Month: August 2021

General News

Spain- the city of Gijón bans bullfighting

HAPPY NEWS FROM SPAIN – THE CITY OF GIJÓN FINALLY BANKS THE UNTRADITION OF BULLFIGHTING! 💖🐃

The Spanish city of Gijón has decided to renounce the non-tradition of bullfighting, which is widespread on the Iberian Peninsula.
This cruelty to animals lies like a wicked curse over Spain and has always been arousing people around the world.
Now, at least in Gijón, it is over and the whole thing is thanks to a “feminist”!!

This commendable step was sparked last weekend when a bull named “Feminist” and his colleague “Nigerian“ came to an abrupt end in the city in the north of the country in the 133-year-old bullring “El Bibio”.
This led to the ethically correct decision of Mayor Ana González Rodríguez.

Since their death, the two bulls have become symbols of the fight against the controversial “sport” of bullfighting.

Quote Ana González Rodríguez, who can be assigned to the socialists:
“A city that believes in equality between women and men, that believes in integration, the doors that are open to everyone, cannot allow such a thing.”

“Treating animals this way cannot be part of our culture, nor can we receive public money”

She is now accused of having acted only because of the names of the animals, but the many animals that no longer have to go to the arena in Gijón will not care much – the main thing is that the spook is over in Gijón.

Opponents accuse the mayor’s arguments of idiocy.
Quote Daniel Ruiz, bull breeder in the region:
“Cows are the most important animals on a cattle farm. And the bulls get their names from the females they gave birth.”
So also “feminists” and “Nigerians” who were not explicitly selected for that bullfight.

The socialists in Spain have been vehement opponents of this terrible cruelty to animals for a long time.
Unfortunately, no city leader can simply forbid it, because in 2013 this barbaric torture and murder of innocent living beings was declared a national cultural asset, and thus only the central state can impose a ban according to the constitutional court.
However, the mayor avoided this fact and simply canceled the expiring contract with the bullfighting organization for the use of the arena.
This is very much due to their competencies.

According to her own statements, she is happy to accept the approximately € 50,000 / year loss for the city as a result.
Many suspect a political issue behind the matter, because the torero who killed “feminists” and “Nigerians” in cold blood is a supporter of the opponents of the socialists, the right-wing conservative VOX.

Continue reading “Spain- the city of Gijón bans bullfighting” →

Farm Animals

Murder and torture in pig fattening: the problem lies in the system.

Unfortunately, it is no exception that piglets that are actually viable are killed and disposed of like rubbish.
As always, the problem lies in the system.

https://youtu.be/afGBdJeAqTg
In order to further increase the profitability of pig breeders, sows have been bred in recent years to “produce” more and more offspring.

Thrown away like garbage

For this purpose, the animals were even bred additional pairs of ribs. However, a mother pig usually does not have enough teats to care for all of her babies.

In addition, with the unnaturally high number of piglets, weaker animals are born with almost every birth.

These would require more intensive care and often do not gain weight as quickly as their siblings. Even if it is forbidden by law to take an animal from economic Killing an animal for economic reasons is part of everyday life in pig breeding.

https://www.facebook.com/PETADeutschland/

And I mean…Rows of sows, individually locked in small, narrow crates. Never having rest, never being able to stretch their legs without getting into the neighboring cage – a miserable life…
This torment is forbidden even under the law, and yet it is practiced.
Many of the animals have flesh wounds, foam at the mouth or chew restlessly.

The fact that the individual living creature counts for nothing in pig breeding and fattening is also shown by the accepted loss calculation with regard to the death of piglets: Because many of the animals are born weak and sick due to the targeted breeding for the largest possible litters, they are born from employees are stunned with a blow to the head before they are killed or thrown alive in the trash, where they die in agony.

It is common practice to knock the weak against the wall, simply without anesthesia, to hit the three-day babies against the edge…something like that is allowed!!

And the rest of these highly sensitive and highly intelligent animals that survive this cruel procedure are locked up in halls with a pathetic stench on slatted floors.
The animals live on their feces, over tons of this fecal matter.
THAT alone is torture, we don’t even need to talk about a few square meters more space plus or minus.

Anyone who earns their money in slave trade, exploitation and murder has neither conscience nor compassion.
Nothing should surprise us, because every crime, every sadism, every professional perversion is allowed.

