155 Chinese nationals arrested for illegal logging in Myanmar

155 Chinese citizens have been arrested in Myanmar for illegal logging, reports Agence France-Presse.

According to a statement from China's foreign ministry, the Chinese nationals were arrested in Myanmar’s Kachin state. Few details about the circumstances of their arrest were available.

Unregulated logging in Myanmar's northern forests is widespread. Chinese companies are the most dominant foreign entities in the sector, at times spurring local backlash.

Illegal logging is a major issue in Myanmar. According to an analysis published last year by the Environmental Investigative Agency (EIA), 72 percent of logs exported from Myanmar between 2000-2013 were illegally harvested.

Read more: news.mongabay.com/2015/0126-myanmar-chinese-logging-arrests.html#ixzz3Q2j7rRHd

Source: news.mongabay.com/2015/0126-myanmar-chinese-logging-arrests.html

#Myanmar #China #illegallogging

Image: Truck carrying logs in Myanmar (c) EIA ... See MoreSee Less

13 hours ago  ·  

Canada: Ontario to overhaul rules for marine mammals, ban sale of killer whales

The Ontario government will announce on Tuesday a massive overhaul of conditions for captive marine mammals that include an outright ban on the acquisition and sale of killer whales.

The overhaul, to be announced by Community Safety Minister Yasir Naqvi, is based on a 125-page report by a team of scientists led by David Rosen, a marine mammal expert from the University of British Columbia.

Naqvi called Rosen’s report the “driver” for upcoming changes.

In a nutshell, the report concludes: “It is our opinion that the present standards of care that apply to marine mammals in public display facilities are insufficient.”

In fact, it says, “there are no additional specific provisions” for marine mammals, other than the general standards of care that apply to all animals under the provincial OSPCA Act.

“This is something that Ontarians expect and these animals deserve,” Naqvi said of stronger protections for marine mammals, including whales, dolphins, sea lions, walruses and seals.

It’s the “right thing to do,” he said.

In a Star investigation into conditions at Marineland Canada, several whistleblowers detailed problems related to animal care at the Niagara Falls park. In the stories, first published in August 2012, these former employees blamed sporadically poor water quality and chronic staffing shortages at the park for the ill health, even death, of animals at the facility.

Full story at www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/01/27/ontario-to-overhaul-rules-for-marine-mammals-ban-sale-...

#whales #orca #Canada #Ontario

Image: Killer whale and calf at Marine Land, Niagara Falls, Ontario ... See MoreSee Less

15 hours ago  ·  

MPs: Ban fracking to meet carbon targets

An influential committee of MPs has called for a moratorium on fracking on the grounds that it could derail efforts to tackle climate change.

The government's drive for shale gas should be put on hold because it would lead to more reliance on fossil fuels, the Environmental Audit Committee said.

The cross-party committee also warned there were "huge uncertainties" about the environmental impact of fracking.

Ministers said shale gas development did not detract from cutting emissions.

Efforts to bring about a moratorium received a setback on Monday, when a Commons vote rejected the idea.

In their report, the committee said shale fracking was incompatible with UK carbon targets and could pose environmental and health risks.

Full story at www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30955291

#fracking #shale #climate ... See MoreSee Less

17 hours ago  ·