UN environment summit opens, but prospects grim
Twenty years after the first Earth Summit, a renewed bid to rally the world behind a common environmental blueprint opened Wednesday, June 14 in Rio de Janeiro against a backdrop of discord and economic gloom. Kicking off the so-called Rio+20 summit, Dilma Rousseff, president of host nation Brazil, called on “all countries of the world to commit” to reaching an accord that addresses the most pressing environmental and social woes. The UN conference, which marks the 20th anniversary of the Earth Summit — a landmark 1992 gathering that opened the debate on the future of the planet and its resources — is the largest ever organized, with 50,000 delegates. Around 115 leaders are expected to attend the main event itself on June 20-22 but a series of conferences grouping businesses, environmental groups and non-governmental organizations are being held in advance.
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Humans Are Primary Cause of Global Ocean Warming Over Past 50 Years, Research Shows
The oceans have warmed in the past 50 years, but not by natural events alone. New research by a team of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists and international collaborators shows that the observed ocean warming over the last 50 years is consistent with climate models only if the models include the impacts of observed increases in greenhouse gas during the 20th century.
Australia to create biggest marine reserve
But environmentalists Say Australia Marine Plan ‘Surrender’ to Oil Lobby
A plan to create the world’s largest marine park to prevent oil and gas companies drilling in more than a third of Australia’s territorial waters doesn’t go far enough in protecting the nation’s sea life, lawmakers and environmentalists said June 14. Australia’s Greens Party, on whose support the government depends to pass laws, said the plan to exclude large coastal areas off Western Australia amounted to a “surrender” to the powerful oil and gas industry. The state is where the bulk of the country’s mining projects are concentrated.
Fishing industry slams marine park plan
Australia’s plan to set up the world’s largest network of marine parks has been hailed as a major environmental step, but the fishing industry is reeling.
