Air quality is a major challenge globally and is the single greatest environmental risk to human health. More than 90 per cent of the world’s population lives in areas that exceed the World Health Organization guideline for healthy air. In North America, Canada and the United States of America have …
Many national parks (NPs) and protected areas (PAs) worldwide are operating under difficult social and political conditions, including poor and often unjust relations with local communities. Multiple initiatives have emerged as a result, including co-management regimes and an increased emphasis on the involvement of indigenous people in management and conservation …
fuel price India fails to shield consumers A pressed Indian government raised petrol and diesel prices by 10 per cent on June 4, curbing losses to its state-owned refiners but stoking inflation and risking a political backlash. Petrol and diesel prices are now dearer by Rs 5 and Rs 3 …
Over-fishing and changes in climate could leave marine animals struggling on a "junk food" diet of low-calorie prey, putting dwindling populations under even more pressure. That is the conclusion of a team lead by Henrik
Ten years ago, running your car on biofuels meant covertly topping up your tank with chip fat. Now petrol is routinely mixed with ethanol made from corn, and diesel with squeezed rape, oil palm and soya. The current generation of biofuels was rushed onto the market in response to escalating …
- World Health Organization experts initiated a two-day exercise on Wednesday testing responses to a simulated neurological disease outbreak in Thailand, Vietnam and Canada. "We clarified issues that will serve us extremely well in the future, we now understand the issues extremely well," said David Heymann, Assistant Director-General on Health …
WASHINGTON/WINNIPEG: It powered the Green Revolution and helped save millions from starvation, but now one of the most important tools on the farm is being priced out of reach for many of the world's growers. With food prices soaring and stocks thinning, the world is in need of bumper harvests …
The cost of carbon dioxide emissions would need to be at least $200 per tonne - many times today's levels - to deliver the cuts scientists propose will be needed to avert the threat of global warming, the International Energy Agency said yesterday. The rich countries' energy watchdog warned that …
The capacity of countries to take advantage of the patent system bears a relationship with their stage of development. This paper explores the relationship between economic development and domestic and foreign patenting behaviour. The study uses a unique data set covering 55 countries and 24 years. It determines the association …
Soaring prices at Europe's superMarkets and petrol stations require a coordinated response by the world's top eight economies rather than fiscal or monetary policy changes, EU finance ministers said on Tuesday. "We have to accept external shocks and we have to discuss (this) at a multilateral level," said Economic and …
India has once again informed developed nations that it is ready to contribute to the global efforts against climate change in accordance with the principles of common "but differentiated responsibility'. Urging the Group of Eight (G-8) nations to take up the leadership role in shaping the international action on climate …
In the search for renewable energy, turning low-value materials like switchgrass and corn husks into ethanol to fuel cars is something of a Holy Grail. In theory, these materials would replace corn as the main feedstock for ethanol in North America, reducing the pressure on farmland that has played a …
The G8 climate scorecards provide a comparable snapshot of the current situation across the G8 countries as well as the five major developing countries. They provide recent and expected emission developments of each country and various other indicators. The scorecards also provide an overview of the most important activities by …
Fjords line mountainous continental margins where icesheets and glaciers once stood. A two-dimensional model simulation suggests that fjords can be eroded within one million years, primarily in response to topographic ice steering and erosion from ice discharge. Subsequent glaciers that form on these landscapes are smaller and exhibit greater responses …
Government legislation that will require all gasoline sold in Canada to contain 5 percent ethanol by 2010 passed the House of Commons on Wednesday. The bill, which also calls for diesel to contain 2 percent renewable fuels by 2012, won the support of the main opposition Liberal Party but was …
The Canadian plastic industry is lashing out at growing movement to eliminate plastic shopping bags, saying that an outright ban could cause more environmental harm than good. "I think, generally speaking, there was always a kind of anti-plastic sentiment out there, Serge Lavoie, president and CEO of the Canadian Plastics …
A major environmental group formally urged Ottawa on Tuesday not to proceed with plans to sell oil and gas rights in the Beaufort Sea in Canada's Arctic, saying not enough had been done to protect the area's wildlife. WWF-Canada said the planned June 2 sale contravenes a law that requires …
Irving Oil Ltd, which is planning a second major refinery in New Brunswick, will study the potential for a tidal power development in the Bay of Fundy, site of the world's highest tides, the privately held company said Monday. Irving has teamed up with the non-profit Huntsman Marine Science Centre …
In a long-anticipated decision hailed as a victory by environmental groups, the United States declared the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) a 'threatened' species. But this heightened protection status may have little bearing on the animals' ultimate fate.
Health Canada, a drug and health regulatory body, has once again said some Ayurvedic products may contain high levels of heavy metals, such as lead, mercury and arsenic. Saying these medicines may pose serious health risks, the Canadian regulator has asked people to exercise caution while purchasing them. The move …
