Strong Wind, Heavy Snow throughout Armenia

10:30 • 30.03.14

Armenia’s Ministry of Transport and Communication reports that strong wind and heavy snow as observed throughout Armenia as of 10:00 a.m.

The Talin-Ani section of the Yerevan-Gyumri-Bavra-Georgia highway, as well as the Vardenyats Pass and Tukh Manuki, is blocked.

The Department for Emergency Situations, Georgia’s Ministry of the Interior, reports the Stepantsminda-Lars highway is blocked.  

Tert.am

Real Time Seismicity

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Glossary

Citizen Response			Date & Time UTC	Latitude degrees		Longitude degrees		Depth km	Mag [+]	Region name [+]
12345678910›»
			2014-03-30   09:08:48.96hr 17min ago	44.28	N	10.79	E	10	2.0	NORTHERN ITALY
			2014-03-30   08:42:36.06hr 44min ago	36.14	N	97.62	W	5	4.3	OKLAHOMA
			2014-03-30   08:36:58.06hr 49min ago	6.81	N	73.04	W	152	4.5	NORTHERN COLOMBIA
			2014-03-30   08:13:59.07hr 12min ago	33.93	N	117.92	W	1	2.5	GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIF.
			2014-03-30   08:12:44.07hr 14min ago	42.79	N	12.54	E	6	2.8	CENTRAL ITALY
			2014-03-30   08:10:31.07hr 16min ago	36.13	N	97.64	W	3	3.6	OKLAHOMA
			2014-03-30   08:07:05.07hr 19min ago	36.14	N	97.62	W	6	3.5	OKLAHOMA
			2014-03-30   07:21:38.98hr 05min ago	37.04	N	27.48	E	5	2.7	WESTERN TURKEY
			2014-03-30   06:59:29.08hr 27min ago	36.12	N	97.64	W	5	3.3	OKLAHOMA
5		F	2014-03-30   06:51:56.08hr 34min ago	36.14	N	97.59	W	5	4.3	OKLAHOMA
			2014-03-30   06:41:06.08hr 45min ago	43.48	N	12.40	E	9	2.0	CENTRAL ITALY
3		F	2014-03-30   06:37:44.08hr 49min ago	36.14	N	97.62	W	4	3.5	OKLAHOMA
			2014-03-30   06:33:04.68hr 53min ago	38.91	N	43.52	E	5	2.7	EASTERN TURKEY
			2014-03-30   06:32:30.08hr 54min ago	20.06	S	70.79	W	5	4.1	OFFSHORE TARAPACA, CHILE
1			2014-03-30   06:31:49.08hr 54min ago	33.90	N	117.95	W	1	2.9	GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIF.
8		F	2014-03-30   06:17:31.09hr 09min ago	33.90	N	117.94	W	1	3.2	GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIF.
			2014-03-30   06:12:39.89hr 14min ago	44.91	N	11.31	E	6	2.2	NORTHERN ITALY
			2014-03-30   06:07:51.39hr 18min ago	43.48	N	12.40	E	10	2.0	CENTRAL ITALY
			2014-03-30   06:02:33.09hr 24min ago	41.55	S	91.81	W	10	4.6	SOUTHEAST OF EASTER ISLAND
8		F	2014-03-30   05:51:22.09hr 35min ago	33.91	N	117.95	W	2	3.3	GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIF.
			2014-03-30   05:49:29.09hr 37min ago	35.50	N	97.23	W	8	2.6	OKLAHOMA
