Conservationists declare victory for wildlife as EU saves nature directives

theguardian

EU president abandons plan to overhaul flagship birds and habitats directives following a huge public campaign. Story here.

Extreme tornado outbreaks are getting worse, but why?

SCIENCE:

The number of tornadoes pounding the United States during the most extreme outbreaks has roughly doubled over the past 50 years, a new analysis shows. But the study also yields a big surprise: The increased severity of such tornado outbreaks, at least at first glance, doesn’t seem to be related to climate change. STORY HERE.

Health Canada Will Take Dangerous Bee-Killing Pesticide Off The Market

Friends of the Earth

Health Canada’s PMRA has announced imidacloprid, one of the oldest and most widely used neonicotinoid pesticides, is being taken off the market. 



A Manitoba honeybee colony. PinP photo. 
It’s been found in just about every water body and it’s considered harmful to aquatic species and to creatures such as birds dependent on the aquatic species. Unfortunately, the PMRA is proposing a long 3-year phase-out. With your help, we want to accelerate this phase-out.

PinP: Oddly enough,  Health Canada did not even consider risks to pollinators in this re-evaluation. That will happen in a separate "risk assessment."  

Health Canada Release

The environmental assessment showed that, in aquatic environments in Canada, imidacloprid is being measured at levels that are harmful to aquatic insects. These insects are an important part of the ecosystem, including as a food source for fish, birds and other animals. Based on currently available information, the continued high volume use of imidacloprid in agricultural areas is not sustainable.

The environmental assessment also found that there is a potential risk to birds and small mammals from feeding on seeds that are treated with imidacloprid, however, it is expected that good agricultural practices and equipment could reduce this type of exposure.
The health assessment did not identify human health concerns from any exposure route when used according to current label standards.

RELATED: New Studies Show Farm Chemicals Are Affecting More Than Bees. Bird Populations are Declining, Too. Is modern agriculture’s toxic hold on nature becoming a death grip?

Over 2,000 scientists urge Trump to respect ‘scientific integrity and independence’

The Washington Post

Call it the opening shot in a brewing war over scientific integrity in the future Trump administration. Story here.

The Fusarium-Glyphosate Connection - How an Amazingly Successful Weedkiller May Have Yet Another Dark Side. (Video)

Corporate Giants' "Sustainable" Palm Oil Revealed as Sham

CommonDreams

Nestlé, Kellogg's, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and others are linked to child labor and forced labor in Indonesia. Story here.

A vast palm oil plantation in Indonesia. 

Photo by Achmad Rabin Taim.