News

Here is a selection of outside news that we think may be of interest to our readers. If you have a newsfeed you think would be relevant for this page please let us know. Don't forget we have our own news in the forum which is available as a newsfeed and is open for use by all members of the underwater community.

UnderwaterTimes.com

In Search Of The Mysterious Sea Serpent

Officials repeat Litter Warning As Autopsy Finds Plastic in Tassie Whale

Survey: Less Than 1% Of The World's Oceans Have Been Given Protected Status

Canadian scientist helps create coral sperm bank; 'An Insurance Policy'

Florida charter boat captains now educating people about sharks

Cage diving: A day as shark bait; 'Why were we doing this?'

USDA panel approves first rules for labeling farmed fish 'organic'

Thousands join protest to save Mediterranean bluefin tuna

Deadly bacteria found on Puget Sound orcas

Researchers: Sea level rise will alter Chesapeake Bay's salinity

After 45 years, NOAA fisheries research ship Albatross IV is retired; 'the grand old lady of the fleet'

Iceland ecstatic as whale meat approved for export to Japan; 'Sustainable hunting'

U.S. Navy agrees to limit underwater explosions in Puget Sound

Debate swells around Florida artificial reef plan; 'a monumental waste of tax dollars'

DiverWire

Important Opportunity for Qualified Dive Professional at TUSA HQ

TUSA has an immediate opening for a Customer Service Representative located in Long Beach, CA.

DEMA Association Issues Post-DEMA Show Report

Recent industry-wide event in Las Vegas produces strong results.

Florida Keys Vandenberg Reef Project Should Move Forward

State Set to Contribute $1.6 Million to Satisfy Shipyard Lien

DAN Names Anderson New Field Sales Representative

Latest addition to the DAN sales team introduced during DEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Diving in the Red Sea a Popular Choice for DEMA Show Attendees

Divers show increased interest for travel to Egypt. Opportunity for January FAM TRIP to Red Sea on Emperor Live-Aboard continues!

MV Spree Vessel Announces Move to Dry Tortugas

Award-winning Liveaboard Dive Boat MV Spree Moves to Florida’s Dry Tortugas in 2009

Dive Caddy Makes Incredible Debut During DEMA Show

Impressive, unique and different - this new product makes BIG waves in Las Vegas during DEMA.

Canadian Smashes National Freediving Dynamic Record

Congraulations to Jana Strain on this impressive accomplishment.

Start Making Your Plans Now for Our World Underwater 2008

OUR WORLD-UNDERWATER FEBRUARY 20-22, 2009 DONALD E. STEPHENS CONVENTION CENTER ROSEMONT IL

Escape the Winter Blues with Delta’s New Non-stop Flight from New York/JFK

EASY AIRLINE FLIGHTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR HOLIDAY TRAVEL TO BONAIRE

DiveNews.Com

Sperm Bank for Corals

Arguments Over Underwater Treasure Trove

Diver Finds Priceless Ancient Jewellery Ireland

Deep-sea Observatory Goes Live

Florida Coral Reef Suffers Major Damage

Rebreather for Sport Divers Receives International Award

Biggest Coral Reef in Japan to be Artificially Restored

Florida Divers Encounter 20-foot Whale Shark

Local Divers Find WWII Submarine

Pemuteran Dive Sites in North Bali

WWF-Australia Latest News

Climate change puts Australian lives at risk

WWF-Australia today warned that a rise in average temperature of more than 2 degrees Celsius could have dramatic effects for the health of Australia.

"Australia needs to do all it can to secure an international agreement to slow, stop and then reverse global greenhouse gas emissions. The very first step should be to offer deep cuts in Australian pollution if other countries take comparable action,"said Paul Toni, WWF-Australia’s Sustainable Development Program Leader.

As Australia’s climate warms, tropical infectious diseases such as dengue fever could move further south from Northern Queensland towards Sydney, exposing millions of Australians to serious health risks.

Rising temperatures will also mean that by 2100 Australia's annual heat-related death rate for over 65s may jump from 50 per 100,000 to around 150-200 per 100,000 if immediate action is not taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"Research consistently shows that climate change has a variety of negative impacts, including on our health," said Mr Toni.

"Tens of thousands of people could be exposed to mosquito-borne disease in areas which have never had to deal with the threat before, putting strains on our already stressed health system. Heat-related deaths in older Australians could triple by the end of the century. There are also a host of other health risks such as water-borne disease, food poisoning and mental health pressures in rural communities from prolonged drought and increased natural disasters."

