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☆ Khashayar Javanmardi documents environmental decay on Caspian Sea
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-18 | by ( Zoe Whitfield | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Moving from Tehran to the more northerly lakeside city of Rasht aged 13, Khashayar Javanmardi’s youth was punctuated by weekends and extended holidays on the Iranian coastline of the Caspian Sea. “As an artist, I’ve always wanted to be an honest witness.”Locals call it the lake "Mother Caspian." Khashayar Javanmardi 2024 courtesy Loose JointsThe book oscillates between landscapes, portraits and the quiet scenes that fit somewhere in the middle. Khashayar Javanmardi 2024 courtesy Loose Joints“A question that I asked people was, ‘what is the role of the Caspian in your life?’,” said Javanmardi, who began working on the project at Iran’s Anzali Lagoon. Khashayar Javanmardi 2024 courtesy Loose JointsDespite the recklessness of higher political powers, during his travels Javanmardi found a sense of community in the people he met.

Persons: Khashayar, reminisced, Javanmardi, ”, I’ve, Nathalie Herschdorfer, Caspian, ‘, ’, “, ” Javanmardi, “ I’ve, — Organizations: CNN, UN, Elysée Museum, Environment Department Locations: Tehran, Rasht, Europe, Asia, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Lausanne, Switzerland, Ukraine, Kiashahr Port

☆ At least 200 crocodiles crawl into cities as heavy rains hit northern Mexico near Texas
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-12 | by ( Story Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Mexico City CNN —Heavy rains associated with Hurricane Beryl and the earlier Tropical Storm Alberto have led at least 200 crocodiles to enter urban areas in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, across from Texas, state and federal authorities said this week. So far, authorities say they have captured and relocated around 200 of the big reptiles since Alberto pelted the region with rain in June. Beryl brushed the same area before making landfall in south Texas earlier this week. Authorities said the heavy rains raised water levels in coastal lagoons, leading the animals to crawl into cities like Tampico and the nearby cities of Ciudad Madero and Altamira, where at least 165 crocodiles have been captured and relocated. Firefighters with captured crocodiles after the El Carpintero lagoon overflowed.

Persons: Hurricane Beryl, Alberto, Beryl, Karina Lizeth Saldívar, “ Organizations: Mexico City CNN, Authorities, Firefighters, Environmental Protection Locations: Mexico, Mexican, Tamaulipas, Texas, Tampico, Ciudad Madero, Altamira, El, Stringer

New Mexico's Legislature has approved a bill aimed at reducing pollution from cars and trucks by creating financial incentives for transportation fuel producers and importers to lower the carbon intensity of their products. The bill calls for a reduction in the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions for transportation fuels used in the state — of 20% by 2030 and 30% by 2040. It would require producers of high-polluting fuels to buy credits from producers and importers of low-carbon fuels. The transportation sector is the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico behind the oil and natural gas industry. “I am concerned about what this bill will do to the price of transportation fuel," Sen. Greg Nibert of Roswell said during Tuesday's Senate floor debate.

Persons: Michelle Lujan Grisham, State Sen, Mimi Stewart, Albuquerque, “, Sen, Greg Nibert, Roswell, Bill cosponsor, Kristina Ortez, ”, Greg Baca, Belen, we're Organizations: Democratic Gov, Department, Democratic, Chevron, New Mexicans, ” Republican Locations: California , Oregon, Washington, Mexico, New Mexico, State, Tuesday's, Taos, ”

Still, the queen conch is one of many vulnerable species not included on Mexico's national endangered species list. In the meantime, species like the queen conch have lacked federal environmental protection and moved steadily toward extinction. Political Cartoons View All 1267 ImagesOfficials accept proposals to list species only during set periods for public comment. In particular, Mexico lists 535 species as endangered, its worst risk rating, whereas IUCN lists nearly 1,500 species in Mexico as either endangered or critically endangered. If a species is included on Mexico’s list in any category, all commercial uses of that species are banned.

