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1. Tell These Big US Banks That Arctic Drilling Is Bad Business!

   Posted on 5:00pm Wednesday 26th Feb 2020

   The Sierra Club (a grassroots environmental organisation in the US) has announced that there’s big, exciting news from a bank! JPMorgan Chase have announced at its annual Investor Day that: It will not finance oil and gas extraction in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge It will not continue financing many coal-related enterprises, including thermal coal mines and coal-fired power plants across the world. The bank is by far the leading US investor in fossil fuels, and environmentalists and indigenous peoples have put pressure on the bank for years trying to move away from projects which threaten the climate. They promised to stop investing in and providing services to companies which derive “the majority of their revenues from the extraction of coal” by 2024, and not to provide financing to offshore and onshore oil and gas extraction in the Arctic Goldman Sachs also made a similar commitment not to financial oil drilling in the Arctic two months ago. Now, it’s vital that we put the pressure on other big banks to follow suit.  I wonder... Could their executives and shareholders live with themselves if there was an accident drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic which they had agreed to finance?  It only takes ONE spill to do unrepairable damage.  As the Sierra Club say, “Clean air, safe drinking water, wildlife and wild places are under attack-and once they're gone, they're gone for good.”  © istockphoto.com Mario Hoppmann Tell These Big US Banks That Arctic Drilling Is Bad Business! The Sierra Club say that banks worldwide are refusing to fund Arctic drilling.  Some US banks are dragging their feet.  But Goldman Sachs have done it;  they were the trail-finders who have ruled out financing Arctic oil and gas drilling, thermal coal mines and coal-fired power projects around the world.  Thank you, everyone at Goldman Sachs. Sierra Club Big banks don’t want to fall behind on industry trends.   The Sierra Club is asking us all to focus our efforts on the other US funders which, they say, are notorious for propping up dirty fuels:  Wells Fargo, Citi, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and Morgan Stanley. The Sierra Club are asking everyone to: Send a message to the CEOs of the other major US banks, telling them that bankrolling Arctic drilling isn’t just bad business -- it’s a threat to Indigenous human rights and to the climate. Add your name here and you can send a message too, if you want to add power to it. Let’s all fight for wildlife and indigenous peoples and drill hard and deep for change in the right direction.  Let’s put pressure on.

2. One Minute Action : Help save the animals in the rainforests of Madagascar

   Posted on 1:00pm Sunday 16th Feb 2020

    

   The rainforests in Madgascar and the animals living there needs our help. The rainforests there are affected by two things:  climate change – and deforestation on a large scale. The thing is, that these rainforests are home to wildlife that isn’t found anywhere else on earth. It’s got 101 different lemur species, for example.  Losing Madagascar’s rainforests would lead to an enormous and irreversible loss of biodiversity. But it doesn’t have to be that way.   The key is for those in power to do something now to prevent the destruction f their homeland forever. Sign the petition to urge officials in Madagascar to impose strict protections to save their rainforest.

    

3. One Minute Action: Stop the depletion of forests in Cameroon

   Posted on 8:00pm Saturday 15th Feb 2020

   In Africa’s Cameroon, 60,000 hectares of rainforest are at risk from deforestation. The area is home to western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, buffalo, panthers and pangolins. Threat to wildlife living in these hectares Unfortunately, the government is in the process of allocating 60,000 hectares of rainforest to the Cambert SARL company for palm oil plantation.  Did I mention that Cameroon is one of the few countries in the world where there are gorillas?  They, and the Campo Ma’an National Park are in danger from deforestation. There’s a cost to the fishermen and Bagyeli indigenous people living there, too.  They are already suffering the effects of rubber and palm oil plantations and now they risk losing their livelihood.    How to help this rainforest Rainforest Rescue need as many of us as possible to sign their petition, or call to action. But what does Camvert actually REALLY want the area for?  One possibility is that they want it for wood. Nearly 40 envrionmental protection organsiations are fighting against this destruction. Please support the resistance in Cameroon and sign Rianforest Rescue’s petition. Take action now - Sign the petition