Professor Tony McMichael, a world leader in the area of health and climate change, has affirmed the warning by WWF-Australia that climate change will have serious effects for Australia.

Professor McMichael coordinated the assessment of health risks for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and is currently a National Health & Medical Research Council ‘Australia Fellow’ at the Australian National University, Canberra.

"There is little point in trying to 'sustain' an economy if there is no longer a healthy population to run it and benefit from it. It has not been possible to maintain economic development in much of sub-Saharan Africa in the face of the HIV/AIDS catastrophe. This could be a foretaste of how climate change will afflict many future societies, if not all," said Professor McMichael.

These warnings come as the Australian government prepares to release its White Paper on a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) which will set emissions reduction targets before a vital UN climate change meeting in Poznan, Poland next month.

WWF-Australia is calling on the government to reduce Australia’s emissions significantly – by at least a quarter by 2020 – as part of an international agreement to avoid a rise in temperatures of more than 2 degrees.

For more information:

Jonathon Larkin, WWF-Australia
Communications Office, 0410 221 410, jlarkin@wwf.org.au

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Six degree rise highlights emissions target urgency: WWF

The alarming revelation the Earth’s temperature could rise by as much as 6ºC has reinforced the urgent need to set a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 25 per cent below 1990 levels, WWF said today.

If the claim, published in the International Energy Agency’s 2008 World Energy Outlook report, proves to be correct, then strong and binding targets will be the only way to avoid catastrophic climate change.

"Such a massive temperature rise would have devastating and irreversible impacts on our economy and environment," said Mr Paul Toni, WWF-Australia Team Leader for Development and Sustainability.

"The Australian Government must go to the upcoming international climate change negotiations in Poznan with a minimum 2020 target of 25 per cent - or offer even more if other countries agree.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a temperature rise of 5ºC will lead to the dislocation of hundreds of million people and the extinction of more than 35 per cent of species.

"A 6ºC rise could only be worse and would be unprecedented in human experience," Mr Toni said. "It is imperative that at Poznan developed countries gain agreement for a 2020 target of between 25-40 per cent."

WWF disagreed with the International Energy Agency’s assessment that it was "unachievable" for the world to limit greenhouse gases at 450 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide equivalent.

"The only thing that is lacking is the political will," Mr Toni said. "There are numerous reports demonstrating that through low emission technology, energy efficiency and halting deforestation we have the means to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

As a hot, dry country, Australia has the most to lose if greenhouse gas concentrations are not stabilised at 450ppm – and ultimately 400ppm - and temperature rises kept below 2ºC.

"The cost to our economy would be substantial and long term, making the current financial crisis pale into insignificance," Mr Toni said. "However, there will be great business opportunities if we act quickly."

This position was confirmed this week by a Treasury executive, David Gruen, who said countries that acted later would pay more because more emissions-intensive industry would be locked into place.

"Global investment is redirected to early movers," Mr Gruen said. "In the scenarios modelled, economic costs in 2050 for early movers are around 15 per cent lower than when everyone acts together, while costs for late movers are around 20 per cent higher."

For more information

Alvin Stone, WWF Press Office,
(02) 8202 1259 or 0410 221 068

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Report underscores need for action to save sharks

A new report by wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC and the Australian Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts shows that parts of Australia’s marine economic zone are world hot spots for illegal shark fishing.

The report, Illegal, unreported and unregulated shark catch: A review of current knowledge and action, highlights the waters north of Australia as a hot spot along with areas off Central/South America and in the western and central Pacific Ocean.

The high level of illegal shark fishing in these regions is yet another reason for the dramatic decline in shark numbers. “Global assessments on the status of sharks continue to paint a picture of impending extinction,� said WWF-Australia Oceans Program Leader Dr Gilly Llewellyn.

“Currently, of the 591 shark species assessed globally, more than 20 per cent are considered to be critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable.� The menace of illegal shark fishing is compounded by the number of species taken as by-catch by the tuna fishing industry. In December, a meeting of nations that fish for tuna in the Central and Western Pacific will again look at ways of addressing this problem.

“We will be looking for a strong outcome for shark conservation at this meeting,� Dr Llewellyn said. “Right now you could drive a long-liner through the loopholes on the laws governing shark as by- catch.� The ineffective management of shark fisheries is the final piece in the puzzle that explains why shark numbers are in free-fall around the world.

