UN report sees $1.45 trillion global warming cost: Report

TOKYO: Global warming will reduce the world's crop production by up to two percent every decade and wreak $1.45 trillion of economic damage by the end of this century, according to a draft UN report, Japanese media said Friday.

The document is the second volume in a long-awaited trilogy by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a Nobel-winning group of scientists, which is set to be issued next month after a five-day meeting in Japan, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.

The trilogy is the IPCC's first great overview of the causes and effects of global warming, and options for dealing with it, since 2007.

According to the draft, if global temperatures rise by 2.5 degrees Celsius (4.5 Fahrenheit), the world's aggregated gross domestic production will fall by 0.2 to 2 percent, the mass circulation said.

That would translate into 15 trillion yen to 148 trillion yen ($147 billion to $1.45 trillion) in economic losses, calculated against the world's total GDP in 2012, it said.

The planet's crop production will decline by up to two percent every decade as rainfall patterns shift and droughts batter farmland, even as demand for food rises a projected 14 percent, it said.

Other effects from global warming include the loss of land to rising sea levels, forcing hundreds of millions of people to migrate from coastal areas, with the most vulnerable regions including East, South and Southeast Asia, it said.

The draft report, which will be reviewed in the March 25-29 meeting in Yokohama, calls for mitigation measures to reduce the vulnerability of environments to climate change such as flood protection projects and research on the prevention of infectious diseases, it said.

In the first volume of the trilogy, the IPCC said it was more certain than ever that humans were the cause of global warming and predicted temperatures would rise another 0.3 to 4.8 degrees Celsius (0.5-8.6 degrees Fahrenheit) this century.

Heatwaves, floods, droughts and rising seas are among the threats that will intensify through warming, it said in in the report released in September in Stockholm.

UN climate chief Christiana Figueres said the report was "an alarm-clock moment for the world".

"To steer humanity out of the high danger zone, governments must step up immediate climate action and craft an agreement in 2015" against greenhouse gases, she said at the time.

The IPCC has delivered four previous assessments in its 25-year history.

Each edition has sounded an ever-louder siren to warn that temperatures are rising and the risk to the climate system is accentuating.

The projections for this century are based on computer models of trends in heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions, especially from coal, oil and gas, which provide the backbone of energy supply today.

A Japanese environment ministry official declined to comment on the report, citing IPCC's request to keep it behind closed doors until the final version is approved in Yokohama.

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Scientists find egg of bird presumed extinct

WELLINGTON: New Zealand scientists announced on Friday they had found the egg of an endangered bird that was presumed extinct for more than a century.

Researchers found the New Zealand storm petrel egg on Little Barrier Island, off the northeast of the North Island, a year after the birds were tracked to breeding sites on the island.

Scientists took the opportunity when the female was off the nest to check the egg, which is expected to hatch in April, and record data, Xinhua reported citing a statement issued by New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) statement.

"It was exciting to see the egg of a bird once thought to be extinct," Graeme Taylor, DOC principal science advisor, said in a statement leading the team.

"Measuring a mere 31 mm by 23 mm, the egg is white with a fine dusting of pink spots concentrated at one end," he said.

"The fact it has taken until 2014 for scientists to observe one of these tiny eggs reflects how much we still don't know about New Zealand's natural environment and particularly for marine species," he added.

The New Zealand storm petrel is a sparrow-sized bird that spends most of its life at sea.

Before 2003, when it was rediscovered, it was known only from three specimens collected in the 19th century and was presumed extinct for more than a century.

Little is known about the bird, including its population size.

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Algae a viable source to produce cheaper biofuel

NEW YORK: At a time when scientists the world over are experimenting with making cheaper alternative energies for our future, a team of scientists has invented a new technology that increases the odds of helping algae-based biofuels cross the gap and come closer to reality.

The team's invention — the environmental photobioreactor (ePBR system) — is the world's first standard algae growing platform, one that simulates dynamic natural environments.

