A study of the world’s power stations has shown the extent to which developed countries produce more carbon dioxide per head than emerging economies. Australians were found to be the world’s worst polluters per capita, producing five times as much carbon from generating power as China.
Pollution
Soldiers Deployed to Black Sea Oil Spill
As hundreds of Russian soldiers have been deployed to clean up a 2,000-tonne oil spill in the weather has deteriorated, in the worse storms to hit the region in thirty years. Officials are now warning of “an environmental catastrophe” as high winds and heavy rain continued to lash Russia’s southern coastline. Thousands of tonnes of … Read More
Environmental Disaster as Russian Tanker Sinks
As the political wranglings continue about the oil spill in San Francisco bay, a greater ecological catastrophe is unfolding between Russia and Ukraine. A tanker carrying 4,000 tonnes of oil broke up yesterday in heavy seas off the Crimean peninsula, splitting in half. One senior official has called it an “environmental disaster”.
Exxon Can Contest Valdez Fine
And so it continues. Much to the dismay of thousands of Alaskans, Exxon Mobil has won the right to appeal against a $2.5bn damages bill relating to the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The US Supreme Court said it would hear the appeal against record damages due to victims of the Valdez oil spill. The case … Read More
The “Dark Side” of Oil Sands
People concerned about the environmental and social downside of the tar sands boom, should read the Guardian today, with a long feature on the “dark side” of the frontier town of Fort McMurray, which is an oil sands boom town – going from a “a small town becoming a major city, and a major economic … Read More
China: Pollution Causes Surge in Deformed Babies
China has acknowledged an alarming rise in birth defects, amid concern that heavy pollution is damaging the country’s children. Babies born with conditions such as cleft palates and extra fingers and toes now account for up to 6 per cent of births each year, according to statistics published yesterday.
BP Pays $373m in Fines And Accepts Blame
BP yesterday accepted blame for failures to protect employees, the environment and consumers as it agreed to hand over a total of $373m to settle a string of criminal investigations into its conduct across America. In an effort to put lapses under the leadership of Lord Browne behind it, BP struck a broad deal with … Read More
Exxon Valdez: Exxon Appeals Again
And so it goes on….Exxon is making a final appeal for a review of a court decision ordering it to pay $2.5 billion in punitive damages for the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. Exxon has been belligerently battling the judgement for over a decade. The company has managed to get the award cut in … Read More
Lebanese Beaches “Still Very Toxic” After Oil Spill
The Lebanese coastline remains heavily polluted from last year’s Jiyyeh oil spill and cleaning efforts have not achieved the desired result, according to local NGOs. Their conclusions contrast sharply with reports by other NGOs and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) claiming beaches were safe and the bulk of the spill had been contained.
Nigeria: Oil Companies Must Pay for Pollution
Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has warned that oil companies operating in Nigeria must be made to pay heavy fines for oil spills caused by them. Taking a much stronger line than any of his predecessors, the President said that regulatory authorities must ensure that stiff penalties are imposed on companies that default in cleaning … Read More