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

Japanese Angler Lands World-record Largemouth Bass; 'It Looks Like The Real Deal'

Aussies To Sink HMAS Adelaide As Artificial Reef For Divers

Is It A Cloud? Is It A Jellyfish? No, It's A Whole New Way Of Making A Splash In The Art World

Shark Activist Suspends Herself From Giant Fishhooks At Paris Storefront

World's largest live underwater observatory launched in Canada

No fish tale: Carolina fisherman finds 25-million year-old oyster

Nurse shark attacks woman off Miami coast; 'extensive shark bite'

Underwater Jewish weddings: Smash a lightbulb, then mazel tov! 'Not everyone is cut out for a white wedding'

Pictured: Croc shadows oblivious Aussie fishermen; 'I was horrified'

Movement to shut down shark tours in Hawaii grows; 'I'm not breaking any laws'

Western Australia fisheries does not have enough staff to police catch bans

Two nurse sharks released from Georgia aquarium into ocean

Successes at sea, despite doom-and-gloom stories

Bull sharks take to Louisiana swamp; 'you could call it a swamp shark'

DiverWire

Captain Don's Habitat Bonaire Unveils NEW Dive Facility

A new, expansive dive center at Captain Don’s Habitat and new airlift are the latest causes for celebration at the Home of Diving Freedom on Bonaire.

HOT Dive Product Offers a Solution to Rising Baggage Costs

Dive Caddy is a quick sell-out at consumer dive shows. Retailers can now order stock for their customers.

DiveAssure Now Available in Oregon and Vermont

Popular diver protection program continues to expand as interest grows!

Last Chance – Popular Single Divers.com Event on Bonaire Filling Fast

Don’t miss this chance to dive with scuba-minded singles at the Divi Flamingo Resort in Bonaire!

Hot New Opportunity from Curacao

Curaçao Announces $100 Per Person Airfare Rebate, Additional Savings for Group Travelers

Insel Air Introduces Non-Stop Flight from Miami to Bonaire

Airline to Start Service July 4, 2009

Popular Anthony's Key Special Returns - Don't Miss out!

The Return of AKR’s ‘Buy One - Get Second Half Off in 2009’ Special

Last Chance to Join the Curaçao Dive Festival!

Book now and you'll receive a $200 per person Airfare Rebate, Free Hotel Night Stay and Free Dive Day during the Festival!

Success Stories from SSI Online Dive Centers

You said you wanted more students…well, here they come!

Miss Scuba Unveils Hot New SCUBA Jewelry Line for Ladies

Impressive line of accessories created with the LADY diver in mind!

DiveNews.Com

New Inclusions to World Heritage List

Florida Key's Annual Coral Spawn to Build Reefs

Corals Stay Close to Home

Poseidon Recall Diving Wings

Disappearing Dolphins Clamour for Attention at Whale Summit

Mote Marine Laboratory Sign Landmark Agreement

Third of Ocean Sharks Threatened With Extinction

Help for Climate Stressed Corals

Young Asians Saying No to Shark Fin Soup

Miami Divers Capture Hated Lionfish

WWF-Australia Latest News

G8 fails on climate goals. Again.

The latest WWF-Allianz G8 Climate Scorecards shows that countries have so far failed to take sufficient action to protect the world against climate change.

Germany, followed by the UK and France, is performing better than the rest of the rich nations’ group. Italy and Japan are in a lower medium ranked group, while Canada, the USA and Russia are lagging behind, despite the USA moving up one rank.

The report carried out by Ecofys for WWF and Allianz SE ranks the top eight industrialized countries and five major developing countries according to their climate change policy.

Only five months ahead of crucial climate talks in Copenhagen, the 2009 edition of the annual G8 Climate Scorecards shows that while some efforts had been made, action remains insufficient to set the world on a low carbon economy course.

The report shows the lack of a clear leader among the ranked nations. While Germany has slightly improved, countries such as Canada and Russia have completely failed to pass the test.

In the foreword of the report, James Leape, the head of WWF, and Allianz board member Joachim Faber urged the nations to take action now and help seal a good deal in Copenhagen.

“While there might be a bailout possibility for the financial system, no amounts of money will save the planet once climate change crosses the danger threshold,” Mr. Leape and Mr. Faber wrote. “It is therefore crucial to limit the rise of global temperature to below two degrees compared to pre-industrial levels.”

