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ENVIRONMENTAL
NEWS
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004 September
2004
29 October 2004:
C h i n a
China Welcomes Russia's Ratification of Kyoto Protocol
China on Thursday welcomed the Russian parliament's recent approval of the Kyoto Protocol. At yesterday's routine news briefing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue hailed it a "step forward" for Russia to become a member of the protocol.
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Solving the Lijiang's Water Crisis
"The river flows like a blue ribbon, surrounded by jade hairpins," wrote Tang Dynasty poet Han Yu (768–824), of the Lijiang River in southwest China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The river flows through the famous forest of karst peaks of Guilin, scenery understandably referred to by locals and visitors alike as "the most beautiful in the world.”
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P h i l i p p i n e s
Group formed to save endangered turtle species in Isabela
SAN MARIANO, Isabela, Philippines -- Environment officials and residents here have formed a group to save the dwindling population of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) at the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park (NSMNP).
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27 October 2004:
C h i n a
Provinces
Vow to Clean up
Huaihe
A
State Council conference on pollution control, attended by Vice
Premier Zeng Peiyan,
was held over the weekend in
Bengbu,
Anhui
Province. Four provinces --
Jiangsu,
Anhui,
Shandong and
Henan
-- signed a pledge to the State Environmental Protection
Administration (SEPA) to cut pollution along the
Huaihe
River, according to the People's Daily.
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News
Action not empty words needed to clean up river
The State Environmental Protection Administration signed an agreement with four provinces along the Huaihe River in East China on Sunday.
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I n d o n e s i a
WWF discovers 160 types of birds in natural reserve in Indonesia
MANOKWARI (Indonesia) Oct 25 - Observers of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) have discovered some 160 types of birds at the Bintuni Bay Natural Reserve in Bintuni Bay district in Indonesia's West Papua province, the Indonesian news agency Antara said.
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P h i l i p p i n e s
Saving Anilao's coral reefs
MABINI, Batangas, Philippines -- Romy Trono, a scuba diver and dive instructor, has been in Batangas for almost 25 years. Yet until now he continues to be amazed at the rich marine life in the waters of Anilao and the Verde Passage in Mabini, Batangas.
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G e n e r a l / W o r l d
Shark net dilemma for whales in Australia
AUSTRALIAN bathers have become ensnared in an environmental tangle – the nets that protect them from sharks pose a threat to a growing whale population. Save the whales, cry some wildlife campaigners. Save the humans, counters the government.
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I M O
IMO urged to monitor ships’ sulfur content emissions
The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is calling on the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to monitor the worldwide average sulphur content of fuel once its Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships comes into force on May 19, 2005.
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25 October 2004:
P h i l i p
p i n e s
Of ‘Frankenfish’ and GM plants
One American company, Aqua Bountry, is
hoping to get the US government’s approval of its genetically
modified (GM) salmon as early as 2002. But they will have to wait
for a longer time as shown in a June 2004 study. When GM salmon,
engineered to be seven times bigger than their usual size were put
into tanks with limited food supply, pandemonium broke loose.
Whether swimming with other GM salmons or with natural salmons, the
"transgenic" salmons experienced reduced population or complete
extinction. Some of the frankenfish (the
word is taken from Frankenstein and fish) ate their rivals for
foods.
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News
22
October 2004:
C h i n a
Weather
Alarm Service Launched for Vessels in Bohai Sea
A weather alarm system for vessels in the
Bohai
Sea off the east China coast has been launched by the
Yantai Maritime Bureau in Shandong Province.
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News
W o r l d / G e n e r a l
Drama of shark feast scoops photo prize
The dramatic image of two sharks feasting on a “baitball”
of sardines has scooped the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the
Year award for 2004.
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News
21 October 2004:
M a l a y s i a
Abundant
life in Sematan swamp
KUCHING: A recent study on the impact of the mangrove forest logging
at the 1,735ha Sematan mangrove swamp,
the site of a crab-rearing project funded by the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), has found
an abundance of aquatic flora and fauna.
