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World’s largest cave in Vietnam threatened by cable car

The Guardian - Wed, 2014-12-03 21:22

Vietnamese are protesting plans to build a cable car through remote Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park that could carry 1,000 visitors an hour to Son Doong cave

Plans for a cable car in Vietnam’s Unesco-listed Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park would open up the world’s largest cave to mass tourism. But Vietnamese are protesting the project, and experts warn the environmental impact could be devastating.

Quang Binh province announced in October that resort developer Sun Group would build a $212m (£135m) cable car system through the national park, which occupies a remote, mountainous swathe of central Vietnam. The 10.6km route would connect Son Doong Cave, so large it could house an entire 40-story building, with other caves in the area as part of a planned “tourism, service and resort complex”.

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Eating less meat essential to curb climate change, says report

The Guardian - Wed, 2014-12-03 10:02

Global livestock industry produces more greenhouse gas emissions than transport but fear of a consumer backlash is preventing action, says Chatham House report

Curbing the world’s huge and increasing appetite for meat is essential to avoid devastating climate change, according to a new report. But governments and green campaigners are doing nothing to tackle the issue due to fears of a consumer backlash, warns the analysis from the thinktank Chatham House.

The global livestock industry produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all cars, planes, trains and ships combined, but a worldwide survey by Ipsos MORI in the report finds twice as many people think transport is the bigger contributor to global warming.

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Call for Nominations for the National Heritage List

Department of the Environment - Wed, 2014-12-03 09:32
Nominations are invited for places for the National Heritage List for the assessment period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, nominations close 6 February 2015.
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World's largest rat poisoning project aims to rid South Georgia of its rodents

The Guardian - Wed, 2014-12-03 01:33

Eradication effort to protect the island’s wildlife from millions of invasive rats, which will feed on the brains of live seabird chicks, starts in 2015

Conservationists are undertaking a final push to wipe out millions of rats from South Georgia once and for all, in a bid to protect the island’s wildlife.

Described as the world’s largest rodent eradication project, the UK-led effort will see three helicopters dropping 95 tonnes of the poison Brodifacoum on the British overseas territory next year.

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Toiletry chemicals linked to testicular cancer and male infertility cost EU millions, report says

The Guardian - Tue, 2014-12-02 17:00

Nordic Council calls on EU to ban damaging compounds found in household products that cost millions due to their harmful impact on male reproductive health

The hormone-mimicking chemicals used routinely in toiletries, cosmetics, medicines, plastics and pesticides cause hundreds of millions of euros of damage to EU citizens every year, according to the first estimate of their economic impact.

The endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs) are thought to be particularly harmful to male reproductive health and can cause testicular cancer, infertility, deformation of the penis and undescended testicles.

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Give us your feedback

Department of the Environment - Mon, 2014-12-01 14:09
The Department invites your feedback on community awareness of the Emissions Reduction Fund. Responses close 31 December 2014.
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Join the Conversation about Commonwealth Marine Reserves – Co-Chairs Media Release

Department of the Environment - Fri, 2014-11-28 09:12
Written submissions to the independent review of Commonwealth Marine Reserves open today. The co-Chairs of the Bioregional Advisory Panels, Professor Colin Buxton and Mr Peter Cochrane invite interested parties to provide them with ideas and suggestions on how marine reserves should be managed into the future.
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Opening of water purchase tender in southern New South Wales

Department of the Environment - Fri, 2014-11-28 07:59
The Australian Government has commenced a water purchase tender for the southern New South Wales catchments of Lower Darling, Murray and Murrumbidgee, closing at 5pm AEST on Friday, 10 April 2015.
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Great white sharks: 10 myths debunked

The Guardian - Thu, 2014-11-27 02:16

Every time you enter the ocean, anywhere on Earth with a temperate or subtropical climate, you cross into the domain of the great white shark. But almost everything the average human thinks he or she knows about these sharks – other than the fact that they are big and dangerous – is wrong. We unpick 10 of the most tenacious myths