The G8 Climate Scorecards 2009 measure countries’ performance and trends in areas such as development of greenhouse gas emissions since 1990, the distance to their Kyoto-targets, their share of renewable energies and the efficiency of their climate policies.

The evaluation is based on their progress and improvement made since 1990, is looking at the current status of emissions and the intended policies for the future.

According to the report, Germany, the United Kingdom and France have already achieved their Kyoto targets - but their long-term climate performance is not adequate to limit the global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius.

Climate initiatives so far planned or announced by the Obama-administration have helped the USA climb from the last rank to seventh place.

Canada and Russia which are at the bottom of the rank either do not have political plans to change this development or do not implement them.

Within the framework of the global WWF-Allianz partnership, Allianz in its position as an international finance service provider supports the G8 Climate Scorecards to better understand the consequences of climate change. That is vital for the investment and regulatory framework conditions that have to be adapted to the consequences of climate change as well as for the development of new climate compliant products and financial solutions.

Joachim Faber, board member of Allianz SE says: “A low carbon future holds growth potential for G8 countries as well as for emerging nations. Future investments and product development therefore require a sustainable political framework.”

Downloads The full report, an executive summary and a flash application are available at: http://www.divshare.com/folder/566999-f8b

More information

Sigrid Goldbrunner, WWF Germany
Phone: +49-30-30 87 42 42
Email: sigrid.goldbrunner@wwf.de

Nicolai Tewes, Allianz SE
Phone: +49-89-38 00 4 511
Email: nicolai.tewes@allianz.com

- These assessments are, as always, subject to the disclaimer provided in the attached media release.

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 Allianz

Allianz SE is member of Transparency International Germany and supports the Principles of the United Nations Global Compact and the OECD Guidelines for Multinationals through its Code of Conduct. Allianz SE is one of the leaders of the insurance sector in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, listed in FTSE4GOOD and in the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (Carbon Disclosure Project, CDP6).

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$50m reward for reef heroes welcomed

WWF today said the Australian Government’s $50 million ‘downpayment’ to help farmers protect the Great Barrier Reef was a significant step towards saving the iconic Reef and the 65,000 jobs that depend on it for their survival.

Today’s announcement forms part of a $200 million Reef Rescue election commitment to foster better farming practices along Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef coast, and protect the $6 billion reef-related tourism industry from toxic pollution and climate change.

“WWF celebrates those farmers along Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef coast making the change to best practice farming methods, and fully supports these heroes of the reef being rewarded with a $50 million package to help them save this global icon,” said WWF spokeperson Nick Heath.

Pollutants from farm pesticides and fertilisers, rising temperatures associated with climate change and over-fishing are presenting serious threats to the 2,000km reef’s long-term survival. It has been estimated that 80% of rivers draining to the Reef breach water quality guidelines.

Last year 1,000 farmers along the Great Barrier Reef catchment area applied for funding to help them switch to more innovative precision agriculture that doesn’t threaten the reef with highly toxic pesticides.

The Government expects another 2,000 farmers will soon join them in making the switch, which is good news for the Reef and for the $6 billion tourism industry it supports.

“Much of what we do on land ends up in the ocean. Rain flushes farm mud and chemicals into rivers and out on to the reef. If we are to give our iconic reef the best chance of withstanding climate change, we must ensure its water quality is as clean as possible.”

WWF urged other farmers along the Great Barrier Reef coast to also make the change, and said new farm regulations will not affect them if more farms voluntarily made the change to best practice.

Mr Heath also urged the Federal Government to focus future allocations on farmers in the north of the state whose farms are closer to the coast and where pollution events are more likely.

More information

Charlie Stevens, WWF Media Manager – Queensland
Phone: 02 8202 1274, Mobile: 0424 649 689

Nick Heath, WWF Reef and Rangelands Program Leader
Phone: 0418 885 324

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Plodding whale meeting makes climate change breakthrough

Madeira, Portugal – The International Whaling Commission adopted a major climate change resolution on the last day of its 61st meeting, although it failed to take decisions on contentious whaling issues after days of negotiations that have hampered its progress in recent years.

On Thursday, IWC member countries unanimously agreed to adopt a resolution on climate change co-sponsored by the United States and Norway. The 85-member body began its annual meeting on Monday, though it set aside most major decisions until later in the year.

The resolution states that climate change is a key threat to whales, and urges governments to commit to reducing their carbon emissions at the UN Climate meeting in Copenhagen in December. It also directs IWC to engage in external climate change meetings in the run up to Copenhagen.

