The Human Imprint

Bird flu identified again on Bernard Matthews farms

The Guardian reports that poultry at two Bernard Matthews farms have tested positive for avian influenza. However the strain is different to the H5N1 strain that led to the cull of 152,000 birds in 2007.  According to Defra, the strain on this occasion is believed to be H6N1.

The Guardian states that tests were carried out by government vets and these tests confirmed the virus in birds at farms in Ubbeston, Suffolk, and Yaxham, Norfolk.  "Bernard Matthews Farms can confirm that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have undertaken tests for avian influenza on two of its small breeder farms, following notification from the company of an unusual drop in egg production levels," a company spokesman said. The government has imposed movement restrictions around the farms but has not advised a cull. 

UK shops slash usage of plastic bags by 3.5 billion

I first wrote about the issues surrounding free plastic bags in early 2008. The Independent reports that retail outlets gave out 3.5 billion fewer plastic bags in 2008. The voluntary scheme, according to Wrap, the Government's anti-waste body, shows that the number of plastic bags dispensed fell from 13.4 billion in 2007 to 9.9 billion in 2008 a drop of 26%. Check out the article for more information.

Bumper rice crop relieves pressure on work stocks

Ausfoodnews reports that the 2008 rice harvest has been a bumper crop. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) the rice harvest is better than expected whilst there has been an overall decline in global cereal production. However increased supplies, they argued had to be seen in the context of the current global economic slowdown and falling incomes and job insecurity could outweigh the benefits of lower rice prices in many regions of the world where rice is the stable diet.

The article states that the FAO "currently predicts global paddy production in the 2008 season to rise to 683 million tonnes, 3.5 per cent more than in 2007 and the fastest rate of growth for three years. The increase will be due to a 2.2 per cent increase in the amount of land cultivated globally as farmers and governments reacted to the high prices". To read more click on the link

Rich nations are currently failing to meet their climate aid pledges

Following yesterday's blog post the Guardian has carried another interesting article which reports that rich nations are currently failing to meet their climate aid pledge. The world's richest countries have pledged nearly $18bn to help poorer countries adapt to climate change. The report suggests that less than $1bn has currently been given. For example, Britain has pledged £75m to help Bangladesh adapt to the acute issues surrounding climate change.

The report states that " the analysis has found that the poorest countries have received the least help from the rich. The UN's Least developed countries fund has disbursed only $47m in seven years. The analysis, based on data collected by the independent Overseas Development Institute in London and confirmed by the UN, has also found:

• Britain has pledged nearly $1.5bn but has so far deposited under $0.3bn

• Africa, the poorest continent, has received less than 12% of all the climate fund money spent in the last four years

• It can take poor countries more than three years to access money

• Most of the money promised for climate change comes out of official aid budgets, leaving less for health, education and poverty action."

According to the UN, $50-70bn a year needs to be invested immediately to help poor countries adapt to extreme floods, droughts and heatwaves, with much more needed later. Please read the full report as it contains so many statistics and further information. We have seen the recent problems in Australia and the terrible impact at a human and environmental level with the fires and floods. I blogged last week about how China is making artificial snow in order to try and ease their acute drought

Everyone is focused on the cost and impact of the current "credit" crunch but it will pale into insignificance when we hit the "global crunch".

Trees helping more than first thought in combating climate change

The Guardian reports that trees across the tropics are getting bigger. This means that they are delivering more environmental benefits than initially realised. A study of the girth of 70,000 trees (yes, people measured the girth of that many trees) across Africa has shown that tropical forests are soaking up more carbon dioxide pollution than at first thought. The research suggests that around one-fifth of our fossil fuel emissions are absorbed by forests across Africa, Amazonia and Asia.

China rethinks water strategy

Nature  reports that by 2020, China wants to reduce water-use per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 60%. the report states that: "The plan was announced last weekend – amid the country's worst drought for half a century – by the water-resources minister Chen Lei in the administration's annual national conference in Guilin, Guangxi province".

"The move marks a shift in policy. China has, to date, focused on exploiting its water resources, but will now adopt a strategy of water-demand management that is based on making better use of water already mobilized, said Chen".

The ministry has developed three performance indicators that they will use to drive this strategy -  the total amount of water extracted, waste-water disposal, and level of water efficiency.

China's artificially induced snow closes 12 highways

Scientific American reports that China closed 12 highways around the capital Beijing on Thursday because of heavy snow. This snow was brought on after seeding the clouds with silver iodide. All outbound highways were closed in Hebei, the drought-hit northern province surrounding Beijing, after heavy snow fell on Wednesday night.

Dairy prices plummet

The UK dairy industry has been truly buffetted over the last few years and this is happening on a global scale too. Ausfoodnews reports that there are huge global issues in the dairy industry especially in the US. America’s dairy cows are being slaughtered in their thousands as "milk prices plummet to levels that make production unviable for many farmers".

The article states that "Some dairy farmers have reported that they have had to sell a portion of their herds for slaughter because feed prices are still high and demand is falling around the world, placing pressure on the price of the staple. In some cases in the US the price of milk farmers receive is now around half of the production costs, and if the price continues to flounder then potentially 15% of the nation’s dairy cows could be slaughtered for beef this year".

Worrying times for the dairy industry as global demand for dairy products fall.

Australian floods - sign of climate change?

The Independent reports that rivers in flood and heavy rains have cut off towns, stopped mining operations and damaged crops in three Australian states.  

Sixrt-two per cent of the area of the state of Queensland is under water at a cost being estimated at A$210m (£94m). The floods are not expected to subside for another month.

Scientists have suggested that a change in the global climate will bring not only warmer temperatures to Australia, and as a result more droughts and bushfires, but also more extreme weather like tropical storms that cause floods. Click on the link to read the article in full.

Focus on fertiliser use in China

Nature reports that researchers have warned that the overuse of nitrogen fertilizer in China is impacting on air, soil and water. These researchers argue that farmers could cut their use of the fertilizers without compromising crop yields.

The facts are quite stark. The use of nitrogen fertiliser has increased in China and as a result, the average grain production per unit area of farmed land doubled between 1977 and 2005, with the amount of  fertilizer used increasing nearly four fold from 7 million tonnes in 1977 to 26.2 million tonnes in 2005.

Click on the link to read this informative article which reflects on the one hand on the increase in yield and on the other the environmental impact of the actions that have been taken.