Tuesday, 02 Dec 2003

From Russia, Without Love

Russia Rejects Kyoto Protocol, Likely Killing Climate Change Treaty

The Kyoto Protocol on climate change received a presumably fatal blow today, when Russia announced that it will not ratify the agreement in its current form. Without Russia or the U.S. on board, the treaty will not have buy-in from at least 55 countries that account for 55 percent of the developed world's 1990 carbon dioxide emissions -- the only terms under which it can take effect. "In its current form, the Kyoto Protocol places significant limitations on the economic growth of Russia," said Russian economic advisor Andrei Illarionov as he explained the country's decision, but many experts disagree that the treaty would hurt Russia's economy. Today's news is a serious blow to climate negotiators convening this week in Milan, Italy, to discuss Kyoto's future. Some hold out hope that Russia will change its mind, but others acknowledge that the treaty will have to be renegotiated or nations that have signed it will have to go it alone.

[Correction: As it turned out, news reports of Russia rejecting the Kyoto Protocol on Dec. 2, 2003, were inaccurate. As of Dec. 5, Russia was said to be moving toward ratification.]

Go Ahead, Makah My Day

Court Upholds Block on Makah Whale Hunt

Whale advocates are celebrating in the wake of a federal appeals court ruling last week that will make it tougher for the Makah tribe of Washington state to resume hunting gray whales. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to overturn a ban on whaling and ordered the tribe to conduct a full environmental impact statement to determine the potential effects of whaling before it moves forward with planned hunts. Gray whales, once close to extinction, were removed from the federal endangered species list in 1994. The Makahs then sought and eventually received permission to kill 20 whales over five years, but they only got one before the courts ruled in 2002 that their whaling permit didn't conform to federal environmental laws. The Makahs criticized last week's ruling and vowed to continue their push for whaling rights, which they say are guaranteed by treaty.

Less Bark, More Bite

Logging in the Amazon Leads to Increase in Malaria

Destruction of the Amazon rainforest is encouraging the spread of malaria, according to new research based on data from Peru. Every 1 percent boost in deforestation increases the number of malaria-bearing mosquitoes by 8 percent, seemingly because these mosquitoes thrive in ponds that are exposed to sunlight, said lead researcher Jonathan Patz of Johns Hopkins University. Patz is part of a growing "conservation medicine" movement that studies the effects of environmental degradation on the health of humans and animals, from the impact of pollution on cancer rates to the relationship between climate change and disappearing amphibians. "Everything we look at is common sense, but it's so massively overlooked it's unbelievable," said Peter Daszak, head of the Consortium for Conservation Medicine, part of the Wildlife Trust.

Starlink Trek: The Next Generation

Banned Biotech Corn Variety Still Showing Up in U.S. Food Supplies

Genetically engineered StarLink corn is still contaminating U.S. food supplies, three years after it was pulled from the market. StarLink, which produces its own pesticide, was approved in 1998 -- but only for use in animal feed or industrial processes because of concerns that it might cause severe allergic reactions in humans. In 2000, though, it was found to have made its way into numerous consumer products, ranging from taco shells to muffin mixes, so the U.S. government rescinded its approval. Unfortunately, that didn't quite do the trick. The feds continue to find traces of StarLink in corn supplies; more than 1 percent of samples tested in the past 12 months revealed StarLink contamination. The lingering modified genes are bolstering fears that the U.S. government is simply not equipped to effectively regulate and control the spread of genetically engineered crops -- a particularly worrisome notion now that field tests are being conducted on crops that produce vaccines, medicines, and industrial chemicals.

Whatever Floats Your Nuke

Russia Offers Floating Nuclear Plants to India

How's this for a bad idea: floating nuclear plants. Russia, which has plans to build 11 such plants in its far north in the next few years, is also hoping to export the technology. Last month, Russia pitched the idea to India, reportedly offering to moor Russian-operated nuke plants off the Indian coastline -- a plan that would conveniently circumvent international rules that restrict nuclear dealings between the two nations. The floating plants would each generate enough power for a town of 50,000. They would also be far less secure than land-based nuke plants, say critics: Floating nuclear plants would lack major safety features such as high-impact concrete walls, and could be more vulnerable to natural disasters such as monsoons, tsunamis, and earthquakes, as well as to human threats such as terrorist attacks. Enviros also warn that any leaks from floating plants into oceans could spread radiation around the globe.