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Updated 2024-11-24 19:31
Moment when UN member states reach agreement on high seas treaty – video
Rena Lee, the president of the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, announced at the UN headquarters that a treaty to protect the high seas had finally been agreed, saying: 'Ladies and gentlemen, the ship has reached the shore.' The treaty, which has been almost two decades in the making, is crucial for enforcing the 30x30 pledge made by countries at the UN biodiversity conference in December, to protect a third of the sea (and land) by 2030
High seas treaty: historic deal to protect international waters finally reached at UN
After almost 20 years of talks, United Nations member states agree on legal framework for parts of the ocean outside national boundaries• ‘The most important talks no one has heard of’: why the high seas treaty mattersIt has been almost two decades in the making, but late on Saturday night in New York, after days of gruelling round-the-clock talks, UN member states finally agreed on a treaty to protect the high seas.A full day after the deadline for talks had officially passed, the conference president, Rena Lee of Singapore, took to the floor of room 2 of the UN headquarters in New York and announced that the treaty had been agreed. At a later date, the delegates will meet for half a day to formally adopt the text. She made it clear the text would not be reopened. Continue reading...
Queenslanders to be banned from dumping solar panels in landfill under new recycling program
More than 25m panels are expected to be installed across the state over the next decade
The UK’s battle cries on net zero have led to nothing – and now time is running out | Robin McKie
The British government committed to achieving net zero by the middle of the century but all that has followed is inactionIn 2019, the government passed legislation that committed the nation to achieving a goal of net zero emissions of greenhouse gases by the middle of the century. It was one of the most ambitious targets set by any country in the battle to halt the worst effects of climate change. This is a nation committed to limiting global temperature rises, claimed Conservative party leaders.Sadly those proud battle cries and that Churchillian rhetoric have not been matched by action. For the past four years, government departments have failed to put in place any coherent policies that could help limit carbon emissions. Continue reading...
Revealed: cabinet ministers warned of legal action over UK’s failure to tackle climate crisis
Senior civil servants have issued the warning as government is way behind on net zero pledges, according to leaked documentsCabinet ministers have been warned by senior civil servants that they face court action because of their catastrophic failure to develop policies for tackling climate change, according to secret documents obtained by the Observer.The leaked briefings from senior mandarins – marked “official sensitive” and dated 20 February this year – make clear the government as a whole is way behind in spelling out how it will reach its net zero targets and comply with legal duties to save the planet. Continue reading...
New David Attenborough series about UK likely to be his last on location
At 96, the nature presenter is set to return to TV screens for a landmark series on British natural historyDuring his decades-long career the authoritative yet reassuring face of Sir David Attenborough has appeared on screen from everywhere from Papua New Guinea to Chernobyl and Kenya.Next week, when the 96-year-old returns to front a new series on home ground, it will be not only his first landmark series on British natural history, but it is likely, the Observer understands, to be viewers’ final time seeing him in a series filmed on location. Continue reading...
Weather tracker: back-to-back winter storms in California
More than a dozen counties declare state of emergency after heavy snowfalls, avalanches and freezing conditionsBack-to-back winter storms in California this week have brought strong winds and blizzard, and freeze warnings, causing a state of emergency to be declared across more than a dozen counties.Palisades Tahoe ski resort in the Sierra Nevada mountain range received 3.6 metres (12 feet) of snow over the week, with 66 centimetres falling in a single day on Tuesday. This brings its cumulative total to 12.8 metres for this season, making it the snowiest since 1970. Continue reading...
Food tsar blames shortages on UK’s ‘weird supermarket culture’
Henry Dimbleby says suppliers struggling with rising costs while locked into fixed-price contractsThe government’s food tsar has blamed Britain’s “weird supermarket culture” for recent food shortages, calling it a “market failure”.Experts have criticised ministers for “leaving food policy to Tesco”, and meeting large food chains rather than suppliers, who have been struggling with rising costs while locked into contracts with supermarkets. Continue reading...
Plan to incinerate soil from Ohio train derailment is ‘horrifying’, says expert
Soil is being sent to a nearby incinerator with a history of clean air violations, raising fears the chemicals will be redistributedContaminated soil from the site around the East Palestine train wreck in Ohio is being sent to a nearby incinerator with a history of clean air violations, raising fears that the chemicals being removed from the ground will be redistributed across the region.The new plan is “horrifying”, said Kyla Bennett, a former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official now with the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility non-profit. She is one among a number of public health advocates and local residents who have slammed Norfolk Southern and state and federal officials over the decision. Continue reading...
Unusually heavy snowfall on US west coast is ‘once-in-a-generation’ event
California governor declares state of emergency in 13 counties while Portland, Oregon, sees second snowiest day in historyThe west coast of the US, from Oregon to the mountains of California and the golf courses of Phoenix, has received nearly unprecedented levels of snowfall this week in what officials are calling a “once-in-a-generation” event.The mountainous regions of California have received so much snowfall – more than 40ft of snow since the start of the season – that entire towns have shut down as they are virtually cut off from the rest of the state. The governor has declared a state of emergency in 13 counties due to the unusual snowfall. Continue reading...
NSW Labor pledges to protect koala population with new national park in Sydney’s south-west
Commitment would see Georges River koala national park developed on publicly owned lands within three years
NSW government called out on net zero goal as own data projects coal and gas emissions until 2050
Data also shows land sector will absorb more carbon than it emits from 2015 despite passage of laws that make land clearing easier
Philippines oil tanker spill prompts fears for protected marine areas
Authorities scramble to contain leak from sunken tanker that was carrying about 800,000 litres of oilAuthorities in the Philippines are scrambling to contain an oil leak from a sunken tanker that could threaten the rich biodiversity of more than 20 marine protected areas.The MT Princess Empress, which was carrying a cargo of about 800,000 litres of industrial oil, sank on Tuesday off the coast of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro province, after it experienced problems with its engine and began to drift due to rough seas. A passing cargo ship rescued the 20 crew onboard. Continue reading...
Warmer UK weather adding to spread of fruit tree diseases
Royal Horticultural Society links spread of orchard infections to heatwave with trees still at riskThe UK’s fruit trees are under threat as a result of the climate crisis because plant diseases that thrive in warm weather are becoming more common.Each year, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) compiles a list of the most common plant diseases identified by its almost half a million members. Gardeners take pictures or samples of afflicted trees, crops or flowers and send them in to the plant pathologists, who can identify the disease. Continue reading...
Crucial high seas treaty stuck over sharing of genetic resources
Delegates deplore ‘insensitivity and privilege’ of developed nations as negotiators disagree over who should benefit from marine discoveriesAs UN member states gathering in New York this week to finally knock out a long-awaited treaty on the high seas announced “significant progress” with just one day left in the talks, a main stumbling block remained: how to fairly share “marine genetic resources” (MGR) and the eventual profits.The conference president, Rena Lee of Singapore, urged delegates to “stay focused and get the job done” yesterday on the penultimate day of talks. But the contentious issue of MGR, which caused the last round of negotiations – officially called the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, or BBNJ – to fail in August, has driven a wedge between developed and developing nations. Continue reading...
Svalbard’s mysterious ‘doomsday’ seed vault offers first glimpse inside with virtual tour
Buried in Arctic permafrost, the collection safeguards the world’s crop species – and is a magnet for conspiracy theories. Now the public can take a look aroundJutting out of the permafrost on a mountainside on Spitsbergen, in the Svalbard archipelago, the entrance to the world’s “doomsday” seed vault is worthy of any James Bond movie. Surrounded by snow, ice and the occasional polar bear, the facility houses 1.2m seed samples from every corner of the planet as an insurance policy against catastrophe. It is a monument to 12,000 years of human agriculture that aims to prevent the permanent loss of crop species after war, natural disaster or pandemic.The Global Seed Vault in the Norwegian Arctic, which opened in 2008, is closed to the public and shrouded in mystery, the subject of numerous internet doomsday conspiracy theories. Now, to celebrate the vault’s 15th anniversary, everyone is invited on a virtual tour to see inside the vast collection of tubers, rice, grains and other seeds buried deep in the mountain behind five sets of metal doors. Continue reading...
Leaked audio reveals US rail workers were told to skip inspections as Ohio crash prompts scrutiny to industry
Exclusive: employee says manager told her to stop marking cars for repair, as Ohio derailment brings hard look at industry’s record of blocking safety rulesIn leaked audio heard by the Guardian, a manager for one of the US’s largest rail companies can be heard explaining to a former carman that they should stop tagging railcars for broken bearings. The manager says doing so delays other cargo.The disclosure comes as federal agencies investigate the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. A wheel-bearing failure was cited as the cause of the crash in a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board. Continue reading...
The week in wildlife – in pictures
The best of this week’s wildlife pictures, including a coyote in the snow, a hungry ibis and giraffes on the move Continue reading...
Florence and her cubs give hope that west African lion can come roaring back
National park in Senegal shows off three surprise new recruits in fight to save critically endangered species from extinctionA lioness in one of the world’s rarest lion populations has given birth to three cubs, new video footage shows, raising hopes that the critically endangered big cat can be saved from extinction.In contrast to their southern cousins, west African lions have almost completely disappeared. Scientists believe between 120 and 374 remain in the wild, their historic range reduced to four populations clinging on in Nigeria, Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso. Continue reading...
