|
Written by Enviroadmin
|
|
Monday, 24 May 2010 00:42 |
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
DOHA, Qatar, March 23, 2010 (ENS) - There will be no sales of stockpiled elephant ivory for at least the next three years, decided government delegates from 175 countries at the ongoing triennial meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES, in Doha.
Zambia withdrew its request to sell legal government stockpiles of ivory during the debate Monday over its proposal to allow a one-time sale.
Still, Zambia tried to win support for downlisting its population of African elephants from CITES Appendix I, which bans all commercial sales, to Appendix II, which allows sales under a permit system. The downlisting proposal was rejected in a vote of 55 in favor, 36 against, 40 abstentions.
Delegates also voted to continue protection for Tanzanian elephants by rejecting a request for a one-time sale of 89 tonnes of stockpiled ivory to China and Japan and retaining their listing on CITES Appendix I.
In a final effort to win votes, Tanzania separated its proposal for a one-time sale from its request to downlist Tanzanian elephants from their current Appendix I listing to Appendix II to allow for trade in elephant trophies, live animals, and noncommercial elephant products.
Tanzania failed to achieve the two-thirds majority needed to downlist its elephants by a vote of 57 in favor, 45 opposed, and 32 abstentions.
Delegates were persuaded to reject Tanzania's proposals by evidence presented during the meeting that challenged Tanzania's elephant management and law enforcement capabilities to control elephant poaching and illegal ivory trade.
In fact, much of the more than more than 20 tonnes of elephant ivory seized by law enforcement officials in 2009 originated in Tanzania, according to forensic analysis of the confiscated contraband.
"The Parties have made it quite clear that there should be no trade in elephant ivory," said Will Travers, CEO of the Born Free Foundation and president of the Species Survival Network. "Any legal trade in elephant ivory incentivizes elephant poaching and illegal ivory sales. Intelligent elephant management dictates that the species be protected from trade in tusks. It's just that simple."
"Downlisting would have sent a horrible message to poachers and criminal syndicates Africa," Travers said. "I am relieved that Zambia's revised proposal did not succeed, and this view is shared by the majority of African elephant range states."
"While the issue of whether sales should be allowed to proceed or not has dominated much of the discussions here in Qatar, WWF and TRAFFIC believe the key driving force behind the ongoing elephant poaching is the continued existence of illegal domestic ivory markets across parts of Africa and Asia," said Steven Broad, executive director of TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network of WWF and International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN.
Conservationists have long argued that permitting legal sales of elephant ivory masks and encourages poaching and illegal sales. After nearly a decade without any legal ivory sales, CITES permitted four auctions in 2008 during which Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana sold a total of about 116 tons of ivory.
As a result, conservationists say the world now is in the throes of an elephant poaching crisis.
They base this conclusion on a new analysis of 14,364 elephant product seizure records from 85 countries or territories since 1989 contained in the Elephant Trade Information System, the world's largest collection of elephant product seizure records.
Presented to CITES delegates in Doha last week, the analysis shows that the illegal trade in ivory, which has been increasing in volume since 2004, moved sharply upward in 2009.
Increasing threats from organized crime and the presence of unregulated markets have resulted in a "highly significant correlation" between large-scale domestic ivory markets in Asia and Africa and poor law enforcement, the report suggests.
"Poaching and illegal ivory markets in central and western Africa must be effectively suppressed before any further ivory sales take place," said Elisabeth McLellan, species program manager with WWF International.
New data released Monday from park rangers and WWF field staff on the ground in Cameroon, documents a recent increase in poaching and use of high-caliber weapons.
In February, two unarmed game guards and 14 elephants were gunned down in Bouba Ndjidda National Park in northern Cameroon. During the past few months at least 40 elephants in and around protected areas were killed for their ivory and it is estimated that about 400 elephants have been killed within the last four years in three national parks in Cameroon alone, WWF says.
"The grim situation in Central Africa will not be addressed until domestic markets in that region are brought under control," WWF said.
The sight of ivory openly on sale in many cities of Central and Western Africa sends a potent signal to poachers, smugglers and consumers that it is legal to buy and sell unregulated ivory, WWF warns.
The new analysis of the Elephant Trade Information System data was made by region rather than by country. It was carried out to align the data with that of another CITES tool, MIKE, which stands for Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants.
Both databases show that the Central African region is losing the most elephants.
The analysis indicates that coordinated enforcement in Central and West Africa and Southeast Asia is crucial to addressing the illicit ivory trade.
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
Read 0 Comments... >> |
|
Written by Enviroadmin
|
|
Monday, 24 May 2010 00:41 |
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
NEW YORK, New York, March 22, 2010 (ENS) - Unsafe water kills more people than war plus all other forms of violence combined, said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a message to the world today, designated as World Water Day.
The 2010 World Water Day theme is Clean Water for a Healthy World, but every day two million tons of sewage, industrial and agricultural wastes enter the Earth's waters, while every 20 seconds a child under the age of five dies from water-related diseases.
The World Health Organization reports that unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene claim the lives of an estimated 1.5 million children under the age of five each year.
"These deaths are an affront to our common humanity, and undermine the efforts of many countries to achieve their development potential," Secretary-General Ban said today.
"Our growing population's need for water for food, raw materials and energy is increasingly competing with nature's own demands for water to sustain already imperiled ecosystems and the services on which we depend," he said.
"Day after day, we pour millions of tons of untreated sewage and industrial and agricultural waste into the world's water systems. Clean water has become scarce and will become even scarcer with the onset of climate change," warned Ban.
The UN General Assembly designated the first World Water Day in 1993, and on March 22 every year since, the focus has been on a different aspect of freshwater sustainability, including sanitation and water scarcity.
The 192-member body today is holding an interactive dialogue on water and the "Water for Life" International Decade 2005-2015, featuring three panel discussions on climate change, peace and security, and the Millenium Development Goals, an agenda for poverty reduction agreed by world leaders in 2000 that includes clean water and sanitation.
"Access to clean water and adequate sanitation are a prerequisite for lifting people out of poverty," UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said at the event in New York.
Currently, seven out of 10 people without improved sanitation live in rural areas, but the number of people without adequate sanitation is set to soar as urban populations grow, she said.
Unclean drinking water leads to the spread of diseases such as cholera, typhoid and childhood diarrhea, one of the leading causes of death in children.
A new joint report from the World Health Organization and the UN Childrens Fund shows that 87 percent of the world's population, about 5.9 billion people, are now using safe drinking water sources, so the world is on track to meet or even exceed the drinking water target of the Millennium Development Goals.
