This is part of a trial series
Greenpeace raises awareness of new nuclear plant plans
In Middelburg, Zeeland, the Netherlands, Greenpeace activists display an anti -nuclear banner at the city hall. The banner recreates cheerful people, smoking chimneys and a shining nuclear plant with text on the banner reading: "Greetings from glowing Zeeland". Beside the city hall a car is parked with a sound installation of waves breaking on the seashore. Greenpeace wants to raise awareness to the citizens of Zeeland at the choice they can make when they can vote either for or against a second nuclear plant in the province.
Japan will push for resumption of commercial whaling at the International Whaling Commission meeting
AFP reports that the main players in the feud over whaling will be gathering today to decide weather a compromise can be met during the International Whaling Commission meeting held in Florida.
There have been clear tensions on the topic between Japan and Australia. Japanese Fisheries Minister has confirmed that Japan will push for resumption of commercial whaling. "This would take us right back to the 20th century of commercial whaling," said Phil Kline, oceans campaigner at Greenpeace USA. "And after a 10-year period of doing this, there is absolutely nothing beyond that, so it just opens up the floodgates again," Kline said.
The Food Issue
In Mexico, La Joranda and El Universal reports about the Greenpeace action against GE maize in the city Guadalajara, citing Aleira Lara, Agriculture and GE Campaign Coordinator that explained that the genetic diversity needs to be maintained. Also Greenpeace said that the use of GE crops will not solve the hunger problems of developing countries and that introduction of these crops have continuously caused more problems than solutions.
Greenpeace activists unfurl saying "Now, we fight for our maize" by the monument to the "Niños Heroes" (patriotic heroes) in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. The action took place during Food and Agriculture Organizations International Technical Conference on Agricultural Biotechnologies in Developing Countries, sponsored by, among others, international biotechnology corporations who promote the production of transgenic seeds.
Australia chose to ban imports of Monsanto's GE maize MON 863, that produces a toxin against the cornborer, an insect that can cause damage in maize. Tests carried out on rats fed with MON 863 maize revealed they suffered liver and kidney damage. In 2005, we passed evidence of these tests to a team of experts headed by Professor Gilles Eric Séralini, a French governmental advisor on GE, for independent evaluation. The study found “it cannot be concluded that GE corn MON863 is a safe product”. So if no one wants to eat the maize it would make sense for Mexico to reject the GE maize idea as it will harm the eco-system and be of little economic benefit.
Find out more and take action against GE here.
The Boston Globe reports on discovery in Chinese markets of tons of beans treated with a highly toxic pesticide has prompted an indignant response from an official responsible for the safety of the produce, despite a public outcry over recent food safety scandals.
Authorities in the central city of Wuhan recently announced it had destroyed 3.5 tons of "yard-long" beans from Sanya that had been treated with isocarbophos, a pesticide that is banned from use on fruits and vegetables. Several southern provinces have since reported finding the tainted beans in their markets, although no one has been reported sickened. Sun Shubao, secretary-general of the China Crop Protection Industry Association said that there is insufficient supervision of pesticides that can be sold to farmers, the "bad" pesticides are cheap being the reason for why farmers choose it.
Indonesian forests
Australia is to spend $30 million to protect forests on the Indonesian island of Sumatra to tackle climate change. The money should be used to provide incentives for local residents to preserve the forests.
Reuters reports Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has signed a decree to allow projects including mining, power plants, transport and renewable energy deemed strategically important to take place in protected forests. The development projects will most likely affect the already endangered forests.
Environmental world news
In Australia, Victorian Premier John Brumby says controversial aluminium producer Alcoa's smelters will continue to operate for another 20 years to secures jobs for Victorians. Environment groups have condemned the agreement, saying that in a time of climate change it is insane to power aluminum smelters with brown coal.
If Alcoa really wanted to create jobs it would be buying windpower from new projects said Mark Wakeham, Environment Victoria campaigns director. Greenpeace said the deal was risky business as any carbon tax would make it the most expensive fossil fuel. "Its workers should be suspicious of a deal that looks as economically viable as selling sand in a desert," Greenpeace climate campaigner Julien Vincent said.
According to Le Monde, Apple is undergoing an internal audit investigation on weather they have employed subcontractors that use unreasonably young labourers, give minimum wages and overtime. A report notes that 40 percent of the equipment and security are inadequate and about 15 percent of subcontractors and employees are exposed to dangerous chemicals.
(Picture Credit: © Philip Reynaers / Greenpeace, 03/02/2010, Zeeland, Netherlands) (Picture Credit: © Agustin Martinez / Greenpeace, 02/28/2010, Guadalajara, Mexico)