Protests in Ecuador in opposition to the copper mining concessions in the province of Zamora-Chinchipe begin with a series of demonstrations by indigenous peoples.
The formation of Limmen National Park in Australia's Northern Territory is announced.
April
Protests are held at the site of the proposed Baram Dam in the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
The Sustainable Biofuels Bill, introduced into the New Zealand Parliament by the Green Party, was defeated on its second reading.[3]
May
The Mokihinui Hydro project in New Zealand is cancelled. There had been opposition on the basis that it would result in changes to recreation and flooding of historic sites and high value conservation land.[4]
The Jardim Gramacho landfill in the Brazilian city of Duque de Caxias closed after 34 years of operation. It was one of the largest landfills in the world.
"Lonesome George", possibly the last remaining Pinta Island tortoise, dies in captivity. It is thought to have lived for 100 years.
July
Planning for the 2012 Summer Olympics has included environmental policies such as conservation measures, renewable energy options and biodegradable packaging.
The Qidong protest against a proposed waste water pipeline occurred in the Chinese city of Qidong, Jiangsu province.
The Shifang protest occurred in the southwestern Chinese city of Shifang, Sichuan province, against a copper plant that residents feared posed environmental and public health risks.
November
At the 2012 United Nations Climate Change Conference it was decided to extend the Kyoto Protocol through to 2020. Wording adopted by the conference incorporated for the first time the concept of "loss and damage", an agreement in principle that richer nations could be financially responsible to other nations for their failure to reduce carbon emissions.
