Le Monde : La Réunion gèle 40 % de ses terres pour protéger la biodiversité

2- Caribbean - Caribbean palm trees threatened by invasive species

3- Chile - President Bachelet visits Llaima volcano eruption zone

4- Guyana - Climate change fundamental threat to sustainable development, says Guyana minister

5- Panama - Panama Gives New Efficient Bulbs

6- St Lucia - Severe weather warning issued for St Lucia

7- Trinidad & Tobago - Central, South Trinidad under water

8- Trinidad and Tobago - Tobago prepares for hurricanes

1- Argentina - Detox Bacteria Discovered

2- Brazil - Free Refrigerator Replacement

3- Mexico - Kids Sign Charter Against Global Warming

4- Honduras - Climate Threatens Food Production



1- Caribbean - Tropical depression less likely in SE Caribbean: NHC
07 – 17 – 08
NEW YORK, USA- A low-pressure system in the southeastern Caribbean Sea became a little less organized and the potential lessened for it to form into a tropical depression, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT) advisory on Thursday.

The NHC, however, will continue to monitor the system for signs of development as it moves westward at 20 to 25 miles per hour.

The energy market has been watching this system since the NHC on Monday first forecast it could develop into a tropical depression.

Some weather models forecast the system will pass near Aruba, where an oil refinery is located. All models project the system will swirl westward across the Caribbean Sea and hit the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico in about five days.

If it crosses the Yucatan it could disrupt the Cantarell Field in the Bay of Campeche, the biggest oil field in Mexico.

Energy traders watch for storms that could enter the Gulf of Mexico and threaten U.S. oil and gas production facilities.

Commodities traders also watch storms that could hit agriculture crops like citrus and cotton in Florida and other states along the Gulf Coast.

If the system manages to strengthen into a tropical storm, with winds of 39 to 73 mph, the NHC will name it Cristobal.

CENTRAL AMERICA TROPICAL WAVE

The NHC was also watching a westward-moving tropical wave over the southwestern Caribbean Sea near Nicaragua, which could develop into a tropical depression Thursday before it reaches the coast of Central America tonight.

Regardless of development, the NHC expects the system to produce heavy rains and gusty winds over portions of Nicaragua and Honduras during the next day or so, which could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN1626152320080717?sp=true
2- Caribbean - Caribbean palm trees threatened by invasive species
07 – 17 – 08
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The palm tree, which is so synonymous with the tourism industry in the Caribbean, is under threat from a small red mite that has taken root and is severely affecting palm trees across the Caribbean Basin.

It was revealed by a scientist 15 July 2008 at a symposium on invasive species in Miami that the Red Palm Mite, which is believed to have first arrived in the Caribbean in 2003, could now be found in 12 Caribbean islands, Venezuela and two counties in the US State of Florida.

The tiny mite is a pest of coconut and ornamental palms, with the former being heavily used by the local population as an economic enterprise and the latter used to adorn many hotels and to a lesser extent, private homes in the Caribbean.

In a presentation at the US Department of Agriculture programme for Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture Research, T-STAR, sponsored symposium on invasive species, Red Palm Mite expert Dr Amy Roda revealed that coconut growers in the affected countries were reporting a 70 percent reduction in yield. In a study in which experts from the Caribbean and Florida, participated, it was further revealed that to date efforts at controlling this pest had not reaped significant results.

Roda informed that the Red Palm Mite starts its attack on the small lower hung leaves on palm trees and once it has had its fill it moves to the more mature leaves causing a yellowing of the leaves of the affected trees.

She added that to date, officials in the affected countries have experimented with mainly two treatment methods, namely pesticides and natural enemies, but neither had met with much success. She however stressed that efforts would continue on both fronts as a means of managing the pest.

The scientist was of the opinion that affected countries needed to combine their efforts and share expertise in dealing with Red Palm Mite. She revealed that with increase in tourist trade the Red Palm Mite is being unknowingly moved across national borders in souvenirs made out of palm, in particular green palm.

She informed that Florida had developed cooperation mechanism with cruise line officials and as a result cruise line passengers were "voluntarily declaring souvenirs made from palms when their boats dock at the port and before they actually leave the roads."

The issue of the Red Palm Mite has started to attract increasing attention among plant specialists with an increasing number of studies taking place and with the formation of a Working Group on the pest with membership from the affected countries. The group will be meeting within the margins of the CFCS Meeting.

The increased attention stems from the reality that palms both coconut and ornamental do play an important role in the economies of Caribbean countries and therefore effort must be made to stem the tide of destruction.

The seriousness of the Red Palm Mite disease was also recognized by Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Plant Health officials at their inaugural meeting in Guyana in April this year.

They concluded that coconuts were an important part of the economic life of the Caribbean as many countries had established industries based on the consumption of coconut water by nationals and tourists.

