October 2019: Monthly Environmental News Roundup

1. Regenerative Ranching System Better for Environment

The outdoor lifestyle brand timberland has partnerships of half processing from responsible leather supply chain sourced with ranches that employ regenerative practices. Ranchers and farmers, who use regenerative grazing practices collect and manage the natural activities of their animals/cattle. Regenerative grazing allows for more rest and re-growth of grass, which can provide better food for livestock and also maintains soil health. In theory, this makes the land more productive with greater resistance to both drought and heavy rain. This regenerative ranching system has the potential to build soil health, reduce chain carbon emissions, increase biodiversity, improve water cycling and give farmers and ranchers better livelihoods.

2. Madhav Dutt, Greta Thunberg of India

Today, the entire world is synonymous with the laborious efforts of climate change. Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old climate activist is known for her frank speeches on climate change. India has its own Thunberg in Madhav Dutt. 23-year-old Madhav Dutt is the founder of Green the Gene, which will attend the world’s largest youth-driven environment non-profit summit. Green the Gene has projects in 62 countries, mobilizing over 7000 youth under the age of 24 to create solutions for communities suffering from the climate crisis. The four-day summit will be attended by youth representatives from over 150 countries. Dutt has also created technology and data projects under Green the Gene to solve specific problems like low-cost water filtration units, which deliver safe water to the people.

3. Apple gets CITI award for Green Supply Chain

Apple was awarded the corporate information transparency index (CITI) for environmental awareness and green supply chain by the NGO Institute of public and environmental affairs (IPE). The award commends the efforts made for the green supply chain in China. For the past 5 years, Apple has ranked first in the CITI list of IPE. Among the projects administered by IPE are Apple’s exemplary water management, energy efficiency improvements, and clean energy initiatives. Apple, meanwhile, presented an annual report covering environmental supply chain management, which also mentioned the energy security program adopted by suppliers, that the annual Green Hause emission decreased by 466000 tons in 2018.

4. Deforestation closer to Amazon tipping point

A prominent economist has said that the deforestation of the Brazilian government, coupled with disastrous policies could push the Amazon rainforest to a dangerously irreversible tipping point within two years. At this tipping point, the rainforest will stop enough rain to sustain itself and a gradual drop in drier savannah will release excessive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, creating a catastrophic hot state for South America. The current Brazilian government talked about developing Amazon forests, but instead of developing Amazon forests, there has been an increase in deforestation and fire in the Amazon forests. Amazon is already 17% deforested, the current count of deforestation is 20 to 25%, if the same situation persists, Amazon will reach the tipping point in 15 to 20 years.

5. Duty of care scheme implemented in the UK

The “duty of care” scheme was unveiled by the Liberal Democrat Party with a view to reducing carbon emissions in unlimited quantities by UK companies. Under the scheme, businesses will be given legally “duty of care” on environmental and social issues, which will be used to sell goods from the deforested areas and force companies to investigate their overseas supply chain. The party says that we ensure that companies avoid their behavior which is harmful to the environment in their operation and supply chain. The proposed legislation will encourage companies to work in relation to environmental, social and human rights issues.

6. Sant Narmadananda’s visit with environmental protection

message

Uttarakhand is a land of faith and devotion. The saints here are trying to keep the environment clean. It is in this context that Sant Narmadananda is embarking on the Dwadesh Jyotirlinga Yatra by covering a distance of 10,300 km with the conservation of water, life, and forests. During this, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand said that the government’s effort is to clean the Ganges from Gaumukh to Gangasagar, for this, there is a need for massive awareness across the nation to ensure that not only Ganga but every river is clean. Besides, the Chief Minister also hoped that Narmadananda’s efforts for environmental protection and clean Ganga river would be successful.

7. Ireland’s wrong decision increases emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions have been steadily increasing in Ireland. Ireland had set a target of reducing emission levels by 20% since 2005, but in 2018 emissions increased rather than reduced. In such a situation Ireland has lost the 2020 target of reducing emissions. Also, it is difficult to achieve “net-zero” target from 2030 to 2050. The main reason for its failure is the transport and agriculture sectors. Ireland’s poor decisions mainly include the government’s policy of inaction, slow movement on agreed, fossil fuel industry. The EPA in its latest evaluation says, however, the climate plan is a big game-changer though it underlines the need for swift implementation.

8. Invasive species are a threat to the environment

Invasive species of fungus are endangering the environment. Invasive non-native species are those that have been transferred as a result of human activities. They are considered one of the top five threats to the natural environment. The world’s most invasive species is found in the UK. This invasive species can pose a threat to trees, wildlife as well as human health. To prevent this, an army of volunteers will be set up and trained. This is the ash dieback epidemic caused by the invasive species non-native fungus that can eliminate half of the Uk native ash tree in the next 100 years.

9. Electric vehicles have a positive impact on the environment

The council of the economic adviser (CEA), the agency’s end-of-office executive office, released the report at a conference titled “The value of US energy innovation and policies supporting the shale revaluation”. At this conference held in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, President Trump highlighted the economic and environmental benefits from shale revolution. A good example of shale revaluation is the electric vehicle (EV). The cost of EV maintenance is low, with no air pollution, as it is not dependent on petroleum, which has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, requires less energy to operate. So it has a positive impact on the environment.

10. Samarco gets license for iron ore mining

The environment council has allowed Samarco Mineracao SA to commence operations under a permit for its iron ore mining. Samarco, vales 50-50 joint venture with BHP group In 2015 19 people were killed due to waste dam collapse. The operation of which was stopped from 2015. Samarco is working to obtain iron ore mining with permission to do 8MT by 2020 and 20 MT by 2030. The operating license of iron ore depended on the vote of copam, out of which 12 members voted in favor of Samarco. Due to which the iron ore of Samarco is expected to be restarted soon.

11. Environmental transparency is important in financial

organizations

Major banks and financial institutions have been accused of trying to hide the large-scale investments in the fossil fuel industry, while some companies have proved that banks or financial institutions can be both ethical and transparent. We live in a society where only the government and corporations are pressurized by consumers to be perfect environmentalists, while the organizations and businesses that are actively responsible for climate change are under pressure. A campaign is being launched to create transparency whether the company is small or big, under which the company has to make its records public. The UN responded with the UN principle of responsible banking (PRB), which was signed by 130 banks. Which can be positive for society.

12. No environmental issue in draft environmental bill

The draft environmental bill presented by the UK Government’s Environment Audit Committee was criticized, as it mainly highlighted the EU withdrawal agreement bill. There is no mention in the bill on issues of water, air, and environment. Environmental issues were unclear in the second document on Brexit pollution, which is not legally valid. The second document of this environmental bill has set targets on only 4 issues, including air and water quality, biodiversity and waste reduction, not on other issues. Since it is not legally published, it can be easily overturned by the government in the future. Which will not make it easier to achieve carbon targets in the future.

13. Sierra club demands action on Florida environmental collapse

Florida state government laxity is leading to environmental and economic collapse. Calling Florida as Ground Zero for Climate Change, Sierra Club Director Frank Jackalone says the Sierra Club and other environmental groups in Florida’s world base spring, rivers, bays, estuaries, wild areas, wildlife, the ever glads and the Mexico Citizens wants a policy for defense. Syria Club seeks to make widespread use of policies to clean, renew energy, smart development and mitigate climate change. Plastic pesticide chemical, used in fainting, sought to ban the source of keeping it out of the Florida waterway. Florida is currently reeling from the deadly effects it has on the environment.

14. Photography beneficial for environmental promotion

Photographer Sutata Aditya and photographer/writer Regina Safri shared wildlife photography techniques during an event, discussing the theme of “before too late”. 300 participants, photographers, nature lovers, members of NGO and students participated in this function. It was discussed in the program that wildlife photography is not only for capture moments, natural beauty and diversity a flora and fauna, but to make the photographers aware of the environment conservation campaign. Therefore determination is needed to overcome unforeseen obstacles in the forest.

15. Other countries are also infected with Ebola from Nigeria

Increasing climate change increases the outbreak of EVD, Monkeypox, Lassa fever, and fatal diseases. Nigeria declared it’s country free of Ebola virus disease (EVD) on 20 October 2019. The WHO exempted Nigeria from EVD in 2014, but the threat remained in Nigeria for 5 years. Experts have said that many countries like China, Russia, India, Europe, the United States of America and Nigeria are also included, which have never experienced Ebola. Ebola is at a high risk of spreading. Apart from this, Lassa fever has also persisted in Nigeria for the past two years. Researches show that due to increasing climate change, the outbreak of this deadly disease is increasing.

16. Fungi infection in the frog of the Amazon rainforest

The frog of the Peruvian Amazon rain forest is widely infected with fungi. One of which is chytrid fungus, which is the cause of fatal skin disease and has been associated with hermaphroditic deterioration for the last 40 years. Especially from the middle and high altitude frog community, where the climate is cool. Such as the mountainous region of Western North America, Central America, South America, and Eastern Australia. Under this skin disease, the ridges have reddening of the skin and there are losses, lethargy, and increased failure to escape. This skin disease is also called chytridiomycosis. There is every possibility of a decline in the number of frogs due to fungal infection.

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