SalvaEco

La Paris a fost dat publicităţii un raport, îndelung-aşteptat, elaborat sub egida ONU de Comisia Interguvernamentală asupra Schimbărilor Climatice. Experţii spun că va reprezenta cel mai cuprinzător studiu de până acum acum în ceea ce priveşte efectele încălzirii globale asupra vremii, pământului şi oceanelor. Continue reading Încălzirea globală e provocată de activitatea umană

Centrul de Informare, Instruire şi Analiză Socială (CAPTES) lansează în cadrul proiectului „Campanii de sensibilizare a opiniei publice privind controlul tutunului în Moldova”, susţinut financiar de Societatea Americană de Oncologie (ACS) şi Uniunea Internaţională de Luptă Împotriva Cancerului (UICC) un concurs pentru jurnaliştii din mass media naţională şi raională pentru cea mai bună reflectare a tematicii „controlul tutunului” şi a activităţii organizaţiilor guvernamentale, neguvernamentale şi internaţionale din domeniu. Continue reading Concurs pentru jurnalişti

The world can expect to see an acceleration of the effects of global warming. That is the conclusion of a UN climate panel in a report to be issued today at the end of an international conference in Paris. It is the starkest warning yet that human activities are causing global warming that may bring more droughts, heatwaves and rising seas. Continue reading UN panel blames humanity for global warming

The Sikh holy city of Amritsar was the hottest place in Punjab with the temperature at a sizzling 44.5 degrees Celsius. Karnal in Haryana recorded 43 degrees while Ambala was lower at 39.8. Ludhiana and Patiala in Punjab recorded 42.8 degrees and 4?.5, respectively. Power cuts at most places in both the states made life miserable for people.

In the Indian capital, the mercury touched 44.5 degrees Celsius Sunday for the second straight day, forcing people to stay indoors to avoid the harsh, hot weather. A low-pressure area developing in southeast Uttar Pradesh could bring some respite in the form of thunderstorms in New Delhi Monday evening, said a weather official. "As of now, we do not expect any major change in the weather condition. The temperatures would remain 42-44 degrees Celsius for two days," the official said. He said the rise in temperature was normal for this part of the year.

B. Lal, director general of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said the temperature in north India would remain three-five degrees above normal for the next 48 hours. While temperatures in much of Uttar Pradesh touched 40 degrees and above, in Agra, the city of the Taj, it was 45 degrees Celsius, seriously affecting tourist traffic. In the rocky southern part known as Bundelkhand, of which Jhansi is the main city, the mercury rose to 43 degrees. Orissa too recorded 40 degrees and above in many parts. However, capital city Bhubaneswar was better with 38 degrees. Four towns of Jharsuguda, Balasore, Chandbali and Hirakud recorded a maximum of 40 degrees and above Saturday.

Jharsuguda had last month recorded the highest temperature of this summer at 44.3 degrees Celsius. According to environmentalists, high temperatures used to be followed by heavy rain. But this has not been the case in the past decade. Andhra Pradesh too recorded over 40 degrees Celsius temperature in many parts of the state as heat wave conditions continued. The maximum temperature in Hyderabad and parts of Telangana and Rayalseema regions crossed 40 degrees Celsius Sunday. The mercury in Medak in Telangana region was 43 degrees. The Hyderabad Meteorological office said dry conditions would continue in most parts of the state. The temperature in Jaipur was 44.8 degrees Celsius, in Lucknow 40.2 and in Chandigarh 43 degrees. In the hills too the weather was hot. Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded 32.4 degrees Celsius, 10 degrees above normal. Dehradun, in Uttaranchal, touched 37.6 degrees, three degrees above normal.

All ‘piyau’s’ or water points in major cities and towns were crowded with people quenching their parched throats. In Rajasthan, unofficial sources put the death toll due to the heat wave at six, but officials maintain there have been no heat-related deaths in the state so far. Orissa recorded nine deaths over a month, but none in the past week. Officials in Uttar Pradesh have denied any deaths due to the heat that was being reported by television channels. "We have not received any such information from any part of the state," an official spokesman of the home department said.