“Phasing out targeted shark fishing in the Great Barrier Reef and declaring large shark protection zones would establish Queensland as a leader in shark conservation. It would send a clear message to the world that we care about our largest reef system and the sharks which are major tourist draw cards,� Dr Llewellyn said.

The illegal fishing report also highlights how strong management actions by Australia’s Federal Government have already yielded positive results. The Government has stepped up maritime patrols off the coast of Northern Australia in the past few years to tackle illegal shark fishing. Since the initiative began there has been a steep decline in the number of illegal fishing boats found in those waters.

In 2004-2005, the patrols intercepted 1659 illegal fishing vessels and confiscated 1831kgs of shark fin. Two years later and the number of illegal fishing vessels entering our northern waters had plummeted. In 2006-2007, only 350 vessels were intercepted in Australian waters carrying a total of 1600kgs of shark fins.

Despite the drop in boat numbers a worrying trend appeared. Several boats caught were bigger and used increasingly more sophisticated gear to hunt sharks.

“These interception results are encouraging but we clearly need ongoing investment to show that we care for our oceans,� Dr Llewellyn. “If our leaders can protect places like the Coral Sea, and phase out shark fishing in the Great Barrier Reef then we will lead the world in caring for these magnificent ocean predators.�

See the TRAFFIC report at www.traffic.org.

For more information

Alvin Stone, Communications Officer, WWF-Australia. astone@wwf.org.au Phone: +612 8202 1259. Mbl: +61 (0) 0410 221 068 ]]>

Illegal Toothfish still on the plate: WWF and TRAFFIC call for tougher measures against illegal fishing

WWF and TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, are calling for enhanced monitoring measures and for trade sanctions to be imposed against countries continuing to undermine the conservation measures for Toothfish.

The future of the Patagonian and Antarctic Toothfish and the highly valuable fishery based on them concentrated in the Southern Ocean, is under significant pressure from illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

According to a study released today by TRAFFIC, IUU fishing is severely undermining protection of these valuable species which are overseen by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).

The new study, "Continuing CCAMLR'S Fight Against IUU Fishing For Toothfish", will be presented to CCAMLR at its meeting in Hobart on October 27 to November 5. The report found that between 2004 and 2007, the percentage of trade represented by IUU catch averaged 17 per cent, compared to CCAMLR's average estimate of 10 per cent of total landings.

"While estimates of IUU catch for recent years are much lower than when we last assessed the situation in 2001, they still represent significant IUU catch. This needs to be accounted for and reduced by CCAMLR through further intervention as this catch continues to represent a serious threat to the conservation of Toothfish," said Glenn Sant, TRAFFIC's Global Marine Program Leader.

"Clearly much greater pressure needs to be put on countries that allow their vessels to engage in illegal fishing and the imposition of trade sanctions against these countries is the next step that CCAMLR must take," Mr Sant said.

Fetching prices of up to $US35 per kilogram, Toothfish has earned the name "white gold" among fishers. The global black market for Toothfish is estimated by WWF to be worth $200 million a year.

"We need to protect the Toothfish not the pirates," Rob Nicoll, WWF-Australia's Antarctic & Southern Ocean Initiative Manager said.

"Even when patrolling of territorial waters has been effective, it simply results in the pirates shifting to unpatrolled high seas areas. Stricter regulation of trade would assist enforcement — the pirates wouldn't go after the Toothfish if they couldn't sell their ill-gotten gains."

Mr Nicoll added: "Three quarters of global fish stocks are seriously depleted or over-exploited, and pirate fishing is exacerbating the appalling situation - if we want to maintain a legal fishing industry, governments must act together to crack down on IUU fishing, patrolling is still a crucial part of that but needs complementing by trade controls, especially where high seas fishing is concerned.

"These findings reinforce the need for a range of complementary measures. This is the only way consumers can be assured that the fish on their plate is obtained legally," Mr Nicoll said.

"WWF and TRAFFIC want to see the governments attending CCAMLR this week take firm action to adopt and amend conservation measures to eradicate pirate fishing and the trade in fish derived from it."

