Nullius in Verba

Here’s a list of the previous week’s stories that were interesting (to me at least). Are there any others that you think should be on the list? Please leave a comment.

Convention on Biodiversity meets in Nagoya, Japan

Ever since the United Nations’ 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, delegates have met periodically to assess the health of the earth. Because, well, we sort of depend on the earth and, second, it’s really great to get together and stay in plush hotels in tourist destinations. This year the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) (which was spawned by the Earth Summit) met in Nagoya, Japan for Nagoya 10. According to the source of knowledge these days, Wikipedia, The Convention has three main goals:

1. conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity);
2. sustainable use of its components; and
3. fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources

Spiegel online says, “The countries present in Nagoya have all recognized the need for global nature conservation, but they are pursuing starkly different interests. Developing nations are expecting incentives to protect and care for their biological treasure troves. For their part, rich industrialized nations are seeking to keep the costs for that as low as possible…”

The goals of this session’s negotiations are:

• A new “strategic plan” for global protection of nature between 2011 and 2020, including a minimization of – overfishing, deforestation and extinctions of species.
• A finance plan for conservation projects.
• A plan on valuation of and compensation for ecosystem services

Fred Pearce writing for New Scientist says the negotiations are not going smoothly. In fact, talks “could be going the way of the climate change talks in Denmark in December 2009…Several countries with the richest biodiversity, such as Brazil, are this week refusing to sign up to new targets unless there is also a deal on sharing the cash benefits from the exploitation of their genetic resources by western corporations such as drugs companies. Western countries see that as a blank cheque they won’t sign.”

James Fahn agrees, “The failure of Copenhagen hangs over Nagoya, and even the star power of Hollywood may not be able to dispel the gloom here. The challenge of conserving biodiversity is enormous: the latest results of the IUCN Red List, an annual checkup on the health of the world’s vertebrate species, has revealed that around one fifth of them are threatened with extinction.”

The talks may be unproductive for another reason. James Delingpole, writing in the UK Telegraph thinks so. These talks, like the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), are a complete waste of money and time because technocrats fabricated the crisis: “And so it begins. With all the shamelessness of a Goldman Sachser trading in his middle-aged wife for a hot, pouting twentysomething called Ivanka, the green movement is ditching ‘Climate Change’. The newer, younger, sexier model’s name? Biodiversity…When I say shameless, I’m talking so amoral it makes the Whore of Babylon look like Mother Theresa; so flagrant it makes Al Gore’s, ahem, alleged drunken ‘Love poodle’ assault on the Portland Masseuse look like an especially delicate passage from Andreas Capellanus’s The Art of Courtly Love…Sure it will go on, churning out Assessment Report after Assessment Report, bringing pots of money to the usual gang of bent scientists prepared to act as lead authors. But the world’s mainstream media – especially all those environment correspondents who so lovingly transcribe the press releases of Greenpeace and the WWF as if they were holy writ – will have moved on [from the IPCC], according to the dictates of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) fashionable crise du jour.”

“Should the CBD be scrapped?” asks The Economist magazine: “It is tempting to say yes when it comes up with overblown, unobtainable targets, such as stopping all extinctions anywhere, or when it entertains foolish proposals, like the current Luddite idea to restrict all forms of research exploring the possibility of “geoengineering” the climate. But when it sticks to achievable, measurable targets, such as increasing the area of nature reserves in the ocean, it can provide a useful focus. And an occasional talking shopis useful for donors to compare projects and see which work best. As conservationists like to say, every niche is valuable. But back local pragmatism, not Utopian dreams.”

Update: The CBD has announced goals to reduce the earth’s extinction rate
The NY Times story says, “The agreement, known as the Nagoya Protocol, sets a goal of cutting the current extinction rate by half or more by 2020…The new targets include increasing the amount of protected land to 17 percent, from the current figure of about 12.5 percent, and protected oceans to 10 percent, from less than 1 percent. The protocol also includes commitments of financing, still somewhat murky, from richer countries to help poorer nations reach these goals”

More new species discovered

The world seems to be gaining species nearly as quickly as the CBD says we are losing them. The UK’s Telelgraph says, “More than 1,200 new species of plants and vertebrates have been discovered in the Amazon over the past decade – a new species every three days – according to a new WWF report, Amazon Alive! that summarises discoveries between 1999 and 2009. The new species include 637 plants, 257 fish, 216 amphibians, 55 reptiles, 16 birds and 39 mammals, confirming that the Amazon is one of the most diverse places on Earth.”