Thanks to the fascist system that supports them.
Thanks to the carnivores who keep this system alive

My best regards to all, Venus

General News

USA-Utah: An alligator takes revenge

(CNN) A Utah animal trainer is recovering after the alligator she was feeding during a girl’s birthday party chomped down on her hand and refused to let go until after one of the adult guests jumped on its back to help her.

Darthgator

Lindsay Bull, 31, said that she’s fed Darth Gator hundreds of times in the past, but the 8-foot-6-inch long star attraction at Scales and Tails Utah was being a little pushy on Saturday when she opened a plexiglass door to his enclosure.

Video of the incident showed Bull giving the American alligator the command “back” and then pushing the 150-pound reptile under his jaw when he tried to climb onto the platform in his enclosure.

https://fb.watch/7wKQwKP_ya/

Bull says she hasn’t watched the video, but she thinks her left hand slipped away and the alligator grabbed it in a feeding response.

“Everything was going pretty normal, nothing unusual for interactions between me and Darth,” Bull told CNN. “But anybody that works with animals like this knows that there’s a chance that something can go wrong.”
At first, she thought the alligator would do a quick bite and release, but then she felt it bite down harder.
“He thrashed and at that point, I realized this is going to be a serious, potentially really big injury,” she said.

Bull climbed into the alligator’s enclosure and wrapped her legs around him because she wanted to be able to move with him in the water. She feared that if she was standing on the ground when the alligator started to roll, the force might rip her arm off.
Within seconds, Donnie Wiseman shouted for help before scrambling into the tank and jumping on the alligator.

“It was like instant relief. For a minute, I’m there going through this by myself and then all of a sudden, Donnie was up there on the platform yelling at me, ‘what do you want me to do?'” Bull said.
“I can’t imagine that it was easy for him to jump in and jump on his back.”

Continue reading “USA-Utah: An alligator takes revenge” →

Environmental, Farm Animals, General News

How The Meat Industry Is Mimicking Tobacco Giant Tactics To Dodge Climate Change Blame.

The meat industry across the globe is mimicking tobacco company tactics in order to dodge climate change blame, according to a major investigation.
Despite vast growth in the plant-based sector, DeSmog claims figures are indicating the world is far from reaching ‘peak meat’ Credit: Adobe.

How The Meat Industry Is Mimicking Tobacco Giant Tactics To Dodge Climate Change Blame

It’s come as global meat giants’ PR and lobbying techniques were diligently researched by an award-winning environmental organization

The meat industry across the globe is mimicking tobacco company tactics in order to dodge climate change blame, according to a major investigation.

Award-winning environmental organization DeSmog is behind the research.

Meat industry

It involved a five-month investigation into the industry’s public relations and lobbying techniques. This included reviewing hundreds of documents amongst some of the largest companies, such as JBS and Tyson Foods.

According to the findings, the animal agriculture sector is portraying itself ‘a climate leader through the following tactics:

  • Minimizing the environmental impact of farming animals
  • ‘Casting doubt’ on the efficiency of plant-based meat alternatives
  • Promoting meat health ‘benefits’
  • Moreover, big animal agriculture players are even painting meat as the answer to climate change, the study claims.
  • JBS told DeSmog: “As a leading global food company, we recognize the importance of reducing our environmental impact to combat climate change.”

·         ‘Peak meat’

  • Despite vast growth in the plant-based sector, DeSmog claims figures are indicating the world is far from reaching ‘peak meat’. This means they predict the global meat production to rise over the next decade.
  • Kristine Clement, of Greenpeace Denmark, told the organization that meat companies are ‘ramping up’ marketing efforts to make products appear climate-friendly.
  • This is, Clement claims because they fear politicians will halt the ‘endless’ production.

  

Tobacco tactics

  • In building on the report, an environmental studies Professor told The Independent these tactics are similar to the tobacco industry.
  • Dr. Jennifer Jacquet said: “Tobacco didn’t challenge the existence of lung cancer, but they kept denying and deflecting the causal link [with smoking]. 
  • “And that’s what we’re seeing with beef and dairy.”

Climate change

Despite the meat industry’s tries, the evidence attesting the opposite is overwhelming.

Reports indicate animal agriculture is in fact responsible for a staggering 87 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.

However, companies are tightening their grips onto their financial clutch on the global food system.

