Environment | The Guardian

Parts of south-east Queensland have been hit by flash flooding and torrential rain with homes and businesses underwater. More than a dozen people have been rescued from areas north and west of Brisbane. The Bureau of Meteorology said forecast rainfall in those areas could lead to flash or riverine flooding in the next 48 hours. Ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily is also ensuring more wet weather in Queensland's north-west, days after crossing the coast

Exclusive: Hundreds of anglers take part in UK's largest citizen science water-testing projectEighty-three per cent of English rivers contain evidence of high pollution caused by sewage and agricultural waste, according to the largest citizen science water testing project ever to take place in the UK.Hundreds of anglers took part in the study, organised by the Angling Trust, after being angered by the brown blooms of sewage in the waters they painstakingly tend for the benefit of fish. Continue reading...

Michael Porter says he saw the victim trying to pull herself to safety out of Elizabeth Bay harbour pool

Shadow chancellor says flagship green policy must be approached in a way where the numbers add up'The economic picture is very different" from when Labour set out its green investment plan, Rachel Reeves has said, as she refused to repeat her party's 28bn spending commitment.The shadow chancellor said her party's green prosperity plan was important but had to be approached in a way where the numbers add up". Continue reading...

A documentary, Razing Liberty Square, examines the plight of families in Liberty City as developers revitalize' community on desirable higher landAaron McKinney had high hopes for Liberty City.In 2015, Miami-Dade county officials announced a $74m development project aimed at revitalizing the historically Black neighborhood in the north-west of the city. The plan was to raze Liberty Square, the dilapidated housing project in the heart of the neighborhood, and build 1,900 new apartments in its place. Continue reading...

Draft rules follow the polluter pays principle' and will mean companies cover 80% of extra clean-up costsBeauty companies will have to pay more to clean up microplastic pollution after EU negotiators struck a new deal to treat sewage.Under draft rules that follow the polluter pays principle", companies that sell medicines and cosmetics will have to cover at least 80% of the extra costs needed to get rid of tiny pollutants that are dirtying urban wastewater. Governments will pay the rest, members of the bloc said, in an effort to prevent vital products from becoming too expensive or scarce. Continue reading...

With confirmed or suspected cases in two Antarctic penguin species, researchers fear highly contagious virus could rip through coloniesAt least one king penguin is suspected to have died from bird flu in the Antarctic. If confirmed, it will be the first of the species killed by the highly contagious H5N1 virus in the wild.Researchers have previously raised alarm about one of the largest ecological disasters of modern times" if bird flu reached remote Antarctic penguin populations. The birds are currently clustering together for breeding season, meaning the disease could rip through entire colonies if it continues to spread through the region. Continue reading...

Strong waves and sediment-laden freshwater pushed out from river catchments may have damaged parts of reef system, experts say

Dacorum borough council in Hertfordshire says policy has legal basis after 88 fines draw criticismA council in England has doubled down on the fining of people caught peeing in the countryside for littering, even after it emerged its own legal advice did not appear to fully support its stance.There have been at least two cases of men handed 88 fines by Dacorum borough council in Hertfordshire after being caught in the act by council enforcers apparently lying in wait in laybys. Continue reading...

Suriname's Saamaka Maroons still grow rice from seeds an ancestor escaping from a plantation carried in her hair. Now a gene bank seeks to widen use of the rare species to help fight the climate crisisWhen enslaved Africans escaped the Surinamese plantations overseen by Dutch colonists from the 17th to the 19th century, several women ingeniously hid rice grains in their hair to grow when they found refuge deep in the Amazon rainforest. Now, centuries later, a gene bank is working to save Suriname's rare rice species while also preparing communities to be more resilient to the climate crisis.In Suriname's hinterlands, near the town of Brokopondo, Albertina Adjako, a descendant of those Africans - who became known as Maroons - carefully walks in her flip-flops through her rice seedlings. We are worried because we had a long period of drought," she says, inspecting her plants. Continue reading...

