Monday, 16 July 2012

Greenpeace said they intended to close about a dozen stations across the capital

Protesters draped a Greenpeace banner over the Dalry Road petrol stationRio summit jargon buster

Use the dropdown for easy-to-understand explanations of key terms:

Brundtland Commission and Report

Commission chaired by Norwegian politician Gro Harlem Brundtland that published report in 1987 concluding that humanity was on an unsustainable development track. Coined the most commonly used definition of sustainable development.

Environmental campaigners are threatening to shut down every Shell petrol station in Edinburgh in a protest against the company's plans to drill in the Arctic region.

Greenpeace said they intended to close about a dozen stations across the capital.

One of the first to be targeted was in Dalry Road, in the west of the city.

Shell said it recognised the right of individuals to express their point of view.

Activists said they were using the emergency shut-off switch, which stops petrol going to the pumps, to close the stations.

They also draped a large banner showing images of animals Greenpeace believes are threatened by oil exploration in the Arctic, and used tape carrying the slogan Save the Arctic to close access to the station.

Protesters could be seen on the roof of the Shell station in Dalry Road early on Monday morning, and a man in a polar bear outfit chained himself to a pump before being cut free and led away by police.

Greenpeace also claimed to have shut the Maybury Shell station in ‪Edinburgh‬, and said five of its activists had been arrested in the city by 09:00.

The protesters said they planned to spend the rest of the day touring the city using a combination of low-emission cars, bikes and public transport while shutting off the petrol supply to other Shell pumps.

Blocked access

Greenpeace also said it would broadcast live video of the protest on its website.

A similar direct action protest is being carried out in London, where Greenpeace activists said they were aiming to shut about 100 Shell stations.

Greenpeace's Sara Ayech said: "The oil giant Shell is preparing, for the first time, to unleash a drilling fleet of huge vessels upon the fragile and beautiful Arctic, home of the polar bears.

"It's time to draw a line in the ice and tell Shell to stop. That's why today we're going to shut down all of Shell's petrol stations in the capital cities of London and Edinburgh. We've got dozens of people who will hit over 100 Shell garages throughout the day.

"An oil spill in the Arctic would be catastrophic for wildlife such as walruses and whales, and Shell knows full well that it would be impossible to clean up after such devastation. The Arctic must be saved, and made a global sanctuary where oil drilling is banned."

The protest comes after more than a dozen people were detained as Greenpeace activists blocked access to Shell's headquarters in The Hague in the Netherlands on Friday.

A spokesman for Shell said: "Shell recognises that certain organisations are opposed to our exploration programme offshore Alaska, and we respect the right of individuals and organisations to engage in a free and frank exchange of views about our operations.

"Recognising the right of individuals to express their point of view, we only ask that they do so with their safety and the safety of others, including the general public and Shell personnel in mind.

"Shell has met with numerous organisations and individuals who oppose drilling offshore Alaska. We respect their views and value the dialogue. We have extended this same offer for productive dialogue to Greenpeace."

A man dressed as a polar bear chained himself to a pump

Greenpeace launched a Save The Arctic campaign last month to preserve the land mass from oil exploration and industrial fishing.

The group has called for an agreement to ban environmentally damaging activities in the Arctic region, just as they were banned in the Antarctic 21 years ago under a protocol added to the Antarctic Treaty.

In May, the Greenpeace's activists temporarily halted several icebreakers heading for the Arctic in a bid to block Shell's plans to drill for oil in the region.

And last month the environmental group called for more use of renewable energy and greener cars in what it said would help protect the Arctic and other areas from being spoiled by oil drilling.

According to the US Geological Survey, the Arctic is believed to hold 13% of the planet's undiscovered oil reserves and 30% of its undiscovered natural gas.

Friday, 6 July 2012

Panama Canal traffic protection

Satellite-tagged humpbacks show just how often whales cross paths with ships

Shipping lanes into and out of the Panama Canal are likely to be constrained in order to protect whales.

Humpback whales breed around Las Perlas archipelago 60km (40 miles) from the canal's southern entrance, and are disturbed and even killed by shipping.

