This is a list of notable events relating to the

environment Environment most often refers to: __NOTOC__ * Natural environment, referring respectively to all living and non-living things occurring naturally and the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism ...

in 2011. They relate to

environmental law Environmental laws are laws that protect the environment. The term "environmental law" encompasses treaties, statutes, regulations, conventions, and policies designed to protect the natural environment and manage the impact of human activitie ...

conservation Conservation is the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws. Conservation may also refer to: Environment and natural resources * Nature conservation, the protection and manage ...

environmentalism Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology, and social movement about supporting life, habitats, and surroundings. While environmentalism focuses more on the environmental and nature-related aspects of green ideology and politics, ecolog ...

and

environmental issue Environmental issues are disruptions in the usual function of ecosystems. Further, these issues can be caused by humans (human impact on the environment) or they can be natural. These issues are considered serious when the ecosystem cannot recov ...

Events

*The year 2011 was declared the

International Year of Forests The year 2011 was declared the International Year of Forests by the United Nations to raise awareness and strengthen the sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests for the benefit of current and fut ...

by the United Nations to raise awareness and strengthen the sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests for the benefit of current and future generations. *The

Western Black Rhinoceros The western black rhinoceros (''Diceros bicornis longipes'') or West African black rhinoceros is an extinct subspecies of the black rhinoceros. It was declared extinct by the IUCN in 2011. The western black rhinoceros was believed to have been ge ...

is declared extinct by the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status ...

after not being sighted since 2006. *

Hydraulic fracturing Fracking (also known as hydraulic fracturing, fracing, hydrofracturing, or hydrofracking) is a well stimulation technique involving the fracturing of Formation (geology), formations in bedrock by a pressurized liquid. The process involves the ...

is banned in France and concerns are raised in other countries.

January

*US president

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

signed the

Shark Conservation Act The Shark Conservation Act of 2009 (SCA) (, ) was passed by the 111th United States Congress that amended the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act and the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to improve the ...

. The law amended the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act and the

Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act The Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA), commonly referred to as the Magnuson–Stevens Act (MSA), is the legislation providing for the management of marine fisheries in U.S. waters. Originally enacted in 1976 to ...

to improve the conservation of sharks.

March

*The

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster The Fukushima nuclear accident was a major nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima, Japan, which began on 11 March 2011. The cause of the accident was the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which r ...

is a series of equipment failures, nuclear meltdowns, and releases of radioactive materials at the

Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant may refer to: Japan * Fukushima Prefecture, Japanese prefecture **Fukushima, Fukushima, capital city of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan *** Fukushima University, national university in Japan ***Fukushima Station (Fukushima) in Fukushima, Fukushima ...

, following the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011. It is the largest nuclear disaster since the

Chernobyl disaster On 26 April 1986, the no. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, located near Pripyat, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine), exploded. With dozens of direct casualties, it is one of only ...

of 1986.

April

* Little Buffalo oil spill in Alberta, Canada.

June

* Bohai Bay oil spill in the Yellow Sea. *The

Nahal Zin fuel leak The Nahal Zin fuel leak () was a severe ecological disaster caused in June 2011 when a backhoe loader struck and ruptured an underground fuel pipeline in southern Israel. 1.5 million liters of jet fuel leaked into the surrounding soil, resulting i ...

occurred when a backhoe loader struck and ruptured an underground fuel pipeline in southern Israel.

August

* A series of demonstrations began by indigenous peoples in Bolivia who opposed the construction of the

Villa Tunari – San Ignacio de Moxos Highway The Villa Tunari – San Ignacio de Moxos Highway, also known as the Cochabamba–Beni Highway is a road project in Bolivia connecting the towns of Villa Tunari (in Cochabamba Department) and San Ignacio de Moxos (in Beni Department). It would p ...

through the

Isiboro Sécure National Park and Indigenous Territory Isiboro Sécure National Park and Indigenous Territory (''Territorio Indígena y Parque Nacional Isiboro Secure,'' TIPNIS) is a protected area and Native Community Land in Bolivia situated between the north of the Cochabamba Department and the s ...

, the ancestral lands of over 12,000 indigenous residents, from the Chimane, Yuracaré, and Mojeño-Trinitario peoples.

September

*The

Zhejiang solar panel plant protest China is the largest market in the world for both photovoltaics and solar thermal energy. China's photovoltaic industry began by making panels for satellites, and transitioned to the manufacture of domestic panels in the late 1990s. After sub ...

occurred over three days at Zhejiang

Jinko Solar JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. () is a solar module manufacturer headquartered in Shanghai, China, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 2010. Its subsidiary Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. () was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's Science and ...

company in Haining City, Zhejiang province of China due to fears about pollution from the factory contaminating the local environment. * Birdlife Cyprus estimate over 300,000 birds are illegally trapped, using mist nets and lime-sticks in

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

during the first two weeks of September. Estimate rises to one million for the period 1 September to 23 October.

October

Rena oil spill The ''Rena'' oil spill occurred off the coast of Tauranga, New Zealand in October 2011. The spill was caused by the grounding of on the Astrolabe Reef. The ''Rena'' was a container ship and cargo vessel owned by the Greek shipping company ...

in New Zealand after the MV ''Rena'' ran aground.

November

*The

2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference The 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP17) was held in Durban, South Africa, from 28 November to 11 December 2011 to establish a new treaty to limit carbon emissions. A treaty was not established, but the conference agreed to est ...

was held in Durban, South Africa, from 28 November to 11 December 2011 to establish a new treaty to limit

carbon emissions Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities intensify the greenhouse effect. This contributes to climate change. Carbon dioxide (), from burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, oil, and natural gas, is the main cause of climate chan ...

December

*An oil spill occurred at the

Bonga Field The Bonga Field is an oilfield in Nigeria. It was located in License block OPL 212 off the Nigerian coast, which was renamed OML 118 in February 2000. The field covers approximately 60 km2 in an average water depth of . The field was discov ...

in Nigeria of up to 40,000 barrels, or 1.68 million gallons. It resulted in a 923 square kilometre oil slick. *The

International Tropical Timber Agreement, 2006 International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * International (Kevin Michael album), ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * International (New Order album), ' ...

enters into force.

References

{{Reflist

Events

January

March

April

June

August

September

October

November

December

See also

References