For more information

WWF-Australia : Jonathon Larkin, Communications Co-ordinator jlarkin@wwf.org.au +61 (0)0410 221 410

TRAFFIC International: Dr Richard Thomas, Communications Co-ordinator richard.thomas@traffic.org +44 1223 279068

NOTE TO EDITORS

Common names for the Patagonian toothfish

The Patagonian toothfish is commonly sold as:

• Merluza negra (Spain)
• Bacalao de profundidad (Spain and Chile)
• Chilean Sea Bass (US and Canada)
• Legine (France)
• Mero (Japan)
• Patagonian toothfish (UK)
• Butterfish (Mauritius)

CCAMLR

http://www.ccamlr.org/pu/e/gen-intro.htm

CCAMLR members

The CCAMLR Member States are: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, European Community (EC), France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Namibia, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, UK, Ukraine, USA, and Uruguay. States party to the Convention but not members of the Commission are: Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, Greece, the Netherlands, Peru, and Vanuatu.

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WWF supports Treasury modelling on climate change

WWF welcomed the release of the Department of Treasury modelling in Canberra today which shows Australia can afford to take deep and early cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.

Treasury's work predicts that the introduction of the Government's proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) will cost much less than previously estimated. According to the modelling, all industry sectors but aluminium will continue to grow at a healthy rate despite the emissions trading scheme.

"This modelling clearly shows cutting emissions by a third does little to GNP, which would grow at 1.1 per cent per annum compared to the reference case of 1.2 per cent. Ambitious action to reduce pollution is both achievable and affordable," said Paul Toni, WWF-Australia's head of Development and Sustainability.

"Today's announcement should put to rest claims by polluting industries that a CPRS would be terrible for business, pushing them offshore and costing jobs. The Australian public continues to express its support for a CPRS being introduced by 2010 and the Government now has an opportunity to take a real leadership role," said Mr Toni.

Despite current global financial unease, WWF-Australia has stressed that the consequences to the economy of not addressing climate change will be far more dramatic.

"The current economic climate will improve in time, the threat of climate change is not going away unless dramatic action is taken by governments. The cost of inaction will be far higher than the cost of taking action on this issue," said Mr Toni.

WWF-Australia applauds the methodical approach taken by the Government in developing its climate change policy but stresses the time has come to make deep cuts to emission levels. A cut of one-third has been shown to be ambitious, but within Australia's grasp and an important contribution to a global solution.

Mr Toni said immediate savings for businesses, both in greenhouse gas emissions and dollars, can be made by improving energy efficiency.

"We believe Australia should strongly advocate for a global agreement which will stabilise greenhouses gas levels at 450 parts per million. This is crucial if we are to avoid the catastrophic effects of climate change," said Mr Toni.

For more information

Jonathon Larkin, Communications Officer
0410 221 410, jlarkin@wwf.org.au

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The Coca-Cola System Announces New Global Targets for Water Conservation and Climate Protection in Partnership with WWF

Atlanta, October 30, 2008 - The Coca-Cola Company, in partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), today announced ambitious new targets to improve water efficiency and reduce carbon emissions within its system-wide operations, while promoting sustainable agricultural practices and helping to conserve the world's most important freshwater basins.

"Our sustainability as a business demands a relentless focus on efficiency in our use of natural resources. These performance targets are one way we are engaging to improve our management of water and energy," said Muhtar Kent, president and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company.

"In this resource constrained world, successful businesses will find ways to achieve growth while using fewer resources," said Carter Roberts, president and CEO of WWF- US. "The Coca-Cola Company's commitment to conservation responds to the imperative to solve the global water and climate crisis."

The partnership, announced by WWF and The Coca-Cola Company in 2007 with $20 million in funding, has now been extended an additional two years (through 2012) with the Company providing $3.75 million in new funding.

The Coca-Cola Company also joined WWF's Climate Savers program in which leading corporations from around the world work with WWF to dramatically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. By 2010, Climate Savers companies will collectively cut carbon emissions by 14 million tons annually - the equivalent to taking more than 3 million cars off the road each year.

Water Efficiency -- Saving 50 billion liters in 2012

The Coca-Cola system will improve its water efficiency 20 percent by 2012, compared to a baseline year 2004. While water use is expected to increase as the business grows, this water efficiency target will eliminate approximately 50 billion liters of that increase in 2012.

To support this efficiency target, The Coca-Cola Company and WWF have developed a Water Efficiency Toolkit to help reduce water consumption within bottling plants. This software-based instruction manual has been distributed to managers and operators throughout the Coca-Cola system, providing strategies to shrink the water footprint of their operations.

