Peta Victories for animals - latest update from PETA USA

 

Global Software Company Nutanix Drops Its Iditarod Sponsorship

After hearing from PETA that more than 150 dogs have died during the Iditarod, global software company Nutanix quickly cut ties with the race. It joins dozens of companies that no longer support the cruel Iditarod, including Alaska Airlines, Coca-Cola, ExxonMobil, Jack Daniel’s, Millennium Hotels and Resorts, and Wells Fargo. Join us in urging the few remaining sponsors, including Liberty Media and GCI, to follow suit.

Taiwan’s FDA Ends Blood Pressure Tests on Animals After Hearing From PETA

The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has finalized a regulation that removes animal testing recommendations and requirements for companies wanting to make blood pressure health marketing claims about their food and beverage products. The testing included feeding foods of interest for at least eight weeks to rats bred to develop hypertension and measuring their blood pressure response using the stress-inducing tail-cuff method. The TFDA will now require only safe and effective human tests for this purpose. This follows pressure from PETA that included the submission of a detailed scientific critique at the agency’s request and e-mails to agency officials from more than 50,000 supporters opposing animal experiments.

Leading Health-Food Company in Taiwan Bans Animal Testing

 Following discussions with PETA, Grape King Bio—Taiwan’s largest biotech fermentation health-food company, known there for its popular energy drink—has banned animal tests not explicitly required by law. It previously conducted or funded at least 10 animal experiments from 2002 to 2020 that involved mutilating and killing no less than 1,333 animals, purportedly to support health claims for marketing probiotics, reishi mushrooms, goji berries, and other products and ingredients to consumers.

Major L.A. Airports Ban and Remove Vile Glue Traps

Los Angeles World Airports, which owns and operates LAX and Van Nuys airports, has banned and removed glue traps! This move comes after PETA told it that the traps cause small animals stuck in the adhesive to suffer, sometimes for days, before finally dying from dehydration, starvation, or asphyxiation. Anyone thinking of buying a glue trap should first watch this video, which shows how animals stuck to these devices struggle as they slowly die. Please take a minute to urge other airports to stop using them.

No Animals Will Be Killed in 2022 Cobra Gold Exercise

A top official has confirmed to PETA that no animals will be killed in barbaric survival training drills during Cobra Gold 2022, a massive joint multinational military exercise held in Thailand and attended by the U.S. military. During these cruel, dangerous, and likely illegal exercises, troops had been forced to kill chickens with their bare hands, skin and eat live geckos, consume live scorpions and tarantulas, and decapitate cobras and drink their blood. These atrocities were initially halted in 2021 after PETA’s release of shocking video footage and our exposé, so this is the second year in a row in which no animals are being used.

Kenya Airways Ends Transport of Monkeys to Laboratories

 In a huge blow to the cruel animal experimentation industry, Kenya Airways—which has transported hundreds of monkeys from a Mauritius breeding farm to the U.S. to be used in laboratory experiments—has committed to ending this practice after its current contract expires next month (February 2022). The airline’s decision comes just 24 hours after PETA contacted the airline’s CEO and chair of the board, urging them to consider what happens to monkeys who are subjected to the long flight and then torment and death in laboratories. The monkeys whose crates spilled out onto a Pennsylvania highway following a truck crash on January 21 had been flown on a Kenya Airways plane that had landed earlier that day.

Dolce & Gabbana Is Going Fur- and Angora-Free After Pressure From PETA

Following nearly two decades of pressure from PETA entities—including e-mails from over 300,000 supporters worldwide and protests both outside and inside its stores—fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana has confirmed that it will ban fur and angora from all future collections!

Wonderful news isn't it! The whole fur thing has been going on and on for ages.  I cannot fathom why anybody would want to buy a real fur coat or anything with real fur on it.  It is just promoting this horrible industry.  As I keep saying in my blogs, if people didn't buy the items then there would be no industry.  It is completely the fault of the consumer. I sincerely think that a life is more important than fashion, don't you?

The blog song for today is: " Everythings just wonderful" by Lily Allen

TTFN

 

Positive news for the oceans from :https://oceana.org

 

Victories

Since 2001, Oceana has achieved hundreds of concrete policy victories for marine life and habitats. From stopping bottom trawling in sensitive habitat areas to protecting sea turtles from commercial fishing gear, our victories represent a new hope for the world's oceans.

December, 2021

Endangered Shortfin Mako Shark Gets a Fighting Chance at Survival with New Protections

The North Atlantic shortfin mako shark, which has been classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species since 2019, is now protected from fishing for two years. Specifically, fishers are prohibited from keeping any short fin mako sharks they catch, as well as shipping them or landing them at any port. Many longline fishers targeting swordfish and tuna also catch mako sharks, often keeping them to sell commercially. The decision, which was made by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), will allow the species to begin to recover. This victory would not be possible without campaigning from Oceana and our allies, who rallied support for the ban from U.S Members of Congress and government officials.  

