Pelecanus

In this Pelecanus News episode for August 1st, 2020 we highlight a few headlines including Germany working to reduce their plastic pollution, Gorongosa Park celebrating a big anniversary, the US Congress passing the great American outdoors act, the WWF supporting a ban on trophy hunting imports in the UK and Taiwan banning the fishing of old-world sharks.

All episodes can be found on pelecanus.org, soundcloud, iTunes, and spotify.

This episode of Pelecanus NEWS has some great headlines from canceled oil pipelines to new condor populations. All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, and Spotify

Drawdown

Applying rock dust to croplands could absorb up to 2 billion tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere

https://phys.org/news/2020-07-croplands-absorb-billion-tonnes-co2.html

Federal Judge rules Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipeline shut down until environmental review complete

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/07/06/dakota-access-pipeline/

Atlantic Coast Pipeline canceled as delays and costs mount

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/05/business/atlantic-coast-pipeline-cancel-dominion-energy-berkshire-hathaway.html

Endangered California condors in Sequoia National Park for the first time in 50 years

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-07-08/endangered-california-condors-sequoia-national-park

US 9th Circuit upholds Endangered Species protections for Yellowstone Grizzlies

https://earthjustice.org/news/press/2020/9th-circuit-upholds-endangered-species-protections-for-yellowstone-grizzlies

The House of Representatives passed the Wildlife Corridor Conservation Act with $300 million funding

https://defenders.org/newsroom/landmark-bipartisan-legislation-protect-wildlife-corridors-passes-us-house-of

For the July 1 NEWS episode, I have found some pretty interesting Pelecanus News for you. I’ve categorized them into Legislation, Science and Technology, and Animals. The first two categories have the regular amazing stuff but the last category is amazing in the sheer number – frankly, I couldn’t believe how many great stories popped up in the last two weeks. So, instead of going into depth with each, I am just going to look at the headline and maybe one bulletpoint. You can find the rest of the information and links to each on Pelecanus.org. Also, we received a amazing comment about these News episodes, recommending we give context for what each these headlines mean, so, I’m going to try and do the best I can to help explain what these stories mean to conservation, obviously, in my opinion.

All of our podcasts can be found on Pelecanus.org, Soundcloud, iTunes, and Spotify

In this Conservation Conversations episode we talk with Eric Zahn, Principal Restoration Ecologist with Tidal Influence, the ecological consulting firm he co-founded in Long Beach, CA. We focused on his company's project of researching, conserving, and expanding the population of Salt Marsh Bird's Beak (Chloropyron maritimum ssp. maritimum), an endangered plant found in southern California coastal salt marshes.

@tidalinfluence

www.tidalinfluence.com

All Pelecanus episodes can be found at www.Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, and Spotify

Host, Executive Producer: Austin Parker

Producer: Taylor Parker

Music provided by "A Picture Book"

This NEWS episode highlights some great topics like representation, biological diversity and drawdown. Links to articles can be found at Pelecanus.org

Representation

· Inaugural ‘Black Birders Week’ Promotes Diversity and Takes on Racism in the Outdoors

o https://www.audubon.org/news/black-birders-week-promotes-diversity-and-takes-racism-outdoors

· Charges dropped against 22 Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders (wet so a tin)

o https://www.democracynow.org/2020/6/8/headlines/charges_dropped_against_22_wetsuweten_land_defenders?fbclid=IwAR2-bR2OpUyVI4vOzUrFCeOmiSh5IOP_aS2IeYWljt8WJ1g5omx6WqXVal4

· NWT First Nations shares prestigious UN prize for environmental work

o https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/n-w-t-first-nations-community-gets-un-award-for-work-on-new-national-park

· Long time environmental professional, lawyer, and diplomat, Elizabeth Mrema, is named new Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity

o https://www.cbd.int/secretariat/executive-secretary/

Drawdown

· EU’s greenhouse gas emission continue to fall as coal ditched

o https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/29/eus-greenhouse-gas-emissions-continue-to-fall-as-coal-ditched

· Plunging solar energy prices spell bright future for clean electricity

o http://www.marketexpress.in/2020/06/plunging-solar-energy-prices-spell-bright-future-for-clean-electricity.html

· Indonesia to receive $56m payment from Norway for reducing deforestation

o https://news.mongabay.com/2020/05/indonesia-norway-redd-payment-deforestation-carbon-emission-climate-change/

o Indonesia is set to receive $56 million from Norway as the result of the Southeast Asian country’s efforts to preserve its vast tropical rainforests to curb carbon dioxide emissions.

Here are the news topics we cover in this week's episode. We got some pretty big stories here.

All Pelecanus podcasts can be found on Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify and at Pelecanus.org

Big Money

o China to allocate $57bn to environmental protection

§ https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-environment-budget/china-to-allocate-57-billion-to-environment-protection-idUSKBN22Y0BU

o EU pledges to raise €20bn a year to boost biodiversity

§ https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/20/eu-pledges-20bn-a-year-on-boosting-biodiversity-aoe

o World’s biggest wealth fund dumps $3billion in fossil fuels, drops major Brazil miner from its portfolio

§ https://finance.yahoo.com/news/world-biggest-wealth-fund-extends-054842550.html

· Innovations

o Coca-Cola and Carlsberg introduce plant-based bottles that degrade in a year

§ https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/coke-carlsberg-plant-based-bottles-a4443886.html

o Engineers develop near-zero emissions engine technology

§ https://techxplore.com/news/2020-05-near-zero-emissions-technology.html

§ Southwest Research Institute engineers have developed the next generation of clean diesel engine technology to reduce hazardous nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide emissions while minimizing

§ https://www.csiro.au/en/News/News-releases/2020/Scientists-successfully-develop-heat-resistant-coral-to-fight-bleaching

· Drawdown

o Equinor, Shell and Total sign off on building world’s first carbon capture network

§ https://www.rechargenews.com/transition/equinor-shell-and-total-sign-off-on-building-worlds-first-carbon-capture-network/2-1-810005

o The largest solar project in the US gets green light

§ https://e360.yale.edu/digest/the-largest-solar-project-in-the-u-s-gets-green-light

· COVID Updates

o Daily global CO2 emissions ‘cut to 2006 levels’ during height of COVID

§ https://www.carbonbrief.org/daily-global-co2-emissions-cut-to-2006-levels-during-height-of-coronavirus-crisis

This week's episode highlights these amazing headlines!

