[News] from [guardian.co.uk]
[Environment > Climate change]
China, India, Brazil and South Africa prepare for post-Copenhagen meeting
Influential bloc of large developing countries expected to define common position on emissions cuts and climate aid
John Vidal, environment editor
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 13 January 2010 16.53 GMT Article history
One month after the Copenhagen climate summit ended in recriminations and and a weak outline of a global deal, key groups of developing countries will meet to try to explore ways to get to agree a legally binding final agreement.
As the dust settles on the stormy Danish meeting, environment ministers from the so-called Basic countries – Brazil, South Africa, India and China – will meet on January 24 in New Delhi. No formal agenda has been set, but observers expect the emerging geopolitical alliance between the four large developing countries who brokered the final "deal" with the US in Denmark will define a common position on emission reductions and climate aid money, and seek ways to convince other countries to sign up to the Copenhagen accord that emerged last month.
Fewer than 30 countries out of the 192 who are signed up to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which organised Copenhagen, have indicated that they will sign. Many are known to be deeply unhappy with the $100bn pledged for climate aid and the decision not to make deeper cuts in emissions. Under UN laws, consensus is required for a binding agreement to be made.
Countries have until January 31 to sign up to the accord and provide the UN with information on the specific commitments and actions they plan to take to reduce emissions. But there is growing confusion over the legal standing of the agreement reached in Copenhagen and many countries may not be in a position to sign because they have yet to consult their parliaments.
Meanwhile, Bolivia, one of a handful of poor countries which openly opposed the deal in Copenhagen, has invited countries and non-governmental groups which want a much stronger climate deal to the World Conference of the People on Climate Change.
The conference, to be held in Cochabamba in Bolivia from April 20-22, is expected to attract heads of state from the loose alliance of socialist "Alba" countries, including Venezuela and Cuba. ALBA, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America countries, was set up to provide an alternative to the US-led free trade area of the Americas.
Bolivia this week urged leaders of the world's indigenous ethnic groups and scientists to come. "The invitation is to heads of state but chiefly to civil society. We think that social movements and non government groups, people not at decision level, have an important role in climate talks," said Maria Souviron, Bolivian ambassador in London.
The meeting, which is intended to cement ties between the seven Alba countries, is also expected to persue the idea of an international court for environmental crimes, as well as the radical idea of "mother earth rights". This would give all entities, from man to endangered animal species, an equal right to life.
"Our objective is to save humanity and not just half of humanity," said Morales in a speech at Copenhagen. "We are here to save mother earth. Our objective is to reduce climate change to [under] 1C. [Above this] many islands will disappear and Africa will suffer a holocaust … the real cause of climate change is the capitalist system. If we want to save the earth then we must end that economic model."
[Environment > Willdlife]
Badger cull to go ahead in Wales to counter 'dramatic rise' in bovine TB
Minister claims disease is out of control, but animal welfare groups cite evidence that culling does more harm than good
John Vidal
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 13 January 2010 18.04 GMT Article history
Thousands of protected badgers will be culled later this year in an attempt to limit the cattle disease bovine tuberculosis (TB) spreading further in Wales.
The decision to go ahead with a £9m pilot cull, expected to take place mainly in Pembrokeshire, was made today by Welsh rural affairs minister Elin Jones nearly two years after the plan was first put forward.
"Bovine TB is out of control and unsustainable and last year cost the taxpayer nearly £24m in compensating farmers," Jones said. "This is a dramatic rise since 2000 when the compensation bill was just over £1m. In 1997 around 700 cattle were culled because of bovine TB. This increased to 12,000 by 2008. We know that cattle and badgers are the main sources of the disease and that, if we want to achieve our aim of eradicating bovine TB, we have to tackle the disease in both species."
Five culls, along with other attempts to limit the spread of the disease, will take place over a limited period for several years within a 288 sq km pilot area where the Welsh assembly government says 42% of cattle owners have had at least one case of TB in their herd since 2003. The first cull will take place after the badger breeding season ends in May.
The cull was welcomed by vets and farmers but condemned by animal welfare groups. "It's not legal", said Jack Reedy, a director of the Badger Trust. "There is no justification for it because it would not be effective. The Bern Convention requires that [culling can take place only] to eradicate diseases. All the scientific evidence demonstrates that culling does not eradicate disease. The cull is not supported by the the science," he said.
The Trust challenged the Welsh assembly in the courts before Christmas but the application for a judicial review is not expected to be heard for some time.
"We're well aware of the costs of bovine TB but this decision to eliminate badgers from a large area of the Welsh countryside is wrong. The way in which this area has been chosen will mean that any lessons learned, if there are any, will not be applicable to the rest of the country. It will also make it impossible to know which parts of the control strategy may have worked," said RSPCA senior wildlife scientist, Colin Booty.
He added that a 10-year study by the Independent Scientific Group (ISG) on TB in cattle, which cost £50m and killed 11,000 badgers, found that culling them carried the risk of actually increasing the spread of the disease. "The conclusion was that badger culling could make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB control in Britain. It is important to realise that most badgers are not infected with TB. A study of badgers found dead in Wales conducted by the Welsh assembly government published in January 2007 found that seven out of eight badgers tested negative for the disease."
Nicky Paull, past president of the British veterinary association, welcomed the decision: "We are delighted that the pilot cull and stricter cattle measures have been announced. There is no single solution to tackling this devastating disease. Farmers will also have to understand the huge importance of implementing the stricter cattle measures. The rest of the UK will be watching the pilot cull with interest."