Panamanian officials and scientists have developed a plan that would corral vessels into narrow lanes.

They plan to present it for discussion and maybe adoption by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) next year.

Details of the proposal were presented at theInternational Whaling Commission (IWC) annual meeting in Panama City.

Hector Guzman from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute drew up the plans following research comparing movements of ships with those of 15 humpback whales fitted with satellite tags.

Maps show the whales swimming throughout the Gulf of Panama, which lies outside the canal entrance on the Pacific Ocean side, repeatedly crossing the ships' tracks.

"We recorded 98 interactions between whales and ships during an 11-day period," he told BBC News.

"Just over half of the whales had encounters; one particular whale had 45 encounters in just four days."

An "interaction" was defined as approaching within a distance of 200m - though the area has seen 13 whale deaths in the last two and a half years, some of which were probably as a result of being hit by a ship.

Watching brief

Humpbacks migrate northwards from their summer feeding grounds around Antarctica, arriving in the region around late June.

They breed in the fertile Las Perlas waters, where an upwelling of nutrient-rich water produces an annual plankton bloom.

Altogether, about 900 animals are thought to be involved. There are also visitors from a Northern Hemisphere humpback population.

Some 17,000 large ships pass through Panamanian waters each year, the majority international cargo vessels using the canal.

Data shows one particular vessel routinely passing right through the Las Perlas protected area in order to excavate sand from the sea bed and bring it to land for construction.

Las Perlas is becoming an important area for tourists, with whale-watching trips one of the attractions on offer.

Tomas Guardia, director-general for international organisations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Panama's commissioner to the IWC, said the changes were stimulated both by economic factors and a burgeoning environmental awareness.

"The New York Times selected Panama as their number one tourist destination for 2012; so when you add on an additional activity such as whale-watching, it all helps to promote Panama outside the country," he said.

"Also, many Panamanians were previously not aware of the resource we have close to our city, and in fact one of the reasons for hosting the IWC was to raise awareness of our marine environment."

Channel solutions

The government proposes funnelling ships into parallel lanes 65 nautical miles long, one approaching the canal entrance and one leaving it, separated by distance of about 2-3 nautical miles.

Dr Guzman calculates this would reduce the total area of sea where the whales would be at risk of collision by about 95%.

During the whale breeding season, ships would also be obliged to slow down to 10 knots on their way in and out.

Similar schemes have been implemented in several US ports, and the IMO has produced an advisory booklet based on the US experiences.

Vessels travelling west along the coast would be constrained into a couple of further corridor sections.

This would push them further offshore than they currently tend to travel, reducing the chance of collision with fishing boats.

"You can imagine; you have these small artisanal fishing boats and these huge vessels - it's just chaos, the way they come in and out of the country," said Dr Guzman.

"So [under the new scheme] they'll have their vessels, they'll be apart from the heavy traffic lanes - more important still is we're increasing the buffer of protection between the mainland and the shipping lanes in a region where we have five different protected areas including World Heritage Sites."

On the northern side of the country on the Atlantic Ocean side, where there is no significant presence of whales, the government is proposing a system involving three separate corridors leading in different directions.

Panama took over ownership of the canal from the US in 1999. The lock system is currently being upgraded, which will see vessels larger than the current 300m-long limit able to pass through.

Sunday, 10 June 2012

Japan's tsunami dock washed up in US state of Orego

Japan's tsunami dock washed up in US state of Oregon

A huge dock torn from a Japanese port by the 2011 tsunami has washed up 8,050km (5,000 miles) away on the US West Coast after crossing the Pacific.The 165-tonne structure made of concrete, metal and tyres, and studded with starfish and barnacles, arrived on a beach south-west of Portland, Oregon.It has tested negative for radiation, but scientists say a host of invasive marine species may have hitched a ride.Police are guarding the dock while officials decide what to do with it. A plaque on the 20m-long (66ft) structure, which was first mistaken for a barge, shows it came from the port of Misawa in northern Japan.

It has taken 15 months to drift across the Pacific to Agate beach since the earthquake and resulting tsunami shook it loose. Two other docks from the same port are still missing.

