Argentine glacier back four miles in nearly 80 years

Ameghino Glacier in southern Argentina, fell four miles in almost 80 years due to global warming, today denounced the environmental organization Greenpeace.The agency released two photos of the glacier training, located in the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, in the southern province of Santa Cruz, one taken in 1931 and one taken in March that show the retreat of the ice mass and the enviroment and glaciar.
"What we can see is a significant shrinkage of almost 4 km, which coincides with the developments that have, in recent decades, almost all of the ice along the Cordillera de los Andes," he told a statement Juan Carlos Villalonga, director of campaigns at Greenpeace Argentina.

Glacier and the environmental

The most recent photo was taken by Ameghino environmental organization in a joint expedition with the Argentine Institute of Snow Research and Glaciology (IANIGLA), while that of 1931 was taken from the same place by the priest Alberto De Agostini and the enviroment and glaciar.
In the photographic comparison shows that on the front of the glacier now there is a gap that appeared in other photographs above.

Argentinian glaciar

"The Ameghino was one of the glaciers began to study some time ago IANIGLA. And quickly, year after year, and compared with historical documents that we had at that time, we clearly saw a very marked retraction process," said Ricardo Villalba , director of IANIGLA. According to the expert, "the obvious effect of global warming is the retreat of the ice masses around the globe and, obviously, Argentina and South America's glaciers are not alien to it and the enviroment and glaciar."
"One travels regularly Andes and is clearly seen that the shrinking process continues and in many cases, has accelerated," he warned Villalba.
Greenpeace pointed out that the disappearance of glaciers bodies represents a loss of freshwater and that many of these ice contribute to the flow of rivers that originate in high mountains.
The Ameghino belongs to the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, from which emerge thirteen large glaciers and 190 smaller glaciers.

Spain bid to increase to 30% reduction of polluting gases

Spain announced on Wednesday its bid "unequivocal and clear" that the European Union (EU) to raise its ongoing commitment to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases of 20 to 30% compared to 1990 levels.
"Spain says Yes to 30%," said today the Minister for the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, Rosa Aguilar, in Climate Change Summit in Cancun.With this announcement, Spain joins the willingness expressed in the same direction by France, Germany, Britain and Denmark and Spain reduce CO2.
Aguilar will speak on 9 December in the plenary of the UN climate conference, trying to, at the instigation of the United Nations, to reach a global agreement on reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.

Spain reduce CO2

The EU committed itself in 2009 during the climate change summit held in Copenhagen to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions 20% and now is ready to move to 30% and Spain reduce CO2..
In short, Aguilar will meet with the EU Environment Ministers to raise the percentage increase in the reduction of greenhouse gases. He warned, however, that the increased commitment of the European Union could be a "toast to the sun" in the event that any agreement in Cancun is not under the UN umbrella.
At the previous summit in Copenhagen only a political agreement, signed by 110 countries, which is not insured or control and no monitoring of the commitments of countries.Accompanied by Secretary of State for Climate Change, Teresa Ribera, the minister added that the summit there is a willingness to move towards a "possible agreement needed and desired by Spain and Spain reduce CO2.."
Now, the first day of the ministerial segment of the meeting, "it's time to play politics with capital letters, and it is time for the EU and the political summit resolutely forward."

Pollution gases

Stressing that can not pass up the opportunity of the Cancún summit to combat climate change, Aguilar said that Spain will work until "the last minute to advance commitments" and anchor the political agreement of the previous meeting in Copenhagen in a text backed by the UN and Spain reduce CO2..

In his view, the documents of the negotiators on the table "there" to reach an agreement, although "not a finished text, but starting, so we'll keep working on key issues (financing and reduction commitments .)
He stressed that no one should "move beyond" the Kyoto Protocol but must "bring forward", which "is not easy, is complex, and there are contradictions to be overcome."At the Cancun Summit on Climate Change, countries seek to reach an agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol (1997), expires in two years.
'Shy progress' with China and the U.S.The differences over whether to extend or not this protocol, which came into force five years ago and has not been ratified by some countries like USA and China, the biggest polluters of the planet, and whether it should be binding also for emerging economies have become the focus of negotiation and Spain reduce CO2..
As for China and the U.S. position in the Cancun summit, the minister explained that they are producing "modest progress, we stay with it."During the meeting in Copenhagen, the U.S. led to an agreement with China, Brazil, South Africa and India to voluntary commitments, which have not yet implemented.

The panda is recovering in China

Getting pandas to reproduce is not a simple task. However, after many years of trying, Chinese researchers have made progress in technique and just announced they have achieved that 300 individuals born in captivity. The next step is to try to reintroduce them into their natural habitat to ensure the species recovers and the
Panda  Extintions.
Last Friday freed a first panda born in captivity. This is a baby four months old and just over eight kilos of weight, which will now live in the Reserve Wolong Giant Panda in China's southwestern Sichuan province. As shown in the photographs, investigators disguised bear to ensure that the animal will not see a human being throughout the process of reintegration into their midst.

