Environment

• Monday, July 16th 2012 - 23:55 UTC

  Drought stretching across US threatens economies of farming states and food prices

  

  A worst-in-a-generation drought from stretching across the United States is damaging crops and rural economies and threatening to drive food prices to record levels. Agriculture, though a small part (1.2%) of the 15.5 trillion dollars US economy, had been one of the most resilient industries in the past three years as the country struggled to recover from the recession.

• Saturday, July 14th 2012 - 07:30 UTC

  Humboldt penguins threatened by eggs and chicks eating rats

  

  Humboldt penguins are threatened by inexorable man and …rats. Invading rats with bodies up to 20 centimetres long have begun eating eggs and chicks, and some experts fear that unless the rats are eradicated, they could tip the Humboldt penguin toward extinction.

• Saturday, July 14th 2012 - 00:54 UTC

  More than 500 penguins found dead of beaches of south Brazil

  

  More than 500 penguins have been found dead on beaches of Brazil's southern Rio Grande do Sul state, authorities said Friday.

• Saturday, July 14th 2012 - 00:26 UTC

  Brazil’s 2012/13 soybean crop in place to dispute the US supremacy

  

  Next season, 2012/13 Brazilian soybean growers could be in place to jump from the world's No. 2 producer and dispute the US first place. Brazil's 2012-13 soybean production is expected to rise 25% from this season’s drought-punished, to 83.1 million tons.

• Wednesday, July 11th 2012 - 22:09 UTC

  OECD/FAO anticipate promising future for farm-commodity prices

  

  World farm commodity prices will edge higher in the next decade, and oilseeds are set to outperform wheat and other cereals, both trends fuelled by demand in emerging economies, the OECD said on Wednesday, presenting a joint report with the UN's food agency FAO.

• Tuesday, July 10th 2012 - 21:53 UTC

  IAATO helps with checklists for assessing Antarctic land bases and yachting expeditions

  

  Safe and environmentally responsible travel to the Antarctic featured prominently in the official press communiqué issued at the 35th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM XXXV), which concluded June 20 in Hobart, Australia. The meeting was held in conjunction with the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP XV).

• Saturday, July 7th 2012 - 01:11 UTC

  “Collusion” much to do with Japan’s Fukushima nuclear crisis, says expert panel

  

  Japan's Fukushima nuclear crisis was a preventable disaster resulting from “collusion” among the government, regulators and the plant operator, an expert panel said, wrapping up an inquiry into the worst nuclear accident in 25 years.

• Friday, July 6th 2012 - 15:59 UTC

  Falklands’ farms helped with wool prices rapidly moving to wind energy

  

  Electricity generated from wind is spreading across the Falkland Islands with two large farms Goose Green and Fitzroy preparing to be the next to have turbines, inverters and batteries installed.

• Wednesday, July 4th 2012 - 22:13 UTC

  South Korea announces plans to start whaling for “scientific research”

  

  South Korea said on Wednesday that it planned to start whaling through a loophole that allows the killing of whales for scientific research, following the lead of Japan's controversial expeditions.

• Wednesday, July 4th 2012 - 18:37 UTC

  Argentine high court ruling delays mining in glacier and peri-glacier areas

  

  Canadian mining giant Barrick Gold Corp. suffered a legal setback on Tuesday as Argentina's Supreme Court reversed preliminary injunctions that have blocked key parts of a glacier protection law.