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I don't know of a worse one

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"I don't know of a worse one."The case illustrates the growing danger of invasive species in an increasingly globalised world, and is prompting calls for the Government to bring in tighter precautions against chance arrivals of unwanted foreign organisms, which could cause catastrophic damage to agriculture, wildlife or even human health. He thinks most of the country will be overrun by 2008, and native species will start to disappear immediately.Although other non-native species have caused severe problems with British wildlife - for example, the grey squirrel from North America has driven out the native red squirrel - Britain has not so far seen a foreign invader destroy a whole suite of other species, as the harlequin is now likely to do."In ecological terms, this is a disaster," Dr Majerus said. Those shiny bright red beetles with their black spots, which generations of children have delighted in, and which gardeners have so long relied on to deal with the aphids (greenfly) eating their roses, will soon be a thing of the past.Britain's leading ladybird expert, Michael Majerus from Cambridge University, says the harlequin, which has come into Britain from continental Europe, either in flower or vegetable imports, or by flying in directly, poses a dire threat to half of Britain's 46 species. Ministers failed to achieve a green light for any if their objectives and the Government's own Whitehall departments were criticised in the report for wasting energy and water.. In what is probably the worst case of havoc caused by an invasive species the UK has ever seen, a whole group of British ladybird species is likely to be wiped in short order out by an aggressive foreign interloper, which will also become a major pest. Harmonia axyridis, the harlequin ladybird from Asia, was first detected in Britain in September last year and known to be a threat to familiar species of our own such as the two-spot and the seven-spot ladybirds, by outcompeting them for the aphids on which they feed - and also by eating them directly.But scientists have recently realised it is having an effect more quickly than anticipated.

But say goodbye to Britain's ladybirds, many of which are now facing extinction within a few short years. They have a special place in the hearts of children They're beloved by gardeners as natural pest controllers. CO2 emissions were given red , as were the performances on reducing waste, lowering water consumption and achieving sustainable development All other targets were given amber lights. They must take action now to get back on the Kyoto track, including energy saving and investment in renewable energy."EU countries would have to adopt tougher limits on emissions from power stations and heavy industry in the new year as part of the second phase of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, he said.Recent figures show carbon dioxide emissions increasing in 13 out of the 15 countries, including Britain, the report says.The British Government was condemned by its own guru on global warming earlier this month for failing to meet its targets on climate change.Ministers set themselves the target of reducing CO2 emissions by 12.5 per cent from their 1990 levels by 2012, but Britain's production of the gas has increased by 9 per cent since 1999.In his first report as head of the Commission for Sustainable Development, Sir Jonathon Porritt gave colour-coded ratings for the Government's performance on climate change.

It is vital that EU countries keep their promises to cut pollution. "We have little time left to start reducing global greenhouse gas emissions before irreparable damage is done. Although the US is portrayed as the ecological villain for refusing to sign up to the agreement, 10 out of the 15 European Union signatories - including Ireland, Italy and Spain - will miss their targets without urgent action, the Institute for Public Policy Research found. France, Greece and Germany are given "amber warnings" and will only achieve the objectives if planned policies are successfully carried out.Tony Grayling, the institute's associate director, said the world was near the point of no return on climate change. The rest of us accept the more rational view that we and the apes may have evolved from a common ancestor, but unlike the apes we have broad and generous minds.PHIL SHAKESPEARELONDON N1.

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