The structure is one of a number of items that have washed up on north American shores. Experts expect a surge of debris in the coming months, with the bulk of it due in the winter.

Danger to shipping?

The senior senator for Oregon, Ron Wyden, has asked the body tracking the debris to redouble its efforts saying something as big as a dock could pose a danger to ships at sea.

This April, the US Coast Guard used cannon to sink a crewless Japanese ship that drifted to Alaska after the tsunami.

A month later, a Japanese owner of a Harley-Davidson motorbike swept away by the tsunami was amazed to find out that it had been washed up inside a container on a beach in Canada - about 6,400km away.

Japanese scientists estimate that some 20 million tonnes of debris were generated by the earthquake and the incoming rush of water.

Most would have stayed on land, and a fair proportion pulled out to sea would have sunk rapidly. But it is possible a million tonnes of debris is still afloat.

A starfish native to Japan was among the marine life still clinging to the structure.

John Chapman, a research scientist at Oregon State University said hundreds of other organisms, such as tiny crabs and algae, posed a "very clear threat".

"It's exactly like saying you threw a bowling ball into a china shop. It's going to break something. But will it be valuable or cheap glass? It's incredibly difficult to predict what will happen next."

Police have been deployed to stop people climbing on it.

Traffic jams

A spokesman for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Chris Havel, said two options were being considered for its removal.

The dock could be towed off the beach and floated somewhere for disposal, or cut up on the beach. The plaque has been put in storage.

Derelict Japanese fishing boat Ryou-Un Maru adrift off the coast of Alaska 31 March 2012

A derelict Japanese fishing boat was sunk by the coastguard after drifting to the coast of Alaska

"We're working with some salvage experts to get advice on whether it's even possible to move it, whether we have to wait for some certain conditions, like another high tide, or whether there's some other way to do it," he said.

The owners of the port in Misawa have said they do not want it back.

Meanwhile, local residents have been causing traffic jams in the beach car park as they come to see it for themselves.

Kirk Tite, who was visiting the beach with his son, said: "It's kind of scary seeing this wash up here because we all surf.

"If this crossed the Pacific Ocean and it's this big, that means that just about anything of our worst nightmares could cross the Pacific Ocean. So we're kind of frightened of what's to come".

Nearly 16,000 people were killed by the quake and tsunami in Japan.

Wednesday, 9 May 2012

Climate ship plots course through the battering wavesclimate change.

Wednesday, 9 May 2012

Climate shipThe European Union hosts this week what could be one of the most significant meetings of the year on

climate change.

Climate ship plots course through the battering waves

The 2015 climate deal seems a far horizon, and the Brussels meeting aims to

revive momentum

Rio: Money flows and commitment woes
Food: Organic growth?
Inside Mexico's climate revolution
Is shale gas the GM of energy?

The European Union hosts this week what could be one of the most significant meetings of the year on

climate change.

Last December's UN climate summit, in the South African port of Durban, saw heated discussions on

a proposal that governments should commit to agreeing a new comprehensive global emissions-limiting deal with

some kind of legal force before 2015.
Reluctant nations found themselves up against a burgeoning coalition of principally small countries from the

developed and developing worlds alike, which found common interest in tackling climate change as quickly as

possible.
The rainbow coalition included the EU, the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), small islands vulnerable to impacts

such as rising sea levels, and progressive Latin American countries such as Costa Rica.
The giant container ships steaming into and out of the Durban docks were matched stylistically by the delegations

striding from conference room to conference room, their beetle brows and purposeful gaits testament to the

precious cargo they might deliver.
And deliver they did, eventually, with governments committing to agree a new global deal by 2015 and have

it in force by 2020, with every country included.

