Environment

• Wednesday, June 9th 2010 - 06:08 UTC

  Obama looking for “whose ass to kick” in the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill

  

  In his angriest words yet after being widely criticized for his response to the Gulf oil spill, President Barack Obama said he was talking to experts because he wants to know “whose ass to kick.”

• Tuesday, June 8th 2010 - 05:42 UTC

  World Ocean Day 2010: opportunities and challenges

  

  The United Nations Organization (UN) celebrates on Tuesday 8 June World Ocean Day under the theme: 'Our oceans: opportunities and challenges'. The UN General Assembly instituted this celebration from 2009, by its resolution 63/111, issued 5 December, 2008.

• Tuesday, June 8th 2010 - 03:53 UTC

  Petrobras controls spill at offshore rig while transferring oil to ship

  

  Brazil’s government managed oil and gas corporation Petrobras announced Monday it had controlled an oil leak at an offshore platform in the Campos Basin, 160 kilometers from Rio do Janeiro.

• Saturday, June 5th 2010 - 05:44 UTC

  Environmentalists march to protest building of dams in Patagonian Chile

  

  In honour of June 5, World Environment Day, activist groups and artists will march this weekend to protest efforts by electric companies to build hydroelectric plants in southern Chile.

• Saturday, June 5th 2010 - 00:43 UTC

  Wales will have the largest offshore wind farms in the world

  

  Construction work will begin next year on one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world, an energy firm has announced. The £2 billion Gwynt y Mor wind farm will have 160 wind turbines around 10 miles off the north Wales coast near Colwyn Bay and Llandudno.

• Thursday, June 3rd 2010 - 00:47 UTC

  Falkland Islands approves plan to further reduce seabird deaths by trawl fishing

  

  Seabird deaths caused by trawl fishing will be further reduced following the Falkland Islands Government’s approval of a new Action Plan. A ninety per cent reduction in seabird deaths was recorded in the long-line fishery the year after a similar Action Plan to introduce tori lines was put into effect in 2004. Both plans demonstrate the steps taken by the Falkland Islands to maintain their international reputation for the responsible and sustainable management of their fishing industry.

• Wednesday, June 2nd 2010 - 23:03 UTC

  Chilean navy upgrades communications in anticipation of future disasters

  

  Chilean Navy Commander in Chief Edmundo Gonzalez announced this week that the institution will be spending around 10 million US dollars on new, state of the art communications equipment for its SHOA (Hydrographical and Oceanographic Service) office.

• Tuesday, June 1st 2010 - 23:48 UTC

  Invasive algae found in Chilean Patagonia threatens ecosystem and tourism

  

  In February, Chris Spelius, owner of the adventure travel company Expediciones Chile, was standing out by the Futaleufu River in Southern Chile waiting for a client, when he looked into the normally clear water and noticed something unusual.

• Monday, May 31st 2010 - 04:03 UTC

  Gulf of Mexico BP oil spill worse than the Exxon Valdez in Alaska 1989

  

  The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is the worst environmental disaster the US has faced, a senior official has said. White House energy adviser Carol Browner also said the US was “prepared for the worst scenario” that the leak might not be stopped before August.

• Monday, May 17th 2010 - 04:36 UTC

  Fire destroys the world’s major collection of tropical serpents

  

  A fire destroyed on Saturday 82,000 snake specimens, considered the largest collection of tropical serpents in the world, as well as thousands of other reptiles, spiders and scorpions at Brazil’s prestigious Butantan Institute laboratory in Sao Paulo.