Archive for the ‘Health & Environment’ Category
Thursday, January 5th, 2012
New rules which apply to London’s Low Emission Zone could see thousands of vehicle owners facing heavy fines. The LEZ applies to older vehicles which produce high levels of pollution, and Transport for London is now saying that many 4X4s, motorhomes and old vans are no longer compliant with the regulations.
The scheme already includes coaches and lorries, but as of this week, motorhomes, ambulances, pick-up trucks, utility vehicles and horseboxes which are over the age of 10 years will also have to conform to strict rules laid out by the European Union. Owners of such vehicles now have the option to convert them, scrap them or pay £100 per day if they want to use them. Those who do not comply face being fined £500.
According to Transport for London, the tightening of the regulations will help to dramatically improve the quality of air in the capital. However, there are concerns that many owners of the vehicles which are now included under the LEZ rules will not be aware of the fact until they are photographed by a TfL camera and issued with a warning notice.
According to the Green Party, Mayor Boris Johnson should have introduced the tougher rules earlier. Darren Johnson, of the London Assembly, said the quality of the air in London had been reduced significantly over the past year. Official figures show that last April the level of smog reached a peak not recorded since 2003.
The mayor said that it was one of his main goals to give Londoners an improved quality of life through cleaner air.
Tags: boris johnson, european union, Green Party, LEZ, Low Emission Zone, Transport for London
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Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012
The organisers of this summer’s London Olympic Games have been keen to advertise the event as the greenest ever. However, this claim has been damaged by the decision to bring in a fleet of 4,000 BMWs from Germany to be used by officials, dignitaries, athletes and politicians.
Around 250 VIPs are expected to be given their own car which will come with a chauffer to be used exclusively by them for the duration of the Games. Jenny Jones, a member of the Green Party who sits on the London Assembly, said she could not understand why so many of the new vehicles were needed. She added that there was obviously a need for some VIPs to have a secure way of getting around the city, but questioned why more people weren’t being encouraged to take advantage of the public transport network.
The fleet of 3 and 5 Series cars is expected to start arriving over the next few months. Officials will be allowed to travel around London in specially designated games lanes.
Chairwoman of the London Assembly Transport Committee, Caroline Pidgeon, also questioned the need for so many new vehicles. She said that if the 2012 Games was to live up to its green reputation then organisers should have made sure that any vehicles being used were electric powered.
She went on to say that the BMW fleet would simply add to the air pollution in the capital, and that organisers had missed out on a chance to promote cleaner transport technology.
Tags: bmw, Green Party, london assembly, Olympic Games, pollution, public transport
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Tuesday, December 27th, 2011
An environmental charity has condemned the Scottish authorities for continuing to ignore the health issues caused by high levels of pollution created by traffic in many of the country’s major cities. WWF Scotland said that European Union targets were being breached in areas of Dundee, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perth.
Dan Barlow, WWF Scotland’s head of policy, described the findings as unacceptable, adding that rather than continuing to delay deadlines for improving air quality, the government should start to do something proactive. He explained that if the authorities continue to focus in investing in the roads, rather than trying to improve public transport, or get more people to walk or use a bike, then Scotland may continue to miss pollution targets until at least 2020.
Mr Barlow said that it was the failure of governments to come up with a sensible strategy of pollution reduction which has led to the current situation and that this was causing human health to suffer.
Every year, millions of tonnes of carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide are pumped into the atmosphere by vehicles in the UK. According to the government’s Environmental Audit Committee, the pollution created by cars and other transport now means that residents of the UK have a life expectancy which is six months shorter than it should be.
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said that its Infrastructure Investment Plan proved that the authorities were keen to promote active travel, invest in public transport and develop greener transport alternatives.
Tags: Environmental Audit Committee, european union, Infrastructure Investment Plan, pollution, public transport, WWF Scotland
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Wednesday, October 26th, 2011
US lawmakers have objected strongly to European legislation that will make American airlines subject to a new carbon emissions charge. Under the European Union’s emissions trading scheme, all airlines flying in and out of Europe will have to pay for permits. The money raised by this will be used to offset the greenhouse gasses being produced by the carriers.
However, John Mica, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said imposing the rules on US cargo and passenger carriers did not conform to trade treaties already in place or international law. He added that he had met with officials from the EU to explain that he considered the charge an unfair tax, and that the US would continue to pursue the issue.
