Chief Gerald Amos Chief of the Haisla Nation has written a response to claims by Minister of Natural Resources, Joe Oliver, that radical environmental groups funded by foreign interests are hijacking the debate surrounding the proposed Enbridge pipeline. Read his response in the Huffington Post.
A report released by Canada's Commissioner on the Environment, Scott Vaughan criticizes Environment Canada for failing to regulate and punish polluting industries. The report describes a lack of knowledge and consistency within the organization. Read more at the CBC.
Toronto City Council just passed a bylaw banning the sale and use of shark fin. Ignoring the bylaw will result in a $5,000 fine for the first offence and up to $100,000 for a third offence. The ban is put in place in recognition of the perilous state the world's shark population is in due to overfishing. Vancouver is currently considering a shark fin ban as well. Read more at the CBC.
Using well documented research to back up his claim, Al Gore is noting the direct link between the large algae blooms and low water levels of the Great Lakes as a direct result of climate change. He is urging governments to address the issue, noting that both the environmental and economic fallout from continued decline will be severe. Read more in Bloomberg Business Week.
September 27th 2011 served as "Earth Overshoot Day," meaning humanity's demands on nature have surpassed what nature can provide. The extreme depletion of fish stocks, forests and clean water is has lead to a situation where the earth cannot replenish itself at the pace at which we are taking from it."Earth Overshoot Day shows the day on which our total Ecological Footprint (measured in global hectares) is equal to the biocapacity (also measured in global hectares) that nature can regenerate in that year.
Britain's Environment Agency credits the many habitat restoration programs and strict regulation of pollutants for the regeneration of rivers and the return of wildlife. Six rivers in particular made the list as most improved including the River Wandle, a tributary of the Thames. The Wandle was once considered a sewer, but is now considered one of the best urban fisheries in the world.
To help foster greater conservation, the province of Alberta is launching "The Alberta Land Trust Grant Program" Land trust organizations will now have more funds to purchase conservation easements on private land. "Conservation easements are legally binding voluntary agreements between a landowner and a land trust. When placed on the land title, an easement restricts future surface development but current activities, like grazing, continue.
A new study reports that despite an increase in global protected habitats since the 1960s, biodiversity is steadily declining.
A comprehensive sustainable growth plan for Edmonton was approved by city council on July 20th. "The Way We Green describes a future Edmonton that is carbon-neutral, generates zero waste, is significantly less dependent on fossil fuels, has clean air and water, is able to withstand and bounce back intact from a range of possible environmental disturbances, and where in the course of everyday life, residents experience a strong connection with nature." City staff is now working on an implementation plan to be presented in the fall.
Filed in:
Climate Change,
Building & Urban Design,
News Stories,
Energy,
Reports and Studies,
Biodiversity,
Tools and Best Practices,
Food Security,
Pesticides,
Transportation,
Waste,
Water | July 25, 2011
