Sustainability // Current

Overfishing threatens European bluefin tuna

"Bluefin tuna disappeared from Danish waters in the 1960s. Now the species could become depleted throughout the northeast... more

jefftego
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Trash on Osu

The trash problem in osu klottey comunity, Accra, Ghana. A small example from a global problem. Thinking globally,... more

rakideo
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Montreal is finally walking the green talk!

Montreal's eco-bike system BIXI made it in the top 50 Best inventions 2008 by Time Magazine!

alternativechanneltv
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How many windmills does it take to stop a coal power plant?

More than 80 activists occupied the site of E.ON's proposed coal fired power-plant in Antwerp Harbour – setting up over... more

MeganMcKenzie
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Green skyscrapers:exclusive interview with Jeff Brodsky of Related Companies

Will the crushing economy derail the big Green development plans for our cities and towns? As cities continue to grow, large... more

Greenpointer
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USA allows direct to consumer drug ads: banned in other countries

The outrageous penetration of drug ads into "Health" magazines by Dr. Mercola founder of www.mercola.com

CarolynGillis
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Neil Young:"Let's Impeach the President for Lying" over video of 4,000 marchers on Bush Estate

Neil Young's song "Let's Impeach the President for Lying" should be our chant until the Iraq Occupation stops... more

CarolynGillis
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Bush: making political satirists obsolete since 2000

Storyboard for new film: This man is obviously mentally ill and a special case so his punishment should be that he goes through... more

CarolynGillis
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Sustainable Food Online

People have become more and more interested in where their food comes from, from the way animals are treated on farms to organic... more

rawleyv
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YouTube - Why we need Vitamin B12 Vegans watch out you need this one!

I don't know the answer here but it is an imprtant debate. There are many economic forces that are behind wanting to promote... more

CarolynGillis
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Interview with Christopher J. Collins Gold winner of the 2008 Holcim Awards North America

Interview with Christopher J. Collins Gold winner of the 2008 Holcim Awards North America. Chris Collins, Executive Director, won... more

alternativechanneltv
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Patagonia and how to manage a clothing & gear company without compromising the environment

To build the best product, to cause no unnecessary harm, to use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental... more

alternativechanneltv
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This election: a dawning of hope and truth for dearest mother, Earth.

"Love Planet Earth..A beautiful moment let's embrace it." BBC Video Music ..Kyte Planet Editor Arif ..when... more

CarolynGillis
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World leaders applaud Obama victory

Many world leaders have applauded Barack Obama's election victory. European Commission President José Manuel Barroso... more

CarolynGillis
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Live Earth suggests: "Carpool to the polls with Zimride"

With record numbers of Americans expected to vote today, we want to make sure that all registered voters can get to their local... more

CarolynGillis
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This morning: a dawning of hope and truth for dearest mother, Earth.

"Love Planet Earth..A beautiful moment let's embrace it." BBC Video Music ..kyte planet Editor Arif When... more

CarolynGillis
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Over 5 billion of the world's population expected to live in urban areas by 2030

By the end of this year a first-time record of 3.3 billion people, more than half of the world's population, are expected to live in urban areas according to the UN.

This was announced in a documentary entitled Eco-Cities, Sustainable cities for the Future launched by IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature West Asia/Middle East Regional Office and Ministry of Environment during the Eco-Cities of the Mediterranean 2008 conference held in Jordan from 18-20 October, 2008.

The idea about this documentary, funded by the IUCN global Water and Nature Initiative (WANI), came from the pressing need to address the concept of sustainable cities or eco-cities as a solution for all the environmental and economic challenges facing cities in the Middle East and North Africa.

The film focuses on the environmental challenges, current actions and future plans in Jordan and Egypt. Highlighting the issues of water quality and scarcity, solid waste, urbanization and air pollution the documentary also tackles the solutions and actions to face those environmental challenges such as renewable energy, water treatment and harvesting, solid waste management and recycling and the results of those solutions not only on the environment, but also on the economy and society.

I think all of us have responsibilities to look very seriously at the impacts of our actions on the environment. And if we don't, then the future of our children and grandchildren will be bleak, HRH Prince Hamza bin Al Hussein of Jordan said in the Eco-Cities documentary.

