Environmental Issues and Protection
Japan air purifier sales surge amid China smog warning
Mar 22, 2013 04:51 EDT
Japan logged a huge surge in air purifier sales last month, as Tokyo warned that smog was blowing into its territory from China, which is grappling with an air pollution crisis.
Pro-fracking filmmaker accuses IMF of censorship
Mar 21, 2013 14:36 EDT
The maker of a documentary in support of oil and gas fracking accused the International Monetary Fund Thursday of censorship after it declined to show a key clip from his film at a conference.
Ancient megavolcanoes killed half the world's species
Mar 21, 2013 14:12 EDT
New rock dating techniques have helped narrow the timeframe of a chain of massive volcanic eruptions that wiped out half the world's species 200 million years ago, a study said Thursday.
EU puts airline carbon tax on hold for a year
Mar 21, 2013 12:26 EDT
The EU will put its controversial carbon tax on intercontinental airline flights on hold for a year to give time for international talks to reach a compromise on the issue, a European source said Thursday.
Sea Shepherd sues Japan whaler in Netherlands for 'piracy'
Mar 21, 2013 10:03 EDT
Environmental group Sea Shepherd has filed a suit against the crew of Japanese whaling ship Nisshin Maru alleging piracy and attempted manslaughter after they clashed in the Antarctic Ocean in February, their lawyers said on Thursday.
China coastal waters increasingly polluted
Mar 21, 2013 04:36 EDT
China's coastal waters are suffering "acute" pollution, with the size of the worst affected areas soaring by more than 50 percent last year, an official body said.
Disney invests in Peru to prevent deforestation
Mar 20, 2013 14:13 EDT
The Walt Disney Company has bought $3.5 million in carbon credits to prevent the destruction of a jungle in the country's Amazon.
Canada, US aboriginals unite against pipelines
Mar 20, 2013 12:29 EDT
Canadian and US indigenous leaders gathered in Ottawa on Wednesday in opposition to building pipelines to move Canadian tar sands oil across their traditional lands, citing environmental concerns.
Hong Kong light pollution 'one of world's worst'
Mar 20, 2013 12:10 EDT
Hong Kong is one of the world's worst cities for light pollution with night skies around 1,000 times brighter than globally accepted levels, researchers said Wednesday ahead of this year's Earth Hour event.
Anti-whalers return to Australia claiming win over Japan
Mar 20, 2013 01:28 EDT
The Sea Shepherd anti-whaling fleet docked in Australia Wednesday claiming victory over Japan, as Canberra indicated fugitive founder Paul Watson would not face arrest if he came ashore.
Anti-whalers return to Australia claiming win over Japan
Mar 19, 2013 23:18 EDT
The Sea Shepherd anti-whaling fleet docked in Australia on Wednesday claiming victory over Japan, as the activist group urged Canberra to grant fugitive founder Paul Watson free passage into the country.
Poachers massacre 89 elephants in Chad: WWF
Mar 19, 2013 12:31 EDT
A group of poachers last week massacred 89 elephants in one night near the town of Ganba in southern Chad, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said in a statement Tuesday.
European recycling jumps 50% but still lags target
Mar 19, 2013 10:39 EDT
Recycling of household waste rose by 50 percent in Europe over a decade but some countries are dragging their feet for meeting a target set for 2020, the European Environment Agency (EAA) said in a report issued on Tuesday.
Europe triples recycling but still lags target
Mar 19, 2013 07:41 EDT
Recycling of household waste has tripled in Europe over the past decade but some countries are dragging their feet for meeting a target set for 2020, the European Environment Agency (EAA) said in a report issued on Tuesday.
Four countries bring air pollution under EU limit
Mar 18, 2013 17:28 EDT
Eight European Union countries exceeded the bloc's air pollution limits in 2011, down from 12 the previous year, the European Environment Agency said in a report published on Monday.
Greener cars could slash US pollution by 2050: study
Mar 18, 2013 16:13 EDT
Greener cars that use alternative fuels could help the United States slash its greenhouse gas emissions from everyday driving a full 80 percent by 2050, according to a scientific study out Monday.
Obama renews call for investment in efficient energy
Mar 16, 2013 08:37 EDT
US President Barack Obama on Saturday renewed his call for developing new technologies that would reduce dependence on fossil fuels and shift American cars and trucks off petroleum gas.
China to more than double air monitoring network
Mar 15, 2013 11:57 EDT
China will more than double the number of cities covered by air quality monitoring, a top environment official said Friday, as part of efforts to tackle heavy smog that has sparked huge public anger.
Developing world's rise heralds global shift, UN says
Mar 14, 2013 21:14 EDT
The developing world's rapid growth has sharply cut extreme poverty, created a new middle class and put the economies of Brazil, China and India on a path to overtake the globe's wealthiest nations, the UN says.
Lack of climate action risks developing world gains: UN
Mar 14, 2013 15:54 EDT
The rise of developing nations has cut poverty while the combined economies of Brazil, China and India are on a path to overtake wealthy nations, but failure to act on climate change could reverse those gains, a UN report said Thursday.
