"It becomes more and more evident that there is an inseparable link between peace with creation and peace among men."
... Pope Benedict XVI
The General Assembly of the United Nations has proclaimed 2008 as the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE).
Its subtitle Earth Sciences for Society reflects the IYPE's main ambition: to make our planet a safer, healthier and wealthier place for its societies around the globe by ensuring a greater and more effective use of the knowledge accumulated by the world's 400,000 Earth scientists.
The International Year of Planet Earth was officially launched at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris on 12 and 13 February.
Visit the IYPE website for further information.
Made public today was the annual Message to Buddhists for the Feast of Vesakh, issued by the Pontifical Council for Inter- religious Dialogue and signed by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran and Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata, respectively president and secretary of the council. vatican.va 29.4.08
New York
Friday, 18 April 2008
Likewise, international action to preserve the environment and to protect various forms of life on earth must not only guarantee a rational use of technology and science, but must also rediscover the authentic image of creation. This never requires a choice to be made between science and ethics: rather it is a question of adopting a scientific method that is truly respectful of ethical imperatives. vatican.va 18.4.08
Environment: "We can make a difference""One of the first tasks I'm focused on is producing a CD rom for Australian Catholic schools with links for all ages and interactive connections responding to the international Year of the Reef, to be released on World Environment Day, June 5, and given that the Pope's visiting we are holding a WYD event on Friday, July 18, on environmental issues with Bishop Chris Toohey one of the keynote speakers; other international guests we cannot name yet: we are still waiting on replies." catholicweekly.com.au 20.4.08
Auckland - Was a Catholic layman the first New Zealand politician to speak out on climate change, 125 years before the Green Party entered Parliament? NZ Catholic March 23 to April 5
Catholic Super has been named among the top five Australian superannuation funds for environmental and social credentials, a ratings agency has announced. cathnews.com.au 27.3.08
* Global warming under way 'earlier'. PLANTS, animals, ice and waters worldwide have all been significantly affected by global warming triggered by human activity, says the first research to link the phenomenon to changes in biological and natural systems. theaustralian.com.au 15.5.08
* Will 'killer cornflakes' be on our tables?. Climate change could lead to "killer cornflakes" with the cereal carrying the most potent liver toxin ever recorded, an environmental health conference has been told. brisbanetimes.com.au 13.5.08
* Marshall Islands accedes to five UN treaties on marine pollution and safety. The Marshall Islands, one of the world’s major shipping nations, has acceded to five important International Maritime Organization (IMO) conventions that aim to discourage environmental pollution and promote safety on the high seas, the United Nations agency announced today. un.org/apps/news 12.5.08
* Stars fail to curb energy. STRICTER building regulations will be introduced to improve the energy efficiency of new homes as Victoria's desire for big houses and the population surge means homes are using record levels of energy. theage.com.au 12.5.08
* 6 months until new water trading rules: ACCC. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chief Graeme Samuel says there is now political will to bring about free and efficient water markets. abc.net.au/news 12.5.08
* $2.3 billion to go green. TREASURER Wayne Swan will unveil an ambitious $2.3 billion climate change program in Tuesday's budget - the biggest investment of its kind. smh.com.au 11.5.08
* Amazon 'at threat' from cleaner air. CLEANER air due to reduced coal burning could help destroy the Amazon this century, according to a study in the journal Nature. theaustralian.com.au 9.5.08
* Tiny krill could help unlock global climate change secrets. Scientists in Hobart are starting small in their bid to discover the answers to one of the world's biggest problems: they are researching krill in the hope of finding out what impact climate change may be having in the Southern Ocean. abc.net.au/news 9.5.08
* RELIGIOUS, CIVIL LEADERS CALL FOR "ECOLOGICAL CONVERSION". BRUSSELS, Belgium, MAY 8, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Church and political leaders have agreed that there is need for an "ecological conversion." zenit.org 8.5.08
* Voluntary standards for green marketing ignored. CONSUMER advocates are calling for mandatory regulation of all green claims made for household cleaning items, paper and tissue products after an investigation revealed that current standards for environmental marketing were largely ignored. theage.com.au 7.5.08
* Garnaut warns on warming. GLOBAL warming could have the same economic effect as the Great Depression if handled poorly, according to the Rudd Government's climate change adviser Ross Garnaut. theaustralian.com.au 6.5.08
* No sign of drought ending: weather bureau. Despite recent rain in some areas, the drought has not come to an end - and it will take years of above-average rainfall to return the country to normality. smh.com.au 5.5.08
* Global warming to cool in next decade. GLOBAL warming could take a break in the next decade due to a natural shift in ocean circulations, although Earth's temperature will rise as previously expected over the longer term. theaustralian.com.au 1.5.08