Henry Waxman, of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, did not agree. He lauded the EU’s initiative to do something to combat global warming and said America should respect the laws of Europe.
The Obama administration has said that it does not think the EU has looked carefully at the legal aspect of the new rules, and the State Department has objected to US carriers being subject to the legislation. The EU has made it clear that any carriers not in compliance will be fined.
One US carrier not keen to be subject to European legislation on the matter is American Airlines because of the presence it has at Heathrow. Other countries have already made objections, including China. Beijing said that orders for aircraft manufactured by Europe’s Airbus could be put on hold if the rules extended beyond European based airlines.
Tags: airbus, airlines, american airlines, EU, global warming, greenhouse gasses, Heathrow
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Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011
As aid agencies battle to get food to the mouths of millions starving in the countries of the Horn of Africa, international airlines are being asked to do all they can to help. The United Nations Children’s Fund is asking for discounted or free cargo space so that supplies and food can be flown to the region.
Severe drought is causing a humanitarian crisis in many parts of Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti and Somalia and it is estimated that some 12.4 million people are on the brink of starvation. According to Marixie Mercado, Geneva-based spokeswomen for UNICEF, there are 2.3 million children suffering from acute malnourishment in the Horn, around half of whom face starvation within weeks if aid does not reach them.
UNICEF said that as well as flying supplies to the region it would be shipping food, but warned that this was a much longer process. A number of airlines have already said they will cut their prices or carry cargo for free including British Airways, UPS Virgin, Cargolux and Lufthansa.
Valerie Amos, the United Nation’s humanitarian chief, said more funding was urgently required if the famine in southern Somalia is to be prevented from spreading. Agencies are looking for $1.4 billion so that efforts can be stepped up a gear to tackle the problem.
Continued fighting in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, is making it difficult for aid agencies to distribute supplies to those most in need. Reportedly, around 100,000 displaced Somalis have entered the city since the famine and drought began.
Tags: aid agencies, airlines, British Airways, Cargolux, drought, famine, Lufthansa, Somalia, UNICEF, UPS Virgin
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Friday, July 29th, 2011
Cruise passengers wishing to visit Antarctica will soon have to pay a high price to do so as a number of large companies strike the destination from their itineraries. The move follows new regulations which will ban the use of heavy fuel oil on ships travelling to the region. Instead, any cruise liners travelling to the Antarctic will have to switch to marine gas oil, which is more expensive, but cleaner.
The International Maritime Organisation has made the decision to ban liners from carrying heavy fuel oil because it wants to reduce the risk to the delicate environment of an oil spill. The new rules will be enforced from 1 August.
Several cruise companies have already announced that they will be pulling Antarctica from their brochures including Regent Seven Seas, Princess, Oceania and Crystal. Tour operators say the rise in the price of fuel will cost them millions of pounds every year.
Travellers will still be able to sail to Antarctica, but they are likely to have to do so onboard smaller craft which are friendlier to the environment and are already powered by the greener marine gas oil.
Carolyn Spencer Brown, CruiseCritic.co.uk’s editor-in-chief, said the smaller ships were able to anchor close to the ice so that passengers could disembark. Some of the larger ships had to anchor further off-shore meaning passengers never actually got to stand on the southern continent. She added that the fuel regulations were bad news for passengers who will be forced to pay more for their trip, but ultimately good news for Antarctica.
Tags: cruise, cruise liners, Crystal, International Maritime Organisation, Oceania, Princess, Regent Seven Seas, tour operators
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Monday, July 4th, 2011
According to a new report published by NATS, the air traffic control service, overcrowding at Heathrow Airport is causing passenger delays and wasting tonnes of fuel everyday. Jets which are forced to circle above the airport in a holding pattern are apparently pumping around 600 tonnes of CO2 into the skies above the capital everyday. The cost to the airlines of using up 190 tonnes of extra fuel works out at £119,000.
The busiest international airport in the world currently functions with just two runways and is now performing at 98 per cent capacity. Although British Airways has supported the building of a third runway at Heathrow, the airline recently admitted that the development was unlikely to ever go ahead.
Another proposal, which has been backed by London mayor Boris Johnson, is for four runways to be constructed in the Thames Estuary. He said that the island would relieve pressure on London as well as ensuring trading links with the world’s emerging economies.
NATS managing director, Jon Proudlove, said the report didn’t show Heathrow in a good environmental light. However, he said it was important to be aware that the airport is currently running close to full capacity. With just two runways, Heathrow caters to 476,000 flights every year.
