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The Environment Agency's first three and a half years have not been as successful as hoped, concludes a Parliamentary select committee. The committee's report implicitly backs up 'green' groups' criticisms of the EA's first chairman, Lord de Ramsey, who retired last year.
The international Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) has taken place banning the production, import, export, disposal, and use of the most toxic chemicals ever created.
A leading Australian environmentalist has argued that Australia - which has one of the highest per capita carbon emission rates in the world - should ratify the Kyoto Protocol because this would enable the country to take the international lead on carbon emissions reduction and put it into a stronger position to press for concessions on carbon sinks.
European news briefs
Potential loopholes in the Kyoto Protocol could allow the US to profit from the treaty by selling surplus carbon emissions credits to other industrial nations, an Australian environmentalist has warned. He adds that moves to exploit the loophole could lead to the treaty's collapse.
A group of US senators representing northeastern states have written to the US EPA urging the Agency to carry on with plans to control Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) from power stations in other regions and thereby reduce ozone levels.
The Australia Institute says that Australia is hoping to meet its Kyoto Protocol commitment on climate change by changing farming practices instead of reducing fossil fuel production and consumption.
Two senators are planning to introduce legislation that could reduce the effectiveness of US air pollution laws, environmentalists have warned.
Scotland's new Environment Minister has reaffirmed the Scottish Executive's commitment to sustainable development, and has congratulated local authorities on their commitment to the challenges of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, offering communities a further £275,000 to achieve sustainability.
Recent environmental disasters and threats to global fish stocks have lent a sense of urgency to the environmental policy work to be undertaken by the EC during 2000.
The US Supreme Court has ruled that an Environmental Protection Agency law requiring many states to reduce their air pollution drifting across stateliness can stay, defeating an action brought about by 50 utilities, eight states and industry groups.
Discussions on the environment between the G8 nations were considered a success for agreeing to finalise the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
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