Environment

Thursday, May 30th 2019 - 09:59 UTC
Bill to weaken environmental protection of the Amazon forest fails in Brazilian congress

An attempt by Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and lawmakers backed by big agriculture to weaken environmental laws protecting the Amazon forest and other biomes has failed, as Congress will not vote into law a decree that weakened existing legislation.
Thursday, May 30th 2019 - 09:44 UTC
Bull shark attacks in French Pacific Overseas Territory

A fisherman has been killed by a bull shark in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, police said, days after a boy had his leg bitten off in another shark attack.
Thursday, May 30th 2019 - 08:37 UTC
Australia's drought conditions to persist for at least three months, forcing wheat import

Hot, dry weather will persist across Australia's east coast for at least another three months, the country's weather bureau said on Thursday, in a forecast that threatens to severely crimp agricultural production.
Monday, May 27th 2019 - 20:48 UTC
UN: Global Action Plan to boost family farming and achieve zero hunger

Family farmers have an important role in the global fight to end hunger and promote a healthy diet, according to the President of the United Nations General Assembly, María Fernanda Espinosa. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) states that, in a context in which almost one million plants and animal species are endangered by the impact of man, traditional agriculture can make a contribution essential to safeguard agricultural biodiversity.
Sunday, May 26th 2019 - 10:26 UTC
Peru: magnitude of 8.0 struck the Amazon jungle

LIMA, Peru (AP) — A large earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 8.0 struck the Amazon jungle in north-central Peru early Sunday, the U.S. Geological survey reported.
Thursday, May 23rd 2019 - 08:59 UTC
England's to ban plastic straws, cotton buds and drink stirrers by April 2020

Plastic straws, drinks stirrers, and plastic-stemmed cotton buds will be banned in England from April 2020, British Environment Secretary Michael Gove said on Wednesday.
Thursday, May 23rd 2019 - 06:30 UTC
May 20 has become Bee Day in recognition for this outstanding pollinator

For centuries, bees have labored the world’s fields without gaining much recognition for their contributions to food production and biodiversity. Pollinators such as bees, birds and bats, affect 35% of the world's crop production, increasing outputs of 87 of the leading food crops worldwide, plus many plant-derived medicines.
Tuesday, May 21st 2019 - 12:36 UTC
Brazil changes mind and will host the UN regional Climate Week in Salvador next August

Under pressure from a key political ally, Brazil’s ministry of environment said it will now host the United Nations' Latin America and the Caribbean Climate Week in Salvador in August. In a statement published on Sunday, the ministry said it had changed its mind about cancelling the event after talks with the mayor of Salvador Antonio Carlos Magalhães Neto.
Tuesday, May 21st 2019 - 09:58 UTC
Global sea levels rising higher than forecasted because of ice melting in Greenland and Antarctica

Scientists believe that global sea levels could rise far more than predicted, due to accelerating melting in Greenland and Antarctica, The long-held view has been that the world's seas would rise by a maximum of just under a meter by 2100.
Saturday, May 18th 2019 - 07:59 UTC
Smog disaster in Mexico City, all residents “smoking” half a pack of cigarettes a day

Scientists say breathing the heavily polluted air in Mexico City these days is like smoking somewhere between a quarter-and a half-pack of cigarettes a day.