Climate Protection -- Preventing 2 million tons of CO2 emissions

The Company has set two emissions reduction targets: 1) grow the business, not the carbon system-wide and 2) a 5 percent absolute reduction in Annex 1 (developed) countries. The emissions targets apply to manufacturing operations in the year 2015 compared to a baseline year of 2004.

The Coca-Cola Company and its bottlers anticipate substantial volume growth globally during this period, thus growing the business without growing the carbon is a significant commitment. Without intervention, emissions would grow proportional to volume and reach 7.3 million metric tons in 2015. Thus, the global commitment will prevent the release of more than 2 million metric tons of CO2 in 2015 - the equivalent of planting 600,000 acres of trees.

Supply Chain Sustainability

The Coca-Cola Company also will work with WWF to promote more sustainable agricultural practices in an effort to reduce the impact of its supply chain on water resources. This work will initially focus on sugarcane production. The Coca-Cola Company and WWF are working with the Better Sugarcane Initiative to establish standards, evaluate suppliers and set goals for the purchase of sugar. The Coca-Cola Company will identify two additional commodities on which to work in 2009.

Freshwater Conservation

The Coca-Cola system and WWF are working together to conserve some of the world's most important freshwater resources, including the Yangtze, Mekong, Danube, Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, Lakes Niassa and Chiuta, the Mesoamerican Reef catchments, and the rivers and streams in the southeastern region of the United States. More than a dozen production plants and/or bottlers in the areas surrounding these rivers are developing and implementing water stewardship plans to serve as models throughout the Coca-Cola system.

"Water and energy conservation are areas where we can truly make a difference. Last year, we set a goal to return to communities and to nature an amount of water equal to what we use in our beverages and their production. These targets support our work to achieve that goal," said Kent. "The expansion of our partnership with WWF demonstrates our shared dedication to achieving large-scale results, and a grounded understanding that collaboration is key if we are to help address the world's water challenges."

To learn more about the partnership, please visit www.thecoca-colacompany.com or www.worldwildlife.org

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Australia in top 5 for environmental exploitation

Australian's exploitation of the environment is worse then ever, with the nation now boasting the fifth largest ecological footprint per capita in the world - up from sixth worst just two years ago - according to a major international report released today.

WWF's Living Planet Report, the organisation's biennial assessment of the state of the natural world, paints a bleak picture for Australia, showing declining wildlife, a continued reduction in natural resources and accelerating waste of remaining natural resources.

Each Australian uses more land and water per person than the UK, China, Russia and India and it now takes 7.81 hectares to maintain the lifestyle of each Australian - up from 6.76 hectares per person in 2006. Only the United Arab Emirates, USA, Kuwait and Denmark rated worse.

"We cannot ignore the dire picture this report paints for Australia if we continue to exploit our natural resources without any thought for the future," said Greg Bourne, CEO, WWF-Australia.

"We currently have the technology and capital to turn around our destructive excesses - the real question is, do we have the will?

"Industry and Government must take urgent action to preserve Australia's natural resources that remain," he said.

Australia's carbon emissions, along with its cropping and grazing practices are the largest contributors to our massive ecological footprint, together accounting for 86 per cent of the total.

The nation's water use is more than the global average and our agricultural industries use more water for production than any other industry sector in the country.

Australia's native species continue to decline at an alarming rate due to habitat loss and increased competition from feral animals and exotic plants. There has been a 24 per cent decline in mammals, a 13 per cent decline in birds and a six per cent decline in reptile species since white settlement.

According to Mr Bourne, preserving our environment is vital to maintain our economic prosperity. He said agri-businesses were already learning the hard way how exploitation of the environment could endanger the future viability of rural economies.

"The unfolding disaster in the Murray-Darling Basin shows what happens when we continue to overdraw on the environment," said Mr Bourne.

He outlined that industries with an eye on sustainability would be the only winners in future and offered

Australians the best chance of maintaining their high standard of living.

"The current financial crisis, like all those before it, will pass but the threats presented by global warming will continue to grow if we do nothing," said Mr Bourne said.

"We must act now to reduce our emissions by 25 per cent by 2020, so that our children and grandchildren won't pay a grim cost for the waste of this generation as it continues to overdraw on the environment.

Notes to editors

Key Australian statistics from the Living Planet Report

Australia's threatened species

• In Australia, 91 mammal species are listed as threatened and 27 are extinct. For birds the numbers are 108 threatened and 23 are extinct and even 53 reptile species are under threat.
• The key reasons for the loss of species are habitat loss, invasive alien species, over exploitation and pollution.

