click it… (polluter to pay in China, ocean monitoring, palm oil, Russian tanker regs)
- Filed Under: Uncategorized
- Date: Mon, Nov 26, 2007
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Polluter Pays Principle Taking Hold in China: The Chinese government has announced that, in order to address mounting air and water pollution caused by a rapidly industrializing economy, polluter pays principles will be instituted. A new five-year plan targets major reductions of sulfur and greenhouse gas emissions, clean-up of polluted lakes and rivers, and recycling of solid waste and runoff. Past Chinese plans have included similar goals, but the measures could not keep pace with the changing economy. The new plan spells out that the government wants to tie environmental goals to policy measures that may hit polluters through tougher fines and revenue restrictions. |
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We Need More Ocean Science! The Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans says warming seas, over-fishing and pollution are among profound concerns that must be better measured to help society respond in a well-informed, timely and cost-effective way. The cost of an adequate initial system would require a further investment roughly estimated at $2-3 billion. Tagging of marine animals was identified as one important component of the necessary research. Already, as part of the international Census of Marine Life (CoML), approximately 2,000 marine animals that journey into the open, deep ocean have been tagged by project TOPP (Tagging of Pacific Palagics). The data from TOPP has revealed biodiversity hotspots, nurseries, and migratory routes that need protection and also describe the physical state of the areas of the oceans the animals inhabit. The 22 species tagged include elephant seals, white sharks, leatherback turtles, squid, albatross and sooty shearwaters. |
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Green Washing Palm Oil? A Palm Oil certification system is set to be unveiled in Kuala Lumpur this week at a meeting of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, which includes producers, consumers and some environmental groups. Palm oil, which is used in cosmetics, junk food, and an emerging bio-fuel market, is of concern since rainforests, peat and mangrove forests are under pressures from expanding palm oil plantations. Malaysia and Indonesia, home to more than 4 percent of the world’s rainforests, produce nearly 85 percent of global palm oil. Friends of the Earth is expressing concern that in Malaysian and Indonesian governments may use the roundtable as an excuse not to undertake strong legislation to protect their environments and the rights of indigenous people. |
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Russia Clamps Down on Shipping in Aftermath of Major Spill: A major Russian oil spill that occured earlier this month is changing the way Russia regulates shipping. The spill was caused during a storm, which broke a tanker and sank at least four freighters earlier in November while crippling other vessels in the narrow Kerch Straight between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The tanker wreck caused a fuel oil spill, which the Russian environment watchdog said has killed dolphins and thousands of birds and fish after polluting a 50-km (30-mile) stretch of Black Sea coastline.
Russia will limit oil products shipments by river in 2008, after the fuel oil spill which is estimated to have caused damage estimated at $267 million. A source in the transport ministry said the government had already ordered the closure of the river navigation season in the south of Russia on November 22, 10 days earlier than planned. It also banned river barges older than 25 years from entering the open sea. Shipping executives said they suspected the limits on river barges over 25 years old would ruin the industry as it would cut flows of oil products by rivers by 70-80 percent from the current 5 million tons. |
