· April, 2013

Stories about Environment from April, 2013

EU Seal Ban Maims Indigenous Way of Life in the Arctic

  30 April 2013

A European Union court in Luxembourg has upheld its ban on the commercial trade of seal products despite a challenge from Canada's Inuit and several Canadian lawmakers that it cripples the indigenous people's ability to make a living.

Chronicler of Saint Lucian History Remembered

  26 April 2013

Historian and conservationist Robert Devaux was laid to rest this week, having passed away on the morning of April 16th 2013, after a battle with cancer. St. Lucian netizens have been paying tribute to a man many consider to be an environmental hero and national visionary.

East Asia's Appetite for Eels Pushing Species to the Brink

  19 April 2013

During Japan's sweltering midsummer it's traditional to eat a plate of golden-brown broiled unagi kabayaki, or broiled eel. But the tradition is now at risk. Skyrocketing demand for glass eels, once considered a high-brow delicacy, is pushing Japanese fishermen to exhaust the population and causing prices to soar.

Displaced Residents Accuse Brazilian Power Plant of False Promises

  17 April 2013

Among 4,325 people that have been either removed or indirectly affected by the construction of the Jirau and Santo Antonio dams in the Madeira river region, in the Brazilian Amazon, former river dwellers who now reside in New Mutum Paraná complain about promises that haven't been met concerning their displacement.

Guyana: Smelly City

  16 April 2013

A canal in the capital smells so rancid “it can kill a nation”. Guyana-Gyal smelled it and lived to tell the tale.

A Message from an Achuar Indigenous Leader

  15 April 2013

Amazon Watch has uploaded a video with a message from Peruvian Achuar indigenous leader Peas Peas Auyi. In the message, Peas Peas Auyi thanks Canadian allies for their solidarity in the Achuar's struggle against mining in the Peruvian Amazon.

Who Owns St. Lucia's Beaches…Citizens or Celebrities?

  15 April 2013

St. Lucians can usually visit any beach they choose, but thanks to a recent celebrity wedding, the beach surrounding a local resort was deemed off limits, raising longstanding questions about beach access and the cost benefits of large resorts.

São Tomé and Príncipe: Petition Against Deforestation

  12 April 2013

Raul Jorge, a Santomean citizen, launched a petition [fr] against deforestation in São Tomé and Príncipe, addressed to the current Prime Minister Gabriel Costa. The petition has already gathered more than 700 signatures. In October 2012, Global Voices reported about the situation; in response netizens published videos and a Facebook...

Haiti: CARICOM Should Speak Up

  12 April 2013

Appalled by the “legal immunity” that the United Nations appears to have in the country's cholera epidemic, Kevin Edmonds says that it's high time Caribbean leaders speak up for Haiti.

Venezuela: Fire Consumes Part of Canaima National Park

  10 April 2013

For over a week the Canaima National Park, one of the world's most precious green lungs has been burning beyond control. Many Twitter users are in dismay over the events, but not without pointing to the indolence of the Venezuelan state and that of Venezuelan politicians in general.

Outbreak of New Avian Flu Kills Six in China

  8 April 2013

A strain of avian flu never before seen in humans has so far infected 21 people, with six deaths, in China, putting health authorities on high alert and prompting fears among many Chinese of the disease spreading.

Bhutan on the Road to Becoming Fully Organic

  7 April 2013

The Himalayan Kindgom of Bhutan, famous for its “Gross National Happiness” Index instead of Gross Domestic Product, has set itself the task of being the first country in the world to completely turn to Organic Agriculture.

28,000 Rivers Disappear from Chinese Map

  5 April 2013

Some 28,000 rivers in China have seemingly disappeared, according to a recent government water census. A prominent environmentalist attributes the disappearing rivers to the over-exploitation of river resources and the large hydroelectric projects.