But with almost 39 percent of the world's population, or over 2.6 billion people, living without improved sanitation facilities, the report estimates that the international community will miss the sanitation Millenium Development Goal by almost one billion people by 2015 - the date when the goals are intended to be accomplished.
"The good news is that open defecation, the riskiest sanitation practice of all, is on the decline worldwide, with a global decrease from 25 percent in 1990 to 17 percent in 2008, representing a decrease of 168 million people practicing open defecation since 1990," the WHO/UNICEF report finds.
However, this practice is still widely spread in Southern Asia, where an estimated 44 percent of the population defecate in the open.
"We all recognize the vital importance of water and sanitation to human health and well-being and their role as an engine of development," said Dr. Maria Neira, WHO's director for the Department of Public Health and Environment. "The question now lies in how to accelerate progress towards achieving the Millenium Development Goal targets and most importantly how to leap a step further to ultimately achieve the vision of universal access."
Lack of access to water, sanitation and hygiene affects the health, security, livelihood and quality of life for children, impacting women and girls first and most. They are much more likely than men and boys to be the ones burdened with collecting drinking-water.
"With almost 884 million people living without access to safe drinking-water and approximately three times that number lacking basic sanitation we must act now as one global community to ensure water and sanitation for all," said Clarissa Brocklehurst, UNICEF chief of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.
When the UN General Assembly opens a new session in September the UN will host a high-level thematic debate on water and sanitation. Secretary-General Ban has called on member states to approve and incorporate an accelerated action plan during the summit, saying an inability to meet the MDGs would be an "unacceptable failure, moral and practical."
In a new report, "Clearing the Waters: A focus on Water Quality Solutions," UNEP shows that an investment of $20 million in low-cost water technologies, such as drip irrigation and treadle pumps, could potentially lift 100 million poor farming families out of extreme poverty.
In some poorer nations, more than half of treated water is lost to leaks, but saving just half of the water by repairing leaky water and sewage networks could benefit 90 million people without additional investment, the report shows.
In another report also launched today, UNEP shows that that many substances that make wastewater a pollutant, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, can be used as fertilizers for agriculture and can generate gases to fuel power stations and for cooking.
"Human activity over the past 50 years is responsible for unprecedented pollution, and the quality of the world's water resources is increasingly challenged," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
"It may seem like an overwhelming challenge," Steiner said, "but there are enough solutions where human ingenuity allied to technology and investments in nature's purification systems, such as wetlands, forests and mangroves, can deliver clean water for a healthy world."
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
Read 0 Comments... >> |
|
Written by Enviroadmin
|
|
Monday, 24 May 2010 00:41 |
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
DOHA, Qatar, March 15, 2010 (ENS) - The future of the world's remaining tigers, elephants, rhinos, and polar bears, bluefin tuna, sharks, and coral as well as rosewood, mahogany, and holywood will be decided over the next 10 days by delegates from 175 countries meeting in Doha.
The delegates represent countries that are Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES. They meet only once every three years to decide trade rules for animals and plants at risk of extinction due commercial trade.
The CITES treaty offers varying degrees of protection to some 34,000 species of animals and plants in trade, through a system of permits and certificates.
Species are included in one of three lists - Appendix I allows no commercial trade, Appendix II allows trade by permit, and Appendix III lists species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties for help in controlling the trade.
The year 2010 marks the International Year of Biodiversity and the role of CITES in regulating the global trade in plant and animal species is viewed as central to promoting the dual goals of conservation and sustainable use.
In his welcoming remarks to CITES delegates, Qatar's Environment Minister Abdullah bin Aaboud al-Midhad, highlighted the success story of the Arabian oryx, which was extinct in the wild by the early 1970s.
"Qatar has had a great role in keeping some creatures that are endangered to be extinct, including the Arabian oryx," said al-Midhad. "It was resettled in natural reserves, and now it is deemed to be the biggest oryx herd in the Arab world." More than 1,300 oryx are now in existence, he said, and Qatar has given animals from this herd to "neighboring and friendly countries."
After May 1, CITES will have a new leader. After 10 years in the job, Secretary-General Willem Wijnstekers will retire to be replaced by John Scanlon, a top advisor at the United Nations Environment Programme. An Australian national, Scanlon has served in environmental law, policy and management at national and international levels.
In his opening remarks to the delegates, Wijnstekers pointed out that the CITES budget of $5 to $6 million is not enough to cover the increasing number of activities and results that Parties and others expect from CITES.
"In the absence of necessary core funding," Wijnstekers said, "CITES will not be able to fully exploit its great potential and we seriously risk to let down not only the many animal and plant species we appear to attach such great importance to, but we also risk to let down the developing world in its struggle to conserve wildlife from the many threats it faces."
In Doha, more than 42 proposals are on the table, indicating a high level of international concern about the accelerating destruction of the world's biological diversity and the potential impacts of climate change on the biological resources of the planet.
The perilous situation of the world's 3,200 remaining wild tigers is in the spotlight as 2010 is the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese lunar calendar.
The CITES Secretariat and the international policing agency, INTERPOL, are asking countries to submit information about crimes against tigers, so that they can be analyzed and effective anti-poaching strategies developed.
In the early 1900s, tigers were found throughout Asia and numbered over 100,000. In the 1970s, the world woke up to the fact that wild tigers were disappearing. Between the 1970s and 2010, governments and conservationists spent tens of millions of dollars trying to save tigers in the wild and millions continue to be spent. But wild tigers are still falling to poachers.
"If we use tiger numbers as a performance indicator," says CITES Secretary-General Willem Wijnstekers, "then we must admit that we have failed miserably and that we are continuing to fail. How have we let this happen?"
"Although the tiger has been prized throughout history, and is a symbol of incredible importance in many cultures and religions, it is now literally on the verge of extinction," Wijnstekers said. "2010 is the Chinese Year of the Tiger and the International Year of Biodiversity; this must be the year in which we reverse the trend. If we don't, it will be to our everlasting shame."
Tigers are today primarily poached for their skins but almost every part of a tiger's body can be used for decorative or traditional medicinal purposes. Most tigers are now restricted to small pockets of habitat, with several geographical populations teetering on the brink of extinction.
At a symposium in Beijing on Friday, the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, WFCMS, issued a statement urging its members not to use tiger bone or any other parts from endangered wildlife.
"Tiger conservation has become a political issue in the world. Therefore, it's necessary for the traditional Chinese medicine industry to support the conservation of endangered species, including tigers," said Huang Jianyin, the federation's deputy secretary.