They added that if the onset of invasive species such as the Red Palm Mite that affect palms was not dealt with on a continuous basis, the effect could be devastating.
Source: http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-9180--39-39--.html
3- Chile - President Bachelet visits Llaima volcano eruption zone
07 -16 – 08
The President is accompanied by the Minister of Defense, José Goñi, and hopes to perform a helicopter flyover observation of the volcano if weather conditions allow.
TEMUCO, Chile.-  President Michelle Bachelet is currently on her way to visit the city of Melipeuco, located 17 kilometers from the Llaima volcano, in order to perform an on-site evaluation of the measures and evacuation plans being adopted by the local emergency committee amid the irregular bursts of eruptive activity being observed at the mountain  in the Araucanía Region.

The President is accompanied by the Minister of Defense, José Goñi, and hopes to perform a helicopter flyover of the volcano if weather conditions allow, although the peak is currently being obstructed by cloud cover and heavy rain.

Later, the President will travel to the town of Cherquenco to visit five people that have taken shelter inside the Escuela Municipal Japón and will end her visit after meeting with the mayors of the four municipalities – Vilcún, Melipeuco, Cunco and Curacautín- where the eruption has prompted a yellow alert to be declared

The volcanic eruption began in May of last year and registered its most intense episodes in January and June of this year, when there was a danger of lahars.

The two-day forum’s first session dealt with sustainable development as it relates to climate change and eco-tourism and the Minister pointed out that both (climate change and eco-tourism) have maintained a prominent place on national, regional and international agendas in keeping with development aspirations and with the region’s overarching desire to achieve international objectives including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the 2015 target date.

“Small states, like those in the Caribbean, cannot promote sustainable development on their own and without the assistance of friendly and like-minded states. This is because there are special challenges which face small states as a group,” she said.

It was noted that among the challenges facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are the fact that some are low-lying coastal states (such as Belize, Guyana and Suriname), small populations, susceptibility to natural disasters, excessive dependence on international trade and vulnerability to global developments.

“These states also suffer from added setbacks such as a lack of economies of scale and high transportation and communication costs,” the Minister emphasised.

In alluding to articles 4.8 and 4.9 of the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCC), the Foreign Affairs Minister said Least Developed Countries and SIDS are the most vulnerable to the adverse impact of climate change through hurricane and flood ravages which have become more intense and frequent as a result of changing weather patterns.

“Unfortunately, while the Caribbean contributes little to adversely affect the climate, it feels the brunt of these adverse impacts…some countries in the Caribbean, such as Guyana and Suriname, with large forest cover, contribute positively to a cleaner environment through the eco-system services they provide,” she said.

On this note, it was explained that CARICOM has remained committed to putting programmes in place and implementing initiatives to confront the threats. One such initiative was noted to be the Mauritius Strategy, derived from the Barbados Plan of Action review that sought to build the region’s capacity to identify and implement appropriate climate change adaptation actions. These actions have resulted in projects such as the Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate Change.

“CARICOM Heads have reaffirmed the importance of reviewing and strengthening adaptation policies. It is essential that these and other issues of importance to the Caribbean be advanced in the negotiations for a post-Kyoto framework and we welcome the efforts being made by the United Kingdom in the context of its membership in the Group of Eight in advancing efforts for the successful realisation of a comprehensive post 2012 Kyoto agreement,” Minister Rodrigues contended while expressing the hope that the framework would holistically address the challenges associated with climate change.

She emphasised that one important aspect of achieving sustainable development is financing development, which is an urgent need of SIDS.

“It entails the need for the emphatic understanding and willingness of the more affluent developed countries to be part of the process in tangible ways. At the same time developing states recognise the important role they must play in contributing to their own development and have formulated National Development Strategies to address this objective,” Rodrigues pointed out.

With this in mind, she expressed appreciation for the British Government’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in October last between the Caribbean Climate Change Centre and the British Department for International Cooperation which provides for DFID to fund the development of a regional Strategic Plan for Climate Change.

“We have noted with interest, Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s proposal for the establishment of a new global climate change agreement with the United Nations at the centre and with binding targets for all developed countries-the halving of global emissions by 2050 and new incentives for developing and emerging economies with a view to assist them to reduce their growth in emissions through new flows of financial technology,” the Foreign Affairs Minister told the forum.

The Minister said CARICOM looks forward to discussions with the UK on ways in which they could work jointly to advance these positions.

She outlined the Iwokrama forest initiative in Guyana and also alluded to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Uganda last year where a plan was announced that would place the countries’ standing forests at the disposal of the Global Campaign against Climate Change while earning carbon credits to assist in national development.

Rodrigues also made reference at the forum to the steps taken by CARICOM at a recent meeting for the initiation of a Regional Tourism Investment Fund and the UK’s support for the Fund.

She concluded by expressing the hope that the forum would provide the opportunity for the countries to advance practical measures for cooperation in the areas she outlined and noted that CARICOM is looking forward to the support of the UK as the countries work to fulfill their sustainable development goals.

President Bharrat Jagdeo has long been advocating that countries with intact standing rainforests receive monetary compensation for the services these forests provide to the rest of the world as they store large amounts of carbon.