The cost of environmental degradation in Jordan and in the Arab World is around 5% of the GDP, so once we reduce that through better environmental management, we improve our economy, according to HE Khaled Al Irani, Jordanian Minister of Environment.

I believe eco-cities is a process rather than a product; it is a way of life. It is an approach that people need to change their lives and worldviews in order to make sure that harmony between nature, people and markets is taking place, says Dr Odeh Al-Jayyousi, IUCN West Asia/Middle East Regional Director.

According to the 25-minute documentary, Jordan's annual water supply is 900 MCM, while the demand is 1500 MCM. The majority of the deficit comes from the unsustainable groundwater use. More than 65% of our water in Jordan is used for irrigation, says HE Khaled Al Irani, Jordanian Minister of Environment.

16 million people living in Cairo depend on the Nile. Yet its river basins are subject to untreated sewage and industrial effluence. We are trying to save the quality of water of the Nile, but our main concern is industrial waste, says Dr Mawaheb Abul Azm, CEO Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency. Before 2001, 100 MCM of untreated industrial waste were dumped into the Nile each year according to governmental figures. However, inspections and enforcing environmental laws have stopped industries polluting the river.

By the end of this year a first-time record of 3.3 billion people, more than half of the world's population, are expected to... more

JanforGore
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9 responses

15 days ago

Pretty nuclear power plants

Some proposals to improve the way nuclear power plants look. At the moment, they all look like nothing more than concrete... more

Number1BadBoy
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3 responses

15 days ago

Dieting Tips: fighting belly fat by eating?

Talking on the early show Liz Vaccariello (Editor in Chief) said there are two types of belly fat: 1) Subcutaneous is the fat... more

ilikepretty
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16 days ago

Mass relocation planned for Indonesian islands due to sea level rise

The government is preparing to relocate people living on islands considered vulnerable to rising sea levels over the next three decades.

Sea levels are expected to surge drastically between 2030 and 2040 because of global warming. Experts and the government fear that about 2,000 islands across the country will sink.

"We have formed a technical team who will identify the islands which could sink," Maritime and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi told the International Roundtable Meeting of World Ocean Conference here Thursday.

"The government has prepared a contingency plan, which includes relocation of residents off the islands."

Freddy said the islands were located in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua.

He asked the regional governments to keep an eye on the islands.

Indonesia, Freddy said, called on the international community to join forces in anticipating the disaster that would affect the whole world.

"Indonesia will only see small islands disappear, but there will be a country that is at risk of completely sinking due to the rising sea levels. Therefore, all countries must take this issue seriously."

Indonesia has lost about 60 islands in the western part of Sumatra following the tsunami in December 2004, not to mention several others due to mining activities.

Riau Governor Ismeth Abdullah said the sea level increases were the result of global warming and would affect uninhabited islands in the province in the long run. Local fisherman are already feeling the pinch from climate change, he added.

"Climate change has cut the fishermen's income because many fish are now gone," Ismeth said. His administration has promoted mangrove reforestation to deal with the increasing sea levels.
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In my view we have at mininum one year and maximum five years left to do anything constructive to urgently cut GHG emissions in rich countries and work with developing countries looking for economic prosperity to turn to more sustainable methods to achieve that goal before the tipping point comes. Indonesia is heading beyond the mitgation stage at this point and into the adaptation stage. Nations of the world are supposed to meet in Copenhagen in less than six months to try and forge a new climate treaty that addresses this most urgent crisis. Mitigation while still crucial will have to give way to global plans for adaptation and plans to provide for climate rerfugees should progress on mitigation remain slow with little real action from politicians.

I suspect we are not even close to an effective way to relocate massive numbers of people or have an effective way of providing for their safety and sustinence. Barack Obama in an interview with CNN yesterday stated his number one priority was the financial markets. Well, personally, the climate crisis should be the number one priority because the repercussions of it not being primary will be more to deal with than a crash on Wall Street. There is nothing more important than the sustainability of the planet and the life support systems that keep it turning. Without them we have nothing else. Perhaps when politicians realize this we will have progress, but I doubt that is going to happen anytime before the ice in the Arctic completely melts. I truly hope I am wrong.The government is preparing to relocate people living on islands considered vulnerable to rising sea levels over the next three... more