Overfishing of Atlantic by EU nations continues, studies show

Environmental groups say countries are not fishing sustainably and quotas are too high 25 March 2015 (Associated Press) – Two studies from environmental groups show European Union nations continue to overfish their Atlantic waters despite commitments to fish sustainably and stay within safe scientific limits. The studies obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press ahead of […]

Tree-cover loss spikes in Russia and Canada, remains high globally

By Nigel Sizer, Rachael Petersen, James Anderson, Matt Hansen, Peter Potapov, and David Thau2 April 2015 (WRI) – New, high-resolution satellite-based maps released today by the University of Maryland and Google on Global Forest Watch, a partnership of over 60 organizations convened by the World Resources Institute, reveal a significant recent surge in tree cover […]

Inner Mongolia’s coal-powered rare earth mine – ‘Stretching into the distance lies an artificial lake filled with a black, barely-liquid, toxic sludge’

By Tim Maughan2 April 2015 (BBC) – From where I’m standing, the city-sized Baogang Steel and Rare Earth complex dominates the horizon, its endless cooling towers and chimneys reaching up into grey, washed-out sky. Between it and me, stretching into the distance, lies an artificial lake filled with a black, barely-liquid, toxic sludge. Dozens of […]

Worst drought in history of Yosemite National Park alters familiar landscape – ‘No one in the park has experience with snowpack levels this low’

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, 31 March 2015 (Los Angeles Times) – Yosemite National Park is bracing for its driest year on record, with visitor bureaus downplaying the allure of the park’s most famous waterfall and instead touting the park as a destination for hiking, bicycling and photography. Yosemite Falls will probably go dry in June — […]

As Arctic sea ice dwindles, polar bears won’t survive on land – ‘Why would anyone think this nutritionally poor environment suddenly could support whole populations of the world’s largest bears?’

1 April 2015 (Polar Bears International) – Scientists have known for years that polar bears forced ashore in summer by melting sea ice may feed on foods like bird eggs, berries, and small mammals. But would polar bears be able to survive in a warming Arctic by eating land-based foods? The short answer: no. A […]

Chile flood: Death toll rises to 23 after record rains in world’s driest region – Four relief workers killed in helicopter crash

By Cedar Attanasio30 March 2015 (Latin Times) – Fourteen are confirmed dead and dozens are still missing following heavy rains in the Chilean Andes that flooded the northern regions of Atacama, Antofagasta, and Coquimbo last week. The rains started on Tuesday March 24th but have since ceased. Rescue workers are racing to evacuate residents that […]

Massive amounts of fresh water, glacial melt pouring into Gulf of Alaska – Melt adds 57 cubic kilometers of water per year

CORVALLIS, Oregon, 19 March 2015 (OSU) – Incessant mountain rain, snow and melting glaciers in a comparatively small region of land that hugs the southern Alaska coast and empties fresh water into the Gulf of Alaska would create the sixth largest coastal river in the world if it emerged as a single stream, a recent […]

Photo gallery: Every single vertebrate that became extinct in the last 100 years

2013: Formosan Clouded Leopard, Neofelis nebulosa brachyura By Mitchell Friedman16 September 2014 (Pixable) – The number of extinct animals is difficult to calculate and always higher than the estimate. In some cases, a species is presumed extinct — none have been seen in years — but it’s yet to receive official extinction status by the […]

State of emergency as Super Typhoon Maysak batters Micronesia, kills 5, takes aim at Philippines

Hagatna (Guam), 1 April 2015 (AFP) – Residents of the Micronesian State of Chuuk were struggling to clear the roads of huge pieces of debris and return to damaged homes Wednesday as Super Typhoon Maysak cut a destructive path across the central Pacific leaving at least five dead. Crops were ruined and water supplies contaminated, […]

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