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On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program Round Five

Department of the Environment - Tue, 2014-11-25 09:50
Round Five is now open for applications and will close 4pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time), 19 March 2015.
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Call for nominations of threatened species, threatened ecological communities and key threatening processes

Department of the Environment - Mon, 2014-11-24 16:44
Nominations are now invited for the assessment period starting 1 October 2015, for any threatened species, threatened ecological communities or key threatening processes to be considered for listing under national environment law. Nominations...
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SENG National Newsletter - November 2014

Newsletters National - Mon, 2014-11-24 12:40
SENG National Newsletter - November 2014
Categories: Newsletters National

Australia’s emissions comparison with the United States and China

Department of the Environment - Thu, 2014-11-20 11:37
See information on Australia’s emissions compared with the United States and China.
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Australia’s emissions comparison with the United States and China

Department of the Environment - Thu, 2014-11-20 11:37
See information on Australia’s emissions compared with the United States and China.
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Consumers offered cash for old gadgets in new recycling scheme

The Guardian - Tue, 2014-11-18 21:54

Over 50 companies, including Samsung, Dell, Sky and B&Q, have signed up to UK government-backed plan to refurbish and resell unwanted electrical goods

Consumers will be urged to trade in their unwanted electrical gadgets at retailers in return for cash – with the products to be refurbished and resold – as part of a national initiative unveiled on Tuesday.

The government-backed plan to improve the disposal of electric waste is supported by 51 companies and organisations including Samsung, Dell, Sky, B&Q, and the owner of Argos and Homebase.

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Protected Areas database 2014 data now online

Department of the Environment - Tue, 2014-11-18 08:47
The Collaborative Australian Protected Area Database (CAPAD) is used to provide a national perspective of the conservation of biodiversity in protected areas.
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Meet the Republicans in Congress who don't believe climate change is real

The Guardian - Tue, 2014-11-18 05:15

On Tuesday, the Senate will vote to approve the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. With Republicans now in control of both chambers in Congress, here’s a round-up of some of the most prominent climate sceptics (and deniers) in the GOP

It’s much easier to list Republicans in Congress who think climate change is real than it is to list Republicans who don’t, because there are so few members of the former group. Earlier this year, Politifact went looking for congressional Republicans who had not expressed scepticism about climate change and came up with a list of eight (out of 278).

But with the GOP taking over the Senate next year – and with the Senate set to vote on approving the Keystone XL pipeline on Tuesday – the question again arises of what, exactly, prominent Republicans think about the evidence that humans are changing the climate.

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US windfarm company sues to block release of data about bird deaths

The Guardian - Tue, 2014-11-18 04:48

Information is sought by the Associated Press as part of an investigation into deaths of protected species at Pacificorp facilities and the government’s reluctance to prosecute

A company that operates at least 13 wind-energy facilities across three states is suing in federal court to block the US government from releasing information to the Associated Press about how many birds are found dead at its facilities.

Pacificorp of Portland, Oregon, is seeking an injunction in US district court in Utah to prevent the Interior Department from releasing information it considers confidential. The Obama administration has said it planned to turn over the material to the Associated Press, which sought it from the Interior Department in March 2013 under the US Freedom of Information Act. The government concluded that the industry’s concerns were “insufficiently convincing” to keep the files secret.

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$2m for targeted projects to boost the recovery of threatened species

Department of the Environment - Mon, 2014-11-17 08:37
Additional funding secured by the Threatened Species Commissioner means 10 innovative projects targeting key species, habitat and threats across the Parks Australia network now have the go-ahead.
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Amendments to the Threatened Species List for 11 Birds

Department of the Environment - Thu, 2014-11-13 11:12
The Minister has recently agreed to amend the list of threatened species, under section 178 of the Act, by including, transferring or deleting eleven bird species/subspecies.
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