NEWS TROTTER
N°13, january 2021
E Breizh
The stranded dolphins of Morbihan
In January, the coasts of Morbihan suffered a peak stranding of gray dolphins. This phenomenon is occurring earlier than usual this year. The marks on the carcasses seem to attest that he would be the victim of accidents linked to fishing, notably with individuals trapped in the nets.
Another phenomenon explains the increase in catches: in recent years, dolphins have tended to move closer to the coast to hunt, thus finding themselves more in contact with fishermen. [1]
Epilogue of an oil spill, 41 years later
Le Tanio is an oil tanker that sank off the island of Batz in 1980, spilling 12,500 tonnes of fuel oil out of the 28,6000 tonnes it contained. 41 years later, birds are still victims of fuel oil. This is due to the breaches in the wreckage, now 80 meters deep. In September 2020, a leak had been sealed, but an upsurge in the number of oiled birds raised questions. An observation mission then revealed that the protective plates installed had been torn off by fishing gear, causing another hydrocarbon leak. [2]
Un Guillemot de Troïl mazouté dans le centre de soin de Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux, de l'île Grande situé à Pleumeur Bodou.
In France
First step towards a referendum to integrate the climate into the Constitution
On Wednesday January 20, the bill which is incorporating the environmental protection into the constitution was been adopted by the Council of Ministers. This project aims to include in article 1 of the constitution that France "guarantees the preservation of the environment and biological diversity and the fight against climate change". Emmanuel Macron wishes to submit this measure to a national referendum. This could be risky for the president because this referendum would be highly publicized and politicized.
The organization of the referendum could be longer than the President wishes. Indeed, this text has yet to be
adopted by the assembly and the senate. However, there are still many disagreements about the bill’s text.
Opposition politicians could propose many amendments that would slow down the process.
For their part, environmentalists fear that this measure, which they consider extremely important, will become
a purely political game. This is a complex and very important subject for the national policy in the fight against
global warming, we will surely take it up in others news trotter to come. [3]
The One Planet Summit
France organized the “One Planet Summit” on Monday January 11, an international summit dedicated to
the defense of biodiversity. Emmanuel Macron led this summit with the aim of relaunching "green
diplomacy" and relaunching negotiations on possible measures for a better protection of nature.
The summit focused on four topics: protection of terrestrial and marine ecosystems; promotion of
agroecology; mobilization of funding; link between deforestation, preservation of species and human health.
This summit is criticized for its lack of decision-making and commitment. For the president "Starting the
year 2021 with this "One Planet Summit" is very important, because it is the year of the reconciliation of all
our challenges". Indeed, other deadlines are coming such as the World Congress of the International Union
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the 15th meeting of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15)
and the COP26 for the climate in Glasgow (Scotland) in November 2021. [4] [5]
The state is held responsible for its climate inaction
Four NGOs had press charges against the state for climate inaction a few months ago. These are the
Fondation pour la Nature et l'Homme, Greenpeace France, Oxfam France and Notre affaires à tous. This
action called "L’affaire du siècle" is the first of its kind in France.
It has just bear fruits as the Paris administrative court ruled that the state was guilty for climate inaction.
This victory is historic and symbolic, but concrete legal advances remain minimal. The court postponed its
decision on possibles injunctions for two months.
The NGOs therefore hope "for an even more historic judgment in the spring: the state could be condemned to take additional measures on the climate". The Minister for the Ecological Transition, Barbara Pompii, acknowledged that "the first objectives set for this past period have indeed not been achieved". Must-see in the weeks and months to come what this sentence will concretely change. [6] [7]
Marche de protestation contre le réchauffement climatique à Lyon, le 16 mars 2019. (NICOLAS LIPONNE / NURPHOTO)
Worlwide
New climate policy in the United State
In the hours following his inauguration, the new president of the United States Joe Biden has registered the return of the United States to the Paris Agreement, going in the opposite direction of his predecessor Donald Trump. [8]
Already, a moratorium on gas and oil drilling on federal lands and waters has been announced by Joe Biden. This decision will have no impact on the exploitations already granted, but this interruption should make it possible to reach the objective of protecting 30% of the American federal lands, which corresponds to 28% of the American territory, by 2030 [9].
However, environmental protection associations consider these measures insufficient, and are calling for a permanent stop. [9]
Another endangered freshwater dolphin
The IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) has listed the Tucuxi freshwater
dolphin as an endangered freshwater dolphin. This species, less known than the pink river dolphin,
lives in the Amazon basin. Like his cousin, he is a victim of hunting, mercury pollution linked to gold
mining, and dams and hydroelectric power stations that fragment his habitat. This resulted in a
collapse of its population estimated today at only
30,000 individuals in the entire Amazon basin. [10]
Le Tucuxi, dauphin d'eau douce gris d'Amazonie
Rare news of a crocodile in Thailand
For the second time in 10 years, a Siamese crocodile has been sighted in Thailand. A camera trap captured the image in a national park. This once abundant species is extremely threatened due to hunting and habitat loss. It is estimated that around 20 people still live in the wild. [11]
Sources :
1. article Ouest France << Morbihan. Un pic d’échouages de dauphins observé sur les côtes par l’Observatoire Pelagis>> publié le 03/02/2021 : https://www.msn.com/fr-fr/actualite/france/morbihan-un-pic-d%C3%A9chouages-de-dauphins-observ%C3%A9-sur-les-c%C3%B4tes-par-lobservatoire- pelagis/ar-BB1dmm71
2. article le Figaro << Un pétrolier échoué il y a 41 ans empoisonne des oiseaux en pleine mer en Bretagne Nord >> publié le 02/02/2021 :
https://www.lefigaro.fr/sciences/un-petrolier-echoue-il-y-a-41-ans-empoisonne-des-oiseaux-en-bretagne-20210202
3. Article France 24 « Le climat intégré dans la Constitution: un premier pas vers un référendum » publié le 20/01/21 : https://www.france24.com/fr/info- en-continu/20210120-le-climat-int%C3%A9gr%C3%A9-dans-la-constitution-un-premier-pas-vers-un-r%C3%A9f%C3%A9rendum
4. Article Le Point « Le « One Planet Summit » s’ouvre lundi et met le cap sur la biodiversité », publié le 11/01/21 :
https://www.lepoint.fr/environnement/le-one-planet-summit-s-ouvre-lundi-et-met-le-cap-sur-la-biodiversite-11-01-2021-2409097_1927.php
5. Article Le Figaro « One Planet Summit: un sommet à Paris en faveur de la biodiversité », publié le 10/01/21 : https://www.lefigaro.fr/sciences/one- planet-summit-un-sommet-a-paris-en-faveur-de-la-biodiversite-20210110
6. Article FranceInfo « Condamnation de l'État pour inaction climatique : le collectif "l'Affaire du siècle" salue "une première victoire historique" » publié le 3/02/21 : https://www.francetvinfo.fr/meteo/climat/condamnation-de-l-etat-le-collectif-l-affaire-du-siecle-salue-une-premiere-victoire-historique-et- une-avancee-majeure-du-droit-francais_4282019.html
7. Article France 24 « "L'Affaire du siècle" : première "historique" ou jugement symbolique ? », publié le 3/02/21 :
https://www.france24.com/fr/france/20210203-l-affaire-du-si%C3%A8cle-premi%C3%A8re-historique-ou-jugement-symbolique
8. Article Le Point << Biden annonce une restriction des forages et un prochain sommet sur le climat >> publié le 27/01/2021 : https://www.msn.com/fr- fr/actualite/monde/biden-annonce-une-restriction-des-forages-et-un-prochain-sommet-sur-le-climat/ar-BB1d8YXW
9. Article Le Monde <<Climat : Joe Biden s'attaque aux forages de pétrole et de gaz aux Etats-Unis>> publié le 27/01/2021 : https://www.msn.com/fr- fr/actualite/monde/climat-joe-biden-sattaque-aux-forages-de-p-c3-a9trole-et-de-gaz-aux-etats-unis/ar-BB1d8DDH
10. Article Franceinfo : < < Amazonie : une nouvelle espèce de dauphin menacée de disparition>> publié le 30/01/2021 :
https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/guyane/amazonie-une-nouvelle-espece-de-dauphin-menacee-de-disparition-921757.html
11. Article Huffpost : << Thaïlande: un crocodile du Siam, en voie d'extinction, aperçu dans un parc>> publié le 23/01/2021 : https://www.huffingtonpost.fr/entry/thailande-un-crocodile-du-siam-en-voie-dextinction-apercu-dans-un-parc_fr_600c62cbc5b6d64153ac5053
Written and formatted by Antoine Horbowa et Noé Gorius
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