Renewable Energy

· America’s renewable energy sources have produced more electricity than coal every day for 40 days straight

· Iceland To Stop Killing Whales In 2020, Choosing To Watch Them Instead

· Rare Island Marble butterfly wins Endangered Species protections

· Colorado outlaws cruel and unsporting wildlife killing contests

· Costa Rican suburb gave citizenship to bees, plants, and trees

COVID Updates

· Clean air in Europe during lockdown leads to 11,000 fewer deaths

· Greenhouse gas emissions predicted to fall nearly 8% - largest decrease ever

· Pakistan hires thousands of newly-unemployed laborers for ambitious 10 billion tree-planting initiative

May 1st Pelecanus NEWS

Find all episodes on Soundcloud, iTunes, and Spotify

Energy

o New renewable energy capacity hit record levels in 2019

§ https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/20/04/06/1938223/new-renewable-energy-capacity-hit-record-levels-in-2019

o Sweden and Austria closer their last coal power plants years ahead of schedule

§ https://electrek.co/2020/04/22/sweden-third-european-country-to-closes-its-last-coal-power-plant/

· Wild Carnivores

o A rare Snow Leopard pair spotted in Uttarakhand’s Nanda Devi Park

§ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/four-rare-snow-leopards-spotted-in-nanda-devi-national-park-in-uttarakhand/as75158515.cms

o Photos of wild tiger cubs in Thailand rekindles hope for species

§ https://news.mongabay.com/2020/04/photos-of-wild-tiger-cubs-in-thailand-rekindles-hope-for-species/

· Law and Policy

o South Korea to implement Green New Deal after ruling party election win

§ https://www.climatechangenews.com/2020/04/16/south-korea-implement-green-new-deal-ruling-party-election-win/

o US judge cancels permit for Keystone XL pipeline after lawsuit

§ https://apnews.com/89e3f21d344db86b8743665ea66b892c

o EPA can’t kick scientists off science advisory panels, court says

§ https://www.nrdc.org/experts/nrdc/epa-cant-kick-scientists-science-advisory-panels-court-says

o Supreme Court Rejects White House’s View of Clean Water Act

§ https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2020/04/27/566428.htm

· COVID-19 Updates

o Milan’s plan to limit cars after COVID lockdown lauded as Excellent Example

§ https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/04/21/milans-plan-limit-cars-after-covid-19-lockdown-lauded-excellent-example

o Himalayas visible for first time in 30 years as pollution levels in India drop

§ https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/himalayas-visible-lockdown-india-scli-intl/index.html

o Ganges River water becomes fit for drinking

§ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/ganga-water-turns-cleaner-during-lockdown-fit-for-achaman-in-haridwar-rishikesh/as75079848.cms

o Data shows 30 percent drop in air pollution over Northeast US

§ https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/drop-in-air-pollution-over-northeast/

In this episode of Pelecanus NEWS we get you caught up on news stories: Protected Areas, Climate Health, and COVI-19 updates

Protected Areas

· Seychelles creates a marine reserve twice the size of Great Britain

o https://news.mongabay.com/2020/03/seychelles-extends-protection-to-marine-area-twice-the-size-of-great-britain/

Climate Health

· Savannah, Georgia commits to 100% green energy by 2050

o https://climaterealityproject.org/press/savannah-georgia-commits-100-percent-clean-renewable-energy

· Earth’s Ozone layer is finally healing

o https://www.sciencealert.com/the-ozone-layer-is-healing-and-that-s-good-news-for

· Court reinstates limits on potent climate-polluting refrigerants

o https://www.nrdc.org/experts/nrdc/victory-court-reinstates-limits-potent-climate-polluting-refrigerants

COVID-19 updates

· With humans under lockdown, thousands of Olive Ridley Turtles get to peacefully nest in India’s Odisha beaches

o https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/environment/with-humans-under-lockdown-8-lakh-olive-ridley-turtles-get-to-peacefully-nest-on-odisha-coast-509372.html

· With zoo closed to visitors, pandas finally bang after 10 years

o https://shanghai.ist/2020/04/07/with-zoo-closed-to-visitors-pandas-finally-bang-after-10-years/

In this episode of Pelecanus NEWS we get you caught up on a bunch of amazing conservation news stories, even in these strange times. Be happy and healthy!

The topics we cover include: Life, Activism, Circular Economy, and COVID-19 updates...

Headlines:

· Ancestor of all animals identified in Australian fossils

· Scientists have discovered the origins of the building blocks of life

· Huge Victory for Standing Rock Sioux Tribe as Federal Court rules DAPL permits violated law

· In race for a sustainable alternative to plastic, Indonesia bets on seaweed

· New EU rules could spell end of throwaway culture

· Aldi CEO tells suppliers: 100% recyclable or compostable packaging is non-negotiable

· Malawi government bans bush meat in the wake of COVID-19

· Coronavirus closures reveal vast scale of China’s secretive wildlife farm industry

· China and Vietnam finally ban wildlife trade due to coronavirus