PV Specialists Conference and Exhibition
Start date: Jan 3, 2005
End date: Jan 5, 2005
Cost: Unknown
This conference not only fulfills the need to understand the key technical issues, but also addresses the recent activities, problems and concerns of the PV community.

American Bar Assoc. Wind Seminar
Start date: Jan 19, 2005
End date: Jan 19, 2005
Cost: Free
The American Bar Association is having a seminar on wind power, called "Wind Project Permitting: The Major Challenges and Potential Resolutions."

SunWize Dealer Conference
Start date: Jan 20, 2005
End date: Jan 21, 2005
Cost: $100 registration
Tune your knowledge with SunWize in Florida January 20 -22

Harvesting Clean Energy
Start date: Jan 20, 2005
End date: Jan 21, 2005
Cost: $50/$95
People from Montana and the Pacific Northwest can make energy a profitable new crop by learning about using renewable sources like wind and solar at a conference in Great Falls, Mont., at the Heritage Inn.

Air Quality, Global Climate Change & Renewable Ene
Start date: Jan 24, 2005
End date: Jan 26, 2005
Cost: $595 USD
EUEC 2005 is one of the best recognized annual technical meeting in US, where 1000 business leaders, corporate executives, engineers and specialists network, present papers and discuss current policies and technological advances.

Clean Energy Power
Start date: Jan 26, 2005
End date: Jan 27, 2005
Cost: Unknown
This event showcases the field of renewable energy within IGW.

Permaculture Design Certificate course
Start date: Feb 1, 2005
End date: Mar 1, 2005
Cost: $890
Intensive training in applied principles of ecological/ sustainable design of human settlements & ecosystems

5th Wind Energy & Power Markets Conference
Start date: Feb 2, 2005
End date: Feb 3, 2005
Cost: $995 USD
This conference will address the benefits to using wind for power generation.

Wind Power Finance and Investment
Start date: Feb 8, 2005
End date: Feb 10, 2005
Cost: $1,495 USD
This event will bring together leading project developers, investors, lenders, attorneys, and others in the wind power finance and investment community to share their perspectives on what it takes to get deals successfully financed in 2005 and beyond.

Wind Generation in Power Systems
Start date: Feb 14, 2005
End date: Feb 16, 2005
Cost: $1200 USD
This course addresses issues related to interconnecting wind generation to electric utility power systems. Covered topics include wind turbine generator technology, modeling for power system analysis, and conducting planning and operating studies.

American Bar Assoc. Renewable Energy Seminar
Start date: Feb 16, 2005
End date: Feb 16, 2005
Cost: Free
The American Bar Association is holding a seminar and teleconference titled, "Getting to Market: Transmission Concerns in Renewable Energy."

Certificate in Earth Based Vocations
Start date: Feb 18, 2005
End date: May 5, 2005
Cost: $4250
A comprehensive 20-week certificate program in Renewable Energy, Sustainable Land & Garden, Permaculture, Land Arts and Green Architecture, hands-on and land-based

Marketing Green Power: Profit Opportunities Event
Start date: Feb 23, 2005
End date: Feb 24, 2005
Cost: $495 USD
EUCI’s 2nd Annual Marketing Green Power conference was designed for utilities seeking to shorten their learning curve on how to design and market their green power pricing programs.

EXPOENERGY 2005
Start date: Feb 23, 2005
End date: Feb 25, 2005
Cost: $180 USD
The most important event on renewable energy in Central America. Its objective is to stimulate and facilitate the development of projects and initiatives in the energy sector

Renewable Energies 2005
Start date: Feb 25, 2005
End date: Feb 27, 2005
Cost: Unknown
The international fair and congress informes with a wide range of topics from February 25th to 27th 2005 at the CCB in Boeblingen.

POWER-GEN Renewable Energy Conference
Start date: Mar 1, 2005
End date: Mar 3, 2005
Cost: $475 USD
POWER-GEN Renewable Energy combines the renewable fuels, renewable energy, and emerging energy technology sectors to discuss the key technical, regulatory, structural, economic and market issues impacting their commercial future.

Siting Wind Power Projects in the Eastern U.S.
Start date: Mar 8, 2005
End date: Mar 9, 2005
Cost: $400 but varies
Wind Project Siting Workshop dealing with emerging topics of wind project siting, such as technical and wildlife issues, and building local support for wind projects, with a focus on the Eastern US area.