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News
P h i l i p p i n e s
Tilapia hatchery is ISO-certified
A high-tech tilapia hatchery in Lubao, Pampanga, has been conferred the ISO 9001:2000 certification as a tilapia multiplier and hatchery facility.
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Family and the population issue
'The most rational solution to our population-resource problem is to stabilize our population through family planning.'
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20 October 2004:
China
Clean-up
of Labuan oil slick continues, source yet unidentified
KOTA KINABALU Oct 19 - Efforts are continuing to contain and clean
up an oil slick on the west coast of
Labuan
as authorities attempt to pinpoint the source.
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News
Sediment Problem Eased at Three Gorges
The build-up of silt, a key problem threatening the huge Three Gorges Reservoir, the largest one of its kind on the Yangtze River, is under control.
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Endangered Species
Regulating trade to safeguard species
In spite of strong and calculated opposition against pro-conservation proposals, conservationists are generally satisfied that a recently concluded international agreement regulating trade in endangered species remains committed to its underlying mission.
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Scientists probe role of Southern Ocean as sponge for CO2
HOBART (Australia) Oct 19 - Australian and French scientists will begin new research into the role that the deep waters of the Southern Ocean play in absorbing the world's greenhouse gases, the mission leader said Tuesday.
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18 October 2004:
P h i l i p p i n e s
Saving the dugong
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Michael Defensor has ordered the DENR CARAGA Region to investigate reports of rampant slaughter of "dugongs" or sea cows in Surigao Del Sur.
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Pasar plants mangrove trees, then builds dike to protect them
First, they planted 2,000 mangrove trees. Now, they built a dike to protect the mangrove areas from the raging Camotes Sea in Eastern Visayas. That’s about how serious Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp. (PASAR) is in protecting the environment.
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Tree barks can clean industrial waste water
Don’t throw away those waste barks from industrial tree plantations.
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‘Simple but meaningful’ Fish Conservation Week starts today
The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) has toned down its activities for this year’s celebration of Fish Conservation Week in accordance with the call of President Arroyo for austerity.
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G e n e r a l / W o r l d
Great White Sharks, Others Win Global Protection
Big fish loomed large at the 13th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which closed this week in Bangkok, Thailand.
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E n d a n g e re d S p e c i e s
CITES takes action to promote sustainable wildlife management and combat illegal trade
Bangkok (VNA) - A two-week meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) ended on Thursday with decisions agreed to strengthen wildlife management, combat illegal trafficking and update rules for a wide range of plant and animal species.
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14 October 2004:
P h i l i p
p i n e s
Captured
Hawksbill sea turtles freed
LEBAK,
Sultan Kudarat - Two female Hawksbill
marine turtles locally known as "pawikan"
were rescued this week after they were captured by a resident here.
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News
Balabac as marine reserve
'One of the findings of the expedition was that the marine environment and the marine resources in the Balabac area are in a better condition compared to those in the southern Palawan mainland.'
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M a l a y s i a
Mangrove forest management centre proposed in Kuala Sepetang
TAIPING Oct 13 - A centre of excellence for the management of mangrove forests has been proposed to be built at the Matang mangrove forest, Kuala Sepetang near here.
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T h a i l a n d
ASEAN plans to wipe out cross-border trade in wildlife
BANGKOK Oct 13 - Member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed in principle to exchange information and to cooperate against cross-border trafficking of wildlife, the Thai News Agency (TNA) said in a report Wednesday.
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W o r l d / G e n e r a l
Damselfish Study May Help Improve Marine Reserves
In recent years scientific studies have shown that marine environments made off-limits to fishing fleets are a boon to the fish that swim there. The question is: What parts of the ocean are the best to close for the benefit of the fish and those who eat them?
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12 October 2004:
P h i l i p p i n e s
WWF, Palawan fishermen join hands to save marine turtles
Endangered marine turtles in Palawan are now enjoying a fighting chance at life, thanks to the efforts of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and committed local fishermen.
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To label, or not to label?
While food manufacturers in many developed countries are now
required to label genetically modified (GM) food products,
struggling economies like the Philippines have yet to put in place
labeling standards for food ingredients derived from modern
biotechnology because of the economic costs.