A year after Brazil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, declared a humanitarian crisis among the Yanomami and vowed zero tolerance for illegal mining, environmental enforcers have said the progress since the ousting from the reservation of 80% of the wildcat miners is in jeopardy. As the military has rolled back its support for the crackdown, the miners have made fresh incursions into Yanomami land, they say Continue reading...

National Trust says it hopes to establish 50 hectares across three sites close to surviving pockets of rainforestMore than 100,000 trees are being planted in north Devon as part of efforts to boost temperate or Celtic rainforests, some of the UK's most magical but endangered environments.The trees are being planted close to surviving pockets of rainforest at two spots close to the coast and one inland. Continue reading...

African Parks examines alleged atrocities against Indigenous people by its Congo Republic guards after decade of alerts' from Survival InternationalA wildlife charity that has the Duke of Sussex as a board member is investigating allegations of rape and torture by its guards in the Republic of the Congo.African Parks, which manages 22 national parks and protected areas across 12 countries, said the investigation was its highest priority" and encouraged anyone with knowledge of any abuse to contact it. Continue reading...

Independent senator says depiction of Australia as part of Pacific family' is inconsistent with issuing approvals for new coal and gas projects

Exclusive: environmental regulator has known for more than a decade that contaminated soil fill might have been used in childcare centres, schools and parks

Chemours and state regulators say the Fayetteville Works plant has reduced air emissions, but we found levels of forever chemicals' as much as 30 times higher than state testsDownwind from chemical giant Chemours' PFAS manufacturing plant in North Carolina, Jamie White's life is a series of unpleasant negotiations.She fears the plant's toxic forever chemicals" are in the air she breathes and the rain replenishing her well. She suffers from a thyroid disorder - an issue linked to PFAS exposure. Continue reading...

Two environmental protesters hurled soup on to the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris, calling for 'healthy and sustainable food'. The painting, which was behind bulletproof glass, appeared to be undamaged. Gallery visitors looked on in shock as two women threw the yellow-coloured soup before climbing under the barrier in front of the work and flanking the splattered painting. One of the two activists removed her jacket to reveal a white T-shirt bearing the name of the activist group Riposte Alimentaire (Food Response)

Visitors at Louvre look on in shock as Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece attacked by environmental protestersTwo environmental protesters have hurled soup at the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris, calling for healthy and sustainable food". The painting, which was behind bulletproof glass, appeared to be undamaged.Gallery visitors looked on in shock as two women threw the yellow-coloured soup before climbing under the barrier in front of the work and flanking the splattered painting, their right hands held up in a salute-like gesture. Continue reading...

Farnborough airport submits plans to increase number of flights amid calls for a ban on private jetsThe climate activist Greta Thunberg has marched alongside local residents and Extinction Rebellion activists to protest against an airport's expansion plans.Farnborough Airport Ltd has submitted a planning application to Rushmoor borough council to increase the number of flights from 50,000 to 70,000 a year. The Swedish climate activist joined the march from Farnborough town centre, in Hampshire, to Farnborough airport. Continue reading...

Glen Affric in the Highlands has joined more than 10 rivals in bidding to gain the new status - and the benefits that go with itGlen Affric in the Highlands is home to deer, ospreys, otters and one of Scotland's largest Caledonian pine woods. Often described as one of the country's most beautiful glens, its scenic landscapes and diverse wildlife are such that it is protected as a national nature reserve.Now, local community groups have launched a bid for it to become Scotland's third national park, in a race which has so far seen more than 10 other areas also submit theirinterest. Continue reading...

Grand Rapids saw just five minutes of sun in the first week of the year, while January was the cloudiest in Chicago in 129 yearsFor the 34 million people who call the US's Great Lakes region home, last winter was a particularly gloomy one due to a dearth of sunlight - a reality that could afflict residents' mental health in years to come.Grand Rapids, Michigan, saw just five minutes of sun during the first eight days of January 2023. The same month was the cloudiest January in Chicago in 129 years. At one stage, the 6.3 million people living in the greater Toronto area didn't see the sun for more than three weeks. Continue reading...

