Indigenous Peoples are often the victims of nature conservation, according to a new report by Vicky Tauli-Corpuz presented to the UN this week, as they are expelled from lands they have inhabited for millennia. One reason, she told Joe Eisen, is that indigenous territories are precisely the places where biodiversity is best preserved - thanks to the protective, nurturing presence of their traditional owners.
… Vicky Tauli-Corpuz: 'The better protected areas are those where indigenous … is best preserved - thanks to the protective, nurturing presence of their … highlights the impact of conservation and protected areas on indigenous peoples, was …
They may have wanted to leave Europe behind but Brexiteers still want the same - if not higher levels of environmental protection - for the UK's wild bee populations and natural wild places says a new report commissioned by Friends of the Earth and published today
… UK public overwhelmingly backs EU rules to protect bees and nature Friends of the Earth | … 2016 News Brexit Bees Wildlife Environmental Protection Friends Of The Earth EU Directives … same - if not higher levels of environmental protection - for the UK's wild bee populations …
There's quite a fashion now for creating enormous ocean nature reserves, write Peter J S Jones & Elizabeth De Santo. The UK kicked off the trend last year at Pitcairn Island, and now the US has followed up with a 1.5m sq.km reserve around Hawaii. But while these look like big conservation gains, the more serious task is to manage sustainably the intensely exploited seas close to home.
… Vast remote ‘marine protected areas’ - a diversion from the real … are set to become the world's largest marine protected area, US president Barack Obama … Pitcairn Islands, and it set up another huge protected area around Ascension Island in …
As the global assault on indigenous lands intensifies, the world's largest conservation group, the IUCN, has just voted at its World Conservation Congress for the sacred natural sites and territories of indigenous peoples to be recognised as 'No-Go Areas' for destructive industrial scale activities, writes Hal Rhoades - and for corporations to permanently withdraw from such areas.
… World Conservation Congress votes to protect indigenous sacred lands Hal Rhoades | … (IUCN) has passed a motion declaring that all protected areas and the sacred natural sites … to "respect all categories of IUCN protected areas as No-Go Areas for …
Calls for better protection of the UK's ancient woodlands are being made by environmental groups due to a loophole in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), last revised in 2012. LAURA BRIGGS reports
… Why we need to better protect Britain's ancient woodlands Laura … Trust ancient woodland.jpg Calls for better protection of the UK's ancient woodlands are … Tree Forum are working hard to gain better protection for these sites and now the issue …
Remember when the UK was the 'dirty man of Europe'? What has changed since then, writes Caroline Lucas, is our membership of the EU - which has made us raise our environmental performance on everything from fisheries to air pollution, nature conservation, clean bathing waters and renewable energy. Leave, and it could all go into reverse.
… Remain in the EU to protect our environment Caroline Lucas | 20th … and to ensure that people's rights are protected - at work and as consumers. We also … so clearly as the European Union's role in protecting our environment. In many ways, it's …
With the conference of the CITES convention limiting international trade in endangered species taking place in South Africa this weekend, Chris Newman & Zhaomin Zhou highlight China's problem of out-of-date species names in its national laws. If they are not updated, it's only a matter of time before illegal wildlife traders escape conviction under under this legal loophole.
… this legal loophole. What happens wildlife protection laws don't keep pace with science? … endangered species ceases to have any legal protection, thanks to an update to its … objectives of conservationists and wildlife protection authorities. When these two …
Secret documents leaked to Greenpeace from the EU-US TTIP negotiations show that environmental protection, climate change mitigation, consumer protection, public health and sustainability are sacrificed throughout to corporate profit and commercial interests.
… TTIP negotiations show that environmental protection, climate change mitigation, consumer protection, public health and sustainability … are prepared to drop hard won environmental protections to secure a deal, while measures …
Easy to miss in the New Year Honours list: a little-known civil servant for 'services to pesticides regulation'. But none the less shocking for that, writes Georgina Downs. Paul Hamey MBE is the very man who has been responsible for ensuring that rural residents receive no proper protection from repeated exposure to toxic mixtures of pesticides on nearby farms. Go figure.
