By Laura Peterson.
While prospects for an international climate agreement this year dwindle, Ecuador is proposing its own solution to help the developed world offset its carbon footprint: pay the South American country $3.6 billion to keep 20 percent of its oil reserves in the ground.
Ecuadorean government officials signed an agreement yesterday establishing a trust fund for the Yasuni-ITT Initiative that the United Nations Development Program will administer. Donors will receive certificates that guarantee 850 million barrels of oil will not be extracted from pristine tropical forest.
"We don't want to be an oil-exporting country forever and ever," said María Fernanda Espinosa, Ecuador's minister of patrimony. "We really want to be a service economy, a low-environmental-impact economy, and a bio-knowledge society based on our huge biodiversity."
Several European countries, including Germany and Spain, have indicated they will participate but needed a secure donation structure, Fernanda Espinosa said. The trust fund and guarantee certificates create the financial mechanism to implement the initiative, which was first proposed by President Rafael Correa in 2007.
Oil is Ecuador's leading export and accounts for about 25 percent of its gross domestic product. Instead of relying so heavily on oil, the government is trying to generate revenue through carbon offsets. Not drilling the Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini (ITT) oil block would keep 407 million tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
The oil and carbon offsets are valued at $7 billion. Ecuador is asking the international community to compensate it for half of that -- $3.6 billion, over 13 years. The government is expecting to raise $100 million the first year, Fernanda Espinosa said. The money will be used to improve the nation's protected area system; reforest degraded habitat; and invest in renewable energy, science and technology and social development programs.
The proposal would also preserve 750,000 acres of the Yasuni National Park in the northeast region of the equatorial country. The park is designated as a biosphere reserve through the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), with extremely diverse plants and animals. Scientists have counted more species of trees in 2.5 acres of the park than in all of North America. The park is also home to three indigenous tribes, including two that live in voluntary isolation. There is oil drilling in other parts of the Yasuni park, but the ITT block is untouched.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
How Wildlife and People are Faring in the Gulf
Visiting the Gulf: how wildlife and people are faring in America's worst environmental disaster, an interview with Jennifer Jacquet
By Jeremy Hance for mongabay.com, July 29, 2010
"President Obama called it 'the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced.' So I thought I should face it and head to the Gulf"—these are the opening words on the popular blog Guilty Planet as the author, marine biologist Jennifer Jacquet, embarked on a ten day trip to Louisiana. As a scientist, Jacquet was, of course, interested in the impact of the some four million barrels of oil on the Gulf's already depleted ecosystem, however she was as equally keen to see how Louisianans were coping with the fossil fuel-disaster that devastated their most vital natural resource just four years after Hurricane Katrina.
"It seems that the people of Louisiana are a special sub-population of humanity we could call Homo resilius. They have a certain resilience to disaster that probably only exists in challenged regions of the world, like Haiti, for instance," she told mongabay.com, adding that her experience was paradoxical.
"When I was there, I seriously thought parts of Louisiana were like hell on earth. And then I left and I thought everywhere else seemed boring in comparison. Louisiana and the people who live there are really special."
Jacquet says that while the news media is focusing on the obvious effects of the Gulf spill, such as oiled birds, "it seems many of the effects will be more insidious. Scientists I spoke to are particularly concerned about the larval phases of fish and invertebrates, which are planktonic and not able to avoid patches of oil the way free-swimmers might."
Click here to keep reading.
By Jeremy Hance for mongabay.com, July 29, 2010
"President Obama called it 'the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced.' So I thought I should face it and head to the Gulf"—these are the opening words on the popular blog Guilty Planet as the author, marine biologist Jennifer Jacquet, embarked on a ten day trip to Louisiana. As a scientist, Jacquet was, of course, interested in the impact of the some four million barrels of oil on the Gulf's already depleted ecosystem, however she was as equally keen to see how Louisianans were coping with the fossil fuel-disaster that devastated their most vital natural resource just four years after Hurricane Katrina.
"It seems that the people of Louisiana are a special sub-population of humanity we could call Homo resilius. They have a certain resilience to disaster that probably only exists in challenged regions of the world, like Haiti, for instance," she told mongabay.com, adding that her experience was paradoxical.
"When I was there, I seriously thought parts of Louisiana were like hell on earth. And then I left and I thought everywhere else seemed boring in comparison. Louisiana and the people who live there are really special."
Jacquet says that while the news media is focusing on the obvious effects of the Gulf spill, such as oiled birds, "it seems many of the effects will be more insidious. Scientists I spoke to are particularly concerned about the larval phases of fish and invertebrates, which are planktonic and not able to avoid patches of oil the way free-swimmers might."
Click here to keep reading.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
RBG Representatives go to Benin...
Check out this article about a recent trip to Benin, Africa by representatives from Rainforest Biodiversity Group and the Sarapiqui Conservation Learning Center. The trip was made as part of a grant from the organization Program for South-South Cooperation in order to foster an international exchange of ideas in regards to community-based environmental conservation.
Friday, May 21, 2010
“Saving Our Shared Birds” is the latest effort by Partners in Flight to help species at risk and keep common birds common—our mission since 1990. Partners in Flight achieves success in conserving bird populations in the Western Hemisphere through combining resources of public and private organizations in North and South America.
