GoodPlanet.info Dépêches

Italy judge says deadly L'Aquila quake was foreseeable

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:24:41 GMT

A deadly earthquake in the Italian town of L'Aquila in 2009 which killed 309 people "was not unforeseeable", a judge said Thursday, reigniting a heated scientific debate over whether experts should have warned the population beforehand.

EU says emissions down, but pollution scheme falters

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:22:49 GMT

EU greenhouse gas emissions, blamed for global warming, dropped slightly last year but the much-vaunted system for cutting such pollution ran into even more trouble, the European Commission said on Thursday.

Nearly 1,000 protest against China chemical plant

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:02:07 GMT

Nearly 1,000 people took to the streets of the Chinese city of Kunming on Thursday in a renewed protest against a proposed chemical plant, media reports said, with Internet users voicing support.

'Scissor-handed' creature named after Johnny Depp

Fri, 17 May 2013 07:50:17 GMT

The science world has paid homage to Johnny Depp by giving his name to an extinct creepy-crawly with "scissor hand-like" claws reminiscent of one of the Hollywood actor's best-known roles.

Shrinking glaciers behind a third of sea-level rise: study

Fri, 17 May 2013 07:44:40 GMT

Water from the world's shrinking glaciers was responsible for almost a third of the rise in sea levels between 2003 and 2009, new research showed Thursday.

Australia pushes for ocean 'fertilisation' ban

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:09:20 GMT

Australia said it was pushing for a ban Thursday of any commercial use of a pioneering technique to reduce the impacts of climate change by "fertilising" the world's oceans with iron, warning of significant risks.

'Overwhelming' consensus for manmade warming: review

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:48:02 GMT

A review of thousands of studies published over 21 years found "overwhelming" and growing consensus among scientists that humans are mostly to blame for global warming, its authors said Thursday.

Canada pushes development as it takes over Arctic Council

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:19:24 GMT

Canada said Wednesday it will promote unprecedented industrial development in the far north as it takes over the helm of the Arctic Council, while activists called for a ban on oil drilling.

Brazil court overturns conviction in US nun's murder

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:07:28 GMT

Brazil's Supreme Court has overturned the conviction of a landowner found guilty of the 2005 murder of US nun Dorothy Stang, ruling that his lawyer did not have enough time to prepare his defense.

EU ministers reach deal on fisheries reform

Thu, 16 May 2013 07:59:26 GMT

EU ministers agreed early on Wednesday a reform of the EU's fishing quota system that must now be approved by the European Parliament, where lawmakers are set on curbing overfishing.

Apes and monkeys go way back: study

Thu, 16 May 2013 07:42:06 GMT

Newly unearthed ape and monkey fossils prove that the cousin species lived side-by-side in Africa as long as 25 million years ago, a study said Wednesday.

Mayan pyramid razed for road fill: Belize officials

Thu, 16 May 2013 06:58:26 GMT

A construction company owned by a local politician demolished a 2,300-year-old Mayan temple in northern Belize to use the rubble as gravel for road repair work, authorities charged.

Rhinos Under Threat

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:15:19 GMT

2012 was the deadliest year for rhinos since record-taking began. Introduced by Chinese actress and UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, Li Bingbing, Rhinos Under Threat follows the poaching chain from Africa to Vietnam and highlights the devastation of a species and the livelihoods that depend on these iconic animals.

Why Pay More?

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:33:36 GMT

When Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland’s foreign minister, went to Ukraine for talks last month, his Ukrainian counterparts reportedly laughed at him because he was wearing a Japanese quartz watch that cost only $165. A Ukrainian newspaper reported on the preferences of Ukrainian ministers, several of whom have watches that cost more than $30,000. Even a Communist member of Ukraine’s parliament, the Rada, was shown wearing a watch that retails for more than $6,000.

Trout invasion behind Yellowstone elk decline: study

Wed, 15 May 2013 07:56:06 GMT

Researchers trying to explain declining elk numbers in the Yellowstone National Park (YNP) placed part of the blame Wednesday on a previously unlinked phenomenon -- a predatory trout invasion.

Historic carbon peak soon to become global average: WMO

Wed, 15 May 2013 07:37:16 GMT

After seeing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere surpass a historic threshold last week, the world should brace for the new peak level to soon become the global annual average, the World Meteorological Organization warned Tuesday.

Failure of EU fisheries talks would be 'disaster': Ireland

Wed, 15 May 2013 07:19:42 GMT

It will be a "disaster" if difficult talks on reform of the EU's under-pressure fishing regime fail to deliver an agreement, Ireland warned Tuesday, calling on all sides to compromise.

Indonesia extends logging ban to protect rainforest

Wed, 15 May 2013 06:41:30 GMT

Indonesia has extended a logging ban to protect rainforests despite fierce industry pressure, the government said Wednesday, but green groups slammed it as inadequate to safeguard threatened habitats.

Kenyan conservationist charged for ivory possession

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:23:35 GMT

A top official in a Kenyan conservation group was Monday charged with illegal possession of 19 kilogrammes of elephant ivory worth more than $20,000.

DiCaprio environmental art auction tops $38 mn

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:11:29 GMT

Leonardo DiCaprio urged wealthy art collectors to bid at an environmental charity auction in New York as if the planet's fate "depends on us" -- and they responded by splashing out $38.8 million.