… Disgraceful 'Honour' for failing to protect people from poisons Georgina Downs | … that rural residents receive no proper protection from repeated exposure to toxic … which in layman's terms will increase protection for those who come into contact …
The Scottish government has announced that its wild beaver populations will be given the full protection of both UK and EU law. The decision has been welcomed by campaigners who point out all the benefits of beavers to biodiversity, water management and flood control. Now, they say, England and Wales should follow suit.
… Scotland's wild beavers win legal protection Oliver Tickell | 24th November 2016 … beaver populations will be given the full protection of both UK and EU law. The decision … remain in the wild in Scotland under the full protection of EU and UK wildlife law, …
As the movement to 'delist' Grizzly bears from protection under the Endangered Species Act gathers pace in US states and the Fish & Wildlife Service, two National Park superintendents have spoken out for the bears', writes Louisa Willcox. The hunters and the FWS may be furious, but the change of approach enjoys strong support from a public who have come to love their local bears.
… the movement to 'delist' Grizzly bears from protection under the Endangered Species Act … these bears lose Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections-prospectively as soon as this … Grizzlies, is pushing removal of ESA protections as hard and fast as it can and, …
A legal principle dating from Roman times is ripe for use in protecting our waste-filled and over-exploited seas and oceans, writes Deb Wright. Under the 'Public Trust Doctrine' governments are entrusted to protect shared natural resources from abuse, and can be held accountable for neglect of their duties.
… Public Trust Doctrine requires governments to protect our oceans! Deb Wright | 9th March … dating from Roman times is ripe for use in protecting our waste-filled and over-exploited … Trust Doctrine' governments are entrusted to protect shared natural resources from abuse, …
The destruction of the world's wilderness is accelerating with a new clutch of mega projects from dams, roads and mines to large scale agriculture, write James Watson, Bill Laurance, Brendan Mackey & James Allan. It's cost-effective to put a stop to it right now for the carbon value of wilderness alone - never mind the biodiversity and indigenous peoples it safeguards.
… Wilderness needs immediate protection for climate - and much more James … conservation investments that can help protect vanishing wilderness areas. These … existing regulatory frameworks aimed at protecting imperilled species and ecosystems. …
Britain's bees are under threat from Brexit and moves to allow farmers to use banned bee-harming 'neonictinoid' pesticides, warns Dave Timms, Bees Campaigner with Friends of the Earth. With 20 species extinct since 1900 and a further 35 under threat, how much more can our bees take?
… with cleaner beaches and air, and better protection for our wildlife. And Brexit would … under threat of extinction. None are properly protected by law and Europe-wide, nearly one … ten wild bee species face extinction. Habitat protection However, this picture would be …
You will recognise the famous surname but unlike his father, Jacques Cousteau, who spent a career discovering and sharing the mysteries and wonders of ocean life, Pierre-Yves Cousteau is having to campaign for its protection from over-fishing and the accompanying destruction of marine biodiversity. KASSANDRA LEFAKINIS finds herself engaged by a new film documenting this struggle and the bigger task ahead....
… | 4th August 2016 Comment Biodiversity Marine Protection Areas Greece Jacques Cousteau … Cousteau is having to campaign for its protection from over-fishing and the … environmentalists to create a Marine Protected Area in Santorini. Director/producer …
Environmentalists are near unanimous in believing the UK should remain in the EU, writes Harry Blain. Yet that puts us in the same camp as many of our fiercest enemies - neoliberal governments and corporate lobbyists for fossil fuels, cars and other polluting industries. Meanwhile the EU itself is increasingly undermining its own environmental protections as it pursues 'free trade' agreements around the world. Time for a rethink? You bet!