Persons: Alejandro Olivera, ” Olivera, It's, Olivera, Angélica Cervantes Maldonado, Rodrigo Jorge, Jorge Organizations: MEXICO CITY, —, Center for Biological Diversity, Fish, Wildlife Service, National Autonomous University, U.S . National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, The International Union for Conservation of, IUCN, UNESCO Locations: MEXICO, Banco Chinchorro, Belize, Mexico, Mexican, La Paz, of California, The U.S, elkhorn, Caribbean, Ecuador, Madagascar, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Gulf of California

In their main habitat the population density of Mexican axolotls (ah-ho-LOH'-tulz) has plummeted 99.5% in under two decades, according to scientists behind the fundraiser. Still, there are not enough resources for thorough research, said Alejandro Calzada, an ecologist surveying less well-known species of axolotls for the government's environment department. A more recent international study found less than a thousand Mexican axolotls left in the wild. In the past, government conservation programs have largely focused on the most popular species: the Mexican axolotl, found in Xochimilco. But other species can be found across the country, from tiny streams in the valley of Mexico to the northern Sonora desert.

Persons: ”, Alejandro Calzada, Calzada, Luis Zambrano González, Zambrano, Andrés Manuel López Obrador Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Mexico's National Autonomous, National Autonomous, Associated Press Locations: MEXICO, Mexican, Xochimilco, Mexico City, axolotl, Mexico, Sonora, Europe, Australia

☆ Indigenous group seeks to block Santos gas pipeline off Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 24 (Reuters) - The Australian government said on Tuesday it was reviewing an emergency application filed by an indigenous group seeking to block pipeline construction for Santos Ltd's (STO.AX) $3.6 billion Barossa gas project off northern Australia. Santos, which aims to start producing gas from Barossa in the first half of 2025, did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment. In a quarterly update issued last week, Santos said an independent expert concluded that there were no specific underwater cultural heritage places along the planned Barossa pipeline route. But the Tiwi people said the pipeline will cause significant damage to ancient burial grounds, aboriginal art and other sacred ancestral sites. Santos was informed about the concerns of the indigenous elders but the company had plans to begin the pipeline construction soon, the group said.

Persons: Santos, Chris Helgren, Santos Ltd's, Tanya Plibersek, Molly Munkara, Renju Jose, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, Australia, Barossa, Sydney

☆ Thames Water: The company supplying water to millions of Londoners is in deep trouble
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Britain’s biggest water supplier said Wednesday it needed to raise more cash from investors, as UK media reported the government was preparing contingency plans to rescue the company. Thames Water provides drinking water and waste water services to 15 million customers in London and the southeast of England. Thames Water received £500 million ($635 million) from shareholders in March, but said Wednesday it would need more. Ofwat said it was in “ongoing discussions” with Thames Water “on the need for a robust and credible plan to turn the business around.”“We will continue to focus on protecting customers’ interests,” it added. We prepare for a range of scenarios across our regulated industries — including water — as any responsible government would.”The spokesperson added that the UK water sector “as a whole is financially resilient.”Thames Water says about 24% of the water it supplies to customers is lost through leakage.

Persons: London CNN —, Sarah Bentley, “, Ofwat, ” Organizations: London CNN, Thames Water, Thames, Ofwat, UK Treasury, Sky News, CNN, Ontario, Columbia Investment Management Corporation Locations: London, England, Abu Dhabi

☆ Replanting the Amazon could slow global warming. Here’s why it’s hard
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +24 min

Milton da Costa Junior nosed his pickup through a remote stretch of the western Brazilian Amazon to check on his babies. Local authorities said the September 2021 incident, which Da Costa outlined in a police report that was reviewed by Reuters, is being investigated. Out of dozens of reforestation initiatives in the country, Rioterra and The Black Jaguar Foundation, a Brazilian-European group, are among the largest. Illegal invaders destroy in hours what it takes Rioterra or Black Jaguar a year to plant. In all, Black Jaguar has signed contracts with 26 farms and planted 326 hectares (806 acres) to date.

