How Did the Sichuan Earthquake Happen?
Map of epicenter of May 12, 2008 earthquake in Sichuan Province in China (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Sichuan province is located in the country of China and it experiences many earthquakes with the most recent being in the year 2008 as at 2012. There are different reasons why the region experiences these earthquakes such as in 2008 it was caused by the fracture of the Longmenshan fault due to the movement of the Indo-Australian Plate and Eurasian Plate. For more information about other earthquakes that are experienced in the area you can visit sites such as wikipedia.
The key principle of plate tectonics is that the lithosphere exists as separate and distinct tectonic plates, which float on the fluid-like (visco-elastic solid) asthenosphere. The relative fluidity of the asthenosphere allows the tectonic plates to undergo motion in different directions. This map shows 15 of the largest plates. Note that the Indo-Australian Plate may be breaking apart into the Indian and Australian plates, which are shown separately on this map. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Sichuan Earthquake was caused by a thrust on a Northeast – Southwest (Longmenshan) fault line, which moved the earth in two sections. Geologists believe since the quake was shallow (about 3km beneath the surface), it resulted to cause a greater effect at the epicentre, which was highly populated. It is the 21st deadliest earthquake of all time.
Related articles
- Earthquake hits China’s Sichuan province (guardian.co.uk)
- China’s Sichuan hit by earthquake, killing 2 (newsinfo.inquirer.net)
- Powerful earthquake strikes China’s Sichuan province (globalnews.ca)
- Sichuan earthquake may be aftershock of 2008 killer quake: Chinese geologist (journal.probeinternational.org)
- China’s Sichuan Hit by Earthquake, Killing 2 (nytimes.com)
- Terrified pandas climb into trees to escape Sichuan earthquake in China (metro.co.uk)
UN Urges member nations to renew pledges to respect the Earth
English: Ban Ki-moon, South Korean politician (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Emblem of the United Nations. Color is #d69d36 from the image at http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/maplib/flag.htm (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The UN has asked its member countries to stick to its promises to work with the environment – but are the practical steps in each of those countries measuring up (we ask ourselves)?
Top United Nations officials this week urged the 193 Member States to renew their pledges to honour and respect Mother Earth marking the day selected by the world body to promote harmony with nature and sustainable development. ENN reports
Today is a “chance to reaffirm our collective responsibility to promote harmony with nature,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Interactive Dialogue on Harmony with Nature held to mark International Mother Earth Day.
Noting this year’s theme, Faces of Climate Change, Mr. Ban urged the UN General Assembly “to confront the hard truth that our planet is under threat.”
He noted that unsustainable exploitation of natural resources is eroding fragile ecosystems, destroying biodiversity, depleting fish stocks by short-sighted commercial fishing and threatening marine food chains by raising the acidity in oceans.
“When we threaten the planet, we undermine our only home — and our future survival,” Mr. Ban said, calling on countries to ensure that upcoming development strategies include measures to support and sustain Mother Earth.
“On this International Day, let us renew our pledges to honour and respect Mother Earth,” Mr. Ban urged.
In his speech, Mr. Ban also noted the growing momentum among world leaders to support sustainable development, citing in particular the efforts of Bolivia, which adopted a legal framework that specifically protects Mother Earth, with the rights of nature included in the national Constitution, and which led the effort to create the Day.
Since 2009, the UN General Assembly has marked International Mother Earth Day on Earth Day or 22 April, expressing its conviction that, to achieve a just balance among the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations, “it is necessary to promote harmony with nature and the Earth.”
Planet Earth from Space image via Shutterstock.
Read more at UN News Service.
Related articles
- April 22 marks International Mother Earth Day (panarmenian.net)
- UN chief calls for renewed pledges to honor and respect Mother Earth (nzweek.com)
- International Mother Earth Day (fansinaflashbulb.wordpress.com)
Earth Day : The Face of Climate Change
The theme of Earth Day 2013 is The Face of Climate Change. This campaign seeks to harness the power of Earth Day to personalize the massive challenge that climate change presents, while uniting people around the globe into a powerful call to action.
Earth Day Network is collecting images of people, animals and places affected by climate change, as well as images of people doing their part in the fight against climate change. On Earth Day itself, an interactive digital display of all the images will be shown at thousands of events around the world. The display is also available online to anyone who wants to view it, show it or read the stories.
Although climate change still seems a remote problem to some people, the reality is quite different. This past year marked many climate-change milestones. Arctic sea-ice cover reached a record low in September. The United States experienced its hottest year ever; this after the World Meteorological Organization announced that the first decade of this century was the hottest on record for the entire planet. Public perception of extreme weather events as “the new normal” grew, as unusual super storms rocked the Caribbean, the Philippines and the northeast United States; droughts plagued northern Brazil, Russia, China and two-thirds of United States; exceptional floods inundated Nigeria, Pakistan and parts of China; and more. Meanwhile, international climate change talks stagnated.
But as these Faces of Climate Change begin to multiply, others are multiplying, too: people stepping up to do something about it.
“The goal is to depict the very real impact that climate change is having on people’s lives and to unite thousands of Earth Day events around the world into one call for climate action,” said Franklin Russell, director of Earth Day at Earth Day Network. “The more people who participate, the more of an impact it will have.”
Earth Day Network is encouraged by the level of participation in this year’s activities.
Examples of stories collected so far include a mountaineer in New Zealand who reported on receding glaciers and an organization in Thailand who installed solar panels at a refugee camp on the Myanmar border. With more than 1 billion people across 192 countries participating in Earth Day-related activities each year, the potential is enormous.
People can also post photos to Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #FaceOfClimate for inclusion in the mosaic. To view The Face of Climate Change photo display, go to www.earthday.org/faces. To learn more about Earth Day 2013 and The Face of Climate Change, go to www.earthday.org/2013.
· Kathleen Rogers, president
· Franklin Russell, director of Earth Day
If you are interested in specific stories from The Face of Climate Change or in scheduling an interview with an Earth Day Network spokesperson, contact Bryan Buchanan, communications director: buchanan@earthday.org, 202-518-0044 x 14
Related articles
- Counting down to Earth Day; April 22nd (scrink.com)
- Earth Day 2013: The Face of Climate Change, What Can You do to Make a Difference? (Video) (scienceworldreport.com)
- Add Your Face to Climate Change (blogs.scientificamerican.com)
- Digital mosaic shows human face of climate change (treehugger.com)
- Earth Day 2013 themed The Face of Climate Change (caribbean360.com)
- Earth Day Channels Power (pacificsolarcompany.wordpress.com)
Earth Day 2013
Earth Day is held every year on 22 April to highlight environmental issues, with events held around the world to show support. The Independent reports
More than one billion people across 192 countries now participate in activities, with planting trees being one of the most popular ways to show support.
Earth Day 2013 has been given a major boost thanks to Google featuring it as its doodle.
This is Google’s 13th Earth Day doodle. Today’s elaborate animation shows the cycle of seasons represented by the rising and falling sun and moon. Users can play and pause the moon and sun on four different images.
US senator Gaylord Nelson conceived the idea for the event in the wake of the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. The first Earth Day began in 1970 when 20 million Americans took to the streets to demand a sustainable environment and it is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement.
The first event led to the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Act.
Related articles
- The History of Earthday (winwinforacause.wordpress.com)
- Earth Day – Every Day (ichoosecleanworld.wordpress.com)
- Live: How Earth Day 2013 is being celebrated around the world (mirror.co.uk)
Water ….
<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/4RL7IQ5fcCw” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen>
Recent Comments