Tag Archives: pollution

Foreign

Reclaimed city in southern Malaysia triggers ecology fears

MEGA-DEVELOPMENT. This picture taken on April 19, 2016 shows the scale model of development at Forest-City on one of the man-made islands on the Malaysian side of the Straits of Johor. Roslan Rahman/AFP

A planned multi-billion-dollar new city near Singapore is attracting interest from investors with promises of luxury living but there are questions over its future

JOHOR BAHRU, Malaysia (July 31, 2016) — A planned multi-billion-dollar new city near Singapore is attracting interest from investors with promises of luxury living but there are questions over its future owing to China’s economic woes and warnings of environmental catastrophe.  Continue reading Reclaimed city in southern Malaysia triggers ecology fears →

Foreign

England’s plastic bag usage drops 85% since 5p charge introduced

Plastic bag floating underwater at Pulau Bunaken, Indonesia. Around 8m tonnes of plastic flows into the world’s oceans each year. Photograph: Paul Kennedy/Getty Images

Number of single-use bags handed out dropped to 500m in first six months since charge, compared with 7bn the previous year

July 31, 2016 — The number of single-use plastic bags used by shoppers in England has plummeted by more than 85% after the introduction of a 5p charge last October, early figures suggest.  Continue reading England’s plastic bag usage drops 85% since 5p charge introduced →

Climate Change, Foreign

Shipping air pollution causing 24,000 deaths a year in East Asia

China, where Shanghai is the world’s busiest container port, will start demanding cleaner fuels for ships in coastal regions from 2019. Photograph: Toby Melville/REUTERS

Often overlooked compared to cars and factories that are far bigger causes of smog, ship traffic has more than doubled off East Asia since 2005

July 19, 2016 — A boom in shipping is aggravating air pollution in China and other nations in East Asia, causing thousands of deaths a year in a region with eight of the world’s 10 biggest container ports, scientists said on Monday.  Continue reading Shipping air pollution causing 24,000 deaths a year in East Asia →

Climate Change, Foreign

EU should approve UN climate deal in 2016, Segolene Royal

Pic: Petersberg Dialogue

France’s influential environment chief says she wants heads of state to agree on backing the Paris deal before the next UN summit in November

July 6, 2016 — The European Union could formally approve the UN’s new greenhouse gas slashing deal by the close of 2016, France environment minister Segolene Royal told a meeting of climate envoys on Monday.  Continue reading EU should approve UN climate deal in 2016, Segolene Royal →

Climate Change, Foreign

Great Barrier Reef, advisers call for cap on farm pollution

The Great Barrier Reef significantly more investment to improve water quality, government advisers say. Photograph: Matt Curnock/AFP/Getty Images

Taskforce head reportedly tells Queensland government ‘we’re stuffed with a capital S’ if water quality isn’t improved

May 25, 2016 — A cap on pollution from farms close to the Great Barrier Reef has been proposed by advisers to the Queensland government. Continue reading Great Barrier Reef, advisers call for cap on farm pollution →

Climate Change, Foreign

We know climate action starts with cities

‘Stronger cities are in every nation’s best interest.’ Photograph: Alamy

If we want to reduce emissions, cities are key. But they need to be empowered if they are to have an impact

May 5, 2016 — The Paris climate agreement, already signed by more than 175 countries, was successful in large part because national governments recognized cities’ progress in reducing carbon Continue reading We know climate action starts with cities →

Climate Change, Foreign

Climate change politics is blinding us to the devastating effects of dirty air

A rickshaw puller on a polluted a street in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Photograph: Zakir Hossain Chowdhury/Barcro
Governments are failing to address the links between air pollution and global warming. Doing so would save countless lives globally

March 7, 2016 — It is the greatest environmental hazard of the age. Nothing focuses our concern for the future more, divides rich and poor, exercises science, business, politicians, old and young. It is an Continue reading Climate change politics is blinding us to the devastating effects of dirty air →

Foreign

Chinese smog has silver lining for mask makers

HEALTH HAZARD. Students wearing face masks walk across the street in Shandong, China, amid heavy air pollution on December 24, 2015. File photo by AFP
The business climate improves for manufacturers of face masks, air purifiers, and pollution monitors

DONGLIU, China (Mar. 7, 2016) — The steel plants and cement factories scattered across China’s Shandong province have made it one of the most contaminated areas of the world’s biggest polluter. But for one company, that just makes the business climate better.

Continue reading Chinese smog has silver lining for mask makers →

Climate Change, Foreign

Emissions on the rise from Australia’s largest climate polluters

The Australian Conservation Foundation has called on the federal government to ‘close Australia’s coal-fired power stations in phases’. Photograph: Meredith O’Shea for the Guardian
Australian Conservation Foundation report shows a 3.2% jump in emissions by the country’s biggest polluters despite Coalition’s climate target claims

March 4, 2016 — Australia’s biggest climate polluters increased their emissions in the year to July 2015, according to the latest data from Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator.

Continue reading Emissions on the rise from Australia’s largest climate polluters →

Foreign

Climate activists threaten to shut down world’s major coal sites

The Ffos-y-fran opencast mine, near Merthyr Tydfil in south Wales, is about halfway through extracting 11m tonnes of coal. Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images
Reclaim the Power says it will use direct action at a dozen international sites in May, including the UK’s largest opencast coal mine in south Wales

March 1, 2016 — Climate activists will use direct action to try to shut down major fossil fuel sites across the world in May, including the UK’s largest opencast coal mine in south Wales.

Continue reading Climate activists threaten to shut down world’s major coal sites →