Click here to see pictures of the newly discovered animals

There’s gold in them ecosystems

As an offshoot of CBD, the World Bank has begun a 5-year pilot project to monetize ecosystems. “If we are going to address the alarming loss of habitat and the degradation of ecosystems in the world, we have to properly value natural capital,” said Warren Evans, the World Bank’s Director of Environment to CNN. “That means putting the tools in the hands of finance ministers so that they have a full economic picture of what their countries’ assets are worth. Then they will see the value of preserving versus one of exploitation of natural resources,” he said.

The BBC notes, “The partnership was launched at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) meeting in Nagoya, Japan…The new project aims to pick up conclusions of a recent UN-backed project on The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (Teeb), and help governments turn them into policy. Teeb’s headline conclusion was that degradation of the natural world is costing the global economy $2-5 trillion (£1.3-3.2bn) per year.”

The idea that eco-services provide economic benefit pits top-down regulation-centric greens against bottom-up libertarians (and many economists) who see such needs as a failure of markets. Property rights and adequate infrastructure will be needed to stop much of the environmental degradation that underlies the worries about high rate species loss. James Salzman (the Samuel F. Mordecai Professor of Law and the Nicholas Institute Professor of Environmental Policy at Duke University) writes, “For decades the solution to environmental protection has been government action. Today, knowledge about environmental processes combined with increased environmental sensitivity provides opportunities for entrepreneurs to find innovative ways of developing markets for ecosystem services.” To read more of Salzman click here to read “Designing Payments for Ecosystem Services.”

Plants do great job cleaning up after us

UCAR photo by Carlye Calvin

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, BOULDER—Vegetation plays an unexpectedly large role in cleansing the atmosphere, a new study finds. The research, led by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), uses observations, gene expression studies, and computer modeling to show that deciduous plants absorb about a third more of a common class of air polluting chemicals than previously thought. Plants play a significant role in absorbing certain pollutants.

“Plants clean our air to a greater extent than we had realized,” says NCAR scientist Thomas Karl, the lead author. “They actively consume certain types of air pollution.”

Click here for more from UCAR on the NCAR study

Everglades water quality improving

According to a report published in the September-October 2010 Journal of Environmental Quality, phosphorus and nitrogen levels have declined in the water in the Everglades, indicating an improvement in overall water quality, especially since the 1970’s. Better management practices were put into use in the 1990s in the Everglades Agricultural Area and various urban areas and  regulate and diminished the impact of humans.

See American Society of Agronomy (ASA) news release for more.

Halliburton and BP Knew of Cement Flaws Before Deepwater Horizon Explosion

The chief investigator of the presidential commission investigating the Deepwater Horizon disaster and subsequent well blowout says that the cement used to secure the well casing failed. As part of the investigation Halliburton, the supplier of the cement used in the Macondo well, provided investigators with samples comparable to those used at the Deepwater Horizon site. Halliburton agreed that the Chevron lab was highly qualified for this work. In his letter to the commissioners, he says, “Chevron’s report states, among other things, that its lab personnel were unable to generate stable foam cement in the laboratory using the materials provided by Halliburton and available design information regarding the slurry used at the Macondo well. Although laboratory foam stability tests cannot replicate field conditions perfectly, these data strongly suggest that the foam cement used at Macondo was unstable.” Then in typical bureaucratic understatement he concludes, “This may have contributed to the blowout.” D’ya think?

He ends his letter to the commissioners, “Finally, we want to emphasize that even if our concerns regarding the foam slurry design at Macondo are well founded, the story of the blowout does not turn solely on the quality of the Macondo cement job. Cementing wells is a complex endeavor and industry experts inform us that cementing failures are not uncommon even in the best of circumstances. Because it may be anticipated that a particular cement job may be faulty, the oil industry has developed tests, such as the negative pressure test and cement evaluation logs, to identify cementing failures. It has also developed methods to remedy deficient cement jobs.”

NY Times story here.

Uganda buys into biofuels

The story from Uganda’s Daily Monitor doesn’t say how the biofuels would be produced. It is clear that they believe that buying oil will save them money (which I am highly skeptical of), “For Uganda, bio-diesel production, if taken to commercial level can save a capital outflow estimated at $230m spent on importing over 400,000,000 litres of diesel per annum.”

