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Does Paris have worse air pollution than Beijing?

The Guardian - Tue, 2014-03-18 04:32

On Friday, levels of pollution in Paris were higher than in many of the world’s most notoriously polluted cities. With your help, Karl Mathiesen, investigates how the City of Light became the City of Smog.

Join the debate. Post your views in the comments below, email karl.mathiesen.freelance@guardian.co.uk or tweet @karlmathiesen

6.32pm GMT

Why is there so much attention in UK media to Paris air quality, and not our own? @guardianeco @GeorgeMonbiot @DefraGovUK @MayorofLondon

When I go to eastern China, I expect air pollution, but Paris? Was not expecting to see hazy orange skies and feel the particulates.

@KarlMathiesen Check out the UKs high level of air pollution last Friday. Yet no mention in weather reports or news pic.twitter.com/jvWGKsUhmV

6.32pm GMT

Since it adopted ecologist anti-car policies, Paris tend to be more and more polluted. Cars are losing spaces of circulation for the profit of other transports and stay stuck in endless jams with their motor running, which make pollution worse. One more proof of how ideology is hell.

Dirty diesel needs to be banned in cities like London and Paris. It kills thousands every year.

Some very modern diesels engines are not too bad but most over 5 years old are positively dangerous.

I get the feeling Paris is the victim of its own success in this case, since the roads network to get into and out of town is so brilliant that I really enjoy driving there - albeit only during the holidays.

The problem is that the system is so well designed, with loads of great underground parking provision that everyone drives in.

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SENG SA Chapter News and Events

Newsletters S.A. - Mon, 2014-03-17 23:15
SENG SA Chapter News and Events
Categories: Newsletters S.A.

Nasa-funded study: industrial civilisation headed for 'irreversible collapse'? | Nafeez Ahmed

The Guardian - Sat, 2014-03-15 04:28
Natural and social scientists develop new model of how 'perfect storm' of crises could unravel global system

A new study partly-sponsored by Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Center has highlighted the prospect that global industrial civilisation could collapse in coming decades due to unsustainable resource exploitation and increasingly unequal wealth distribution.

Noting that warnings of 'collapse' are often seen to be fringe or controversial, the study attempts to make sense of compelling historical data showing that "the process of rise-and-collapse is actually a recurrent cycle found throughout history." Cases of severe civilisational disruption due to "precipitous collapse - often lasting centuries - have been quite common."

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Standards for Accreditation of Environmental Approvals under the EPBC Act

Department of the Environment - Thu, 2014-03-13 14:03
The Australian Government has released Standards for Accreditation of Environmental Approvals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, which articulate the environmental standards and considerations for...
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SENG Victoria Newsletter - March 2014

Newsletters VIC - Thu, 2014-03-13 11:20
SENG Victoria Newsletter - March 2014
Categories: Newsletters VIC

Animals see power lines as glowing, flashing bands, research reveals

The Guardian - Thu, 2014-03-13 04:00
Study suggests pylons and wires that stretch across many landscapes are having a worldwide impact on wildlife

Power lines are seen as glowing and flashing bands across the sky by many animals, research has revealed.

The work suggests that the pylons and wires that stretch across many landscapes are having a worldwide impact on wildlife.

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Victorian Eel Fishery

Department of the Environment - Wed, 2014-03-12 14:16
Agency 2014 application on ecological sustainability - comments close 11 April 2014
Categories: Around The Web

Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder to sell water allocations in the Peel Valley

Department of the Environment - Tue, 2014-03-11 15:37
The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder David Papps today announced that up to 400 megalitres of water allocations will be available for sale in the Peel Valley.
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SENG Qld Newsletter - March 2014

Newsletters QLD - Tue, 2014-03-11 11:45
SENG Qld Newsletter - March 2014
Categories: Newsletters QLD

Richard Branson tells climate deniers to 'get out of the way'

The Guardian - Mon, 2014-03-10 21:04
Virgin chief writes on his blog that businesses should follow Apple's example and take a stand against climate scepticism

Virgin Group chairman and founder, Sir Richard Branson, has said businesses should "stand up" to climate change deniers and they should "get out of our way".

Branson said he was "enormously impressed" with Apple's chief executive for telling climate change sceptics to ditch shares in the technology company.

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Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder may sell more water allocations in New South Wales this year

Department of the Environment - Fri, 2014-03-07 09:56
The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder David Papps today announced his intentions regarding the trade of environmental water in three New South Wales catchments over the remainder of 2013-14.
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Aboriginal rights a threat to Canada's resource agenda, documents reveal

The Guardian - Tue, 2014-03-04 20:00

Canadian government closely monitoring how legal rulings and aboriginal protest pose an increasing ‘risk’ for multi-billion dollar oil and mining plans

The Canadian government is increasingly worried that the growing clout of aboriginal peoples’ rights could obstruct its aggressive resource development plans, documents reveal.

Since 2008, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs has run a risk management program to evaluate and respond to “significant risks” to its agenda, including assertions of treaty rights, the rising expectations of aboriginal peoples, and new legal precedents at odds with the government’s policies.

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Categories: Around The Web

National Waste Reporting 2013

Department of the Environment - Mon, 2014-03-03 17:31
National Waste Reporting 2013 is a new online resource developed by the Australian Government along with the states and territories providing improved access to data about waste and recycling in Australia.
Categories: Around The Web

National Waste Reporting 2013

Department of the Environment - Mon, 2014-03-03 17:31
National Waste Reporting 2013 is a new online resource developed by the Australian Government along with the states and territories providing improved access to data about waste and recycling in Australia.
Categories: Around The Web

2013–14 round of ABRS Student Travel Grants is now open

Department of the Environment - Mon, 2014-03-03 14:18
New Program Rules and Online Application Form templates available. Applications close 28 April 2014.
Categories: Around The Web

2013–14 round of ABRS Student Travel Grants is now open

Department of the Environment - Mon, 2014-03-03 14:18
New Program Rules and Online Application Form templates available. Applications close 28 April 2014.
Categories: Around The Web

WWII Darwin bombing shipwreck protected

Department of the Environment - Fri, 2014-02-28 15:23
On the 72nd anniversary of the bombing of Darwin, the Government has declared the World War Two United States Army Transport (USAT) vessel Don Isidro, as a protected historic shipwreck.
Categories: Around The Web

Queensland Eel Fishery

Department of the Environment - Fri, 2014-02-28 10:18
Agency 2014 application on ecological sustainability - comments close 3 April 2014
Categories: Around The Web

Queensland Eel Fishery

Department of the Environment - Fri, 2014-02-28 10:18
Agency 2014 application on ecological sustainability - comments close 3 April 2014
Categories: Around The Web

Agbogbloshie: the world's largest e-waste dump – in pictures

The Guardian - Thu, 2014-02-27 23:53

Discarders of electronic goods expect them to be recycled properly. But almost all such devices contain toxic chemicals which, even if they are recyclable, make it expensive to do so. As a result, illegal dumping has become a lucrative business.

Photographer Kevin McElvaney documents Agbogbloshie, a former wetland in Accra, Ghana, which is home to the world’s largest e-waste dumping site. Boys and young men smash devices to get to the metals, especially copper. Injuries, such as burns, untreated wounds, eye damage, lung and back problems, go hand in hand with chronic nausea, anorexia, debilitating headaches and respiratory problems. Most workers die from cancer in their 20s

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