Category: Environment

Sept 24, 2010 (LBO) – Protection of natural resources in Sri Lanka is endangered by the lack of peoples’ right to information and legal confusion created by devolution of power, an expert said. “Unless there’s an effective mechanism put in place and implemented vigorously it is not only poor people’s lifestyles but also natural resources […]

STOCKHOLM , September 7, 2010 (AFP) – The drought in Russia and floods in Pakistan are part of a global trend of unpredictable weather patterns and rainfall that threaten food security, experts gathered in Stockholm said. Pointing out that there have been periods of extreme weather patterns before, he said: “These kinds of fluctuations are […]

COPENHAGEN, September 5, 2010 (AFP) – Bjoern Lomborg, the bad boy of the climate debate who has rejected for years “alarmist” prophecies from environmentalists, stresses in a new book the need to invest billions to fight global warming. In “Smart Solutions to Climate Change,” Lomborg lashes out at current policies to curb greenhouse gas emissions […]

August 17, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lankan wildlife veterinarians have gone on strike to protest at the alleged mishandling of elephant conservation which has resulted in an increase in deadly attacks, a union leader said Tuesday. “There is no proper management of wild elephants who are being pushed into narrow habitats as the government allows […]

BRASILIA, July 31, 2010 (AFP) – A region of mountainous forests in Sri Lanka and an isolated archipelago off Hawaii have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list, officials of the UN cultural and scientific body said Saturday. The World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization decided to add the […]

LONDON, July 19, 2010 (AFP) – A “cute” primate so rare it was thought to be extinct has been caught on camera in the forests of Sri Lanka for the first time, scientists said Monday. The Horton Plains slender loris is a small, nocturnal animal which can grow up to 17 centimetres (six inches) long […]

NEW ORLEANS, July 16, 2010 (AFP) – British energy giant BP stopped the oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday for the first time in three months as it began key tests hoping to stem the spill for good. Shortly after BP engineers shut down the last of three valves on a giant […]

PARIS, June 19, 2010 (AFP) – Pro- and anti-whaling nations face off next week in a battle over the 24-year-old ban on the commercial killing of whales. Gathering in Agadir, Morocco, the 88 countries of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) will tussle over controversial changes to a moratorium that has become an icon of green […]

June 15, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s western province, where the capital Colombo is located will crack down on the use of plastics and polythene, especially for promotional activity and decorations, officials said. The regional administration is drafting new laws to ban the use of polythene for promotional purposes and impose heavy fines on people. […]

June 11, 2010 (LBO) – The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has downgraded a watch bulletin taking Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia off its list saying a local tsunami is likely to only affect India. Indian authorities have said waves of only 50 centimetres are likely and there is ‘nothing alarming. ‘ Sri Lanka’s authorities […]

NEW DELHI, June 12, 2010 (AFP) – India’s tsunami centre warned Sunday a major quake under the Indian Ocean would generate a 50-centimetre high (20-inch) surge in sea levels on the nearest islands, adding this was “nothing alarming. ” “This is nothing alarming but just a watch,” he added by telephone from the headquarters of […]

SYDNEY, June 12, 2010 (AFP) – A tiny heatproof capsule which scientists hope contains some of the oldest dust in the universe will streak back to Earth and land in the Australian desert Sunday, ending a historic space mission. Japan’s Hayabusa spacecraft is due to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere shortly before midnight (1400 GMT), completing a […]