For example, an industry group in South America recently revealed plants to defend animal agriculture ahead of a UN summit. This includes Brazil, the world’s biggest beef exporter.

You can view DeSmog’s full investigation here

Meat Industry Mimicks Tobacco Tactics To Dodge Climate Change Blame (plantbasednews.org)

 

Regards Mark

Farm Animals, General News

Minks Violently Slaughtered for False Lashes – Take Action.

Minks Violently Slaughtered for False Lashes – Take Action

Did you know that if you buy mink lashes, you’re buying fur? Minks are violently slaughtered and skinned for fur coats and other items – including false eyelashes like those sold by Lilly Lashes and Tatti Lashes.

False-eyelash companies Tatti Lashes and Lilly Lashes know that no one wants to buy vile animal fur, so they’re making misleading claims about their mink lashes: Tatti Lashes says that “no animals are harmed in the process of production” of its mink lashes, and Lilly Lashes markets some mink-fur lashes as “vegan”.

These companies know that mink fur comes from animals who live and die in agony – but instead of making a real difference for them by ending their sale of mink lashes, they hide behind misleading marketing.

Minks are intelligent, sensitive animals who enjoy spending their time swimming and climbing. Yet on fur farms, they’re kept inside filthy wire cages so small that they can take only a few steps in any direction, which can cause them to chew on their legs or tails out of frustration. They often suffer from open wounds and infections and receive no veterinary care. Fur farmers use the cheapest killing methods available, including neck-breaking, poisoning, genital electrocution, and suffocation.

Mink farms are designed to maximise profits, and farmers often have little regard for the well-being of the animals, as PETA’s exposés have repeatedly shown. Animals on fur farms are plagued by fear, stress, disease, parasites, and other physical and psychological hardships on a daily basis. These conditions also create breeding grounds for pathogens like the novel coronavirus. COVID-19 has already swept through fur farms, infecting minks and workers in North America and Europe, and the French and Dutch governments subsequently voted to close these facilities.

What You Can Do

Whether it’s a pair of false eyelashes or a coat, if you buy products made with mink fur, you’re supporting the cruel fur industry. Lilly Lashes and Tatti Lashes continue to sell mink-fur lashes, despite knowing how animals used for their fur are treated. Please help animals suffering right now by urging the companies to drop fur lashes immediately.

  1. Leave a polite comment on Tatti Lashes’ Facebook and Instagram accounts telling it to stop profiting from minks’ misery.
  2. Then fill out the form below to urge Lilly Lashes to ditch mink eyelashes:

And go to the following to take further action:

Minks Violently Slaughtered for False Lashes – Take Action | People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (peta.org.uk)

https://secure.peta.org.uk/page/63517/action/1?utm_source=PETA%20UK::E-Mail&utm_medium=Alert&utm_campaign=0821::skn::PETA%20UK::E-Mail::Mink%20lashes::::aa%20em&ea.url.id=5461070

Regards Mark

Farm Animals, General News, Vivisection

UK: Government Responses To 2 Petitions – ‘Change the law to include laboratory animals in the Animal Welfare Act’. And ‘End the Cage Age for all farmed animals’.

 

Petition 1 –  63,755 signatures

 Petition Wording:

Change the law to include laboratory animals in the Animal Welfare Act.

The Government needs to change the law so laboratory animals are included in the Animal Welfare Act. Laboratory animals are currently not protected by the Act and are therefore victims of ‘unnecessary suffering’ (see section 4 of the Act: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/45/section/4).

A recent exposé showed harrowing footage of the factory farming of laboratory dogs in the UK. Experiments on such dogs, and other animals, are today widely reported to be entirely failing the search for human treatments and cures.

Current science from multiple fields proves that animal-based research and testing is not viable. The Government should therefore change the law to include laboratory animals under the protection of the Animal Welfare Act, to prevent their unnecessary suffering.

Government responded:

The Government believes animal use for research remains important and The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) provides specific protection for these animals..

There is an explicit exclusion under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (AWA), to provide for the legitimate conduct of procedures on ‘protected animals’ for scientific or educational purposes that may cause pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm. The use of animals in scientific research remains a vital tool in improving our understanding of how biological systems work both in health and disease. Such use is crucial for the development of new medicines and cutting-edge medical technologies for both humans and animals, and for the protection of our environment.