November, 2021

Brazil Publishes Vessel Tracking Data for its Commercial Fishing Fleet

Brazil’s industrial fishing vessel data were made publicly available through the Global Fishing Watch (GFW), a platform founded by Oceana, Google, and SkyTruth. This will allow anyone in the world to monitor more than 1,400 fishing vessels in real-time for free on the GFW platform. The data available on GFW follows campaigning by Oceana in Brazil to increase transparency and traceability at sea and combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. The victory also follows the launch of the OpenTuna initiative, developed with support from Oceana and GFW, which publicizes tracking data from Brazil’s tuna fleet on the OpenTuna website.

October, 2021

California Enhances Protections for Endangered Pacific Leatherbacks

California designated the Western Pacific population of leatherback sea turtles as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). Pacific leatherbacks are the most endangered sea turtle in the Pacific Ocean with their population having declined 95% over the last 30 years. The added California designation will enhance efforts by the state to study, protect, and recover these turtles and their habitat. The CESA listing follows campaigning by Oceana and allies and recent regulations in California to reduce the risk of entanglements to Pacific leatherbacks, blue whales, and humpback whales in commercial Dungeness crab gear. The regulations also allow for approved alternative fishing gear that lowers the risk of entanglement, such as “pop-up” gear, to be used in areas closed to conventional gear.

October, 2021

Protections Restored for Critical Marine Habitat in New England

President Biden signed an executive order that reinstated protections for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument off the coast of New England. The marine monument, which is roughly the size of Connecticut, is the first of its kind in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean and was first established in 2016 to protect vulnerable deep-sea coral and sponge gardens from destructive fishing methods. This monument includes diverse corals and sponges on the seafloor, serves as a nursery for commercially important fish species, and is home to critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. Oceana has campaigned for years in New England to identify and protect deep-sea coral areas from destructive fishing methods, while maintaining robust fisheries, as part of its “freeze the footprint” strategy.

October, 2021

California Laws Reduce Single-Use Plastic Waste

California enacted two new laws to curb harmful single-use plastics, which pollute our oceans and harm marine life. One of the new laws opens the door to refillable glass beverage bottles by removing requirements that prevented bottles from being preserved and refilled by beverage producers. This change will create new jobs while also reducing waste. The second law will require single-use plastic food and beverage accessories — including utensils and condiment packages — to be provided upon request only for takeout and delivery. This will greatly reduce ocean-bound plastic waste in California as discarded plastic foodware is consistently among the top 10 waste items most found at beach cleanups across the state.

September, 2021

Delaware Protects Marine Life, Coast from Balloon Pollution

Following campaigning by Oceana and coalition partners, Delaware enacted a new law prohibiting intentional balloon releases statewide. Balloons released into the air can enter the oceans where they can harm and choke marine life. Delaware joins Maryland and Virginia in banning balloon releases, which will help protect marine life in the region and the roughly 225,000 jobs in the three states that depend on a clean coast.

August, 2021

Brazil’s Leading Food Delivery Service, iFood, Commits to Deliver Plastic-Free Meals by 2025

Brazil’s largest home food delivery service, iFood, publicly committed to deliver 80% of orders free from plastic cutlery, plates, cups, napkins, and straws by 2025, following a campaign co-led by Oceana and the United Nations Environment Program’s Clean Seas Campaign. They will also set public reduction targets by 2023 for additional categories of plastics in food deliveries: plastic containers, sachets, and bags. Additionally, iFood has committed to transparency by publicly disclosing data on its plastic footprint, and also to subjecting these disclosures to an independent audit, which will be made public. With the target reductions in place, iFood will stop 1.5 billion single-use plastic items per year from entering the environment. Oceana continues to campaign for other food delivery services to follow suit.

July, 2021

Orca Habitat Expanded in the United States

The Biden-Harris administration has expanded critical habitat protections for endangered Southern Resident orcas along the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. The new protections span across nearly 16,000 square miles in the Pacific. With only 74 orcas remaining, the Southern Resident orca population is threatened with extinction. Their survival depends on the abundance of Chinook salmon, whose numbers have also declined. This critical habitat designation will help ensure these orcas have clean ocean waters free of disturbance. Oceana continues to campaign to protect orcas, salmon populations, and marine habitats.

June, 2021

Fisheries Management Councils Restored in Brazil, Increasing Transparency

Following campaigning by Oceana and allies, Fisheries Management Councils (FMCs) were restored in Brazil after the government created a new framework for fisheries decision-making, “Rede Pesca Brasil.” FMCs, which the government previously terminated in 2019, support transparent and participatory decision-making process for Brazil’s fisheries. The 10 FMCs will allow the government, scientists, fishers, and NGOs to discuss important topics including fishing quotas and destructive forms of fishing like bottom trawling. Oceana continues to campaign to further modernize and stabilize Brazil’s fisheries law and make FMCs legally mandatory.

June, 2021

California Funding Protects Whales, Dolphins, and Sea Turtles from Deadly Drift Gillnets

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new budget that included $1.3 million to get deadly drift gillnets out of the water. This destructive form of fishing is notorious for its indiscriminate catch of marine life including whales, dolphins, and sea turtles. In September 2020, Oceana delivered $1 million to begin to phase out the last large-mesh drift gillnet fishing for swordfish in the U.S. by January 2024 as outlined in a 2018 California state law. The law establishes a voluntary transition program for fishermen to surrender nets and state permits and incentivizes the use of cleaner gear. To date 50% of active fishermen have been compensated for turning in nets and permits, representing 20 miles of nets out of the water. Oceana continues to campaign for a federal law to end the use of large mesh drift gillnets nationwide.