The ePBR system is like a pond in a jar that helps identify, cultivate and test algal strains that have the potential to make the leap from lab to pond — proliferate in real-world, real-pond settings and produce the most oil.

By allowing scientists to duplicate natural settings in a lab, ePBRs eliminate many variables before scaling up.

"The bioreactors are about the size of coffee makers and can induce changes in light, temperature, carbon dioxide, oxygen, evaporation, nutrient availability and more," said Ben Lucker, research associate at Michigan State University (MSU).

The ePBR system also can duplicate and confirm results from experiments conducted anywhere in the world.

"It replaces home-built growing platforms made from flasks, tubing, aluminum foil and grow lights and gives researchers a tool that can consistently replicate conditions and reproduce results," Lucker said.

Many scientists around the globe are looking for strains of algae that could become a sustainable source of alternative energy.

A vexing problem they face, however, is that algal strains that perform well in labs often get stomped when it's time to scale-up the experiment.

The potential of ePBRs has already inspired the launch of a company, Phenometrics, an MSU spinoff headquartered in Lansing, said the report in the current issue of Algal Research.

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Rhino dead at Kaziranga National Park, two poachers killed

KAZIRANGA: A rhino died after falling in a pit at the Kaziranga National Park.

The rhino fell into a mud pit near Borbeel forest camp at the World Heritage Site yesterday and was stuck there for the entire day, officials said today.

Krishak Mukti Sangram Parishad supporters blocked the adjacent highway for three hours yesterday to protest against the alleged negligence of the forest department in handling the matter.

The locals claimed that they had made an attempt to rescue the animal. The rhino died at around 10.45 P.M. last night and its horn was removed by forest department officials this morning, they said.

With this, four rhinos were found dead in the park this year, including three killed by poachers.

Meanwhile, two poachers were killed in an encounter with forest guards in Bagori Range of the Park in the early hours today.

Park sources said a group of five poachers entered the KNP to kill rhinos when they came face-to-face with a patrolling team of forest guards.

In an exchange of fire with the forest guards, two of them were killed on the spot, the sources said.

A search operation has been launched to track three poachers who had escaped.

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Lion population grows in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: Despite step-motherly treatment by the Centre, the lion population has grown steadily along with the area in which they can be found, claim officials of the state forest department. In contrast, the centre had launched various schemes and allocated massive funds for the tiger. Yet the tiger population of the country had fallen drastically (before increasing slightly) but the area in which the big cats are to be found had shrunk over the years.

According to the 2010 tiger census, the number of tigers in the country was 1706, up from 1411 in 2006. But tiger territory had come down to 72,852 sq km from 93,967 sq km over the same period. In contrast, the lion population in Gujarat - the only abode of the Asiatic lion - has not only gone up in the past four years but the territory in which it could be found had doubled.

In 1972, the tiger population in the country was 1827. This increased to its peak of 4334 and then declined to 1411 by 2006. By 2010, tiger numbers had again gone up to 1706. On the other hand, the lion population, which was 177 in 1968 and 180 in 1974, had steadily increased and was 411 according to the April 2010 lion census.

Forest department officials say that land area in which lions are found had doubled in the last three years. During the 2010 census, they were spread over a 10,000 sq km area but an analysis done in 2013 of prey killed by lions had revealed that the big cat now had sway over 20,000 sq km.

The officials further said that the central government had spent crores on conservation of tigers but was miserly when it came to funding various lion conservation schemes. The lion was not covered under Project Tiger nor was there a separate central project for lion conservation. The Centre had launched Project Rhino and Project Elephant recently but it had been neglecting the lion in allocation of funds, alleged officials.

A scientific paper by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, HS Sinsha, says that the key aspect in conservation of the Asiatic lion was their dispersal and subsequent protection of surrounding satellite populations.

Approximately one-fourth of the Asiatic lions are to be found in protected satellite populations outside the Gir Conservation Area and they subsist primarily on wild prey. The protection of these satellite habitats and maintenance of corridors linking them to the core population in the Gir Conservation Area has allowed for the continuous growth of this endangered species.