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) is the specific piece of legislation which provides protection for these animals:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consolidated-version-of-aspa-1986

No animals may be used under ASPA if there is a validated non-animal alternative that would achieve the scientific outcomes sought. The protections for animals under ASPA include the need for three levels of licence for such procedures to occur, welfare standards which need to be met, and activities including inspection which assure compliance with ASPA. The Home Office is the department responsible for regulating the use of animals under ASPA. If any activity is found to be in breach of what is permitted under ASPA, then the AWA will apply.

Details of how these regulations are administered and operationalised are set out in the Guidance on the operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) available at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guidance-on-the-operation-of-the-animals-scientific-procedures-act-1986.

Details of the code of practice for housing and accommodation of animals regulated under ASPA approved by Parliament which form a core pillar of compliance assurance activities under ASPA are available at:
Code of practice for the housing and care of animals bred, supplied or used for scientific purposes – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Animal testing is required by all global medicines regulators, including the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), to protect human health and safety. Without the testing of potential medicines on animals the development, registration and marketing of new, safe, and effective medicines would not be possible. The animal species for animal testing of potential medicines are specifically chosen to give as much human relevant information as possible and to avoid species specific reactions which would not predict human effects. Many products which would not be safe or effective in humans are detected through animal testing thus avoiding harm to humans. Potential medicines fail in development for many reasons but the fact that medicines are stopped in development for reasons other than unsatisfactory animal testing does not mean that the testing is not essential.

Continue reading on page 2

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Environmental, General News

Brazil: Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon hits highest annual level in a decade.

Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon hits highest annual level in a decade

Rainforest lost 10,476 sq km between August 2020 and July 2021, report says, despite increasing global concern

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has hit the highest annual level in a decade, a new report has shown, despite increasing global concern over the accelerating devastation since President Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019.

Between August 2020 and July 2021, the rainforest lost 10.476 square kilometers – an area nearly seven times bigger than greater London and 13 times the size of New York City, according to data released by Imazon, a Brazilian research institute that has been tracking the Amazon deforestation since 2008. The figure is 57% higher than in the previous year and is the worst since 2012.

“Deforestation is still out of control,” Carlos Souza, a researcher at Imazon said. “Brazil is going against the global climate agenda that is seeking to urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Amazon tragedy repeats itself as Brazil rainforest goes up in smoke

Read moreSouza called for the urgent resumption of government actions to stop the destruction, including the enforcement of illegal agriculture-led deforestation in the region, which has been impaired by budget cuts for the environment ministry and environmental protection agencies.

Even as he faces accusations of systematically dismantling environmental protections, Bolsonaro has deployed thousands of soldiers to combat illegal deforestation and fires.

But the policy has proved ineffective, said Marcio Astrini, the executive-secretary of the organisation Climate Observatory.

“The data shows that it didn’t work,” said Astrini. “No army operation will be able to mask or reverse the attacks of the federal government against the forest.”

Astrini said that the deforestation rates in 2021 are expected to be almost 50% higher than in 2018, before Bolsonaro took office.

In June, then-environment minister Ricardo Salles resigned amid a criminal investigation over allegations that a police investigation into illegal Amazon logging was blocked.

But the ministry’s leadership “hasn’t shown any progress,” Astrini said.

“The measures that benefit the export of illegal timber – the reason why Salles had to leave office – are still in place,” he said.

The new figures were released as lawmakers held a public hearing to push for changes in Brazil’s environmental policies.

“We are going through a very tough moment in Brazilian history. There’s a lot of denialism, and many attempts to weaken our environmental policy,” senator Eliziane Gama told the hearing.

Regards Mark

The Guardian (London) – brill as always.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/20/brazil-amazon-deforestation-report-bolsonaro-climate

Environmental, General News

USA: Breaking 20/8/21 – Six-year-old orca dies unexpectedly at Sea World San Diego just one day after first showing signs that she was sick.
Amaya - whose name means 'night rain' in Japanese - was the youngest orca at SeaWorld, where her mother Kalia and father Ulises still live
Amaya – whose name means ‘night rain’ in Japanese – was the youngest orca at SeaWorld, where her mother Kalia and father Ulises still live

Breaking 20/8/21:

Six-year-old orca dies unexpectedly at Sea World San Diego just one day after first showing signs that she was sick