Keep on with the good work everybody, it does make a difference! At this time of uncertainty and worry with wars and pandemics,we cannot forget that the planet is in serious trouble too and if we lose focus then it is another thing to add to the list.

You, me and people like us are still doing what they can to keep us on track, sometimes it feels like everything is against us but if we give up then it will be.

Give yourselves a big pat on the back for all that you do,whether it is helping the environment, each other, animal and all the rest,without you the world would be much worse.

Thank you.

The blog song for today is: "Chain reaction" by Diana Ross

TTFN

How To Extend the Life of Your mobile Phone - a report from earth911

How To Extend the Life of Your Mobile Phone

BySarah Lozanova

Mar 3, 2022

There is a growing global e-waste issue as more and more people own an increasingly large array of devices. To help put the scale of the problem in perspective, consider that there are an estimated 6.4 billion smartphones in the world. Then, think about how frequently people in more affluent countries upgrade their phones.

From a waste management standpoint, the good news is that Americans are waiting longer to replace their phones than they were just a few years ago. Although yearly upgrades are becoming less popular, the average iPhone is active for just 18 months and the average Samsung phone for 16.4 months. The huge price tag and fewer groundbreaking new features make upgrading less appealing.

Hanging onto the same phone is beneficial for numerous reasons, and it is certainly more sustainable. Let’s explore how to extend the life of your cell phone and keep it running in tip-top shape.

Remove unneeded apps and files

Is your phone acting sluggish? If so, deleting unneeded apps and files can help boost its performance. Freeing up storage space can give your phone an instant facelift with relatively minimal effort. Start by identifying storage hogs, like unused videos, photos, and apps. Many people have apps that they’ve used only once, often outnumbering apps used on a regular basis. Video files can be quite large and can either be moved or deleted if no longer needed.

Power down periodically

Many of us use our phones numerous times throughout the day but don’t really give them much time to truly rest. Shutting off your phone basically clears the RAM, shuts down open apps, and plugs memory leaks. It’s recommended to do this once a week and allow it to stay off for a minute before firing it back up.

Get a tempered glass screen protector and a protective case

Having a scratch on your cell phone screen can be highly aggravating. Oddly, purchasing a screen protector has become an especially complicated task because there are nearly endless options and sizes. You need to find a compatible one that fits your phone and that you can live with, yet is effective. Although not a favorite of all, tempered glass does a pretty good job of protecting screens and providing some drop protection.

Likewise, a protective case also guards your phone against a myriad of calamities. Look for a case that covers the corners, sides, and back of the phone for the best protection.

Pick a mobile phone model with a high repairability score

Some smartphones are nearly impossible to fix or even replace the battery. Certain phones have the covers stubbornly glued on or require a proprietary tool, making it difficult to make even the simplest repairs. Yet, some devices are much less troublesome. These models do not require proprietary tools, have batteries that are easy to replace, and contain modular components.

Consider repairability before you shop for your next phone and use the iFixit Smartphone Repairability scores for guidance. iFixit ranks phones on a scale from 1 to 10. Of the phones with a 2021 release, the highest-ranking are the iPhone 13 Pro and Google Pixel 5a, which both received a 6 ranking. The overall top scorers for repairability are the 2019 Fairphone and the 2015 Fairphone 2, which both received a 10 ranking.

Here is the website address: https://www.ifixit.com/smartphone-repairability (see if your phone is on there!) and maybe if you need to get a new one,use this handy guide.

Replace the battery if needed

According to Apple, the average iPhone battery lasts about 500 full recharging cycles before battery performance declines. Depending on how much we use our phones, this is usually about 8 to 16 months. It is natural to consider replacing the phone when the battery bites the dust, but resist this temptation if your phone is otherwise in good condition and you can replace the battery.

This is when a low repairability score can come back to haunt us. Some batteries are extremely difficult to change while others are relatively simple. Do a bit of research to determine if it is within your skillset. The iFixit website has a repair guide for phones, with specific information depending on the model.

Resist pressure to upgrade your phone

Many cell phone companies encourage you to get a new phone by offering promotions, easy payment plans, or even saying it is required. Even if you do need to update your phone, find out how soon. For example, AT&T notified customers that they needed to update their devices a year and a half in advance. Other companies have been known to tell customers they needed a new device, yet a supervisor said otherwise when queried.

Originally published on March 30, 2021, this article was updated in March 2022.

It is true that nothing seems to last long these days, but at the end of the day,is all the hi tech stuff in the phones that they make now really needed. As long as we can communicate with each other then isn't that enough?  All these fancy cameras and blah de blah, so much more to go wrong!!

The blog song for today is: "Photograph" by Ringo Starr

TTFN

It’s Time To Rethink How Much Toilet Paper We Use- a report from earth911

 

By Mary McDonald

Mar 10, 2022

 

Remember the children’s book Everyone Poops? Written by Taro Gomi, it shows all kinds of animals, including humans, in action. The reader sees animals pooping in water, on the move, and covering up their business with dirt. In the end, people are shown using the toilet, toilet paper, and flushing away.

