Hurricane Sandy
Air/Climate

2012 Breaks Records for Heat, Drought, Weather Extremes

DOHA, Qatar, November 29, 2012 (ENS) – “Climate change is taking place before our eyes and will continue to do so as a result of the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which have risen constantly and again reached new records,” said World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Michel Jarraud. […]

Drakes Bay
Land Use/Forests

Oyster Farm Loses Permit at Point Reyes National Seashore

WASHINGTON, DC, November 29, 2012 (ENS) – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today decided to let the Drakes Bay Oyster Company’s 40-year operating permit expire at Point Reyes National Seashore in California. The area will be returned to a wilderness state, closing a chapter in a long environmental struggle. […]

Bwindi gorilla
Latest News

Mountain Gorilla Populations Grow as Conservation Succeeds

KAMPALA, Uganda, November 27, 2012 (ENS) – The world’s population of critically endangered mountain gorillas has risen to a total of 880 – up from the estimate of 786 animals in 2010. The new population numbers were released by the Uganda Wildlife Authority following a census of gorillas. […]

Doha leaders
Air/Climate

Converting Agreements to Action Key to Doha Climate Talks

DOHA, Qatar, November 26, 2012 (ENS) – Gathered in Doha for the UN’s annual climate change summit, thousands of delegates representing governments, international organizations and civil society groups are focused on honoring existing commitments to curb carbon emissions and turning agreed decisions into action. […]

Greenland glacier
Air/Climate

Europe Changing Fast as Climate Warms

BRUSSELS, Belgium, November 26, 2012 (ENS) – Climate change is affecting all regions of Europe as glaciers melt, the Greenland ice sheet shrinks, sea levels rise, snow cover decreases and permafrost soils warm, finds a new assessment issued by the European Environment Agency. […]

Teesmouth industry
Air/Climate

Global Climate Emissions ‘Gap’ Widens, Rescue Still Possible

LONDON, UK, November 21, 2012 (ENS) – Actions to limit climate change must be immediately scaled up and accelerated if the world is to have any chance of keeping a global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius this century, finds a new scientific report released just before countries meet for their annual climate negotiations. […]

Tar Sands blockader arrested
Energy

Twelve Arrested in Texas Keystone XL Pipeline Blockade

NACOGDOCHES, Texas, November 19, 2012 (ENS) – Twelve people were arrested in east Texas today as they blockaded construction of TransCanada’s Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. The protesters warn that burning the heavy fossil fuel will emit large amounts of greenhouse gases, warming the planet beyond repair. […]

oil platform
At Risk

One Dead, One Missing in Gulf of Mexico Oil Rig Explosion

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, November 19, 2012 (ENS) – U.S. government agencies are investigating an explosion and fire in the Gulf of Mexico Friday aboard an oil production platform owned by Black Elk Energy. The incident left one worker dead; another is still missing and four others are in the hospital with severe burns. […]

drought Kenya
Air/Climate

World Bank Sounds Alarm on ‘Cataclysmic’ Climate Change

WASHINGTON, DC, November 19, 2012 (ENS) – Time is running out to avoid devastating climate change, finds a new report commissioned by the World Bank and reviewed by some of the world’s top scientists. The report warns that humanity is headed for a world that is 4°C (7.2°F) warmer at the end of the century than it was in pre-industrial times. […]