Pages tagged with “environment”

• The Goldman Environmental Prize

  In April 2013, the winners of the Goldman Prize for Environmental Excellence were announced. Awards were granted to six activists from around the world doing amazing work to protect their environment and the people that depend on it. Winners included: Jonathan Deal from South Africa, who led a successful campaign against fracking in South Africa to protect the Karoo, a…

• Earth Day

  Today is the 43rd annual Earth Day. Across the globe, over 1 billion people in 192 countries will be participating. Last year some of the efforts included: • In Iraq 5 million trees were planted • In Sultanate, Oman every school (7000+) was called upon to take part in environmental actions • In Madhya Pradesh, India free energy efficient solar…

• Amphibian Survival Alliance

  ASA is a network of organisations with the common goal of addressing the global amphibian crisis, and is the first organisation tasked with saving a whole branch of the tree of life.

• EDGE Fellows

  Since 2007 EDGE has provided small grants, training and technical advice to 17 future conservation leaders in 14 countries. Each Fellow has undertaken a two-year applied research or conservation project…

• Climate Change

  Increased atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are predicted to cause abrupt and unpredictable shifts in the global climate.

• Exotic Species

  The introduction - intentional or otherwise – of exotic species into freshwater ecosystems can result in localized species extinctions, altering the make-up of the ecosystem and in turn affecting other species.

• Freshwater

  Although they cover less than one per cent of the world’s surface, freshwater ecosystems are proportionately richer in biodiversity and more threatened than either terrestrial or marine habitats, harbouring approximately 40% of all fish species. Despite this, freshwater biodiversity receives significantly less conservation attention than most other ecosystems. In addition to the 126,000 identified species that directly depend on freshwater,…

• SCALE

  Many of the threats facing wildlife and natural ecosystems are simply too large and entrenched to be tackled by any one organisation. Powerful vested interests often stand in the way of environmental progress, and conservation groups are unable to compete directly in terms of resources and influence. The response of conservationists can be described as tactical rather than strategic –…

• Habitat Loss

  Coastal habitats – including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves – are home to 90% of known marine wildlife. They also provide us with the majority of fish catches and play vital roles as buffers against storms and sea level rise, and as stores of carbon.

• Pollution

  There are a great number of substances polluting freshwater systems, many of which come from industrial practices, methods of sanitation and waste management, direct use of water for transportation and sedimentation due to logging.

• EDGE Species

  The EDGE of Existence programme was developed in 2007 by scientists at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) to highlight species that are Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered.

• Global Witness: Critical intervention to tackle Industrial Forest Use

  Global Witness seeks to change the mindset, policies and practices of actors involved in industrial forest use to permanently accept that natural forests must be excluded from their activities, and to achieve the reallocation of financial and policy support to sustainable locally-controlled forestry.

• Species

  ‘If the biota, in the course of aeons, has built something we like but do not understand, then who but a fool would discard seemingly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering’. Aldo Leopold, Round River, 1953 A large proportion of research and financial support for conservation is directed towards ‘charismatic’ species.…

• Oceans

  ‘We have underestimated the overall risk [to the oceans] … the whole of marine degradation is greater than the sum of its parts, and that degradation is now happening at a faster rate than predicted’. IPSO, 2011 Oceans make up over 70% of our planet. They provide many millions of people with food and livelihoods, buffer coastal communities against storms…

• Pollution

  Although they make up over 70% of the planet’s surface, there is no part of the oceans that is untouched by humans in some form. One of the most visible effects of this anthropogenic domination is pollution. This can take many forms; for example, agricultural fertilisers travel down rivers and spill out into estuaries, along with sediment and chemical waste.…