The giant panda is in danger of extinction, but scientists believe that if his play continues apace, the species could once again live in freedom in the coming years.

Panda  Extintions

As reported by the BBC, much of the credit goes to researchers at the Research Center for the Chengdu Panda Breeding Bears, the most success has been achieved in the reproduction of this animal and the
Panda  Extintions..

To protect this endangered animal, scientists have tried to reproduce in captivity since 1963, when the first puppy born. However, it is difficult to maintain a stable population of animals in captivity due to their short reproductive cycle of females. Only in heat 72 hours a year and also the period during which you can get pregnant is reduced to between 12 and 24 hours. To not miss these few hours, scientists keep a tight control over the animals, extensive observations and daily blood tests to monitor hormone levels.
After studying the sexual behavior of these animals, researchers realized that despite their attempts, the few encounters that occurred not resulted in pregnancy and the Panda  Extintions.
The male penis is small relative to their size so the females must take a very concrete to achieve copulation. And as the researchers note, pandas do not seem to be aware of this situation.

According to the BBC, efforts to encourage pandas failed relationships from video to educate sexually to viagra. Almost all the techniques that failed and even resulted in some meetings the pandas behaved aggressively.

Panda is Recoving in China

Artificial insemination is not a simple technique for the pandas. The researchers carried out a technique known as 'twin swapping' (something like twin sharing). Most of the pandas give birth to two cubs, but only care for one of them because they can not feed more than one puppy at a time.
The scientists went to the abandoned babies Chengdu center, where they remained in incubators. The pups were exchanged, so that the two may be cared for by the mother without it being noticed. The survival rate increased by 98% through a combination of maternal care and the incubator.
Conservationists believe the number of pandas achieved is high enough to begin to implement programs of reintroduction into the wild and the Panda  Extintions..

The measures against deforestation reduced to 80% species extinction

The rate of extinction of amphibians, birds and mammals that inhabit the forests could drop by 80% in five years if they approve the plan to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD +) to be discussed at the UN Conference on Climate Change Climate.
This is indicated by a report from the institute's researchers Conservation International (CI) released Tuesday during the UN climate summit taking place in Cancun until 10 December.
"If you had the funding necessary to support the reduction of emissions resulting from deforestation," The rate of disappearance of thousands of species of amphibians, birds and mammals that inhabit the forests could be reduced between 46 and 80% in five years experts said.

Against deforestation

According to the study, with a funding framework for REDD + from 28,000 to 31,000 million dollars, would constitute a full funding scenario, reducing extinction rates could be 78 to 82%.

In a scenario of minimum funding, estimated between 5,000 and 6,000 million, a reduction of extinction would be 43 to 49% and the Climate Change and Deforestation.
The study finds that tropical forest species, which are about two-thirds of all known terrestrial species are increasingly threatened by deforestation caused by land conversion and consequent loss of habitat.

Meanwhile, it is estimated that the clearing and burning of tropical forests contribute about 15% of all emissions of greenhouse gases responsible for climate change.

Climate Change and Deforestation

"What this research tells us is that REDD + can be a solution for the protection of our environment and preserving biodiversity in the win-win," said the scientist Jonah Busch, author of the report, economist and climate and forest Conservation International.
"Increased funding will lead to further reductions in deforestation, increased carbon storage in forests and greater benefits for biodiversity," said Busch, who said "they are all intertwined."

To Will Turner, author of the report, REDD + can be an important part of the solution to two of the biggest challenges of mankind, biodiversity loss and climate change.

"If properly funded, REDD + will be an immediate lifeline to global biodiversity we all depend, and is one of the most readily available to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases," said Turner.
The paper concludes with a call for participants and observers of the climate negotiations in Cancun to collaborate and ensure that the negotiations will result in a REDD mechanism + that is fully funded, and designed to encourage broad participation and the Climate Change and Deforestation. .

Start the Climate Summit in Cancun

The thing is usually something like this. Each year, on December, more than 190 environment ministers meet in search of a deal that allows combat climate change, a final binding agreement to replace the 2012 Kyoto Protocol. At each summit will take place political speeches on how global warming is the greatest global challenge, a major global threat ... And every year, the summit ends in frustration, in a compact minimal at best, or cross-complaints blaming the blockage in the negotiations. Then the leaders return home to take care of the urgent: the depreciation of the yuan, the next election or the differential with the German bond and the Cancun Climate Summit.

The Cancun Summit that begins today in Mexico can vary somewhat. Nobody expects anything. Or almost nothing. The negotiators are content to reassemble the boat start of trading on the UN after the wreck of the Copenhagen Summit in 2009, where the presence of more than 150 Heads of State and Government did little to agree on how to reduce emissions.

Climate Summit in Cancun

Secretary of State for Climate Change, Teresa Ribera, said that the negotiators "lost innocence" in Copenhagen and this year "can not think of an international treaty out of Cancun." If anyone thought that the speeches were enough to revolutionize the global energy system is wrong. Now it is "to ensure that the contents of the Copenhagen agreement be anchored within the UN," according to Ribera, one of Europe's most experienced negotiators in the complex framework of the UN.