“This is a very positive development that will help ensure that climate negotiations take into account impacts on biodiversity,” said Rob Nicoll, Antarctic and Southern Ocean Initiatives Manager for WWF-Australia. “However, members did not take action that would stop commercial whaling outside of IWC regulation, which is a fundamental problem that the IWC must address—and which continues today.”

IWC members, for example, did not take action on “scientific whaling” by Japan, which has led to the killing of thousands of whales, particularly in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary. Under the guise of scientific research, Japan has continued to defy the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling by hunting whales in both the Antarctic and the North Pacific, claiming that these whales must be killed to answer critical management questions.

Although IWC members did not take decisions on many key whaling-related issues that have dominated negotiations during the annual meeting in past years, they did discuss another prominent whale conservation issue that needs attention – the protection of smaller whales, such as dolphins and porpoises.

That discussion coincided with the release during the meeting on Wednesday of Small Cetaceans: The Forgotten Whales, a new WWF report stating that small whales are disappearing from the world’s oceans and waterways as they fall victim to fishing gear, pollution, and habitat loss – compounded by a lack of conservation measures such as those developed for great whales.

Support for the recommendations in the report at the meeting came from Australian Environment Minister Peter Garrett, who simultaneously announced an AU$1.5 million pledge to the IWC for the conservation and protection of smaller whales. Meanwhile, Belgium called for a review of work on conservation and management for small cetaceans to take place before IWC 62 in 2010.

“It is time for the IWC to build on these commitments, to become a modern 21st century convention, and to dedicate itself to the conservation of all whales, great and small,” Dr. Lieberman said.

A copy of the climate change resolution can be found at: http://www.iwcoffice.org/_documents/commission/IWC61docs/61-16.pdf

For background information and additional media on WWF and the IWC, visit www.panda.org/iwc/

More information

Alvin Stone, WWF-Australia Media Officer
Phone: 02 8202 1259, Mobile: 0410 221 068
Email: astone@wwf.org.au

Rob Nicoll, WWF-Australia Antarctic and Southern Oceans Initiative Manager
Phone: 02 8202 1214, Mobile: 0438 938 764

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Australia pledges big funds for small whale conservation

Madeira, Portugal – Australia’s top environmental official on Wednesday pledged AU$500,000 (€284,927) to help save the world’s small whales as part of a major contribution to the International Whaling Commission.

Peter Garrett, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts committed to using the funds to protect small whales, dolphins and porpoises during an appearance at the 61st meeting of IWC member countries, taking place this week in Madeira, Portugal. The money will be dedicated to the IWC’s Small Cetacean Fund.

Garrett’s announcement coincided with the release by WWF of a new report entitled Small Cetaceans: The Forgotten Whales, which was unveiled simultaneously with the Australian funding commitment.

Small whales are disappearing from the world’s oceans and waterways as they fall victim to fishing gear, pollution, and habitat loss – compounded by a lack of conservation measures such as those developed for great whales, according to the report.

The report states that while great whales are now protected (to an extent) by the international commercial whaling moratorium, in effect since 1986, small cetacean hunts continue around the globe, largely unmanaged and unchecked by the international community.

“For many small cetaceans the scientific information available is so limited that we are unable to make informed decisions on their conservation status,” Garrett said.

The contribution is part of a larger AU$1.5 million (€854,900) commitment to support IWC activities in three key areas: the Southern Ocean Research Partnership; conservation management plans; and small cetacean conservation research.

“It’s time that someone stood up for the underrepresented whales, dolphins and porpoises,” said Dr. Susan Lieberman, Director of the Species Programme for WWF-International. “Australia’s commitment is a step in the right direction and we call upon other governments to follow suit.”

Meanwhile, the IWC Commissioner of Belgium, Alexandre de Lichtervelde, called for a review of work on conservation and management for small cetaceans to take place before IWC 62 in 2010. Belgium will produce a collaborative paper as a contribution to the discussions on the future of the IWC.

IWC 61 runs June 22 to 26 in Madeira, Portugal.