Herdsmen turn Jinja airfield into grazing ground

Also in Ugandan news, “[Uganda’s] joint transport sector review committee was on Tuesday astounded to learn that the Jinja airfield has fallen prey to herdsmen who break the fence to graze their cattle.” According to the Ugandan Daily Monitor story, the Jinja airport’s “grassed area should be replaced with concrete.”

NASA Software to save Airlines’ Fuel Costs

“Direct-To” is a product of NASA aeronautics research. The NASA news release says that Boeing Company intends to adopt the software and provide it through a subscription to airlines. Direct-To enables airlines to save fuel and reduce emissions by automatically identifying flight route shortcuts that are wind-favorable and acceptable to air traffic controllers. [click here for more information]

Amtrak Orders Fuel Saving Locomotives

As part of a comprehensive plan to modernize and expand its fleet of equipment, Amtrak is buying 70 new electric locomotives from Siemens as it retires older models. The new locomotives will have regenerative braking systems that can automatically return electricity to the power grid. The Amtrak Cities Sprinter ACS-64 electric locomotive is to be delivered in February 2013 and will operate at speeds up to 125 mph (201 kph) on the Northeast Corridor from Washington, D.C. to Boston and up to 110 mph (177 kph) on the Keystone Corridor from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, Pa. They will replace locomotives in service between 20 and 30 years with average mileage of 3.5 million miles traveled.

The New York Times Green blog points out in its story, “Moving a passenger by train is already more energy-efficient than doing so by car or plane, government statistics show: about 2,134 B.T.U.’s per mile for an Amtrak train, versus 3,578 per mile for a passenger car at an average level of occupancy and 3,942 by plane for domestic trips, based on 2000 estimates.”

Here’s a list of the previous week’s stories that were interesting (to me at least). Are there any others that you think should be on the list? Leave a comment.

EPA approves more pollution and higher food prices

On October 13, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today waived the limitation on selling fuel that is more than 10 percent ethanol for model year 2007 and newer cars and light trucks. The waiver applies to fuel that contains up to 15 percent ethanol – known as E15 – and only to model year 2007 and newer cars and light trucks. This represents the first of a number of actions that are needed from federal, state and industry towards commercialization of E15 gasoline blends. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson made the decision after a review of the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) extensive testing and other available data on E15’s impact on engine durability and emissions.  “Thorough testing has now shown that E15 does not harm emissions control equipment in newer cars and light trucks,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Wherever sound science and the law support steps to allow more home-grown fuels in America’s vehicles, this administration takes those steps.” (Source: EPA news release)

Home grown energy sounds good for energy independence. Well, “what does it do to our wallets?” asks Gregg Easterbrook. “Ethanol from genetically engineered dwarf trees or tall grasses holds tremendous promise as a cost-effective, greenhouse-neutral fuel. But for today, nearly all ethanol sold in the United States is made from corn. Domestically produced corn-based ethanol is subsidized via federal payments to grain farmers, by refinery tax exemptions for fuel containing domestic ethanol, and by tariff barriers intended to prevent Brazilian sugar-based ethanol from entering the country. Annual federal subsidies to corn ethanol cost around $5 billion. Are the benefits worth that?”

The New York Times story noted, “The fuel itself gets a mixed reception from environmental advocates. Ethanol production consumes prodigious quantities of natural gas, diesel fuel and other inputs that lead to carbon dioxide emissions.” And, “Ethanol also evaporates more easily than gasoline, which can put an ingredient of smog into the air.”

Not only is it expensive but it takes food from the poorest people. Robert Bryce at the Energy Tribune quotes the Earth Policy Institute (EPI), “(EPI) reports that in 2009, US ethanol distilleries consumed 107 million tons of grain. That amounts to more than 25% of total US grain production. That quantity of grain, says EPI, ‘was enough to feed 330 million people for one year at average world consumption levels.'” In fact, “the amount of grain needed to produce enough ethanol to fill the tank of an SUV one time could “feed one person for an entire year.”’

“Continuing to divert more food to fuel, as is now mandated by the U.S. federal government in its Renewable Fuel Standard,” says the EPI, “will likely only reinforce the disturbing rise in hunger. By subsidizing the production of ethanol, now to the tune of some $6 billion each year, U.S. taxpayers are in effect subsidizing rising food bills at home and around the world.”

