By Lisa Friedman 12 February 2018 (The New York Times) – The Trump administration on Monday moved to repeal one of the last unchallenged climate-change regulations rushed into place in the waning days of the Obama presidency — a rule restricting the release of planet-warming methane into the atmosphere. The rule, which applied to companies […]
15 February 2018 (NOAA) – Emissions from volatile chemical products like perfumes, paints and other scented consumer items now rival vehicles as a pollution source in greater Los Angeles, according to a surprising new NOAA-led study.Even though 15 times more petroleum is consumed as fuel than is used as ingredients in industrial and consumer products, […]
By Josh Gabbatiss 3 February 2018 (The Independent) – Toxic nitrogen dioxide emissions around major ports and sea routes in the UK are four times higher than previously suggested, according to a report for the Government. Levels of sulphur dioxide, another harmful pollutant, are three times higher. Experts say shipping pollutants, which are concentrated around […]
By Josh Gabbatiss 14 February 2018 (The Independent) – A ship has made a winter crossing of the Arctic without an icebreaker for the first time as global warming causes the region’s ice sheets to melt. The tanker, containing liquefied natural gas, is the first commercial vessel to make such a crossing alone during the […]
By Michael Biesecker 14 February 2018 WASHINGTON (AP) – The head of the Environmental Protection Agency has broken months of silence about his frequent premium-class flights at taxpayer expense, saying he needs to fly first class because of unpleasant interactions with other travelers.EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt spoke about his flight costs on Tuesday in a […]
By Mitch McCann 18 February 2018 (Newshub) – A week ago, Tongans were bracing themselves for what was to be the most destructive cyclone in the island’s history.But amid concerns around health and housing, officials now fear for the country’s agricultural sector, which took a massive hit during the storm.David Soaki has farmed his land […]
By Katie Weeman and Patrick Lynch; Editing by Sara Blumberg 13 February 2018 (NASA) – Global sea level rise has been accelerating in recent decades, rather than increasing steadily, according to a new study based on 25 years of NASA and European satellite data.This acceleration, driven mainly by increased melting in Greenland and Antarctica, has […]
14 February 2018 (UN News) – “This is an urgent signal for action, and the report recommends the directions to follow,” Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Executive Director of UN Women, said on the launch of the new report, Turning promises into action: Gender Equality in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters […]
13 February 2018 (AFP) – International aid began trickling in on Wednesday to areas of Tonga devastated by Cyclone Gita, as Fiji escaped the worst of the storm’s fury. Military aircraft from Australia and New Zealand flew emergency supplies to Nuku’alofa, which was battered early Tuesday by the most powerful cyclone ever recorded in the […]
By Eric Leister 13 February 2018 (AccuWeather) – Powerful Cyclone Gita caused widespread damage to parts of Samoa and American Samoa last week before targeting Tonga Monday night into Tuesday.An emergency declaration was made by the governor of American Samoa which was approved by President Donald Trump allowing aid to be distributed to the island […]
