One of the reasons I moved to France................
NEWS RELEASEAugust 22 2007
NEW MIGRATION FIGURES SHOW UK QUALITY OF LIFE FALLING – OPT
The record figures for emigration in the latest UK population statistics are further evidence of the decline in Britain’s quality of life caused by overcrowding, the Optimum Population Trust said today (Wednesday August 22).
Commenting on the figures, which showed that UK population grew by 349,000 to mid-2006 and that long-term migration out of the UK reached 385,000 over the same period - the highest figure since the indicator was introduced in 1991 - David Nicholson-Lord, OPT research associate, said: “Out-migration has been climbing for several years now and survey evidence strongly suggests it is driven by a perceived decline in UK quality of life, with congestion, queues, overcrowding and general ‘lack of space’ a key element in people’s decisions to move. The new figures indicate that more and more people are opting for a more spacious and less fraught existence overseas, in countries where there are simply fewer crowds and more room to breathe.
“England is by some measures now the world’s fourth most densely populated country and the overall population increase reported today, equivalent to a city larger than Leicester, shows that this is going to get worse. Over the next six decades the UK population is forecast to rise by another 10 million. Given that many of the people leaving will be skilled professionals, the figures suggest that unsustainably high population levels in the UK may already be causing significant economic damage.”
Optimum Population Trust, 12 Meadowgate, Urmston, Manchester M41 9LB, UKTel: 07976-370 221 email: info@optimumpopulation.org
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
News from NZ
2007 was certainly a year of weather extremes; from the autumn drought in the North Island’s East Coast that devastated farms and stock, to the so-called 1-in-50 year floods which occurred twice in Northland.
These two climatic king-hits, along with Taranaki’s tornadoes, made NIWA’s extreme events for the year.
July was certainly a month of extremes.
Starting with the tornadoes in Taranaki, it was closely followed by the second of the debilitating floods for Northland, as well as damaging hurricane-force storms from Kaitaia to the Coromandel.
While down south, a two-week cold snap burst hundreds of water pipes throughout Central Otago.
The wintry weather also allowed curlers to get out on the Idaburn Dam for the first time in six years.
Auckland was the wettest and the warmest of the five main centres, while Wellington was the sunniest and not surprisingly the windiest.
Looking a head, La Nina is the buzzword for the first half of 2008, with more warm air and higher water temperatures for beachgoers.
In autumn, wetter conditions are expected in the north and east of the country with drier spells predicted in the South Island.
The drought pattern could raise concerns for the large areas of Canterbury and Southland that were converted to dairy farming and are already experiencing drier than normal conditions for summer.
La Nina’s features have already taken shape in December.
Its characteristics of nor easters and rain in the north and east of the country, as well as drier spells in the south, left Kaitaia with its lowest sunshine hours on record for the month, while Invercargill was second only to Tekapo as the sunniest spot in the country in December.
If this pattern continues, 2008 may just out rank the extremes of 2007 as being the most memorable.
These two climatic king-hits, along with Taranaki’s tornadoes, made NIWA’s extreme events for the year.
July was certainly a month of extremes.
Starting with the tornadoes in Taranaki, it was closely followed by the second of the debilitating floods for Northland, as well as damaging hurricane-force storms from Kaitaia to the Coromandel.
While down south, a two-week cold snap burst hundreds of water pipes throughout Central Otago.
The wintry weather also allowed curlers to get out on the Idaburn Dam for the first time in six years.
Auckland was the wettest and the warmest of the five main centres, while Wellington was the sunniest and not surprisingly the windiest.
Looking a head, La Nina is the buzzword for the first half of 2008, with more warm air and higher water temperatures for beachgoers.
In autumn, wetter conditions are expected in the north and east of the country with drier spells predicted in the South Island.
The drought pattern could raise concerns for the large areas of Canterbury and Southland that were converted to dairy farming and are already experiencing drier than normal conditions for summer.
La Nina’s features have already taken shape in December.
Its characteristics of nor easters and rain in the north and east of the country, as well as drier spells in the south, left Kaitaia with its lowest sunshine hours on record for the month, while Invercargill was second only to Tekapo as the sunniest spot in the country in December.
If this pattern continues, 2008 may just out rank the extremes of 2007 as being the most memorable.
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