Category: Archive

IATA Gives Cautious Welcome To EU Emissions Trading Plan

admin /24 December, 2006

IATA said the EU would allow carriers to trade emissions with other sectors of industry, instead of segregating airlines from the other players in emissions trading.

by Space Mart Staff Writers
The top international airline association on Wednesday gave a cautious welcome to the European Commission’s plans to set carbon dioxide emission quotas for the industry from 2011. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which groups more than 260 airlines, said it supported the step under certain conditions, but expressed qualms about the inclusion of non-European carriers from 2012.

"We support emissions trading as one of a package of measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions," said IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani in a statement.

 

Boston enforces green buildings

admin /24 December, 2006

 Hooray, Boston: The city is soon expected to require that all new construction projects of 50,000 square feet or more meet green building standards. Projects will be required to follow at least 26 of about 70 suggestions for green design and construction, similar to the U.S. Green Building Council’s minimum LEED standards. Buildings will not Continue Reading →

Bush “Developing Illegal Bioterror Weapons” for Offensive Use

admin /22 December, 2006

    By Sherwood Ross
    t r u t h o u t | Guest Contributor

    In violation of the US Code and international law, the Bush administration is spending more money (in inflation-adjusted dollars) to develop illegal, offensive germ warfare than the $2 billion spent in World War II on the Manhattan Project to make the atomic bomb.

    So says Francis Boyle, the professor of international law who drafted the Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989 enacted by Congress. He states the Pentagon "is now gearing up to fight and ‘win’ biological warfare" pursuant to two Bush national strategy directives adopted "without public knowledge and review" in 2002.

    The Pentagon’s Chemical and Biological Defense Program was revised in 2003 to implement those directives, endorsing "first-use" strike of chemical and biological weapons (CBW) in war, says Boyle, who teaches at the University of Illinois, Champaign.

Indian islands disappear under rising seas

admin /21 December, 2006

ABC Online By South Asia correspondent Peter Lloyd Two islands off the Indian subcontinent seem to have disappeared. Scientists believe it is more evidence of the impact of rising sea levels caused by global warming. For six years scientists based in Kolkata have been examining the impact of climate change on the islands of the Continue Reading →

Greens Brown Damns Environment Bill

admin /20 December, 2006

Bob Brown, leader of the Federal Greens Party told the Federal Senate "money-making, profiteering greedy businesses wanted this legislation to complement other legislation which punishes environmentalists". Brown spoke to the [The EPBC Bill] amendments, which he called "in effect an environmental inquisition, because it says that those people who want to stand for the environment are the ones who need to be punished. In recent weeks we have seen them in Tasmania being carted off by the dozen in paddy wagons for defending the natural amenity in this country which we as elected representatives should be defending".

 

Evangelical Christians split over climate change

admin /20 December, 2006

In July, Rev. Joel Hunter was named president-elect of the Christian Coalition of America, the legendary political advocacy organization founded by Pat Robertson. Rev. Joel Hunter. Last month, just before he was to formally take office, he abruptly stepped down after a meeting with the coalition’s board of directors. According to Hunter, it became clear Continue Reading →