We’re all for keeping things clean “down there,” but our use of TP is leaving behind some pretty dirty business.

What’s So Bad About Toilet Paper?

Toilet paper has such a large environmental impact that the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) published not one, not two, but three reports in three years about the crisis.

Americans are the heaviest per capita users of toilet paper in the world. Most major U.S. brands rely on wood from the Canadian boreal forest. This forest is particularly important from a climate standpoint. According to NRDC reports:

“This great northern forest is the most carbon-dense, intact forest left on the planet, locking up in its soils and trees twice as much carbon as the world’s oil reserves.”

Logging in the boreal forest releases an estimated 26.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. That’s roughly a quarter of all the carbon emitted from all the trucks in cars in the U.S. in 2019. Among the ways that toilet paper adds carbon into the atmosphere:

1. Logging disrupts carbon within the soil.
2. The forest’s ability to absorb carbon is reduced.
3. When the TP breaks down, it releases more carbon.

It’s Made With Mostly Virgin Fibers

We’re finally having a national and global conversation about reducing our consumption of resources. Yet there is little progress in replacing virgin fibers with recycled paper content for toilet paper.

TP manufacturers rely heavily on virgin wood fibers to create their products. They are reluctant to seek alternatives due in part to consumer demand and expectations. Yet using post-consumer recycled content has significant benefits. Toilet paper made with post-consumer recycled content:

• Has a smaller carbon footprint
• Requires less energy to clean and separate fibers
• Uses fewer harsh chemicals, including bleach, in its processes
• Uses less water

How Much TP Do We Use?

Each person in the U.S. uses an estimated 141 rolls of toilet paper per year. Despite accounting for about 4% of the global population, Americans use 20% of the world’s toilet paper. Disturbingly, if you measured the toilet paper an average American uses in their lifetime, it would equal about 634 miles.

Looking at that another way, it takes one tree to make roughly 1,500 rolls of toilet paper. That comes out to over 31 million trees to make just one year’s supply of TP for everyone in the U.S.

The average per-person use of TP in Portugal, Germany, and the U.K. is 137, 134, and 127 rolls, respectively.

Not everyone uses this much TP, though. A recent study looked at the average use of this paper product throughout the world and found that Italy, France, and Finland use less than one-half of the amount we use in the U.S. Many countries use even less. Check out the study’s per-country usage findings in the following interactive chart.

And in some places, people don’t use any toilet paper.

Everyone Poops — But Not Everyone Uses Toilet Paper

While pooping is universal, using toilet paper isn’t. Less than 30% of the world’s population uses toilet paper. That leaves a whopping 4 billion people who don’t. In some places, it’s because of access. People either don’t have money to spend on TP, or there’s none to be had. In other places it’s cultural.

What do people use instead? Mostly water.

Give Bidets a Try

In countries across Asia, Europe, and South America, people use bidets instead of toilet paper. Bidets come in many forms. All of them involve spraying water on your bottom to keep it clean.

Bidets are catching on slowly in the U.S., due to their lower environmental impact. Even Forbes magazine advocates switching to a bidet. They state that bidets are “more hygienic and better for the environment.”

(There are health conditions that bidets are not recommended for, so check with your physician before using one.)

Not a Fan of Bidets? Try Better Toilet Paper

We’re creatures of habit. We don’t like change, so a large-scale switch to bidets isn’t likely anytime soon. But switching toilet paper brands isn’t such a big change.

If you can’t imagine not wiping your backside, there are better-for-the-planet TP brands. Earth911 has a whole buying guide to help you find more sustainable brands. The guide ranks brands according to several factors:

• Sourcing
• Manufacturing process
• Price
• Shipping
• Life cycle of paper and packaging
• Distribution
• CO2 emissions

The guide also looks at certifications and charitable giving for each company. Reel, Bim Bam Boo, and Who Gives a Crap earned the highest marks.

Consider Using Less Toilet Paper

If nothing else, be conscious of how much TP you use. Do you really need a huge cushion of squares for a single wipe? By paying attention, you may discover you automatically rip off more squares than you really need for a given wipe. And reducing your use of TP isn’t just better for the planet; you’ll save money, too!

What an incredible amount of loo roll! There are not a lot of manufacturers who make toilet roll out of recycled paper available here on Menorca. In our local hypermarket there is only one range of recycled paper products available in the form of toilet roll, kitchen roll and serviettes.  They are not much more than the normal ones which is great. 

I have found bamboo toilet roll on Amazon, but have not got around to trying it, mainly because I prefer to get here on Menorca.

The blog song for today is:"Drive in Saturday" by David Bowie

TTFN

 

Operation Ghostnet Ghost Nets – the indiscriminate killers of marine wildlife - a Sea Shepherd campaign.

Operation Ghostnet

Ghost Nets – the indiscriminate killers of marine wildlife

Every year around 640,000 tonnes of fishing gear such as lines, nets and pots is lost or discarded into the oceans and this already shocking figure is increasing. These discarded nets, lines and other fishing industry gear becomes known as ‘Ghost gear’ because of its ability to continue killing wildlife long after the fishing boats have left it behind.

