World Bank Urges Global Action to Save Oceans
The World Bank on Friday said the world’s oceans were at risk and called for a coalition of governments, NGOs and other groups to protect them, aiming to raise $1.5 billion in five years.
First French Seaside Resort to Have Smoke-Free Beach
Nice has become the first French seaside resort to introduce a tobacco-free beach. The Centenaire beach, a central beach off the Promenade des Anglais, which already acts as the city’s wheel-chair friendly beach, is to be labeled “plage sans tabac.”
Beach Renourishment Harms Ecosystem
Pumping sand onto the coastline helps maintain wide beaches for tourism and property protection, but some scientists say it also damages a fragile and often overlooked ecosystem for fish and birds.
Conservation Risk Highest Off Coasts of Canada, Mexico, Peru and New Zealand
University of British Columbia researchers have identified conservation “hot spots” around the world where the temptation to profit from overfishing outweighs the appetite for conservation.
Japan Clears up Only 5% of Tsunami Rubble
Japan has cleared up just five percent of the rubble left by last year’s earthquake and tsunami, amid fears it has been contaminated following the Fukushima nuclear accident. The disasters which devastated the northeastern coastal communities last year, left almost 23 million tonnes of rubble in the hardest-hit prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima alone.
Scientist Says People Can Either ‘defend’ or Retreat From Rising Seas
Hundreds of millions of people who are living in low-lying coastal areas around the globe have two options when it comes to protecting themselves from rising sea levels, says a British Columbia-based scientist…
Protecting oceans: It’s not Rocket Science
It’s not rocket science: closing areas of land and water to humans allows nature to recover and restore its fragile balance. The idea has been successfully tried and tested many times on land but it has taken years of destruction before the message has hit home for the oceans.
Mapping the World’s Forests in Three Dimensions
Trees cool and moisten our air and fill it with oxygen. They calm the winds and shade the land from sunlight. They shelter countless species, anchor the soil, and slow the movement of water. They provide food, fuel, medicines, and building materials for human activity. The coastal Pacific Northwest of the USA has the tallest trees in North America, averaging as much as 40 meters in height. It has the densest biomass in the country, but for centuries, it also has been a much-tapped resource.
Hawaii Plastic Bag Fees Gain Support
A proposal to collect fees from customers who choose disposable paper and plastic shopping bags is gaining support as it works its way through Hawaii’s Legislature.