Page 411 - Environment

Working with Trump 'not always simple, says Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said working with US President Donald Trump is "not always simple," as he welcomed the successful renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Speaking on an episode of Quebec's most popular talk show, "Tout Le Monde En Parle," broadcast Sunday Trudeau said he had done his job of "standing up for Canadians" in agreeing the USMCA trade pact with the US, Canada and Mexico. Asked about his relationship with Trump, Trudeau cautiously acknowledged it is "not always simple." "He knows it and so do I. We are not aligned on many things and it is sometimes difficult to find common ground, but we managed to do it fairly well," Trudeau said. Relations between the two leaders took a hit in June, when Trump taunted Trudeau as "very dishonest & weak" and "meek and mild" as he left a G7 summit in Canada that the prime minister had hosted. Trudeau also defended cannabis legalisation during the interview, a key campaign promise that came into ...

China to ban polluting tourist vehicles near Mt Everest in Tibet

China is planning to ban polluting tourist vehicles at the Mount Everest base camp in Tibet from next year as part of its efforts to reduce pollution in the area that has a fragile environment. Eco-unfriendly tourist transport vehicles will be banned from base camp and permit electric golf-style buggies to raise the income of the locals, China-Tibet Online reported. Locals, who live below the poverty line, will be employed as tour guides and drivers of new electric golf-style buggies to and from the camp. "It will help reduce pollution in the area and raise the income of locals," the state-run Global Times quoted Wangqiong, deputy head of Tingri Tibetan county, as saying. "This area has a fragile environment and its natural conditions have limited processing capabilities of trash and sewage, which must be handled very carefully," he said. Wangqiong said that a professional cleaning company has been hired to maintain the area and every visitor will receive trash bags to promote ...

'Material resource use to double by 2060 with severe environmental impact'

The handling of materials will make up 50 Gt of carbon dioxide equivalent, says OECD

South Korea says fighter jet deal with Indonesia is on track, despite $200 million unpaid

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Monday a project to develop a fighter jet with Indonesia was on track, and it will negotiate a way for Indonesia to pay its contribution, of which about $200 million is unpaid.

Analysis: Belgian reactors shutdown a test run for nuclear-free future

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium's energy production is plunging as its nuclear reactors are taken offline for repairs, with the power shortfall this winter seen as a test of the country's ability to cope when the reactors are phased out from 2022.

NASA names new gamma-ray constellations after Godzilla, Hulk

NASA has used certain characters from modern myths such as the "Hulk" and "Godzilla" to name its new set of 21 gamma-ray constellations constructed in celebration of its Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope's 10th year of operations.

Killer mice decimating albatross population

Giant mice are killing millions of endangered Tristan albatross chicks on a remote island in the South Atlantic, threatening the rare seabird species with extinction, a wildlife organisation has said.

Prince Harry visits world's largest sand island in Australia

Prince Harry on Monday visited Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world, during his official visit to Australia but pregnant wife Meghan did not take part in the official programme.

Delhi: Air quality remains 'poor'

The air quality in the national capital continued to remain under the 'poor' category on Monday with most places recording numbers over 200.As per the Air Quality Index (AQI) data, the air quality of Delhi's Lodhi Road area on Monday morning showed levels of prominent pollutants PM (particulate matter) 2.5 and PM 10 at 219 and 237, respectively.An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe".The air quality was recorded the worst in Dwarka at 361 followed by Narela (300).One of the major reasons behind the decline in the air quality in Delhi and NCR is the constant stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana.Despite being prohibited from burning the farm residue, the farmers continue to do so due to the lack of feasible alternatives and blame the industries and vehicles for being the primary reason for pollution.

Punjab CM arrives in Israel for 5-day visit

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has arrived in Israel on a five-day visit to strengthen cooperation with the Jewish nation in sectors such as agriculture, horticulture and dairy. Singh, accompanied by a delegation of officials, reached Israel Sunday evening. He will be visiting several facilities and institutions working in sectors such as agriculture, horticulture, dairy and waste water management to tap opportunities that can address Punjab's requirements, and boost the state's internal security apparatus. Ahead of his visit, the Punjab chief minister had said his government was keen to tap technological advancements on offer by the country. On Tuesday, a seminar, "Investment Opportunities in Punjab" has been organised to attract investments in the state from Israel. The Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) will be signing MoUs with the Tel Aviv University and the Galilee Institute for cooperation in the field of agriculture. Another MoU will be signed in the field of water ...

Germany's Merkel promises legislation to ward off diesel driving bans

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel, campaigning for her Christian Democrats (CDU) to retain control of the crucial state of Hesse in next Sunday's election, promised legislation to ward off the threat of air pollution leading to driving bans.

Hyderabad: GHMC forms special team to combat Hussain Sagar pollution

The back-to-back immersions during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Puja have left the Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad polluted.Understanding the problem and severity of the situation, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) formed a special Durga Puja action team to clean up the pollution after the festival.The lake has been the main source of immersion of idols, and the paint used for the idols is harmful to the environment. Thousands of idols that use up the same paint are immersed in the lake causing pollution. It has also affected the oxygen level of the water in the lake.Speaking to ANI, Additional Commissioner of GHMC, Hari Chandana said, "We have special Durga Puja action team for our sanitation wing. And, there will be 10 members dedicated for cleaning up the lakes, ponds, and also the Durga pandals. They will be equipped with vehicles to take the garbage out from the area.""So these special teams will be in action throughout the four-five days. Apart ...