Copenhagen resulted in an agreement in which 120 countries committed themselves voluntarily to limit their emissions. Moreover, large emerging economies agreed to publicize their emissions and help rich countries to less developed economically to combat warming. However, the agreement did not the UN official, as Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia and Nicaragua and the Summit opposed require unanimity. So now it is negotiating to recover, to heal the wounds and put the UN in the points of that agreement in the enviroment.

Mexico's President Felipe Calderon said in his welcome message that there is good points, as the agreement to finance rich countries to curb tropical deforestation: "There is general support for establishing a mechanism to implement projects forestry sector in developing countries, with support from various funding sources and in full respect for the rights of indigenous communities. "

Cancun Climate Summit

The problem, as explained Ribera, is that "it is possible to think that you can remember only the creation of a Green Fund and the fight against deforestation." These mechanisms are linked to the developed countries, mainly US-accept lower their emissions as major emerging economies, notably China, to allow their emissions to be audited and the Cancun Climate Summit.

The problem is that the U.S. is increasingly able to offer less. Last year, the administration of Barack Obama pledged to cut their emissions by 17% in 2020 compared to 2005. Claimed he could not go further until Congress does not approve the Climate Change Bill was pending. Today this law is stuck in the Senate. In the November elections the Republicans won a majority in the House, and many of them skeptical about the seriousness of climate change. Most analysts such as Daniel Weiss, the research center Center for American Progress, considered almost impossible that this mandate Obama will take forward this legislation and the enviroment.

So Teresa Bank considers it essential that Cancun is not a total ruin. Europe fears that if Obama returns to Washington with a new failure that gives wings to the Republicans who are winning the battle in the American public.

Warning of mercury contamination in the air

Environmentalists are up in arms against the chlorine industry, which they accuse of generating higher mercury emissions than those permitted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Ecologists in Action organization has submitted a report on measurements of mercury in Spain. According to this work made by environmentalists, there is a high degree of contamination in areas such as Pontevedra or Tarragona and the mercury contamination.. .
According to the organization declares Ecologists in Action in both Lourizán (Pontevedra) and Flix (Tarragona) have detected very high levels of mercury in air that exceed the limit set by WHO. Mercury has also been found in the soils of the orchards.
According to the organization, these results indicate that the chlorine industry emit much more mercury than officially declared, putting at risk the health of residents and the quality of the fish we eat and the mercury contamination.. .

Mercury contamination

The report "Mercury Immission clorocáustica industry 2006-2010 'presents measurements of mercury held this summer near chlorine factories that use mercury, compared with those made in 2006 and 2007. Analyses have been performed by the laboratory Biogeochemistry of heavy metals Polytechnic University School of Almaden (Ciudad Real), University of Castilla-La Mancha and the mercury contamination.. .

Today, all the fish we eat is contaminated with mercury and the amount of mercury in the environment and our bodies continue to rise. For years the UN and the EU warn of the urgency to control this public health problem. According to Greenpeace, the situation is on high alert around the world, however, in our country, the authorities are reluctant to take action.

Mercury can form methylmercury, which collects and concentrates in aquatic ecosystems and large fish (tuna, shark, swordfish). Methylmercury is a neurotoxin that can affect the formation of the brain, which is very troubling exposure during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It can also cause damage to the cardiovascular system and increased mortality. Mercury also causes neurological and behavioral disorders and the mercury contamination..

Warning of mercury contamination

The main consumers of mercury in Spain are the chlor-alkali mercury cell, outdated technology, invented in the nineteenth century and has long been surpassed by the membrane process, clean production and consumes 30% less energy and the mercury contamination.. .

In a press conference in Madrid, the environmental asciación "demanded" not continue to allow the production of chlorine with mercury cell technology (which is not a Best Available Technology, under the IPPC Directive), which obliges companies to clean up soils and waters have been contaminated and to compensate the affected people

39% of the Spanish have breathe air

Ecologists in Action has opened an infringement procedure against the Spanish State to the European authorities for not taking measures to improve air quality. Systematically, according to the organization, both exceed the limits established by European legislation and by the World Health Organization.
The environmental group has collected data each autonomous community fragmented and city records on the air quality to produce a report on air pollution in Spain. No administration carries out this work of compilation. Environmentalists itself. And the result is negative and the Spanish breathe air.
79% of the Spanish population, ie 36.9 million people breathe air that exceeds the rates of health protection recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to the 'Balance of air pollution in the Spanish State in 2009 'presented by Ecologists in Action.

Spanish breathe air

Specifically, the report notes that 14% of 6.6 million people breathe air, since in these cases is beyond the limits of pollution that makes the law. Thus, the main air pollutant is traffic in metropolitan areas. The organization stresses that, despite the "seriousness" of the situation, governments are not taking the necessary steps to solve this problem and the Spanish breathe air .

The main source of pollution in urban areas (where most of the population) is the traffic.

