Tag - environment

 
 

ENVIRONMENT

Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Nov 29, 2018
Scientists warn global warming will increase heat-related deaths and disease around the world
Climate change is making more people around the world vulnerable to heat exposure, putting them at greater risk of heart and kidney disease, heat stress and other heat-related killers, scientists warned Wednesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2018
Japan gets mixed assessment from U.N. over efforts to curb greenhouse gases
The United Nations warned Tuesday that current national commitments to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions are insufficient to meet a 2030 reduction goal, and that unprecedented and urgent action is required by all nations — especially from members of the Group of 20 — to ensure global warming...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 27, 2018
Ben Lecomte ends bid to swim from Japan across Pacific after support boat suffers damage
On June 5 Ben Lecomte entered the ocean off Chiba Prefecture to begin his attempt at a record-breaking swim across the Pacific, with the aim of shining a light on ocean pollution and plastic contamination.
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 23, 2018
China touts increase in prosecutions for pollution offenses
China prosecuted more than 3,500 people for pollution-related crimes in the first 10 months of the year, up nearly 40 percent on a year ago, law enforcement authorities said, as Beijing looks to courts and police to curb violations.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT
Nov 18, 2018
India's first elephant hospital cheers animal activists, draws tourists
At India's first hospital for elephants, opened last week in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, 49-year-old Asha placed her left foreleg on a stool for a doctor to attend to an injury while visitors filmed it all on their mobile phones.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT
Nov 16, 2018
After severe drought, invasive trees around Cape Town to be target of eradication campaign
Big business is backing a South African fund to eradicate invasive trees around Cape Town and yield billions of liters of water as the city emerges from its worst drought in a century, officials said Friday.
Japan Times
WORLD
Nov 14, 2018
'Mega-fires' are the new normal in California
Paradise, California, had long prepared for wildfires. But only in its worst nightmares did it imagine the kind of "mega-fire" that last week destroyed most of the town — and is becoming a common occurrence in the state.
Japan Times
JAPAN / GENERATIONAL CHANGE
Nov 12, 2018
Entrepreneur generates electricity solely from used cooking oil collected throughout Tokyo
For Yumi Someya, Tokyo is an untapped oil field, full of potential to generate electricity.
WORLD
Oct 31, 2018
France opens national investigation after reports of spike in birth defects
France has launched a nationwide investigation into why babies in some parts of the country have been born without hands or arms after several new cases were reported this week, the health minister said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Oct 29, 2018
Awareness of Aichi Biodiversity Targets found to be lacking compared to climate change
The global community has less than two years to reach the Aichi Biodiversity Targets set for 2020, yet public awareness of biodiversity issues is still relatively low.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 29, 2018
As IPCC report warns of growing climate change risks, Japan seeks to adapt
A report released this month by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicates that unless global warming is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, Japan's summer of extreme weather may become the new normal.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT / OLD NIC'S NOTEBOOK
Oct 28, 2018
All hail Caesar's wild mushrooms
Many people make that distinction between 'good' mushrooms and 'bad' toadstools, though there's no scientific difference between the two — and there are some branded as 'toadstools' that are, in fact, delicious.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Oct 20, 2018
Japan to make charging for plastic shopping bags mandatory
A government advisory panel approves a set of proposals for plastic recycling, including making it mandatory for retailers to charge for plastic shopping bags.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 15, 2018
Going full circle: Why recycling isn't enough
Reducing the amount of materials taken from nature is also critical to the creation of a 'circular economy.'
Japan Times
WORLD / FOCUS
Oct 15, 2018
Developing-world cities could make or break 1.5 C warming target, scientists say in key U.N. report
The future that fast-growing cities in South Asia and Africa choose — cleaner and safer, or dirtier and more dangerous — will be pivotal to efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, scientists said in a key U.N. report last week.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 13, 2018
Japanese organizations and officials gather in Tokyo in support of Paris climate accord
With an aim to facilitate the achievement of goals from the landmark 2015 Paris agreement, the Japan Action Climate Summit, organized by nonstate actors, was held Friday in Tokyo's Minato Ward.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Oct 13, 2018
Japan to mandate that retailers charge fees for plastic bags, but plans for punishments unclear
The Environment Ministry decides to obligate retailers to charge fees for plastic checkout bags or provide loyalty points to shoppers who bring their own.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?