Environment

Wednesday, May 6th 2020 - 09:39 UTC
US West Coast bees threatened by the predatory Asian giant “murder hornet”

Hundreds of Asian giant hornets – an invasive, predatory insect dubbed the “murder hornet” – have turned up in Washington state near the Canadian border, where they pose a threat to humans and the beekeeping industry, state agriculture officials said.
Saturday, May 2nd 2020 - 07:02 UTC
Marked increase of forest fires in Bolivia, claim environmentalists

Environmentalists in Bolivia warned of a marked increase in forest fires this year that threatens a repeat of the environmental disaster that ravaged much of the Amazon in 2019.
Bolivia registered 15,354 forest fires in the first four months of the year - a 35% increase on the same period last year, the Friends of Nature Foundation (FAN) said.
Friday, May 1st 2020 - 07:18 UTC
Falklands: Stanley airport again winter home for BAS aircraft

Aeroplane spotters in the Falklands will once again have the opportunity to temporarily witness the once familiar sight of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Twin Otter sitting on the Stanley Airport tarmac.
Thursday, April 30th 2020 - 07:55 UTC
Plastic pollution continues to reach sub-Antarctic islands

Food wrapping, fishing gear and plastic waste continue to reach the Antarctic. Two new studies into how plastic debris is reaching sub-Antarctic islands are published in the journal Environment International.
Thursday, April 30th 2020 - 07:37 UTC
Brazilian Vice President says army will be deployed to fight Amazon deforestation and fires

Brazil plans to deploy its armed forces to fight deforestation and fires in the Amazon jungle, Vice President Hamilton Mourão said on Wednesday; in an effort to protect the world’s largest rainforest where destruction has surged since last year.
Wednesday, April 29th 2020 - 09:36 UTC
Ozone layer hole over the Arctic has closed and has been linked to Europe's warmest winter

The largest hole ever observed in the ozone layer over the Arctic has closed, says Copernicus' Atmospheric Monitoring Service. Scientists spotted signs in late March of a rare hole forming and it was thought to be the result of low temperatures at the north pole.
Tuesday, April 28th 2020 - 15:35 UTC
New research shows sustainable fishing and conservation can coexist

By surfbirds (*) – Our oceans are in trouble. Globally, poor fishing practices are directly damaging to marine wildlife, and overfishing can deplete food resources for animals such as seabirds and seals. However, research by BirdLife's Marine Program, in association with scientists from the British Antarctic Survey, (BAS) and the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK), shows that under current climate conditions, sustainable fisheries can exist alongside conservation measures for seabirds and seals in a well-managed Marine Protected Area.
Tuesday, April 28th 2020 - 08:17 UTC
Antarctica's Rothera new wharf becomes operational and is waiting for RRS Sir David Attenborough

A new £40 million wharf to moor the RRS Sir David Attenborough has been used by polar ships for the first time at British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera Research Station in Antarctica to transport staff and materials back to the UK.
Tuesday, April 28th 2020 - 08:03 UTC
Argentina's EEZ “flooded” by Chinese jiggers catching tons of squid

The Association of Argentine Fishing Industry Chambers has sent an urgent open letter to president Alberto Fernandez complaining about the illegal activity of almost a hundred foreign jiggers in the country's EEZ.
Monday, April 27th 2020 - 07:29 UTC
Russia building 69,700-ton nuclear powered icebreakers to keep the Northern Sea Route navigable year round

Russia pushes ahead with plans to ensure year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route. The Leader-class icebreaker also referred to as LK-120Ya, will be twice as powerful as the country’s current nuclear icebreakers.