Int’l Conference On Energy and Environment
Start date: Mar 13, 2005
End date: Mar 17, 2005
Cost: $650 USD
The conference will address issues connected with the interaction between energy and the environment.

American Bar Assoc. Green Finance Seminar
Start date: Mar 16, 2005
End date: Mar 16, 2005
Cost: Free
The American Bar Association is holding a seminar titled, "Meeting the Green Finance Challenge."

ENEX- New Energy 2005
Start date: Mar 16, 2005
End date: Mar 18, 2005
Cost: Unknown
Due to the central location of the fairground, the three-day exhibition is to develop into the leading trade fair for new EU-markets like Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovenia and will function as emitter for other countries.

GeoExchange 2005 Int’l Conference
Start date: Mar 17, 2005
End date: Mar 18, 2005
Cost: $395 Can.
GeoExchange 2005 will be a leading event for the geoexchange (more commonly recognized as earth-coupled heat pumps) industry in Canada.

ENEX – New Energy
Start date: Mar 21, 2005
End date: Mar 23, 2005
Cost: Unknown
Due to the central location of the fairground, the three-day exhibition is to develop into the leading trade fair for new EU-markets like Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovenia and will function as emitter for other countries.

NHA Annual Hydrogen Conference 2005
Start date: Mar 29, 2005
End date: Apr 1, 2005
Cost: $450- $875
Partnering for the Global Hydrogen Future NHA’s 16th Annual Hydrogen Conference and Expo

Wind Energy Delivery & Reliability
Start date: Mar 30, 2005
End date: Mar 31, 2005
Cost: $350 but varies
Transmission Workshop with a focus on wind integration and utility questions from economics and engineering perspectives for answers on reliability concerns, costs, hydro synergies and grid codes.

5th Int’l Workshop on Integration of Wind Power
Start date: Apr 7, 2005
End date: Apr 8, 2005
Cost: 420 Euros
This event is about the large-scale integration of wind power and transmission networks for offshore wind farms.

Intl Exhibition on Efficiency and R.E. Sources
Start date: Apr 13, 2005
End date: Apr 15, 2005
Cost: Unknown
This event will aim to network high level international speakers with local speakers to discuss their experiences in the business society.

Solar Trend 2005 Conference and Expo
Start date: Apr 22, 2005
End date: Apr 23, 2005
Cost: $180 USD
Solar Trend 2005 Expo is designed to showcase the most advanced technologies available in renewable energy applications for Institutions, businesses, government agencies, stakeholders as well as individuals from around the world.

World Geothermal Congress 2005
Start date: Apr 24, 2005
End date: Apr 29, 2005
Cost: $450 USD
The Congress aims to emulate the successful congresses held in Italy (1995) and in Japan (2000).

EnergyOcean 2005
Start date: Apr 26, 2005
End date: Apr 28, 2005
Cost: $495
This event will focus on the activities offshore to develop sustainable energy sources for the future of our civilization.

Salon des Energies Renouvelables 2005
Start date: Apr 27, 2005
End date: Apr 29, 2005

Permaculture Design Certification Course
Start date: May 1, 2005
End date: Jun 1, 2005
Cost: $890
Two-week intensive training in applied system of ecological/sustainable design methodology

Windpower 2005 Conference & Exhibition
Start date: May 15, 2005
End date: May 18, 2005
Cost: Not yet available.
The exhibition at WINDPOWER 2005 promises to be an impressive display from the leading wind energy companies working in all facets of the U.S. wind energy industry.

World Renewable Energy Conference 2005
Start date: May 22, 2005
End date: May 27, 2005
Cost: 605 Euros
WREC2005 will provide an explicit link between renewable energy, the environment and sustainability.

Greening the Heartland 2005
Start date: Jun 1, 2005
End date: Jun 3, 2005
Cost: $385 USD
The City of Chicago and the U. S. Green Building Council’s are proud to be this year’s hosts of the Greening the Heartland Conference.

