http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/ JamaicaObserver.com, the most concise and in-depth website for news coverage on Jamaica and the Caribbean. Updated daily 7 days a week, 24 hours a day en-us copyright Jamaica Observer, 2011 http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Climate-change-could-be-in-primary-school-curriculum-by-September_11357956 RAMBLE, Hanover — Minister of Education Reverend Ronald Thwaites has indicated that climate change could be included in the education curriculum at the primary level in the next school year, which begins in September. General News Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Peru-to-investigate-mass-die-off-of-pelicans_11373437 LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru's oceanographic agency says it will investigate the deaths of hundreds of pelicans on northern beaches where nearly 900 dolphins were recently found dead. International Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Trekking-in-the-Blue-Mountains_11356136 THE Forestry Department has reported a successful staging of its Forest Trek 2012, with more than 600 persons from Asia, North America, Central America, Europe and the Caribbean, participating in the 12-km hike to and from the Cinchona Botanical Gardens in the Blue Mountains. Local Education Sun, 29 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Portmore-sewage-to-be-redirected-to-Soapberry-in-two-years_11351058 THE construction of facilities to redirect sewage from four wastewater plants in Portmore to the Soapberry sewage treatment plant could take about two years, based on responses from the National Water Commission (NWC). Local Environment Sun, 29 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Pickersgill-wants-lion-s-share-of-budget-for-climate-change_11333847 MONTEGO BAY, St James — Minister of Water, Land, Environment, and Climate Change Robert Pickersgill says he intends to persuade Cabinet that the lion's share of the budget should be reserved for his ministry in order to finance programmes geared at mitigating the negative effects of climate change on the environment and the economy. Local Environmental Wed, 25 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Sandals--nine-others-on-environment-honour-roll_11302954 SANDALS Resorts International has been named among a group of private sector companies honoured by the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) for their financial support over the years. Local Environmental Wed, 25 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Environment-policy-urgent---Chang_11321478 SAYING his Jamaica Labour Party didn't have sufficient time to devise a formal environment policy while in office, shadow environment minister Horace Chang is pushing for the People's National Party-led administration to have one crafted. Local Environmental Wed, 25 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/9-5-million-reef-project_11323018 THOSE who fish off the coasts of Clarendon and St Catherine will be able to catch bigger and larger quantities of fish once the artificial reef project at the Three Bays Fish Sanctuary is completed. Local Environmental Wed, 25 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Earth-Day-around-the-world_11333743 Earth Day was observed around the world on Sunday, April 22. The event, now in its 42nd year, was observed under the theme 'Mobilise the Earth'. Here is a look at how people in different countries marked the day. Local Environmental Wed, 25 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Island-Routes--Earth-Day-hike-a-success IN commemoration of Earth Day 2012, Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours (IRCAT) joined several groups last Saturday, for a 12 kilometre hike and tree planting exercise in the Blue Mountains. Local Environment Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:51:11 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/NSWMA-starts-plastic-separation THE National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) will implement the first phase of a pilot project on separation of plastic containers today. Local Environment Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:08:05 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Barbados-to-study-growth-in-monkey-population BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (AP) — The government of Barbados plans to study the island’s monkey population after noticing it has grown in recent years for unknown reasons. Local News Sun, 15 Apr 2012 11:31:44 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Gov-t-sets-up-climate-change-advisory-committee GOVERNMENT has established an advisory committee — manned by some of the island’s brightest scientific minds — as it moves to have the long-awaited Climate Change Department up and running by year-end. Local News Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:53:51 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Solar-power-comes-of-age SOLAR power has finally become a viable option, driven by falling prices for photovoltaic panels and the soaring cost of oil, say proponents of the alternative energy. Local Environment Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:43:24 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Pickersgill-wants-money_11225562 MINISTER Robert Pickersgill has signalled his intent to bat for the capital needed to successfully implement the recommendations of the recently released air quality report on the latest Riverton City dump fire. Local News Sun, 08 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/The-growing-energy-needs-of-the-world_11031414 Career & Education shares with you this week an article from meteorologist Romayne Robinson following World Meteorology Day on March 23, which was being celebrated under the theme: 'Powering our future with weather, climate and water'. Local Education Sun, 01 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Jamaicans-asked-not-to-stone-owls_11145791 THE National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is advising Jamaicans that it is illegal to molest or hunt owls. Local Education Sun, 01 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Rats-as-good-decision-makers-as-humans-study_11081169 RATS are smart, that's a well known fact. But US researchers said last Tuesday a series of tests have shown they may be just as good as humans at juggling information in order to make the best decision. Local Education Sun, 01 Apr 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Coral-reefs-mending--but-fish-stock-declining_11140327 A group of marine biologists say they have found signs of recovery of Jamaica's depleted coral reefs in the critical fishing resource area known as the Pedro Bank. Local Environmental Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Battle-lionfish-heats-up AS the battle against the lionfish, that stealthy marine predator invading Jamaican waters, intensifies, more than 2,000 fisherfolk have already been trained in the management of the fish, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has said. Local Environmental Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:39:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Longer-wait-for-Long-Mountain_11140883 A final decision is still pending on the controversial proposed development of 54 serviced lots in the Long Mountain area of St Andrew by the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ), as the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has still not given the revised plan the green light. Local Environmental Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Shadow-of--Anthropocene--falls-over-Rio-Summit_11137368 LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Man's catastrophic damage to the environment and disparities between rich and poor head the daunting challenges facing the Rio Summit in June, experts said on Monday. Local Environmental Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:00:00 GMT http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Study--BP-oil-sullies-sea-floor-coral_11139424 WASHINGTON, USA (AFP) — The 2010 BP oil spill that spewed from a broken well on the Gulf of Mexico sea floor damaged coral as far as seven miles (11 kilometres) away, according to a scientific study published on Monday. Local Environment Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:00:00 GMT