The Environment Chronicle

Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau studied the effects of seven pesticide products on juvenile European common frogs (Rana temporaria) in an agricultural overspray scenario. Mortality ranged from 100% after one hour to 40% after seven days at the recommended label rate of currently registered products. This study was co-funded by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), Germany.

The nations that are members of the Arctic Council have agreed to make Tromsø the permanent home of the Secretariat. On 21 January 2013, a signing ceremony took place in the Norwegian Polar Research Centre. The so-called Host Country Agreement was signed by Foreign Minister of Norway, Barth Eide, and newly appointed Director of the Arctic Council Secretariat ,Mr. Magnús Jóhannesson.

The first meeting of the Platform's Plenary (IPBES-1) was held in Bonn, Germany from 21 to 26 January 2013, hosted by the Government of Germany.

More than 140 nations have adopted the first treaty to reduce mercury emissions.

On 17 January 2013, a US Navy minesweeper Guardian run aground on a UNESCO protected coral reef off the Philippines. The ship hit the coral reef in the Tubbataha National Marine Park. Tubbataha Reef is about 80 nautical miles east-southeast of Palawan island.

Beijing's air quality reached extremely hazardous levels in mid-January 2013. According to the air quality monitoring by the U.S. Embassy, levels of PM2.5 particles were at 886 micrograms per cubic meter.

The world’s first large passenger vessel to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), Viking Grace was delivered to Viking Line on 10 January 2013, and took service on 13 January 2013. LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) is natural gas that has been cooled down to minus 162 degrees Celsius (minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit). This transforms it from gaseous to liquid form and shrinks it 600 times in volume. Natural gas is a fossil fuel that emits about 25 per cent less carbon dioxide during combustion than oil does. The gas burns with a clean flame, emitting neither dust nor soot. It is sulphur-free and is low in nitrogen oxide emissions.

Laboratory Animal of the Year 2013 is the dog. Dogs are a favored species in toxicology studies.

On 22 March 2013, the Global Nature Fund announced, for the third time, the choice of Lake Mindel in Baden Württemberg as Living Lake of the Year 2013.

Dragonfly of the Year 2013 is the Northern Damselfly or Spearhead Bluet (Coenagrion hastulatum).

European spider of the year 2013 is the common purse-web spider (Atypus affinis). The common purse-web spider belongs to the purse-web spider family (Atypidae). These are the only central European representatives of the tarantula-like spiders (Mygalomorphae); a group characterised by their forward-projecting and parallel (i.e. orthognath) mouthparts.

Water plant of the Year 2013 is the lesser water-plantains (Ranunculus aquatilis).

Wild bee of the Year 2013 is the Osmia bicolor.

Cactus of the year 2013 is the silver torch or wooly torch (Cleistocactus strausii).

Since 2011, the Federal Environment Agency has selected a "water body type of the year". Water Body Type of the Year 2013 are watercourses in the southern Alpine foothills. The environmental condition of many of the streams and rivers in the southern Alpine foothills of Germany is ranked 'good'. These water bodies flow in the depositions of the last ice age, in the immediate vicinity of the large lakes in the foothills. They include the tributaries of Lake Ammer, the Attel or the lower reaches of the Loisach, and the Argen and Schussen tributaries to Lake Constance. The majority of the streams and rivers of the southern Alpine foothills – 57 per cent to be exact – are already in what is known as “good ecological status” and thus achieve the objectives of the Water Framework Directive, which only one in every ten watercourses in Germany can claim so far. All water bodies of this type have been certified to have chemically good condition.

Animal of the Year 2013 is the Least weasel (Mustela nivalis).

On the occasion of World Wetlands Day, the Global Nature Fund (GNF) proclaimed Lake Winnipeg as “Threatened Lake of the Year 2013“. Lake Winnipeg is located in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Despite relatively low populations in the Lake Winnipeg watershed – about 7.0 inhabitants per sq. km - nutrients in agricultural run-off and sewage discharges threaten Lake Winnipeg’s future by stimulating large amounts of blue-green algae that imbalance the lake’s food web and can be toxic to humans. The increasing frequency and severity of flooding associated with climate warming, the drainage of wetlands, and the regulation of water levels are having further negative effects on the lake.

The Damask rose (Rosa damascena) has been chosen for the Medicinal Herb of the Year 2013 by the NHV Theophrastus.

Poisonous plant of the year 2013 is the Prunus laurocerasus, also known as cherry laurel or common laurel.

Mollusc of the year 2013 is the Ostrea edulis commonly known as the European flat oyster.

Cave Animal of the Year 2013 is the Speolepta leptogaster.

Endangered livestock breed of the year 2013 is the Leine sheep.

The Solling was chosen as Forest of the Year 2013.

Bird of the Year 2013 is the Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago).

Coronella austriaca commonly known as a smooth snake is Reptile of the year 2013.

Fish of the year 2013 is the trout (Salmo trutta).

Flower of the Year 2013 is the Common hepatica (Hepatica nobilis).

Butterfly of the Year 2013 is the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene).

Orchid of the year 2013 is the Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea).

Insect of the Year 2013 is the Rhyacophila.

On 1 January 2013, beverage can deposit celebrated its 10th birthday.

Algal researchers of the German Botanical Society have chosen Lingulodinium polyedrum as alga of the year 2013.

Soil of the year 2013 is the Plaggic Anthrosol.

Perennial Herb of the Year 2013 is the Euphorbia. Euphorbia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae.

European Commissioner for Environment Janez Potočnik has declared 2013 as the Year of Air for EU policies. The plan is to highlight the importance of clean air for all and to focus on actions to improve air quality across the EU.

The French city of Nantes had been named as winners of the European Green Capital award for 2013. Nantes, France's sixth largest city with a population of 285 000, has successfully linked its green and blue urban areas, integrating urban challenges with a location on two major rivers (the Loire and the Erdre), through a sustainable water management programme. Several Natura 2000 and other nature conservation areas border the city, and conservation of the flora and fauna are a key concern for its population. Nantes has a long established integrated and sustainable transport policy with a focus on public transport and cycling and was the first French city to successfully reintroduce electric trams. Its ambitious transport policy has reduced air pollution, and a new climate plan aims to cut CO2 emissions by a quarter by 2020. One novel initiative for citizens' health is an allergy risk evaluation system, in the form of an experimental “pollen watch garden”.

The winners of the German Environmental Award of the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umweltstiftung (DBU)2013 have been selected. The 500,000-euro award, is to be shared in 2013 by the founder and managing director of the company Hock (Nördlingen), Carmen Hock-Heyl (58), and the chairwoman of the board of Netzkauf ElektrizitätsWerke Schönau (EWS) e.G., Ursula Sladek (67). Hock-Heyl is receiving the award because she established insulation batts for house building made out of the eco-friendly raw material hemp on the market, and the “electricity rebel” Sladek is being honoured for creating the first green-energy provider in Germany on the basis of a civic action group.

Moss of the year 2013 is the Marchantia polymorpha, sometimes known as the common liverwort or umbrella liverwort.

The year 2013 has been declared "The International Year of the Quinoa" (IYQ). The International Year of the Quinoa was proposed by the government of Bolivia, with support from Argentina, Azerbaijan, Ecuador, Georgia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, and FAO, and approved by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2011.

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation.