Related Posts
Breaking: Agreement on international forest protection reached at Oslo conference
At a UN climate conference in Oslo, Norway this week, nations agreed on an increase in aid from...
2,000 attend banned concert for Russian forest preservation
Environmental activists have been fighting to save Russia’s Khimki forest from plans to build a federal highway through...
South American Countries to Stop Deforestation of Atlantic ForestThe Atlantic Forest of South America—one of the most endangered rainforests in the world—is finally gaining more protection....
Copenhagen Climate Conference: Just one more day to seal the deal
The European Union is going for a reduction of 20 percent of carbon emissions by 2020 (the reference...
Prince Charles launches project to protect African rainforest
The Prince of Wales’ has launched the Size of Wales initiative, with the aim of protecting or reforesting...
Tip of the Day
When given the choice, take the stairs instead of the elevator to save energy and workout at the same time!
Forest preservation takes center stage at Commonwealth conference
photo by Paul Morse (source: US govt)
Tackling climate change through forest restoration is the theme at this year’s Commonwealth Forestry Conference, currently taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland.
40 countries are represented at the conference, all from the vestiges of the once great British Empire, upon which the sun used to never set. The Prince of Wales has even addressed the conference – albeit by video – blaming agribusiness for ‘alarming’ deforestation rates.
According to a report in The Scotsman, the secretary general of the Commonwealth, Kamalesh Sharma, referred to deforestation as ‘environmental vandalism’ and stressed that the time to act was now.
He is quoted in an article from coolearth.org:
Forests, we know, represent almost three-quarters of the world’s terrestrial carbon. Cut them down and they are responsible for almost a quarter of man-made CO2 emissions. Tackle deforestation and we go a long way towards tackling climate change.
Fine words from both the Prince and Mr. Sharma, yet I couldn’t help but notice the big BP logo right at the top of the sponsors section of the conference’s website. Ah well, whaddaya gonna do?
Graham Land
Additional resources:
Commonwealth Forestry Association
Tags: Climate change, Commonwealth, conference, deforestation, forest, forestry, Prince of Wales
Other Greenfudge.org posts
Conservation: Swimming with whale sharks in the Philippines
Once considered a pest and hunted, the majestic whale sharks of Donsol in the Philippines are now a successful attraction for eco-tourists. The whale shark is the world's largest fish and can measure up to 20 meters in length. Used as a food source in some places of the world, whale shark meat is not cheap – especially the fins. This despite the fact that the World Conservation Union lists the whale shark as vulnerable to extinction. But preserving and protecting the...
Top 7 Herbs to Grow at Home
If you’ve been hoping to experiment with growing herbs in your own home, then it may surprise you to know that some of the most common herbs typically used in foods are actually the easiest to grow. If you’re new to growing your own herbs but you don’t know where to start, here are seven of the most popular herbs to grow at home: 1. Basil Basil should be planted in a sunny and warm location, but try to avoid using fertilizer as...
Freeconomist lives off the grid, without cash and eats vegan ‘waste grub’
Mark Boyle is not a bum or a drain on society or a weird cult leader trying to amass followers and start a revolution. He is an advocate of something called ‘freeconomy’; an ideology based on sharing, friendship and cooperation rather than money. It is a zero cash, zero waste, zero impact philosophy. Kind of like freeganism, but with a bit less dumpster diving, I guess. Founder of the online freeconomy community, Boyle decided to spend a year without using cash...
World’s Deepest Volcanic Vent may Hold the Answers to the Origin of Life
Yet another deep-sea discovery was made last week—by use of a remote-controlled submarine. Scientists have found the deepest known volcanic vent over 3 miles (5 km) beneath the Caribbean. The area they found the vent is known as the Cayman Trough. The pilot of the submarine and geologist, Bramley Murton, said that the area was “like nothing I had ever seen before”. Imagine multicolored mineral deposits, spires, and vast colonies of fluorescent blue microorganisms. Murton described the experience as “wandering across...
Dreaming of a Green Christmas?
Christmas day and its frenzied build up is certainly not kind on Mother Earth and when you think of all the thousands of tons of plastic, wrapping paper and unwanted gifts it could leave you feeling as white as the snow outside, but does this have to be the case? A new website, EthicalCommunity.com has recently launched which aims, amongst other things, to help us reduce our environmental impact. Eco conscious shoppers can browse from over 7,000 products, learn about the...
Update: Rio Death Toll Now Over 200, More Feared Dead
A deadly combination of rain, flooding and mudslides has washed away the homes, lives, and hopes of many Rio de Janeiro citizens this week. Death tolls climbed to 205 as search and rescue teams pulled more bodies from a mudslide that destroyed a hillside shantytown. At least 100 people were buried in that mudslide, which also destroyed stores and churches in its wake. At this point, it will be a miracle if any are found alive. Thousands of other citizens are...
Green Books Campaign: ‘River of Gold’ by Susan Dobbie
A compelling account of Hawaiian prospectors during the Canadian Gold Rush This review is part of the Green Books campaign. Today 100 bloggers are reviewing 100 great books printed in an environmentally friendly way. Our goal is to encourage publishers to get greener and readers to take the environment into consideration when purchasing books. This campaign is organized by Eco-Libris, a green company working to green up the book industry by promoting the adoption of green practices, balancing out...
Izilwane online magazine: in touch with Mother Earth
Izilwane is a non-profit online resource for material on subjects concerning humanity’s interaction with the natural environment. Founded by medical and environmental Anthropologist Tara Waters Lumpkin, PhD, Izilwane (meaning “animals” in Zulu) strives to strengthen humanity’s bonds with the other species that share our Earth. Inspiration for starting the magazine came from what some scientists and conservationists have termed the ‘sixth great extinction’: the human-driven, large-scale and rapid loss of plant and animal species that the Earth is currently experiencing. Izilwane gathers journalists,...
Powerful mudslide in Italy leaves one person missing
Heavy rains caused a destructive mudslide in a small village on Italy’s Amalfi coast, resulting in one missing person. A torrent of water and mud covered cars and flooded streets in the village of Atrani when a small river burst its banks after Thursday’s rains, according to a report by the Associated Press. The missing person was working in a café in the popular tourist village when she was swept away by the torrent of muddy water. For more on the story, including...
Nifty Ways for Kids to Experiment with the Weather
I am absolutely sick of winter. This season is perhaps the most dreary and dismal of them all. Sure, some areas have spectacular views with their glaciers, icebergs, or quaint snow-covered cottages by a lake; but most of us aren’t so fortunate. Most of us have to deal with icy roads, shoveling sidewalks, or trudging through plowed slush. Melting snow leads to muddy yards and all that white landscape against grey skies really loses its appeal after a while. Personally, I...
View all articles
You can also log in to post a comment.