Latest in Environment Highlight
Latest in Environment
Hunting for Burmese pythons in Florida’s Everglades
Pythons are devastating native wildlife in one of America’s most ecologically diverse areas. Armed groups are now roaming the Everglades in a bit to kill off an invasive species with a voracious appetite.Thomas Rahill is a telecoms engineer by day. But in his olive fatigues and wide-brimmed hat he looks more like a rebel army …
Mobile power to bring Rwanda’s remote regions into the future
In Rwanda, 60 percent of the population have a mobile phone – but only 15 percent have electricity. Mobile kiosks now offer not only solar power but also internet access, even in the most remote corners of the country.Project goal: Bringing electricity and internet access to remote areas without infrastructure; creating jobs for Solar Kiosk …
Plastic bag bans in Africa: reality or fantasy?
Tunisia and Kenya recently joined the ranks of African countries banning the use of plastic bags – but poor waste management and a mentality of littering make the prospect of a plastic waste-free society unrealistic.Plastic bags are used daily across Africa – the bans are hoped to tackle the pervasive problem of waste. In both …
Through the lens
It’s been an eventful week. We saw a part of the highest mountain in the world break off (or not), floodings, bathing and a water filter for the ocean. Enjoy.Mountains an air of permanence. They are “rock solid” after all. That’s why one climber’s statement earlier this month caused quite a stirr. “The Hillary Step …
Great white shark leaps into old man’s boat
“I’ll be b—ered there’s a shark in me boat,” the 73-year-old Australian reported thinking after a giant shark sprang aboard. New South Wales Marine Rescue captured photos of the shark.A 73-year-old Australian fisherman was left bloody and bruised after a great white shark unexpectedly jumped out of the water and in to his boat at …
Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching even worse than expected
In some parts of Australia’s much-loved reef, 70 percent of the coral has been killed by bleaching. Australia is pledging vast amounts of money to mitigate the loss and stop a UNESCO downgrade of its status.Coral bleaching at Australia’s heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef was worse that first thought, government scientists announced on Monday. Up to …
Investors beg G7 to stick with Paris climate agreement
Donald Trump has been dithering over fulfilling his campaign promise to pull out of the Paris Agreement at the G7 summit in Italy. Businesses say the US must work with the rest of the world to tackle climate change.As the world’s seven largest economies meet in Italy today and tomorrow, the summit is being watched …
Wolf-like golden jackal discovered in northern Germany
Golden jackals, similar to small grey wolves, have been making their way across Europe into new territory. A German farmer is claiming compensation after the protected, wolf-like predator killed a sheep.For the first time, golden jackals have been detected in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, which borders Denmark, authorities announced this week. The animals …
Berlin environment blog: no more cars!
Berlin is not the place for committed cyclists. That’s according to two rankings and it confirms the experience of DW’s Klaus Esterluss who pedals around the city every day.Cycling is part of my daily routine. I ride to the office every day, I do my grocery shopping by bike and I even carry larger loads …
As mainstream parties flounder, why aren’t the Greens cashing in?
A recent victory for the Dutch Greens belies a wider trend. Ahead of elections In Austria, France, Germany and the UK, the Greens are struggling to woo disaffected voters who have turned away from the center.When the British Green Party unveiled its manifesto in London this week ahead of the UK’s general election on June …
Sea level rising at triple speed since 1990
According to a new study, the world’s oceans are rising almost three times as fast as they were 25 years ago. Scientists say coastal regions face a much greater risk than previously thought.A study published in scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) suggests the threat of rising sea levels has been …
Natural fungicide could restore French winemaking glory
Grape rot fungus costs the global wine industry millions each year. Amid health concerns over chemical solutions, a natural alternative is being tested in France’s Bordeaux region – with positive initial results.Saint Emilion, one of Bordeaux’s most prestigious winemaking areas, is home to a vineyard called “The Grace of God.” Owner Thierry Audier’s great grandfather …
Berlin environment blog: keeping the lights on
Most of us hardly ever wonder where our electricity comes from. Our author did and learned a few things about his neighborhood power plant.Sometime last year, my family and I left the bustling central Berlin district of Kreuzberg with its cafes, bars, pollution and traffic mayhem in search of a greener and quieter life. We …
Coal versus Kiwis – New Zealand struggles to balance business and environment
In New Zealand, a century of coal mining tradition is clashing with efforts to protect pristine nature, and unique animals and plants.Hidden deep underground, below a wild frontier of native forest and jagged cliffs on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island, is a vast untapped resource at the center of a conflict pitting …
A kingdom for biodiversity
Jordan is a country with scarce natural resources. How can they be used more sustainably?Project goal: Sustainable use of ecosystem services in Jordan. Project implementation: Various projects with the population in the areas of ecotourism and sustainable grazing management. Cooperation with ministries as well as government and non-governmental organisations with the the goal of establishing …
Through the lens
It’s been a sensory and productive week: we saw cuddly lambs, a horny and desperate rhino, houses made of plastic bottles and a climate conference. Enjoy.It’s about time for happy news. These cuddly lambs, for example. They live right in the heart of Berlin, in a park in the district of Lichtenberg. The remarkable thing …
The last of their kind
Many animals and plants are on the verge of extinction. For Endangered Species Day, we look at some of the rarest among them.The Maui’s dolphin only lives in the coastal waters of New Zealand and only its North Island. While there were still about 2000 Maui’s dolphins in the 1970s, there are only 45 of …
Optimism at climate conference, despite US hesitation
Climate protection is progressing, said delegates at the climate conference in Bonn this week. Are there good prospects despite Trump?Climate negotiators from nearly 200 nations gathered in Bonn, Germany, this week to discuss implementing the Paris Agreement to limit global warming – and they expressed confidence and optimism, despite the threat of an American exodus …
Unexpected Nazi-era legacy: Fish tumors
Scientists have found a high rate of tumors in flatfish in the Baltic Sea that could be linked to old munitions. Weaponry dumped in the sea at the end of World War II is leaching chemicals toxic to fish – and people.German researchers have uncovered a 25 percent incidence of tumors among a type of …
Slinging dung in the slammer for the environment
Green energy and prisons aren’t exactly two ideas that appear to fit naturally together. But inmates at a jail on the Caribbean island of Grenada are learning how to turn dung into energy as part of their rehabilitation.Project goal: Installing biogas units in Grenada with the long-term aim of expanding the project to other Caribbean …
Madrid’s diesel ban panics carmakers, shifts pollution problem
To fight air pollution, Madrid is among cities around the world that have vowed to ban diesel vehicles by 2025. This leaves car dealers with lots full of autos no one will buy – what will happen to all the diesel cars?At rush hour, bumper-to-bumper traffic belches out diesel fumes along Madrid’s Gran Vía, a …
New analysis reveals deadly scale of diesel emissions
Illegal and unregulated diesel emissions are causing tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths worldwide, a new analysis shows. Europe is particularly affected due to Dieselgate. Governments must take action, experts say.The amount of illegal and unreported nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel cars, trucks and buses may be higher and deadlier than previously estimated – and …