			2014-03-30   05:30:55.09hr 55min ago	37.01	N	3.72	W	10	2.7	SPAIN
			2014-03-30   05:24:00.010hr 02min ago	24.48	S	69.33	W	88	3.0	ANTOFAGASTA, CHILE
1			2014-03-30   05:23:00.010hr 03min ago	33.94	N	117.90	W	2	2.5	GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIF.
1			2014-03-30   05:06:33.010hr 20min ago	33.91	N	117.95	W	2	2.5	GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIF.
			2014-03-30   05:06:33.410hr 20min ago	35.26	N	23.43	E	20	3.2	CRETE, GREECE
			2014-03-30   05:00:07.010hr 26min ago	33.95	N	117.91	W	3	2.4	GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIF.
			2014-03-30   04:35:10.010hr 51min ago	19.92	S	71.08	W	2	4.2	OFF COAST OF TARAPACA, CHILE
			2014-03-30   04:11:50.011hr 14min ago	43.48	N	12.40	E	10	2.2	CENTRAL ITALY
1			2014-03-30   04:10:11.711hr 16min ago	33.90	N	117.94	W	1	2.3	GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIF.
			2014-03-30   04:03:34.011hr 23min ago	43.48	N	12.40	E	8	3.1	CENTRAL ITALY
			2014-03-30   03:55:33.011hr 31min ago	36.15	N	97.63	W	5	3.5	OKLAHOMA
			2014-03-30   03:53:58.611hr 32min ago	15.53	N	40.13	E	10	4.5	ERITREA
1		F	2014-03-30   03:48:20.711hr 38min ago	33.91	N	117.92	W	1	2.6	GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIF.
			2014-03-30   03:31:36.011hr 55min ago	39.97	N	39.68	E	8	2.6	EASTERN TURKEY
			2014-03-30   03:29:36.011hr 57min ago	43.11	N	18.92	E	4	2.4	MONTENEGRO
		F	2014-03-30   03:23:34.0	35.78	N	140.20	E	60	4.5	NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
			2014-03-30   03:18:33.0	19.95	S	71.04	W	44	2.8	OFF COAST OF TARAPACA, CHILE
			2014-03-30   03:17:47.0	62.05	N	149.19	W	19	2.3	CENTRAL ALASKA
			2014-03-30   03:16:16.2	38.31	N	27.92	E	5	2.5	WESTERN TURKEY
			2014-03-30   03:15:17.0	39.15	N	123.59	W	4	2.3	NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
		F	2014-03-30   03:08:31.0	35.50	N	97.22	W	6	3.7	OKLAHOMA
			2014-03-30   02:44:45.0	19.95	S	71.04	W	10	4.8	OFF COAST OF TARAPACA, CHILE
			2014-03-30   02:29:37.0	43.07	N	18.86	E	5	2.5	MONTENEGRO
			2014-03-30   02:13:24.7	19.20	N	67.10	W	26	2.7	PUERTO RICO REGION
			2014-03-30   02:09:33.0	37.05	N	27.49	E	2	3.0	WESTERN TURKEY
			2014-03-30   01:38:52.0	32.48	S	71.67	W	28	2.9	OFFSHORE VALPARAISO, CHILE
1		F	2014-03-30   01:32:54.0	62.22	N	151.14	W	72	5.1	CENTRAL ALASKA
			2014-03-30   01:11:30.0	14.35	S	75.76	W	80	4.6	NEAR COAST OF CENTRAL PERU
			2014-03-30   00:20:29.0	19.67	S	70.80	W	20	4.5	OFFSHORE TARAPACA, CHILE
12345678910›»