The study analyzes the quality of air breathed in almost all of the Spanish population (46.7 million people in January 2009). The data from those providing regional administrations from their networks to measure the contamination.

Air pollution in Spain

In any case, the report notes that the situation continues the trend of slight improvement already begun in 2008, mostly due to the effect of the crisis. As in 2008, during 2009 were markedly reduced the levels of pollution compared to previous years, which has been more circumstantial reasons for the implementation of planned measures intended to reduce this pollution and the Spanish breathe air.

Egypt makes her wilderness forests wastewater

The hand of man tries to challenge nature with the Egyptian government's initiative to irrigate the desert areas of waste water and convert forest and whose surface is equivalent to the territory of Panama.
The difference after human intervention is dramatic: the landscape was once a barren, inhospitable and now there's hot spots covered with green trees of high economic value such as poplar, eucalyptus and papyrus. And this thanks to the water they use, pollute and dispose of 80 million Egyptians every day and, ironically, is best for these so-called forest 'handmade' and the egiptian Forest in desert.

"The waste water can make you infertile, like the desert, into something rich and containing nitrogen, micronutrients and organic substances to the land rich," said the professor of 'Research Institute of Soil, Water and Environment' Nabil Kandil dedicated to the analysis of desert land suitable for afforestation.

Forest in desert

So does the teacher of the 'Department of Water Pollution Research' the Awady Hamdy, who also point out the superiority of the plants irrigated with wastewater. "The waste water has many more nutrients than normal water, so it's an extra source of nutrition that can make plants resistant to harsh climates grow faster and even with green leaves egiptian Forest in desert.

Green Egypt

Both Kandil and El Awady know well the value of matching demand with supply in a country which produces 7 million cubic meters of wastewater per year and at the same time, holds 95% of its territory covered by deserts or barren with little vegetation.

So far, there are 34 forests throughout the country, with a total of 71,400 square kilometers, equivalent to the total area of Panama or Ireland. Furthermore, in accordance with the Egyptian government, there are ten others under construction in an area that adds another 18,600 square kilometers egiptian Forest in desert.
According to Kandil, "The aim is afforested one million square kilometers, which means greening the entire country, but warns that if successful, will be" when all they have now proposed the dead. "
Most plants are now grown up trees such as poplar wood, papyrus, casuarina and eucalyptus trees, planted to meet the country's timber needs, but they have also successfully grown grains to produce biofuels such as jatropha and jojoba , or for making oils such as rapeseed, soybean and sunflower.

Wilderness forests wastewater

Get water from primary treatment plants, where solid contaminants are removed, has been the cheapest, especially as irrigation systems and pump the liquid transport are the same as Egyptian farmers have used for years egiptian Forest in desert.

Although this water requires caution because it contains pollutants and is unaware of the impacts of ecosystem change for biodiversity, the project, implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture in cooperation with the Egyptian Environmental Affairs, appears to be an entire business egiptian Forest in desert..
These hand-made forests are not only fighting the drought, desertification and erosion, said Kandil. "But also draw water from waste, maximize the benefit to farmers and meet the timber needs of Egypt generating economic benefits for the country," he adds.

California upholds the law of climate change

While all the spotlights pointed to the referendum on the legalization of marijuana, California voted controverido quietly on another issue: the law of climate change.
     Despite the rain of millions of oil companies such as Valero or Tesoro, despite the money made from Kansas by brothers David and Charles Koch, 60% of Californians are defending the law and have defeated the "skeptics" in an unprecedented referendum.
    Proposition 23, which sought to invalidate the action was climate change, has been parked at the polls. The law requires the reduction of CO2 emissions in 2020 from 1990 levels therefore remains in force at the eighth economic power in the world, but in Washington would prefer not to hear and the Law of climate change.

Law of climate change

To Arnold Schwarzenegger, who signed the law in 2006, has been a personal revenge on the line. "Do not let the Texas oil decide California's energy future," said "Governatorato" in the final stretch of its mandate, nestled in the ranks of Hollywood (with James Cameron to front) and Silicon Valley (Sergey Brin, Gordon Moore) and the Law of climate change.

Neither Schwarzenegger's unpopularity, rampant unemployment and 12% have discouraged Californians, who have decided to continue down the path of renewable and send a powerful signal to the "new majority" in the Capitol.   
In the Mojave Desert, meanwhile, begins in the coming weeks to build the world's largest solar power plant with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts, enough to power more than 600,000 households. As in many other occasions, despite its profound contradictions, California is ready to show the rest of the country that another future is possible and the Law of climate change.
.

One in five vertebrate species are at risk of extinction

One in five species of invertebrates, ie, complex organisms such as mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, is in danger of collapsing. Says a group of 174 scientists from several countries in a special edition of 'Science Express', the online edition of the journal Science. The prestigious publication presents the work that qualifies as the most comprehensive analysis on the state of biodiversity. And the result is hopeless. 20% of vertebrates are included in the IUCN Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). And the trend is increasing and the Vertebrate species in extinction.
According to experts, the current death rate of species is between 10 and 1,000 times higher than what is known as the extinction of background, ie the average rate of disappearance observed in the fossil record.
Scientists say that life is generally declining. The paper led by Michael Hoffmann, University of Cambridge (UK) offers categorical data and the Vertebrate species in extinction. .
There are approximately 25,000 vertebrates included in the Red List. For biological groups, which are worst are amphibians, with 41% in the list. Then come the mammals, with 25%, 22% reptiles and birds with 13%. In the aquatic environment are on the red list 33% of the cartilaginous fishes and 15% of bony fish.