Around the UK this lost and discarded fishing gear is the second largest source of marine debris with over 1250 kilometres of nets alone being lost in UK waters each year.

Over 150,00 seals and cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) are estimated to be killed annually by lost fishing gear along with thousands of sea birds, turtles and sharks.

Why Is so much Fishing Gear lost or discarded?

There are many reasons that fishing gear is lost or discarded at sea:

1. Entanglement with other vessels gear, snagging on wrecks or on natural topography such as reefs and rocks

2. Fishing nets and lines breaking loose or having to be cut free for vessel safety reasons

3. Risky deployment in poor sea conditions

4, Illegal discarding of unwanted fishing gear while at sea to avoid safe disposal costs back on shore

What is Sea Shepherd UKʼs Ghostnet Campaign?

As part of a wider effort by Sea Shepherd to combat the issue of discarded fishing gear, Sea Shepherd UK launched its Ghostnet Campaign in January 2018 to concentrate on known problem areas around UK coastal waters but in 2020 our campaign is going global with our divers already being deployed to the waters of Bahrain.

The Ghostnet campaign utilises highly experienced volunteer divers and Sea Shepherd UK’s fast boats to survey UK waters looking for discarded fishing gear (DFG) and recover it for safe disposal or recycling. The divers are deployed to a potential or reported ghostgear site on one of Sea Shepherd UKʼs four Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) where underwater 3D scanners pinpoint wrecks and sites to dive. Our crew look for wrecks located particularly near intensive netting and creel fishing areas as the equipment often becomes snagged on wrecks and rocks and we check nearby areas as the water currents move the ghostgear along the sea bed to other underwater features where it may become entangled.

The divers will survey the wreck to ensure that the net or pot can be removed safely and that it hasnʼt been down there so long as to have actually formed a habitat for marine life. Enormous care is taken not to damage the wrecks and we work in conjunction with the UKʼs Maritime Management Organisations (MMO), Natural England and Historic England who have approved our method statements and we obtain official permits whenever applicable.

Nets, lines and discarded creels are brought to the surface using lift bags which are attached to the ghost gear and then inflated to carefully lift them to the surface.

Often, we will have to revisit a wreck several times to remove all of the gear snagged on it. Once safely into the boat, the nets are then carefully disposed of on shore or taken for recycling by one of the innovative companies using them to manufacture clothes, footwear or even kayaks!

How can I get involved?

Sea Shepherd UK is always looking for experienced divers to assist with this campaign. Lifting gear from the sea bed is potentially very dangerous and therefore requires a certain level of competence. Divers should have complete a minimum of 100 coldwater dives, be qualified to the standard of at least Rescue Diver and have completed SSUKʼs unique Ghostnet Retrieval Course through our partner Scuba Diving International (SDi).

SSUK/SDIʼs Ghostnet Recovery Course

Shepherd UK has linked up with training agency Scuba Diving International (SDI) to offer the world’s first fully accredited speciality course in Ghostnet Recovery.

The course lasts two days and includes four dives with theory classes in between. Candidates need to be qualified to SDI Advanced Adventurer or equivalent level, be over 21 and able to show that they have carried out at least 100 logged dives.

The course has been created in conjunction with SDI to ensure that all divers remain as safe as possible in challenging conditions and that ghost gear is removed with no impact on the marine environment. 

What a great cause to be involved in.  

If anyone knows someone who has these skills,please contact them! maybe they can help! I am not sure if there is anything like this here on Menorca, I will look into it.

The blog song for today is: "On the other side" by the Strokes

TTFN

The next decade (and beyond) is at stake - earth hour 2022 (From the earth hour website)

The next decade (and beyond) is at stake

Later this year, world leaders and representatives from all over the globe will be attending a crucial United Nations conference for nature and biodiversity - the the UN CBD COP 15 (United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity 15th Conference of the Parties) 

The state of nature and biodiversity will be the focus for this conference, and global plans will be made for the next 10 years - decisions that will affect not only the next decade, but our future and well-being for many years to come. With enough public pressure, this could be the conference where we secure an ambitious global commitment - similar to the Paris Agreement, but for nature - to reverse the loss of nature and biodiversity by 2030.

And why 2030? Nature is not only our biggest provider - it's also one of our strongest allies against the climate crisis. Unless world leaders urgently step up their efforts to protect nature, global temperatures could rise above the 1.5 degree Celsius limit set by the Paris agreement as early as 2030, a decade earlier than previously expected. Any further increase in temperatures could mean irreversible damage to our planet.

With supporters in over 190 countries and happening shortly before the UN CBD COP 15, Earth Hour is an unmissable opportunity to put the spotlight on this crucial conference for nature, building the global momentum needed to pressure world leaders into action.

Our second Earth Hour "Virtual Spotlight"

Last year, we invited you to take part in our first-ever Earth Hour "Virtual Spotlight", sharing a must-watch video that took over the social media timelines, feeds, and Stories of millions across the world.

With over 20,000 social media shares and 2.4 million video views in the first 24 hours, you helped place the spotlight on our planet, the pandemic, and our place within it all.

