The proposed construction of a gigantic “heliohydroelectric” dam that would literally part the Red Sea holds the potential to generate large amounts of clean energy for an impoverished region, but could also cause irreversible global ecological damage through the partial draining of the Red Sea.
Sea Lice May Be Driving Wild Salmon to Extinction
Parasitic sea lice originating in salmon farms along the west coast of Canada are threatening to drive local salmon populations to extinction in as little as four years unless the farms are either removed from the area or made completely watertight.
Bio-Rock: Shock Treatment for Coral Reefs
“Bio-Rock” – a procedure created by scientist Thomas Goreau and late architect Wolf Hilbertz – is being used to stimulate growth in threatened coral reefs by bringing them into close contact with low-voltage electricity and speeding the formation of a key building component in coral reefs.
Forest Loss in Sumatra Becomes a Global Issue
Worldwide demand for palm oil used in cooking, cosmetics, and “earth-friendly” biodiesel is driving logging of Sumatra’s once-dense forests and the establishment of palm plantations, causing concern about the greenhouse gas contributions caused by deforestation – which now accounts for 20% of global emissions – and Indonesia’s potential “carbon bomb.”
Natural Hazards: Unique Imagery: Oil Spill off South Korea
After the 146,000-ton tanker, Hebei Spirit, collided with another vessel on Friday, December 7, around 10,000 tons of crude oil spilled into the coastal waters of the Yellow Sea just Southwest of Seoul, Korea. The extent of the spill is shown here in an image taken using Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR).
Humans Make Atmosphere Wetter
A joint US, UK, German and Japanese study finds human-caused increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels has in turn forced up water-vapor content.
Commitment to Climate: Sweden First, US Almost Last, Study Says
The Climate Change Performance Index, released by Germanwatch during the Bali climate conference, rates 56 of the heaviest greenhouse gas polluting nations’ commitment to a healthier climate based on energy usage, carbon dioxide emissions, governmental policies and long-term trends. Results show Sweden coming in first, with Saudi Arabia placing last and the US second to last.
High Weedkiller Levels Found in River Checks
An extensively used weedkiller – Atrazine – has been found in streams and rivers throughout the Midwest in levels high enough to damage amphibians, fish and aquatic ecosystems. Atrazine, which is manufactured by Syngenta Crop Protection, has been linked to sexual abnormalities in frogs and fish in scientific studies and is currently banned in the UK.