Labour's measures to ban deep-peat burning aim to safeguard habitats, tackle carbon emissions, and protect wildlife, so why are hunters up in arms?Burning vegetation on deep peat will be banned under government plans to protect nature and reduce carbon emissions.Vegetation on peatland is often burned to create habitat for grouse, which like to feed on the fresh shoots of new plants that grow after the burn. This increases the number of birds available to be shot for sport. Continue reading...
If a tree-planting scheme in western England can match the first national forest, people as well as wildlife will benefitThe benefits for bats were presumably not at the top of the government's list of reasons for announcing the creation of the new western forest. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, regards rules that protect these nocturnal mammals as a nuisance. Nevertheless, the rare Bechstein's bat, as well as the pine marten and various fungi, are expected to be among species that benefit from the multiyear project, to which central government has so far committed 7.5m.Like England's only existing national forest, in the Midlands, this one will be broken up across a wide area, featuring grassland, farmland, towns and villages as well as densely planted, closed-canopy woodland. JohnEveritt, who heads the National Forest organisation (which is both a charity and a government arm's length body), describes this type of landscape as forest in the medieval sense with a mosaic of habitats".Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
Riot of native wildflowers that enthralled visitors in the past several years have failed to sprout due to too little rainIt's one of the best known rites of spring in California: extraordinary displays known as superblooms" that coat the hillsides in an abundance of color. Some years the blooms are massive enough to draw tourists from around the world to revel in the fields, such as in 2023 when more than 100,000 people showed up on a weekend to gawk at the poppies in Lake Elsinore, a small city about an hour outside Los Angeles.But this year, not so much. Thanks to a brutally dry winter, the hills around the usual southern California superbloom hotspots have been conspicuously bare. Callista Turner, a state park ranger, could count the number of blooms on two hands as she surveyed the 8 miles of rolling hills at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in the final week of March, which is typically when superbloom season peaks. We're still waiting to see what kind of season we have," she says. It's a very slow start." Continue reading...
Cyclone Alfred drives wild seas, a seagull eclipses the moon, and our Kylie performs on a trapeze: Guardian Australia looks at some of the month's best images
Local councillor says federal Labor should not be plonking giant batteries in public parks' though no other council has refused development applications in the state
In a city where surfing is a way of life, the wait to get back in the water has been agonizing. But new research offers a glimmer of hopeAlex Sinunu was used to surfing three or four times a week in Santa Monica Bay - after all, the beach was just a mile from his home and he could ride his bike there with his board. But ever since the megafires that swept through neighboring Pacific Palisades in early January, the ocean has been filled with ash, debris - and endless questions.The massive blaze consumed thousands of homes and other structures, many of them on the edge of the Pacific coastline. Subsequent rainstorms sent tons of debris washing into the ocean, turned the water brown and raised fears about the toxins that could be coming from all the charred remains of buildings and cars - including asbestos, lithium-ion batteries and plastics. Continue reading...
Environmentalists call bid to skirt UN treaty reckless' amid fears that mining will cause irreversible loss of biodiversityA Canadian deep-sea mining firm has revealed it has been negotiating with the Trump administration to bypass a UN treaty and potentially gain authorisation from the US to mine in international waters.The revelation has stunned environmentalists, who condemned the move as reckless" and a slap in the face for multilateralism". Continue reading...
California Forever is back with a proposal that has some on board: using the land it owns to create a shipbuilding hubIn 2023, a group called California Forever, funded by Silicon Valley billionaires, introduced a splashy proposal to build a new city on tens of thousands acres of farmland it had acquired north-east of San Francisco.Residents and officials of Solano county, where the city would sit, were frustrated by what they saw as a lack of local input and concerned about wealthy outsiders with big plans to reshape their region. After months of extensive news coverage and efforts to woo over local leaders, California Forever changed track: withdrawing a ballot measure that would have fast-tracked the plans and instead seeking approval through standard county processes. Continue reading...
Greenpeace lost - not because it did something wrong but because it was denied a fair trialThe stunning $667m verdict against Greenpeace last week is a direct attack on the climate movement, Indigenous peoples and the first amendment.The North Dakota case is so deeply flawed - at its core, the trial was really about crushing dissent - that I believe there is a good chance it will be reversed on appeal and ultimately backfire against the Energy Transfer pipeline company. Continue reading...