Vertebrate species in extinction

But despite the dark situation, use their article to note that conservation efforts such as the declaration of protected areas or the enactment of laws take effect. And that suggest that, in not taking such measures the number of species could be up to 20% higher. Conservation is useful, come to say. Invest more in it because it works and the Vertebrate species in extinction.
But there are many aspects to improve. The sociobiologist Edward O. Wilson summed up the lashes of biodiversity: habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, human overpopulation and high consumption of resources and hunting. A challenge that scientists summarized by the acronym HIPPO, and the English words of fronts (Habitat destruction, Invasive species, Pollution, Population, overharvesting) and the Vertebrate species in extinction. .

Start the Summit to protect biodiversity

The next two weeks will be decisive for the protection of species on the planet. Scientists from eight countries have called for binding targets at the Conference on Biodiversity United Nations which starts on Monday in the Japanese city of Nagoya and runs until Oct. 29.
The main objective is to curb the alarming rate of species extinction and environmental destruction. Delegates from 193 member states, business leaders and nongovernmental organizations have gathered for the tenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in order to establish those goalsand protect biodiversity.
During the meeting, the parties also discuss how to share the benefits of genetic resources.

Convention on Biological Diversity

But developed countries and less developed countries are divided on some major issues, so there is great concern that these fractures could stall the talks as in previous dialogues.
The CBD, which was established in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and the Convention on Climate Change United Nations, has three main objectives: to conserve biodiversity, use biological diversity sustainably and share benefits of genetic resources fairly and equitably protect biodiversity.
Set realistic steps
"Let us take concerted actions as an international community agreeing realistic and ambitious goals," opening today urged the Japanese Environment Minister, Ryu Matsumoto. 

Protect biodiversity

In 2002, the parties pledged to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss "significantly" by 2010 to alleviate poverty and benefit all life on Earth. However, these goals were not met and protect biodiversity.

It is "obvious that the world community failed to meet that goal," said Jochen Flasbarth, president of the Ninth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and director of the department of nature conservation and sustainable use of the Ministry of Environment Germany. "We are losing the diversity, richness, beauty and the capital of our planet."
"What the world wants from Nagoya are agreements to stop the dramatic loss of wealth living in the world and the continuing erosion of our life support systems," said Jim Leape, director general of WWF.
In an article published last week in the U.S. journal 'Science', Weisser and 13 other researchers asked to amend the targets for the year 2020 and establishing realistic steps and protect biodiversity.
"There are enough fire to be extinguished before 2020. Objectives should be sorted by priority and possible implementation in a realistic manner," Weisser said.

Protection of biodiversity

Ask member states to act with "urgency and coordination" to address gaps and achieve more efficient use of resources.
The Twenty-seven were in favor of establishing a strategic plan on biodiversity for the period 2011-2020, as well as setting an effective protocol on access to genetic resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use and protect biodiversity.

China is the largest energy consumer in the world

China has become the largest consumer of energy worldwide, thus advancing to the U.S., as announced by the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Nobuo Tanaka.

In fact, half the growth in oil demand comes from this country. "No one can predict when it will start to fall (in Chinese demand)" adds the director of the agency.
Energy sources accounted for the agency, founded during the oil crisis of 1973, are crude (33.2% of the total in 2008), coal (27%), nuclear (5.8%), gas ( 21.1%), renewables (10%) and hydroelectric (2.2%).

China has become the largest consumer of energy worldwide

The IEA advises 28 developed countries to potential oil supply problems. China is not among them, but the agency handles its rising consumption, the potential impact of oil prices in their economic expansion.
China overtook Japan as second largest economy in the second quarter, when gross domestic product (GDP) totaled 1.288 trillion Japan compared with $ 1.33 billion dollars from China. However, the Japanese economy grew 0.4% yoy compared to 10.3% Chinese.
Example of the expansion of the Asian giant was the spectacular jam thousands of drivers who suffered for 13 days in which the movement of vehicles was stopped at a hundred miles.

China consumer energy

Moreover, Iraq can become a piece that changes the game, "said Tanaka. The upward revision of its reserves by 25% could have a positive impact on oil supply, the agency said. "We need Iraqi oil," he added.

The agency has also stressed that half the supplies of oil could be extracted from sea from 2015. This source currently supplies a third of global distribution, will grow "rapidly in the coming years," said Tanaka and the China consumer energy.
However, he acknowledges that tragedies such as British Petroleum spill into the pit of Macondo, in the Gulf of Mexico could cause regulatory changes that delay mining projects at sea.

