News

Here is a selection of outside news that we think may be of interest to our readers. If you have a newsfeed you think would be relevant for this page please let us know. Don't forget we have our own news in the forum which is available as a newsfeed and is open for use by all members of the underwater community.

With just over two weeks to go before the people of the planet switch off for Earth Hour, the number of countries and regions participating in the global event has surpassed last year's record.

People in cities and towns across Australia will join those in 91 other countries and regions around the world for Earth Hour, with Honduras the latest nation to have official Earth Hour recognition. Last year 88 countries got involved in the lights out event.

With confirmation that the Tokyo Tower in Tokyo and Brandenburg Gate in Berlin will both turn off their lights for Earth Hour, all members of the G20 are now taking part in the event.

Countries and regions involved for the first time include Madagascar, Kosovo, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Paraguay, Ecuador and the US Commonwealth of the Northern Marina Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

WWF is thrilled that more people, businesses and organisations around the world are recognising the need and taking a lead on the issue of climate change.

Greg Bourne,CEO, WWF-Australia said, "Earth Hour demonstrates the determination of the world's citizens and brings together cities, communities, businesses and individuals in taking positive action on climate change."

WWF has confirmed that there are currently over 1,100 cities and towns signed up to switch their lights off at 8.30pm on 27 March - 100 more than at the same time last year.

"Typically we see a big jump in the number of cities and towns taking part in the last few days before the lights go out, but to see such strong support already is fantastic," said Bourne.

"Earth Hour is an opportunity for people around the world to speak in one voice on the issue of climate change, while at the same time coming together in celebration of the one thing every single person on the planet has in common - the planet," he said.

Earth Hour activities officially recognised in the following countries and regions for the first time:

Brunei; Cambodia; Czech Republic; Kosovo; Madagascar; Mauritius; Mongolia; Mozambique; Nepal; Northern Mariana Islands; Oman; Panama; Paraguay; Tanzania; Saudi Arabia; Qatar; Faroe Islands.

Note

B-roll and Earth Hour still images can be found at www.earthhour.panda.org

More information

Jonathon Larkin, Media Officer, WWF-Australia 0410 221 410, jlarkin@wwf.org.au

Rachael Hoy National Media Manager, WWF-Australia 0407 204 594, rhoy@wwf.org.au

For Earth Hour information and to measure your environmental footprint, visit www.earthhour.org.au

The NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water is a Living Planet sponsor of Earth Hour 2010. Visit www.environment.nsw.gov.au for more information.

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UWS to dig deep into Earth Hour

WWF-Australia today announced a research partnership with University of Western Sydney (UWS) that aims to discover the secrets of Earth Hour's success and monitor the campaign's effects on people's long-term behaviour.

This is the first time in Earth Hour's four year history that, annual polling aside, an official research partnership will determine the ongoing impact of the global event.

The research will be conducted over the next 12 months and will focus on understanding the motivations of households participating in Earth Hour and the effects the campaign has on individual's day-to-day behaviour such as changes in energy and water use.

"In line with the campaign's Earth Hour, Every Hour mantra, we've always wanted Earth Hour to be a springboard for long-term change," said WWF-Australia CEO Greg Bourne.

"What we want to find out in detail is whether the event inspires people to adopt more sustainable practices. Not just for one hour but for the whole year, helping to shape the delivery of Earth Hour into the future."

UWS is nationally recognised for its expertise in researching business, community and individual responses to sustainability messages and projects, including those relating to climate change, energy and water use.

In a recently completed preliminary study, Dr Abby Lopes from the UWS School of Communication Arts and Dr Tara Andrews from the UWS School of Engineering found Earth Hour, as an awareness raising strategy, plays a role in behavioural change.

"Earth Hour highlights the crucial links between everyday individual human behaviour and environmental impacts," said Dr Lopes.

"Unlike curb-side recycling and water conservation, energy consumption is largely private and invisible. Earth Hour has successfully brought an awareness of the environmental impact of energy consumption into the home."

However, Drs Lopes and Andrews found in their review of previous academic studies there remains a significant gap between the will of people to reduce their energy consumption and their ability to do so.

"People still don't understand energy consumption very well. They aren't fully aware of the amount of energy appliances consume during standby or the energy required to make the products and deliver the services they use," said Dr Lopes.

