President Obama launched a new initiative today that seeks to combat poaching of rhinos and elephants and stem the illegal wildlife trade by establishing a Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking charged with developing a National Strategy. In response, Allan Thornton, president of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), issued the following statement: “The poaching epidemic […]
At its 53rd and 54th meetings, the Executive Committee (ExCom) decided that all HPMPs should capture the spirit of decision XIX/6 and address the benefits for the climate when looking at alternatives1. A vast majority of stage I HPMPs took into account decision XIX/6 and transitioned from HCFCs to climate-friendly substitutes and technologies. The 25% […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As President Obama visits Tanzania this week, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) urges him to press his counterpart President Jakaya Kikwete to take swift action against a poaching epidemic that could wipe out Tanzania elephants within a decade. Tourism accounts for 17 percent of Tanzania’s GDP ($1.3 billion in revenue in 2011), […]
Action needed to prevent HFC-23 climate bomb from China and India WASHINGTON, D.C. – China and India are expected to release vast amounts of the chemical hydroflourocarbon-23 (HFC-23) into the atmosphere, causing global greenhouse gas emissions to skyrocket, according to a new report launched today by the Environmental Investigation Agency. HFC-23, a by-product in the […]
Legacy at Stake: Why the Montreal Protocol Must Take Action on HFCs This year, the planet passed a dangerous milestone when atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide exceeded 400 parts per million, prompting the scientific community to advocate renewed vigour in efforts to combat climate change, and the UNFCCC’s Executive Secretary to call for a “policy […]
How to Defuse the HFC-23 Problem EIA investigators have discovered that many Chinese and Indian facilities, despite having destruction technology readily available, are releasing or threatening to emit the by-product unless they receive additional financing to dispose of the chemicals. Plants that produce HCFC-22 in other developing countries could also do the same. If this […]