Alien Pythons Kill Native Mammals

The growth of the Burmese python population in the Everglades, Florida, is being blamed for a reduction in the number of native mammals like rabbits and bobcats. Burmese pythons are not native to the Everglades and are believed to have been introduced over 30 years. They are now the top predator and have even been known to tackle alligators. The sightings of some animals like racoons have gone down over 99% since the snake's introduction.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16791094

Japan's Population to Shrink by a Third

The Japanese government believe that there population will shrink by one third by 2060 and that by the same date over 40% of the population will be old dependents. The declining and ageing population is blamed on falling birth and fertility rates and rising life expectancy - Japan already has the highest life expectancy in the world, but this is expected to go up. Ageing and declining populations can cause a lot of problems including: healthcare costs, pension costs, worker shortages and falling tax revenue.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16787538

Pending Food Crisis in Niger

The charity Save the Children has warned that some six million people in Niger, over half of them children are at risk from food shortages because of a poor harvest and rising food prices. The charity believe that the crisis could be as bad as the ongoing crisis in East Africa and have made an appeal to raise nearly $50 million.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16771603

New Forests for the UK

The Woodland Trust is planning to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee by planting 1 billion trees in February. Over half will be planted in a new Diamond Wood in Leicestershire and the others will be planted at over 60 locations around the UK. The new trees will help to offset carbon as well as creating homes for the UK's fauna and flora and providing open spaces for leisure users.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16741078

First UK Report on Climate Change Published

The first official report about climate change in the UK has said that there will be both problems and opportunities. Problems may include more flooding, more heatwaves and heat-related deaths and increased water shortages. However, it has also stated that shipping lanes north through the Arctic could improve, cold deaths could reduce and the crop yields might actually rise.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16730834

Government Solar Subsidies Will Continue

The UK government has been told by the Court Of Appeals that it must continue its subsidies for solar panels. The UK government currently pays households with solar panels, money for the electricity that they generate. The government wanted to half the payments, because they said that they wanted the scheme to extend within its current budget. However, critics claim that they are trying to save money and that jobs will be lost as a result. The UK government has said that they will take there case to the Supreme Court.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16721328

Sustainable Forestry Not Sustainable

Recent research has suggest that so called sustainable logging techniques are not sustainable. The research was carried out in the Solomon Islands. The research found that the standard growing cycle of 30-40 years was not longer enough for trees to grow to the size desired by manufacturers. Therefore there was increased pressure on primary forests in order to gain the desired size of tree. Th research also found that as much as 50% of timber on the world market was illegally obtained.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16682177

Can Solar Power Help Shipping Industry Go Green?

The Australian company Solar Sailor has developed a hybrid boat that will hopefully reduce the shipping industry's reliance on oil. One of there fleet the Solar Albatross has two sails both with solar panels on. The sails help generate solar power and harness the power of the wind.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16686260

Race to Save Ecuador's Rainforests

The Yasuni National Park in Ecuador which is one of the most diverse places in the world is coming under increasing pressure from oil exploration. Efforts are being made to develop renewable energy as quickly as possible so that the demand for oil falls and the rainforest remains protected.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16618300

Probability of Tokyo Earthquake has Increased

Scientists in at the University of Tokyo believe that Tokyo has a 75% chance of a magnitude 7.0 (or greater) earthquake in the next four years. They have based the prediction on the four fold increase in tremors since the 11 March 2011 earthquake. Tokyo has not had a major earthquake since 1923 when a 7.9 earthquake hit. The government believe the chances of a major quake are much lower at only 70% in the next 30 years.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/16681136

New Wave/Hydro Energy to be Tested

British egineer Alvin Smith wants to test his Searaser machine around the UK and believes that 200 sites around the UK could provide energy for 230,000 homes. The Searaser uses the motion of the waves to pump water into a storage reservoir, normally found on a cliff. The water is then released back to the sea driving a turbine on the way creating hydro-electricity. The scheme is interesting, because unlike many renewable energies more or less water can be released depending on demand.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-16676818

Role Reversal: Men Fight For Equal Rights

In the small Indian state of Meghalaya men are fighting for the same rights as women. The state operates a matrilineal system where names, land, property rights, etc. pass from mother to daughter. In campaigns similar to many others in India (albeit with men not women), men are beginning to group together to call for change and more equal rights.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16592633

