| Government unveils
plans for new airports |
|
A third runway at Heathrow and a
new four–runway airport near the River Thames in north Kent
were confirmed today as options for a major expansion of UK
airport capacity. The plans, which as yet are just documents
for consultation, also include as many as three new runways
at Stansted airport in Essex, a possible West Midlands airport
to replace Birmingham and possible new runways at Glasgow and
Edinburgh airports. There are also plans for a new airport to
serve low–cost airlines at Alconbury near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire,
a possible new airport north of Bristol and a possible new terminal
at Manchester airport by 2015. |
|
More information -
Independent
Department
for Transport
Guardian
Times
Times
Q&A
|
| 2,000 acres of sky |
|
The skies over the UK are filling
up. To cope with demand, one option is to build a four-runway
airport on marshland at the mouth of the Thames - a proposal
that has united ecologists and literary fans in opposition.
It is hardly surprising that the north Kent marshes have been
earmarked as a potential site for a new airport. A quick glance
at the conurbation that is south-east England shows this broad
expanse by the Thames to be unusually empty. |
|
More information - BBC
|
| Green campaigners call
for to change air transport policy |
| |
The heads of leading environmental
and transport organisations are calling for change to the Government's
policy on air transport. The seven spokesmen have written to
The Times newspaper asking the Government to change its stance.
They say the forthcoming Regional Air Studies and Air Transport
White Paper must break from the past if they are to avoid years
of conflict. The seven bodies are the Council for the Protection
of Rural England, (CPRE), Friends of the Earth, RSPB, Aviation
Environment Federation, HACAN ClearSkies, National Society for
Clean Air and Transport 2000. All stress the need to manage
demand for air travel within environmental constraints. |
|
More information -
Ananova
Times
|
| Scotland 'to get new
runway' |
| |
A new runway for Scotland has been
proposed as the future of the country's air services comes under
review. Transport Secretary Alistair Darling unveiled a massive
expansion programme for Britain's airports in a statement to
the Commons. The proposals which have gone out for consultation
are aimed at meeting a rising demand for air travel in the UK.
Mr Darling is seeking views on whether either Glasgow or Edinburgh
should become a "hub" for air travel north of the border. He
is also consulting on whether extra capacity should be concentrated
at one or two Scottish airports or spread across the country.
|
|
More information - BBC
|
| Commission proposes
co-generation Directive to save energy and combat climate change |
| |
A proposal for a Directive aimed
at saving energy and combating climate change by promoting the
co-generation of heat and power was presented by the European
Commission today. Co-generation is a technique through which
heat and electricity are produced in one single process. New
co-generation plants save at least 10% of the fuel otherwise
used for separate production of heat and electricity. "We are
determined to continue meeting the challenges of energy security
of supply and climate change we set in the November 2000 Energy
Green Paper(1)" said Vice President Loyola de Palacio, Commissioner
for Energy and Transport. |
|
More information -
European Commission
EUbusiness
|
| Treasury urged to back
renewable energy |
| |
Pressure is building on the Treasury
to throw its weight behind the government's commitment to renewable
energy resources after a commons committee revealed yesterday
that the UK is set to fall far short of international targets.
Insisting there was "an urgent need for the government to show
leadership", the environmental audit committee highlighted "the
conflicting priorities of market liberalisation and cheap electricity
as against our Kyoto obligations". Only a week after Gordon
brown, the chancellor, announced an additional £38m for energy
policy objectives in 2005-06, rather than the hundreds of millions
needed, the committee concluded that Britain is unlikely to
achieve much more than half the 10% target set for 2010. |
|
More information -
Herald
Scotsman
icWales
|
/pp /nn /ee /ss /ww /ll /aa
|
| Mount Snowdon to get
green facelift |
|
The National Trust is planning to
change farming methods on Mount Snowdon to make it look greener.
The North Wales mountain is dominated by a purple moor grass
which isn't eaten by sheep and turns orange when it dies in
the autumn. Trust managers plan to give Snowdon a lush appearance
by introducing different mosses and lichens. The moor grass,
called molinia, will be reduced by cutting the number of sheep
on upland pastures so they don't eat the new plants. |
|
More information - Ananova
|
| Birdsong sweet in beet
fields |
| |
The government has recognised sugar-beet
growers as increasingly environmentally friendly in a new report.
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs report
found sugar beet farmers are becoming less dependent on chemicals.
They successfully employ a chemical reduction strategy as part
of a focus on integrated pest management, said the report. This
is paying dividends for rural birdlife - a good indicator of
biodiversity. |
|
More information - FWi
|
| Let the grasses grow
and the hedges spread |
| |
Sometimes we smallholders forget
how lucky we are. But occasionally the truth hits home. It often
occurs to me when I've struggled to get up early for work -
only to be admirably rewarded with a breathtaking sunrise and
dawn chorus. We're fortunate that our own haven hasn't been
ruined by over-intensive farming, and that our trees, fields
and hedgerows are happily wriggling, crawling, and fluttering
with wildlife. And, in a small effort to show our thanks, we're
trying to do as much as we can to keep the existing inhabitants
happy, as well as encouraging others. |
|
More information - icWales
|
| Great White helps sharks
to breed |
|
An aquarium is using soft lighting
and Barry White songs to encourage sharks to breed. Angel sharks
Angelis and Anne will share a tank for six months while trying
to have babies. And since they were introduced earlier this
month, staff have been playing Barry White albums from a portable
stereo next to their tank to encourage nature to take its course.
The soul singer, who is known as the Walrus of Love because
of his size, is famed for helping couples to set the mood for
love with his romantic songs such as I’ve got so much love to
give and You’re the first, the last, my everything. |
|
More information - Scotsman
|
| Botanists probe medieval
medicine |
| |
The 600-year old Red Book of Hergest
may contribute to modern medicine. Researchers in Wales are
following the lead of medieval medics in the hope of finding
new drugs. A project will begin later this year at the country's
National Botanic Garden to explore the work of a medical dynasty,
the Physicians of Myddfai. "[The Myddfai's work] may make a
significant contribution to modern medicine," says Terry Turner,
a pharmacist at the University of Wales in Cardiff who is involved
in the project. "These old boys knew what they were doing -
they were experimental and knowledgeable people." |
|
More information - Nature
ScienceUpdate
|
| Snakes alive - across
Yorkshire |
| |
Snakes are on the rise in Yorkshire
- but animal experts are warning people not to be afraid of
them as they are timid creatures and only the adder is poisonous.
Warmer weather is bringing them into the open. An increase in
sightings has been reported in gardens across the region. But
the RSPCA said snakes were very timid creatures and disappeared
quickly if spotted. Grass and smooth snakes, adders, and slow
worms - all native to Britain - have been seen. |
|
More information - icHuddersfield
|
| Planning for new wildlife
haven |
| |
The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is looking
to start excavating Dryham Quarry to turn it into the North
Cave Wetlands Nature Reserve. Conservation staff at the trust
want to remove 6,800 cubic metres of topsoil, 40,000 cubic metres
of sand and gravel, as well as 8,790 cubic metres of clay, from
the site off Dryham Lane in North Cave. Planning officers at
East Riding Council will recommend that the scheme is given
the green light at a meeting on Thursday. Director of planning
Nigel Pearson said in a report the trust was hoping to create
an area to attract new wildlife. |
|
More information - this
is hull
|
|
Naturenet
Countryside
management and nature conservation
-
here
|
|