"More research is needed to fully explore how Earth Hour can help bridge the gap in the community's knowledge and foster sustainable behaviour in the long term."

To encourage long term changes in people's habits, WWF is urging everyone who participates in Earth Hour 2010 to measure their environmental footprint at www.earthhour.org.au - giving them an understanding of their true impact on the planet.

"Your impact is bigger than just your energy bill," said Mr Bourne.

"Unfortunately the average Australian has an enormous environmental footprint.

"We want people to make a resolution to do something this year to reduce the size of their footprint. This could be as simple as using more public transport, sourcing locally produced food, reducing the amount of packaging and waste in your homes, or switching to renewable energy.

"Earth Hour's true power is in the millions of little things it encourages everyone to do."

More information

Jonathon Larkin,
Media Officer, WWF-Australia
0410 221 410, jlarkin@wwf.org.au

Paul Grocott,
Senior Media Officer, University of Western Sydney
0406-429-304, p.grocott@uws.edu.au

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Split in renewable energy target a plus for investment

WWF today welcomed the Australian Government's proposal to split the Renewable Energy Target (RET) into two parts - the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) and the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target.

It is hoped the division will encourage investment in large scale base-load technologies, like solar thermal, geothermal and wave energy.

"The two schemes are a good starting point, however we would like to see the RET amended so that it encourages simultaneous development of all emerging large-scale zero emission technologies," said Nicole Ikenberg, WWF's Climate Change Policy Manager.

"It is vital the Government finds a way to level the playing field so that investment in renewable energy technologies can be spread evenly across the sector."

Research commissioned for WWF consistently shows that developing all low emissions electricity - generation technologies simultaneously is essential to transform the economy quickly enough to avoid runaway climate change.

Indications the scheme could allow the renewable energy target to be exceeded were also welcomed by WWF. Achieving a renewable energy target of greater than 20 per cent by 2020 would put Australia in a strong position to continue to increase renewable energy generation out to 2030.

"We would like to see this target increased to 40 per cent by 2030," said Ms Ikenberg.

"If we genuinely intend to transform our economy in a way that addresses the threat of climate change we have no choice but to increase our ambition. A 40 per cent target by 2030 is realistic, practical and affordable."

More information

Nicole Ikenberg, Climate Change Policy Manager, WWF, 0400 324 107

Alvin Stone, WWF Media Officer, (02) 8202 1529, astone@wwf.org.au

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Australian Government provides whale cut through

WWF today praised the announcement from Environment Minister Peter Garrett that Australia will push the IWC to end whaling in the Southern Ocean and advance the cause of whale conservation worldwide.

Rob Nicoll, Antarctic and Southern Ocean Initiative Manager with WWF-Australia said:

"Australia has produced an excellent proposal that cuts through the doublespeak of the IWC proposal put forward earlier this week.

"WWF supports the government's position. Their proposal recognises that the status of whale populations is significantly depleted. If accepted it will uphold the current moratorium and ensure that existing internationally recognised sanctuaries are indeed sanctuaries where no whales will be killed."

WWF expressed grave concern earlier in the week that a proposal from the Small Working Group (SWG) within the IWC would allow for whaling to continue in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary, and the setting of arbitrary quotas that led to the current decimation of whale populations.

More information

Rob Nicoll, Antarctic and Southern Ocean Initiative Manage, 0438 938 764

Jonathon Larkin, WWF Media Officer, 0410 221 410, jlarkin@wwf.org.au

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New whaling compromise is step backwards for whales: WWF

A new draft compromise on whaling released by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) today set a dangerous precedent that the international community must reject, WWF said.

A working group within the IWC has unveiled a new compromise aimed at unlocking the stalled negotiation process between countries fundamentally opposed to whaling and states that support it.

While the compromise contains many positive elements for whale conservation that would help bring the IWC into the 21st Century, the compromise could legitimise 'scientific' whaling by Japan in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

"If there is one single place in the world where whales should be fully protected, it is the Southern Ocean," said Rob Nicoll, WWF-Australia's Antarctic and Southern Ocean Initiative Manager.

"What we need is to eliminate all whaling in the Southern Ocean, including Japanese commercial whaling thinly disguised as 'scientific research'. But what we have now is a deal which could make it even easier for Japan to continue taking whales in this ecologically unique place."

