Category: Archive

Japan chokes on China’s smog

admin /1 September, 2007

Story by Chisa Fujioka – REUTERS

TOKYO – Smog is menacing Japanese cities for the first time in 30 years and cropping up in rural areas for the first time ever, alarming the government and prompting experts to point the finger at neighbouring China. Warnings for high levels of hazardous smog have been issued in a record 28 prefectures so far this year, from sparsely populated isles in southern Japan to Niigata, western Japan, where 350 people have suffered stinging eyes and throats.

Beijing reduces traffic to clear air

admin /1 September, 2007

See the effects of Beijing’s traffic trial on one busy road Enlarge Image

A four-day scheme that took 1.3 million cars off Beijing’s streets reduced air pollution by 15-20%, officials in the Chinese capital say.

Moving around the city was also easier during the test period, with the speed of vehicles up by more than 50%.

Beijing hopes to repeat the scheme next year to cut both pollution and traffic when the city hosts the Olympic Games.

But officials ducked questions over whether the air quality was good enough for athletes taking part in the games.

Sydney desalination unnecessary

admin /1 September, 2007

Desalination plant is going to be dangerous and unnecessary

The cost of suspending the construction contract for the Kurnell desalination plant would be less than the damage done by completing and operating the water facility, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.

Dr Kaye said: “Even if the Iemma government had to pay 15% of the total contract value to put construction on hold, a one-off payment of $264 million would be cheaper than the on-going costs of paying for water we do not need, destruction of the Botany Bay seafloor species and the risk of disturbing the migration patterns of humpback whales.

“Sydney’s storages have risen to 58.8%. Another heavy downpour like the one we had in June would take us to 80%. Two such rain events and Warrangamba would be overflowing.

“Even without further rain, Sydney does not need desalination.  

Garrett calls for pulp mill

admin /1 September, 2007

AUSTRALIA needs a pulp mill, such as the one proposed for Tasmania, to make better use of logged forests, federal Opposition environment spokesman Peter Garrett says.

Mr Garrett, who has frequently been accused of selling out his environmental principles since becoming a Labor MP, said there was a shortage of Australian-made wood pulp products.

"It’s clear that we need to meet the issue of the deficit we have in finished paper and wood pulp products," he said on ABC radio.

"The only way we can do that is by value-adding and a world class best environment standards pulp mill would satisfy that aim."

He said it caused him no anguish or pain to support a pulp mill and that it still remained "critically important" to him to conserve high conservation value forests.

"But I can also see that we need to make better use of the forest resource that is accessible for that particular (commercial) purpose," he said.

Costello bans ethical boycotts

admin /30 August, 2007

16 August 2007

Australia’s competition and consumer watchdog will be able to launch court actions for damages on the behalf of small businesses against trade unions and community groups that engage in boycotts, under legislation introduced in Parliament.

Last night Treasurer Peter Costello said the Government had introduced legislation to strengthen the secondary boycott provisions of the Trade Practices Act, giving the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission unprecedented powers to stop boycott action by unions and other organisations, including community groups. It has been introduced jointly with Small Business minister Fran Bailey.

The legislation, if passed, would allow the ACCC to take court action and seek compensation for losses incurred by third parties affected by such boycotts, such as a potential customer or supplier.

Mr Costello said that the changes were designed to help small businesses that lacked the power and resources to take action.

Australian Greens leader Bob Brown has previously indicated he would oppose the changes, saying they stifle free speech and stop community groups from mounting boycotts in support of noble causes such as the environment and human rights.

As with previous measures by the federal government, a harsh new law has been introduced to deal with a single issue, this time against PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and its protests against the sheep industry its practice of mulesing – the removal of strips of wool-bearing wrinkle skin from around the tail of a sheep on farms where risk of flystrike is considered high.

It should be said that flystrike – or essentially a sheep being being eaten alive by maggots is a far worse fate for sheep than mulesing, and there is research being carried out to find alternatives.

PETA, while well-meaning, aren’t the most moderate group around, but this new law suggests that the federal government aren’t so moderate either.

The problem is that the bill creates real potential for scope creep, and in this case creates the potential to limit the ability of people to protest on ethical grounds on behalf of those who are the most voiceless amongst us – animals.

Iceland to suspend commercial whaling

admin /28 August, 2007

August 26, 2007 – 4:37PM The Government of Iceland wants to suspend commercial whaling, Fisheries Minister Einar Gudfinsson confirmed. He told radio RUV in Reykjavik that, as of the close of the current whaling season on September 1, Iceland would for the time being provide no new catch quotas in light of the absence of Continue Reading →