EPA sets up email address where regulated community' can request exemption to evade air pollution rulesDonald Trump's administration has offered fossil fuel companies an extraordinary opportunity to evade air pollution rules by simply emailing the US president to ask him to exempt them.Trump's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set up a new email address where what it calls the regulated community" can request a presidential exemption from their requirements under the Clean Air Act, which is used to regulate dangerous toxins emitted from polluting sources. Continue reading...
Ministers urged to do more after United Utilities discharged raw sewage into Unesco site for 6,327 hours last yearCelebrated by William Wordsworth, Windermere has long epitomised the natural timeless beauty of the Lake District, with millions of tourists drawn to the shores that inspired the poet. But today England's biggest lake is, some campaigners say, a shadow of its 19th century self: its waters blighted by algae and its wildlife threatened by pollution, in a symbol of all that is wrong with the privatised water industry.This month the environment secretary, Steve Reed, vowed to break with the recent past, standing on its shores and promising that Labour would clean up Windermere". The lake is showing the impact of sewage pollution from United Utilities treatment plants and increased pressure from climate change-induced temperature rises. Continue reading...
Many importers halt shipments on chance White House makes good on threat of 200% markup on European goodsAs the threat of exorbitant US tariffs on European alcohol imports looms, a warehouse in the French port city of Le Havre awaits a delivery of more than 1,000 cases of wine from a dozen boutique wineries across the country.Under normal circumstances, Randall Bush, the founder of Loci Wine in Chicago, would have already arranged with his European partners to gather these wines in Le Havre, the last stop before they are loaded into containers and shipped across the Atlantic. But these wines won't be arriving stateside anytime soon. Continue reading...
As life starts to return to the capital's parks and woodlands, photographer Sarah Lee has been capturing daffodils and budding plants, walkers, buskers and joggers out in the sunshine. She says: Everything feels so dark right now, it's good to know the light is coming back' Continue reading...
by Patrick Greenfield, Elena Morresi, Ali Assaf and R on (#6W743)
Net zero is a target that countries should be striving for to stop the climate crisis. But beyond the buzzword, it is a complex scientific concept - and if we get it wrong, the planet will keep heating.Biodiversity and environment reporter Patrick Greenfield explains how a loophole in the 2015 Paris climate agreement allows countries to cheat their net zero targets through creative accounting, and how scientists want us to fix it Continue reading...
by Damien Gayle Environment correspondent on (#6W744)
Final gathering in April will mark end of street protests although campaign to continue in courts and prisons'Supporters of the climate group Just Stop Oil have announced that, after three years of disruptive protests, they are ending their campaign of civil resistance.Hannah Hunt, whose speech on Valentine's Day 2022 marked the beginning of the campaign, made the announcement outside Downing Street in London on Thursday. Continue reading...
Duration of spills by water companies up on previous year, in data described by environment secretary as disgraceful'Raw sewage was discharged into rivers and coastal waters in England for almost 4m hours last year, with waterways that have the highest environmental protections subjected to days of pollution.Data released by the Environment Agency on Thursday revealed water companies discharged untreated effluent for 3.62m hours, a slight increase on last year. Continue reading...
Strict laws saved the country's wolves from extinction. Now conservationists believe their relaxation could embolden vigilantesHigh on a mountain pass near the town of Cocullo in central Italy lay six black sacks. Inside were nine wolves, including a pregnant female and seven youngsters - an entire pack. They had eaten slabs of poisoned veal left out a few days earlier, dying over the hours that followed, snarls of pain fixed on their faces.Three griffon vultures and two ravens were also killed, probably alongside more animals that went into hiding, dying out of sight. Poison creates a succession of death, spreading through entire food chains and contaminating land and water for years. Continue reading...
Analysis published by non-profit group Oceana comes amid fears over human health risks posed by the spread of microplasticsBy 2030, Coca-Cola products will account for an estimated 602m kilograms of plastic waste entering the world's oceans and waterways each year, according to a stark new analysis published Wednesday by the non-profit Oceana.That is enough plastic to fill the stomachs of 18m whales. Continue reading...
A vast network of volunteers leap into action to save beached creatures in New Zealand, a global hotspot for strandingsOn a blustery March day in Wellington, a group of would-be whale rescuers wearing wetsuits and hi-vis vests are waist deep in the chilly waters of Scorching Bay. Between them, a two-tonne replica of a pilot whale gently rocks in the swell.On the sand, another group pours buckets of water over a replica dolphin, while some dig away the sand from beneath its fins. Occasionally, a trainer reminds students to stand back from the tail - if this were a real animal the tail could deliver an unexpected blow. Continue reading...
Gunther Felner says wife was in fear of life and limb' after animal rights group climbed shed and set off flaresThe conservative pick for German agriculture minister has withdrawn his candidacy after animal rights activists stormed his farm, prompting cross-party condemnation.Gunther Felner, a farming lobbyist who had won the backing of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), said his wife was in fear of life and limb" when activists climbed on to the cattle shed she was in to hang a banner and light smoke-emitting flares on Monday. Continue reading...
Sweeping synthesis of 2,000 global studies leaves no doubt about scale of problem and role of humans, say expertsHumans are driving biodiversity loss among all species across the planet, according to a synthesis of more than 2,000 studies.The exhaustive global analysis leaves no doubt about the devastating impact humans are having on Earth, according to researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) and the University of Zurich. The study - which accounted for nearly 100,000 sites across all continents - found that human activities had resulted in unprecedented effects on biodiversity", according to the paper, published in Nature. Continue reading...
by Oliver Milman and Andrew Witherspoon on (#6W69T)
The Guardian has recreated a searchable climate future risk tool developed by Fema but then deletedWhen Donald Trump won November's election, a small team working on a key new US government tool charting impacts of the climate crisis scrambled into action. They hastily renamed the resource to remove the word climate" and quietly released it without fanfare in December, before Trump's return to the White House. Continue reading...
Third of global GDP could be lost this century if climate crisis runs unchecked, says reportTaking strong action to tackle the climate crisis will increase countries' economic growth, rather than damage their finances as critics of net zero policies have claimed, research from the world's economic watchdog has found.Setting ambitious targets on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and setting out the policies to achieve them, would result in a net gain to global GDP by the end of the next decade, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in a joint report with the UN Development Programme. Continue reading...
People living near Kasungu national park say they are living in fear after translocation of 263 elephants by International Fund for Animal WelfarePeople living on the edge of a protected area in Malawi are taking legal action against an NGO that moved more than 250 elephants into the area, which they say have killed at least 10 people.Villagers near Kasungu national park, which is Malawi's second largest and crosses the Zambian border, say they are living in fear for their livelihoods and safety after 263 elephants were introduced in July 2022, causing a sharp spike in human-wildlife conflict. Ten people claiming to be affected by the translocation from Liwonde national park have begun legal action against the International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw), demanding that the conservation NGO construct adequate fencing to protect the 167 villages around the park and compensate local people for the damage caused by the elephants. Continue reading...
The government appears willing to put the future of an entire unique Australian species at risk at the behest of one industry. The hypocrisy is mind-bogglingThe anger I have witnessed over the past few days within the environment and climate movement has been extraordinary.I have spent the past four days in emergency meetings with leaders across the environment movement furiously responding to Anthony Albanese's latest attack on nature. Continue reading...
UN-backed research has found emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane coming from Glencore's Hail Creek coalmine are probably between three and eight times higher than officially reported. Two aircraft with different types of monitoring equipment and flying at different altitudes looked for plumes of methane coming from the coalmine in Queensland's Bowen Basin - a site highlighted in a previous study as a major emitter. Glencore has challenged the results, saying in a statement it had 'significant doubts' about the research, claiming it used 'out of date' dataSubscribe to Guardian Australia on YouTube
New powers mean regulator can ban payouts under criteria of Ofwat's choosingBonuses for water bosses in England could be banned this year for companies that spill sewage, break the law or mismanage their finances, Ofwat has announced.The regulator has launched a consultation into draft criteria under which it would ban bonuses being paid to chief executives. Sources at Ofwat told the Guardian they are near-certain to ban some water CEO bonuses this year. Continue reading...
Panther Minerals set to start exploring Elim's land as Trump seeks to expand drilling and resource extraction in AlaskaFor generations, the people of Elim have subsisted off the forests and waters of north-west Alaska: hunting caribou and bearded seals in the late winter, gathering bird eggs and wild greens from the tundra in early spring, and fishing the salmon run in the late summer.The Inupiat community of 350 people lives on one of the state's most productive and biodiverse fisheries, an inlet of the Bering Sea called the Norton Sound. They refer to their land as Munaaquestevut, or the one who cares for us". Continue reading...
