News from 1 June 2001 on edie

US researchers warn of the dangers of toxic dust

Dust blown up from agricultural and industrial sites could be a major health hazard warn Arizona scientists, who have drawn up maps showing health risk areas.

Armenia receives aid to tackle chronic water resource programme

The German government and the World Bank have pledged large-scale funding to develop effective management of the country’s water resources and stop chronic wasteage.

Climate experts warn that property developers are building for the 1960s, not the 21st Century

Experts have told a conference on climate change that the planning, design and construction industries are risking billions of pounds of potential and avoidable damage if they continue to ignore the extreme weather events, higher temperatures and rainfall expected in the next 50 years.

Urgent action required to prevent extinction of wild Atlantic salmon

The unique species, which is known for crossing the ocean to return to the exact location of its birth, has disappeared completely from at least 309 river systems, says a new study by conservation organisation, WWF.

Baltic ecology is recovering, but more work on pollution reduction is needed

Improved water quality in the Baltic Sea means that seal populations have recovered to such an extent that they may face a limited cull next year in order to protect fisheries, but further pollution cuts still need to be achieved in order to protect the ecology of the sea, according to experts on Baltic Sea conservation.

European Commission launches public consultation on the future of soils

The political profile of soil conservation within the European Union needs to be raised so that it achieves as much attention as that devoted so air and water, says the European Commission’s Environment Directorate.

Impurities can move through ice cores, skewing climate research findings

Impurities trapped in ancient glacial or polar ice and used by researchers to draw up a picture of past climates can actually migrate considerable distances, providing false data.

Mountain glaciers around the world are shrinking

Mountain glaciers, which are more sensitive to changes in climate than polar ice, have been found to have been receding over the past decade, following research by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Peru increases rainforest protections, while Ecuador is to allow an oil pipeline through its Amazon forests

Peru has announced the creation of a huge new national park, while the nation’s smaller neighbour is under fire from environmentalists and indigenous people for allowing the construction of an oil pipeline traversing the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Despite booming industry, China has increased energy conservation

In spite of spectacular economic growth, China has cut its energy consumption per unit of GDP in half since 1980, through a series of energy conservation measures.

Location, location, location . . .

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) combine layers of spatial information about a location, allowing the user to visualise, manipulate and analyse data from many sources. John Bearder, HSE Consultancy, Shell Global Solutions (UK), describes why this makes them ideal tools to facilitate environmental risk management at manufacturing facilities.

Circular economy

All monitors are not created equal

The forthcoming Europen Standard on the Quality Assurance of Automated Monitoring Systems will have a significant impact on the monitoring of certain industrial emission sources in the UK. Beverly La Ferla reports.

Circular economy

Day: 1 June 2001