The WWF charity has praised the Government’s latest renewable energy strategy which could herald a much needed energy revolution through incentives to entice UK home owners to go green.

The UK is currently the third worst performer in the EU on renewable fuels, with measures now in place to make this energy source more attractive to homeowners. With the Government now realising the potential for clean energy in this country, urgent measures need to be taken to undermine the need for any new coal-fired power stations in the UK.

The WWF has been campaigning for a stronger policy to reduce the environmental footprint of existing UK homes so we can meet the CO2 emission reduction target of 80% by 2050. The Government’s current target of a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions is outdated and doesn’t include the UK’s share of emissions from international aviation. To achieve an 80% cut requires the decarbonisation of the electricity supply plus the application of carbon capture and storage technology across the UK.

Head of Campaigns for the WWF-UK, Colin Butfield, said

‘If the Government implements this strategy it would spark a much-needed green energy revolution. This would reduce our exposure to soaring fossil fuel prices, create jobs and enable the Government to show true international leadership on climate change’

> > click here to make a donation to the WWF

> > click here to find out more about the work of the WWF

Whales are having to migrate further afield due to shrinking Antarctic foraging zones which contain less food, according to analysis on the impacts of climate change by the WWF.

Migratory whales may need to travel an extra 500 kilometres south to hunt out their crucial foraging zone. Species most affected will include the Blue Whale and the Humpback, which are only just back from the brink of extinction.

Both species build up their food reserves which help them survive throughout the year. As foraging zones move southward and reduce in overall area, sea ice is also expected to reduce the abundance of food for whales in the feeding areas. With the level of global warming predicted over the next 40 years, winter sea-ice coverage of the Southern Ocean will be declining by up to 30 per cent in some crucial areas.

With the 80 nation International Whaling Commission meeting in Chile, now is the time for the I.W.C to take the opportunity to look at ways to increase the resilience of whale populations. The WWF will be recommending the protection of critical habitats and for limiting non-climate stresses to whale populations such as overfishing and pollution.

> > click here to make a donation to the WWF

> > click here to find out more about the work of the WWF

Environmental charities WWF and Greenpeace have once again called for greater urgency to the closure of the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishing.

The conservation groups have obtained evidence that reveals two Italian spotter planes are illegally being used to give aerial assistance to industrial fleets fishing in the central Mediterranean. Aerial spotting is completely banned by international law, as it gives a huge advantage to fleets who’s catches are far exceeding the capacity recommended by scientists.

This damning evidence of illegal plane activity in the Mediterranean adds to the WWF argument that this stretch of ocean is now out of control and must be closed. Marine reserves must be established to protect these breeding areas of Bluefin Tuna to halt the species steady decline into extinction.

Greenpeace and WWF are once again calling on the European Commission to step in and help in the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna. In April false Bolivian and Libyan flags by were flown by illegal tuna vessels involved in the Bluefin Tuna fishery in the same area of the Mediterranean.

If we want fish for tomorrow, we need to create marine reserves today to avoid any further damage to the Bluefin Tuna stock, which is in a critical situation according to the international scientific community.

> > click here to find out more about the work of the WWF

> > click here to find out more about the work of Greenpeace

Animal charities have now officially listed the Tasmanian Devil on the Endangered Species List. Experts predict that the carnivorous marsupial could be extinct within the next 20 years.

Nearly 64% of all the Tasmanian Devil population have been infected by a deadly facial tumour. The disease itself is spread to each creature through biting, leaving the animal unable to eat, and inevitably leading to organ failure.

Recent research suggests that some devils may have a genetic resistance to the disease. Experts are currently observing a Devil who is showing the first signs of being immune, whilst 47 of the species have been shipped to mainland Australia to help preserve the genetic diversity from total extinction.

> > click here to make a donation to the WSPA

> > click here to save the Tasmanian Devil

Greenpeace and the WWF are calling for the British Government’s energy policy to be in line with the EU’s target for renewable energy by 2020. This however is looking unlikely due to the building of new unabated coal-fired power stations in the UK.

The high emissions from new coal plants would severely undermine progress towards targets under the Climate Change Bill. Allowing new unabated coal stations would also damage the UK’s credibility as a main player in international climate negotiations.

Carbon Capture and Storage (C.S.S.) will help reductions that are needed to avoid climate chaos. However, the technology has not yet been proven on an integrated power plant and it may not be technically possible. Building capture ready stations now would therefore impose unacceptable risks to the taxpayer, who may well end up footing the bill for any future refit.

Greenpeace and the WWF are calling the British Government to focus on renewable energy efficiency, whilst introducing greenhouse gas emission standards for all new power plants. New legal standards should be set to limit the CO2 emissions for all new plants that have yet to secure planning permission.

Any pre planned CCS demonstration plants should be established solely for technical reasons and to also form part of a clear European strategy to assess the various technical options. It is vital for the planets future that regulations are established through independent monitoring to ensure that the storage of all CO2 is safe, and environmentally sound.

> > click here to find out more about the work of Greenpeace

The American government has a last put the Polar Bear on the Endangered Species List, after 3 years of warnings from the charity WWF.

After a 4 month delay, the Bush/Cheney administration’s Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne finally succumbed to intense pressure to add the Arctic animals to the list. He also made it clear that this should not be used to address global warming or habitat loss, the two main factors contributing to the decline of polar bears in the U.S.

The government’s decision making process was concluded over three findings. Firstly, sea ice is vital to the survival of the polar bear, but their sea-ice habitat has dramatically melted in recent years, with computer research suggesting sea ice is likely to further recede. Polar bears are now in serious danger of losing their habitat, making them likely to become extinct in the next 45 years.

