Reuters: Environment

Climate change may cut South Africa corn crop sharply

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 08:53:19 -0400

SAPPORO, Japan (Reuters) - Climate change could cut South Africa's maize crop by 20 percent within 15 to 20 years as the west of the country dries out while the east is afflicted with increasingly severe storms, its environment minister said on Sunday.

Mexico plants 8 million trees in latest green project

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:04:16 -0400

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexicans went out and planted more than 8 million trees across the country on Saturday as part of a government push to shed its reputation for environmental mismanagement and rampant illegal logging.

Australia faces worse, more frequent droughts-study

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:04:39 -0400

PERTH (Reuters) - Australia could experience more severe droughts and they could become more frequent in the future because of climate change, a government-commissioned report said on Sunday.

China Olympic city battles "invading" algae

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 10:12:19 -0400

QINGDAO, China (Reuters) - In China's Olympic co-host city Qingdao, sea breezes that usually bring relief from baking summer temperatures now bring a cloying stench from a massive algae bloom that locals fear will harm the city's bucolic image during the Games.

Cars and toilets go green at eco-friendly G8 summit

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:15:38 -0400

TOYAKO, Japan (Reuters) - Toilets that take on a life of their own, eco-cars coming sooner than you might think and security on Segways have cast this year's G8 summit in a decidedly green hue.

Olympians face circulation woes in Beijing's bad air-experts

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 10:34:45 -0400

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Olympic athletes exposed to Beijing's polluted air face possible blood circulation problems which could affect their performance, experts say, adding they should avoid crowded places whenever possible.

G8 summiteers get a glimpse of green car fleet

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:15:38 -0400

TOYAKO, Japan (Reuters) - G8 leaders in Japan are aiming for a green summit, and Japanese automakers are providing the wheels to ride that eco-road.

U.S. must move on climate change at G8: Barroso

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:06:52 -0400

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The United States must take another step towards a global climate change pact when major industrialized countries meet in Japan next week, the head of the European Union's executive said on Friday.

China to shut more factories for Olympics: report

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 05:08:23 -0400

BEIJING (Reuters) - Tianjin, a port city just east of Beijing, has ordered 40 factories to shut for the Olympics, the latest dramatic step taken by China to ensure that pollution does not spoil the Games in August.

Australia PM says committed to carbon trade schedule

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:56:06 -0400

PERTH (Reuters) - Australia Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said on Sunday he saw no case for delaying the startup of a carbon trading scheme beyond 2010, adding that the Reserve Bank saw no inflationary pressure arising from the scheme.