New London Airport Considered

The UK is to examine its airport needs an examine proposals to build a new airport in the Thames Estuary. Even though London has five airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, City, Luton and Stansted) its most popular airport and the busiest international airport in the world, Heathrow is nearing capacity. Supporters of the plan say that the new airport is essential for London's economic survival - it is currently one of the world's major financial and transport hubs. Opponents say that air travel should be discouraged and the building of the airport would damage environmentally important animal habitats.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16606212

Minister Jumps to Attract Tourists

The tourism minister for Zambia has recently bungee jumped from a bridge spanning the Zambezi. The minister did the bungee jump to prove that it is safe, days after and the cord snapped when an Australian women did the jump. However, the incident has pointed out the need for African countries to stimulate more domestic tourism. Tourism experts have suggested events like the Football World Cup and tH African Cup of Nationas can be used to increase tourism.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16592618

Food Aid Sent to Tarahumara Indians

Emergency food aid has been sent to Northern Mexico where local indigenous groups are suffering from severe food shortages. The Tarahumara are famous for their long distance running ability. since the crops failed some 50 Tarahumara Indians have committed suicide prompting the calls to help them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16593038

Slow drought response cost lives

Two leading charities, Oxfam and Save the Children have said that a slow response to the East Africa drought cost thousands of lives. The charities say that there were warning signs of the drought in August 2010, but little action was taken by governments or NGOs until July 2011. The ongoing drought that has hit Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia is estimated to have cost up to 100,000 lives.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16606021

India on Course to be Declared Polio Free

India has had no new polio cases for a year, meaning that if pending tests prove negative it will be declared polio free for the first time in its history. Polio is on causes to be eliminated because of a nationwide immunisation programme. Such problems can meet difficulties where the population is so big and is often uneducated and living in rural areas. Eliminating diseases like polio is important so children can go to school and adults can work as well as the government having to spend less money on treatment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16535150

Haiti: Two years on and thousands are still living in tents

Two years after the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti, over 500,000 people are still living in tented cities around the capital Port-au-Prince. The Haitian President says things are improving and that 5,000 families have recently moved to new houses.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16508545

Alaskan Towns cut off by Severe Snow

A number of Alaskan towns have be cut off by over 5.5. metres of snow that has fallen since November. The snow has caused some buildings to collapse and it has meant that the towns of Cordova and Nome are running out of fuel. In the first attempt of its kind a US ice breaking shipping is trying to lead a Russian tanker into the port of Nome to provide fuel for the rest of winter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16495880

Indonesian Quake Creates Tsunami Warning

A 7.1 quake off the coast of Aceh (northern Sumatra) has created a tsunami warning. The quake is in a similar area to the 9.1 26th December 2004 quake that triggered a tsunami that killed in the region of 230,000.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16497747

Brazil Dam Bursts Forcing Thousands From Their Homes

A dam burst in the north of Brazil Rio de Janeiro state forcing thousands to flee their homes. Floodwaters reached towns some 30km away after the burst.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16426732

Eight Killed in Brazilian Landslides

Eight people have been killed in a landslide in the Brazilian state of Rio. A further 14 people are believed to be missing. The rainfall was triggered by torrential rain in the area, increasing the stress on already steep slopes. Rescuers were hampered by the main road being blocked, only allowing access by helicopter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16480213

UK announces new high speed rail line

The UK has just announced a new high speed rail line linking Birmingham to London. Two train lines already serve this route, but the new line to be built between 2016 and 2026 would cut journey times to 49 minutes over the 140km route. Trains on the route would travel at speeds up to 225mph. The scheme has come into some criticism, but it has been argued that the schemes 33 billion pounds costs will be outweighed by benefits of up to 47 billion pounds. As well as bringing economic benefits and easing congestion on roads and other railway lines, the new scheme should also bring environmental benefits.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16478954

Over 1,000 killed in Philippine flooding

Over 1,000 people were killed and over 1,000 people left missing after floods in the Philippines in mid December. The floods were triggered by a tropical storm. The floods mainly happened in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. The disaster highlights that rainfall is actually a much bigger killer than winds. The tropical storm did not have winds strong enough to classify it as a hurricane, but brought so much rain that it triggered flash floods killing hundreds. The flash floods were made worse by deforestation and the steep relief.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16312397

Chile Suffers From Multiple Forest Fires

Chile is currently suffering from a series of forest fires in the centre and south of the country. Forest fires are common in the dry Chilean winter and can be started naturally. However, many of these fires are believed to have been started deliberately.

Torres del Paine National Park in the south of the country was closed for over one week because of a forest fire started by a tourist.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16452691