Toyota accused of greenwashing in Greenpeace complaint filed to ACCC
Complaint focuses on claims about performance of vehicles and net zero by 2050 plans while company says it is committed to sustainable future
Whales use ‘phonic lips’ in nose to make loudest sounds of any animal, say scientists
Researchers solve puzzle of how animal generates enough air flow 1,000 metres under water, where pressure is 100 times that at surfaceThe question of how the whale got its voice has been solved by scientists, who have discovered how the creatures use “phonic lips” in their nose to produce the loudest sounds in the animal kingdom.The research also reveals that toothed whales, a group that includes killer whales, sperm whales, dolphins and porpoises, use three vocal registers equivalent to vocal fry (a low creaky voice), a normal speaking voice and falsetto. Continue reading...
Plans for gas drilling in Surrey Hills to face judicial review
Local campaigners succeed in bringing legal challenge after government overruled council’s rejection of projectPlans to drill for gas in the Surrey Hills will be put under judicial review and could be stopped, after local campaigners took the government to the high court.Ministers previously gave the green light to three years of exploratory drilling at a site near Dunsfold on the edge of the Surrey Hills area of outstanding natural beauty. Continue reading...
Footage captures moment fishers see shark feeding frenzy – video
A group of fishers searching for tuna were astonished when they encountered a shiver of sharks feeding about 15 miles off the coast of Louisiana last month. Dillon May, who filmed the animals on his camera, recounted that he and his girlfriend Kaitlyn Dix were aboard a friend's fishing boat when they noticed water movement. Initially, they assumed it was a tuna boil, caused by a school of tuna nibbling on food and agitating below the water's surface. However, they were amazed to discover that the disturbance was in fact a frenzy of hungry sharks thrashing in the water Continue reading...
Not a breath of fresh air: study finds sewage bacteria in ocean spray
Pathogens such as E coli, norovirus and salmonella can be blown miles into coastal communities after a rainstormAfter a rainstorm passes, the air coming off the ocean just feels different – cleaner and fresher. But a first of its kind study shows how bacteria from sewage in the ocean can get whipped up in salt spray and blow into coastal communities miles away, a phenomenon exacerbated by storm runoff.The study, released on Thursday by researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, looked at an area south of San Diego near the US-Mexico border, where a Mexican wastewater treatment plant often becomes overwhelmed and spews sewage into the Tijuana River. That river then flows north into Imperial Beach on the northern side of the border. The beach there was closed 249 days last year due to high levels of pathogens like E coli, norovirus and salmonella – but until now, little was known about what happened when crashing waves sent salt spray into the air. Continue reading...
‘Never seen anything like it’: fisherman’s video captures shark feeding frenzy
Louisiana fisherman stumbles across scene of sharks gorging themselves on large pod of fishThinking he had spotted a “tuna boil”, and thereby found his own prey, a Louisiana fisherman soon realised he had instead stumbled across a huge group of sharks engaged in a feeding frenzy.“Never seen anything like it,” Dillon May told Storyful, to whom he provided video of the remarkable scene. Continue reading...
‘Like a little dragon’: new gecko species discovered on rugged Queensland island
The carnivorous Phyllurus fimbriatus is only found in the wettest, rockiest pockets of Scawfell Island
David Pocock wants urgent action on carbon credit system ahead of vote on key climate policy
Crossbench senator’s support is crucial if government is to introduce planned revamp of safeguard mechanism
Hundreds of lynx to be hunted in Sweden following biggest ever wolf cull
Conservationists condemn latest cull as ‘trophy hunting’, while hunters admit it is ‘about the excitement’Sweden has issued licences to hunters to kill a total of 201 lynx, weeks after dozens of wolves were killed in the country’s biggest wolf cull in modern times.The number of licences to kill lynx throughout March, issued by Sweden’s country administrations, is more than double the number in recent years. Continue reading...
And on drums… Earth! Musicians to credit planet as collaborator to raise funds for activism
Brian Eno, Jacob Collier, Anna Calvi and more will add ‘Earth’ to songwriting credits so that royalties are diverted to environmental causesMusicians including Brian Eno are to name the Earth as a co-writer of their music, in order to divert a portion of their royalties towards environmental activism.Described as “a poetic construct … a beautiful idea” by Eno, the likes of Dave and Stormzy producer Fraser T Smith and multiple Grammy winner Jacob Collier will add the Earth to the credits of a forthcoming song or composition. A royalties percentage of their choice will be given in perpetuity to EarthPercent, a charity of which Eno is a founder and trustee, that raises money from the music industry to fund environmental activism. Continue reading...
National Geographic Traveller Photography Awards 2023 – the winners
The best mages from the magazine’s annual competition, with categories for travel, wildlife, urban settings, people, food, landscape and portfolio Continue reading...