The IWC has maintained a ban on all commercial whaling since 1986. But, defying this ban, Japan, Norway and Iceland use loopholes in the IWC's founding treaty to kill more than 1,500 whales a year. The loopholes allow whaling under 'objection' to management decisions (Norway and Iceland) and "scientific" whaling for research purposes (Japan).

The IWC also provides special protection to a critical whale feeding area, the outhern Ocean surrounding the continent of Antarctica, which the IWC established as a 50 million square kilometre whale sanctuary in 1994. This extra layer of protection signifies the importance of this area as the primary feeding habitat of many of the Southern Hemisphereâ€™s whale populations.

Additionally, the proposal sets a process in motion that could endorse quotas which haven't yet had a full and proper scientific review. "It is difficult to see how determining quotas through politics rather than science can be considered progress," added Nicoll.

The positive aspects of the compromise include increased efforts to secure the recovery of depleted whale populations, action on critical conservation threats facing whales such as such as bycatch and climate change, and improved overnance and compliance. However, any compromise that might open the door to whaling in the Southern Ocean could not be accepted by WWF.

The new compromise that will be discussed by a group of IWC countries at a meeting in March, is intended to be adopted by the IWC at its next full meeting in June this year.

More information

Rob Nicoll, Antartica and Southern Ocean Initiative Manager
Phone: 0438 938 764
Email: rnicoll@wwf.org.au

Jonathon Larkin, WWF Media Officer
Phone: 0410 221 410
Email: jlarkin@wwf.org.au

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Earth Hour to show landmark action on climate change

At 8.30pm on Saturday, March 27 nearly 100 iconic landmarks in 1,000 cities and towns around the world will switch off their lights for Earth Hour 2010, joining hundreds of millions of people showing their commitment to the environment.

Earth Hour will reach new heights this year, with the world's three tallest buildings - the new Burj Khalifa in Dubai, CN Tower in Toronto and Taipei 101 in Taiwan - going dark for the global event.

Melbourne's Luna Park, Rialto Tower, Arts Centre and Crown Casino; Brisbane's Story Bridge; Adelaide's Town Hall and Rundle Mall Lantern; The National Library and Australian War Memorial in Canberra and the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Tower, Harbour Bridge and Luna Park will join this growing list.

World-famous sites across the US, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Empire State Building, Mount Rushmore and even the lights of Las Vegas, will switch off in a decisive display of climate action from one of the most significant nations on the climate landscape.

Some of the worldâ€™s great metropolises will 'flick the switch' on their signature landmarks, marking their dedication to sustainable development and joining their citizens in adopting low-carbon practices.

Hiroshima will become the first Japanese city to show its commitment to global climate action when the lights go out on its iconic Peace Memorial. In London, lights will dim on the world-famous London Eye as the Coca-Cola sign in Piccadilly Circus switches off.

The actions shown by cities of the world and their inhabitants are crucial to leading a low-carbon resolution to climate change, says Earth Hour Co-Founder and Executive Director, Andy Ridley.

"The C40 suggests that cities are responsible for up to 75% of the worldâ€™s carbon emissions, so their role in addressing what is unequivocally the greatest threat to the planet today is absolutely vital," Andy said.

"By turning the lights off for Earth Hour, cities are reflecting the aspirations of their citizens as a community that has resolved to take action on global warming," he said.

As Earth Hour has grown from a one-city initiative in 2007 to a global phenomenon in 2009, renowned icons, including the Great Pyramids, Eiffel Tower, the Coliseum, Christ the Redeemer statue, Buckingham Palace, Beijing's Olympic Stadium and many more world-famous landmarks have joined the global community in showing leadership on a resolution to climate change.

The recently released Earth Hour 2010 video, viewed at www.earthhour.org.au, provides a powerful and inspiring montage of the world's most recognised landmarks contributing to the greatest display of civil action the world has ever witnessed.

More information

Kirsten Hodgon, Communications Director, Earth Hour Global Tel: +61 (0) 424 507 095 E: khodgon@wwf.org.au

Note

Images of landmarks switching off for Earth Hour 2009 can be found at the Earth Hour Media Centre on www.earthhour.org.au.

