Balisage

Here’s to China for the Elephants!

6 Jan 2014

Today, China destroyed some of the stockpiles of illegal elephant ivory seized along and within its borders.

In accordance with CITES* Decisions, the traders accredited by the Chinese government bought, at auctions, 60 tonnes of ivory in 2008 from 4 countries in southern Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. The average price was 157 US$/kg, ten times less expensive than black market rates at the time. Following this 172 workshops and retail stores were supplied elephant tusks benefiting from a specific license.

Lire la suite

PSG striker strikes falcons

2 Jan 2014

PSG striker strikes falcons

During their stay in Qatar, the PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) French soccer team took part in several events organized by the local tourist agency. That is how Zlatan Ibrahimovic ended up in the audience watching a high flight falconry demonstration and posed for a photo next to a wild falcon. Falconry is a one of Qatar’s pride specialties. This activity is cause of disappearing of several falcon species and other birds of prey.

Lire la suite

Destruction of Syrian Chemical Weapons

26 Dec 2013

Destruction of Syrian Chemical Weapons

Update January 3, 2014 – 10:15 AM

Treatment of Syrian chemical substances onboard the American ship Cape Ray is a default solution. It follows Northern European countries’ refusal to directly dispose of the precursor chemical ammunition in specialized facilities (*). This operation on the high seas would install industrialization of the world’s oceans.

Lire la suite

Destruction of Syrian Chemical Weapons

26 Dec 2013

Destruction of Syrian Chemical Weapons

Update January 3, 2014 – 10:15 AM

Treatment of Syrian chemical substances onboard the American ship Cape Ray is a default solution. It follows Northern European countries’ refusal to directly dispose of the precursor chemical ammunition in specialized facilities (*). This operation on the high seas would install industrialization of the world’s oceans.

Lire la suite

How Does France Manage Old Chemical Weapons?

19 Dec 2013

Update

October 14, 2013 : a ministerial decree permits ASTRIUM to build SECOIA at Mailly-le-Camp.

—————————–
For 13 years, Robin des Bois has been working on the war waste issue including chemical weapons. Considering the current state of development it seems useful to review the doctrine and the actual practice of France in relation to the international Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction known as the Chemical Weapons Convention. The majority of chemical weapons to be destroyed on French territory were made with phosgene and chloropicrin, mustard gas and chlorobenzene, zinc tetrachloride, arsenic and cyanide.

Lire la suite

Cherbourg Alarms

9 Dec 2013

N°1

The Russian tuna seiner Marginella has been immobilized at Cherbourg since July 2007. After leaving Kaliningrad (Russia), she was heading towards South Africa via Ghana to fish bluefin and tropical tuna, under dubious conditions in regard with the conformity to the regulations of ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas). She suffered outbreaks of fire in the machinery space in the North Sea and the English Channel, resulting in a total propulsion failure. She had to be towed to port by Abeille Liberté.

Lire la suite

Cherbourg Alarms

9 Dec 2013

N°1

The Russian tuna seiner Marginella has been immobilized at Cherbourg since July 2007. After leaving Kaliningrad (Russia), she was heading towards South Africa via Ghana to fish bluefin and tropical tuna, under dubious conditions in regard with the conformity to the regulations of ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas). She suffered outbreaks of fire in the machinery space in the North Sea and the English Channel, resulting in a total propulsion failure. She had to be towed to port by Abeille Liberté.

Lire la suite

Cherbourg Alarms

9 Dec 2013

Cherbourg Alarms

N°1

The Russian tuna seiner Marginella has been immobilized at Cherbourg since July 2007. After leaving Kaliningrad (Russia), she was heading towards South Africa via Ghana to fish bluefin and tropical tuna, under dubious conditions in regard with the conformity to the regulations of ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas). She suffered outbreaks of fire in the machinery space in the North Sea and the English Channel, resulting in a total propulsion failure. She had to be towed to port by Abeille Liberté.

Lire la suite

French Ivory to be Scrapped

5 Dec 2013

Robin des Bois has been officially requesting for over 6 months that the French Government proceed to the destruction of illegal ivory accumulated over several decades and for an inventory of stockpiles to be made public.

After some hesitation, France has finally decided to go through with this destruction. An inventory of storage places and quantities held is in the making. It will include Court registries, Natural History Museums and border police storage facilities. Total amounts could reach several tens of tons. Only a few pieces of ivory are to be kept for scientific and pedagogical reasons.

Lire la suite

Ship-breaking # 33, a shock edition…

26 Nov 2013

Ship-breaking # 33, a shock edition…

with Victor Hugo’s Wave and ships crippled by the tsunami,

with the risky traffic of river barges from Northern Europe to Nigeria,

with the return to the stage of the conductor with the delivery to India of the ex-aircraft carrier Clemenceau,

with China taking the ship-breakers’ lead,

with the end of two Russian vessels specialized in wood and nuclear cargoes,

with Japanese sail and diesel-powered ships leaving for demolition anonymously

and with the portraits and profiles of 271 vessels broken up from August 1st to October 31st

Lire la suite