Canada declares BPA toxic

Bisphenol  (BPA) is a chemical used to line food cans, and make some hard plastic containers and toys. BPA has formally been declared a toxic substance by Canadian authorities. (Source: CBC News) This step will make regulation of the the substance easier. Given that BPA had been found in the urine of 91 per cent of Canadians aged 6 to 79 and animal studies were “quite concerning,” “Health Canada considers that sufficient evidence relating to human health has been presented to justify the conclusion that bisphenol A is harmful to human life and should be added to Schedule 1 of [the Canadian Environmental Protection Act].”

The Minister of the Environment’s order notes, “Bisphenol A is an industrial chemical used to make a hard, clear plastic such as polycarbonate, which is used in many consumer products, including reusable water bottles and baby bottles. Bisphenol A is also used in the manufacture of epoxy resins, which act as a protective lining on the inside of metal-based food and beverage cans. Polycarbonates have wide application in consumer products (e.g. repeat-use polycarbonate containers), in medical devices, glazing applications, film and the electronics industry, while epoxy resins are used in protective coatings, structural composites, electrical laminates and as adhesives and sealants.”

This declaration has some mystified. “Just days after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) once again confirmed that BPA is safe for use in food-contact items, Environment Canada’s announcement is contrary to the weight of worldwide scientific evidence, unwarranted and will unnecessarily confuse and alarm the public,” said Steven G. Hentges of the [American Chemistry Council]‘s Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group. (Source: Reuters)

MIT oped says global warming is “not worth the fight”

“Global warming is real. It is predominantly anthropogenic. Left unchecked, it will likely warm the earth by 3-7 C by the end of the century. What should the United States do about it?” asks Keith Yost, Staff Columnist for MIT’s The Tech newspaper. His answer is, “Very little, if anything at all… unilateral action will not mitigate climate change…To act unilaterally, or even in conjunction with the [Annex 1 countries], would mean paying the full measure of mitigating climate change while receiving only a fraction of its benefit. It is tempting to play the crusader, to make some moral, if futile stand in defense of our current thermostat setting. But we must be realistic.”

Steelhead trout numbers up in California

According to an Associated Press story in the Sacramento Bee, steelhead trout populations may be on the rise in California. “Santa Cruz water resource manager Chris Perry says this year’s numbers bode well for a steelhead population that once boomed along the Central Coast. In 1997, the fish was listed as threatened species.” Steelhead are an ocean-going rainbow trout (anadromous salmonid fish) which hatches in a freshwater stream or river then travels to the sea to mature and returns to the place they hatched to spawn.

Welcome Back, Otter

Otters have increased their numbers in England after being close to extinction, reports the BBC. “In many watercourses in the south-west and along the River Wye otter numbers are at maximum capacity.” Paul Raven, head of conservation and ecology at the Environment Agency, said: “The recovery of otters from near-extinction shows how far we’ve come in controlling pollution and improving water quality.”

Judge backs prairie dogs

In other rodent news, the New York Times has an article about a 74-year-old rancher, Larry Haverfield, who took county officials to court challenging a 100-year-old Kansas law which gave them the right to come on his or anyone’s property and eradicate prairie dogs when they deemed it necessary. “Numbering about 25,000 prairie dogs in far western Kansas, the colony (on Haverfield’s ranch) is a prime source of food for one of the most endangered mammals in the world, the black-footed ferret…In 2007, estranged from neighbors and fighting the county commission, he (Haverfield) allowed the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to release endangered black-footed ferrets on his property as part of a program to increase their population.” In his ruling, District Judge Jack Lively said that the U.S. endangered Species Act superseded state law, and exterminating prairie dogs would put the black-footed ferret at risk.

Ugandan President Museveni tells Buliisa District residents to eat the crocs before the crocs eat them

Uganda’s Daily Monitor reports, ‘”President Museveni has advised Buliisa District residents to eat crocodiles that have been tormenting them…“If these crocodiles are killing your people, you can also learn to eat them.” Mr Museveni said his office can facilitate Buliisa residents to study from communities that have prospered from crocodiles. “You can go for a study tour in Buwama, Mpigi District, where there is a farm operated by Zimbabweans. They get hides besides eating crocodile meat,” he said amidst a huge applause from the crowd that turned up for the rally (at Butiaba Primary School in Butiaba Sub-county).’