Persons: Milton da Costa, Da Costa, Carlos Nobre, Alexis Bastos, Rioterra, ”, Nobre, “, Bastos, Jamari, Dejesus Aparecido Ramos, it’s, ” Bastos, Jair Bolsonaro, Germany –, Bolsonaro, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Black, Ben Valks, Valks, Leandro Silveira, Silveira, São, ” Valks, aren’t, Cristina Banks, Leite, Marcos Mariani, Araguaia, Mariani, Tânia Irres, ” Irres, Regina Molke, I’ll, Clovis, Black Jaguar, Aquaverde, Renato Franklin, “ Ben, ” Franklin, L’Oreal, da Costa, ” Da Costa, da, Spring, Clare Trainor, Catherine Tai, Lais Morais, Ilan Rubens, Lucy Ha, John Emerson, Marla Dickerson Organizations: Milton da Costa Junior, Toyota, Reuters, Black Jaguar Foundation, National Institute for Space Research, Rioterra, Cultural, Environmental Studies, Petrobras, “, Amazon Fund, Environment Ministry, United, United Arab Emirates, São Paulo, Global, Farmers, Brazil’s Central Bank, Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, Imperial College London, Santana, Bolsonaro, United Nations, Space Agency, Copernicus, Sentinel Locations: Machadinho, Rondônia, Brazil, Germany, Brazilian, European, Manhattan, Lebanon, Nicaragua, Bastos, Porto Velho, droves, Rio, Black, Itapuã, Oeste, Norway, United Arab, Pará, Caixa, “, Costa, Syria, Paris, Santana, Araguaia’s, Clovis, Regina, United States, South, Geneva, Rio Preto, da Costa

In a long-awaited report, a panel of independent experts convened by the British government said both those theories were unlikely, and that it had been "unable to identify a clear and convincing single cause" for the deaths. "We've ruled things out, but we've not been able to confidently rule things in...," panel member Tammy Horton, a researcher at the National Oceanography Centre, told an online press briefing. It was "about as likely as not" that a pathogen new to UK waters caused the deaths, it said, though no new pathogen was detected. Several of the factors it considered might in combination also have been a cause, it added. British Environment Minister Therese Coffey said on Friday she would consider if further analysis by government scientists might establish a conclusive cause.

☆ Top EU Court rules against Spain for air pollution in Madrid and Barcelona
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MADRID, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Spain allowed nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution levels to systematically exceed EU limits in Madrid and Barcelona between 2010 and 2018, the European Court of Justice ruled on Thursday, potentially paving the way for Brussels to seek penalties. The EU's executive Commision had asked the bloc's top court in 2019 to take action against Spain over its poor air quality in its two biggest cities, arguing it was failing to protect citizens against pollution. The court found that harmful rates of NO2 in the air had exceeded the limits in areas with a combined population of 7.3 million people, including the two big cities and an industrial area near Barcelona: Valles-Baix Llobregat. In Madrid, where a low-emission scheme in a restricted central area has been at the heart of political warfare for years, the conservative mayor accuses his left-wing predecessor's administration of failing to address air pollution. Reporting by Emma Pinedo Editing by Inti Landauro and Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

In an emailed statement, Monica Medina, the U.S. official leading its treaty negotiations, said the country was committed to ending plastic pollution by 2040. Japan's vice minister for global environmental affairs, Hiroshi Ono, said he knew of a proposed coalition on plastic involving the United States but declined further comment. "We don't need a treaty for countries to decide themselves what their national actions should be. We need a treaty that can actually add on top of that," said Eirik Lindebjerg, global plastics policy manager at WWF, calling such an approach a "light touch." Calls for tougher global measures such as those focused on plastic production have also met resistance from the powerful oil and petrochemical firms that make plastic.

☆ Rescue efforts underway for about 230 whales beached in Australia
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

HOBART, Australia — About 230 whales have been stranded on Tasmania’s west coast, just days after 14 sperm whales were found beached on an island off the southeastern coast. Griffith University marine scientist Olaf Meynecke said it’s unusual for sperm whales to wash ashore. The department said it is not unusual for sperm whales to be sighted in Tasmania. The pilot whale is notorious for stranding in mass numbers, for reasons that are not entirely understood. Two years ago, about 470 long-finned pilot whales were found beached on sandbars off Tasmania’s west coast in the largest mass-stranding on record in Australia.

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