The White House finally bet solar panels

Three weeks after the expedition "solar" environmentalist Bill McKibben is crashing the gate of the White House, Barack Obama has decided to swerve to the energy policy of the presidential mansion and has agreed to install new thermal and photovoltaic panels.
The recently announced Energy Secretary Steven Chu, who has urged Americans to follow suit and opt for renewable energy. The solar industry has launched the house through the window and the 350.org campaign, which on Sunday summoned the global day of action against climate change, has finally entered the "solar commitment" of the White House.
The panels, which will be installed next spring, mostly have a high symbolic value. In 1979, ahead of time, then-President Jimmy Carter decided to install the first thermal plate in the west wing roof to provide hot water. Two years later, completing the revenge of the "lobby" of fossil fuels, Ronald Reagan decided to withdraw unceremoniously and the White House with solar Panel.

White House with solar Panel

In the sly, President Bush pioneered the use of geothermal energy in their Texas ranch returned to install a small thermal panels to heat the pool water and other units of the presidential mansion. What Obama is now trying to achieve even energy supply to the monthly bill, to be determined and the White House with solar Panel..

It is unknown what might have brought about the sudden change in the White House, beyond the exit of the cabinet chief Rahm Emanuel. The fact is that the issue of McKibben and 350.org, which was loaded with an old panel of Jimmy Carter, had to turn around in September with the mission unfulfilled and the White House with solar Panel.

Solar Energy
"We could have said we had an excellent exchange of ideas and ensure that the Administration has taken seriously our request," McKibben wrote then. "But that would have been lying."
Three weeks later, and after weighing whether or not to recall at this point to Jimmy Carter, the White House announces rectified and solar conversion and the White House with solar Panel.. Is not known how he may have the final decision on Michelle Obama, who masterminded the famous garden in the presidential mansion, which the irrigation system can be activated by next spring, thanks to solar future

The global crisis of rivers

The rivers which distribute 80% of the water consumed worldwide are seriously threatened. In other words, the water we drink 5,000 million people could leave soon be unfit for human consumption. The figures emerge from the first large-scale study of the quality of all rivers on the planet and the crisis of river.. Until now, scientists and politicians who must make decisions affecting the river channels had only a patchwork of local studies that complicated the work in multinational rivers. More than 250 rivers around the globe crossing national borders and the crisis of river..
The research, conducted by researchers at The City College of City University of New York and the University of Michigan (USA) and published in the journal Nature, analyzed the main factors that compromise environmental quality of water sweet globally. Among them include agricultural waste, chemical pollution and invasive species, but the study has considered the effect of 23 different agents, and the crisis of river. such as dams or loss of wetlands and the crisis of river.

Global crisis of rivers

According to the researchers, these agents do not only threaten the quality of rivers and human health, but threaten to 65% of river habitats in the world. "We can not independently studying the safety of human consumption and ecosystem health independently," said Charles J. Vörösmarty, director of City College and author of the study and the crisis of river.. "We need to unite both. The tool we have created allows them to play on the same field."
The authors acknowledge that the results are "conservative" because they do not have enough information on other factors such as pharmaceuticals and mining waste and the crisis of river..

Amazonas river crisis

But despite this, have been set continental maps detailing the levels of stress supported by each channel, regardless of boundaries it crosses and the crisis of river..
However, not all rivers behave similarly. Explains the professor of the University of Maryland Margaret A. Palmer in an analysis accompanying the research, the Nile, for example, has more upstream pressure, but its effects on the population increase as the flow decreases and the crisis of river.. The Nile provides water to more than 180 million people.

Eucalyptus: the key to future energy

Efficiency and low consumption of water and nutrients, as well as high rates of growth and CO2 fixation are the best species of eucalyptus growing biomass for energy purposes.This is clear from the research for a decade has developed the R & D Forestry Ence Group in Huelva, which has been analyzing various herbaceous and woody biomass to grow and clean energy.
As reported by the group, the first results show that "by far", there are several species of eucalyptus by the most efficient fix more atmospheric CO2 in biomass because of its higher growth, higher calorific value and less need water and fertilizer, compared to other species such as thistle, willow or paulownia biomass energy.

Biomass Energy

The main environmental benefits of eucalyptus, as shown restraint in their consumption of resources, give clear comparative benefits compared to agricultural crops with fertilizer and water demands much higher.
In the European context and biomass energy.

This makes the tree species in a choice "unbeatable," said Ence, traditional farming areas where reform of the CAP are compromising their future profitability and viability.Another factor that strengthens the energy crop as an alternative to agricultural abandonment is the target set by Europe in the development of renewable energy.The EU stands at a 20% share of production of this type of energy in 2020, bringing to biomass as a replacement for certain crops suitable for low competitiveness.

Clean energy: Eucaliptus and biomass

Ence, which leads in Spain to develop this type of energy, already in Huelva with more than 8,000 hectares of energy crops.
Ence forest plans also include the conversion of indigenous forest in those areas occupied by eucalyptus wood by low productivity and high environmental sensitivity as required and biomass energy..