Arguments over aviation emissions are clouding the climate change skies

But it was just a promise; and promises have been broken before on the wheels of realpolitik.
Since Durban, real world issues have begun to bear down on those leading the charge towards that new global deal.
Recession continues to stalk the eurozone. And even though many European governments say green measures

will not impoverish them further and may even make them richer, few are acting as though they believe it.
Opposition to the inclusion of international aviation within the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) from countries

such as China, the US and Russia has increased. As a result some European governments and senior EU officials

fear a trade war could be triggered with nations that include eurozone creditors.
Meanwhile, environment ministers and officials from the smaller developing countries are increasingly engaged not with the UN climate process, but with preparations for June's Rio+20 summit.
And here they are finding that on issues such as overseas aid contributions, Europe is not always behaving as the friend it appeared to be in Durban.
That issue carries over into the climate change discussions, because here too the rich world has promised money - $100bn per year by 2020 - and if pledges are not being met in the arena of overseas aid, why should those developing countries believe pledges will be met in the climate context?
Just five months on, the Durban coalition is a little battered.
On Monday and Tuesday in Brussels, at least 30 of the coalition's key members will meet to re-state their Durban commitment and talk about some of the key steps they can take in the short term to give the 2015 process some momentum.

The next IPCC report is likely to make stronger forecasts on sea level rise than its

predecessor

That's an urgent priority, as the first meeting of the working group on the new process (the Durban Platform) is

just a couple of weeks away and the visions of various countries on how it should progress are very different.
They'll be talking about what needs to be done to ensure that an adequate proposal goes on the table at the next UN climate summit, in Qatar in December, for putting EU emission cuts (and possibly others too) under the Kyoto Protocol.
They'll need to discuss how the 2015 deal can bring all countries into a new agreement that will eventually regulate emissions from all countries, yet contains the principle of equity at its heart, allowing poor countries room to emit carbon as they develop.
They'll be trying to navigate the remaining hurdles to fully implementing new international schemes to bring financial support and clean technology from developed countries to their poorer counterparts.
And they'll discuss Rio+20 as well - not least because some of the proposals on the table there, such as a goal to double the global share of renewable energy by 2030 and moves to make agriculture more sustainable, would by themselves slow the rise of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.
Along the way, they'll be hoping to pick up a few countries such as Australia that didn't make it clear in

Durban whether they belonged to the group pushing for the new deal or the one being pulled towards it reluctantly.
Ministers and officials will be coming to Brussels fresh from an informal two-day session at UN climate convention

headquarters in Bonn, where they've heard United Nations Environment Programme chief scientist Joseph Alcamo outline a few key issues.
He told delegates that steps such as setting tighter rules on car emissions, regulating for energy efficient goods and building urban mass transit systems are already having an impact that can be measured.

Martin Lidegaard and Connie Hedegaard speak the same European language of climate ambition

But he also said that without much faster uptake of such measures, the best estimate for the year 2100 would be a world that is on average 2.5-5C warmer than in pre-industrial times.
Governments have heard such messages plenty of times before, of course.
And they're likely to hear them louder than ever next year when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) publishes the first instalment of its fifth Assessment Report, which is likely to forecast harsher impacts ahead on factors such as sea level rise than the previous edition.
The geopolitics are not auspicious for a massive, game-changing leap on climate change this year.
China is preparing for a change of leadership later this year, with President Hu Jintao and other senior figures set to step down. Presidential elections in the US and in France could usher in a major change of direction.
So the priority is to get things right on the deliverables. And the current Danish EU presidency offers a window to do that, with its energetic Climate Minister Martin Lidegaard working alongside his predecessor Connie Hedegaard, now EU Climate Commissioner, in a co-ordinated push.
South Africa's International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who chaired the Durban talks, said recently it was vital that "the gains made in Durban are not rolled back by being overwhelmed by the enormity of the problem and the task at hand".
Hence the importance of the Brussels meeting, small and select though it is, as an opportunity to re-focus and re-energise - to get the small things right, and establish a framework for the bigger political negotiations that lie ahead

Tuesday, 17 January 2012

southwest Atlantic krill harvest

Antarctic krill are tiny, little-known crustaceans that serve as the "bread and butter" for hundreds of species. For many marine mammals and seabirds, from the blue whale to the albatross, krill are by far the most important food in their diet.

Encompassing more than 80 species of open-ocean creatures scientifically classified as Euphausiids, Antarctic krill are about 2 ½ inches long (6 centimeters) and weigh 0.07 ounces or roughly two grams. Yet these little creatures are distinctive on several scores. Krill are one of the world's most abundant multi-celled animals, producers of the most powerful enzymes yet discovered to break down proteins, and collectively thought to be one of the largest aggregations of marine life on the planet.