Bold : Earthquakes with a magnitude ≥ 4.5 in Euro-med, or ≥ 5.5 in the world
Red : Earthquakes with a magnitude ≥ 5 in Euro-med, or ≥ 6 in the world

Earthquake Shakes Los Angeles

09:23 • 29.03.14

A 5.1 earthquake centered at LaHabra near Los Angeles rolled Southern California Friday evening, the USA Today reported.

The strong earthquake was felt widely across the region shortly after 9 p.m. PT. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centered near Brea in Orange County — about 20 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.

It was followed by a series of smaller aftershocks over the next 45 minutes. The 5.1 quake was preceded by a 3.6 quake an hour earlier.

The larger quake rattled bookshelves across the region, and police and fire officials said they were looking for any damage.

A broken water main in Fullerton, not far from the center of the quake, was attributed to the temblor, the Orange County Register reported in a tweet.

Los Angeles Department of Public Works said it was sending crews to check dams, bridges and other infrastructure for damage.

Callers to KNX-AM reported seeing a brick wall collapse, water sloshing in a swimming pool, and wires and trees swaying back and forth.

The Los Angeles Fire Department says it is also looking for signs of damage or injuries.

Friday's quake hit a week after a pre-dawn magnitude-4.4 quake centered in the San Fernando Valley rattled a swath of Southern California. That jolt shook buildings and rattled nerves, but did not cause significant damage.

Southern California has not experienced a damaging earthquake since the 1994 magnitude-6.7 Northridge quake killed several dozen people and caused $25 billion in damage.

Giant Balloon Trips to Near-Space

By the end of 2016, private company World View hopes to take tourists to near-space — not with a rocket, but with a high-altitude balloon.

Biosefaty and Genetically Modified Organizms

While the jury on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is still out, there is a growing body of evidence on environmental risks such as threats of gene flow, secondary weeds and pests, and the effects of toxins on non-target species. Supporters of GMOs claim improved characteristics of GM products, high yields, and low costs.

The health risks of GMOs include potential allergenicity of several GM foods and food ingredients, increased toxicity, and the potential development of antibiotic resistance and immunodeficiency. Moreover, there is a threat that genetic engineering can have social and financial effects, enabling transnational companies to monopolize and control the technology by enforcing intellectual property claims. For example, to ensure patent rights protection of GM-seeds, corporations have produced “terminator” seeds, which are sterile in subsequent generations, thus forcing farmers to buy seeds every year (Harutyunyan, 2005).

Armenia, as a country in transition, ranks high in vulnerability to the consequences of importation, production, and usage of GMOs due to such factors as dependency on agriculture, high necessity for

crop improvements, deficiency in GMO regulating legislation, and imperfect institutional capacity. Officially, GMOs are neither imported nor commercially produced in Armenia. However, according to some experts, NGO representatives, and officials there are apprehensions that many products imported to Armenia contain GM ingredients; in particular, GM soy, which was introduced initially as humanitarian aid and then on a commercial basis (Harutyunyan, 2005). This is partly because the genetic origin of imported seeds, plants, and animals is not registered at national border crossings due to lack of GMO testing laboratory. Thus, this field is not properly regulated (Harutyunyan et al.,2008).

It is worth noting that Armenia is a country of rich biodiversity and is a center of origin for wild ancestors of crops and livestock. There are more than 3,500 high plants, 4,000 fungi, and around 17,500 invertebrate and vertebrate species recorded in the territory of Armenia. Indeed, Armenia falls within one of the five centers of diversity and origin of the world’s major food crops described by Vavilov (1992), the creator of the world’s largest collections of plant germplasm. Hence, it is critically important for Armenia to strengthen its capacity to pursue biosafety policies based on well balanced decisions on the introduction of biotechnological innovations. The country should be responsible for providing a safe and healthy environment and conserving its genetic diversity for present and future generations (Harutyunyan, 2005).  

  So think before using those. 

2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and the 2018 FIFA World Cup

2014 FIFA

2014 FIFA

2014 FIFA

The opportunities to encourage the adoption of environmentally sound technologies and practices in developing countries and transition economies are significant. World events serve as opportunities to showcase and raise awareness about innovative technologies and practices. Future GHG emission mitigation potential lies in a country’s ability to incorporate these technologies and practices into its infrastructure in the long term. An important component to ensuring successful adoption is careful upstream planning. The transportation project that will take place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia was approved in 2010, leaving time to effectively green the event in a sustainable way that will positively impact cities and citizens in Russia. The project in place for the 2014 winter

