Environment | The Guardian

Projections of the size and scale of a future CCS industry should come with heavy doses of scepticism

Older adults face a shortage of affordable and accessible homes as climate change worsensFrom their hillside home above Barre, Vermont, Doug and Rhoda Mason thought they were safe. It was 11 July 2023, and record rains were flooding their small city.Then, just before 5am, a landslide crashed into the Masons' house. The mud hit with such force it pushed the structure 10ft off its foundation. Continue reading...

MP, not renowned for action on environment, chosen for efforts to tackle global deforestation and restore UK's wildlife habitatsTo the surprise of many, the Conservative Environment Network named their favourite MP as ... Chris Grayling.Despite not being renowned for his action on the environment, the former Cabinet minister was chosen as parliamentarian of the year by the network, which said it was honouring his efforts to tackle deforestation internationally and restore the UK's vital wildlife habitats. Continue reading...

As I report more, I've stopped thinking of UPFs as food at all - and I suspect corporations don't care how their products affect consumers

Five nature reserves will be created each year for next five years to celebrate coronation of King CharlesA temperate rainforest in the Lake District has been declared a national nature reserve in a move that will protect the rare ancient habitat for future generations.The Borrowdale rainforest is one of the few surviving examples of a mysterious and untouched" landscape that covers less than 1% of the UK. Continue reading...

Humid climate makes Texas city attractive to the insects, but with rainfall and major flooding, residents are forced indoorsAmid the severe weather that has battered parts of the country in recent weeks, particularly the US south, the city of Houston in Texas can add one more thing to their worries: mosquitos.Houston's usually humid climate already makes it attractive to mosquitos, but the additional rainfall and major flooding it is seeing makes it an ideal habitat for the bothersome insects. Continue reading...

Met Office issues amber warning for next few days, with persistent rain across much of the country

Winter downpours also made 20% wetter and will occur every three years without urgent carbon cuts, experts warnThe seemingly never-ending" rain last autumn and winter in the UK and Ireland was made 10 times more likely and 20% wetter by human-caused global heating, a study has found.More than a dozen storms battered the region in quick succession between October and March, which was the second-wettest such period in nearly two centuries of records. The downpour led to severe floods, at least 20 deaths, severe damage to homes and infrastructure, power blackouts, travel cancellations, and heavy losses of crops and livestock. Continue reading...

Photographer Gideon Mendel has filmed and photographed floods around the world extensively. He travelled by boat through the historic town centre of Port Alegre, documenting the reflections across a city that had become a liquid landscape Continue reading...

Department of Conservation fines 50-year-old after seeing footage of stunt on social media, and described his behaviour as a blatant example of stupidity'The actions of a New Zealand man filmed jumping off a boat in what appears to be an attempt to body slam" an orca have been described as shocking" and idiotic" by the country's Department of Conservation.In a video shared to Instagram in February, a man can be seen jumping off the edge of a boat into the sea off the coast of Devonport in Auckland, in what appears to be a deliberate effort to touch or body slam" the orca, the department said. He leaps into the water very close to a male orca, as a calf swims nearby, while someone on board the boat films it. Others can be heard laughing and swearing in the background. Continue reading...

The New Zealand Department of Conservation has released vision of a man appearing to attempt to 'body slam' an Orca, describing the behaviour as 'shocking and stupid'. The 50-year-old Auckland man has been fined $600. Hayden Loper, a principal investigator at the department, says the man showed reckless disregard for his own safety and that of the orca. The video speaks for itself, it is shocking and absolutely idiotic behaviour."Subscribe to Guardian Australia on YouTube

Report calls for curb on many activities and recommends making protest organisers pay towards policingProtest groups have condemned a long-awaited report on their activity that recommends a review of undercover surveillance of activists and making protest organisers pay towards policing.The 292-page report by John Woodcock, now Lord Walney, entitled Protecting Democracy from Coercion, calls for a curb on many activities, including a blanket ban on face coverings at protests and making it easier for businesses to claim damages from protesters who cause disruption. Continue reading...

High temperatures in Mexico have been linked to dozens and perhaps hundreds of deaths of howler monkeysIt's so hot in Mexico that howler monkeys are falling dead from the trees.At least 83 of the midsize primates, who are known for their roaring vocal calls, were found dead in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco. Others were rescued by residents, including five that were rushed to a local veterinarian who battled to save them. Continue reading...