Biocapacity

• Australia has the fourth greatest biocapacity in the world. It is more than 150 per cent greater than the amount we currently use.
• However, this ecological asset declines every year and if there is no alteration in the current trends Australians will be using more than we have in around 50 years.

Water Footprint

• Our water footprint of 1.39 million litres used by each person every year is higher than the world average of 1.24 million litres per person per year.
• Most of our water is used in agriculture. Australia has the 22nd highest use of water for production in the world and 15th for use in agriculture.

For more information

Alvin Stone, WWF-Australia Press Office.
Phone: 02 8202 1259 or mobile 0410 221 068

Download

WWF Living Planet Report 2008

WWF's biennial assessment of the state of the natural world.

]]>

Living Planet analysis shows looming ecological credit crunch

The world is heading for an ecological credit crunch as human demands on the world's natural capital reach nearly a third more than earth can sustain.

hat is the stark warning contained in the latest edition of WWF's Living Planet Report, the leading statement of the planet's health. In addition global natural wealth and diversity continues to decline, and more and more countries are slipping into a state of permanent or seasonal water stress.

"The world is currently struggling with the consequences of over-valuing its financial assets," said WWF International Director-General James Leape.

"However a more fundamental crisis looms ahead -- an ecological credit crunch caused by under- valuing the environmental assets that are the basis of all life and prosperity."

The report, produced with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the Global Footprint Network (GFN), shows more than three quarters of the world's people now living in nations that are ecological debtors, where national consumption has outstripped their country's biological capacity.

"Most of us are propping up our current lifestyles, and our economic growth, by drawing - and increasingly overdrawing - on the ecological capital of other parts of the world," Mr Leape said.

"If our demands on the planet continue to increase at the same rate, by the mid-2030s we would need the equivalent of two planets to maintain our lifestyles."

The report, published every two years, has since 1998 become widely accepted as an statement of earth's ability to remain a "living planet". In 2008, it adds for the first time new measures of global, national and individual water footprint to existing measures of the Ecological Footprint of human demand on natural resources and the Living Planet Index, a measure of the state of nature.

The Living Planet Index, compiled by ZSL, shows a nearly 30 per cent decline since 1970 in nearly 5000 measured populations of 1,686 species. These dramatic losses in our natural wealth are being driven by deforestation and land conversion in the tropics (50% decline in Tropical LPI) and the impact of dams, diversions and climate change on freshwater species (35% decline). Pollution, over- fishing and destructive fishing in marine and coastal environments is also taking a considerable toll.

"We are acting ecologically in the same way as financial institutions have been behaving economically - seeking immediate gratification without due regard for the consequences," said ZSL co-editor Jonathan Loh. "The consequences of a global ecological crisis are even graver than the current economic meltdown."

Carbon emissions from fossil fuel use and land disturbance are the greatest component of humanity's footprint, underlining the key threat of climate change. . The ecological footprint analysis, produced by GFN, shows that while global biocapacity - the area available to produce our resources and capture our emissions - is 2.1 average or "global" hectares per person, the per person footprint is 2.7 global ha.

"Continued ecological deficit spending will have severe economic consequences," said GFN Executive Director Dr Mathis Wackernagel. "Resource limitations and ecosystem collapses would trigger massive stagflation with the value of investments plummeting, while food and energy costs skyrocket."

The USA and China have the largest national footprints, each in total about 21 per cent of global biocapacity, but US citizens each require an average of 9.4 global ha (or nearly 4.5 Planet Earths if the global population had US consumption patterns) while Chinese citizens use on average 2.1 global ha per person (one Planet Earth).

Biocapacity is unevenly distributed, with eight nations - the United States, Brazil, Russia, China, India, Canada, Argentina and Australia - containing more than half the world total. Population and consumption patterns make three of these countries ecological debtors, with footprints greater than their national biocapacity - the United States (footprint 1.8 times national biocapacity), China (2.3 times) and India ( 2.2 times).

This can be contrasted with the Congo with the seventh highest per person biocapacity of 13.9 global ha per person and an average footprint of just 0.5 global ha per person - but facing a future of degrading biocapacity from deforestation and increased demands from a rising population and export pressures.