  • An orca named Amaya, six, fell ill on August 18 and died unexpectedly a day later at SeaWorld San Diego 
  • The cause of death remains unknown and a post-mortem exam is underway 
  • Amaya was the youngest orca at the SeaWorld location, where her mother and father still live
  • According to SeaWorld’s website, a female orca’s life expectancy in captivity is 29 years – versus between 50 and 80 years in the wild 
  • The death comes as the park continues to face controversy over keeping orcas 
  • In 2014 SeaWorld San Diego announced plans to double the size of the orca tank but it never happened and nine whales still live in 6million gallons of water  

Amaya’s death was met with a lot of criticism on social media by users who were unhappy that the orca lived her entire life in captivity.

‘She was meant to be born in the ocean. Captivity kills,’ one user tweeted. 

Peta on Twitter has been a longstanding critic of SeaWorld on both coasts – slamming them for drugging, breeding and not properly caring for the orcas they are keeping at the park and starting the hashtag ‘BoycottSeaWorld’. 

Many used the hashtag – along with ‘EmptyTheTanks’ – after hearing that Amaya died.

DailyMail.com has reached out to SeaWorld San Diego for comment. 

It’s not the first time animal activists have used the hashtags to band together against SeaWorld. The park has faced a longstanding controversy over keeping orcas. 

According to SeaWorld’s website, a female orca’s life expectancy in captivity is 29 years – versus between 50 and 80 years in the wild – while males are expected to live up to 17 years in captivity and about 30 in the wild.

In 2019 two ex-SeaWorld Orlando trainers claimed that the whales were drugged and deprived of food to encourage them to perform. 

John Hargrove and Jeffrey Ventre alleged the animals ‘self-mutilated’ due to the stress of training and performing hungry by doing things such as grinding their teeth and popping their jaws.

Ventre also claimed that the whales would chew concrete and scratch each other with their teeth purely out of boredom. 

If the whales became too aggressive, the ex-trainer said they were given Valium to calm down. 

SeaWorld Orlando denied the accusations.

In 2014 SeaWorld San Diego announced plans to double the size of their killer whale tank – in a project dubbed the Blue World Project – in response to a wave of backlash they experienced after the release of the 2013 documentary Blackfish.

SeaWorld detailed plans to build 100million-gallon tanks that covered 1.5 acres and were 50 feet deep and 350 feet in length. 

The habitat was supposed to include stimulating features for the whales such as a foe fast water current. 

The original announcement said the facility was slated to open to the public four years later, with similar changes to be made at its Orlando and San Antonio locations to follow.

However, the new facility was never constructed and their tanks still only hold six million gallons of water for nine orcas.

Six-year-old orca dies unexpectedly at Sea World San Diego | Daily Mail Online

Regards Mark

Time to shut down all these shit holes and return the animals to where they belong – the wild.

Live Transport

The dirty tricks of the transport mafia

Report from the Animals ‘Angels organisation

Animals ‘Angels inspects animal transports during a heat wave in northern Greece. We meet an “old friend” – a transporter whom we have already observed repeatedly – and in whose transports we have repeatedly found the same violations: too many lambs cooped up on four loading areas, at far too high temperatures.

We are all the more astonished at the first moment when he drives over the Romanian border to Greece early in the morning.

The temperatures are still mild and the lambs are only loaded on three loading levels (as has been required by the veterinary offices in Romania since this year).
The lambs have more space above them, which should allow better air circulation.
But appearances are deceptive.

Our faint hope is soon shattered when the truck pulls off the freeway and parks on a remote street.
The drivers load additional animals in a stall.
The Romanian lambs are meanwhile being squeezed into four loading levels to make room for the new animals.

The Romanian arrangement is thus boldly bypassed, much to the suffering of the lambs: They are now standing close to each other on four loading levels, can neither lift their heads nor reach the drinking troughs, let alone regulate their body temperature. They suffer from enormous heat stress.

If this is not enough, the newly loaded sheep, lambs and goats are not even identified as required by law.
We immediately alert the authorities to have the transport checked.

After countless calls, he is stopped by the police at noon. Shortly afterwards, two vets arrive. We describe the incidents, the control by the authorities is quick.