[Environment > Climate change]
China, India, Brazil and South Africa prepare for post-Copenhagen meeting
Influential bloc of large developing countries expected to define common position on emissions cuts and climate aid
John Vidal, environment editor
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 13 January 2010 16.53 GMT Article history
One month after the Copenhagen climate summit ended in recriminations and and a weak outline of a global deal, key groups of developing countries will meet to try to explore ways to get to agree a legally binding final agreement.
As the dust settles on the stormy Danish meeting, environment ministers from the so-called Basic countries – Brazil, South Africa, India and China – will meet on January 24 in New Delhi. No formal agenda has been set, but observers expect the emerging geopolitical alliance between the four large developing countries who brokered the final "deal" with the US in Denmark will define a common position on emission reductions and climate aid money, and seek ways to convince other countries to sign up to the Copenhagen accord that emerged last month.
Fewer than 30 countries out of the 192 who are signed up to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which organised Copenhagen, have indicated that they will sign. Many are known to be deeply unhappy with the $100bn pledged for climate aid and the decision not to make deeper cuts in emissions. Under UN laws, consensus is required for a binding agreement to be made.
Countries have until January 31 to sign up to the accord and provide the UN with information on the specific commitments and actions they plan to take to reduce emissions. But there is growing confusion over the legal standing of the agreement reached in Copenhagen and many countries may not be in a position to sign because they have yet to consult their parliaments.
Meanwhile, Bolivia, one of a handful of poor countries which openly opposed the deal in Copenhagen, has invited countries and non-governmental groups which want a much stronger climate deal to the World Conference of the People on Climate Change.
The conference, to be held in Cochabamba in Bolivia from April 20-22, is expected to attract heads of state from the loose alliance of socialist "Alba" countries, including Venezuela and Cuba. ALBA, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America countries, was set up to provide an alternative to the US-led free trade area of the Americas.
Bolivia this week urged leaders of the world's indigenous ethnic groups and scientists to come. "The invitation is to heads of state but chiefly to civil society. We think that social movements and non government groups, people not at decision level, have an important role in climate talks," said Maria Souviron, Bolivian ambassador in London.
The meeting, which is intended to cement ties between the seven Alba countries, is also expected to persue the idea of an international court for environmental crimes, as well as the radical idea of "mother earth rights". This would give all entities, from man to endangered animal species, an equal right to life.
"Our objective is to save humanity and not just half of humanity," said Morales in a speech at Copenhagen. "We are here to save mother earth. Our objective is to reduce climate change to [under] 1C. [Above this] many islands will disappear and Africa will suffer a holocaust … the real cause of climate change is the capitalist system. If we want to save the earth then we must end that economic model."
[Environment > Willdlife]
Badger cull to go ahead in Wales to counter 'dramatic rise' in bovine TB
Minister claims disease is out of control, but animal welfare groups cite evidence that culling does more harm than good
John Vidal
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 13 January 2010 18.04 GMT Article history
Thousands of protected badgers will be culled later this year in an attempt to limit the cattle disease bovine tuberculosis (TB) spreading further in Wales.
The decision to go ahead with a £9m pilot cull, expected to take place mainly in Pembrokeshire, was made today by Welsh rural affairs minister Elin Jones nearly two years after the plan was first put forward.
"Bovine TB is out of control and unsustainable and last year cost the taxpayer nearly £24m in compensating farmers," Jones said. "This is a dramatic rise since 2000 when the compensation bill was just over £1m. In 1997 around 700 cattle were culled because of bovine TB. This increased to 12,000 by 2008. We know that cattle and badgers are the main sources of the disease and that, if we want to achieve our aim of eradicating bovine TB, we have to tackle the disease in both species."
Five culls, along with other attempts to limit the spread of the disease, will take place over a limited period for several years within a 288 sq km pilot area where the Welsh assembly government says 42% of cattle owners have had at least one case of TB in their herd since 2003. The first cull will take place after the badger breeding season ends in May.
The cull was welcomed by vets and farmers but condemned by animal welfare groups. "It's not legal", said Jack Reedy, a director of the Badger Trust. "There is no justification for it because it would not be effective. The Bern Convention requires that [culling can take place only] to eradicate diseases. All the scientific evidence demonstrates that culling does not eradicate disease. The cull is not supported by the the science," he said.
The Trust challenged the Welsh assembly in the courts before Christmas but the application for a judicial review is not expected to be heard for some time.
"We're well aware of the costs of bovine TB but this decision to eliminate badgers from a large area of the Welsh countryside is wrong. The way in which this area has been chosen will mean that any lessons learned, if there are any, will not be applicable to the rest of the country. It will also make it impossible to know which parts of the control strategy may have worked," said RSPCA senior wildlife scientist, Colin Booty.
He added that a 10-year study by the Independent Scientific Group (ISG) on TB in cattle, which cost £50m and killed 11,000 badgers, found that culling them carried the risk of actually increasing the spread of the disease. "The conclusion was that badger culling could make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB control in Britain. It is important to realise that most badgers are not infected with TB. A study of badgers found dead in Wales conducted by the Welsh assembly government published in January 2007 found that seven out of eight badgers tested negative for the disease."
Nicky Paull, past president of the British veterinary association, welcomed the decision: "We are delighted that the pilot cull and stricter cattle measures have been announced. There is no single solution to tackling this devastating disease. Farmers will also have to understand the huge importance of implementing the stricter cattle measures. The rest of the UK will be watching the pilot cull with interest."
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