country’s chronic refuse problem the object of her first legislation, requiring local authorities to reduce waste disposal by 25% over five years.

United Nations warns that melting permafrost may accelerate global warming.

Global warming could be set to accelerate as rising temperatures in the Arctic melt the permafrost, causing it to release massive amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.