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Japan eradicates dolphins as form of ‘pest control’

Every year environmental and animal welfare groups join forces to boo and hiss at (and work to oppose) Japan during the International Whaling Commission meeting. In 1986 the IWC instituted a moratorium on commercial whaling, and ever since Japan has been fighting to overturn it. This year, Japan and its allies came dangerously close to inhaling the sweet smell of success.

In the 20 years since the ban has been in place, approximately 27,000 whales have been slaughtered -- either accidentally or for "scientific" purposes. This is hardly a secret. But you probably aren't aware of the 20,000 dolphins and porpoises Japan kills every year.

A Beautiful Find

Scientists discover 52 new marine species near Indonesia Eight new species of shrimp, 20 new species of coral, and 24 new species of fish, including two types of sharks, have been discovered off the coast of Indonesia. And these aren’t your grandmother’s marine species: Male wrasse fish get sexy for their harems by flashing bright […]

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Malaria?

World Health Organization endorses controlled use of DDT to fight malaria Reversing a 30-year-old policy, the World Health Organization on Friday announced that the pesticide DDT, used indoors in moderation, is critical to fighting malaria, and argued that such use won’t harm people or the environment. Applied to the inside walls of dwellings once or […]

What to expect.

So, rumor's in the air about a new Bush climate policy. As Bart says, this is no doubt an authorized leak and, like everything the Bush administration does, done with politics in mind.

I imagine Rove sees the Gore cloud gathering on the horizon and wants to blow it away with some hot air before it gets too big.

How? By stealing Gore's signature issue. It's exactly what Turdblossom did in the 2000 election: Bush's promise to regulate CO2 was nothing but a successful bid to take the issue off the table, to dilute media and voter attention (same with "compassionate conservatism"). It immunized Bush.

Now Rove is trying to immunize the party, by changing its stance on global warming from "No!" to "blah blah blah." Voters understand No, and on an issue like this they'll come to see it as obstructionist. But they don't really follow the blah blah blah. They'll get the impression that both parties are addressing the issue; then it's six of one half dozen the other.

Will it work? Let's just say the last six years have encouraged me never to underestimate the charlatans or overestimate the voting public.

Now, let's turn to prediction. If it's true that Bush will announce a big climate plan, here's what I expect will be in it, from most to least likely:

He’s ‘preparing an astonishing U-turn on global warming,’ sources say

Today Britain's Independent amps up the rumors about a possible change of course from Bush on climate change, rumors that David first told us about last week. Reports Geoffrey Lean in the Independent:

President Bush is preparing an astonishing U-turn on global warming, senior Washington sources say.

After years of trying to sabotage agreements to tackle climate change he is drawing up plans to control emissions of carbon dioxide and rapidly boost the use of renewable energy sources. ...

Over the past few days rumours swept the capital that the "Toxic Texan" would announce his conversion this week, in an attempt to reduce the impact of a major speech tomorrow by Al Gore on solutions to climate change.

The White House denied the timing, but did not deny that a change of policy was on its way. Sources say that the most likely moment is the President's State of the Union address in January.

Another good source found for cellulosic

While I don't have NYT Select access and haven't read Friedman's recent column, I did see the Discover Channel special earlier this summer ("Addicted To Oil") in which he similarly pumped Brazilian ethanol.

We could argue until we're blue, green, or yellow in the face about the long-term viability of biofuels in the U.S. But the best and most thoroughly researched rundown I've seen is here. This article -- which is essentially a synopsis of the 2005 NRDC report "Growing Energy" embellished with other expert opinions -- says that even cellulosic ethanol stands a chance to meet our transportation energy needs only if the U.S. cuts fuel consumption by 50%.

Prius makes an appearance in Last Kiss

So I've just returned home from a showing of Last Kiss, the new Zach Braff flick -- which, PS, pales next to Garden State -- and I'm excited to report that not only does Braff's character drive a Prius throughout the movie, but the car actually gets mentioned in the first two lines.

As the film begins, the lens is focused knee-height at a number of women (with very nice legs) walking at a crosswalk. The camera then pans up very slowly to focus on the front of a black Prius -- Toyota logo very much visible. As the shot continues to move up, two main characters -- Michael (Braff) and Jenna (Jacinda Barrett) -- are seen seated in the car.

Jenna says something to Michael to the effect of "What are you thinking about?" And Michael replies, "I was just thinking how convenient it is for me that it's considered hip to drive a $20,000 hybrid car." Or something like that. I only managed to scribble parts of that second line on my napkin -- I didn't know I would be taking notes for a blog post! (Though I suppose now I can write the ticket price off on my taxes ... right?)

A short review

Last night I finally got around to watching The End of Suburbia.

Sic transit beach front real estate

Last month was the first time in history that China reported higher total exports than the U.S.

China's State Statistical Bureau reported total exports in July of US$80.34 billion, nudging ahead of the U.S. ($80.31 billion) as the world's biggest exporter of goods and services. Of course, China's gross national income (US$7.6 trillion in 2005) is still only 65% of the US (US$11.7 trillion), but China's economy has been growing three times faster over the past five years (9.4% annually versus 3.2%).

As China's export-led economy grows, so does its environmental footprint. Total carbon dioxide emissions in China in 2003 were 3.5 billion tonnes, 60% of the U.S. total in the same year. But between 1990 and 2002, China's emissions jumped 46% -- an average growth rate of 3.2% -- while U.S. total emissions grew at a more modest (but still horrifying) rate of 1.5% per year over the same period.

Protecting the base of the Southern ocean marine food web

Krill are the basis of life for hundreds of different species of fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. Vast krill banks in the icy Southern Ocean are now targets of a new generation of factory trawlers that can vacuum up as much as 120,000 tonnes of krill in a season, most of it intended for use as food for industrially-farmed salmon.

Decline or collapse of the antarctic krill banks could have immense effects on dependent predators such as whales, penguins, and seals.

In October, the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) will meet in Australia to consider stronger measures to protect the Southern Ocean krill. Read Clifton Curtis' op-ed in the IHT. (Curtis directs the Pew Charitable Trust's Antarctic Krill Conservation Project.)