… undermining its own environmental protections as it pursues 'free trade' … part of the EU makes sense when it comes to protecting our environment." Or as she wrote … frequently cited as a vital environmental protection potentially threatened by 'Brexit' …
Existing models of protecting nature are failing, write Atus Mariqueo-Russell & Rupert Read. They serve to regulate, rather than prevent the destruction of nature, and are now adopting the very 'market' approaches that are largely responsible for the problem. The answer is to give formal effect to the Rights of Nature.
… UK forest-mountain-cut.jpg Existing models of protecting nature are failing, write Atus … within the law, and thus they prevent us from protecting ecosystems in any meaningful sense. … may question whether effective environmental protection actually requires formal rights, …
A unified scientific approach has been called for to help protect one of the most threatened ecosystems on earth. LAURA BRIGGS learns more about the unique ecosystem known as seagrass beds
… Scientists call for the protection of the little-known and … Conservartion Marine Pollution Marine Protection Areas (MPA) Oceans seagrass … approach has been called for to help protect one of the most threatened ecosystems …
A radical new Seed Law drafted by Venezuelan people, farmers and NGOs was signed into law in the closing days of 2015, write William Camacaro, Frederick B. Mills & Christina M. Schiavoni. Striking back against the corporate takeover of seeds and peddling of GMOs, the Seed Law bans transgenic seeds, protects the country's germplasm, and establishes the legal foundation for a participatory, agroecological food and farming system.
… Venezuela's 'people as legislators' ban GMOs, protect traditional seeds William Camacaro … of GMOs, the Seed Law bans transgenic seeds, protects the country's germplasm, and … because it bans transgenic (GMO) seed while protecting local seed from privatization. The …
Investigative reporter, TOM FAWTHROP has just returned from the site of the Don Sahong - a hydrodam being constructed in the middle of an eco-paradise of wetlands in Southern Laos where over 200 fish species have been recorded.
… wetlands screamed out for international protection as provided for under the Ramsar Convention, a protection that has been embraced by Cambodia … for a hydropower dam, rather than Ramsar protection for endangered dolphins, the …
The proposed Directive on Trade Secrets Protection is meant to repress industrial espionage, write Corporate Europe Observatory & Co-signatories. But under its Draconian provisions, punitive lawsuits, jail sentences and €350,000 fines await journalists, campaigners and whistle-blowers. The European Parliament must reject this wicked law tomorrow!
… The proposed Directive on Trade Secrets Protection is meant to repress industrial … The proposed EU legislation on 'Trade Secrets Protection' creates excessive secrecy rights … Commission to come up with a text that protects trade secrets without endangering …
Poland's environment ministry has a plan for a huge increase in logging in Europe's last great primeval forest, writes Zachary Davies Boren. Officials claim it's to control bark beetles. But ecologists say the insects are regulated naturally within the forest ecosystem, while logging threatens huge damage to irreplaceable biodiversity.
… biodiverse spots on the continent - 32% is protected by government regulations, but only … primeval forest Why is this forest worth protecting? Campaigners describe it as "the … unique population of European bison was long protected for that reason. The forest is home …
Chemical and pesticide industry lobbyists are striving to abolish the European precautionary principle in favour of a so-called 'science-based' approach, write Lora Verheecke & Laura Große. If the EU succumbs to the spin, human health and the environment across Europe will be sacrificed to corporate profit.
… to ban or restrict the product in order to protect public health and the environment. In … risk to consumers. US: 'weaker, less protective regulations' On the contrary, in … Overall, the US has "generally weaker, less protective regulations governing health, …
The British establishment does nothing quite so well as lies, cover-ups and high-level corruption, writes Georgina Downs - whether it's the Hillsborough disaster or permitting polluters to poison us. Georgina won her own High Court legal victory protecting rural residents from pesticide exposure as long ago as 2008 - only to have it snatched away as Court of Appeal judges closed ranks.
… Georgina won her own High Court legal victory protecting rural residents from pesticide … in the locality of sprayed fields - is not protected. In the statement I read out on the … the Government had fundamentally failed to protect people in the countryside from …