Last year alone saw the arctic sea ice fall to the lowest level ever recorded, 39% less than the long-term average from 1979 to 2000.  Although the Arctic bear population has risen from about 12,000 in 1960 to almost 25,000 today, scientific projections suggest a major decline by the year 2050.

After many years of pressure, the U.S. government has finally acted on the World Wildlife Funds pressure, and you too can help save these animals from extinction. From as little as £2.50 a month you can adopt a polar bear, and help the WWF stop pollution in the Arctic Circle.

> > click here to adopt a Polar bear

> > click here to find out more about the World Wildlife Fund

Oxfam have teamed up with Marks & Spencer in an innovative clothing exchange scheme. M&S have promised to offer a £5 voucher off your next purchase of £35 or more when you donate your unwanted M&S clothing to Oxfam.

All you have to do is show the M&S label in the store on the clothing you are donating, to receive your free money off voucher. This is part of the Marks and Spencer £200million ‘Plan A’ investment, which is a 5 year environmental scheme to help combat climate change, reduce waste and promote a healthier planet. In the last year M&S have cut their CO2 emissions by 55,000 tonnes and reduced customer carrier bag usage. Having increased their sale of organic food by 48%, they have also removed artificial colouring and flavouring from 99% of all M&S food stocked around the country. They also lead the market in lowering stocking densities for chicken, receiving the RSPCA Award for Animal Welfare. Marks & Spencer are also working alongside the World Wildlife Fund on environmental projects, with a particular focus on agriculture and marine life issues.

In the UK alone we currently throw away over 1 million tonnes of clothing every year, with the majority of the items discarded still of the quality to re sell or recycle. With Oxfam and M&S joining forces on this excellent clothing exchange scheme, hopefully more clothing will be donated to help those less fortunate than ourselves.

> > click here to make a donation to Oxfam

> > click here to find out more about the M&S ‘Plan A’

Environmental issues is one of the modern world’s top priorities, and today (Tuesday 22nd April) the globe becomes the stage for the annual ‘Earth Day’.

Earth Day was founded in 1970 by American Senator Gaylord Nelson, who organised the event as a nationwide demonstration on environmental issues. With thousands of colleges also getting involved in the organisation, more than 20 million people took to the streets and parks of America to show their solidarity against the harmful effect the U.S was having on the environment.

By 1992, Earth Day was being supported by 200 million people in 141 countries, and through this global support, the first ever United Nations Earth Summit was held in South America. Over 100 countries sent their heads of state to attend, and with over 170 governments involved, this was the largest environmental meeting in the history of mankind. From this summit, the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD) was set up. The CSD now hold annual meetings at U.N. headquarters to discuss the global prevention of pollution and climate change. With the global recognition of Earth Day, their international network now reaches over 17,000 organizations in 174 countries, with more than a half billion people participating in the event every year.

Along with Earth Day is Wednesday 29th March’s ‘Earth Hour’ supported by the World Wildlife Fund. Over a 250,000 people and 20,000 businesses worldwide have signed up to turn their lights off for one hour during the working day, with power companies set up to monitor the current change. Last year in Bangkok alone, the one hour electricity shut down caused the decrease of 73.34 Megawatts, or the equivalent to 41.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

It’s good to see so many people across the world getting involved with the enviromental problems the Earth is enduring. The more people who become aware of these issues the closer we get to save guarding the future, not just our families, but the world around us.

 > > click here to find out more about the work of the WWF

> > click here to help Greenpeace protect the environment

A new report from the World Wildlife Fund is claiming that Alaskan Pollock, the species being promoted in the UK as an alternative to Cod, is now also under threat from illegal fishing.

Even though progress is being made in the fight to save the North Atlantic Cod from extinction, huge numbers of illegal Pollock catches are making their way onto international markets. The WWF is concerned that illegal fishing will add to both species’ dwindling numbers and their inability to cope with climate change.

Due to depleted cod stocks in Europe, the UK is importing the majority of its Cod and Pollock from the Arctic, with nearly 70% of the world’s white fish supply already coming from these waters. Over 100,000 tonnes of illegal cod is caught a year in the Barents Sea, the world’s largest cod stock just North of Norway. Illegal cod landings have been cut in half by the tireless efforts of environmental groups, but now the illegal fishing of Alaskan Pollock in Russian waters has become the problem. Barents Sea is mainly fished by Norwegian and EU fishermen, whilst the bulk of the Alaskan Pollock is caught by Russian fleets, who then sell their catch on to the Chinese market.

To help the World Wildlife Funds effort to stop illegal fishing, it’s up to us, the consumer, to find out the source of the fish we buy. Nearly all supermarkets stock seafood that comes from a certified, sustainable source, so look for the stamp of approval from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) when purchasing.

> > click here to make a donation to the World Wildlife Fund

> > click here to sponsor an animal with the WWF

Nearly 60 years after the Thames River was claimed to be ‘biologically dead’, new environmental research show the river is now a hive of activity for underwater life.

The river still suffers from some pollution due to the Victorian designed sewer system overflowing into the Thames through heavy rainfall. But with over a 100 species of fish recently being spotted in the Thames, the water is so clean that the National Environment Agency claim Salmon can now be bred in the river.

Thames Salmon died out over 150 years ago due to pollution, but due to a stricter sewage policy the river is now fit for the fish to be re-introduced. Over 5,000 Salmon eggs were recently incubated and released into the Thames tributary at Welford in Berkshire.

Along with the Salmon farming, the Environment Agency was ‘astonished’ to find Snout Nosed Seahorses now living in the Thames for over 18 months. Along with the seahorses, dolphins, seals and even whales have been spotted in the Thames, along with Bass, Flounder and Dover Sole.

It’s easy to see why Ken Livingstone’s office is now touting the Thames as the :-

‘cleanest urban river in Europe’.

> > click here to help Greenpeace protect the UK’s waterways

> > click here to help protect marine life