The WFCMS is an international academic organization based in Beijing, with 195 member organizations in 57 nations where traditional Chinese medicine is used.
In its statement, the federation said some of the claimed medicinal benefits of tiger bone have no basis. The use of tiger bones was removed from the traditional Chinese medicine pharmacopeia in 1993, when China first introduced a domestic ban on tiger trade. China is among the 175 countries that are Parties to the CITES treaty.
As an international traditional Chinese academic organization, the WFCMS said it has a duty to research the conservation of endangered species, including tigers. "We will ask our members not to use endangered wildlife in traditional Chinese medicine, and reduce the misunderstanding and bias of the international community," said Huang.
"CITES governments should be encouraged by this statement and use the opportunity they have at this meeting to pass measures, that if properly enforced, can help put an end to tiger trade," said Dr. Colman O'Criodain, wildlife trade analyst, WWF International.
"The societies' public declaration is a clear signal that the traditional Chinese medicinal community is now backing efforts to secure a future for wild tigers," said Professor Xu Hongfa, head of the wildlife monitoring network TRAFFIC in China.
WWF and TRAFFIC are calling for a permanent ban on all trade in tiger parts and products, and for a curtailment of commercial captive breeding operations.
Delegates to the CITES meeting also will review progress in the conservation of the great apes, Asian big cats, and the Tibetan antelope.
The escalation of rhino poaching and strategies for fighting criminal networks trading in their horns in parts of Africa and Asia is also on the CITES agenda.
In the 1990s, rhino numbers grew in many of its range states, but in the mid-2000s, rumors emerged that rhinoceros horn could stave off cancer or halt its spread. The CITES Secretariat says that rhinos in India, South Africa, Nepal and Zimbabwe now appear to be killed by organized crime groups that control the smuggling of rhino horns to the Asian Far East, where they are sold on the black market for thousands of dollars.
"The 'shoot to kill' policy adopted by some governments in Africa does not seem to be deterring poachers and one national park store was even robbed at gunpoint, so that horns removed by park staff from rhinos that had died naturally could be stolen," the Secretariat said.
Elephant poaching and the ivory trade will occupy the delegates once again. At the last CITES conference in 2007, Parties agreed to a nine-year moratorium on any further trade in ivory. Yet proposals have been submitted from Tanzania and Zambia seeking permission for a one-time sale of 112 tons of ivory.
With or without permission, these two countries are hoping to open the door for future ivory trade by 'down-listing' their elephant populations from Appendix I to Appendix II.
At the same time, says the International Fund for Animal Welfare, there has been an escalation in seizures of illegal ivory since the last meeting, and an increase in poaching of elephants in central and eastern Africa.
"To permit any step towards further trade in ivory makes no sense whatsoever," said IFAW's Jason Bell-Leask. "It flies in the face of every basic conservation principle and is contrary to the agreement made at the last meeting."
The African Elephant Coalition of 23 African elephant range countries opposes the proposals for the one-time sales. This group insists that the nine-year ivory trade moratorium agreed in 2007 provides all African range states the opportunity to cooperatively secure elephants in their habitats and assess the impacts of the previous legal sales.
Marine species are also high on the CITES agenda this year.
"CITES will address a number of critical issues relating to the international trade of species, but many will focus on marine issues," says Simon Stuart, chair of International Union for the Conservation of Nature, IUCN, Species Survival Commission. "The number of marine species affected by illegal, unmanaged and unreported fishing, as well as bycatch, is contributing to many species such as sharks and commercial fish becoming threatened."
Delegates will discuss whether or not to place a ban on international trade in the commercially valuable Atlantic bluefin tuna. The large fish is valued in the lucrative sushi trade, one was sold in January for over $120,000, but overfishing is threatening the species.
All 27 European Union member states agreed last week to support a ban on the bluefin tuna trade by placing the species on CITES Appendix I. The EU countries join a growing list of supporter, including the United States, but not Japan, where more than 80 percent of all bluefin tuna is consumed.
Other species to be discussed include the spiny dogfish, which appears on fish and chips menus in the UK, and is threatened with over-exploitation. The fate of the porbeagle shark, again under threat from overfishing, will also be decided at CITES.
"CITES COP15 will address a number of critical issues relating to the international trade of species, but many will focus on marine issues," says Simon Stuart, chair of IUCN's Species Survival Commission. "The number of marine species affected by illegal, unmanaged and unreported fishing, as well as bycatch, is contributing to many species such as sharks and commercial fish becoming threatened."
A little-known Iranian salamander could become the first species protected by CITES because of e-commerce, a new threat to endangered wildlife.
The Kaiser's spotted newt, found only in the Zagros Mountains of Iran, is considered Critically Endangered and is believed to number fewer than 1,000 mature wild individuals. Iran is proposing the amphibian for an Appendix I listing.
The newt is sought as a pet by collectors and numbers have dwindled by more than 80 percent in recent years. In 2006, an investigation by TRAFFIC into the sale of Kaiser's spotted newts revealed 10 websites claiming to stock the species. One Ukrainian company claimed to have sold more than 200 wild-caught specimens in one year.
"The Internet itself isn't the threat, but it's another way to market the product," said Ernie Cooper of TRAFFIC Canada. "The Kaiser's spotted newt, for example, is expensive and most people are not willing to pay US$300 for a salamander. But through the power of the Internet, tapping into the global market, you can find buyers."
WWF and TRAFFIC are concerned about online trade in elephant ivory, and precious corals, including overharvested red and pink coral, currently proposed for listing on CITES Appendix II. All 31 species of red coral are vulnerable or endangered.
Delegates to the CITES meeting will consider whether to take a more proactive approach to regulating the online trade in endangered species. This may include the creation of an international database of the trade, scientific research to gauge the correlation between wildlife loss and online trade, and closer collaboration with INTERPOL.
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
Read 0 Comments... >> |
|
Written by Enviroadmin
|
|
Monday, 24 May 2010 00:40 |
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
DAMASCUS, Syria, March 8, 2010 (ENS) - Up to 60 percent of Syria's land and over one million people are gripped by the worst drought in 40 years, but a deep funding shortfall for emergency assistance has left the United Nations aid agencies at a loss.
The humanitarian arm of the United Nations is being forced to review its response plan for the Syrian population suffering under the three-year dry spell, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, warned today.
The ongoing drought in northeastern Syria has destroyed the agricultural livelihoods of more than one million people, driving hundreds of thousands to urban areas where they face difficult living conditions, according to OCHA.
