In huge win for elephants, Hong Kong finally vows to 'phase out' ivory sales 14/1/2016

With 30,000 African elephants killed every year for their ivory, putting the species at a real and imminent risk of extinction, activists have called for the dismantling of the global ivory trade. ...more

Global mercury emissions down 30 percent as coal use drops: USGS 14/1/2016

Global emissions of mercury from manmade sources fell 30 percent from 1990 to 2010, in part from decreasing use of coal, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported on Wednesday. ...more

Dead fish wash up on shores of Rio bay near Olympic venue 14/1/2016

Thousands of dead fish washed up on the shores of Rio's Guanabara Bay on Wednesday, not far from where events are being held at this year's Olympic Games, environmental officials said. ...more

Germany wants to put 2 billion Euros into encouraging electric cars 14/1/2016

German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel wants to commit two billion Euros ($2.17 billion) to encourage more people to buy electric cars, the newspaper Die Zeit reported on Wednesday. ...more

UAE bans the catching and selling of two types of fish during breeding season 13/1/2016

A decree prohibiting the catching and selling of rabbitfish and emperor fish during their breeding season from March 1 to April 30 has been issued. ...more

California board rejects Volkswagen's diesel fix plan 13/1/2016

The California Air Resources Board said on Tuesday it rejected Volkswagen AG's plan to fix 2.0 liter diesel cars equipped with software that allows them to emit up to 40 times legally allowable pollution. ...more

45 whales die after southern India stranding 13/1/2016

Forty-five whales have died after stranding themselves on a southern Indian beach, a government official said Tuesday, with local fishermen struggling to save others. ...more

Clouds blamed for rapid Greenland ice sheet melt 13/1/2016

Clouds are raising the temperature of the Greenland ice Sheet and accounting for as much as 30 percent of the ice sheet melt, researchers say. ...more

Vattenfall starts work on UK hybrid wind and solar farm 13/1/2016

Vattenfall is to start construction on its first solar project in the UK this month, as part of a pilot project to help the Swedish energy giant maximize the generation potential of its existing UK sites. ...more

No incinerators without prior approval: Environment Ministry 12/1/2016

Environment Minister Mohammad Machnouk has filed a request with Lebanese Customs to ban the importation of incinerators over environmental concerns. ...more