Because at temperatures of 38 ° C, the confinement in the vehicle quickly becomes a death trap for the animals.
We accompany the animals to their destination and measure up to 40 ° C outside temperature.
The heat, combined with the narrowness, the accumulation of ammonia gases and the lack of access to water must have been unbearable for Raluca, Barbala and their fellows.

Our complaint is already written. We are committed to ensuring that this carrier is no longer allowed to transport animals.

https://www.facebook.com/animalsangels/

And I mean…Always new tricks to cover up their criminal offenses; this only shows that no transport company is afraid of the law.
A fine is useless, it could be paid from the postage account.
Professional ban for the transport company, that could be useful

My best regards to all, Venus

Environmental, General News

Major UN biodiversity summit delayed for third time due to pandemic. Another Reason To Ignore The Pending Catastrophe ? – Covid Is A Good Excuse For Everything Now.

Major UN biodiversity summit delayed for third time due to pandemic

Cop15 negotiations to set this decade’s targets on nature to be split into two, with face-to-face meetings delayed until 2022.

A key United Nations biodiversity summit has been delayed for a third time due to the pandemic, the Chinese environment ministry has announced, as environmentalists pledged the delay would “not mean taking our foot off the pedal”.

In a statement, the Chinese ministry of ecology and environment confirmed that Cop15, the biggest biodiversity summit in a decade, would be delayed, and that negotiations for this decade’s targets will be split into two phases so that governments can meet face-to-face in Kunming, China, in the first half of 2022.

The talks had been scheduled for October this year after two previous delays due to the coronavirus pandemic. The first phase of the meeting, which will be largely procedural, will be held in the Chinese city between 11 and 15 October, with most people attending virtually. Countries will then negotiate the targets for the global biodiversity framework that governments will aim to meet by the end of the decade in Kunming from 25 April to 8 May 2022.

The draft text of the framework includes proposals to reduce pesticide use by two-thirds, eliminate plastic pollution and protect 30% of the Earth’s land and sea.

In a statement, the Chinese environment ministry said it would continue to work with the UN to overcome the impact of the pandemic and fulfil its obligations as a host country.

Li Shuo, a policy adviser for Greenpeace China who has been following the biodiversity negotiations closely, said: “Given the urgency of the biodiversity crisis, the decision to delay talks is not ideal. But in light of the global pandemic and the need for face-to-face negotiations, it is an inevitable choice.

A cow standing on one of the largest disposal sites in north-east India, in Guwahati, 5 June 2020.

“Today’s decision does not mean a negotiation holiday. In light of the flaws in the recently released first draft, much work still needs to be done to address the implementation and support deficit in the CBD.

“The partial convening of Cop15 in October must demonstrate ambitious leadership. It should be a high level opportunity to provide real impetus to the Kunming process.

“China needs to understand that much of the responsibilities for the success of Cop15 are on its shoulder now. It needs to rise up, otherwise the global nature protection agenda will fall.”

Zac Goldsmith, Britain’s minister for the environment, said: “We need to tackle the biodiversity crisis head on, and this delay will not mean taking our foot off the pedal. As president of the recent G7, we are encouraged to see major progress on finance for nature, on cleaning up global supply chains, on efforts to tackle deforestation and with the global commitment to protect 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030. The upcoming G20 meeting gives us a chance to build on that momentum ahead of Cop26 later this year. We will continue to press countries to join us in ramping up efforts to protect and restore nature.”

Brian O’Donnell, director of Campaign for Nature, said: “It is critically important for all parties and civil society to equitably participate in the development of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and we must stand in solidarity with all people battling the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide. There is no pause button for biodiversity loss. Human destruction of nature continues unabated, and governments do not need to wait for a global deal to take action and redirect finance to urgently protect our planet.”

Beccy Speight, chief executive of the RSPB, said the delay was understandable but the crisis in the natural world had not been put on hold. In November, the UK will host the UN Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow.

Speight said: “Our leaders must take this opportunity for the UK to live up to our ambition to show global leadership on the environment … and use this time to start to put the words and commitments of the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature into domestic action. This will send a powerful message to the international community that our words are being backed by urgent action to revive our world with clear, legally binding targets to halt and reverse the wildlife decline in the UK by 2030.”

Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield on Twitter for all the latest news and features

Regards Mark

‘The Guardian’ (London) – Brilliant as always.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/18/cop15-un-biodiversity-summit-hit-by-third-delay-due-to-pandemic-aoe?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other