The new water footprint measures show up the significance of water traded in the form of commodities with, for example, a cotton T-shirt requiring 2,900 litres of water in its production. On average, each person consumes 1.24 million litres (about half an Olympic swimming pool) of water a year, but this varies from 2.48 million litres per person a year (USA) to 619,000 litres per capita annually (Yemen).

"Around 50 countries are currently facing moderate or severe water stress and the number of people suffering from year-round or seasonal water shortages is expected to increase as a result of climate change," the report finds.

"These Living Planet measures serve as clear and robust signposts to what needs to be done," said Mr Leape. "It is our hope that in years to come we will be reporting increases in the Living Planet Index, an ecological footprint coming down in shoe sizes and water becoming more rather than less available in more places."

The report suggests some key "sustainability wedges" which if combined could stabilise and reverse the worsening slide into ecological debt and enduring damage to global support systems.

For the single most important challenge - climate change - the report shows that a range of efficiency, renewable and low emissions "wedges" could meet projected energy demands to 2050 with reductions in carbon emissions of 60 to 80 per cent.

"If humanity has the will, it has the ways to live within the means of the planet, but we must recognize that the ecological credit crunch will require even bolder action than that now being mustered for the financial crisis" Mr Leape said.

Notes to editors

The 2008 Living Planet Report can be downloaded below, or from www.panda.org/lpr/08

The report and additional multimedia materials including broadcast quality video can be found at wwf.extranet.largeblue.net, using the password mA1aGb73

The global ecological footprint is worsening at an increasing rate. The 2006 WWF Living Planet Report revealed an excess ecological footprint of 25 per cent in 2003 (2008 LPR - 30 per cent on global data for 2005), with a projection that the two planet requirement would be reached around 2050 (2008 LPR - 2030s).

For further information

WWF: Phil Dickie, WWF International News Editor
+41 79 7031952, eml pdickie@wwfint.org

GFN: Nicole Freeling
+ (415) 577-9282, nicole@footprintnetwork.org

ZSL: Alice Henchley, Senior Press Officer
+44 7790 301596, eml: alice.henchley@zsl.org

About WWF

WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

About ZSL

Founded in 1826, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international scientific, conservation and educational charity: our key role is the conservation of animals and their habitats. ZSL runs ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, carries out scientific research in the Institute of Zoology and is actively involved in field conservation in over forty countries worldwide. www.zsl.org

About GFN

The Global Footprint Network promotes a sustainable economy by advancing the Ecological Footprint, a tool that makes sustainability measurable. Together with its partners, the network coordinates research, develops methodological standards, and provides decision makers with robust resource accounts to help the human economy operate within the Earth's ecological limits. www.footprintnetwork.org

Download

WWF Living Planet Report 2008

WWF's biennial assessment of the state of the natural world.

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Tough regulations needed to save Great Barrier Reef

WWF-Australia has called for the nation's toughest farm regulations to protect the iconic Great Barrier Reef.

The call follows a recent report, Scientific consensus statement on water quality in the Great Barrier Reef, which shows toxic farm run-off is putting the Reef at grave risk.

"WWF strongly supports Premier Anna Bligh's assessment that current approaches will not deliver in time to save the Reef," said WWF Water Program Leader Mr Nick Heath.

"We don't want to be the generation of Queenslanders that sat by while the reef, 65,000 tourism jobs and a $6 billion industry slowly faded away."

Studies indicate that a 50 per cent cut in farm pollution is possible in five years.

But Mr Heath believed that State and Federal governments needed to use every means at their disposal to bring about this reduction, including targets, cash, new laws and better governance.

"If there are new laws, these must ban the highest risk practices in the highest risk areas," Mr Heath said.

While it is expected that some groups will attack any new laws, WWF-Australia said stakeholders needed to realise that they were likely to be in the industry's, as well as the reef‘s, best interest"

"Our best farmers – those who plan, measure and manage precise use of farm chemicals should not be detrimentally impacted – in fact their farsighted decisions should be vindicated, and their industry become more cost-efficient," Mr Heath said.

WWF Reef Catchments Manager Dr Piet Filet said that farming methods that degraded wetlands and riverbank rainforests and which cleared and over-grazed erosive lands should be consigned to the past.

"We can no longer persist with a she'll-be-right attitude in regards to our rivers and the Great Barrier Reef," Dr Filet said.

"The Federal Government is investing $200m to help farmer's change practice and there has never been a better time for Queensland's rural industries to revolutionise their practices and increase the resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.

