Canadian journalist calls for a tax on meat.

Canadian Kate Heartfield, writing as part of the Ottawa Citizen’s editorial board, has drawn attention to the recent announcement by British Columbia that it would be increasing taxes on fuel to encourage more thrifty usage of this emission-causing substance. She also highlighted the fact that meat causes 18% of global emissions and suggested that Canadian provinces begin taxing meat to reduce greenhouse emissions. 

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=62684535-dd64-451f-a2c2-2fdbb3086e69

Cyprus initiates water rationing.

With rainfall having decreased by 20% over the past 35 years and reserves at 10% of capacity, the east Mediterranean island is experiencing a historical water shortage.  The government announced on Monday that water supplies would be reduced 30% by giving people access to water for only eight hours every two days. The government is also seeking to purchase water from Greece until its third desalinization plant becomes operational in June. 
We send our prayers, Cyprus, that your conservation methods will be fruitful in alleviating the water shortage.  May we all wisely cherish the Earth’s natural resources while quickly acting to stabilize weather patterns through our eco-friendly practices. 

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL2455576320080324  


Peruvians worry as time runs out on their Andean glaciers. 

Last year, the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC ) reported that Latin America’s glaciers could be gone in 15 years. Peru, home to 70% of the world’s tropical glaciers, would be most affected. Rural residents use water from the melting glaciers for almost every aspect of their lives, from accessing drinking water to irrigating crops. Delia Cascamayta, a Peruvian who sells her produce at a market in Cuzco every week, asked:  “What's going to happen if the snow and water disappear?” 

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GlobalWarming/story?id=4498640&page=1

Global warming threatens native Australian species with extinction. 

A report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) warns that Australia already has the world’s highest rate of mammal extinction. The report goes on to say that climate change will only make it harder for species like the rock wallaby, the rabbit-eared bilby, and the quoll, a native feline, to survive. It states, “Early signs are that climate change is likely to make all of the existing threats to species worse.” 

http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest+News/World/STIStory_220313.html


Greenpeace report alerts of global warming impacts.

On Tuesday, Greenpeace released a report in Mumbai, India indicating that the cumulative effects of climate change will be more severe as time passes. Greenpeace advocate, Brikesh Singh, said, “According to the research conducted at NASA, the sea level will rise by around five meters. Once this happens, major parts of Mumbai and Kolkata would be submerged under water.”

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1157642


Major piece of Antarctic ice shelf falls into the sea.

A piece of the Wilkins Ice shelf, seven times the size of Manhattan island in the USA, has crumbled into the sea. Scientists say this is a sign of things to come for Antarctica as global warming progresses.  Professor David Vaughn of the British Antarctic Survey said: "This is not a sea level rise issue, but is yet another indication of climate change in the Antarctic Peninsula and how it is affecting the environment.” He added, “Wilkins is the largest ice shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula yet to be threatened. I didn't expect to see things happen this quickly. The ice shelf is hanging by a thread - we'll know in the next few days or weeks what its fate will be.”

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/03/25/antartica.collapse.ap/index.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7313264.stm