UN assistance has centered on providing a food aid and agricultural packages to farmers and herders in a bid to keep them on their land and re-start agricultural work, particularly with the promise of rainfall during the winter months. But little rain has fallen.
The UN's $43.6 million drought response plan is intended to complement government efforts already in place, but only 29 percent of this funding was in place at the end of February.
In addition, food prices have risen at a rate that has outstripped household incomes and the purchasing power of the general population, especially in the drought-stricken areas.
In January, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Catherine Bragg met in Cairo with representatives of the League of Arab States. She asked the League to take a "proactive role in promoting international humanitarian coordination and funding for the various humanitarian appeals and response plans in the region."
Meanwhile, vegetable and fruit growers in dry northern Syria are using polluted river water to irrigate their crops, causing outbreaks of food poisoning among consumers, say environmental and medical experts.
The experts say the problem stems from sewage and chemicals being allowed to reach rivers in rural areas near Aleppo, Latakia and Rakka.
Studies carried out by the High Centre for Environmental Research, at the public Tishreen University in Latakia, have shown since 2007 that the Sanawbar river running through this coastal part of Syria was contaminated and therefore unsuitable for irrigation.
Soil samples taken from areas near the river where vegetables are grown proved to contain significant levels of contaminants and bacteria like salmonella, which are characteristic of polluted water, said Amina Nasser, an expert at the environmental research centre.
Other tests have shown that the Quweik river in Aleppo and tributaries of the Euphrates in the Rakka area also contained high levels of pollutants because garbage is regularly dumped nearby and industrial waste and sewage are poured into them.
Some experts say that the consumption of crops grown near the rivers, like lettuce, parsley, and spinach, which are sold on local markets and eaten raw, has been the cause of much of the food poisoning reported in the region.
But the effect on human beings of contaminants could be more dangerous and appear many years later, Ahmad Ibrahim said, the head of the chronic disease department at the health directorate in Aleppo.
He added that consuming contaminated crops could eventually lead to chronic rashes, inflammatory diseases or even cancer.
Meanwhile, farmers say that they know river water is polluted but they have no other way to irrigate their crops.
"I hear that this water is polluted but nobody has prevented me from using it, so I continue to water my crops with it," said Abu Jaafar, a grower from Basa, near Latakia, who cultivates oranges and vegetables.
The authorities stress that they send regular patrols to areas near polluted water sources and garbage dumps to make sure that no crops are grown in these locations.
An official at the environmental directorate of Latakia said that the number of crops grown in polluted areas has fallen significantly since 2005. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said illegally grown crops are regularly destroyed.
However, Hassan Baddour, an agriculture ministry official in Latakia, said there is no evidence that water pollution was affecting crops, "We don't have any data that proves that these products are polluted. We don't have specialised laboratories to test this kind of products."
On the other hand, environmental experts insist that Syrian rivers are polluted mainly by factories that continue to spew industrial waste in rivers without proper treatment in breach of regulations.
Nasser from the environmental research centre in Latakia said that river pollution is directly caused by the spillage of sewage and chemical waste. She said that to make matters worse, pollution is highest in September, which is when farmers often irrigate their crops.
Official data show that in the Quweik river flowing through Aleppo, concentrations of ammonia, heavy metals and other contaminants exceeded allowable limits because of discharge from sewers and industry.
According to the environment directorate of Aleppo, about 200 stone cutting mills and 90 tanneries in the area spill waste into the river that contains dangerously high levels of heavy metals like chromium and lead.
Untreated sewage also flows into the river because the capacity of sewage treatment plants is insufficient, said an official at the environment ministry in Aleppo.
Uwe Troeger, a German environmental expert, said during a conference on the environment in Aleppo in December that Syria lacks adequate treatment plants for sewage capable of generating water suitable for irrigation.
He said Syria could make better use of its available water resources by investing in clean technologies.
Water management faces many hurdles in Syria because of increasing pressure on water resources and dependency on neighboring countries for the flow of water in the rivers, experts say.
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
Read 0 Comments... >> |
|
Written by Enviroadmin
|
|
Monday, 24 May 2010 00:39 |
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 9, 2010 (ENS) - Honorary Sierra Club President and Presidential Medal of Freedom winner, Dr. Edgar Wayburn died late Friday night at his home in San Francisco in the presence of his family. He was 103.
The environmental community is mourning the death of the five-term president of the Sierra Club who spearheaded the preservation of millions of acres of natural lands in California and Alaska.
Sierra Club Deputy Executive Director, Bruce Hamilton said, "Ed Wayburn was one of the towering figures on the national and world stage of conservation. He was the 20th Century John Muir."
"Ed would take a vision such as protecting 100 million acres of Alaska or protecting the Marin Headlands as a national park and run with it until he accomplished what seemed impossible," said Hamilton. "He enlisted the help of Presidents, Cabinet members, powerful members of Congress, mayors, and millions of Americans and would not take no for an answer."
"When you or your grandchildren marvel at the wilderness in Redwood National Park, Alaska, or the Marin Headlands you will be witnessing the living legacy of Ed Wayburn. It is his lasting gift to all of us."
Former Earthjustice Executive Director Buck Parker said, "We were privileged to work with Dr. Wayburn during his decades of leadership of the Sierra Club and of many national conservation campaigns to establish and protect national parks, wilderness areas, and the magnificent landscapes of Alaska."
"He was also a key supporter for creating Earthjustice, originally the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, and maintained a life-long interest in the organization and its work," said Parker. "The efforts of Ed and his late wife Peggy inspired the work of thousands of citizen activists, including many Earthjustice staff, board and supporters, in protecting our public lands and resources."
Edgar Arthur Wayburn was born September 17, 1906 in Macon, Georgia. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1926 and from Harvard Medical School in 1930. He arrived in San Francisco by train in 1933.
He inspired the establishment of the nation's largest urban park, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Included in the park's 76,000 acre expanse are San Francisco's beaches, Alcatraz and the Presidio and open space in south and west Marin County.
Years of travel in the Alaskan backcountry with Peggy inspired his work to achieve passage of the 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which protected over 100 million acres of Alaskan wild lands and created 10 new national park units, doubling the size of America's National Park system.
He lobbied and worked for decades for the creation of Redwood National Park, and then the doubling of the park's size 10 years later.
He advocated increasing the area of California's Mount Tamalpais State Park from 870 to 6,300 acres. Mount Tamalpais is now among the state's 10 most-visited state parks.
