Environment | WPN World People News

The World Bank Group Board of Executive Directors approved a new loan to help Albania improve the quality of water and wastewater services in the coastal city of Durres area, and improve the financial performance of its water utility. An IBRD loan of US$85.3 million equivalent for the Albania Water Sector Investment Project aims to upgrade and expand the existing water supply and sewerage network in Durres, the country’s second largest city, one of the main tourist destinations, and primary port.

Environmental, public health conservation, and wildlife groups applaud the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for seeking scientists’ input on how streams and wetlands affect the health of larger bodies, and urged EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to finalize a strong rule to protect these vital water bodies. EPA convened a Science Advisory Board panel meeting December 16–18 to review a new report synthesizing the latest science on how streams and wetlands are connected to larger water bodies.

Clark County Commissioners voted to improve salmon habitat and reduce dirty stormwater pollution as part of a binding settlement agreement with neighborhood and conservation groups.
“This is a win for clean water and healthy salmon runs in Clark County,” said John Felton, chair of the Rosemere Neighborhood Association. “This is a good result for the community as a whole.”

Approximately one million Americans stated their opposition to the Obama administration’s proposal to strip endangered species protections from gray wolves in a comment period that closed. This is one of the largest numbers of comments ever submitted on a federal decision involving endangered species and reflects broad dissatisfaction with the Obama administration’s politically driven move to turn wolf management over to states across most of the lower 48.

The Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA) announced the release of the Third Edition of the Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) Standards​ and accompanying Rules for the Use of the CCB Standards following a yearlong participatory and inclusive revision process.

Greenpeace International, Bee Life European Beekeeping Coordination and 4 other environmental and consumer organisations (Pesticides Action Network Europe, ClientEarth, Buglife and SumOfUs) are applying to intervene at the European Court of Justice to defend an EU-wide partial ban of three pesticides, in response to legal action by chemical companies Syngenta and Bayer who are seeking to overturn the ban.

In a further boost for global efforts to combat climate change and tropical deforestation, Norway has pledged $100 million to the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), the World Bank administered facility that was set up to compensate developing countries for reductions in carbon dioxide emissions achieved by preserving their forests.

Greenpeace and Avaaz present 1 Million EU Citizens against GMO Crops at the European Commission, Brussels, September 2010