This is a list of notable events relating to the
environment
Environment most often refers to:
__NOTOC__
* Natural environment, all living and non-living things occurring naturally
* Biophysical environment, the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism or ...
in
1996
File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...
. They relate to
environmental law
Environmental law is a collective term encompassing aspects of the law that provide protection to the environment. A related but distinct set of regulatory regimes, now strongly influenced by environmental legal principles, focus on the manage ...
,
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 managem ...
,
environmentalism
Environmentalism or environmental rights is a broad philosophy, ideology, and social movement regarding concerns for environmental protection and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seek ...
and
environmental issue
Environmental issues are effects of human activity on the biophysical environment, most often of which are harmful effects that cause environmental degradation. Environmental protection is the practice of protecting the natural environment on th ...
s.
Events
*The
IPCC Second Assessment Report
The Second Assessment Report (SAR) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published in 1995, is an assessment of the then available scientific and socio-economic information on climate change. The report was split into four parts ...
is published.
*The
woodchipping of indigenous forests in New Zealand is stopped.
*The
Western Shield
Western Shield, managed by Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife (Western Australia), Department of Parks and Wildlife, is a nature conservation program safeguarding Western Australia's animals and protecting them from extinction ...
wildlife conservation programme commences in
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
.
*Construction of the
Bakun Dam
The Bakun Dam is an embankment dam located in Belaga District, Kapit Division, Sarawak, Malaysia, on the Balui River, a tributary or source of the Rajang River and some sixty kilometres east of Belaga. As part of the project, the second tallest ...
begins in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. When completed it will flood of rainforest and displace more than 9000 indigenous people.
January
*The
North Cape oil spill
The ''North Cape'' oil spill took place on January 19, 1996, when the tank barge ''North Cape'' and the tug ''Scandia'' grounded on Moonstone Beach in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, after the tug caught fire in its engine room during a winter st ...
occurred when the tank barge ''North Cape'' and the tug ''Scandia'' grounded on Moonstone Beach in South Kingstown, Rhode Island in the United States.
February
*The
''Sea Empress'' oil spill occurred at the entrance to the Milford Haven Waterway in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
May
*The Convention of the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Eastern African Region or
Nairobi Convention of 1985, a regional framework agreement for marine environmental management, comes into effect.
*US president
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
signed the
.
June
*The
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act
The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO) is an Act of Parliament passed in New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North I ...
is passed in New Zealand.
August
*US president Bill Clinton signed the
Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996.
*US president Bill Clinton signed the
Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996.
November
*World-renowned bird expert
Tony Silva
Tony Silva, also known as Antonio H. Silva (born 1960) is an American aviculturist and ornithologist, and the author of books and articles about parrots. From 1989 to 1992, he was curator of birds at Loro Parque, the largest parrot park in the ...
is sentenced to seven years in prison without parole for leading an illegal parrot smuggling ring.
December
*The
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (UNCCD) is a Convention to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through ...
entered into force.
See also
{{Portal, Environment
*
Human impact on the environment
Human impact on the environment (or anthropogenic impact) refers to changes to biophysical environments and to ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources caused directly or indirectly by humans. Modifying the environment to fit the need ...
*
List of environmental issues
This is an alphabetical list of environmental issues, harmful aspects of human activity on the biophysical environment. They are loosely divided into causes, effects and mitigation, noting that effects are interconnected and can cause new effects. ...