Tens of millions have been spent on human-made defences over the years, but the impact of the climate crisis means flooding is inevitableWhen Jo Bloom saw the monitoring station on the River Severn above Shrewsbury register water levels of 6.5 metres as Storm Henk struck in early January, she began preparing for the worst. Bloom, who runs the Bewdley Flood Group, a local initiative to disseminate information to the community, was crouched over her computer checking Environment Agency alerts on river levels as the storm battered southern and central Britain, bringing with it heavy rain on to already saturated ground.We have had one peak, we are all watching Crew Green gauge above Shrewsbury, which is 10cm off its 2000 record level," she told the flood group. Continue reading...

It's time to stand up for nature and say no to the projects that damage the wildlife and places we love

Climate activists cheer decision to pause all pending liquified natural gas export licenses, but is it just a delay till after November elections?Joe Biden has, at least for a while, defused a ticking carbon bomb. Climate activists and the fossil fuel industry are now left wondering how long it will last.The decision on Friday by the Biden administration to pause all pending export licenses for liquified natural gas (LNG) to consider the climate impact of the projects has been hailed as a momentous shift in the status quo by those concerned by the unfolding climate crisis. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Head of government taskforce calls for evidence not anecdote in debate over the beaver, white-tailed eagle and othersCulture wars by ministers over the reintroduction of animals such as the beaver and the lynx must end if we are to restore nature in England, the head of the government's taskforce on the issue has said.Dr Andy Clements, an ornithologist who helped establish the government regulator Natural England, runs the species reintroduction taskforce, and he's well placed to do so. He was one of those behind the hugely successful reintroduction of red kites into England. Continue reading...

Community organizations say grants coming from the government have too many requirements to be truly accessibleBella Romero Academy, a K-8 school, sits 1,200ft from a fracking site in Greeley, Colorado.Air on the playground is often thick with benzene - a chemical that can cause dizziness and headaches in the short term, and blood illnesses like leukemia with long-term exposure. In 2019, independent researchers found that benzene spiked above healthy levels 113 times there in a seven-month period. Continue reading...

Experts call for review after two sets of water samples from the Darling-Baaka River reported by the state's top scientific bodies contained different results

Doug Maw posted videos of animals caught in wire nooses and was charged with damaging and stealing snares and trapsAn animal rights campaigner who posted videos of a distressed hare and fawn caught in snares has been found not guilty of nine charges of criminal damage and theft.Doug Maw, who is campaigning for snares to be banned in England, filmed a screaming hare and a fawn running in circles caught in legal snares on farmland inside the South Downs national park. He then freed the animals. Continue reading...

Claims that Icon of the Seas, the vast new ship described as human lasagne', runs on clean fuel have been labelled greenwashing as LNG's methane emissions are a more potent climate gas than COThe largest cruise ship in the world, which embarks on its first commercial voyage from Miami on Saturday, was launched amid a fanfare of superlatives. Longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall, the Icon of the Seas towers 20 decks above the waves, can accommodate more than 7,000 passengers and crew, and, at a quarter of a million gross tonnes, could swallow five Titanics for breakfast.Coloured slides on its upper deck mark out Thrill Island", the largest waterpark at sea, and it boasts a 17-metre (55ft) indoor waterfall. The president of Royal Caribbean, Jason Liberty, told reporters it was the biggest, baddest ship on the planet", though it quickly became known on social media as human lasagne". Continue reading...

Sawangjit Kosoognern charged with illegal possession after video showing animal being driven around Pattaya gains 2.6m viewsA Thai woman has been charged with illegal possession of a lion cub, police said on Friday, after a video of the animal cruising in a Bentley went viral online.The police ordered an investigation after a video showing a lion cub riding around the raucous Thai resort town of Pattaya in a Bentley gained more than 2.6m views online. Continue reading...