Download

• Small cetaceans: The Forgotten Whales (PDF 905.65 KB)

More information

Sarah Janicke, Species Communications Manager
Phone: +41 79 528 8641
Email: sjanicke@wwfint.org

Ian Morrison, Media Officer
Phone: +41 79 874 6853
Email: imorrison@wwfint.org

Ben Pratt, media lead for Peter Garrett
Phone: +41 19 968 734

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Disappearing dolphins clamour for attention at whale summit

Madeira, Portugal: Small whales are disappearing from the world’s oceans and waterways as they fall victim to fishing gear, pollution, and habitat loss – compounded by a lack of conservation measures such as those developed for great whales, according to a new WWF report.

The report, Small cetaceans: The Forgotten Whales, released today, states that inadequate conservation measures are pushing small cetaceans – such as dolphins, porpoises and small whales – toward extinction as their survival is overshadowed by efforts to save their larger cousins.

A big disadvantage smaller cetacean species face compared to great whales is a crippling lack of data on their numbers and habits. Forty of the 69 small cetacean species are classified by IUCN as ‘data deficient’, meaning scientists cannot even determine whether they are threatened or not.

“It must never be assumed that “Data Deficient” means that the species is out of danger— rather, it means that the world’s top scientists just don’t know,” the report says.

Even those not classified by the IUCN as data deficient - like Australia’s rare snubfin dolphin which is listed as near threatened – could be in trouble. The data is so poor for the snubfin that scientists cannot tell whether numbers are increasing or decreasing. This is true for 60 of the 69 small cetacean species. The nine species where population trends are known are all in decline.

“Although great whale species of the world are by no means secure and still require conservation attention, the situation is just as critical for these smaller, seemingly forgotten species,” said Mr Rob Nicoll, Antarctic and Southern Ocean Initiative Manager, WWF-Australia.

While great whales are protected to an extent by the international commercial whaling moratorium, in effect since 1986, small cetacean hunts continue around the globe, largely unmanaged and unchecked by the international community.

For example, the hunt of 16,000 Dall’s porpoises every year in Japan is considered unsustainable by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Scientific Committee. Yet several of the pro-whaling nations taking part in the IWC meeting this week object to discussing small cetacean conservation.

“It is time for the IWC and its members to take full responsibility for the conservation future of all whales great and small. The IWC – and the world - must not ignore the small whales of our planet until it is too late,” said Mr Nicoll.

“If small cetaceans are not central to negotiations on current whaling, it is possible that conservation successes achieved for great whales could simply result in a shift of problems from great whales to small cetaceans,” the report states.

Notes to editors: IWC 61 runs June 22 to 26 in Madeira, Portugal. B-roll, images etc to be made available at www.panda.org/iwc

Download

• Small cetaceans: The Forgotten Whales (PDF 905.65 KB)

More information

Alvin Stone, WWF-Australia Media Officer
Phone: 02 8202 1259, Mobile: 0410 221 068
Email: astone@wwf.org.au

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Norway, Japan prop up whaling industry with taxpayer money

Gland, Switzerland: The governments of Norway and Japan are using taxpayer money to subsidize their unprofitable whaling industries, according to a first-time analysis of the economics of whaling.

Economics of Subsidies to Whaling found that Norway and Japan provide commercial whalers with huge government subsidies—even though killing whales is unlikely to ever be profitable without taxpayer support.

“In this time of global economic crisis, the use of valuable tax dollars to prop up what is basically an economically unviable industry, is neither strategic, sustainable, nor an appropriate use of limited government funds,” said Dr Susan Lieberman, Species Programme Director, WWF International.

The analysis considers a range of direct and indirect costs associated with whaling and the processing and marketing of whale products, such as whale meat. Researchers conclude that these costs, combined with declining demand for whale meat and the risk of negative impacts such as trade or tourism boycotts, make commercial whaling unlikely to produce benefits for either country’s economies or taxpayers.

In Norway, for example, the government since 1992 has spent more than US$4.9 million on public information, public relations, and lobbying campaigns to garner support for its whaling and seal hunting industries, according to the report. In addition, government subsidies for the whaling industry have equalled almost half of the gross value of all whale meat landings made through the Rafisklaget, the Norwegian Fishermen’s Sales Organisation.

The report notes similar use of taxpayer funds by Japan. During the 2008-09 season, the Japanese whaling industry, for example, needed US$12 million in taxpayer money just to break even. Overall, Japanese subsidies for whaling amount to US$164 million since 1988.

Other major findings in the report include:

• Wholesale prices of whale meat per kg in Japan have been falling since 1994, starting at just over $30/kg in 1994, and declining to $16.40 in 2006.
• Norway has spent an additional US$10.5 million covering the costs of an inspection programme from 1993 until 2006, when it was scrapped due to the losses it was causing the country’s whalers.