How clean are the "clean energy"?

The farm of wind energy production in the world's largest, Thanet, will inaugurate just a little over seven miles of the coast of Kent, UK.It covers an area of approximately 35 square kilometers, has 100 turbines and 300 megawatts (MW) capacity to generate energy to supply 200,000 homes with clean electricity when the wind blows its way and the engines run at full capacity.But, experts say, all kinds of energy, including renewable, cost to the environment. That is, to a lesser or greater extent, all polluters and the clean energy.
That cost can be divided into two parts that vary with each type of technology, be it wind, solar or marine. On one side are the carbon emissions that produce the material and components to build their facilities. On the other hand is their impact on the environment and ecosystems where they are located and the clean energy..
"At the moment there is no technology that does not pollute anything, in all cases you need material that produces carbon emissions, so there will always be an environmental cost," he told BBC News Jeff Hardy, director of knowledge transfer Energy Research Centre in the United Kingdom (UK Energy Research Centre, UKERC).A recent study by the University of La Rioja, Spain, analyzed the impact of a turbine type, the 2 MW Gamesa G8X, one of the most widely used in many existing wind farms in Spain on the mainland.
He discovered that the time it takes to amortize the environmental cost occurs exactly to 153 days, ie, a few months after beginning a life that usually extends for 20 years.

The true of  the clean energy

"We looked at basically all stages of life cycle, from which material is removed from the tower is built, installed, throughout its operation and until the past 20 years are going to dismantle that tower and recycle the steel and other non-recyclable materials, "he told BBC Eduardo Martinez House, author of the study of La Rioja and responsible for Research and Development in the Wind Group Riojanas.

Actually at the end of its life, a wind turbine of this type should produce 47.14 times the energy needed to manufacture it and the clean energy...
Not bad when compared with solar panels which produce about 16 times the energy required to mount in very sunny places such as Seville, southern Spain, or 12 times if they are located on the rooftops of Edinburgh used to gray, in Scotland, according to figures from a report by the International Energy Agency and the European Photovoltaic Technology Platformand the clean energy...
In the case of wind turbines that marine parks are in the environmental cost would be higher, as are larger those of Thanet -115 meters-and this leads to greater difficulty of transportation and installation. At sea, also uses a firmer foundation and materials are covered with more chemicals to prevent corrosion of the sea.

But even with all marine energy would be more profitable from the environmental point of view than solar. This appears as a less clean renewable energy "probably because the materials used and the clean energy.., are used very expensive and rare metals such as tellurium or other exotic materials and have to look far to find the mines. Also many more chemicals are used and more environmental risk, "said Hardy.

Minor impact

But in any case we must put things in perspective. The turbines also have their environmental impact, but it can be 89% or 99% lower, depending on the case, the derivative to produce the same energy through conventional power generation plants and the clean energy..."Its impact is much less than any other technology can have both renewable and conventional power plants generating electricity. This is because lifetime of wind turbines do not consume any fuel and therefore reduce emissions enough," says Martinez House.
"Once the unit is in operation only if the environmental costs would replace some of the blades," he adds.

Ecosystem and the clean energy

What does it depend? Well, as always usual in such cases there is no single answer. Each offshore wind farm will have an effect in terms of their characteristics and situation and the clean energy...That's why every company is obliged by law to conduct an environmental impact assessment will have their facilities.However, although there are case studies and the first wind farms installed in countries such as Germany, Denmark and the UK have more than ten years ago, the scientific research conducted to date have focused on knowing the true impact on ecosystems if the change or transformation, for better or for worse, and the socioeconomic impact for the region in which they are situated and the clean energy..."The offshore wind industry is making progress in understanding the impact of developments in marine biodiversity. Yet there is an increasingly urgent need to better understand the socio-economic costs and benefits to other users of the sea, like fishermen, who may result from the development of farms producing energy, something that we are working, "he told BBC Anne Linley, the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK and the clean energy...

FIGURES

* In the UK power plants are largely responsible for carbon emissions and produce 170 million tons of CO2 each year.
* A single modern wind turbine could save about 4,000 tonnes of CO2 according to figures from the British Wind Energy Association.
* It is estimated that the average size wind farm will have paid the toll of environmental cost between 3 and 5 months after its entry into operation.
* There are 250 wind farms in the UK.
* 13 of them are marine parks
* A total of 2009 wind turbines operating with 1341 megawatts of installed capacity.

