September 1999

St. Kilda's precipitous cliffs, crystal clear water and massive seabird colonies have continued to attract generations of divers, sailors and nature-lovers to its shores. It ranks alongside the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef as a World Heritage Site.

The islands once again find themselves on the edge of a change at least as big as that of the loss of its people. The industrial world is finally encroaching on the wild seas around St Kilda - oil companies are being offered thousands of square miles of the sea-bed of Britain's Atlantic Frontier including areas only 25 miles from St Kilda. In July 1999 the UK Government gave the green light for an oil rig to start drilling west of the Outer Hebrides, just 75 miles from St Kilda.

The IUCN, nature conservation advisors to the UN, have concluded that St Kilda is at high risk from oil developments.

Ten deadly nuclear cargoes of weapons-usable plutonium fuel are to travel from Europe to Japan each year via South Africa, according to a Reuters's story published today. In light of this information, Greenpeace urged all potential en route nations concerned by the risks associated with these shipments to redouble their efforts in opposing this and futue transports being conducted by European and Japanese nuclear industry.

The latest information comes as two ships laden with some 450 kg of weapons-usable plutonium, contained in 40 plutonium fuel elements (MOX), rounded the Cape of Good Hope bound for Japan early Friday morning (13th August). The ships are now believed to be in the South West Pacific Ocean heading for Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

Renewable energy has the potential to create thousands of jobs and generate power without imperilling the climate.

The UK government must set a series of progressive renewable energy targets, leading to a fossil fuel phase out in the next 30 to 40 years and open up the huge UK offshore wind resource. At the very least this means announcing a licensing round for offshore wind. To assure industry that investment in UK offshore wind is worthwhile, the Government must ensure these rounds are substantial and regular.

Amazon under threat

Results of a Greenpeace investigation into the extent of illegal logging in the Amazon have been handed to the Amazonas authorities in Brazil. The report indicates that timber products exported to the UK and elsewhere may be illegal. Greenpeace's John Sauven gives the details.

The Arctic Sunrise

A three week Greenpeace scientific expedition in July to the retreating Arctic ice pack has uncovered new evidence that climate change appears to be impacting on the wildlife and ecology of the region, particularly walrus young. Matthew Spencer Head of the Climate Campaign reports:

Solution - go organic

In the wake of Marks and Spencer's announcement that it is to start removing genetically modified soya and maize from animal feed, Greenpeace's food specialist Stokely Webster explains the significance of this latest development.

The 1999 Norwegian whaling season has now ended whilst the Japanese hunt in Antarctic waters is still due to take place during the cusp of the Millennium. Greenpeace's Richard Page describes the current situation with the only two countries flouting international agreement to end commercial whaling.