The Human Imprint

Rough sleeping in England up by 23%

The impact of the economic downturn continues.

The Independent reveals that the number of people sleeping rough in England has risen by 23% in the last year.

"The figures were gathered by local authorities in a single night last autumn, and compared with an assessment 12 months earlier. The statistics show that on one night in 2011 there were 2,181 rough sleepers in England, up 413 from 1,768 on the same night the previous year. London and the South East had the highest number of rough sleepers with more than 400 in each region. More than half of London's rough sleepers come from overseas, with a notable growth in people from Central and Eastern Europe. The North East had the fewest rough sleepers with 32."

These figures make concerning reading.

Another life lost to bird flu

Indonesian health officials say a 12-year-old boy has died of bird flu on the resort island of Bali, bringing the country's death toll from the virus to 154 (185 confirmed infections) since 2005.Tests showed the boy was infected with the H5N1 virus and he is suspected to have had direct contact with poultry. He was the fourth person to die of bird flu in Indonesia this year.  The Indepedent in their report confirm that bird flu has killed at least 347 people worldwide since 2003.  

Labour facts behind orange picking in Italy

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A thought provoking video

Polio - quest to eradicate

The Independent reports that India has marked a major success in its battle against polio by being removed from the World Health Organisation's list of countries struggling by the disease. Only three countries have endemic polio: Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. India must wait two more years without new cases to be polio-free.

 

Drop in rainfall killed off Mayans

A reduction in rainfall led to the collapse of the Mayan civilisation more than 1,100 years ago, a study has concluded. Theories have blamed the collapse of the civilisation, centred on present-day Mexico and Guatemala, on social unrest, disease and extreme drought. But a study, published in the journal Science, has calculated for the first time how much rain was lost. It discovered that a drop of 25 to 40 per cent was enough to destroy the sophisticated society that flourished for 600 years. "The data suggest that the main cause was a decrease in summer storm activity," said Professor Eelco Rohling of the University of Southampton, which led the study with the Yucatan Centre for Scientific Research in Mexico.

Source: The Independent

Brazil to fund food purchasing in five African countries

The Government of Brazil is providing $2 375 000 for a new local food purchase programme to be set up by FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP) to benefit farmers and vulnerable populations in five African countries – Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger and Senegal.

Under a recent agreement, Brazil will fund the project, as well as share expertise drawn from its own national Food Purchase Programme (PAA).

Brazil's PAA buys agricultural products from smallholders and delivers them to at-risk categories, including children and youth through school feeding programmes. The PAA is a cornerstone of the country's Zero Hunger strategy. Under the agreement the FAO, which is to receive $1.55 million, will look after the production side of the new project, providing seeds and fertilizer and boosting the capacity of small-scale farmers and farmers’ associations to grow, process and sell their produce. FAO will also mobilize Brazilian expertise in support of local purchase initiatives. WFP, which is receiving $800 000, will be responsible for organizing the purchase and delivery of the food to schools and vulnerable groups.

Source: FAO Media Centre

Schmallenberg virus now detected on 58 farms in the UK

Schmallenberg virus (SBV) has now been identified in samples submitted from 58 farms across the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Hampshire, Cornwall and Wiltshire. Due to the increase in reports of SBV identified in France, the areas at comparatively higher risk in the UK have been revised in line with the plume modeling data from the summer which models areas at risk of midge incursion from northern Europe. These areas include Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and therefore an increase in risk for South Wales. The timing of the most dense plumes would have been in late October for this south west region. This is therefore in line with the appearance of deformities in lambs being born now, assuming the highest risk period for lambs is if the mother is infected at approximately one month into gestation. The majority of the GB cases of SBV infection have been diagnosed in sheep to date.

Source: AHVLA

 

 

 

Thailand's economy shrinks 9% after flood disruptions

BBC News reports that Thailand's economy has contracted sharply in the last three months of 2011. This is after some of the worst flooding on record in Thailand which disrupted the levels of manufacturing.

"Gross domestic product declined by 9% in the three months to December compared to a year earlier, the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) said. Compared to the previous three months, the economy contracted by 10.7%. The floods killed more than 700 people and affected two-thirds of the country".

Natural capital and how it underpins GDP - this is a key example of negative impact on lives and communities.

Drought declared in the south east of England

Drought has been declared in many parts of the UK and it is February - concerning. Issues I raised in my Nuffield Scholarship in 2007 really coming to the fore - so who will get the water ? In which order to we place ... water in our taps, energy security, food security and the needs of the environment? 

Test tube hamburgers ??

The Telegraph reports on developments with artificial meat. Will it ever be at a price which is commercially viable?