CENN – August 25, Daily Digest
Table of Contents:
1. Future of African Lion under scrutiny
2. Air Pollution: Its Damaging Effect
3. Oil pollution costs Birmingham father and son over £7,000
4. Our Ecological Rights Are Equal to common Values
5. Avoid Costly Fines for Environmental Non-compliance
6. Animal Testing Backed by 500 UK Scientists
1. Future of African Lion under scrutiny
Source: IUCN – The World Conservation Union, Gland, Switzerland, 23 August 2005
Africa is the primary range of the lion Panthera leo, yet living
closely to lions poses hardship for many African communities. The
lion is a major predator on domestic livestock which leads to strong
conflicts with local herders, but also on human life in some areas such
as the Southeast of Tanzania. However, the lion is not only a source
of personal and economic damage and danger, but also of benefits,
as a primary attraction for tourism as one of Africa’s “Big Five”
trophy animals.
While the lion is feared, its kingly status among the other wild
animals is also celebrated in African traditions. The lion is a
sacred animal, widely talked about but, as with most kings in African
folklore, rarely encountered in public. News of the King’s ill health
is cause for community concern, and investigation. It is no wonder
therefore, that up to today, there is still a lot to be learnt about
the king of the jungle – and much worry about its future.
Prior to the 13th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on
International Trade Endangered Species (CITES), Kenya circulated
a proposal among lion range states to change the listing of the
African lion from CITES Appendix II (not necessarily threatened with
extinction but may become so unless trade is closely controlled),
to Appendix I (most endangered, are threatened with extinction
and CITES generally prohibits commercial international trade in
specimens of these species). The Kenyan proposal argued that the
African lion met the population decline requirements for Appendix I
because of the estimated recent decline in the continental population,
the endangered status of the West African regional population, and
because the African lion was potentially threatened by trade.
That is cause for concern, the Kenyans argued. Two recent attempts to
estimate the size of the African lion population came up with roughly
20,000-40,000 lions. Scientists used a population model to estimate
that there may have been almost 80,000 lions back in 1980, although the
actual population size at this time is not known for certain. The 2004
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classifies the lion as “vulnerable”
due to an estimated decline in the African population of between 30-49%
over the last twenty years, and well documented on
The Kenyan proposal received mixed views. While there is uncertainty
over the magnitude of recent declines in the African lion population,
there is general agreement that the primary threats to the lion’s
future include lion-human conflict, loss of wild prey, and small
population sizes, particularly in West Africa. Trade is not considered
to have caused the decline, and trophy hunting is an important tool
for governments to manage lion populations and problem animals.
Faced with disagreement among the range states on the lion trade
issue at the Bangkok CITES meeting, Kenya withdrew their proposal.
But consensus was achieved among all that the next step should bring
the range states, lion specialists, and other stakeholders together
to discuss lion threats and develop conservation recommendations.
IUCN -The World Conservation Union was asked to hold a series of
regional workshops. Together with the IUCN Species Survival 1
Commission, its Cat Specialist Group, the Wildlife Conservation
Society, and the Africa Resources Trust, amongst others, this
initiative will lead to the development of regional as well as an
Africa-wide lion management strategy, and establish closer cooperation
amongst Africans in the conservation of the species.
There will be two regional lion conservation workshops: one for West
and Central Africa, and one for East and Southern Africa. At the
workshop technical sessions organized and supported by the Wildlife
Conservation Society, lion populations will be estimated, mapped
and prioritized. This information will be used in strategic planning
sessions, attended by lion managers from governments all over Africa,
to develop regional and continental conservation strategies. The
strategies are expected to include identification of objectives for
lion management in the four regions of Africa (West, Central, East and
Southern), as well as a continental overview. The strategies will be
developed at multi-stakeholder strategic planning workshops aimed at
promoting inter-regional cooperation. At the same time, the regional
strategies will build on and help guide improvement of national and
sub-national lion management policies.
These workshop outputs are anticipated to serve as a catalyst for
African lion conservation. They will provide the best assessment of
the current status of the African lion, with populations prioritised
from the perspective of conservation biology. They will help develop
a GIS-based database, which can be continually updated to monitor lion
status. They will set regional priorities for African lion management,
promoting greater cooperation among range states, and also guide
range states in developing and improving their own policies. They will
provide the larger conservation community with a continental action
plan to help ensure that investment in lion conservation addresses
the primary threats to lions in Africa.
That will be the mission of many committed conservationists,
practitioners, scientists and policy makers – mostly from West and
Central Africa – when they gather for the first of these meetings,
scheduled for Douala, Cameroon in October of 2005. The second meeting
will bring together a similar profile of people from East and Southern
Africa in January 2005 in South Africa. The challenge for the workshops
will be to chart the course for a future where Africa’s ancient lion
king can live peacefully amongst the people of a modern continent.