He helped to establish the Point Reyes National Seashore, and to set aside wilderness areas throughout the American West.
"Ed Wayburn was never a full-time conservationist," wrote Pat Joseph, executive editor of "California" magazine, in a 2006 article honoring Dr. Wayburn's 100th birthday. "A practicing physician and a family man, he dedicated his spare hours and weekends to the health of the planet."
"Neither was he well-known, even within the environmental movement, having never gained the wide recognition of such contemporaries as David Brower and Ansel Adams. The low profile suited him fine," wrote Joseph. "Dr. Wayburn preferred to do his work quietly, behind the scenes. He was a born facilitator and diplomat, someone who exuded the kind of authority and integrity that gets people - even powerful people - to listen."
When Dr. Wayburn was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999, President Bill Clinton said of him, "He has saved more of our wilderness than any person alive."
In his 2004 memoir, "Your Land and Mine: Evolution of a Conservationist," Dr. Wayburn wrote, "It wasn't enough simply to add a few acres here and there; nature doesn't divide herself into measured plots. A watershed encompasses the chain of life; if any part is developed, the integrity of the whole ecosystem is threatened."
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
Read 0 Comments... >> |
|
|
Written by Enviroadmin
|
|
Monday, 24 May 2010 00:38 |
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
TOPEKA, Kansas, March 12, 2010 (ENS) - As of July 1, the only indoor places where tobacco smokers can light up in Kansas are within private homes and motor vehicles. In addition, the smoking of the herbal blend Spice or its components anywhere in Kansas will soon be a crime.
Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson today signed into law the Kansas Clean Indoor Air, which bans tobacco smoking in public indoor spaces. When the law takes effect, smoking will be prohibited in taxicabs and limousines; common areas in public and private buildings, condominiums and other multiple-residential facilities; access points of all building and facilities unless exempted by the bill; and any place of employment.
The governor said he supports the measure because it advances the fight against cancer and will improve the overall health of all Kansans.
"The journey of passing a statewide public smoking ban has been long and hard, but today we are able to cross the finish line knowing that we have built a better future for generations to come," said Parkinson. "With this legislation, our state takes the necessary steps to save Kansas lives by reducing cancer, tobacco-related diseases and teen smoking."
Joined by First Lady Stacy Parkinson, former State Senator David Wysong, Secretary of Health and Environment Rod Bremby, state legislators and health advocacy organizations, the governor held the signing in the South Wing of the Statehouse.
"I appreciate the vision of former-Senator Wysong, the bipartisan collaboration in the legislature and the continuous support of so many Kansans."
The bill, HB 2221, amends current law concerning cigarette or tobacco infractions and the taxation and unlawful use of cigarette and tobacco products.
The legislation makes it unlawful for any person who controls the use of the area where smoking is prohibited to fail to comply with any of the provisions set out in the bill or to allow smoking to occur where prohibited.
To date, 26 states have enacted statewide bans on smoking in all enclosed public places, including bars and restaurants. Seven states ban smoking in most enclosed public places, but permit adult venues such as bars and casinos, to allow smoking if they choose.
In Kansas, Governor Parkinson not only opposes smoking tobacco, he is also opposed to the smoking or ingestion of synthetic cannabinoids, chemicals that produce effects similar to marijuana, which is illegal across the country.
On Wednesday, the governor signed HB 2411, the nation's first ban on the chemical compounds HU-210, JWH-018, and JWH-073, considered synthetic cannabinoids. The chemicals are sold under a variety of names, including Spice and K2.
HU-210 is a synthetic cannabinoid that was first synthesized in 1988 at the Hebrew University. HU-210 is 100 to 800 times more potent than natural THC from cannabis and has an extended duration of action.
JWH-018, which produces effects like those of marijuana, also has been described as an efficient painkiller. JWH-073 is an analgesic chemical from the aminoalkylindole family, which also acts as a cannabinoid.
These chemicals are found as components of the herbal blend Spice, which has been sold as an incense in a number of countries around the world since 2002.
The bill also bans BZP and TFMPP, recreational drugs usually used in combination, that are reported to have euphoric, stimulant properties when ingested comparable to those produced by amphetamine.
The law makes it illegal to possess, use, or sell these chemicals.
"This legislation has received overwhelming support by Kansas law enforcement and the legislature," said Parkinson. "It will help improve our communities by better equipping law enforcement officers in addressing this issue and deterring Kansans from drug use."
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
Read 0 Comments... >> |
|
Written by Enviroadmin
|
|
Monday, 24 May 2010 00:37 |
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
WASHINGTON, DC, March 11, 2010 (ENS) - Actors, musicians, ambassadors and under-secretaries of state mingled in the plush Ben Franklin room at U.S. State Department Headquarters March 8 in a reception to honor a climb of Africa's highest peak to dramatize the need for life-saving clean water.
The idea, conceived by Ethiopian-born Grammy nominated musician Kenna, brought Hollywood stars, PhD's and DC-based advocates together to celebrate the trek up Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise worldwide awareness about the critical need for clean drinking water.
As a child in Ethiopia, Kenna's uncle died and his father nearly lost his life of a water-borne disease from drinking contaminated water. This motivated the singer to organize the Kilimanjaro climb - called Summit on the Summit.
Kenna, American actress Jessica Biel, Australian actress Isabel Lucas, American singer-songwriter and producer Santigold, rapper Lupe Fiasco, actor Emile Hirsch, conservationist and explorer Alexandra Cousteau, environmentalist Kick Kennedy, award-winning photographers Michael Muller and Jimmy Chin and the UN Foundation's Elizabeth Gore, 45 people in total, climbed Africa's highest peak in January.
They took five days to make the 19,340-foot climb of Uhuru Peak, summited on January 12, and took two days to descend. Despite a snowstorm the day before they headed for the top, altitude sickness and fatigue, everyone who started, finished the climb.
After descending, they visited nearby villages and refugee camps to see the toll the global water crisis is taking on these communities, and the relief efforts being used to help.
A documentary about the expedition will air on MTV on Sunday, March 14.
Kenna, Fiasco, and Hirsh as well as Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero and Ambassador-at-Large for Global Partnerships Elizabeth Frawley Bagely were on hand at the State Department reception.
The climb raised funds to be distributed through the UN Foundation to the UN High Commission on Refugees, the Children's Safe Drinking Water Programme, Water For People and Playpumps International.
Dr. Greg Allgood of Proctor & Gamble, founder and director of the Children's Safe Drinking Water program, joined the climb as one of the Summit on the Summit team's water experts.