European PV Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
Start date: Jun 6, 2005
End date: Jun 10, 2005
Cost: Unknown
The ‘who is who’ of the PV solar branch will meet at Barcelona to discuss the latest developments in industry and science.

International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo
Start date: Jun 28, 2005
End date: Jul 1, 2005
Cost: Unknown
The International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo (FEW) is the largest fuel ethanol industry event in the world.

International Hydrogen Energy Meeting
Start date: Jul 13, 2005
End date: Jul 14, 2005
Cost: $225 USD
The Conference objective is to bring together both research and industry organizations which are related to the Hydrogen Energy Sector, to facilitate communication and to promote the use of Hydrogen as a fuel.

ISES Solar World Congress 2005
Start date: Aug 8, 2005
End date: Aug 12, 2005
Cost: TBA in January ’05.
The World Congress will highlight advances in all solar sciences over the last 50 years, including technological developments, applications and installations, and policy issues.

Energy 2005 — The Solutions Network
Start date: Aug 14, 2005
End date: Aug 17, 2005

Permaculture Design Certification Course
Start date: Aug 27, 2005
End date: Sep 1, 2005
Cost: $890
Two-week intensive training in applied design methodologies for sustainability

Wind Turbine Noise 2005
Start date: Oct 17, 2005
End date: Oct 18, 2005
Cost: 425 euro
International Conference on noise and vibration from wind turbines. Berlin 17/18 October 2005

A deep-sea trawl by marine scientists has come up with hundreds of species of zooplankton – from tiny shrimp-like creatures and swimming worms to flying snails and pulsing jellyfish.

Pe scurt, directorul general a mentionat 3 consecinte ale lucrarilor la Canalul Bistroe. Va urma o scurgere mai rapida a Dunarii, cu efecte secundare asupra bratului Chilia, echilibrul ecologic va fi afectat si vor fi cauzate pierderi economice pentru partea romana, dar si ucraineana. Prin interventiile internationale a fost stopata faza a doua a lucrarilor la Canalul Bistroe. Acum, institutul roman da replica Ucrainei cu ajutorul MMGA, prin propunerea unui proiect. Planul urmeaza sa fie pus in practica pe etape, in urmatorii 10 ani, si va costa 31 de milioane de euro. ?O parte din bani vor veni de la bugetul Romaniei, iar alta va fi atrasa de pe plan national si international?, ne-a declarat directorul Ştiuca.

Planul strategic de reconstructie ecologica a Deltei Dunarii urmareste sa restabileasca, sa refaca si sa mentina starea initiala specifica zonelor umede: hidrologica, biogeochimica si ecologica. La conferinta de ieri s-a mai subliniat ca Ucraina a incalcat 6 conventii internationale, doua acorduri cu Romania si un tratat bilateral. Mai mult, s-a criticat aprobarea lucrarilor de catre Cabinetul ucrainean de Ministri, care nu a prezentat studiul de impact asupra mediului. in finalul expunerii, directorul general ne-a declarat: ?Este curios ca Ucraina vrea cu orice pret acest canal, cu toate ca, din punct de vedere economic, nu se justifica, asa cum au declarat ei. Doar 4% dintre navele ucrainene trec pe la noi, ceea ce inseamna ca ne platesc anual aproximativ 80.000 de euro. Acum insa investesc milioane pentru a face economie la citeva zeci de mii?. Guvernatorul Rezervatiei Biosferei Delta Dunarii, Virgil Munteanu, sustine ca adevaratul motiv reiese chiar din prezentarea facuta de specialistii ucraineni prezenti la Palatul Natiunilor din Geneva: Canalul Bistroe reprezinta un obiectiv strategic si militar pentru Ucraina.

Participantii din statele dunarene si-au exprimat preocuparea fata de urmarile pe care le are construirea acestui canal asupra mediului inconjurator.

Comisia Internationala pentru Protectia Fluviului Dunarea a adoptat o rezolutie prin care a solicitat inca o data Ucrainei sa furnizeze tuturor statelor dunarene informatiile necesare despre proiectul Bastroe, pentru ca ICPDR sa poata evalua potentialele implicatii ale acestuia asupra prevederilor Conventiei de la Sofia din 1994 privind protectia si utilizarea durabila a fluviului Dunarea.