The C40 Climate Leadership Group is a group of the worldâ€™s largest cities committed to tackling climate change. They state on their website that cities are responsible for up to 75% of the worldâ€™s greenhouse gas emmissions: http://www.c40cities.org/climatechange.jsp.

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National Parks must not lose out again in Queensland Budget

The Queensland Government must begin to fund the purchase and management of new nature reserves this year, or it will be unable to deliver on a key pledge to expand Queenslandâ€™s national parks to help save our threatened wildlife, WWF-Australia said today.

Premier Anna Bligh promised on National Parks Day in March 2008 to expand the stateâ€™s national parks to 12.9 million ha and other protected areas to 7.1 million ha - for a total target of 20 million ha by 2020, a promise warmly welcomed by conservation groups.

But analysis by WWF-Australia shows the government is falling short of its target.

Analysis of government records shows national parks grew from 7.54 million ha to only 8.06 million ha from June 2007 to January 2010 - half a million ha below the trajectory need to reach the Premier's 2020 target.

The growth of other Nature Conservation Act protected areas in Queensland was even more sluggish, growing from 1.29 million ha to 1.5 million ha over the same period, leaving a gap of 900,000 ha below the promised trajectory.

"At present rates of growth the government won't be able to reach its 2020 target for new national parks until 2032, 12 years over deadline, and its nature refuge promise wonâ€™t be fulfilled till 2063, 43 years late," said WWF-Australia Protected Areas Policy Manager Martin Taylor.

"The existing funding model for new national parks is not delivering on the Premier's ambitious target and an adequate capital budget must be set aside during the current Budget process to ensure the 2020 target committed to by Premier Bligh is guaranteed.

"The newly-established Ecofund is not capable of financing new parks, and may never be sufficient - capital must be injected via the established budgetary process," Dr Taylor said.

The lack of a parks' capital budget also meant the state missed out as much as $12 million in Commonwealth's $2 -for-$1 National Reserve System grants to buy new national parks in 2008/09.

"With the posting of a 48 per cent rise in exports from Queensland in 2008/09, the budget situation has improved and Treasury really should be able to budget the $12 million a year indicated as needed by the Premier in 2008, as well as a matching boost in the parks' management budget.

"Funding the parks promise will have tremendous benefits not just for saving our wildlife like the highly endangered northern wombat, but also boosting our regional economies.

"Visitors to our national parks pump more than $4 billion in spending into the state economy every year, not to mention the expanding ranger and tourism opportunities for Indigenous communities," Dr Taylor said.

For more information: Martin Taylor, Protected Areas Policy Manager, WWF-Australia: 0406 384 289; Charlie Stevens, WWF Queensland Media Office: 0424 649 689.

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Australia's pesticide regulator failing to safeguard against dangerous chemicals

Australia's farm chemical regulator has been unresponsive to health and environmental risks and should not be given extended powers without far greater safeguards and budgets.

WWF has lodged a submission to the review of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), which is responsible for assessing the safety of pesticides and developing label conditions for their use.

The review will determine whether the APVMA should be given additional powers to monitor and enforce those label conditions, which are currently the responsibility of state governments.

"The APVMA claims its review process is effective yet at least eight chemicals have been under review for more than 13 years," said WWF Australia's spokesperson Juliette King.

"Given these pesticides are on sale while under review, 13 years is too long to ascertain their safety," Ms King said. Endosulfan has been banned in over 60 countries but remains approved for use in Australia.

The toxic pesticide diuron has been under review since 2002. Despite interim findings of unacceptable risks to seagrass and dugongs in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, it remains available for sale.

Another toxic pesticide, atrazine, has been banned in Europe since 2007 but is still widely available in Australia. Atrazine is part of a cocktail of chemicals that has been detected up to 60 kilometres within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

"The lack of action to deregister these dangerous chemicals suggests the APVMA gives the benefit of any doubt to the pesticide industry rather than to Australians and their environment," Ms King said.

"Currently only about one per cent of pesticide revenues is spent ensuring they are safe. We do not support giving the APVMA more responsibilities unless there are far safer operations and bigger budgets recovered from the pesticide industry.

"The fact that we are still using these chemicals in Australia is not the fault of farming communities but of the regulatory body, which needs to catch up with the rest of the world. Many farmers want to do the right thing but they need better choices. Unfortunately, highly toxic chemicals are still on the shelves.

