Environment

• Monday, February 21st 2011 - 17:11 UTC

  Pod of 107 pilot whales have died stranded on south New Zealand island

  

  A pod of 107 pilot whales stranded on New Zealand’s south island have died, including 48 killed by authorities, reports said Monday.

• Friday, February 18th 2011 - 23:47 UTC

  Massive decline of predatory fish in the last 100 years threatens ‘wild’ oceans

  

  Researchers at the University of British Columbia say they have the strongest evidence to date that humans are indeed “fishing down the food web,” citing data that show predatory fish such as cod, tuna, and groupers have declined by two-thirds during the past 100 years, while small forage fish such as sardines, anchovy and capelin have more than doubled over the same period.

• Friday, February 18th 2011 - 06:00 UTC

  Japan announces the end of its annual whale hunt in Antarctica

  

  Japan ended its annual whale hunt in Antarctica early following clashes between its fleet and protesters, Agriculture Minister Michihiko Kano said.

• Friday, February 18th 2011 - 04:17 UTC

  Ozone layer future recovery linked to climate change, says reports

  

  A report sponsored by the UN Environment Program finds that over the past decade, global ozone levels, and ozone levels in the Arctic and Antarctic regions are at a turnaround point -- no longer decreasing but not yet increasing.

• Wednesday, February 16th 2011 - 13:50 UTC

  Up to 10% of rice sold in Chinese markets tainted with heavy metals

  

  Recent research has concluded that 10% of the rice sold in China’s markets is likely to be tainted with heavy metals, but agricultural experts said the pollution is confined to particular regions and there is no call for panic.

• Wednesday, February 16th 2011 - 13:23 UTC

  Japan cuts short whaling season; Greenpeace says whale-meat market overstocked

  

  The Japanese whaling fleet has called an early end to its whaling season in Antarctica a move which conservationists tentatively say could spell an end to whaling in the Southern Ocean. But Greenpeace Japan said there were other reasons to halt “scientific whaling”.

• Wednesday, February 16th 2011 - 06:01 UTC

  Chevron will appeal 8.6 billion ‘extortive’ fine imposed by Ecuador judges

  

  US oil giant Chevron says it will appeal against an 8.6 billion US dollars fine imposed by Ecuador judges, carrying on a long-running row over pollution. Chevron's Kent Robertson told the BBC the case was an “extortion scheme”, and accused Ecuador's state-run firm of polluting the country's Amazon region.

• Tuesday, February 15th 2011 - 05:45 UTC

  Latinamerican countries call on Japan to cease “scientific whaling”

  

  Nine Latinamerican countries that make up the “Buenos Aires Group” have called on Japan to put an end to “scientific whaling” as vessels take off for the new hunting season in the Southern Hemisphere.

• Thursday, February 10th 2011 - 23:33 UTC

  FAO admits illegal fishing remains major threat; calls for a global record of fishing vessels

  

  Countries are making progress in implementing the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, which is now 15 years old, but still extremely relevant. However, additional efforts are needed, declared participants at the close of the 29th session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries.

• Thursday, February 10th 2011 - 02:58 UTC

  Wind farms programmed to supply 25% of Uruguay electricity grid

  

  Uruguay intends to develop as many wind farms as its electricity grid can support, effectively diversifying its energy supply beyond hydropower and fossil fuels. At present, the country is in the process of installing 500MW of wind power projects.