Pause on pending export permits is hailed by environmental groups, and could imperil projects along Gulf of Mexico coastJoe Biden's administration has hit the brakes on the US's surging exports of gas, effectively pausing a string of planned projects that have been decried by environmentalists as carbon mega bombs" that risk pushing the world further towards climate breakdown.On Friday, the White House announced that it was pausing all pending export permits for liquified natural gas (LNG) until the Department of Energy could come up with an updated criteria for approvals that consider the impact of climate change. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Actors and musicians condemn harsh deportation' of Dartford Crossing protester Marcus DeckerLeading actors and musicians including Bob Geldof, Olivia Colman and Emma Thompson are calling on the Home Office to reconsider the harsh deportation" of a climate activist who is serving one of the longest prison sentences in modern British history for peaceful protest.Along with the musicians Brian Eno and Jacob Collier, they are among about 600 artists who are urging James Cleverly to withdraw the deportation order issued to Marcus Decker. Continue reading...

The best of this week's wildlife photographs from around the world Continue reading...

From a self-build nestled in the Devon countryside to an eye-catching terrace in London Continue reading...

People encouraged to record sightings of mohican-sporting birds in RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch this weekendThe scale of this waxwing winter will be revealed this weekend when people are encouraged to spend an hour recording the birds they see in their gardens, balconies, parks and school grounds.The spectacular migratory, mohican-sporting birds have been spotted across Britain during the colder weather and will be recorded alongside more familiar sparrows, blackbirds and robins in the RSPB's annual Big Garden Birdwatch. Continue reading...

Mining companies and their joint venture Samarco ordered by Brazilian judge to pay AU$14.7bn over disaster that killed 19 peopleA Brazilian judge has ruled that mining companies Vale and BHP and their joint venture Samarco must pay 47.6bn reais (AU$14.7 bn) in damages for a 2015 tailings dam burst, according to a legal decision seen by Reuters.Vale, a Brazilian company, and BHP, an Australian listed company, said in separate statements they were not informed by the judiciary about the decision. Continue reading...

Call for companies to clean up their mess' as Athabasca oil sands emissions vastly exceed industry-reported levelsToxic emissions from the Canadian tar sands - already one of the dirtiest fossil fuels - have been dramatically underestimated, according to a study.Research published in the journal Science found that air pollution from the vast Athabasca oil sands in Canada exceed industry-reported emissions across the studied facilities by a staggering 1,900% to over 6,300%. Continue reading...

Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah opens claim against environment, health and transport departments in pursuit of right to clean air'The mother of a nine-year-old girl who became the first person in the UK to have air pollution cited on their death certificate has launched a high court claim against the government.Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah is suing three government departments for compensation for personal injury arising from the illness and premature death of her daughter Ella. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Transport and the Department of Health and Social Care have all been named as defendants in the claim. Continue reading...

New report shows babies born in notorious industrial corridor experience low birth weight at three times the national averageNewborns living in the worst-polluted areas of Louisiana, including an 85-mile industrial corridor known as Cancer Alley", experience low birth weights at more than three times the national average, according to data cited in a report released Thursday. The rate of preterm births there is also twice the national average, researchers found.In parts of Louisiana near fossil fuel and petrochemical plants, low birth weight rates reached 27% and preterm births rates 25%, according to research from Tulane University that was published in a Human Rights Watch report on Thursday. The full paper linking pollution and reproductive health is currently under peer review for publication in the journal Environmental Research: Health. Continue reading...

Outrage across Denmark as 2m tonnes of garbage' moves towards Olst resident's homes and a riverPeople in a Danish village are living in fear of their homes being overrun by a landslide of contaminated soil in one of the worst environmental disasters in the country's history.The landslide is slowly moving towards Olst, a village of 400 inhabitants south of Randers in Jutland, after the soil started moving at a nearby plant, run by Nordic Waste, where it has already demolished buildings. Continue reading...

Lobbying group spent nearly $30m on ads touting the clean energy' potential of propane - and downplaying its full climate impacts

Large companies are claiming intellectual property over new seed varieties, inhibiting small-scale breeders and diversityFor nearly 40 years, Frank Morton has been breeding plants. Particularly drawn to lettuce, he began breeding specialty salad greens, once a rarity in the produce market. Using an organic farm system, 68-year-old Morton developed entirely novel lettuce varieties and eventually started the Philomath, Oregon-based Wild Garden Seed company with his wife, Karen.Though he loves the work, being a small-scale plant breeder doesn't come without challenges. Over the years, Morton has watched large corporations take over the seed industry, using utility patents to claim seeds as an invention. Continue reading...