"We need a cost recovery system that is commensurate with risk - where the registration, assessment, monitoring, evaluation of chemicals, and their cost recovery, encourages innovative lower risk products and deters the continued sale of dangerous chemicals."

For more information: Charlie Stevens, WWF Queensland Media Office, 0424 649 689.

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Statement on February 11 opinion piece by Alan Oxley in The Australian

Alan Oxley's February 11 attack on WWF in The Australian was selective and aimed to discredit the organisation's solid conservation work. It is not the first attack on WWF by Mr Oxley and it is unlikely to be the last.

WWF has a strong record in Asiaâ€“Pacific, Africa and Latin America of finding environmental middle ground solutions that ease poverty while preserving the environment. Our stance on deforestation is that we should not cut down more forest landscapes because there is a lot of unused land that has already been cleared - ideal for plantations and for generating income for local, often impoverished communities.

Internationally, we work with business and other organisations to get the best outcome for all involved.

Our environmental work takes into consideration the status of local people and how they can be empowered to live off the land sustainably without destroying the environment. Sadly there are too many cases where local prosperity has suffered because of environmental degradation. Finding the balance is key.

WWF is continuously refining its policy to achieve the best sustainable deal for people and the environment and we have no doubt that it is a discussion we will continue to have long into the future.

We pride ourselves at WWF in being a science-based conservation organisation. We have 50 years of global field work behind us, strong links to science and a proven track record of research, policy development and responsible advocacy. Core to our mission is giving voice to threats to biodiversity and the world's natural systems that are brought to light by science.

Without such advocacy, science that is vital to the long-term prosperity of our landscapes, species and economies, but perhaps counter to our short-term business and material interests, would remain unheard.

In the process of developing science-based policy, we welcome new research and valid criticism.

We will have better science and better policy as a result. However we will not back down because our science-based work differs from the personal beliefs or self interests of others.

Greg Bourne,

CEO, WWF-Australia.

Media Inquires: Rachael Hoy, WWF-Australia. Ph: 8202 1242. Mbl: 0407 204 594. Email: rhoy@wwf.org.au
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Coalition climate policy too risky: WWF

WWF today welcomed Mr Abbott's decision to begin addressing climate change, but said the Coalition proposal represented a risk both the planet and economy can no longer bear.

"The Coalition's proposal does not go far enough, and is extremely risky - with no hope of transforming Australia into a competitive, low carbon economy"â€ said WWF-Australia CEO Greg Bourne.

"It would allow big business to keep increasing their pollution for as long as they like. 'Business as usual' means there is no need for the dirtiest of industries to do anything at all.

"Australia is already feeling the harsh effects of climate change. The Bureau of Meteorology declared last decade the hottest on record, bushfire seasons have become longer and more dangerous, and sea levels have risen more than 5 centimeters over the past 15 years.

"The overwhelming scientific evidence is clear that climate change is happening, is human induced and will have devastating effects on species, ecosystems, human health and our economy. We can't keep delaying real action."

WWF agrees that rapid deployment of clean energy, energy efficiency and biosequestration is essential, but at the centre of any climate policy must be a law to reduce carbon pollution. The Howard and Rudd governments, and most eminent economists, believe that an emissions trading scheme is the least cost way to achieve this.

"The Government's ETS is currently too generous to polluters, but it is ready to be implemented now, it is largely self-funding and it provides a price signal that can transform the whole economy and over the long-term," said Mr Bourne.

WWF is deeply concerned that a policy proposal allowing business to continue polluting at current levels will not be able to guarantee the urgent reductions Australia needs to begin making in order to tackle climate change.

"The Coalition may talk about a 'Great Big New Tax on Everything', but their alternative is a â€˜Great Big New Way to Avoid Action'. If they were serious about tackling climate change they would support the Government's ETS and pursue additional measures to support emerging clean technology, biosequestration and energy efficiency.

"WWF urges politicians to put aside party politics and point scoring, and the vested interests of polluters and climate deniers, and act for the future of our environment and our economy."

More information

Jonathon Larkin, WWF Media Officer, 0410 221 410, jlarkin@wwf.org.au

Kellie Caught, WWF Climate Change Policy Manager, kcaught@wwf.org.au, 0406 383 277.

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