To celebrate Partners in Flight’s 20th Anniversary, Cornell Lab of Ornithology created a compelling movie highlighting Partners in Flight’s mission and approach. Spectacular bird footage and vocalizations bring the message to life—we must continue to work together to effectively conserve the Western Hemisphere’s amazing and diverse bird life. The video additionally showcases the International Migratory Bird Day 2010 artwork by Robert Petty that illustrates the theme “Power of Partnerships.”
To celebrate Partners in Flight’s 20th Anniversary, Cornell Lab of Ornithology created a compelling movie highlighting Partners in Flight’s mission and approach. Spectacular bird footage and vocalizations bring the message to life—we must continue to work together to effectively conserve the Western Hemisphere’s amazing and diverse bird life. The video additionally showcases the International Migratory Bird Day 2010 artwork by Robert Petty that illustrates the theme “Power of Partnerships.”
Monday, May 3, 2010
Finca Pangola Update II
GaryMoll the project manager at Finca Pangola has shared some great pictures with us and we wanted to share them with you. Gary a self taught naturalist from Florida, found a Black-throated Trogon Nest. Of the two eggs in the nest, one remained. He also found this Laughing Falcon with a snake in it's grasp! Also check out the Black-and-White Owl that was just outside of the main house.
Sign up for a trip to the Costa Rican Bird Route to visit Finca Pangola now at www.costaricanbirdroute.com
Finca Pangola Update
Finca Pangola one of the sites of the Costa Rican Bird Route has been working hard on the creation of their new Rainforest Boardwalk. It will be one of the longest boardwalks in all of Costa Rica. Additionally of note a new species for the site, the Sunbittern has been observed on the site. See the accompanying picture by Pangola Project Director Gary Moll. There are also reports that Green Ibis's are nesting here as well. Look for more updates on the Bird Route sites soon. Visit www.costaricanbirdroute.com for more information.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Bird Migration Update
From our friends at Journey North:
April 28, 2010
It was another good week for fallouts. That storm system that brought the terrible weather to many people across the country also forced many birds to land. In Galveston, TX, 350 Dickssels were seen, and an observer reported swallows passing by at the rate of 150 per minute! At nearby High Island, researchers at the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory reported hundreds of Blue Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings, and Painted Buntings, along with 32 species of warblers!
The scene was similar along the southwest coast of Louisiana.The storm system arrived in Tennessee on Saturday, and a birder in Memphis went out after the storm passed and saw hundreds of Indigo Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks, and Eastern Kingbirds.
By Sunday, the system had reached the East Coast. On Monday, April 26, at Cape May, NJ (one of the best places in the country to be during both spring and fall migration) people tallied 50 Gray Catbirds, 30 House Wrens, and over 200 Yellow-rumped Warblers!!! Once the system passed, the strong north winds behind it have kept migrants grounded for a while. Before the system arrived, however, there was good flying weather, and migrants were able to make some progress. In New Hampshire, the first Eastern Kingbirds, Wood Thrushes, and Louisiana Waterthrushes showed up, while Nebraska had its first Warbling Vireo, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Cliff Swallows, and the first Western Kingbirds and Indigo Buntings showed up in Kansas.
Farther west, they have had southerly winds most of the week, so migrants have been cruising along. People in Arizona and New Mexico have been seeing good numbers of Ash-throated Flycatchers, Yellow Warblers, Bullock's Orioles, Western Kingbirds, and Western Tanagers. Nevada has seen an influx of flycatchers (Ash-throated, Gray, Hammond's); vireos (Plumbeous, Cassin's, Bell's); Scott's Orioles; and Western Kingbirds. Wilson's Warblers, Orange-crowned Warblers, Nashville Warblers, and Western Kingbirds have shown up in Colorado and Washington.
April 28, 2010
It was another good week for fallouts. That storm system that brought the terrible weather to many people across the country also forced many birds to land. In Galveston, TX, 350 Dickssels were seen, and an observer reported swallows passing by at the rate of 150 per minute! At nearby High Island, researchers at the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory reported hundreds of Blue Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings, and Painted Buntings, along with 32 species of warblers!
The scene was similar along the southwest coast of Louisiana.The storm system arrived in Tennessee on Saturday, and a birder in Memphis went out after the storm passed and saw hundreds of Indigo Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks, and Eastern Kingbirds.
By Sunday, the system had reached the East Coast. On Monday, April 26, at Cape May, NJ (one of the best places in the country to be during both spring and fall migration) people tallied 50 Gray Catbirds, 30 House Wrens, and over 200 Yellow-rumped Warblers!!! Once the system passed, the strong north winds behind it have kept migrants grounded for a while. Before the system arrived, however, there was good flying weather, and migrants were able to make some progress. In New Hampshire, the first Eastern Kingbirds, Wood Thrushes, and Louisiana Waterthrushes showed up, while Nebraska had its first Warbling Vireo, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Cliff Swallows, and the first Western Kingbirds and Indigo Buntings showed up in Kansas.
Farther west, they have had southerly winds most of the week, so migrants have been cruising along. People in Arizona and New Mexico have been seeing good numbers of Ash-throated Flycatchers, Yellow Warblers, Bullock's Orioles, Western Kingbirds, and Western Tanagers. Nevada has seen an influx of flycatchers (Ash-throated, Gray, Hammond's); vireos (Plumbeous, Cassin's, Bell's); Scott's Orioles; and Western Kingbirds. Wilson's Warblers, Orange-crowned Warblers, Nashville Warblers, and Western Kingbirds have shown up in Colorado and Washington.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
