ScienceDaily reports:
World Will Miss 2010 Target To Stem Biodiversity Loss, Experts Say
The world will miss its agreed target to stem biodiversity loss by next year, according to experts convening in Cape Town for a landmark conference devoted to biodiversity science.
The goal was agreed at the 6th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in April 2003. Some 123 world ministers committed to "achieve, by 2010, a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the local, national and regional levels, as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Earth."
"We will certainly miss the target for reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010 and therefore also miss the 2015 environmental targets within the U.N. Millennium Development Goals to improve health and livelihoods for the world's poorest and most vulnerable people," says Georgina Mace of Imperial College, London, and Vice-Chair of the international DIVERSITAS program, which is convening its 2nd Open Science Conference Oct. 13-16 with 600 experts from around the world.
"It is hard to image a more important priority than protecting the ecosystem services underpinned by biodiversity," says Prof. Mace. "Biodiversity is fundamental to humans having food, fuel, clean water and a habitable climate.Yet changes to ecosystems and losses of biodiversity have continued to accelerate. Since 1992, even the most conservative estimates agree that an area of tropical rainforest greater than the size of California has been converted mostly for food and fuel. Species extinction rates are at least 100 times those in pre-human times and are expected to continue to increase." |
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The diary rescue begins below and continues in the jump. Inclusion of a particular diary does not necessarily indicate my agreement with it.
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As part of the Adopt a Senator on the climate bill, Populista wondered Will Amy Klobuchar be a champion for clean energy or clean coal?: "My Senator, Amy Klobuchar, is going to have a big role in the debate over the jobs/climate/national security bill that Congress is working on right now. As a member of three committees with jurisdiction over this legislation (Environment and Public Works, Agriculture and Commerce, Science and Transportation), as well as one of the crafters of the Senate legislation, she is uniquely poised to stand up for strong legislation that does three main things: prevents catastrophic climate change; creates good jobs; and reduces imports of oil. She'll definitely vote yes on this legislation, but she wants some concessions. On the Renewable Electricity Standard, that's good news, but we need to push pressure on her to make sure she doesn't give away too much to the coal industry as well as other polluters."
citisven wrote EcoJustice: Don't save us, work with us!: "Let me set the stage for you: Too often in the past, the mechanisms for addressing social, economic, and environmental injustices (when it was addressed at all) have been geared toward ‘fixing’ what's wrong or ‘making up for it’ from the perspective of the perpetrators of the injustice. From British colonizers in India and Spanish missionaries in California to the urban renewal movement throughout the last century, the solutions proposed for the injustice have historically never led to true equality or a level playing field, but resulted in the perpetuation of the existing power structures. The patron realizes he's gone too far, then atones for his ‘sin’ by becoming the benevolent guardian of his victim. Life and relationships might improve on the surface, but the underlying master/servant dynamic remains untouched, waiting to boil over again at the next opportunity. This is why the Village Bottoms undertaking is such an inspiring example for all those of us who seek to break down these deep-seeded barriers and step out of the hamster wheel of history. It shows that despite the largeness of the task and past failures, true change can really happen when people from all different backgrounds come together on equal terms, listen to each other, and transcend old patterns to create a higher ground on which everybody wins."
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palantir has posted the Overnight News Digest.
mogmaar lamented the Comparing of Climate Activists to Suicide Bombers:L "A group of 20 senior citizens, aged 50 to 88, concluded a 25 mile march to protest mountain top removal coal mining today. Read Coal Tattoo for the full story of this heroic journey. What's outrageous is the accusations made by Steve Walker, president of Walker Machinery, against two young activists who hung a banner from his building in solidarity with the senior marchers.
ca democrat wroteIf Tomorrow’s Weather is Really Bad Blame Bush: "Bush personally stopped all efforts at reducing global warming. He and his corporate buddies are the #1 cause of our messed up climate (in my opinion). Never surrender, never forget, he will always be Public Enemy of the people #1."
laviolet let us know that Hurricane Protection Is in Danger of Being Gutted: "The Senate will vote tomorrow (Tuesday) on a budget amendment that would gut the National Weather Service satellite program. ...Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) has introduced an amendment (Amendment #2666 to the Commerce State Justice Appropriations Act for 2010, H.R. 2847) to cut the NOAA budget by $172 million."
beach babe in fl gave us another installment of Macca's Meatless Monday...What goes on (your pizza)?
Josh Nelson asked us to Help Turn Up the Heat on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: "It is starting to look like the only actor in the debate over clean energy legislation less credible than the Chamber of Commerce is the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, which is currently facing investigations for sending 14 fraudulent letters opposing the bill to members of Congress. In the last few weeks a diverse group of activist, NGO and labor campaigns have launched to escalate the pressure on the Chamber and its member companies."
chparadise wrote an eco-satire, The Devil Becomes a Climate Change Denier: "First off, no offense is meant to any religious types, even those who deny climate change, nor do I mean to suggest that all climate deniers are going to hell."
RLMiller took a look at what is happening in Bangkok in Climate Change News: Brought to you by the Letter B.Troubles began with name calling between rich and poor nations. Mexico called US a stumbling block in climate talks. China led a delegation of G77 (developing) nations in walking out. The division between rich and poor countries is hardly new. Nor is the blame-the-US concept. However, the negotiations had a new spin: whether to resurrect the ghost of Kyoto past. As the BBC explains, a three way split has developed among countries favoring an extension of the Kyoto protocol, those wanting an entirely new document, and those favoring a ‘series of decisions’ at Copenhagen: ‘Developing countries insist on the Kyoto Protocol route because of the obligations it already contains on developed nations - to cut emissions further than their existing pledges (which run to 2012, the end of the "first commitment period") and to provide finance for poorer countries.’ On the other hand, American negotiators prefer to obtain pledges from developing countries. The United States never ratified the Kyoto protocol, so insisting on it seems delusional."
Guadalupe59 gave us the uplifting skinny Midland School Awarded California's Highest Environmental Honor: "Midland School is situated on 2,860 acres, 8 of which are dedicated to its organic farm, while another large parcel is dedicated to the schools outstanding grass-fed beef program. They also raise swine and have hens for their eggs, all on a 100% natural diet. All this beef, swine, eggs and produce, is for the consumption of the students and faculty. I wish we could all eat this well! But Midland's environmentalism does not begin and end with it's farm. The Sophomore chemistry class installs and maintains solar arrays that provide electricity for the school."
rfall pondered whether this was Just one small example of "Greenwashing"?: "September, 2009 – Marriott was ranked #42 out of 100 on Newsweek's first-ever list of ‘The Greenest Big Companies in America.’ No recycling bin in my room; none in the hall; none in evidence in the lobby. So I ask—and am told, ‘We don't do recycling, but we'll throw it in the trash for you.’ OK, so I do recycling the other 364 days of the year when I'm at home—what's a few percent of not recycling among friends. Turning up my smile and trying to sound ‘mock scolding,’ I say, ‘No recycling? How dare you?’ to the staff member behind the desk. And then, he makes the fatal mistake: not understanding my mock seriousness, he answers, ‘Well, you know that Marriott is a green company right?’ The next few moments are a study in cognitive dissonance: my smile stays on my face, but my urge is to say, ‘WTF? Marriott claims to be green and you. don't. recycle. plastic. bottles?’"
Land of Enchantment brightened the day with a fall-themed Got a Happy Story? Golden Aspens: "This is a fabulous time of the year to head up into the mountains. The aspens are in full glory. .... I love this time of year. It passes so quickly. I take it as a reminder to savor the small delights around me. Much of a good life is made up of such small things. I'm glad I took the time to come home on the back road."