Japan and Norway, in defiance of the International Whaling Commission’s moratorium on commercial whaling, kill up to 2,000 whales a year, exploiting loopholes in the IWC’s founding treaty that allow whaling under ‘objection’ to management decisions (Norway) and “scientific” whaling for research purposes (Japan).

Ahead of the 61st IWC meeting next week, researchers point out that killing more whales likely would hurt whale-watching and tourism, trade, and the international image of Norway and Japan – impacts which would far outweigh any economic benefits of whaling.

“It is clear that whaling is heavily subsidised at present,” the report states. “In both Japan and Norway, substantial funds are made available to prop up an operation which would otherwise be commercially marginal at best, and most likely loss making.”

“Norway and Japan are hurting tourism, a potential growth industry in both countries in order to spend millions of dollars obtaining whale meat, the sale of which makes no profit,” said Sue Fisher, WDCS US Policy Director. “How much longer are they going to keep wasting their taxpayer’s money?”

The analysis was conducted by independent economists eftec and commissioned by WWF and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

IWC 61 is being held in Madeira, Portugal, from 22-26 June.

Download

Sink or Swim - The Economics of Whaling Today (PDF 1.14 MB)

More information

Alvin Stone, WWF-Australia Media Officer
Phone: 02 8202 1259, Mobile: 0410 221 068
Email: astone@wwf.org.au

Mike Bossley, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
Phone: 08 8440 3700
Email: mike.bossley@wdcs.org

Sarah Janicke, WWF International Species Communications Manager
Phone: +41 79 528 8641
Email: sjanicke@wwfint.org

Emma Butler, WDCS UK Press Officer
Phone: 01249 449 534, Mobile: 07834 498 277
Email: emma.butler@wdcs.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 WDCS

WDCS, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, is the global voice for the protection of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) and their environment. Established in 1987, WDCS has offices in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Germany, the UK and the USA and a worldwide network of consultants, researchers and supporters. WDCS aims to reduce and ultimately eliminate the continuing threats to whales, dolphins and their habitats and to raise awareness of these wonderful animals and the need to protect them in their natural environment. WDCS's work combines concern for the welfare of the individual animals with efforts to ensure the protection of entire species, populations and their habitats.

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Renewable energy wave rolls across Australia

Australia should look to the oceans to provide clean, baseload renewable energy as well as thousands of jobs, according to a report released today by WWF-Australia.

Power to Change: Australia’s Wave Energy Future was released in Fremantle by WWF and Carnegie Corporation, whose CETO wave energy demonstration plant in Western Australia is leading the world in this breakthrough technology.

The report estimates that the wave energy industry will create 3,210 jobs by 2020, including jobs in local manufacturing and maintenance. By 2050 this figure is expected to grow to 14,380 jobs.

“Renewable technologies are the nuts and bolts of Australia’s clean energy future,” said Greg Bourne, WWF-Australia CEO.

“What we are seeing here is the birth of a new industry that will provide tens of thousands of jobs and a technology and expertise that we can export around the world, as well as renewable energy to power Australia.

Mr Bourne stressed that the jobs created would not be limited to white collar work. “Deploying wave energy across Australia would mean jobs in manufacturing. It would mean jobs for metal workers, welders, builders, divers and maintenance workers.”

Dr Michael Ottaviano, Managing Director of Carnegie Corporation said the wave energy industry is expecting significant growth as Australia puts a price on carbon.

"We expect Carnegie and the Australian wave energy industry to grow rapidly, with regional areas in the southern half of Australia in particular set to benefit from wave power generation. Australia has the largest and most consistent wave energy resource globally and at least 35 per cent of our current baseload power needs could be generated from the Southern Ocean."

Regions such as Geraldton and Albany in Western Australia, Port MacDonnell in South Australia, Portland, Warnambool and Phillip Island in Victoria, western Tasmania and the southern and central coasts of New South Wales are optimal sites for wave energy plants.

WWF is calling on the Federal Government to support emerging base loads renewable energy sources like wave by changing the Renewable Energy Target (RET) Scheme.

“By ‘banding’ the RET to support different renewable energy types, the Government can help deliver tens of thousands of jobs and a low carbon economy,” said Mr Bourne.