In the water, krill have an exotic appearance, with a translucent, reddish shell and large black eyes. Krill spend most of their 5-7 year life span in huge schools or "swarms," living in concentrations so dense and vast that they cover kilometers in every direction with as many as 30,000 krill per cubic meter. Estimates of the total weight of Antarctic krill range from 50 to 500 million metric tonnes.

Why Are We Concerned About Krill?

Increasingly, krill's natural predators, such as penguins and seals, must now compete for their prey with industrial fishing vessels that often trawl in coves and near-shore waters, close to rookeries and feeding grounds. Recent field research shows that the demand for krill by land-based species has begun to exceed supply in certain areas of the southwest Atlantic.

Some scientists warn that the potential now exists for localized depletion of krill at levels that could seriously impact the entire southern marine ecosystem. These concerns have been made more urgent by global warming and by new technology that allows krill to be caught and pumped continuously out of the water and onto a vessel, where it can be processed immediately to prevent spoilage.

business health crap and krill

In Japan, this is real food.

Actually, let's take that a giant step further. It's considered a luscious delicacy known as okiami.

Okiami has been harvested by the Japanese as a food source since the 19th century – and possibly even earlier. Krill is also a traditional food of South Korea and Taiwan. And the Soviet Union (now Russia and Ukraine) were also large markets for krill.

It is processed by freezing, to go to Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese markets. Asians also enjoy dried krill. In fact, the Japanese prefer dried krill to frozen.

The only edible part is its tail – known for its rich omega 3 fatty acids.

It is used for soups, seafood salads, and restaurant entrees – and also as a seasoning (when used dried). Large krill with eggs are highly regarded as delicacies. They're stronger tasting than shrimp, and somewhat salty.

In Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany and South Korea there's been high interest in krill as a coagulated paste and as mince (a precooked dense pink paste). At the end of the 1970s, 2,000 tons per year were being produced for the Soviet market.

But specialists from many countries declare that the real delicacy is the intact shell-free tail meat – which as you might guess, is also the most difficult to obtain.

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that these countries consumed krill as food, since krill inhabits the oceans off the West coast of Vancouver Island, Russia, Ukraine and Japan (besides Antarctica).

I consider it so amazing that I simply refuse to go without it. And it's totally in alignment with my utmost two strategies – simple ones at that – for improving my overall health with a supplement

Saturday, 14 January 2012

Costa Concordia:

Italy cruise ship Costa Concordia: Search for missing

The BBC's Alan Johnston says it "must have been an extraordinarily harrowing experience"Emergency teams in Italy are racing to rescue those missing after a cruise ship ran aground off the country's west coast with about 4,000 people on board.

Coast guard vessels are combing the waters around the Costa Concordia, which is lying on its side. Divers are searching its submerged decks.

There were scenes of panic as it began listing on Friday. Most people reached land by lifeboats but some swam ashore.

Three people are confirmed dead. About 70 are said to be unaccounted for.

However, local official Giuseppe Linardi told reporters that some of those listed as missing may still be housed in private homes on the small island of Giglio - where those rescued reached land.

Costa Concordia with hole in its hull (14 January 2011)

The Costa Concordia was carrying more than 3,200 passengers when it ran aground off the Italian coast

A large gash can be seen in the hull of the luxury liner as it lies on its side, about 200m from Giglio.

Italian, German, French and British nationals were among the 3,200 passengers on board. There were also 1,000 crew.

Analysis

Richard WestcottBBC transport correspondent

Investigators will now look into every aspect of this accident, but one of the key elements they will examine will be the electrical systems.

Modern ships tend to use electrical generators to drive the engines, so a power cut can leave the captain unable to steer away from danger.

Human error could also be a factor, and there will also be concern at the speed which the ship listed on to its side. Not only would that have been frightening, it seems to have affected the crew's ability to launch some of the lifeboats.

All ships have to meet safety standards set out by the International Maritime Organisation. Crews are trained to deal with emergencies, and cruise companies stress this kind of accident is rare.

