21 October 2005

Of growth, rainforests, climate & greed

"The Amazon rainforest is being destroyed twice as quickly as previously estimated, according to a sattelite survey of the region." (The Independent) Satellite image.

PNG is losing its ancient forests fast. Read more in this interesting Greenpeace report (pdf) on government inaction and industrial greed. 'UK timber trade, Chinese sweatshops, Malaysian robber barons in PNG'. Very telling pictures!

Growth in China and the ecological consequences:

oil
On current trends, China will by 2031 be consuming 99 million barrels of oil per day. Total world production today is only 84 million bpd
Forests
China is already the biggest driver of rainforest destruction, says Greenpeace. Half of all rainforest logs head for China
Motor cars
By 2031, China would have 1.1 billion cars if it matches current US trends - bigger than the current world fleet of 800 million
Global warming
By 2025, China will overtake the US as the top emitter of the greenhouse gases causing global warming
A must read article by (The Independent)

The importation of 102 racing pigeons to Australia is odd in times of the poultry flu."... Three were found to have avian influenza antibodies, but did not test positive for the H5N1 strain or any other avian influenza virus." When will they ever learn from history? (Reuters AlertNet)

(Image is the 'Amazon-down under': Bellingen region, March 2005, endless clearfelling and logging highways)

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