P&G's PUR water filtration company took part in the expedition as a sponsor. Since 2004, PUR and the Children's Safe Drinking Water Program have worked together to prevent water-related diseases with tiny packets of PUR water purification powder. Developed by a P&G engineer, the powder can transform potentially deadly water into clear, purified drinking water within 30 minutes.
The Children's Safe Drinking Water Program and its partners distribute these PUR sachets throughout the world and, to-date, have delivered over 1.6 billion liters of clean drinking water to those in need.
"Clean, healthy drinking water is a basic need for people everywhere but unfortunately many go without," said Dr. Greg Allgood. "By joining forces with others who share a common goal, we can bring major attention to the global water situation and provide even more people with access to clean drinking water - whether it's abroad or right in their own kitchens."
Anyone in the United States can join the clean drinking water cause by purchasing a PUR pitcher or faucet mount system, which donates a week's worth of clean drinking water to a small child in a developing country, says Allgood.
"It only makes sense to partner with PUR Water Filtration brand for Summit on the Summit," said Kenna, who originally approached the company for support. "PUR is a part of the solution both domestically and abroad. I am thankful to have such generous and focused partners for Summit on the Summit. Together we will bring awareness to the global clean water crisis and save lives."
Of the more than 6.8 billion people in the world today, over one billion have no access to improved drinking water, a basic necessity for human life, and about 2.6 billion people do not have access to improved sanitation.
The UN children's agency UNICEF, says that polluted water and lack of basic sanitation claim the lives of over 1.5 million children every year, mostly from water-borne diseases.
The World Health Organization says about one-tenth of the global disease burden could be prevented by increasing access to safe drinking water; improving sanitation and hygiene; and improving water management to reduce risks of water-borne infectious diseases.
Estimates by UNICEF and the World Health Organization find that developing nations need at least 11.3 billion dollars a year to meet low-cost basic levels of service for both drinking water and sanitation by the year 2015.
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
Read 0 Comments... >> |
|
Written by Enviroadmin
|
|
Monday, 24 May 2010 00:37 |
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
SAN JOSE, California, March 10, 2010 (ENS) - Scientists at IBM and Stanford University said Tuesday that they have developed a new method of making plastics that will permit more than one recycling cycle.
While plastics are recyclable today, the resulting materials have been limited to second generation reuse only. This means things made from recycled plastic bottles are disposed in landfills.
Landfills are overflowing with plastics. Globally, 13 billion plastic bottles are disposed of each year. In the United States, up to 63 pounds of plastic packaging per person is disposed of each year, instead of being repeatedly recycled.
"We're exploring new methods of applying technology and our expertise in materials science to create a sustainable, environmentally sound future," said Josephine Cheng, IBM Fellow and vice president at the Almaden Research Center in San Jose.
"The development of new families of organic catalysts brings more versatility to green chemistry and opens the door for novel applications, such as making biodegradable plastics, improving the recycling process and drug delivery," said Cheng.
The researchers expect the new greener plastics to be useful in the food packaging, health care and microelectronics industries.
Disposable plastic bottles are among the most stubborn of environmental challenges. Plastics are typically polymers and may contain other substances to improve performance or reduce costs.
The IBM-Stanford breakthrough reverses the polymerization process to regenerate monomers in their original state, reducing waste and pollution.
IBM also is collaborating with scientists from King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, the Saudi Arabian national science agency, to develop the recycling process for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. This common plastic is used in containers for food, beverages and other liquids.
The discoveries are detailed in a paper published in the current issue of the American Chemical Society journal, "Macromolecules."
The paper outlines the development of several new families of highly active, environmentally benign organic catalysts for the conversion of renewable resources to products that exhibit cost and performance characteristics comparable to existing materials.
The paper also describes recycling or degradation strategies that would enable a "closed-loop" life cycle for materials that meet the needs of the marketplace while helping to minimize the environmental footprint left for future generations.
Additionally, the team has developed a new strategy for the synthesis of high molecular weight cyclic polyesters and the generation of new families of biocompatible polymers for biomedical applications.
As an example of a biomedical application, many effective drugs that are designed to target cancer cells are often so potent that they attack cancerous and healthy cells alike. The use of organocatalysis could help in the design of custom polymers that may aid in delivering drugs to a specific cell or region.
Dr. Robert Waymouth is the chemistry professor at Stanford whose research team worked with IBM to design new biodegradable and biocompatible macromolecules - very large molecules.
"In collaboration with Jim Hedrick of IBM laboratories, we have developed an extensive platform of organic catalysts for the controlled ring-opening polymerization of lactones," Waymouth explains. "These efforts combine elements of mechanistic organic and organometallic chemistry, polymer synthesis, and homogeneous catalysis to rationally design new macromolecular structures."
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
Read 0 Comments... >> |
|
Written by Enviroadmin
|
|
Monday, 24 May 2010 00:36 |
Source: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2010/11mar_figureaxis.htm
March 11, 2010: Pictures of widespread devastation leave no doubt: Last month's 8.8 magnitude earthquake in coastal Chile was strong. How strong? NASA scientists say it might have shifted the axis of Earth itself.
"If our calculations are correct, the quake moved Earth's figure axis by about 3 inches (8 cm)," says geophysicist Richard Gross of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
You might think you would have noticed the Earth suddenly tilting 3 inches. But that's not how the "figure axis" works. "The figure axis defines not how Earth is tilted, but rather how it is balanced," says Gross.
Consider the following:
Earth is not a perfect sphere. Continents and oceans are distributed unevenly around the planet. There's more land in the north, more water in the south, a great ocean in the west, and so on. As a result of these asymmetries, Earth slowly wobbles as it spins. The figure axis is Earth's axis of mass balance, and the spin axis wobbles around it.
"The Chilean quake shifted enough material to change the mass balance of our entire planet," Gross says.
A shifting figure axis is nothing new. On its own, the figure axis moves about 10 centimeters per year as a result of "Ice Age rebound." After the last great glacial period some 11,000 years ago, many heavy ice sheets disappeared. This unloaded the crust and mantle of the Earth, allowing the planet to relax or "rebound" back into a more spherical shape. The rebounding process is still underway and so the figure axis naturally moves.
On Feb. 27, 2010, the Chilean quake may have moved the figure axis as much in a matter of minutes as it normally moves in a whole year. It was a truly seismic shift—no pun intended.
So far, however, it's all calculation and speculation. "We haven't actually measured the shift," says Gross. "But I intend to give it a try."