4. Good news for forests in Belize from the World Land Trust

   Posted on 7:00pm Saturday 8th Feb 2020

   The World Land Trust has great news for forests! On 16 January 2020, the Governement of Belize signed the declaration of North-eastern Biological Corridor of Belize.  It covers an area of nearly 70,000 acres and links the northernmost nature reserve in Belize with more central natural habitats. It’s really important, because it’s the first step towards achieving a total North-South corridor crossing the whole country as the map shows! ©World Land Trust It’s a tremendous example of public-private partnership:  the government of Belize, local NGOs, private landowners and many international donors – including the World Land Trust – have been involved. UNITED FOR CONSERVATION, WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE BETTER The corridor connects a system of three protected areas in one system.  Deforestation has caused the loss of over 25,000 acres of forest in tihe last 10 years. This will now allow big animals such as jaguar and Baird’s Tapirs enough space to move freely between protected areas and so ensure their long term survival!  It will also help build climate resilience into Belize’s network of protected areas. Why was this acquisition necessary? In Belize, about 50% of the country is under natural vegetation cover.  About 35% of the country is under some form of protection.  So it is still possible to create biological corridors between protected areas. It’s vital that these acquisitions take place, and speedily, because agricultural development are increasingly encroaching on forest. How did supporters of the World Land Trust – people like you & me – help in this achievement? The World Land Trust mobilised its supporters and inspired new ones to raise funds to support this land acquisition.  It included 2018’s Big Match Fortnight Jungle for Jaguars campaign, and another Buy an Acre opportunity a few months after that.  (The Big Match Fortnight normally comes in October when donations are matched for a specific appeal – it is incredible how much and how speedily this builds up.) Donate in memory of someone special I donated to this campaign during the Big Match Fortnight (actually in memory of my wonderful Dad as his birthday is in November and I plant a tree or do a buy an acre on his birthday and at Christmas for him, as Dad loved trees).  Ask someone to donate as a gift for you I asked my husband to also donate as my early Christmas present and it was by far the best present I had.   It really meant something to me.  We had made a difference. I cannot tell you the glow and warm feeling I have in my heart when I think of my jaguar roaming the biological corridor.   I call him “my jaguar” – he obviously isn’t, and I’m never going to meet him – but it’s lovely to think that because I donated and my husband has too, we’ve helped him and lots of other animals. Please do donate to the World Land Trust if you can, and keep an eye on their website.  I often post news of their new appeals here, so you can watch this space as well.  They are a wonderful charity and it’s good to give a meaningful gift which will last, so if you’re looking for a gift for a wildlife lover, making a donation could be a great way to do something to really make a difference – a win, win, win all round! This was the You Tube Video for Jungle for Jaguars – it raised £532,000 in the Big Match Fortnight (normally early October) alone and hit the £600,000 target by Christmas, helping to save 8,154 vital acres.  A further 1,818 acres were saved a few months later.

5. Bristol declares ‘ecological emergency’

   Posted on 8:00pm Thursday 6th Feb 2020

   Bristol has become the first major city to declare an ecological emergency. They’ve done this in response to escalating threats to ecosystems and wildlife, as there’s been a worrying decline in numbers and the diveristy of wildlife in the city. 41% of UK wildlife species are in decline and 15% are at risk of extinction In Bristol the city’s swifts and starling populations are virtually wiped out – with a 96% decline in numbers of these birds between 1994 and 2014 Marvin Rees, Major of Bristol, and the CEO of the Avon Wildlife Trust Ian Barrett, are building on the 2018 declaration of a climate emergency. Plans to Tackle this Ecological Emergency  Marvin Rees has asked the One City Envrionment and Sustainability Board work with the council and other city partners to look at ways in which the destruction of wildife habitats can be stopped. He wants them to look at ways to mange land sustainably, which will create wildlife-rich spaces, not just right across Bristol but across the region as well. Everywhere and everyone needs to support wildlife, including new developments, so that species can grow alongside people.  It’s recognised that is not a quick thing to achieve.  Nature takes her time, but she needs a considerable amount of help now.  She needs restoring.  Climate breakdown and ecological emergency are everywhere as wild spaces are lost and wildlife with it. As Ian Barrett says, we can’t wait for national governments or international bodies to lead the way.  Collective action is needed so that wildlife can thrive and the natural world can flourish. Find out more here about Bristol’s response to the ecological emergency This includes of course people like you and me.  We can all take action to do things such as planting a single window box for pollinators, walking where possible -  and doing beach clean ups on team building days or helping a local wildlife charity. At the moment, the Avon Wildlife Trust is working with local communities through a project called My Wild City.  It’s transforming 8 local wildlife sites across the city, so enhancing important wildlife habitats and providing opportunities for people to visit and enjoy them. Its urban wildlife site in Stapleton has restored wildlife in the heart of the city;  people can learn practical skills in wildlife friendly planting and help fight for nature’s recovery. Actions you can take: Donate to the Avon Wildlife Trust and help its work Volunteer – give your time and energy!  It’s a great way to meet like-minded people and make new friends and do something really worthwhile with your time that can make a difference.  Take action to help wildlife – there are a number of things you can do, including Build a hedgehog home Create a hole for hedghogs Grow a wild patch Attract butterflies to your garden Grow a vertical garden Provide water for wildlife Provide bushes for nesting birds Build a bug mansion Pick up litter (so wildlife don’t eat it or get harmed on it) Take part in a citizen survey Buy local produce And there are LOTS MORE! Become a member or give a gift membership – there’s even a business membership