WWF last week released a report indicating that the geothermal industry is set to create 17,300 jobs by 2050, meaning Australia’s renewable energy sector is set to provide a massive boost to Australia’s employment.

WWF stressed that building any infrastructure in the marine environment should include an assessment of all ecological risks before construction begins. “Particular care should be taken to avoid any potential impacts on threatened, endangered or protected marine species or communities,” said Mr Bourne.

Power to Change: Australia’s Wave Energy Future is available at http://www.wwf.org.au/powertochange

More information

Paula Schibeci, Media Officer
Phone: 0406 381 137
Email: pschibeci@wwf.org.au

Jonathon Larkin, Media Officer
Phone: 0410 221 410
Email: jlarkin@wwf.org.au

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New partnership to foster Indigenous involvement in Kimberley tourism

A new project engaging Traditional Owners, tourism operators and industry groups to manage coastal tourism in the Kimberley in a more sustainable and culturally sensitive way has been announced by WWF-Australia, The Leading Travel Companies Conservation Foundation (TLTC) and The Kimberley Land Council (KLC).

The new partnership between the three groups aims to increase the number of Traditional Owners working in and benefiting from the multi-million dollar tourism industry in the Kimberley region.

It also aims to promote sustainable tourism amongst the existing operators through the development of best practice protocols regarding environmental and cultural tourism. With the Kimberley rapidly becoming a global tourism hot-spot, it is critical to put in place effective measures to safeguard the region.

The partnership will convene a steering group with Traditional Owners in the region, working with tourism operators to ensure cultural and natural heritage is identified, preserved, and promoted. The steering group will also encourage greater education and training for traditional land owners in tourism management.

Frank Davey, Deputy Chairman of the KLC welcomed the new partnership with WWF and TLTC Conservation Foundation. “The KLC is very pleased to see that so many good partners are coming on board with the Kimberley Land Council, and working co-operatively to help us build a healthy and sustainable tourism industry,” he said.

“Tourism in the Kimberley is a growing industry and every year we have more and more people visiting our country. A number of Traditional Owners are already operating tourism ventures in the Kimberley, and many more are looking to become involved in tourism, and interacting with visitors to their country.”

“This project will help Traditional Owners begin a process of assisting tourists to respect our country when they visit. This education process is important to Traditional Owners, and can also become part of the cultural experience for visitors. We are confident that we can work with both tourists and tourism operators to build a good future for tourism activities in the Kimberley,” Mr Davey said.

Les Cox, from The Leading Travel Companies Conservation Foundation spokesperson said, “The Leading Travel Companies Conservation Foundation is committed to working closely with the Traditional Owners of the Kimberley ensuring their culture and environment is protected through the fostering of a greater understanding and appreciation of local traditions and the indigenous way of life.”

“This project will provide a foundation to work with the Traditional Owners to develop protection mechanisms for the natural and cultural heritage of the region. By partnering with WWF and KLC we can work towards a future of sustainable tourism that revolves around the Traditional Owners of the Kimberley, ensuring this amazing region is preserved and its inhabitants are respected and well positioned to draw long term benefits from the tourism growth we are witnessing in the region.”

Paul Gamblin, WWF-Australia’s Program Leader – West said the project represented “an ongoing commitment by WWF to work with the Indigenous people of the Kimberley region towards sustainable economic development. Culturally, environmentally and economically the Kimberley is of outstanding national and international significance.”

“We very much appreciate the commitment of the TLTC Conservation Foundation to this project; it demonstrates a serious investment by the tourism industry in the people in this globally-important and unique region.”

The Kimberley covers an area of nearly 423,000 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 38,000, making it one of the most sparsely populated areas in the world1. Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the region and visitor numbers have been increasing in recent years. This partnership focuses on coastal tourism which has been growing increasingly over the last 10 years.

A complementary tourism project is also being undertaken by the Kimberley Land Council with funding from the Australian government’s Caring for our Country program.

More information

Paula Schibeci, Media Officer
Phone: 0406 381 137

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Scare campaign on regrowth restrictions baseless

Claims that proposed legislation limiting the clearing of regenerating bushland will lead to major job and production losses in Queensland are baseless and nothing more than a scare campaign, WWF-Australia said today.

"The agricultural industry’s claim that it paid a high price for the ban on broadscale land-clearing in 2006 is contradicted by actual statistics," said Dr Martin Taylor, WWF’s Protected Area Policy Manager.

Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics actually show there was an increase in beef cattle numbers and agricultural employment following the ban on broadscale land clearing at the end of 2006. The statistics reveal that:

• Total cattle numbers in Queensland actually increased by 1.2 per cent - rising from 11.55 million in 2006 to 11.68 million in 2007. This increase occurred despite a national decline in cattle numbers of 1.3 per cent over the same period.
• Cattle numbers in Queensland also defied the effect of a drought over the same period. That same drought resulted in a drop in wheat production from 1.23 million tonnes to just 776,700 tonnes.
• As for agricultural employment, it leapt by 24 per cent over the time of the introduction of the ban - from 34,400 jobs in 2006 to 42,800 jobs in 2007.

According to Dr Taylor, these figures further justify WWF’s call to the Queensland Government to legislate for a permanent ban on the clearing of regrowth of endangered and streamside ecosystems as well as the regrowth that protects vulnerable soils.

"As it stands, preservation of these areas should already be part of a farmer’s management practices if they are serious about their duty of care to the land. All we’re asking for is this duty of care to be more clearly defined in law," Dr Taylor said.

"In addition, should permits be issued to clear any vegetation, it is common sense that farmers should pay for the carbon emitted by that clearing."

WWF has called for emission funds from this clearing to be used to reward landholders who voluntarily safeguard otherwise unprotected regrowth areas that soak up carbon. This reward would help diversify the farm incomes of those primary producers who sensibly preserve their landscapes.

"The true picture of land clearing controls is far from the gloom and doom painted by industry interests," Dr Taylor said.

"The fact is, saving wildlife from extinction, conserving soils and streams and saving the $6 billion-a-year tourism industry that depends on the health of the Great Barrier Reef will lead to more jobs and support the long term economic security of Queensland."

More information

Dr Martin Taylor, WWF-Australia Protected Area Policy Manager
Phone: 0406 384 289

Nikki Todd, WWF-Australia Media Officer
Phone: 0408 011 204

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Geothermal energy to power jobs boom

Over 17,000 Australians could be employed in the geothermal energy industry by 2050, according to a report released today by WWF and the Australian Geothermal Energy Association (AGEA).

“We have an opportunity to develop a massive, emissions–free energy source that can power Australia’s homes and businesses while growing jobs,” said Paul Toni, WWF Program Leader for Sustainable Development.

“When it comes to geothermal energy, we truly are the lucky country. The energy stored in hot rocks near the Earth’s surface in Australia is a thousand fold what we use each and every year.”

Power to Change: Australia’s Geothermal Future is the first in a series of reports looking into the potential of renewable energy technologies to deliver clean power, employment and investment as Australia shifts to a low-carbon economy.

“We must reshape our economy and our energy sector if we are serious about tackling climate change”, said Mr Toni.

“Capable of running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, geothermal energy is one of the vital clean energy resources needed to make this transformation.”

WWF and AGEA are calling on the Australian Government to support the renewable energy industry and help boost employment and clean power. The Government’s planned Renewable Energy Target Scheme favours cheaper, existing technologies at the expense of emerging, break through ones like geothermal.

“We need the Government to truly support emerging renewable energy technologies like geothermal, ocean, and solar thermal now, otherwise Australia will struggle to make the changes that are needed.”

Generating energy remains Australia’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. By 2050, geothermal energy could cut out approximately one-quarter of emissions coming from electricity generation.

Susan Jeanes, Chief Executive of AGEA emphasised Australia’s chance to become a world leader in geothermal technology.

“We are developing a global leadership position in the technical capability to exploit this resource.

“The geothermal energy industry provides opportunities for workers to move from industries like coal, oil and gas, into clean energy jobs as much of the technology and expertise is transferable from one to the other,” said Ms Jeanes.

It is estimated that if just one per cent of the easily accessible geothermal energy was exploited, it could provide more than 26,000 times Australia’s annual energy consumption.

The geothermal industry in Australia is growing rapidly with almost 400 geothermal tenements nationwide and around $1.5 billion in work programs underway. According to WWF and AGEA’s report, the Cooper Basin, which overlaps the borders of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia, holds enormous potential energy.

Power to Change: Australia’s Geothermal Future is available at http://www.wwf.org.au/publications/powertochange/

More information

Jonathon Larkin, Media Officer
Phone: 0410 221 410
Email: jlarkin@wwf.org.au

Rachael Hoy, National Media Manager
Phone: 0407 204 594
Email: rhoy@wwf.org.au ]]>