Environmental Protection Agency says brownfield revitalization spending has quadrupled under Bipartisan Infrastructure LawThe US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $300m in new funding to clean up and redevelop 200 industrial sites across the country.Speaking on Monday from what was once an oil station in south-west Philadelphia's Kingsessing neighborhood, the EPA's administrator, Michael Regan, said his agency would allocate $2m to transform the site - which officials say is contaminated with lead and semi-volatile organic compounds - into a waterfront bike trail and office buildings. With this funding, Philadelphia will be able to work with this site and reconnect Kingsessing to the riverfront," Regan said. Continue reading...

First-time exhibitor Ula Maria scoops best in show for garden designed for muscular dystrophy charityA garden demonstrating the joys of forest bathing has won best in show at the Chelsea flower show.Designed by the first-time exhibitor Ula Maria, the garden was inspired by the ancient Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, which means being calm and quiet among trees, breathing deeply and observing nature. Continue reading...

Eight of 21 cars tested underperformed against their marketed efficiency rates, Australian Automobile Association says

Report finds nuclear energy more expensive than renewable alternatives and calculates costs for large-scale reactors for first time

Oil Change International says plans do not stand up to scrutiny and describes US fossil-fuel corporations as the worst of the worst'Major oil companies have in recent years made splashy climate pledges to cut their greenhouse gas emissions and take on the climate crisis, but a new report suggests those plans do not stand up to scrutiny.The research and advocacy group Oil Change International examined climate plans from the eight largest US- and European-based international oil and gas producers - BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Eni, Equinor, ExxonMobil, Shell and TotalEnergies - and found none were compatible with limiting global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels - a threshold scientists have long warned could have dire consequences if breached.This story has been updated to add comments from Shell, Eni and Equinor. Continue reading...

Supplier hands out 127m to investors as it says normal service has been restored for 85% of customers

Also on Sunday, in Alaska, a man was killed as he tried to photograph newborn moose calves when their mother attackedA grizzly bear attacked and seriously injured a man in western Wyoming's Grand Teton national park, prompting closure to the public of a mountain there on Monday.That mauling was one of at least two serious animal attacks on people in the US wilderness on Sunday. Elsewhere, in Alaska, a 70-year-old man who was attempting to take photos of newborn moose calves was attacked and killed by their mother, authorities said. Continue reading...

In 2010, Mexico led the way, followed by Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Argentina and Colombia

Utilities attach themselves to social justice causes amid culture war over attempts to phase out gasUS gas utilities are partnering with one of the nation's most trusted non-profits as part of a cynical PR stunt" to combat efforts to curb fossil fuel usage, a Guardian investigation has found.Local Habitat for Humanity affiliates have teamed up with at least four utilities across 10 states to build zero-net energy homes", which are meant to produce more energy than they use. Continue reading...

Case alleges French company's exploitation of fossil fuel contributed to deaths of victims in extreme weather disastersA criminal case has been filed against the CEO and directors of the French oil company TotalEnergies, alleging its fossil fuel exploitation has contributed to the deaths of victims of climate-fuelled extreme weather disasters.The case was filed in Paris by eight people harmed by extreme weather, and three NGOs. The plaintiffs believe it to be the first such criminal case filed against the individuals running a major oil company. The public prosecutor who received the file has three months to decide whether to open a judicial investigation or dismiss the complaint. Continue reading...

Authorities cut short school term as weather bureau warns of severe heatwave conditions this weekAuthorities in the Indian capital, have ordered schools to shut early for the summer holiday, after temperatures in Delhi hit 47.4C (117F).City officials told schools to shut with immediate effect" due to the blistering heat, according to a government order quoted by the Hindustan Times on Tuesday, cutting the term by a few days. Continue reading...

Tassal staff legally killed 53 of the native birds with permission from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment

The well-preserved huia bird feather was expected to fetch up to NZD$3,000 but ended up selling for more than NZD$46,000A rare and highly prized feather from the extinct New Zealand huia bird has sold for NZD$46,521 (US$28,365), making it by far the world's most expensive feather ever sold at auction.The hammer price far exceeded initial estimates of between $2,000-$3,000, and blew the previous record-holder's price out of the water. Until Monday's sale, the previous record sale was another huia feather that sold in 2010 for $8,400. Continue reading...

