Day: 22 January 1999

DETR publishes greenhouse gas reduction report

The UK's Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has published a report containing up-to-date information on current and likely future emissions of three greenhouse gases

SOUTH AFRICA celebrates 3 million new water recipients since 1994

South Africa celebrated the 3 millionth recipient of water since 1994, on Saturday 16 January. The 3 millionth target is being met with the Kwandebele Moutse Moretele Water Augmentation Project, launched on Saturday. The occasion will also mark the inauguration of the Ikangala Water Board.

CAMBODIA: environmentalists demand further tests on dumped hazwaste

Following the dumping of 3,000 tonnes of Taiwanese hazardous wastes in Cambodia, the international environmental organisations Greenpeace and the Basel Action Network (BAN) called for a full battery of tests to take place on both the wastes and on those villagers who were exposed to them. They also called on the Cambodian government to immediately ban the import of hazardous wastes and ratify the Basel Convention.

HONG KONG: High Court slams Ciba-Geigy over pesticide

Hong Kong's High Court has found Ciba-Geigy (Hong Kong) Ltd (now Novartis) "failed in all respects" by not meeting its responsibilities to ensure proper labelling, dissemination, instruction and overall stewardship of a pesticide it originally manufactured and now imports.

WORLD BANK: Virtual consultation on energy/environment strategy

The World Bank Group has posted its "Fuel for Thought: A New Environmental Strategy for the Energy Sector" on the group's climate change website, for a virtual public consultation, ending 1 February 1999.

1.4 billion will suffer water scarcity in the next 25 years

An estimated 1.4 billion people - a quarter of the world's population - will experience severe water scarcity within the first quarter of the next century, according to the International Water Management Institute.

WORLD: New century brings new environmental challenge

The bright promise of a new century is clouded by unprecedented threats to the stability of the natural world, according to a special millennial edition of the State of the World report, released by the Worldwatch Institute.

Russia: economic crisis good for the environment

Environmental conditions in Russia have improved in recent months, as industrial production has fallen due to the economic crisis. Preliminary figures for 1998 show falls of several percent in air, water and other pollution - but the country still has huge environmental problems that receive little attention or investment.

Ireland presses UK to reduce Sellafield emissions

The Environment Agency for England and Wales' proposals to reduce emissions from the Sellafield nuclear re-procession plant fail to live up to commitments made by the UK at last year's OSPAR meeting in Portugal, said Joe Jacob, T.D., Irish Minister with responsibility for Nuclear Safety, at the first meeting of OSPAR Working Group on radioactive substances at Dublin Castle this week.