This Earth Hour, with the crucial United Nations nature & biodiversity conference on the horizon, we need to shine the spotlight on our planet brighter than ever before.

Not much longer to go now until the next earth hour!  

The blog song for today is:"Behold the temple of light" by Pink Floyd

TTFN

Historic day in the campaign to beat plastic pollution: Nations commit to develop a legally binding agreement at United Nations 2 March 2022

For more information visit the United Nations Enviornment Programme (UNEP) Web Site https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories

Historic day in the campaign to beat plastic pollution: Nations commit to develop a legally binding agreement

UNEP / 02 Mar 2022

Nairobi, 02 March 2022 – Heads of State, Ministers of environment and other representatives from 175 nations endorsed a historic resolution at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) today in Nairobi to End Plastic Pollution and forge an international legally binding agreement by 2024. The resolution addresses the full lifecycle of plastic, including its production, design and disposal.

“Against the backdrop of geopolitical turmoil, the UN Environment Assembly shows multilateral cooperation at its best,” said the President of UNEA-5 and Norway’s Minister for Climate and the Environment, Espen Barth Eide. “Plastic pollution has grown into an epidemic. With today’s resolution we are officially on track for a cure.” 

The resolution, based on three initial draft resolutions from various nations, establishes an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), which will begin its work in 2022, with the ambition of completing a draft global legally binding agreement by the end of 2024. It is expected to present a legally binding instrument, which would reflect diverse alternatives to address the full lifecycle of plastics, the design of reusable and recyclable products and materials, and the need for enhanced international collaboration to facilitate access to technology, capacity building and scientific and technical cooperation.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) will convene a forum by the end of 2022 that is open to all stakeholders in conjunction with the first session of the INC, to share knowledge and best practices in different parts of the world. It will facilitate open discussions and ensure they are informed by science, reporting on progress throughout the next two years. Finally, upon completion of the INC’s work, UNEP will convene a diplomatic conference to adopt its outcome and open it for signatures.

“Today marks a triumph by planet earth over single-use plastics. This is the most significant environmental multilateral deal since the Paris accord. It is an insurance policy for this generation and future ones, so they may live with plastic and not be doomed by it.” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.

“Let it be clear that the INC’s mandate does not grant any stakeholder a two-year pause. In parallel to negotiations over an international binding agreement, UNEP will work with any willing government and business across the value chain to shift away from single-use plastics, as well as to mobilise private finance and remove barriers to investments in research and in a new circular economy,” Andersen added.

Plastic production soared from 2 million tonnes in 1950 to 348 million tonnes in 2017, becoming a global industry valued at US$522.6 billion, and it is expected to double in capacity by 2040. The impacts of plastic production and pollution on the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature loss and pollution are a catastrophe in the making:

• Exposure to plastics can harm human health, potentially affecting fertility, hormonal, metabolic and neurological activity, and open burning of plastics contributes to air pollution.
• By 2050 greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastic production, use and disposal would account for 15 per cent of allowed emissions, under the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C (34.7°F).
• More than 800 marine and coastal species are affected by this pollution through ingestion, entanglement, and other dangers.
• Some 11 million tonnes of plastic waste flow annually into oceans. This may triple by 2040.
• A shift to a circular economy can reduce the volume of plastics entering oceans by over 80 per cent by 2040; reduce virgin plastic production by 55 per cent; save governments US$70 billion by 2040; reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent; and create 700,000 additional jobs – mainly in the global south.

The historic resolution, titled “End Plastic Pollution: Towards an internationally legally binding instrument” was adopted with the conclusion of the three-day UNEA-5.2 meeting, attended by more than 3,400 in-person and 1,500 online participants from 175 UN Member States, including 79 ministers and 17 high-level officials.

The Assembly will be followed by “UNEP@50,” a two-day Special Session of the Assembly marking UNEP’s 50^th anniversary where Member States are expected to address how to build a resilient and inclusive post-pandemic world.

NOTES TO EDITORS

• Quote from the Government of Japan: “The resolution will clearly take us towards a future with no plastic pollution, including in the marine environment,” said Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi, Japan’s Environment Minister, whose draft resolution contributed to the final resolution. “United, we can make it happen. Together, let us go forward as we start the negotiations towards a better future with no plastic pollution.”
• Quote from the Government of Peru: "We appreciate the support received from the various countries during this negotiation process," said Modesto Montoya, Peru’s Minister of Environment, whose draft resolution, proposed with the Government of Rwanda, contributed to the final resolution. "Peru will promote a new agreement that prevents and reduces plastic pollution, promotes a circular economy and addresses the full life cycle of plastics.”
• Quote from the Government of Rwanda: “The world has come together act against plastic pollution – a serious threat to our planet. International partnerships will be crucial in tackling a problem that affects all of us, and the progress made at UNEA reflects this spirit of collaboration,” said Dr Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, Rwanda's Minister of Environment. “We look forward to working with the INC and are optimistic about the opportunity to create a legally binding treaty as a framework for national ambition-setting, monitoring, investment, and knowledge transfer to end plastic pollution.”

