Newswrap
Paul Allen, Wed 07 May 2008
The big green stories of the week and how they were reported in the press
Tropical troubles
BBC News reports that many tropical insects could face extinction by the end of this century unless they adapt to the rising global temperatures predicted.
A US study shows that some insects will fail to adapt or move to cope with rising temperatures. “Some species might be able to migrate uphill and towards higher latitudes, or evolve to cope with the warmer climate,” but others may eventually die out.
All of this matters, says the Independent’s Steve Connor, because insects are critical to the overall health of tropical habitats.
“They perform vital services such as breaking down organic matter, pollinating flowers to produce fruits and nuts and providing sustenance for creatures higher up the food chain,” he says. “Even the smaller predicted change in the tropics could have a far more serious impact on local wildlife.”
Two wheels good?
It’s national Bike to School Week but BBC News reports that 81 per cent of parents currently ban their children from cycling independently. A survey by Cycling England finds that parents’ fears about road safety are turning children into “a lost generation” of cyclists.
The irony is that on-road accidents are in long-term decline. In 2006 there were 10 times more accidents involving cars than there were accidents involving bicycles. Nevertheless, just one in five children “were allowed to use bicycles as a way of getting from one place to another, [yet] more than half of the same parents said they had regularly used cycling as a way of getting around as a child.”
Speaking to the Guardian, Phillip Darnton, chairman of Cycling England which conducted the study, said: "Somewhere along the line our fears for our children's safety have overtaken the reality of on-road accidents.”
Credit crunch could turn businesses green
The global credit crunch may be an economic headache, but one benefit of the financial squeeze could be the environment. According to business leaders at the Prince of Wales's May Day Business Summit on Climate Change, the current uncertainty over lending may lead companies to implement cutbacks and decrease their overall emissions.
In the Times, Rosie Lavan says that the corporate interest in cutting carbon footprints is not just down to economic hardship. “Growing interest from the public in green issues has [also] played a part in encouraging business to act,” she says.
But, unsurprisingly, there are plenty of losers in less stable economic times. According to BBC News, one such group could be those seeking social housing. With less available credit, experts think that the government may struggle to build the 240,000 homes every year it needs to meet current targets. This will mean less social housing available for those in need.
“Private building companies often include a portion of social housing in their new developments,” BBC News explains. “But with many companies slowing down or even halting new building, there are fears that this may be adding to the pressure on [the] government’s targets.”
And finally...
Two much-loved ospreys have celebrated the bank holiday by laying three eggs at their home in the Lake District. This was a welcome, if unlikely, arrival for a species that was once hunted almost to extinction by gamekeepers.
First, the long-term partner of Fish King, an osprey who has nested at Bassenthwaite Lake since 2001, didn’t return from Africa. Then, last month, Fish King and his mate abandoned the nest built by the Forestry Commission and the Lake District national park authority, which allows bird lovers to monitor eggs.
Fortunately the birds decided to move back in again – much to the delight of locals and twitchers alike. BBC News reports that tens of thousands of people visit Bassenthwaite each year and “the ospreys are estimated to boost the local economy by up to £2m annually”. If all goes to plan, Fish King will soon become a father for the eleventh time.
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