Species, with only a few dozen seen by humans since first discovered, usually lives in darkness up to 3,300ft below sea levelOregon beachgoers stumbled across a rare find over the weekend, after a deep-sea anglerfish washed up from the ocean depths.The discovery marked the first time this creature, which typically dwells in the darkness up to 3,300ft below sea level, was seen on Oregon shores according to the local Seaside Aquarium, which posted about it on Facebook. Continue reading...

Critical slowing down' of recovery raises concern over forest's resilience to ecosystem collapseMore than a third of the Amazon rainforest is struggling to recover from drought, according to a new study that warns of a critical slowing down" of this globally important ecosystem.The signs of weakening resilience raise concerns that the world's greatest tropical forest - and biggest terrestrial carbon sink - is degrading towards a point of no return. Continue reading...

Butler is among several writers refusing to appear at the literary festival over sponsor Baillie Gifford's alleged involvement in technology and arms in Israel'Labour MP Dawn Butler and author Grace Blakeley are among those who have withdrawn from scheduled appearances at Hay festival over its sponsorship by investment management firm Baillie Gifford.Butler said in a video posted to X that she was withdrawing from the literary festival because Baillie Gifford is involved directly or indirectly in technology and arms in Israel". Continue reading...

More than 216,000 fish died in 2022-2023, when England recorded a 54% increase in sewage spillsMass deaths of fish in England's rivers have increased almost tenfold since 2020, with fears sewage pollution is exterminating life in the country's waterways.Environment Agency (EA) data from the past four years shows an alarming rise in the number of fish deaths linked to sewage pollution, with figures escalating from 26,690 in 2020-2021 to 216,135 in 2023-2024. Continue reading...

Sensing election-year traction, coalition of 20 environmental groups also demand entrenchment of pause in gas-export licencesJoe Biden's administration is coming under renewed pressure to escalate its curbs on the US's booming trade in fossil fuels by halting new deepwater oil-export facilities, as well as entrenching its pause in gas-export licences.A coalition of 20 environmental groups, sensing election-year traction with Biden as he seeks a second term as US president, has written to officials demanding a freeze on deepwater oil-export facilities, similar to the move announced by the Biden administration earlier this year when it paused new licenses for liquified natural gas (or LNG) exports. Continue reading...

The FDA is developing front-of-package labels that corporations may have to start printing as early as 2027

From maltodextrin to guar gum, these additives are found in 73% of the US food supply - and are linked to health impacts

A growing number of grocery-store foods, from fruit-flavored yogurts to packaged bread, are being tied to health concerns

Jeff Bezos's $10bn climate and biodiversity fund has garnered glittering prizes, but concerns have been voiced over the influence it can buy - and its interest in carbon offsetsLate last month, the coronation of Jeff Bezos and his partner Lauren Sanchez as environmental royalty was complete. At Conservation International's glitzy annual gala in New York, with Harrison Ford, Jacinda Ardern and Shailene Woodley looking on, the couple were given the global visionary award for the financial contribution of the Bezos Earth Fund to the natural world.Jeff and Lauren are making history, not just with the sum of their investment in nature but also the speed of it," said the Conservation International CEO, Dr M Sanjayan, whose organisation received a $20m grant from Bezos in 2021 for its work in the tropical Andes. Continue reading...

Five years after her last companion died and the aquarium's owner pledged to free her, Bella still languishes in a tiny tank amid shopsIn the heart of Seoul, amid the luxury shops at the foot of the world's sixth-tallest skyscraper, a lone beluga whale named Bella swims aimlessly in a tiny, lifeless tank, where she has been trapped for a decade.Her plight is urgent, with campaigners racing to rescue her from the bare tank in a glitzy shopping centre in South Korea's capital before it is too late. Continue reading...

Comms Declare asks ACCC to investigate show sponsor Australian Gas Networks for alleged greenwashing

Scottish government accused of missing deadlines to take action on overfishing and effects of climate breakdownFragile and damaged marine life around Scotland's coasts is not being properly protected because ministers in Edinburgh have broken their promises, environment campaigners have warned.Prominent charities including the Marine Conservation Society and the National Trust for Scotland accuse the Scottish government of repeatedly missing its deadlines to protect vulnerable marine life from overfishing and the effects of climate breakdown. Continue reading...