US Department of Agriculture calls in university to help study decline as Trump administration staff cuts stingHoneybee deaths have hit record highs in the US, with the unprecedented loss of colonies pushing many beekeepers close to ruin as scientists scramble to identify the main cause of the huge declines.Commercial beekeepers have reported losing more than 60% of their colonies, on average, over the winter, according to an ongoing Project Apis m. survey that covers more than two-thirds of America's managed bees.We're running our invertebrate of the year competition again! Between March 24 to April 2, we'll be profiling a shortlist of ten invertebrates which were chosen by readers and selected by our wildlife writers from over 2500 nominations. The voting will open at midday on Wednesday April 2 until midday Friday April 4, with the winner to be announced on Monday April 7. Continue reading...
by Shauna Murray and Greta Gaiani for the Conversatio on (#6W5PR)
Algae blooms can be a problem for marine life and people but it's not yet clear if warmer oceans and nutrient runoff are causing more of themConfronting images of dead seadragons, fish and octopuses washed up on South Australian beaches - and disturbing reports of more than 100" surfers and beachgoers experiencing flu-like symptoms after swimming or merely breathing in sea spray - attracted international concern last week.Speculation about the likely cause ranged from pollution and algae to unusual bacterial infections or viruses. We can reveal the culprit was a tiny - but harmful - type of planktonic algae called Karenia mikimotoi. Continue reading...
Downing Street says PM focusing on bringing durable peace in Ukraine' after Steve Witkoff's commentsThere have been a lot of claims recently, in the rightwing papers and on social media, that the government is wasting a fortune on expensive cars for disabled people getting benefits, through the Motability scheme. Archie Bland has a very good explainer setting out how the scheme actually works, and showing why many of these allegations are false or misleading.The forthcoming plan to fix the NHS will see funds allocated to social care, Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has suggested. PA Media reports:Streeting said spending NHS resources more effectively though social care" will be better for patients and deliver better value for taxpayers.At present, social care is most often paid for by councils, but thousands of people at any one time are stuck in NHS hospital beds even though they are fit to be discharged. Continue reading...
by Sandra Laville Environment correspondent on (#6W4KA)
Exclusive: RSPB and National Trust among groups saying rhetoric from Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer at odds with public sentimentNature charities with a combined membership of about 8 million people are pressing the prime minister and chancellor to stop demonising wildlife and to urgently strengthen environmental protections in new planning laws.Organisations which are household names, such as the RSPB, the National Trust and the Wildlife Trusts, are calling on MPs to back amendments to the planning and infrastructure bill to end what they say is the scapegoating of nature for the failures of the planning system. They say the anti-nature rhetoric employed by Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer, who has labelled environmental objectors as blockers", is at odds with public sentiment. Continue reading...
This is my last column in this series. Farewell, all joys!'This morning I learned the word limn". It looked at first like a typo, and I almost ignored it. But I pressed on the letters on my phone, which caused its meaning to pop up in a little box, like a window appearing in a wall. To limn is to depict or describe in painting or words".I was drinking cold coffee in my kitchen, and preparing to write this column - my last. Because I knew that I would do the swan, a large, long-necked water bird had started gliding around my mind, so it seemed clear that the word limn looks like a swan: the tall l with the tiny flick of a dipped head, and the letters after.I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
A carbon crime or bright new future? For nearly four years, a fierce debate raged over demolishing the site's high-rise flatsFor nearly four years, a fierce debate raged over the future of the Wyndford estate in Glasgow, dividing residents and sparking wider national controversy. Was the demolition of its high-rises an environmental travesty or the first step toward much-needed regeneration?The dispute began in November 2021, days after the city hosted the UN climate conference Cop26, at which politicians and businesses promised to curb wasteful building destruction. Yet residents of Wyndford soon found leaflets on their doorsteps heralding a bright new dawn" - one that involved the demolition of all four high-rise blocks on the estate. The decision set off years of protests, legal challenges and community divisions.The four high-rise blocks of the Wyndford estate one week before demolition. Three blocks were demolished by controlled explosion on 23 March - the block on the left will be brought down floor by floor because of its proximity to other homes on the estate Continue reading...
Handbook outlines practical ways faith organisations can speak truth to power' to help protect planetChristians around the world are being encouraged to take legal action against polluters and those who finance them.In a new climate justice handbook, the World Council of Churches sets out practical ways faith organisations can help protect young people and future generations from the climate crisis. Continue reading...