In a major shift on nuclear policy, Japan has adopted a plan to extend the lifespan of its nuclear reactors. With worldwide fuel shortages and skyrocketing gas prices, as well as the need to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, the country also has plans to replace old reactors and construct new ones. It is a […]
By Roshan Rajroop, Melita Steele and Hisayo Takada Oil spills make visible the huge price being paid by the environment, wildlife and human communities for our reliance on fossil fuels. They are a harsh demonstration of the fragility of our oceans. They are a sad reminder of how urgent it is that we end our […]
A Japanese ship that wrecked off the coast of Mauritius in July and sparked one of the worst environmental disasters in the country’s history may have run aground because of birthday celebrations on board at the time. That’s according to a statement from the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), in the latest development from the July […]
The Japanese cargo ship that hit a coral reef near Mauritius and spilled thousands of metric tons of fuel into the island nation’s turquoise waters split in two over the weekend, The Guardian reported. “At around 4.30 p.m., a major detachment of the vessel’s forward section was observed,” the Mauritius National Crisis Committee said in […]
By Olivia Sullivan One of the many unfortunate outcomes of the coronavirus pandemic has been the quick and obvious increase in single-use plastic products. After COVID-19 arrived in the United States, many grocery stores prohibited customers from using reusable bags, coffee shops banned reusable mugs, and takeout food with plastic forks and knives became the […]
Efforts to contain the Wuhan coronavirus and fears that it can spread and form a global pandemic have slowed industries around the world. Shipping is delayed, cars and electronics are stalled on the assembly line, and commodity markets around the world are predicting losses because of the virus. Fears around the virus even have Olympic […]
Japan is planning to build as many as 22 new coal plants at 17 different sites over the next five years, The New York Times reports, a sharp uptick in coal-fired power as the rest of the world eases off coal and looks to cut emissions. The projects would collectively emit as much carbon dioxide […]
Another round of global climate strikes began on Friday ahead of the 12-day UN climate conference. Representatives from 200 countries are meeting in Madrid to finalize the “rulebook” for the 2015 Paris agreement. Reposted with permission from Deutsche Welle.
Scientists announced today that pesticide use on rice fields led to the collapse of a nearby fishery in Lake Shinji, Japan, according to a new study published in the journal Science. The long-term study seems to have borne out the prophecy of Rachel Carson’s seminal 1962 book Silent Spring, in which the author describes the […]