2. Air Pollution: Its Damaging Effect
Source: Eco-portal, August 23, 2005
The inhabitants of Accra city are constantly being exposed to toxic
chemicals. The source of these toxins is namely cars. The consequences
of inhaling these toxins may be fatal.
Cars emit poisonous chemicals such as Sulpher Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen
Monoxide (NO), Carbon Monoxide (CO) and un-burnt hydrocarbons every
time the engine is run. It has been scientifically proven, that
inhaling these compounds causes damage to human health.
Breathing car exhaust gases is just as damaging as breathing in
cigarette smoke. The majority of Ghanaians are aware of the dangers
associated with smoking, and should apply these concerns to the
inhalation of car exhaust gases.
At first, the patient may suffer from a mild irritation, a tickly
cough for example, watery eyes. Over time, this may develop into
something much more sinister like lung cancer, a life-threatening
disease. Children may develop asthma, a condition, which causes
breathing difficulties.
Not only are these pollutants damaging to individual health, but also
to the environment. Sulpher Dioxide is responsible for acid rain,
rainfall that can cause substantial damage to crops and vegetation.
As well as the poisonous compounds produced by car engines,
non-poisonous Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is produced. CO2 is the root cause
of climate change, which is of global concern.
Carbon Dioxide is the primary greenhouse gas, and forms a “blanket”
layer in the earth’s atmosphere, thus preventing the sun’s heat
from leaving it. Since the heat is being trapped, the atmosphere
is gradually heating up, an effect known as the greenhouse effect,
which causes the phenomenon known as global warming.
If global warming is allowed to continue, then we will witness more
freak weather conditions, such as draughts and floods and eventually
the polar ice caps will melt, causing sea levels to rise and low
lying countries to disappear.
To protect our own health, and the environment for generations to come,
we must act now to reduce the amount of pollutants in the city air.
Strict guidelines need to be put in place, which do not permit cars
that emit large quantities of pollutants, on the roads.
The MOT testing must be reinstated and made compulsory for all
vehicles. New vehicles must be tested annually for their emission
levels, and older cars twice annually. If the car is found to be
producing too many pollutants, then they should be taken off the road.
Drivers failing to take their cars to be tested should incur a fine.
However, the best method of reducing pollution levels stills remains
the most traditional: walk. Try and leave your car at home for making
short journeys. This way, the environment benefits, as a little bit
of exercise could do for you too.
3. Oil pollution costs Birmingham father and son over £7,000
Source: Environmental Agency, August 23, 2005
On Friday, 19 August 2005, Harry Fellows Jnr, of Bartley Green,
Birmingham, and his son Harry Fellows, of Weoley Castle, Birmingam,
trading as Selly Oak Car Care, were each fined £3,000 after they
pleaded guilty at Birmingham Magistrates to charges relating to
polluting the Worcester and Birmingham Canal with engine oil.
The Environment Agency brought the charges under Section 85 of the
Water Resources Act 1991. Harry Fellows Jnr was charged with causing
pollution and Harry Fellows, his son, was charged with knowingly
permitting the incident. The men were ordered to pay a total amount
of £1667.92 in costs.
Speaking after the case, Gary Hankinson, an Environment Agency officer
involved in the investigation, said: ‘Companies have a responsibility
to do all they can to prevent polluting materials entering watercourses
from their premises. Selly Oak Car Care failed to do so, resulting
in harm to the environment and local wildlife. We take incidents
such as these very seriously and will not hesitate to prosecute
where appropriate.’
For the Environment Agency, Kiran Cassini told the court that Harry
Fellows owns Selly Oak Car Care and Harry Fellows Jnr, his father,
works for the company, which services and valets cars.
On 19 May 2004, an Environment Agency officer attended the Birmingham
and Worcester canal in response to a report from a member of the public
about oil on the surface of the canal. A large iridescent, slick of
oil with heavy black patches had been seen affecting approximately
2km of the canal. The oil contaminated waterfowl on the canal and
affected vegetation. Investigations indicated the source of the oil
was a pipe near Selly Wharf, Selly Oak. On 24 May 2004, oil could
still be seen discharging into the canal.
On 26 May 2004, Environment Agency officers saw a black liquid
discharging from the pipe into the canal. There was also a strong
odour of engine oil. Analysis of the liquid showed it to be oil. The
Environment Agency officers traced the pipe to Selly Oak Car Care.
