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New Zealand puts cap on offshore oil and gas exploration - no new permits granted
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New Zealand bans all new offshore oil exploration as part of 'carbon-neutral future'
The New Zealand government will grant no new offshore oil exploration permits. The ban will apply to new permits and won’t affect the existing 22, some of which have decades left on their exploration rights and cover an area of 100,000 sq km.
The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, said her government "has a plan to transition towards a carbon-neutral future, one that looks 30 years in advance”"
The Labour coalition government was elected last year and made tackling climate change one of the cornerstones of its policies, committing to transition to 100% of electricity generation from renewable sources by 2035 and making the economy carbon neutral by 2050.
Last month Ardern accepted a 50,000-strong Greenpeace petition calling for an end to offshore oil and gas exploration.
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Image courtesy 123RF / Radio New Zealand
Queen bans plastic. Man made pollution and it bites back: seafood eaters ingest 11,000 pieces of microplastic each year
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Queen Elizabeth II is banning plastic straws and bottles across the royal estates.
The Telegraph reported that the monarch is behind Buckingham Palace's plans to phase out single-use plastics from public cafes, royal residences and staff dining rooms. Royal caterers will instead use china plates and glasses or recyclable paper cups. Takeaway food from the Royal Collection cafes must be made of compostable or biodegradable packaging.
British lawmakers are also urging for more action to fight plastic pollution. A ban on microbeads came into force in Britain last month. In 2015, a 5p (5 British pennies) fee was introduced on plastic carrier bags, which led to 9 billion fewer bags being used. Many businesses in the UK are getting on board with cutting out plastics. Starbucks recently introduced a 5p disposable cup charge in 20 to 25 central London outlets to encourage customers to switch to reusable cups. And Iceland Foods, a major UK supermarket chain specializing in frozen food, announced that it will eliminate plastic packaging from its own brand of products by the end of 2023.
The Queen was reportedly inspired to take action after working with famed naturalist Sir David Attenborough on a conservation documentary about wildlife in the Commonwealth. Attenborough's "Blue Planet II" documentary that aired last year highlighted the devastating effects of plastic on our oceans and marine life.
The Queen declares war on plastic after David Attenborough documentary read more »
Massive reforestation. To cover 23% of landmass, in 5 years 83.5 million acres of forest planted across China
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The pollution-beleaguered country plans to increase forest coverage to 23 percent of its total landmass by the end of the decade.
Outdoor air pollution contributes to the deaths of an estimated 1.6 million people in China annually (that's 4,400 people a day). Meanwhile, less than 20 percent of the water from underground wells used by farms, factories and homes is fit for drinking or bathing thanks to industrial and agricultural contamination. But with the recent news that the country will no longer be the world's dumping ground for plastic waste, and other ambitious green initiatives - nixing new coal-fired power plants, investing in renewable energy, et cetera - China is showing the world that it is changing its ways.
The latest chapter is a massive reforestation plan, as reported by David Stanway at Reuters, in which the country plans to plant 6.6 million hectares of forest by the end of the year. One hectare is equal to 2.47 acres, meaning that the country will be getting 16.3 million acres of trees. Stanway writes:
“Planting trees has become a key part of China's efforts to improve its environment and tackle climate change, and the government has pledged to raise total coverage from 21.7 percent to 23 percent over the 2016-2020 period, said the China Daily, citing the country's top forestry official.”
China to create new forests covering area size of Ireland: China Daily read more »
Scotland: world 1st floating wind farm, built by offshore oil company, begun in 2016 now delivers electricity powering 20k homes
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18 Oct 2017 - First floating wind farm, built by offshore oil company, delivers electricity - Anchored, floating turbines allow offshore wind installations in deep waters.
The world’s first floating offshore wind farm began delivering electricity to the Scottish grid today.
The 30MW installation, situated 25km (15.5mi) from Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, will demonstrate that offshore wind energy can be harvested in deep waters, miles away from land, where installing giant turbines was once impractical or impossible. At peak capacity, the wind farm will produce enough electricity to power 20,000 Scottish homes.
The installation, called Hywind Scotland, is also interesting because it was built by Statoil, a Norwegian mega-corporation known for offshore oil drilling. Statoil has pursued offshore wind projects in recent years, using the company's experience building and managing infrastructure in difficult open sea conditions to its advantage.
Hywind Scotland began producing power in September, and today it starts delivering electricity to the Scottish grid.
The five 6MW turbines are the first commercial turbines to lack a firm attachment to the seafloor. The towers extend 176m (577ft) above the water and 78m (256ft) below it. Each tower is capable of pitching its blades to reduce unwanted motion and optimize power output depending on the wind direction and strength. read more »
A Jolly Good Fellow, classy: Prince Philip, 96, LAST of 22,220 solo engagements in incredible 65 years of royal duties
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Left: Prince Philip in his regalia in 1958. Right: On May 31 2017 after he announced his retirement.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were married in 1957 and have been together ever since.
2003: The Queen can't hide her smiles as her husband dons a uniform for The Queen's Company Review at Windsor Castle.
The Duke of Edinburgh laughed as he spoke with senior officers.
Born at the family home, Mon Repos in Corfu Greece - allegedly on the kitchen table - on June 10 1921, Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark came to Britain when he was just one year old.
The Duke has immersed himself in national life but also served in the Armed Forces, left, in his naval uniform circa 1982; and right, on a boat in Malta in 1949
John F. Kennedy Centennial May 29 2017: 100th Anniversary of JFK's Birth
John F. Kennedy (left) with his older brother Joseph, C. 1919. (John F. Kennedy Library Foundation)
The Kennedy Family in Hyannis Port., 1946. From left, John F. Kennedy, Jean Kennedy, Rose Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., Patricia Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Eunice Kennedy, and, in foreground, Edward M. Kennedy. (John F. Kennedy Library)
A portrait of the Kennedy brothers, John F. Kennedy (left) and Joseph Kennedy Jr. (right), seated in their naval uniforms, 1945. As a lieutenant in the navy, JFK was a PT-boat commander. (Getty)
Senator Kennedy making notes during his presidential campaign, September 1960. (Getty)
Senator John F. Kennedy winds up his presidential campaign at a huge rally in Boston Garden on Nov. 7, 1960. After a whirlwind tour through New England on the final day of campaigning, Kennedy returned to address a crowd of over 22,000 enthusiastic supporters. He reminded the supporters of his Boston roots. (Ed Kelley / Globe Staff)
Kennedy valued his time in Cape Cod - "I always come back to the Cape and walk on the beach when I have a tough decision to make. The Cape is the one place I can think, and be alone." read more »
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind." - John F. Kennedy
"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind."
"For in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's futures. And we are all mortal."
~ John F. Kennedy
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