Worldlog Week 47 – 2012

Let's start with some good news: The Netherlands is offering wolves a warm welcome, should they cross the German border. This week, the State Secretary of Economic Affairs promised to put the wolf on the list of native protect animals as a result of our request. It does not take effect of course until the wolves come to the Netherlands but we know that German packs are living ever closer to the Dutch border. We think the wolf is more than welcome in the Netherlands, they even add to the natural surrounds!

Wolves are constantly widening their living area. Unfortunately, we also heard this week that the panda can longer be saved. Because of global warming, bamboo – the panda's food – will not grow where the panda lives by the end of the century. We’re deeply saddened by the fact that we're too late in changing our behaviour and that this gorgeous wild animal can no longer be saved.

Last week was the debate that resulted from a government policy statement. The new Rutte cabinet is finally in power, but this cabinet's first sloppy weeks predict very little good for the future. Prime Minister Rutte admitted: “Problems have reinforced the trust between the parties, but I cannot provide you any guarantees.” This crisis means you could almost lose sight over the other crisis, go look athttp://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2012/11/austerity_protests.html. During the debate I tabled five motions to undo former State Secretary Bleker's destructive policies in the field of nature, the environment and animals. Such things as Bleker's Animal Welfare Policy Document needs modifying to give animals the true protection they deserve.

After that, we focussed on risky manure digesters. We're demanding a building moratorium on manure digesters because they pose a significant threat to nearby residents and the environment. A television programme called KRO Reporter has conducted an investigation which proves serious fraud and that illegal substances are being added to the manure on a large scale. This means the manure digesters are really a dangerous chemical cocktail and seriously pollute agricultural land.

Manure digesters are being build to eliminate a huge amount of manure. The 150 manure digesters currently operating in the Netherlands are given a 345 million Euro subsidy under the guise of ‘green electricity'. But more and more people are rising up against this development. Many nearby residents are complaining about the stench, that gives them days-long headaches and nausea. We believe that Public Health and the environment deserve protection over the cattle-farming industry's economic interests.

The Municipality of West Hollywood wants to ban the sale of fur. This would serve as a great example for the rest of the world to follow if the ban were to happen.

In South Africa, a Thai poacher has been sentenced to 40 years of jail time for his illegal poaching activities that resulted in rhinoceros deaths. A well deserved stretch!

The International Food Policy Research Institute shows how the demand for meat has grown explosively in the past 40 years. This hunger for meat means that almost three times as many animals were bred in 2010 than were bred in 1970. As an example: in 2010, the world bred 19.4 billion (?!) chickens that had to live in abominable circumstances just to feed our need.

Greenpeace has an important petition to protect the North Pole against oil drilling. If you haven't signed it yet, then sign it here.

See you next week!
Marianne