Climate fund approves $1B for projects in poor countries

Officials overseeing a UN-backed fund to help poor countries tackle climate change have approved more than USD 1 billion in new investments after a four-day meeting in Bahrain. The Green Climate Fund said Sunday that the meeting approved 19 new projects, including a program to protect freshwater resources in Bahrain. Environmentalists had argued the Gulf nation should pay for the project itself using money it has made off its vast reserves of oil and gas. Officials also agreed to start seeking new money for the fund next year. President Donald Trump's decision to withhold USD 2 billion of the USD 3 billion pledged by predecessor Barack Obama has contributed to a shortfall in its projected assets. The South Korea-based fund is considered a key vehicle for climate-related development programs.

Delhi's air pollution a serious problem, our responsibility to reduce it: Rahul Gandhi

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Sunday termed the deteriorating air quality in Delhi a "serious problem" and called for collective steps to reduce the pollution levels in the national capital. He said no government can by itself, without the help of countrymen, ensure clean air to people. "Air pollution in Delhi is a serious problem. It is our responsibility to take possible steps to reduce the pollution around us. Without the support of countrymen, no government can provide relief from air pollution," Gandhi said in a Facebook post in Hindi. Delhi's air quality oscillated between "poor" and "very poor" category Sunday as authorities warned of days of severe pollution ahead. The Central Pollution Control Board recorded the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi at 292, while the Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research reported an AQI of 318, which falls in the "very poor" category. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 .

Tigress kills man in Satkosia Sanctuary, locals stage protest

A man was allegedly mauled to death by the Royal Bengal Tigress 'Sundari' at Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha's Angul district on Sunday morning, police said. The tigress was brought from Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh on June 28 and released into the core area of Satkosia Tiger Reserve on August 18. The deceased was identified as Trinath Sahu (60), who had gone for fishing when the tigress allegedly attacked him, officials said, adding that the victim belonged to nearby Tainsi village. The forest department has sent a team to capture the tigress. "The tranquillisation team constituted for such exigencies has already proceeded to Satkosia (to capture the tigress)," Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), Wildlife, Sandip Tripathy told PTI. Tripathy said further follow up action would be taken after due consultation with National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. "The compensation of Rs 4 lakh has been sanctioned for .

Indian bison dies after territory fight in China

An Indian bison, the world's largest extant wild cattle facing extinction, has died of fatal skull damage after a recent fight for territory in southwest China's Yunnan Province, local forest police said Sunday. The animal, which was 2.7 metres long, 0.5 metre wide and 1.9 metres tall, fled to a nearby village at Xishuangbanna after a fatal fight for territory and died, China's state-run Xinhua news agency quoted local police sources as saying. The Indian bison, also known as gaur, roams in primitive forests in tropical and subtropical regions and is placed under state top protection in China. This species is native to the the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It has been listed as 'Vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List since 1986. A survey by Xishuangbanna state-level nature reserve between 2013 and 2014 showed there had been a decline in the number of Indian bisons in the region since the 1980s. By 2014, there were fewer than 167 Indian bisons in the region, compared to between ...

Two rhinos die in Chad after being relocated from S.Africa

- Two of six critically endangered black rhinos have died of unknown causes five months after being flown from South Africa to Chad in a pioneering project to re-introduce the animals, officials said Sunday. Rhinos in Chad were wiped out by poaching nearly 50 years ago, and the six rhinos were intended to establish a new population in the country after intensive anti-poaching measures were put in place to protect them. "We can confirm that these two rhinos (a male and a female) were not poached," the South African environment department and Chad government said in a joint statement. "However, the exact cause of death is not yet known." In July, there was widespread outrage and a bitter row over responsibility when 11 black rhinos in Kenya died after being transferred to a new sanctuary, mainly due to toxic levels of salt in borehole drinking water. The rhinos in Chad had been roaming free in Zakouma National Park since late August after a gradual acclimatisation process that saw them .

Pak agency detains 16 Indian fishermen: Fishworkers' forum

Sixteen fishermen from Okha in Gujarat's Devbhoomi Dwarka district have reportedly been detained in the Arabian Sea by Pakistan maritime authorities, a fish workers' forum functionary said Sunday. Manish Lodhari, secretary of the Porbandar-based National Fishworkers' Forum, said that the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) had seized two Indian boats with 16 fishermen near the International Maritime Boundary Line. "We have been told by fishermen sailing in the Arabian Sea that at least two fishing boats with 16 fishermen were apprehended by the PMSA from near the IMBL. Both the boats were registered at Okha," he said, adding that the number of those held might vary.

Foresters on rescue mission kills leopard cub in self-defence

Forest officials sent to rescue a leopard cub in central Assam's Nagaon district shot the animal dead after it attacked them on Sunday, an official said. A team of forest department officials from Salona Forest Range went to Nonoi Tea Estate after getting information about the presence of a leopard cub. They were to rescue the animal and release it in the nearby jungle, said Salim Ahmed, the Range officer of Salona Forest Range. However, the two-year-old cub attacked one of the team members and he had fired to save himself. The animal died on the spot, Ahmed said. After post-mortem examination and other departmental formalities, the carcass was cremated as per rule, he added.

Experts flag lack of focus on containing sources of pollution

As Delhi's air quality remained "very poor" and an emergency plan was being implemented, some experts have said one of the "serious" flaws in all anti-pollution measures is lack of focus on point sources, which create long-range pollution, and wondered how could public health be low on priority of governments. The experts said that while there are many announcements from the government to understand pollution forecasts and increase monitoring, the real question arises - what's being done about the data in hand and the sources that continue to pollute Delhi and why are the national plans not being implemented on a war footing? Delhi's air quality remained in the "very poor" category for the second consecutive day Sunday, even as authorities warned that it might further deteriorate in the next couple of days. On Saturday, a haze engulfed the national capital and the worst air quality of this season was recorded with the air quality index (AQI) settling at 324. The Graded Response Action