2016 Olimpics in Rio

2016 Olimpics in Rio

2016 Olimpics in Rio

 Olympics in Sochi will also provide the country with time to secure the investment plan and green the city’s infrastructure.Two other important events will take place in 2014 and 2016 in Brazil, when that country will host the world’s two premier sporting events—the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The 2014 World Cup will be conducted in 12 Brazilian cities. Public works projects of approximately $52 billion are planned in order to develop the necessary infrastructure, including stadiums construction, urban transport systems, roads and highways, airports, electric power network expansion, telecommunications networks, water, and wastes. The 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will require extra investments of approximately $11 billion for the same purposes. With cooperation of international partners, the large sums of national capital required for the events will likely be invested in a more environment friendly

2018 FIFA

2018 FIFA

manner. The GEF has learned that by establishing projects like these well in advance and taking the time to plan, world events can act as a successful launch pad for technology adoption and transfer, putting in place the innovative technologies and practices that can have a substantial positive impact on climate change. As of October 2012, the GEF has allocated more than $38 million and leveraged more than $556 million to develop, demonstrate, and implement environmentally sound technologies and initiatives for world events in developing

2018 FIFA

countries. This leverage of funding provides the resources needed to incorporate advanced technologies during infrastructure building, effectively achieving more than any one organization that could achieve alone.

Through its experience in greening world events, the GEF has learned how to use these international gatherings to make lasting positive changes in developing countries and transition economies — not only in physical infrastructure, but in the millions of minds who have the power to mitigate the negative human contribution to climate change.

Undermining the environment

 Despite recent economic growth, Armenia continues to confront economic, social and environmental challenges. The Government launched a Sustainable Development programme, but at the same time made substantial investments in mining and other extractive industries. The Teghut copper-molybdenum mining project in particular poses a threat both to the environment and to sustainable development. The Government has also failed to address pollution, deforestation, soil degradation, and other environmental issues, making the effective implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, as well as increased transparency and public participation in policy-making essential. 
Armenia’s  “Sustainable Development Programme (SDP) for 2009-2012, adopted in 2008, includes a series of measures designed to reduce poverty through: a) stimulation of economic growth and improvement of the business environment; b) increased employment and promotion of medium and small business; c) greater public access to infrastructure services; d) enhanced social assistance programs for the poor; e) expanded access to and consumption of culture; f) more extensive social assistance programs for youth; g) a reduction in corruption within State Government, the health and education systems, the judiciary system and  local government.
Implementation of the SDP was set back by the impact of the 2008-09 global economic crisis.  Reduced investment in construction hurt small and medium-sized businesses, and the proportion of the population living below the poverty line jumped from 27% to 47%. While per capita GDP had soared from USD 3,576 to USD 11,916 from 2004 to 2008 the impact of the economic crisis was negative (see chart), particularly for sustainable development. Although economic growth resumed in 2009 and 2010, in most cases this has helped realize only short-term economic objectives. Policies set up for the environmental and social spheres have been neglected,and the Government has decided to pursue sustainable development only in selected areas.
Environmental issues