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News
V i e t N a m
Over 130 new species of animal discovered in central national park
Quang Binh (VNA) - More than 30 new species of amphibian reptiles and 100 species of fish have been discovered in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in central Quang Binh province.
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11 October 2004:
M a l a y s i a
Staying
safe at sea
Lifestyle continues the Survival Smarts series this week with safety
at sea. TEOH PEI SZE presents survival tips to keep your holiday a
pleasant memory.
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News
P h i l i p p i n e s
UNDP PUSHES FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE
An official of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) called on all sectors over the weekend to unite and help President Arroyo pursue their common goal of good governance.
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MUSLIM, CHRISTIAN VILLAGERS UNITE TO PROTECT ENVIRONMENT
Donning colorful and artistic costumes that reflect the rich mix of Muslim and Christian culture of residents here, teenage schoolchildren compete in the street dancing contest during the festivities held as tribute to the town's primary product, the yellow fin tuna, or tulinganl.
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DENR ISSUES NEW ORDER TO BOOST CBCFM
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued Administrative Order 23 on Aug. 25 to hasten the implementation of the community-based forest management (CBFM) program.
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Firming up a learning culture in fisherfolk communities
Sunny Saturday mornings find the young kids of Barangay Mambuquaio, Batan, Aklan inside their barangay hall, busy with their crayons and pencils. They go through their artwork for the day, and in a few minutes, submit it to Linda Bolivar, the volunteer parateacher-custodian of the Mambuquaio Barangay Learning Resource Center (BLRC) in Iloilo.
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G e n e r a l / W o r l d
Putin sends Kyoto treaty to parliament for approval
MOSCOW (AFP) (AP) - President Vladimir Putin sent the Kyoto treaty for approval to Russia's parliament, moving the UN's global warming pact a step closer to implementation.
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08 October 2004:
A s i a
ASIAN SNAKEHEAD THREATENS US RIVER WILDLIFE
WASHINGTON - US scientists are worried that the presence of fish-gobbling Asian snakeheads in the Potomac River could adversely affect the local wildlife living in the river that flows through the US capital.
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07 October 2004:
J a p a n
JAPAN CONFIDENT OF CITES WHALE VOTE
BANGKOK.- Japan is confident it can secure the votes needed to
resume commercial trade in whale products and that this would be a
step toward lifting a ban on hunting the marine giants, a Japanese
official said on Wednesday.
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News
M a l a y s i a
SARAWAK GETS JAPANESE HELP TO REHABILITATE LAND
MIRI: Sarawak will rely on Japanese experts to rehabilitate land and groundwater resources that have been polluted by decades of indiscriminate waste dumping.
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LAND DEVELOPMENT THREATENS MANGROVE FORESTS
IPOH Oct 6 - Conservation of mangrove forests in many parts of the world have been threatened by increasing competitive demands for land development, a national conference on sustainable management of mangroves here was told Wednesday.
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FIRE-FLY SANCTUARY IN KUALA SEPETANG OPENS TO PUBLIC ON OCTOBER 14
IPOH - The fire-fly sanctuary at the Matang mangrove forest in Kuala Sepetang, near Taiping, will be opened to the public on Oct 14, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali said.
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P h i l i p p i n e s
ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OUR society these days is striving to attain improved living standards and improved quality of life among the majority of rural Filipinos, making up 52 percent of the total population. However, in general this goal has thus far eluded community developers, despite remarkable gains in few instances.
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06 October 2004:
C h i n a
CHINA WARNS OF 'ECOLOGICAL CATASTROPHE' FROM TIBET'S MELTING GLACIERS
BEIJING Oct 5 - An ``ecological catastrophe'' is developing in Tibet because of global warming, and most glaciers in the region could have melted away by 2100 if no efficient measures are taken, state media said Tuesday.
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M a l a y s i a
WHO UPDATES GUIDELINES FOR DRINKING WATER TO PREVENT DISEASES
KUALA LUMPUR Oct 5 - The World Health
Organsiation (WHO) has released recently updated Guidelines
for Drinking Water Quality (GDWQ) to help regulators and water
service providers maintain and improve the quality of their drinking
water.