DISADVANTAGES OF RENEWABLE

* The intermittent nature is the biggest problem is not always wind, solar or wave form.
* By the time you can not store the energy produced at peak times of wind or large hydro-power or solar energy.
* Type conversion issues of electricity to the power supply.
* High price because that is under development and not yet mass marketed.
* Some say that the facilities are aesthetically beautiful

The aircraft 'Solar Impulse' lands at airport

The aircraft 'Solar Impulse', powered only by solar energy, has taken a step closer to his goal of going around the globe in 2013, arriving in Geneva today from the airfield of Payerne Switzerland, in its first landing at an international airport .So far, the unit had operated only in airports with no commercial traffic, especially in that of Payerne, near Geneva, where they happened most of their deeds, and where it took off this morning at 08.04 local time (04.06 gmt) in the Aircraft 'Solar Impulse'..
A total of 4 hours and 20 minutes took the plane to cover the journey of about 100 kilometers from both airports. At 1224 local time (10.24 gmt) in the Aircraft 'Solar Impulse'., the unit landed at Geneva airport runway in the middle of a huge expectation.
Fascination caused by the particular shape of the ship, with 63.4 meters between the ends of the wings, the same scale as that of a transatlantic Airbus, but weighing close to 1,600 kilos, just over half carin the Aircraft 'Solar Impulse'..

 Aircraft 'Solar Impulse' lands at airport

To take off from Payerne, the plane had enough speed to reach a bicycle, 35 to 40 kilometers per hour in the Aircraft 'Solar Impulse'., with the 'Solar Impulse' land left to prepare to deal with another stage in his journey to his goal of turning the planet.His first big success dates back to April 7, when he completed his first long-duration flight, specifically for an hour and a half, and only three months later able to fly for 26 hours straight in the Aircraft 'Solar Impulse'.
The next target of 12,000 solar cells that make up the plane will again Payerne, in a flight that will depart within hours.Tomorrow, Wednesday, the 'Solar Impulse' made another flight to a second international airport, the Zurich, which takes you across this country almost from end to end in just over a day in the Aircraft 'Solar Impulse'..

Obama says "no" to the solar panels on the White House

The expedition started from Unity, Maine, where he lay for some time the solar panels installed in the White House Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan that he decided to remove, in an act of defiance against renewable energy. On board a van powered by biodiesel, a group of ecologists led by Bill McKibben, author of "The End of Nature" and the recent "Eaarth" - attempted to carry thermal plates back to Washington to challenge President Obama to re-install them for their symbolic value
Solar Panel in the Withe House.
      But Obama has declined the offer-perhaps to avoid comparison with Carter, and environmentalists have had to turn back to the old thermal plates on their backs.  Even the offer of the California company Sungevity, which has offered to do a fresh install in the White House with the latest technology has served to discourage presidential aides, who have remembered though Obama's commitment to "encourage" renewables and the Solar Panel in the Withe House. with 80,000 million dollars.  

Solar Panel in the Withe House

  "I do not want to accept the panel was Carter who brought us and have said they will continue deliberating to decide if they are installed in the White House one day," said Bill McKibben after the frustrating event. "We have told them it would be nice if you decide soon, given the pace at which climate is deteriorating Solar Panel in the Withe House.."
      Bill McKibben recalled how Carter was ahead of the times and decided to install thermal plates in 1979 to provide hot water at the presidential mansion. His promise and hope was to hold off on the roof of the White House until 2000, but Ronald Reagan decided to disassemble just two years later.

Solar Panel in EEUU

McKibben is aware that the climate movement in the United States "will inevitably have to travel back to leap forward." For the second consecutive year, the most emblematic activist has called the United States October 10 vindicating hundreds of events around the globe and under the auspices of 350.org, the campaign for a global reduction of CO2 parts per million in the atmosphere Solar Panel in the Withe House..
"The fossil fuel industry has planted resistance to change and has been boycotting the law of the climate," McKibben complaint. "Clearly we will not see federal action over the next two years, so that the solution is back in our hands. We will use that time to build the movement that this country and the world need ... We will continue asking the White House is converted to solar power. President Obama should lead by example Solar Panel in the Withe House.. "

The European Union prohibits large primates experiments

The European Parliament (EP) has finally adopted the new EU legislation on animal experimentation, which will limit the number of experiments and they prohibit the use in large primates such as gorillas, orangutans and chimpanzees.
The plenary of the Parliament gave its approval to the agreement negotiated between their representatives and the national governments to implement new standards even though some groups, such as the Greens believe that it is not ambitious enough and the UE prohibits primates in experiment.
The new legislation will oblige national authorities to give preference to alternative methods to animal testing wherever possible and ensure that the number of animals used in testing to a minimum. Also may allow the tests involving a "least pain, suffering and anguish" for animals.

UE prohibits large primates experiments

The text approved on Wednesday September 8, bans completely the use of great apes in experiments, but eventually allow the use of other primates such as macaques, that the original proposal also sought to abolish.
According to MEPs, the ban would hurt the investigation of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

Experiments with primates such, in any case, it will be possible under scientific proof that the evidence can not be made with other species. also the UE prohibits primates in experiment.To ensure compliance with the directive obliges national authorities to ensure that inspections are held each year at least one third of the laboratories which use animals.

Prohibits large primates in experiments

At least some of them must also be done by surprise also UE prohibits primates in experiment..The new directive, which stipulates a period of two years for full implementation in all Member States, includes a safeguard clause allowing governments to cancel some of its provisions in case of emergency and where there are scientifically justifiable reasons.
To qualify for this exception, the countries will have to report to Brussels to get permission from other Member Statesand the UE prohibits primates in experiment..