Monitorizare permanenta

Comisia Internationala pentru Protectia Fluviului Dunarea l-a imputernicit pe secretarul sau executiv sa continue dialogul cu autoritatile ucrainene, sa monitorizeze modul de indeplinire de catre Ucraina a angajamentelor asumate si sa prezinte un raport despre rezultatele acestei monitorizari la urmatoarea reuniune anuala a ICPDR.

Cea de-a 7-a Reuniune Anuala Ordinara a ICPDR a adoptat "Raportul Secretarului Executiv al acestei organizatii pe problema proiectului Bastroe in partea ucraineana a Deltei Dunarii?. Documentul mentioneaza implicatiile negative ale proiectului Bastroe asupra calitatii apelor din Delta Dunarii, in special in cazul inceperii de catre Ucraina a activitatilor planificate pentru realizarea celei de-a doua etape a proiectului.

Kievul nu-si tine promisiunile

Secretarul Executiv al ICPDR aminteste in continutul raportului sau promisiunea autoritatilor ucrainene ca, inainte de a trece la realizarea celei de-a doua faze a proiectului Bastroe, sa sprijine elaborarea de catre expertii internationali de mediu, cu participarea ICPDR, a unui studiu international privind impactul proiectului ucrainean asupra mediului inconjurator si implicatiile sale in plan transfrontalier. Totodata, in cadrul conferintei ministeriale a ICPDR, reprezentantii a 20 de organizatii neguvernamentale de mediu din bazinul dunarean au solicitat viitorului guvern ucrainean si Comisiei Europene sa faca tot posibilul pentru a preveni continuarea lucrarilor la Canalul Bastroe si sa repare prejudiciile deja produse mediului inconjurator prin realizarea primei faze a proiectului. (C.M.)

They added that the vast environmental changes brought about by the process will increase droughts and sandstorms over the rest of the country, and devastate many of the world’s greatest rivers, in what experts warn will be an "ecological catastrophe".

The plateau, says the academy, has a staggering 46,298 glaciers, covering almost 60,000 square miles. At an average height of 13,000 feet above sea level, they make up the largest area of ice outside the polar regions, nearly a sixth of the world’s total.

The glaciers have been receding over the past four decades, as the world has gradually warmed up, but the process has now accelerated alarmi?gly. Average temperatures in Tibet have risen by 2 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 20 years, causing the glaciers to shrink by 7 per cent a year, which means that they will halve every 10 years.

Prof Dong Guangrong, speaking for the academy – after a study analysing data from 680 weather stations scattered across the country – said that the rising temperatures would thaw out the tundra of the plateau, turning it into desert.

He added: "The melting glaciers will ultimately trigger more droughts, expand desertification and increase sand storms." The water running off the plateau is increasing soil erosion and so allowing the deserts to spread.

Sandstorms, blowing in from the degraded land, are already plaguing the country. So far this year, 13 of them have hit northern China, including Beijing. Three weeks ago one storm swept across an eighth of the vast country and even reached Korea and Japan. On the way, it dumped a mind-boggling 336,000 tons of dust on the capital, causing dangerous air pollution.

The rising temperatures are also endangering the newly built world’s highest railway, which is due to go into operation this summer. They threaten to melt the permafrost under the tracks of the £1.7bn Tibetan railway, constructed to link the area with China’s northwestern Qinghai province.

Perhaps worst of all, the melting threatens to disrupt water supplies over much of Asia. Many of the continent’s greatest rivers – including the Yangtze, the Indus, the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, the Mekong and the Yellow River – rise on the plateau.

In China alone, 300 million people depend on water from the glaciers for their survival. Yet the plateau is drying up, threatening to escalate an already dire situation across the country. Already 400 cities are short of water; in 100 of them – including Beijing – the shortages are becoming critical.

Even hopes that the melting glaciers might provide a temporary respite, by increasing the amount of water flowing off the plateau – have been dashed. For most of the water is evaporating before it reaches the people that need it – again because of the rising temperatures brought by global warning.

Yao Tandong, head of the academy’s Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Research Institute, summed it up. "The full-scale glacier shrinkage in the plateau regions will eventually lead to an ecological catastrophe," he said.