The key is GPS1. "Using a global network of GPS receivers, we can monitor the rotation of Earth with high precision," he says. "Changes in Earth's spin and the orientation of Earth's axes affect [the phase and timing of] signals we get from the satellites in Earth orbit."
GPS is already used to monitor seasonal changes in Earth's spin. It turns out that tides, winds, ocean currents, and circulation patterns in Earth's molten core modulate Earth's rotation on a regular basis. For instance, a typical day in January is about 1 millisecond longer than a typical day in June. The roughly six-month variation is driven mainly by seasonal winds; there are also changes on time scales of weeks, years, decades and centuries.
Earthquakes throw a "spike" into GPS signals, which Gross believes he can find.
"I have to take the GPS Earth rotation measurements and subtract the effects of tides, winds and ocean currents," he explains. "Then the earthquake should stand out."
Recent news reports have focused on Earth's length of day, noting that the Chilean earthquake might have shortened days by as much as 1.26 microseconds out of 24 hours. That's true. But it's also negligible compared to the normal effect of wind and tides, which can lengthen or shorten days a thousand times more than earthquakes can.
The real news, as Gross sees it, is the possible shift in Earth's figure axis. He has a very "JPL perspective" on the issue: "The antennas we use to track spacecraft en route to Mars and elsewhere are located on Earth. If our tracking platform shifts, we need to know about it."
Right: The normal wobble of Earth's axis since Jan. 2009 as reported by the International Earth Rotation Service. The grid is scaled in milliarcseconds (mas); 1 mas = 1/3,600,000 deg. [larger image]
No one has ever measured a shift in Earth's axis due to an earthquake before. Back in 2004, Gross looked for a shift from the magnitude 9.1 earthquake in Sumatra, but failed to find a signal. The Sumatra quake was less effective in altering Earth's figure axis because of its location near the equator and the orientation of the underlying fault. The Chilean quake, albeit weaker, may have produced a bigger shift.
The stage is set for discovery. "Computing power is at an all-time high. Our models of tides, winds and ocean currents have never been better. And the orientation of the Chilean fault favors a stronger signal."
In a few months Gross hopes to have the answer. Stay tuned.
Source: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2010/11mar_figureaxis.htm
Read 0 Comments... >> |
|
Written by Enviroadmin
|
|
Monday, 24 May 2010 00:35 |
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
WASHINGTON, DC, January 14, 2010 (ENS) - Nations and aid organizations from around the world are rushing relief to Haiti, where the capital Port-au-Prince was devastated by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake Tuesday.
As search and rescue teams comb the ruins of collapsed buildings, the Haitian Red Cross is now estimating the numbers of dead at between 45,000 and 50,000 people.
Yesterday, Haitian officials estimated the death toll at somewhere between 100,000 and half a million people, but no casualty reports are confirmed. At least three million people have been affected by the calamity.
Raymond Joseph, Haitian Ambassador to the United States held a candlelight vigil last night outside the Embassy of Haiti in Washington, DC to pray and appeal for international support.
In Haiti, the government is barely functioning as many government buildings, including the Parliament, were heavily damaged, trapping the senate president and a number of other lawmakers alive inside.
Haitian President Rene Preval and his wife got out of the damaged presidential palace alive, and Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive is alive, but few other government officials are available.
President Preval issued an urgent appeal for his nation Wednesday, saying he has been hearing the cries of those trapped under the rubble. "We still have to do an evaluation, but the scene here is unimaginable," said Preval.
The United Nations headquarters in the Christopher Hotel collapsed. At least four police, 19 soldiers and 13 civilian staff members, including chief of the UN mission in Haiti, Hedi Annabi, have died, with at least 56 more injured, a UN spokesman said.
Eight UN workers have been pulled alive from the rubble, including Tarmo Joveer, an Estonian close protection officer who was rescued from the Christopher Hotel this morning.
Nearly 200 UN personnel serving with MINUSTAH, the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti, are still missing.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has sent Edmond Mulet, his former special representative to Haiti and current assistant-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, to Haiti to assume command of MINUSTAH.
UN officials said President Preval has visited the UN logistics base and Mulet's first task upon arrival will be to coordinate with the Haitian authorities.
Some 3,000 MINUSTAH troops and police are in and around Port-au-Prince, helping maintain order, assist in relief efforts, and clear some of the capital's main roads to allow aid and rescuers to reach survivors.
The World Health Organization said eight hospitals were damaged or destroyed in Haiti and two damaged in neighboring Dominican Republic. "We fear that the impact of this earthquake will be particularly devastating to the already existing vulnerability of Haiti's people, society and economy," WHO's Paul Garwood told reporters.
A French Red Cross staffer says what hospitals still exist have closed their doors. "Taken by storm, they do not have any more capacity to accomodate others wounded," he said. "Tens and tens of injured strew the streets of Port-au-Prince, among the corpses. The installation of hospital of countryside and mobile teams of doctors thus will be vital."
Doctors Without Borders has treated more than 1,000 people on the ground in Haiti following the quake, but confirms that the needs are huge. An inflatable hospital with operating theatres is expected to arrive in the next 24 hours.
Haiti has no communications system at this time, but ITU, the UN specialized agency for information and communication technology, has deployed 40 portable satellite uplinks and a base station to re-establish basic communication links, and is dispatching another 60 units with broadband facility along with experts to operate them.
The airport has been damaged and its control tower was knocked down in the quake, although the U.S. Coast Guard established a temporary control tower Wednesday so that planes bringing in relief supplies and personnel could land.
Planes were beginning to arrive this morning, but by afternoon authorities shut down the Port-au-Prince airport to all but military flights, halting efforts by relief agencies to get supplies into Haiti by private cargo planes.
An Amerijet cargo plane that left Miami International Airport for Port-au-Prince was forced to land in the Dominican Republic after the pilot was told in mid-flight he could not land in Haiti.
American Airlines landed a passenger plane filled with food, soap, diapers and other relief supplies for its employees and civilians in Port-au-Prince, a spokeswoman told the "Miami Herald." But a second flight was delayed and a third canceled after the U.S. military sent word that the airport was restricting traffic, an American spokeswoman said.
Last night, a cargo plane carrying $500,000 worth of supplies from the UN Children's Fund landed in the country, bringing with it enough oral rehydration salts, water purifications tablets, tarpaulins and tents to provide temporary housing for 10,000 people. A second plane is due to land today with blankets, tents and jerry cans.
At the White House, President Barack Obama today called for "compassion" from Americans, saying that he has made helping Haiti to recover from the crippling earthquake the top priority of every U.S. government agency.