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Lion population in Gurajat on the rise

AHMEDABAD: Despite step-motherly treatment by the Centre, the lion population has grown steadily along with the area in which they can be found, claim officials of the state forest department. In contrast, the centre had launched various schemes and allocated massive funds for the tiger. Yet the tiger population of the country had fallen drastically (before increasing slightly) but the area in which the big cats are to be found had shrunk over the years.

According to the 2010 tiger census, the number of tigers in the country was 1706, up from 1411 in 2006. But tiger territory had come down to 72,852 sq km from 93,967 sq km over the same period. In contrast, the lion population in Gujarat - the only abode of the Asiatic lion - has not only gone up in the past four years but the territory in which it could be found had doubled.

In 1972, the tiger population in the country was 1827. This increased to its peak of 4334 and then declined to 1411 by 2006. By 2010, tiger numbers had again gone up to 1706. On the other hand, the lion population, which was 177 in 1968 and 180 in 1974, had steadily increased and was 411 according to the April 2010 lion census.

Forest department officials say that land area in which lions are found had doubled in the last three years. During the 2010 census, they were spread over a 10,000 sq km area but an analysis done in 2013 of prey killed by lions had revealed that the big cat now had sway over 20,000 sq km.

The officials further said that the central government had spent crores on conservation of tigers but was miserly when it came to funding various lion conservation schemes. The lion was not covered under Project Tiger nor was there a separate central project for lion conservation. The Centre had launched Project Rhino and Project Elephant recently but it had been neglecting the lion in allocation of funds, alleged officials.

A scientific paper by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, HS Sinsha, says that the key aspect in conservation of the Asiatic lion was their dispersal and subsequent protection of surrounding satellite populations.

Approximately one-fourth of the Asiatic lions are to be found in protected satellite populations outside the Gir Conservation Area and they subsist primarily on wild prey. The protection of these satellite habitats and maintenance of corridors linking them to the core population in the Gir Conservation Area has allowed for the continuous growth of this endangered species.

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Camels to get heritage status in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: Rajasthan government plans to accord state heritage status to the camel, even as it expressed concerns over the animal's depleting population, crucial for the desert state.

Taking serious note of slaughter and smuggling of the "ship of desert", the state is also contemplating legislation to protect the animal.

"Number of camels is decreasing rapidly due to slaughtering which is illegal. Saving the camel is important for peoples' livelihood and also for the desert eco-system. So we plan to declare the animal as state heritage," Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Lal Saini told PTI today.

He said the department has drafted a proposal in this regard which will be forwarded to chief minister Vasundhara Raje for approval.

"We also plan to bring legislation so that those smuggling and slaughtering of camel can be effectively checked," he said.

"Existence of camel is under threat. The number has rapidly decreased in recent years. In 2007, the number of this domestic animal was over 4 lakh, which, at present, is below 2 lakh," he said.

The minister said that the government would initiate steps for breeding of camel and research on camel milk in the future.

Also, attention will be given to improve grazing resources as shrinking grazing areas and modernisation have affected the lives of camels.

People mainly in western desert region of the state are closely associated with camel.

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Kaziranga loses another rhino, horn chopped off

JORHAT: An adult rhino was killed by a group of suspected militants at Kaziranga National park on Sunday evening. The pachyderm's horn was chopped off before forest staff reached the spot.

The incident took place near the Gorakati anti-poaching camp in the Burapahar forest range bordering Karbi Anglong district at 7.30 pm on Sunday. A group of militants, equipped with AK series rifles, took shelter in the Karbi hills and shot the rhino dead for its horn.

"A strong group of militants were involved in killing the rhino. They used AK-47 rifles and fired at least 30 rounds during the attack. Our staff found empty cartridges from the spot," said park director M K Yadav. He added that on hearing gunshots, forest staff rushed to the spot and opened fire in retaliation, but in vain.