One of the country’s most pressing environmental concerns is limited access to clean water. In many cases, aging and corroded infrastructure allows sewage to seep into freshwater pipes. Yerevan, the capital, still lacks a fully functional wastewater treatment plant. In the northern part of the country, rivers such as the Debed have alarming concentrations of lead, while in places such as the Ararat Valley, most water pollution comes from pesticides containing pollutants such as arsenic and cadmium. Experts predict that the most likely climate change scenario will cause severe drinking water shortages in the coming decades.
Air pollution is also increasing at an alarming rate. Yerevan, for example, is located in a geological depression in which stagnant air exacerbates heavy pollution, 90% of which is caused by vehicles. The other 10% is highly toxic, containing smoke filled with the residue of plastics burned at industrial and mining facilities near the city. The atmosphere in other cities is also heavily polluted. Alaverdi, for example, has had 11.4 times the permitted level of sulfur dioxide in recent years. Between 2001 and 2005, recorded cases of respiratory disease jumped 45%; experts believe the real incidence of diseases such as asthma is actually far higher.
Air pollution is exacerbated by the common practice of burning waste in the open. Unauthorized burning releases dioxins, furans and other toxic chemicals that can cause a wide range of health problems, including skin disorders, liver problems, immune system impairment and certain types of cancers.
Deforestation, which has escalated to an unprecedented level, is another concern. Only 7% of the territory remains forested, down from 35% two centuries ago, and much of this is degraded. The leading causes include use of wood for fuel, due to a lack of alternatives, and the Government’s decision to allow mining in ecologically sensitive areas, which shows the lack of official recognition of the importance of natural forests.
Corruption and the environment
Many environmental problems in Armenia are closely linked to corruption, especially in forestry and mining. For example, environmental restrictions are not enforced in most mining operations; in the period from 2001 to 2007, the then-Minister of Nature Protection issued several mining licenses to relatives.
It is widely believed that cases of corruption related to businesses sponsored by high level Government officials are abundant. Certainly Government actions have not been able to stop the destruction and degradation of the forests due to illegal logging. Also, many forest areas have been improperly reclassified and allocated to private individuals. In 2007, for example, the Government changed the status of the central part of the Khosrov Reserve to allow private construction and agricultural activities; it made this decision without consulting experts in the field.
The Teghut mountains: a case study in unsustainable exploitation
The Government is pursuing an extraction-led development model, as evidenced by its willingness to allow massive investment in mining. The Armenian Copper Program (ACP), for example, has been granted a 24-year license to extract copper and molybdenum ore from the Teghut Mountains. ACP is developing an open-pit mine with a surface area of 240 ha, all of which is forested land.
The village of Teghut, located in the Lori Region in the northeast has 3,600 residents, many of whom rely on subsistence agriculture. The surrounding forest is home to many rare and endangered plants and animals; species found there include 260 insects, 86 birds, 55 mammals and 10 reptiles.
ACP has already built numerous forest access roads for exploratory drilling sites, indiscriminately ravaging several areas. Ultimately, according to ACP, the project will require 670 ha, of which 510 ha are currently forested. 
ACP has declared that it will compensate for the damage by planting trees in Yerevan, but this plan is inadequate and unrealistic. New trees cannot replace established forest habitats; mature trees may not survive a move.
The mining operations will produce waste rock and tailings, which may contain silver, gold, rhenium, lead, arsenic, copper, molybdenum, zinc and sulfurous chemicals. In the inefficient extraction process that will be used, valuable metals such as renium will be lost; much worse, it will leave tailings that will pollute both local water and the air. If leakage occurs, toxic chemicals could get into the nearby Kharatanots River, already polluted by the copper tailing dump in the village of Aghtala, and where numerous downstream communities get their drinking water.
The deleterious environmental impact of the mine will hardly be offset by economic benefits. The project’s economists estimate that it contains ore worth more than 20 billion USD, of which the country will receive only 1.2-1.7% in taxes and fees and suffer severe, long term environmental problems costing USD 6.5 million. So far, there is no independent economic analysis of the potential environmental damage. 
As currently planned, construction of the ore processing plant and exploitation of the copper-molybdenum mine will breach 77 laws, as well as a range of international conventions signed and ratified by the Republic of Armenia, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UN Convention on Biodiversity, the UN Convention on Combating Desertification and the European Landscape Convention. However, the Government has designated the Teghut mining operation a high priority for its contribution to “economic development,” reflecting its short-term perspective, as well as its corrupt practices. It also reveals its lack of expertise, respect for the law, care for the environment and interest in pursuing a long-term sustainable development model.
Conclusions
The rapid growth of some sectors of the economy, along with the lack of appropriate government management, have created serious environmental problems and challenges. To promote sustainability, the country must make environmental protection a priority.
Armenia has ratified many international conventions on issues such as biodiversity, climate change and desertification. These commitments, as well as the voice of civil society, have been largely ignored. Improving environmental governance will require effective implementation and enforcement of existing environmental laws, as well as greater transparency and public participation in policy-making. This, in turn, will require a concerted effort to increase popular awareness of environmental issues.