During peak periods there can be as many as 40 aircraft in a holding pattern above London. According to NATS, Heathrow copes well for around 300 days each year, not so well on around 50 days and disastrously for 15 days.
Tags: airlines, boris johnson, British Airways, CO2, heathrow airport, Nats
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Thursday, May 19th, 2011
As part of his Road Safety Bill, MP Sir Alan Beath has proposed legislation which could force haulage firms to fit special sensors to their heavy goods vehicles capable of detecting the presence of cyclists in blind spots. The Berwick-upon-Tweed MP claims that the devices are vital for cutting the number of cyclist deaths on UK roads, especially in urban areas.
Sir Alan took up the fight after he was contacted by the mother of Eilidh Cairns who died beneath the wheels of a HGV as she cycled to her work through west London. Since her daughter’s death, Mrs Cairns and her family have been battling for better legislation across Europe to protect cyclists.
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has suggested that haulage firms fit the sensors voluntarily. The idea has been shot down by Sir Alan who points out that those firms which did comply would be undercut by companies which did not bother.
Sir Alan also explained to the Commons that the number of cyclists killed on the roads is likely to get higher as more people choose bikes as a way to get to work, especially in urban areas. He said that now was the perfect time to put rules in place which would protect cyclists.
Cyclists and pedestrians are at the greatest danger when a lorry is turning a corner as this is when the driver cannot see what is next to his vehicle. Better mirrors and sensors would mean that this is no longer the case.
Tags: cyclists, Eilidh Cairns, Philip Hammond, Road Safety Bill, Sir Alan Beath
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Friday, April 8th, 2011
As the battle for control over the Fukushima power plant in Japan continues, the Foreign Office has relaxed its warning about travelling to Tokyo. However, it is still advising against non-essential travel to areas of the north-east. According to reports, engineers at the stricken facility have managed to seal a crack in one of the reactors which was leaking radioactive material into the sea.
The struggle to contain the affected water has been going on since the disaster struck. Massive volumes of water were pumped into the reactors in an effort to keep spent fuel rods from overheating. Some of this water has already been allowed to flow into the Pacific so that workers can access the plant to make repairs.
It is estimated that around 60,000 tonnes still needs to be disposed of. Tepco, the firm which manages the facility, confirmed that the level of radioactive iodine being recorded in seawater close to reactor number two was already 7.5 million times what it would normally be.
According to chief cabinet secretary, Yukio Edano, it is too early to tell if a mixture of liquid glass and hardening agent had completely plugged the leak. Previously engineers had been attempting to stem the flow by using newspaper, sawdust and concrete.
Tepco has also said that crews are injecting nitrogen gas into one reactor in an effort to prevent hydrogen build up from causing explosions. Tepco officials are currently trying to defend themselves against the revelation that plans were submitted for the building of additional reactors at the Fukushima plant days after the catastrophe struck.
Tags: Foreign Office, Fukushima, radioactive, reactors, Tepco, tokyo
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Friday, September 3rd, 2010
A new European Union commissioned study could see a hike in levies on fuel for British drivers as well as the introduction of road pricing across the UK. The 99-page document has been slammed by British motoring organisations for being an attack on UK sovereignty.
Edmund King, president of the AA, said that it was entirely inappropriate that the EU was telling UK drivers that they may have to part with more cash at a time when they were trying to deal with the effects of a recession. He added that British drivers were already paying some of the highest taxes on fuel in the whole of Europe and had already voted against any sort of road pricing.
AEA, the climate change consultants who conducted the report for the EU, claim that an ambitious policy is needed to reverse the damage being done by transport to the environment. Researcher Sujith Kollamthodi said transport is currently one of the producers of greenhouse gasses with the fastest growing trajectories.
The report claims that a combination of non-technical and technical solutions are needed to effectively combat the problem. Along with electric vehicles, development of biofuels and improvements in vehicle efficiency; the report claims there is a need for heavier fuel taxing and the introduction of road pricing.
The Association of British Drivers said such solutions would do little more than penalise those who need a car in order to get to work because they live in remote areas of the country. The Department for Transport confirmed that, at present, it has no plans to introduce a system of road pricing.
Tags: AA, biofuels, British drivers, climate change, Department for Transport, electric vehicles, environment, recession, road pricing, tax
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