The environment in the news wednesday, 15 August 2007 unep and the Executive Director in the News
General Environment News Shanghai Daily: N. Korea floods leave 200 people dead or missing
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- Malaya, Philippines : Loren proposes environment curriculum
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General Environment NewsShanghai Daily: N. Korea floods leave 200 people dead or missing2007-8-15 TORRENTIAL rains in North Korea have forced thousands of families from their homes and left at least 200 people dead or missing, an aid official said. To cope with damage from the storms that began last week, the North has asked the United Nations to assess the situation in affected regions as part of a preliminary request for assistance. North Korean state media reported that "hundreds" were dead or missing, without giving further detail on casualties. "The material damage so far is estimated to be very big," the official Korean Central News Agency said yesterday. "This unceasing heavy rain destroyed the nation's major railways, roads and bridges, suspended power supply and cut off the communications network." North Korean officials told the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies that 200 people were dead or missing across the country, acting delegation head Terje Lysholm told The Associated Press from Pyongyang. He declined to speculate if casualties could rise as officials fully assess the situation. Lysholm said a total of 63,300 families had been affected by the weather, which destroyed 30,000 homes. Of those, 20,000 houses were in worst-hit Kangwon province, where blocked roads were preventing aid workers from assessing the damage. Some 100,000 hectares (247,100 acres) of farmland has also been washed away, Lysholm said. "That really definitely has an impact on the food situation for this year and at least one or two years," he said, saying the floods were the worst seen in the North in at least a decade. As much as 600 millimeters of rain have soaked parts of the country, Lysholm said. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also assured North Korea's UN ambassador, Pak Gil Yon, that the world body would do all it could to mitigate the consequences of the floods, Montas said. Washington said it would look into what help it might be able to channel through the United Nations. http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=327344&type=World ……………………………………… Malaya, Philippines : Loren proposes environment curriculumSen. Loren Legarda said the environment should be taken out from major subjects like science or biology and be taught as a separate special subject in secondary schools to heighten awareness of the need for conservation and sustainable economic growth. Legarda said teaching environment in schools should be part of the mandated curriculum to be known as "Environment and Development". "We have to consciously raise public awareness of the need to check rapid forest destruction and unabated greenhouse emissions that have accelerated global warming," she said. The lady senator said an ad hoc body would be created to oversee the content and instructional design for the new subject. It will also conduct research and identify topics to be covered by the new subject and develop "environment" meeting for teachers. She said environment as a subject should be taught in four levels of secondary education. Legarda said came up with the proposal as the country braces for a looming power and water crisis because of the delayed onset of rainy season. Angat’s water hoard has plunged to a critically low level due to the prolonged dry spell. The drought has been aggravated by the destruction of forest trees, including those around Ipo Dam, which is part of the 62,309-hectare Angat watershed. "We should start doing this, by raising youth vigilance with respect to the safekeeping of the environment," she said. Legarda filed Senate Bill 1097 outlining her proposal. – Dennis Gadil http://www.malaya.com.ph/aug15/envi3.htm ........................................................... Bayanihan, Philippines : Atienza leads tree planting in Ipo watershedTuesday, August 14 2007 Environment Secretary Lino Atienza is to lead a tree planting activity at Ipo watershed in Bulacan on Wednesday at 7 a.m., signalling the regional launching of tree planting in protected areas and watersheds nationwide under the Trees for Life Project. Atienza will be joined in the activity by Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza, San Rafael Rep. Lorna Silverio and Angat Mayor Feliciano Legaspi. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)said some 10 million tree seedlings are expected to be planted this month in about 13,000 hectares in the country's protected areas and watershed areas. This activity is part of the "Trees for Life" project which seeks to plant 20 million seedlings from July to November this year. Trees will be planted in watershed areas and open areas for the month of August, while mangrove and coastal areas will be utilized in September. In October, trees will be planted in agroforestry and fruit tree areas and in November, urban parks, green campuses, camps and subdivisions will be used. Also included are roadsides, parking lots, shopping malls offices, mining rehabilitation areas and riverbanks. DENR records show that there are about 240 protected areas nationwide and 125 watershed forest reserves. The DENR has listed 41 species recommended for planting in protected areas and watersheds, such as dao, tanguile, molave, narra, tindalo, and banuyo. (PNA) http://www.bayanihan.org/html/article.php/20070814173150000 ………………………………….. Bayanihan, Philippines : DENR to lead Ipo watershed's reforestationTuesday, August 14 2007 The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is scheduled to lead Wednesday the reforestation of Bulacan province's Ipo watershed. This activity in Sitio Anahaw, Norzagaray town will signal the regional launching of its Trees for Life reforestation project. Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, Bulacan Governor Joselito Mendoza, Norzagaray Mayor Feliciano Legaspi, Bulacan Third District Representative Lorna Silverio and non-government organization Green Army Foundation chairperson Francis Chua will be among the personalities who will lead the project's regional launching. For August 2007, this project is focused on planting about 10 million indigenous and endemic tree seedlings in some 13,000 hectares of protected and watershed areas nationwide. The tree planting aims to help preserve these sites, particularly since experts identified Ipo watershed as among the country's raw water sources. DENR said preserving watersheds is important since these sites protect and improve water yield and reduce sedimentation. Experts identified watersheds as land areas which contribute to flow of waterbodies and which drains to common outlets like another waterbody, river, lake or the sea. DENR is recommending 41 tree species like dao, tanguile, molave, narra, tindalo and banuyo for planting in protected and watershed areas. It said endemic and indigenous tree species have high water retaining capacity. DENR launched this year 'Trees for Life' which aims to plant from July to November 2007 about 20 million tree seedlings nationwide. Aside from protected and watershed areas, the project's other target sites for September, October and November are mangrove and coastal areas, agro-forestry and fruit tree areas as well as urban parks, campuses, camps and subdivisions, respectively. It noted that tree planting activities will also cover roadsides, parking areas, shopping complexes, mining rehabilitation sites, riverbanks and business areas. http://www.bayanihan.org/html/article.php/20070814170550699 ................................................. Directory: cpi -> briefs briefs -> The environment in the news briefs -> The environment in the news briefs -> The environment in the news briefs -> The environment in the news briefs -> The environment in the news briefs -> The environment in the news briefs -> The environment in the news briefs -> The environment in the news briefs -> The environment in the news Download 361.33 Kb. Share with your friends:
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