News Archive (01 Dec 2008 - 31 Dec 2009)
WWF-tagged turtle swims into troubled Kimberley waters
Ana, a female green turtle satellite-tagged in East Java, Indonesia less than a month ago as part of a WWF turtle tracking project, is now closing in on the undeveloped Dampier Peninsula (Kimberley) coast where a contentious gas processing facility and port may be built.
www.seaturtle.org/tracking/index.shtml?tag_id=52947
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Massive coral bleaching predicted over summer
A widespread and severe coral bleaching episode is predicted to cause immense damage to some of the world's most important marine environments this summer, WWF warns.
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Premier Colin Barnett must tread lightly in the Kimberley
Western Australian Premier, Colin Barnett, has indicated that he will soon select a site on the undeveloped Dampier Peninsula coast, north of Broome, for large gas processing infrastructure and port facilities.
This tropical marine environment is in excellent condition and is frequented by threatened species like the dugong. The coastline also has sites of great cultural significance for local aboriginal communities.
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Greater Mekong a biological treasure trove: more than 1000 new species discovered in a decade
Gland, Switzerland - Over a thousand new species have been discovered in the Greater Mekong Region of Southeast Asia in just the last decade, according to a new report launched by WWF.
First Contact in the Greater Mekong reports that among the 1068 species newly identified by science, between 1997 and 2007, were the world's largest huntsman spider, with a leg span of 30 centimetres, and the startlingly hot pink coloured cyanide-producing "dragon millipede".
Carnaby's black cockatoo given a chance to avoid extinction
WWF-Australia has welcomed the intervention today by Peter Garrett, Federal Minister for the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, to protect Western Australia's iconic Carnaby's black cockatoo from extinction.
The draft decision for the Underwood Avenue site in Shenton Park recommends rejecting the proposal by University of Western Australia (UWA) to develop the site for residential purposes.
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Saving Australia's Tiger
WWF-Australia has committed $15,000 to help save a population of threatened tiger quolls, which are on the brink of extinction in New South Wales.
With funding from the Australian Government, WWF is supporting Foxground Landcare Group in its bid to save these unique Australians, also known as the spotted-tailed quoll.
Stop the stinginess, WWF tells ministers from rich countries
WWF says the disappointing lack of progress at UN climate talks in Poznan is a major missed opportunity towards reaching a new global climate treaty in Copenhagen in 2009. The stalemate was largely the result of a collapse in European Union leadership and obstructionism by other industrialized countries taking the negotiations hostage.
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Australia's carbon emissions target of 5-15% 'pitiful': WWF
WWF said the abject emissions reduction target announced today came as a result of the Australian Government pandering to lazy and short-sighted polluting businesses.
The organisation slammed the target of 5-15 per cent by 2020, saying heavy industry was being let off the hook despite having known for more than a decade they would have to reduce emissions.
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Myanmar emerges as ivory trade and elephant smuggling hot spot
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 11 December 2008
Around 250 live Asian Elephants have been smuggled from Myanmar in the past decade, mostly destined for "elephant trekking" tourism activities in neighbouring Thailand, a new report by the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC reveals today.
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WWF's Earth Hour Aims for One Billion in 2009
Earth Hour 2009 aims to enlist one billion people in more than 1,000 cities around the world to switch their lights off for one hour from 8.30pm on Saturday March 28 next year.
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WWF’s Earth Hour 2009 set to be largest climate event in history
74 cities in 62 countries already commit to turn out lights as campaign launches with aim to reach one billion.
Poznan, Poland, December 10, 2008— Dozens of events around the world today marked the launch of the campaign for Earth Hour 2009, a global climate event for which 74 cities in 62 countries have already committed to switch off their lights at 8:30 p.m. on March 28.
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TSN News Summer 2008
"TSN News" is produced quarterly by WWF-Australia's Threatened Species Network, providing updates on threatened species projects and activities happening around Australia.
Leading economists open letter regarding the design of an emissions trading scheme
Some of Australia's leading economists have called for a structured ETS
that:
- Applies to as many carbon producing sectors as possible;
- Includes market valued carbon permits;
- No taxpayer funding of new technologies; and
- Government redistribution of revenue made from selling carbon permits.
Lack of data a threat to sharks says Government report
WWF-Australia and the Australian Marine Conservation Society today called on Queensland Premier Anna Bligh to halt shark fishing in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
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Progress in Poznan vital for world's climate
WWF today warned the Australian government that humanity is approaching the last chance to keep global warming below the danger-threshold of 2°C.
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WWF calls on governments to crack the climate nut
Poznan, Poland: As UN climate talks enter their next round in Poznan, WWF calls on governments to ensure that the conference shifts the climate negotiations into a much faster gear by producing first real negotiation texts. A final version of the treaty is due end of 2009.
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