Used engine oil had entered a manhole chamber at the rear of the
premises. The spout of a container of waste oil was seen to be feeding
directly into the manhole chamber, which connected to the pipe which
discharged to the canal.
In mitigation, Mr Dollery from Glaisyers, told the court that this
was an isolated incident and that both defendants were sorry for
their actions.
The defendants were given credit for their early guilty pleas.
However, the Court stated that the offences showed a deliberate intent
to dispose of engine oil. It was a serious incident, which affected
birds and flora in the area.
4. OUR ECOLOGICAL RIGHTS ARE EQUAL TO COMMON VALUES
Source: AZG Armenian Daily #148, August 23, 2005
Seminar of Youth Club’s Federation Launches
The Federation of Youth’s Clubs organizes “Ecological Rights Are
Equal to Common Rights” youth’s seminar with the assistance of
“Youth. Environment.
Europe” international organization and “Alert” foundation from
Netherlands, on the shore of the lake Sevan, on August 19-24. The
seminar is dedicated to preservation of environment, negative impact
of people on nature, stability of atmosphere, harmony between the
human beings and nature and a number of other important issues.
The representatives of about 25 various organizations from Armenia
discussed ecological issues, issues concerning cooperation and
ecological rights. The peculiarity of the program is that the
initiators envisaged holding the arrangements on the shore of the
lake, communicating with the campers on the shore. The Youth’s Clubs’
Foundation published leaflets for the special seminars that contain
information on the national park of Sevan, some piece of advice. The
booklets will be delivered among the campers. In other words, such
arrangements teach the citizens how to rest in the nature without
making harm to it.
5. AVOID COSTLY FINES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL NON-COMPLIANCE
Source: (ENS) World News, August 24, 2005
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Emergency Planning
and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) was formed to protect public
health, safety and the environment from chemical hazards.
EPCRA covers more than 650 toxic chemicals and chemical categories
within numerous business sectors, including most manufacturing
industries. Since this system was designed to protect the community,
organizations that do not follow the reporting requirements can be
penalized up to $27,500 per violation, per day.
In 2000 and 2001, the EPA’s data indicates that over 600 facilities,
collectively, accounted for the late reporting of more than a billion
pounds of toxic chemicals. In fiscal years 2002 through 2003, one
EPA region settled over 60 late reporter cases for penalties totaling
more than $500,000. To implement this act, a State Emergency Response
Commission (SERC) was put into place in every state.
Under EPCRA, many companies are required to send annual reports
to the EPA and SERC detailing their chemical inventories for the
previous year.
To understand the numerous complex components under EPCRA, attend
Georgia Tech Research Institute’s upcoming course on Managing
Environmental Compliance, October 12-14, 2005 at the Global Learning
and Conference Center on Georgia Tech’s campus in Atlanta, GA.
Sign up today and help your company avoid costly fines for
non-compliance, network with other professionals involved in
environmental compliance and keep up-to-date on new and changing
environmental regulations. Call 404-385-3500 to register or visit
(keyword search: EST 6000).
Attendants for this course will earn CEUs (Continuing Education Units)
and AIA, HSW Learning Units. This course can also be used for elective
credits for Georgia Tech’s Hazmat or OSH Training Certificate Program.
Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit applied
research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA.
Our approximately 1,200 employees perform or support more than $100
million in research yearly for more than 200 clients in industry
and government.
6. Animal Testing Backed by 500 UK Scientists
SOURCE: PLANET ARK, AUGUST 25, 2005
More than 500 leading British scientists and doctors gave their
backing to animal testing on Wednesday, a day after a farm targeted by
activists said it would stop breeding guinea pigs for medical research.
The declaration, drawn up by the Research Defence Society (RDS),
said a small but vital part of work into new medicines involved the
use of animals.
Signatories included three Nobel laureates, 190 Fellows of the Royal
Society and the Medical Royal Colleges, and more than 250 academic
professors.
“It shows the strength and depth of support for humane animal research
in this country,” said RDS Executive Director Simon Festing.
Animal research is a highly emotive topic in Britain, which is home
to a vocal and at times violent animal rights lobby.
Violent actions have provoked warnings by the pharmaceutical industry
that the hostile environment could undermine investment in research
and development in the UK.
The Darley Oaks Farm in Staffordshire, central England, which breeds
guinea pigs for use in laboratories, has been the subject of one of
the most sustained harassment campaigns.
The family owners said on Tuesday they would cease work following
a long and violent campaign by rights protesters which included the
desecration of a family grave.
The RDS declaration comes 15 years after a similar pledge supporting
animal research by the British Association for the Advancement
of Science.
CENN INFO Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Tel: ++995 32 75 19 03/04
Fax: ++995 32 75 19 05
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:
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