Enact Global Plastic Bags Ban, says UN Environment Chief

Achim Steiner, executive director of the UN Environment Programme, called for a global ban on plastic bags, Monday, June 8. " "Single use plastic bags which choke marine life, should be banned or phased out rapidly everywhere. There is simply zero justification for...

Environmental change re-draws atlas of Africa

"Africa`s rapidly changing environmental landscape, from the disappearance of glaciers in Uganda`s Rwenzori Mountains to the loss of Cape Town`s unique `fynbos` vegetation, was presented Tuesday to the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).The Atlas,...

West Sumatra forestry service to plant 2 mln trees in 2008

"Last year, the province succeeded in planting around 1.2 million trees on barren lands, West Sumatra`s forestry service head Syahrial Syam said here on Tuesday.In 2009, the province would plant 2.5 million trees on arid areas and om school yards, he said.The provincial...

RI`s first lady gets UN Award for Promoting Tree Planting Movement

"In addition to the First Lady, UNEP also awarded the Indonesian forestry minister for supporting the global tree planting activities UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner presented certificates of appreciation called "Certificate of Global Leadership" to the First Lady and...

UNEP report: Warmer world may mean less fish

"The impacts of rising emissions on the marine world are unlikely to end there. Higher sea surface temperatures over the coming decades threaten to bleach and kill up to 80 per cent of the globe`s coral reefs - major tourist attractions, natural sea defences and also...

Ministers to discuss financing transition from brown to green global economy

"More than 100 ministers from across the globe are scheduled to attend the Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GMEF) - the world's forum for environment ministers -alongside senior figures from industry and economics; science; local government; civil society, trades unions...

Business leaders and environmental champions convene in Singapore

"Following a highly successful event in 2007, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Global Compact has announced the second B4E (Business for the Environment) Global Summit to be held in Singapore from 22 to 23 April 2008. "If the world is to...

International environmental crimes earn US$31 bln

""International crime syndicates earn US$22-31 billion annually from hazardous waste dumping, smuggling proscribed hazardous materials, exploiting and trafficking of protected natural resources and illegal trade of Ozone depleting substances (ODS)," Atul Bagai, regional...

Indonesia to ban CFC use in manufacturing process starting July 2008

"Meanwhile, Blaise Horisberger, UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) Network and Policy Manager of the OzonAction, in his remarks at the conference, congratulated Indonesia for its decision to ban the import of CFCs from the beginning of 2008. The UNEP official referred...