Tuesday, 07 May 2002

The Violence of the Lambs

Oregon, a state that has been targeted at least 29 times since 1980 by so-called "eco-terrorists," is now home to the nation's first organization exclusively dedicated to tracking and eliminating eco-terrorism. The organization, Stop Eco-Violence, was cofounded by a former spokesperson for a building products company, a Portland State University terrorism expert, and a conservative Los Angeles fundraiser, with the support of a Washington, D.C.-based public relations firm that specializes in giving makeovers to industry groups on the rocks. Stop Eco-Violence plans to keep tabs on acts of eco-terrorism and funding sources for eco-terrorists, and to unite police, academics, and victims of eco-terrorist attacks, ranging from loggers to ranchers, from homebuilders to auto dealers. David Barbarash, a spokesperson for the Animal Liberation Front, dismissed the new group, saying ecologically motivated sabotage would end only by "stopping animal torture, stopping the destruction of the environment for profit and greed, and treating all species and all life ... with a sense of responsibility."

Conventional Stupidity

Almost a decade ago, 183 countries signed the Convention on Biological Diversity to guard against exploitation of their genetic resources. Now scientists say the treaty, although well intentioned, effectively prevents scientists from studying the natural bounty it is designed to protect. The many national bureaucracies spawned by the treaty do not easily distinguish between bioprospecting and basic science, and the system of permits that must be obtained is so daunting that many scientists have simply given up trying to work in species-rich areas. The problem is particularly acute in South America, where researchers have sometimes been chased out of forests by locals, been detained by the police, or had their work destroyed. In February, 13 countries that control about 70 percent of the world's biological diversity formed the Group of Allied Mega-Biodiverse Nations, which plans to draw up clearer guidelines for studying and possessing biological materials.

Changing Their Tuna

Ecuador unveiled a plan yesterday that could help protect marine and bird species native to the Galapagos Islands, whose unique wildlife inspired Charles Darwin to formulate his theory of natural selection. At present, Galapagos fishers are legally allowed to ply their trade in the waters around the archipelago, to the dismay of conservationists. Now the government plans to pilot a program that would encourage anglers to accept a voluntary two-mile, no-fishing zone around the islands, which lie about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. In exchange, the government would offer to help the 400 licensed local fishing boats sell their catches from the outer reaches of the Galapagos marine reserve to industrial tuna fleets. Tuna is the country's fifth-biggest export, and industrial fishers have long clamored for fishing rights in the reserve. Environmentalists have said that letting in the fleets would be a disaster for marine and bird life. The government said its compromise plan would placate the industry, help local fishers, and protect the ecology of the Galapagos.

PC-beware

A female killer whale that washed up on Washington state's Olympic Peninsula earlier this year has been found to have off-the-charts levels of PCBs in its blubber, according to tests in federal labs. The levels were so high that the first time scientists tested the orca, their machine could not read the results and the equipment had to be recalibrated. With 1,000 parts PCBs per million parts of fat, the killer whale tested dramatically above the 58 ppm found to be common for female orcas in the most comprehensive study to date. The reading is also much higher than the concentrations of PCBs known to adversely affect the growth, reproduction, and immune system of the harbor seal, another marine mammal. Although PCBs have been banned since 1977, they are extremely persistent and continue to be found throughout the marine food chain. The radically high levels in the dead killer whale add new urgency to questions about water quality in the West Coast's oceans and bays.

Greener Pastures

New Zealand is home to a staggering 45 million sheep and 8 million cattle, which together produce 90 percent of the country's methane emissions -- or about 43 percent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. To meet the terms of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, New Zealand has to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels -- but legislation proposed by the government last week would exempt the agricultural sector from any taxes levied to control the problem. The government has made clear, however, that the agricultural sector should focus on R&D to control methane emissions. New Zealand scientists say they know where to start: by altering the pastures in which sheep and cattle graze to include more of the legume lotus. According to the scientists, lotus contains tannin compounds that reduce methane emissions from ruminant animals by as much as 16 percent. The finding is a promising development in the effort to control agricultural contributions to global warming, which generally receive less attention than industrial pollution sources.