UNEP@50: A time to reflect on the past and envision the future

The 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden, was the first-ever UN conference with the word “environment” in its title. The creation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) was one of the most visible outcomes of this conference of many firsts. UNEP was created quite simply to be the environmental conscience of the UN and the world. Activities taking place through 2022 will look at significant progress made as well as what’s ahead in decades to come.

About the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)

UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

What a great achievement this is, finally some light at the end of the tunnel. The momentum still needs to keep going, although at this particular time events in Ukraine are dominating everything (quite rightly so) and we are all watching with anxiety.

The blog song for today is: "Not fade away" by the Rolling Stones

TTFN 

100 days since the COP26 climate change conference: Has anything really changed? A report from ITV regional news UK (21/02/2022)

 

100 days since the COP26 climate change conference: Has anything really changed?

• Monday 21 February 2022, 5:35pm

James Webster

Correspondent, ITV Regional News

100 days have now passed since the world's leaders gathered in Glasgow for the COP26 Climate Change Conference. As part of the team from ITV News reporting from the talks, you could feel the expectation at the talks, the hope for a deal that made a real difference.

The sheer variety of accents and languages you would overhear as you walked around the venue was the best illustration of how many countries were represented there. And throughout the two weeks of talks, it felt like the world's climate was a real talking point, not just on TV and radio but more generally too.

Two weeks of difficult negotiations, perhaps inevitable, ran over time but a deal was done. Some, but not all countries agreed to reduce their use of coal power. Deforestation would be stopped and in some cases reversed. More new vehicles would be zero emissions. But conservationists say the conference missed other issues like international aviation and the impact of the food we eat. The UK government has also been criticised for not halting controversial plans for a new coal mine in Cumbria and the expansion of Bristol Airport.

So what was it all for? Since COP26 there has been much less focus on environmental issues. Has it lost momentum?

Alok Sharma MP remains the President of COP26 for most of 2022 and has been touring parts of Asia for further talks with countries about climate change.

During his visit to Indonesia I asked him what further work he has been doing on the commitments promised at COP26 since the conference ended.

"At this stage these are words on a page," Mr Sharma said.

"There are commitments that have been made by countries, some of which have to be delivered by the end of this year, others that are to be delivered in years forward.

"That is what this period is all about, pushing forward on delivery, ensuring that the commitments that have been made are turned into real action."

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The independent Climate Change Committee, which scrutinises the government's policies, published its review of COP26 in December. It feels the UK still hasn't put enough changes in place to deliver on its net-zero targets at a time it should be leading by example while it still holds the COP presidency.

There are some climate change campaigners, such as Ben Margolis from the Climate Change Coalition, who feel that there needed to be more policies from the government to enable people to make changes to benefit the environment: "People want to switch to electric vehicles, they want to switch to sustainable forms of transport, they want to install double glazing and insulation and heat pumps. The problem is that there's just not the incentives or the money there to allow people to do so, so I think that's what people are expecting from the government now."

In response Alok Sharma told me: "In terms of policies we put forward before COP, a net-zero strategy where we set out how we were going to get to net-zero by 2050, which is enshrined in law, and as part of that it's really important to recognise that of course this is about cutting emissions, is about having a healthier environment for everyone in the UK and across the world but it's also about growing the economy.

"I think the public is on board. But of course, what we need to be doing is explaining perhaps even further the benefits of getting to net zero and what we need to do as a government is to demonstrate that actually net zero is very good news for the environment. It's good news for the future but it's also good news for the economy. In the end of the day, this is about driving green growth."

So what do we learn from Alok Sharma's update, marking 100 days since the end of COP26? It feels very much as though his focus, perhaps unsurprisingly, is international right now. The UK retains the presidency of COP until world leaders gather again for COP27 in Egypt later this year. In that role it's perhaps not surprising that we have seen little of Alok Sharma domestically as he travels the world seeking to make further progress internationally on what is, after all, a global issue.

The fact that when I asked him about further domestic policy, he simply reiterated the progress the UK has already made and the policies previously announced last autumn suggests that for now at least there is no more policy and no more money to pay for the sorts of policies the Climate Change Coalition is suggesting.

And that is not going to cut it with the climate change experts who have analysed the small print of the agreements made at COP26. Those scientists are clear that even if everything at COP26 is delivered, it still does not go far enough to limit climate change to 1.5C. These are the same scientists who also point out that while the UK may have some world leading targets for 2030 and 2050, the policies announced so far do not seem to demonstrate how those targets will be delivered.

Some analysts have suggested that while COP26 "opened the door" to limiting climate change to 1.5C, the world did not get through the door. It remains a possibility but more steps need to be taken and 100 days on it still feels like the world is not yet through that door.

The blog song for today is: " Our house" by Madness

TTFN

IPCC Report - Climate Change Crisis in Europe. NOT GOOD AT ALL

 Here is a link to the Climate Change Report from the IPCC :https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/

                                                     

Here is a copy of the text of the report concerning us here in Europe.

If you go to the website you will see there are assessments for all of the world.

