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 2011. They relate to environmental law,

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 seeks ...

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 t ...

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 futu ...

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 gen ...

is declared extinct by the IUCN after not being sighted since 2006. * Hydraulic fracturing 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 served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...

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 con ...

. 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 as ...

to improve the conservation of sharks.

March

*The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster 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, Fukushim ...

, following the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011. It is the largest nuclear disaster since the Chernobyl disaster 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 ( he, אסון נחל צין) 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 s ...

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 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 t ...

, 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 subst ...

occurred over three days at Zhejiang

Jinko Solar JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. () is a solar panel manufacturer headquartered in Shanghai, China. The company started out as a wafer manufacturer in 2006 and went public on the New York Stock Exchange The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed ...

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 ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ge ...

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 C ...

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 es ...

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

December

*An oil spill occurred at the Bonga Field 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

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