This was the seventh rhino killed in Kaziranga so far this year.

On January 25, a female rhino was shot dead and its horn was chopped off by poachers in Kaziranga. Park authorities said the government had taken up some new strategies to check poaching and work on a few such projects were underway.

The government is planning to set up at least eight towers for round-the-clock surveillance at the park.

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Poacher police officer remanded to judicial custody

MYSORE: CID dy S P, T K Dharmesh who was arrested by Bandipur Tiger sanctuary officials for allegedly poaching a spotted deer on last Thursday night was remanded to judicial custody till February 15 . However, the court permitted the police official to remain and get treatment at the hospital till Monday before being shifted to Mysore central jail. Other 5 persons who were arrested with the police officials on charge of assisting and involving in killing the deer were also remanded to judicial custody and sent to Mysore central jail.

Meanwhile, Tiger sanctuary officials who have charged the police official of poaching the deer have sent a report to state DGP and IGP and DGP CID on the involvement of police official in the crime . " We have sent a report on the involvement of Dharmesh, saying that arrested Dharmesh identified as dy S P with CID has been arrested by the wild life officials and he has been remanded to judicial custody", a source in the forest department disclosed , adding that it is the police higher ups who have to take the call and suspend the dy S P . "Our duty is over and we have informed the police on the case and it is the police which has to initiate disciplinary action against Dharmesh" the source added.

On the other hand arrested official speaking to reporters from the hospital bed said he had been to forest to find out the authenticity of information he has received on the presence of Naxal gang in the concerned forest area .

" There is no need for me to trespass forest area and there is conspiracy behind my arrest" he claimed , adding that forest officials are irked by his suggestions on naxal operations.

But H C Kantharaju terming Dharmesh's defense claims on he venturing into forest to gather information on naxals as "alibi" said who is he to enter tiger project area . " If he is on duty he has to seek permission and take forest guards and officials as navigators inside the forest and he has no powers to enter into forest on his own" he said , adding that Dharmesh being a CID officer has no duty to go in search of naxals." We are not trained to deal with naxals and naxal task force police will have to deal with the naxals" he said adding that all the allegations are false and baseless.

Meanwhile, Kantharaju disclosed that they are investigating the antecedents of the other five arrested persons as there is suspicion about they being involved in forest offences in the past too. " Our officials will seek Dharmesh's custody for further interrogation after his shifting to jail" he claimed and said the forest department has strong evidence to suggest Dharmesh has committed the crime. "Forest officials will investigate and charge sheet him for the offenses committed under the provisions of wild life act where as the offense committed by him under the provisions of arms act will be investigated by the police" he said .

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Poacher police officer remanded to judicial custody

MYSORE: Deputy superintendent of police T K Dharmesh, who was arrested by Bandipur Tiger sanctuary officials for allegedly poaching in Bandipur National Park, was remanded to judicial custody till February 15.

However, the court permitted the police official to remain and get treatment at the hospital till Monday before being shifted to Mysore central jail.

Other 5 persons who were arrested with the police official on charge of assisting and involving in killing the deer were also remanded to judicial custody and sent to Mysore central jail.

Meanwhile, tiger sanctuary officials who have charged the Dharmesh of poaching the deer have sent a report to state DGP and IGP and DGP CID on the involvement of police official in the crime.

"We have sent a report on the involvement of Dharmesh, saying that arrested Dharmesh identified as deputy SP with CID, has been arrested by the wildlife officials and remanded to judicial custody," a source in the forest department disclosed, adding that it is the police higher ups who have to take the call and suspend the deputy S P. "Our duty is over and we have informed the police on the case and it is the police which has to initiate disciplinary action against Dharmesh," the source added.

On the other hand, arrested official speaking to reporters from the hospital bed said he had been to forest to find out the authenticity of information he has received on the presence of Maoists in the concerned forest area.

"There is no need for me to trespass forest area and there is conspiracy behind my arrest," he claimed, adding that forest officials are irked by his suggestions on Maoists' operations.

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