SIXTH ASSESSMENT REPORT
Working Group II – Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability

Key Risk 2: Heat and drought stress on crops
Substantive agricultural production losses are projected for most European areas over the 21st century, which will not be offset by
gains in Northern Europe (high confidence). While irrigation is an effective adaptation option for agriculture, the ability to adapt using
irrigation will be increasingly limited by water availability, especially in response to GWL above 3°C (high confidence)
 

Fact sheet - Europe

 
Climate change impacts and risks
Our current 1.1°C warmer world is already affecting natural and
human systems in Europe (very high confidence). Impacts of
compound heatwaves and droughts have become more frequent
(medium confidence). Largely negative impacts are projected for
southern regions.

 
Climate Change Impacts and Risks

Figure 1:
Changes in climate hazards for
global warming levels of 1.5ºC
and 3ºC based on the CMIP6
ensemble (Gutiérrez et al., 2021)
with respect to the baseline
period 1995-2014, combined with
information on present exposure
or vulnerability:
(a,b) number of days with
temperature maximum above
35ºC (TX35) and population
density (European Comission,
2019);
(c,d) daily precipitation maximum
(Rx1 d) and built-up area
(JRCdatacatalogue, 2021);
{Figure 13.4 panels a – d}
 

Key Risk 1: Mortality and morbidity of people and changes in ecosystems due to heat
The number of deaths and people at risk of heat stress will increase two- to threefold at 3ºC compared with 1.5ºC GWL (high
confidence). Above 3°C GWL, there are limits to the adaptation potential of people and existing health systems (high confidence).

Warming will decrease suitable habitat space for current terrestrial and marine ecosystems and irreversibly change their composition,
increasing in severity above 2°C GWL (very high confidence). Fire-prone areas are projected to expand across Europe, threatening
biodiversity and carbon sinks (medium confidence).
 

Key Risks
Four key risks (KR) have been identified for Europe, with most
becoming more severe at 2°C global warming level (GWL)
compared to 1.5°C GWL in scenarios with low to medium
adaptation (high confidence). From 3°C GWL and even with
high adaptation, severe risks remain for many sectors in Europe
(high confidence)

SIXTH ASSESSMENT REPORT
Working Group II – Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
 

Key Risk 4: Flooding and sea level rise
Above 3°C GWL, damage costs and people affected by
precipitation and river flooding may double. Coastal flood
damage is projected to increase at least 10-fold by the end of the
21st century, and even more or earlier with current adaptation
and mitigation (high confidence). Sea level rise represents an
existential threat for coastal communities and their cultural
heritage, particularly beyond 2100.
• Key Risk 1 (heat): behavioural change combined with building
interventions, space cooling and urban planning to manage heat
risks; restoration, expansion and connection of protected areas for
ecosystems
• Key Risk 2 (agriculture): irrigation, vegetation cover, changes in
farming practices, crop and animal species, and shifting planting;
[fire and forest management, and agroecology]
• Key Risk 3 (water scarcity): efficiency improvements, water
storage, water reuse, early warning systems, and land use
change
 

Barriers
Key barriers are limited resources, lack of private sector and citizens
engagement, insufficient mobilisation of finance, lack of political
leadership, and low sense of urgency. Most of the adaptation
options to the key risks depend on limited water and land resources,
creating competition and trade-offs, also with mitigation options and
socio-economic developments (high confidence)
 

Adaptation Options and Barriers
Residual risks
In many parts of Europe, existing and planned adaptation
measures are not sufficient to avoid the residual risk, especially
beyond 1.5°C GWL (high confidence). Residual risk can result in
losses of habitat and ecosystem services, heat related deaths,
crop failures, water rationing during droughts in Southern
Europe, and loss of land (medium confidence).
 

Climate Resilient Development
Closing the adaptation gap requires moving beyond short-term planning and ensuring timely and adequate implementation (high
confidence). Inclusive, equitable and just adaptation pathways are critical for climate resilient development. The success of adaptation will
depend on our understanding of which adaptation options are feasible and effective in their local context (high confidence).
 

Adaptation options
There is a growing range of adaptation options available today to deal with future climate risks (high confidence). Examples for
adaptation to the key risks include:

Figure 2: Burning ember diagrams for key risks for Europe with low to medium adaptation.

Key Risk 3: Water scarcity

 
In Southern Europe, more than a third of the population will be
exposed to water scarcity at 2°C GWL; under 3°C GWL, this risk
will double, and significant economic losses in water and energy
dependent sectors may arise (medium confidence). For Western
Central and Southern Europe, and for many cities, the risk of
water scarcity will increase strongly under 3°C GWL.

• Key Risk 4 (flooding):

 early warning systems, reserving space
for water and ecosystem-based adaptation, sediment or
engineering based options, land use change and managed
retreat
• Nature-based solutions with safeguards for flood protection
and heat alleviation are themselves under threat from
warming, extreme heat, drought and sea level rise (high
confidence).

I understand that at this moment we are all worried about the awful situation in the Ukraine, but we still need to carry on with trying to stop climate change, if we do nothing then when the Ukraine crisis is over we will be in an even worse situation.

We still have to carry on trying to do our best, this is not going away.  As I have said so many times before, everyone has to do their bit, it is not okay to say, "well thats not my job or i'm too busy" or any other lame excuse, only one thing is true, we are destroying our only home, act now, keep on acting.

The blog song for today is: "Good times, bad times" by Led Zeppelin

 TTFN