Day: 14 January 2000

Millennium Dome managers defend the site’s ‘green’ credentials

A newspaper report criticising Millennium Dome managers for buying 'green' electricity from an unaccredited company and suggestions that the site's steel urinals are being corroded by a faulty water recycling scheme have been denied.

Resolution of temperature problem proves global warming a reality

The resolution of a debate over differences in surface and atmospheric temperature data has led US scientists to conclude that warming of the Earth's surface is "undoubtedly real," and that surface temperatures in the past two decades have risen at a rate substantially greater than average for the past 100 years.

Ireland says risk from illegal dumping of UK radioactive waste is low

A report published by the Irish Government concludes that the illegal dumping of industrial and laboratory radioactive waste by the UK into the Irish Sea between the 1950s and 1976 presents a very low health risk.

DaimlerCrysler quits anti-climate change group in favour of investment in clean technology

DaimlerCrysler has ended its membership with the Global Climate Coalition (GCC), a US-based lobby group that opposes legal efforts to slow down climate change. DaimlerCrysler's decision was the result of post-merger talks between the company's German and US environmental departments.

BELGIUM: Plan to ban night flights is quashed

A surprise plan to ban night flights at Brussel's Zaventem airport has been jettisoned. Belgium's Prime Minister has removed decision-making power for the plan from the Transport Minister.

Portuguese EU Presidency given environmental wish list

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) has produced a top-ten list of urgent environmental action that it hopes will be undertaken by the Portuguese EU Presidency.

Streambed insects as watershed health indicator

Seattle Public Utilities is monitoring the health of Cedar River Watershed by collecting and examining streambed insects.

US chemical and agribusiness giants team up to produce renewable plastics

A joint venture between two giant US corporations is to begin large scale production of what is claimed to be the first family of polymers derived entirely from plant material that can compete with traditional plastics on a cost and performance basis.

US Government will seek $50 million for Great Lakes restoration

Vice President Al Gore has announced that he would allocate $50 million for the improvement of water quality in the Great Lakes in the US Government's 2001 budget.

European Food Authority may be on its way

The European Commission (EC) has published its views on the future of food safety within the EU. Its primary proposal is the establishment of a European Food Authority.

PCBs in Upper Hudson River may affect human health and wildlife downstream for decades

Environmental lobby accuses EU Social Democrats of working against End-of-Life Vehicles Directive

The largest coalition of European environmental groups has pinpointed Social Democrat and Christian Democrat MEPs as working against efforts to make car manufacturers responsible for recovering and recycling old cars.