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News
M
a l a y s i a - T h a
i l a n d
KL
TO WORK WITH BANGKOK ON ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE
BANGKOK:
Malaysia will work with Thailand to spearhead the establishment of a
regional enforcement network to combat the illegal wildlife trade
that is threatening the survival of plants and wild animals.
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News
E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i e s
EU OPPOSES WHALING, UNDECIDED ON IVORY AT CITES
BANGKOK Oct 5 - The European Union looked set on Tuesday to harpoon a Japanese bid to resume commercial trade in whale products, but has yet to take a stand on a Namibian attempt to loosen restrictions on ivory sales.
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IN "SHARK TALE" AND REAL SEAS, LIFE IS HARD
The underwater Manhattan depicted in the animated movie Shark Tale, with its skyscrapers and trendy restaurants, may exist only on the silver screen.
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EU TO PUSH FOR PROTECTION OF MARINE SPECIES
The European Union wants tighter trade restrictions on some marine species, but remains undecided about Namibia's proposal to ease rules on ivory sales, officials said on Tuesday.
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05 October 2004:
C h i n a
VOLUNTEERS KEY TO KEEPING THE NATION GREEN
The Chinese have become increasingly concerned about the environment as the country continues on its fast-track path of economic and social development.
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ENVIRONMENT PLEDGE OF GAMES ON TRACK
Beijing organizers have been putting all their efforts together to fulfill the capital's pledge to make the 2008 Olympic Games green.
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GOING FOR 'GREEN'
The word "green" has become one of the most oft-used adjectives in the Chinese media these days.
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04 October 2004:
C h i n a
RARE
LITTLE HORSES RETURN TO WILD
A
near extinct prehistoric breed of horse -- the
Przewalski -- will again roam in northwest China's
Gansu
Province.
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News
POLLUTED RIVER CREATES 'CANCER-STRICKEN' VILLAGES
At least 20 villages along the middle reaches of Shaying River, the largest branch of China's most-heavily polluted Huaihe River, have been plagued by cancer for more than ten years.
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AWARD WINNER PUSH PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
Students of the Qingshan Primary School in the Zunyi County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, might not have had a good idea of what environmental protection is.
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J a p a n
KYOTO PACT LEAVES JAPAN WITH LONG TO-DO LIST
The Kyoto Protocol, which requires industrial nations to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, is likely to go into effect without the United States ratifying it.
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P h i l i p p i n e s
A 'FISHFUL' HOMECOMING
Forty years ago, the fishers of Barangay Segapod, Maigo, Lanao del Norte could catch as much as 60 kilos a day by using simple fishhook or hand line fishing gear. Back then, a total of 42 species of fish could be found in the Pontoron Reefs. By the 1980s, many of these species vanished as a result of illegal and destructive fishing practices.
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MARINE BIODIVERSITY AND MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY: A PHILIPPINE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
The field of marine biotechnology is now recognized worldwide as an emerging and promising area of scientific research and development. The marine environment is considered the world’s last frontier in the search for novel drugs from nature for serious human diseases such as cancer, AIDS and drug-resistant infections. Several leading universities in technologically advanced countries are engaged in marine bioprospecting with support from their governments. Their aim is to discover and characterize novel bioactive compounds and to develop and produce these as useful drugs through biotechnology. The ultimate challenge of marine biotechnology consists of utilizing and translating into economic value the rich resources of the seas.
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T h a i l a n d
COUNTRIES TO DISCUSS RULES ON WILDLIFE TRADE
BANGKOK - The future of dozens of endangered species, from the great white shark to elephants and medicinal trees, will be decided at an international conference on wildlife trade that kicks off here today.
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ASEAN NETWORK TO FIGHT WILDLIFE TRADE
IN A move welcomed by dozens of conservation organizations and governments, Thailand yesterday proposed a new South-east Asian regional law enforcement network to combat illegal wildlife trade.
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