Exclusive: EPA chief executive says foundational' rule changes put climate impacts front and centre' of planning process

Brandon Johnson promised to address the city's longstanding inequities - advocates want to make the most of the momentOn the campaign trail, Brandon Johnson often talked about the asthma he suffered growing up just west of Chicago, connecting it to industrial pollution.For too long our communities have been seen as dumping grounds for waste and materials that no one seems to know what to do with," the then mayoral candidate said at an event in the majority-Hispanic neighborhood of Pilsen. Continue reading...

Milford Haven, Southampton and Immingham top the list for emissions of gases and particulatesShips calling at the UK's most-polluted ports produce more nitrogen oxides than all the cars registered in the same cities or regions, analysis has shown.A report from Transport & Environment (T&E) said that ships were continuing to discharge huge quantities of air pollutants at ports, with Milford Haven, Southampton and Immingham topping the list for emissions of harmful sulphur oxides and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) as well as nitrogen oxides (NOx). Continue reading...

Death toll in southern state of Rio Grande do Sul increasing daily as authorities plan four tent cities' for 77,000 displaced peopleThree weeks after one of Brazil's worst-ever floods hit its southernmost state, killing 155 people and forcing 540,000 from their homes, experts have warned that water levels will take at least another two weeks to drop.The death toll across Rio Grande do Sul is still increasing daily, and more than 77,000 displaced people remain in public shelters, prompting the state government to announce plans to build four temporary tent cities" to accommodate them. Continue reading...

As the prestige flower event begins, horticulturalists are shown how a waterlogged patch can help counter climate crisisGardeners should embrace the bog" that has formed in backyards across the country after record rain, a designer at this week's Chelsea flower show has said.Naomi Slade will unveil her design for a floodproof garden on 21 May, showing that even with the unusually wet weather seen in recent months, British gardens can still be full of colourful flowers. Continue reading...

PFAS chemicals present in air, rain, atmosphere and water in basin, which holds nearly 95% of US freshwaterToxic PFAS forever chemicals" are ubiquitous in the Great Lakes basin's air, rain, atmosphere and water, new peer-reviewed research shows.The first-of-its-kind, comprehensive picture of PFAS levels for the basin, which holds nearly 95% of the nation's freshwater, also reveals that precipitation is probably a major contributor to the lakes' contamination. Continue reading...

Thousands of homes and farming land damaged in Ghor province, a week after over 300 people killed in flash floodsAt least 60 people have been killed in a fresh bout of heavy rain and flooding in central Afghanistan, according to an official.Dozens others remained missing, said Abdul Wahid Hamas, spokesperson for Ghor's provincial governor, on Saturday. He said the province had suffered significant financial losses, with thousands of homes and properties damaged and hundreds of hectares of agricultural land destroyed in the floods on Friday, including in the province's capital city, Feroz Koh. Continue reading...

But authorities say households in some areas need to continue safety measures amid waterborne parasitic disease

South West Water identifies damaged valve' as possible cause of cryptosporidium contamination in Brixham areaHealth officials are expecting more cases of a waterborne disease in Devon, as an MP said heads are going to roll" over the outbreak and that the anger among residents was palpable".The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed 46 cases of cryptosporidium infection in the Brixham area, while more than 100 other people have reported symptoms, including diarrhoea, stomach pains and dehydration. Continue reading...

About 60 flights cancelled after members of Letzte Generation glue themselves to ground at MunichEight climate activists have been arrested after causing Munich airport to close, leading to about 60 flight cancellations.Six activists broke through a security fence and glued themselves to access routes leading to runways, officials and local media reported. Continue reading...

Edible oil droplets trap bugs without the harm to people and wildlife that synthetic pesticides can causeTiny sticky droplets sprayed on crops to trap pests could be a green alternative to chemical pesticides, research has shown.The insect glue, produced from edible oils, was inspired by plants such as sundews that use the strategy to capture their prey. A key advantage of physical pesticides over toxic pesticides is that pests are highly unlikely to evolve resistance, as this would require them to develop much larger and stronger bodies, while bigger beneficial insects, like bees, are not trapped by the drops. Continue reading...