Simply reducing farm pollution will make the reef far stronger in its fight to survive climate change.

Dr Filet said that at least 90 per cent of chemical pollution was caused by out-dated, wasteful farm practices that placed as many as 700 reefs at risk.

"A number of forward thinking rural leaders- such as Canegrowers, Queensland Farmers Federation and AgForce - have recognized this and are already been working together to provide solutions to promote the reef's and industry's long term survival."

"These captains of our rural industries have recognized that saving the reef is not just about preserving our environment but helps maintain a powerful economic buffer for Queensland long into the future," Dr Filet said.

For more information

Alvin Stone, WWF-Australia Press Office. Phone: (02) 8202 1259 or mobile 0410 221 068

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Fence jumping weeds kill NSW's natural biodiversity

WWF-Australia has called on the New South Wales government to ban high risk plants from being sold in garden centres under the Noxious Weeds Act, after it was revealed that invasive plants are contributing to the near extinction of a significant number of Australia's rarest plant and animal species.

The call is part of WWF's recent submission to the NSW Scientific Committee, which highlights the need to control the spread of escaped exotic garden plants in New South Wales.

"We now have a situation where weeds are killing off our state's natural and unique biodiversity," said Gail Broadbent, WWF-Australia's Sustainable Development Program Co-ordinator.

"Take, as an example, two of Australia's rarest rainforest plants. There's the Coastal Fontainea, of which there are just 10 adult trees left near Lennox Head in NSW, and the Coxen's Double-Eyed Fig Parrot, of which there has only been 20 reliable sightings in NSW since 1970.

"Both are being pushed to the verge of extinction by out-of-control invasive weeds that were originally introduced to Australia as garden plants."

Garden plants that have escaped into the wild make up 69 per cent of Australia's population of threatening weeds. Of the 127 individual weed species identified as threatening NSW biodiversity, 82 were deliberately introduced as ornamental plants and 56 of these are still available for purchase in Australia.

"Research shows that banning the sale of high risk plants from garden centres gives Australia the best opportunity for potential weed infestations to nipped in the bud," said Mrs Broadbent.

"If we can ban the worst of these and clearly label those that may pose a threat in the future, then Australia's gardeners will have the knowledge to be in the front line of the fight against weed invasions.

"In taking an active role, they will not only preserve some of our endangered species, they will also help protect our agricultural industry from significant losses in the future."

WWF-Australia has also called for the creation of a state-wide early warning and rapid response program to target plants that have already escaped from gardens and pose a significant risk to the biodiversity of NSW and its agricultural enterprises. Ms Broadbent said the cost of setting up such a program would be far outweighed by the long-term benefits.

"Patterson's curse, an escaped ornamental plant, is estimated to cost the wool and meat industries alone $125 million a year according to the CSIRO," Ms Broadbent said.

"If we can attacks weeds before they get a foothold beyond the garden gate, it could save Australians, from the cocky at the farm gate to mums and dads at the supermarket, hundreds of millions of dollars."

Editor's notes

• The threat posed by weeds to Australia flora and fauna as a single factor is second only to land clearing.
• Weeds threaten 419 of NSW listed threatened species.
• Garden plants are the dominant source of Australia's population of weeds (69%)
• 82 of the 127 (65%) individual weed species identified as threatening NSW biodiversity are deliberately introduced ornamental plants.
• 56 of these 127 weeds are still available for purchase in Australia, 36 of these are available for purchase from NSW.
• There are 4065 plant species that have been imported into Australia for cultivation as garden plants that are referenced as weeds.
• Virtually all of Australia's major water-weed species were originally introduced for use in garden ponds or as ornamental aquarium plants.
• More than 20 types of willow are for sale in garden shops. Most are declared weeds of national significance and many infest waterways. The cost of removing them is considerable.
• Exotic vines including madeira vine, passionfruit, climbing asparagus, moth vine and climbing nightshade were introduced for ornamental and horticultural purposes. All have now been declared as key threatening processes under the Threatened Species Conservation Act.
• Approximately 35% of plants that have escaped from gardens threaten multiple species. As an example, Lantana camara L. threatens 96 biological entities in NSW, while kikuyu grass threatens another 16.

For more information

Alvin Stone, WWF-Australia Press Office. Phone: (02) 8202 1259 or mobile 0410 221 068

Mobile: 0410 221 068

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