Research finds 14 different types of PFAS chemicals commonly used in ski wax on slopes in Austrian ski resortsSkiers are leaving forever chemicals" in the snow on ski slopes, a study has found.Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - a group of 10,000 or so human-made chemicals widely used in industrial processes, firefighting foams and consumer products - are colloquially known as forever chemicals" due to their persistence in the environment; they do not easily break down. Continue reading...

The Hklea's oceanic voyages, navigated by the stars, have led other Indigenous people to revive their own ancient traditions - and serve as a call to action on the climateA double-hulled Polynesian sailing canoe glides up to a busy dock in San Diego, California. Hklea's two short wooden masts are dwarfed by the historic schooner that escorted the boat into the harbour. Dozens of small outrigger canoes trail in its wake, honouring the crew's arrival.Once the docklines are secure, Hklea's 13 crew members put on ceremonial leis - floral garlands - and request permission from the local Indigenous tribe to come ashore. In response, 30 members of the Kumeyaay Nation sing and dance to welcome them to their native lands. Hundreds of onlookers snap photos before joining the festivities at a nearby park. Continue reading...

Everyone told me there is no water on top of this Brazilian mountain, there won't be any frogs. Now I've dedicated my life to preserving this incredible speciesI remember the park rangers saying: Why are you going up there? There is no water on the top, and you're not going to find any frogs." I said: Well I'm going to check it out."The Espinhaco mountain range in the east of Brazil is a very special place, and it's mostly unknown. My house looks on to the mountain in Pico do Itambe state park, so I have my breakfast looking at it each morning. You're surrounded by thunderstorms and strong winds, and the humidity is high. I waited for heavy rains and went to climb to the top. Continue reading...

Fast-growing monocultures are less able to withstand extreme weather events than varied woodlands, researchers findAs 90mph winds whip across the UK and Europe this week, new research shows forests containing diverse tree species are more likely to stay standing than monocultures when hit by extreme weather.Forests with two or three tree species are on average 35% more resilient to storms than forests with only one species, simulations created by researchers found. The type of trees also matters - forestry plantations are typically made up of fast-growing tall trees such as conifers, but they are more vulnerable to high winds than slower-growing hardwood species such as oak. Continue reading...

Emperor penguins are the largest but least prevalent Antarctic penguin species, with scientists estimating a total population of about 600,000Four new emperor penguin colonies have been discovered in Antarctica after their guano was spotted from space, giving what a leading scientist believes is a near-full picture of the species' population as it comes under threat due to disappearing sea ice.A peer-reviewed study last year found a record drop in the amount of floating sea ice in the Bellingshausen Sea in late 2022 could have caused a catastrophic breeding failure" that killed thousands of emperor penguin chicks across four breeding colonies. Continue reading...

Calcasieu Pass 2, positioned near the rapidly eroding Louisiana shoreline, would be the biggest such export terminal in the USThe Biden administration will reportedly pause a decision on approving what would be one of the world's largest gas export hubs, amid concern from climate experts that greenlighting the project would create a carbon mega bomb".The project, Calcasieu Pass 2, or CP2, would be positioned near the rapidly eroding Louisiana shoreline and be the biggest such export terminal in the US and part of a huge expansion of new gas infrastructure along the Gulf of Mexico. Continue reading...

US Fish and Wildlife Service completes review of petitions and finds 10 new species that may be added to Endangered Species ActFederal wildlife officials announced on Wednesday they will consider adding 10 new species to the Endangered Species Act, including a big bumblebee that serves as an important pollinator across the United States.US Fish and Wildlife Service officials said they had completed 90-day reviews of petitions to add the species to the list and determined that listing may be warranted. The finding triggers reviews of the species' status. Continue reading...

Environment secretary, Steve Barclay, tells firms he will toughen regulatory approach but gives no timescaleThe environment secretary has told water companies in England that they will no longer be able to monitor and report on pollution from their own treatment works.Steve Barclay told the privatised industry he would put an end to operator self-monitoring in a toughening of the regulatory approach. Continue reading...