"I've made it clear" to Cabinet officers and government agency heads, "that Haiti must be a top priority for their departments and agencies right now," President Obama said. "This is one of those moments that call out for American leadership."
President Obama called the quake "an unimaginable tragedy," and said the United States has launched "a swift, coordinated and aggressive effort" to help.
American servicemembers are deploying to the area, the President said. "Several Coast Guard cutters are already there, providing everything from basic services like water to vital technical support for this massive logistical operation," he said. "Elements of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division will arrive today."
The United States also is deploying a Marine expeditionary unit, the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and the hospital ship USNS Comfort.
"An airlift has been set up to deliver high-priority items like water and medicine," Obama said. The United States is working closely with the Haitian government, the United Nations and relief organizations to deliver supplies, but it will take some time for supplies, personnel and equipment to arrive in Haiti."
"Right now in Haiti, roads are impassible, the main port is damaged and communications are just beginning to come online, and aftershocks continue," Obama said. "None of this will seem quick enough," he said, "but it's important that everyone in Haiti understand that one of the largest relief efforts in our recent history is moving toward Haiti."
First Lady Michelle Obama expressed her "profound heartbreak and our nation's deepest support for the people of Haiti" during scheduled remarks at the Department of Labor this morning.
This will not just be a short-term effort, the First Lady said, "This is going to be something that we're going to have to put our attention to for many years to come."
Today she will tape a public service announcement for the American Red Cross, which she said "is providing on-the-ground support - food, water, medicine - that's desperately needed right now, particularly in this short period of 48, 72 hours after the disaster."
The American Red Cross said today it is releasing an additional $9 million for earthquake relief, bringing its total commitment so far to $10 million to support efforts in Haiti.
American Red Cross Disaster management specialists are scheduled to arrive today from the United States, Peru and Mexico to join local Red Cross staff already on the ground in the disaster zone.
As soon as airports begin accepting relief shipments, tarps, hygiene items and cooking sets for 5,000 families will come from the Red Cross warehouse in Panama.
The American Red Cross shipped blood and blood products to the U.S. Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida, and then on to Guantanamo Bay to help Haitian evacuees and patients.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has a plane full of medical supplies on the way to Haiti from Geneva. ICRC staff, including engineers, a surgeon and family-linking specialists were expected in Port-au-Prince this morning. Other Red Cross partners have deployed a mobile hospital, medical teams, and 40 staff to help with sheltering, providing water, sanitation, and telecommunications.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton canceled her trip to New Zealand and Australia this week and returned to Washington to organize and coordinate the U.S. relief effort.
Making the rounds of the morning TV talk shows, Clinton said Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, was just beginning to recover from a series of natural disasters when the earthquake struck.
"Haiti's got a tremendous set of problems under any circumstances, but there was a lot of hope that they were beginning to pull out of that," Clinton said. "Businesses were going back into Haiti. There was a recovery from the four hurricanes that they had the year before. And then along comes this calamity. But I'm very encouraged by the positive response."
"The United States is on the ground," Clinton said. "We've got the airport reopened. The Coast Guard has been magnificent in helping to evacuate people. We've got the 82nd Airborne on the way. We've got about 2,000 Marines there. We've got our crack search-and-rescue teams that are beginning the very laborious process of looking for any survivors in all of this debris."
"So there's a lot that we're doing to try to help, but I don't want to in any way mislead people about the extent of this disaster," Clinton said. "It is beyond our comprehension as yet, but we're working hard to get a handle on what exactly happened, what the fatalities are, and what more we can do to help."
People trying to get information about missing loved ones or friends can call the U.S. State Department at 1-888-407-4747.
The State Department has set up a text messaging contribution system, that Secretary of State Clinton says has already raised $3 million for the Red Cross. To contribute, text the word Haiti, H-a-i-t-i, to 90999, and your cell phone will be charged $10 to help.
Clinton said an accounting system is in place to ensure that donations for relief are not misappropriated.
Immediately after the earthquake, UN Secretary-General Ban ordered $10 million to be released from the Central Emergency Response Fund to kick-start humanitarian relief efforts. A flash appeal for Haiti is expected to be launched tomorrow.
A new UN website, the UN-business partnership gateway, http://business.un.org/en a joint effort of over 20 UN agencies, provides a single entry point to allow the private sector to offer its resources and capacities to the world body as it helps the victims of Tuesday's Haiti quake and other disasters.
The World Bank has announced an additional $100 million in emergency grants to support recovery and reconstruction in Haiti.
"This is a shocking event. It is crucial that the international community supports the Haitian people at this critical time," said World Bank President Robert Zoellick. "The Bank is mobilizing significant financial assistance and will send a team to help assess damage and reconstruction needs."
Rescue teams from countries across Europe and from China have reached the capital or are poised to land.
While China has no diplomatic relations with Haiti, the government sent a 50 member team, including search and rescue personnel and doctors, as well as three sniffer dogs.
"Most of the members are very experienced," said Liu Xiangyang, deputy chief of the National Earthquake Disaster Emergency Rescue Team, before their departure, the official state news agency Xinhua reported. The team will take 10 metric tonnes of food, equipment and medicine on the special plane.
China's Red Cross Society has decided to donate US$1 million in emergency aid to the country.
Numerous offers of European assistance are on their way, while the EU delegation in Port-au-Prince is still missing one person.
The UK sent an urban search and rescue team Wednesday. A French search and rescue team arrived in Haiti today. A Belgian plane with an assessment and coordination team together with specialized teams from Luxembourg is about to land in Port-au-Prince.
Within hours of the disaster, the European Commission's humanitarian department provided three million euros to the UN relief agencies and the International Red Cross family for first aid medicines, water, food and tents.
The French Red Cross is sending a cargo plane loaded with relief supplies on Friday night.
Japan dispatched an emergency survey team today and offered emergency grant aid totaling US$5 million to be distributed in cooperation with UNICEF and the World Food Programme as well as emergency relief goods such as tents worth the equivalent of US$329,000.
The Organization of American States today began to channel aid to the victims of the earthquake through the Pan American Development Foundation.
Permanent Representative of Haiti to the OAS, Ambassador Duly Brutus, thanked the member states for their pledges of support, saying, "We must yet today do our best to save several thousand people who are still alive and under the rubble of homes and public buildings. Given the size of this natural disaster, our country has never felt a greater need for solidarity from our brothers in the region and from the international community."
Source: http://www.ens-newswire.com/
Read 0 Comments... >> |
|