Some passengers were rescued by lifeboat, helicopters plucked to safety some who were trapped on the ship, and others jumped from the ship into the cold sea.

Some of the survivors are suffering from shock. About 40 people are being treated in hospital.

Coast guard captain Cosimo Nicastro told Italian TV that divers had carried out an extensive search of the waters near the vessel and found no bodies.

But he added that there still might be some "in the belly of the ship".

'Delayed drill'

The Costa Concordia had sailed from Civitavecchia near Rome on Friday morning for a Mediterranean cruise when it hit rocks off Giglio late that evening.

Passenger Luciano Castro told Ansa news agency: "We heard a loud noise while we were at dinner as if the keel of the ship hit something."

“Start Quote

There was panic, like in a film, dishes crashing to the floor, people running, people falling down the stairs”

Fulvio RocciSurvivor

Eyewitness accounts

"The ship started taking in water through the hole and began tilting."

Some passengers told the Associated Press news agency that the crew had failed to give instructions on how to evacuate the ship.

An evacuation drill was scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

"It was so unorganised, our evacuation drill was scheduled for 17:00 (16:00 GMT)," Melissa Goduti, 28, from the US told AP. "We had joked what if something had happened today."

Passenger Mara Parmegiani told Italian media there were "scenes of panic".

"We were very scared and freezing because it happened while we were at dinner so everyone was in evening wear.

"We definitely didn't have time to get anything else. They gave us blankets but there weren't enough," she said.

Several passengers compared the accident to the film Titanic, about the sinking of the giant ocean liner in April 1912 which claimed more than 1,500 lives.

Costa Concordia seen from land (14 January 2011)

The cruise operators thanked the citizens of Giglio for rescuing those on board

"I can easily understand the comparisons to the film, how it must have been on the Titanic, or in a fiction film," passenger Francesca Sinatra said.

Hypothermia

Some "tens" of British passengers are believed to have been on board, said the UK Foreign Office, which has sent a team to the area.

Rescued passengers were initially accommodated in hotels, schools and a church on Giglio.

Costa Concordia

Entered service in 2006
Built by Fincantieri in Italy at a cost of 450m euros (£372m; $570m)
Capacity for 3,780 passengers
1,500 cabins, five restaurants and 13 bars
Four swimming pools
A 6,000 sq m (64,600 sq ft) spa with gym, sauna, Turkish bath and solarium
Sports pitch, cinema, theatre, casino and disco

Source: Costa Cruises and cruise industry websites

Those taken to Giglio have now been moved to the mainland, Elizabeth Nanni from the island's tourist information service told the BBC.

"Usually there are 700 people on the island at this time of year, so receiving 4,000 and some in the middle of the night wasn't easy," she said. "Some people jumped in the sea so they had hypothermia."

Coast guard official Francesco Paolillo, a local coast guard official, told the AFP news agency it was too early to say what exactly had happened.

"We think this happened as a result of sailing too close to an obstacle like a reef," he said.

Costa Cruises, the company which owns the ship, said it could not yet say what had caused the accident.

"The gradual listing of the ship made the evacuation extremely difficult," a statement said.

"We'd like to express our deepest gratitude to the coastguard and other emergency services, including the authorities and citizens of the island of Giglio, who did their best in saving and helping the passengers and crew."

Two years ago, a Costa Cruises ship crashed into a dock at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh, killing three members of the crew.

Were you on the cruise ship? Do you have friends and family on the ship? Are you on the island of Giglio? Did you witness the accident? You can send your comments to the BBC using the form below:

Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.

Monday, 16 July 2012

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Friday, 6 July 2012

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Sunday, 10 June 2012

Japan's tsunami dock washed up in US state of Oregon

Wednesday, 9 May 2012

Wednesday, 9 May 2012

Climate shipThe European Union hosts this week what could be one of the most significant meetings of the year on

Climate ship plots course through the battering waves

Tuesday, 17 January 2012

Why Are We Concerned About Krill?

Saturday, 14 January 2012

Italy cruise ship Costa Concordia: Search for missing

Analysis

“Start Quote

Costa Concordia