Avoiding the Tragedy of the Commons

Management of fisheries at the community level can help curb overfishing and the ‘tragedy of the commons’ which is driving humans to decimate the planet’s dwindling fish stocks, an international scientific team concluded. In an analysis of 42 coral reef sites where coastal resources are managed by partnerships between governments, conservation groups, and fishers, they found that such co-management is largely successful in both sustaining fisheries and improving livelihoods.

New Greenpeace Research: Washing Big Name Brands Makes Consumers Polluters

Greenpeace today released evidence that hazardous chemical residues in clothing items sold by major brands are released into public waterways when they are washed by consumers. Once entering our rivers, lakes and seas these chemicals then break down into even more toxic and hormone-disrupting substances.

Mission Blue: Coiba, Panama

Considered a precious jewel of the Pacific, Coiba National Park, located off the southwest coast of Panama, is made up of Coiba Island, 38 smaller islands and the surrounding marine areas within the Gulf of Chiriqui. The Mission Blue team, including oceanographer Sylvia Earle and Smithsonian senior scientists Hector Guzman, embarked on an expedition to draw attention to the importance of Coiba’s protection and explore its waters.

Radical Sand Dune project

Will a pioneering project to reshape sand dunes that are home to a stronghold of fen orchids and other rare plants and invertebrates, protect or destroy the habitat?

Energy Companies Pledge to Measure Impacts of Large Dam Projects ?

The sixth World Water Forum ( held this year in Marseille, France from March 12-17) the world’s largest meeting devoted to water, is to create solutions to the water, energy, and food challenges presented by climate change and economic growth. But critics say new scorecard to evaluate social and environmental impacts of hydropower projects serves dam builders not local communities and denounced the protocol as an attempt to “greenwash” the industry.

Chevron Execs Barred From Leaving Brazil

A judge barred 17 Chevron executives from around the world from leaving Brazil in an oil spill investigation as prosecutors readied new charges over a second spill involving the US energy giant.

Tullow Oil Confirms Major Find off coast of Ghana

Tullow Oil, the London-based explorer, has had a good week: two days after reporting soaring profits it confirmed that an oil strike off the coast of Ghana was a major find… Environmental concerns have raised as more oil companies begin drilling off the coast of Ghana. Does the country have the resources to cope with a major spill?