Overconsumption by the rich must be tackled, says acting UN biodiversity chief
Wealthy countries and businesses should act now to ensure success of historic nature agreement signed at Cop15 in MontrealGovernments and businesses must start implementing this decade’s deal to halt the destruction of Earth’s ecosystems as soon as possible, the acting UN biodiversity chief has said, urging rich nations to tackle overconsumption of the planet’s resources.David Cooper, the new acting executive secretary for the UN convention on biological diversity (CBD), said countries and corporations must immediately act on December’s historic agreement in Montreal, which includes targets to protect 30% of Earth, reform $500bn (£410bn) of environmentally damaging subsidies, and address and disclose the impact businesses have on biodiversity. Continue reading...
Woodside claims its emissions are falling – but only by using the ‘last resort’ of offsets | Temperature Check
A detailed reading of the company’s climate change report reveals a different picture from that of its headline claims
Scientists prove clear link between deforestation and local drop in rainfall
Study adds to fears Amazon is approaching tipping point after which it will not be able to generate its own rainfallFor the first time researchers have proven a clear correlation between deforestation and regional precipitation. Scientists hope it may encourage agricultural companies and governments in the Amazon and Congo basin regions and south-east Asia to invest more in protecting trees and other vegetation.The study found that the more rainforests are cleared in tropical countries, the less local farmers will be able to depend on rain for their crops and pastures. Continue reading...
Supreme court rules in favour of halting housebuilding in Shrewsbury park
Judgment handed down after five-year legal battle is landmark ruling for protection of green spacesCampaigners have won a supreme court appeal to stop houses being built on a park protected by a 100-year-old statutory trust in Shrewsbury, in a landmark ruling for the protection of green spaces.A judgment handed down on Wednesday after a five-year legal battle ruled in favour of a resident who argued a statutory trust created in 1926 gave residents rights of recreation over the land, even after the council had sold it to a developer. Continue reading...
River Ouse may become first in England to gain legal rights
Lewes council passes motion recognising Sussex river’s rights to protection, amid growing concerns over pollution of waterwaysThe River Ouse is on course to be the first river in England to be granted legal rights, as part of a growing movement to bolster protection for nature through the law.Lewes district council passed a rights of river motion acknowledging the rights of nature as a way of improving the health of local rivers by giving them similar protection to people, and agreed there was “a case to be made for considering our interactions with our local waterways”. Continue reading...
Deflecting sun’s rays to cool overheating Earth needs study, scientists say
More than 60 US scientists, including James Hansen, renowned former Nasa climate researcher, sign open letterThe controversial concept of purposely deflecting the sun’s rays to cool down an overheating Earth should be further studied, according to a group of scientists headed by James Hansen, the renowned former Nasa climate researcher.An open letter from more than 60 scientists across the US, Canada and Europe warns that it is “increasingly unlikely” the world will remain below 2C of heating beyond pre-industrial times, due to a failure to slash greenhouse gas emissions, requiring a “rigorous, rapid scientific assessment” of previously outlandish proposals for solar geoengineering to provide rapid cooling. Continue reading...
ACCC to crack down on ‘greenwashing’ after survey reveals spike in misleading claims
Competition watchdog analysis of 247 businesses showed 57% had promoted concerning claims about environmental credentials
Frustration mounts over delayed government promises to protect Queensland rivers from gas drilling
Grazier says oil and gas industry largely self-enforce regulations in the Lake Eyre basin with no consequences for non-compliance
Why are eggs so expensive? Because an avian flu killed 43 million hens | Gene Baur
A global pandemic of highly pathogenic avian influenza is driving deaths in the egg industry. And factory farming is largely to blameThe increased cost of eggs has been in the news, but the cause has largely been absent in mainstream media. A global pandemic of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), a form of bird flu (H5N1), has resulted in the deaths of over 43 million hens in the egg industry, causing a drop in the supply of eggs and higher prices for consumers. While industry and government officials are feverishly working on getting this outbreak under control, the more significant issue is that confining animals by the billions in cruel and stressful conditions exacerbates the spread of disease. The problem is getting worse, and agribusiness needs to stop distracting consumers with messages about high egg prices and be held accountable for its irresponsible conduct.On factory farms across the US, animals used to produce meat, milk and eggs for human consumption are crowded by the thousands in unsanitary conditions, and they’re fed a steady diet of pharmaceuticals to ward off the resulting illness. This helps keep animals productive and alive long enough to reach market, benefiting agribusiness in the short term, but it is contributing to the development of more virulent forms of resistant pathogens that jeopardize the wellbeing of both human and nonhuman animals. As a study published in 2018 warned: “The golden age of antibiotics (the 1950s through 1970s) marked the beginning of the arms race between humans and bacteria. Antimicrobial resistance is now among the greatest threats to human health.” Continue reading...
Driest February in England since 1993 signals drought ahead, say experts
With little rain forecast for spring and reservoirs still not refilled, drought could be worse than last yearThe government risks sleepwalking into drought, experts have said, after England experienced an extremely dry February with very little rain forecast for spring.Last year, most of England was plunged into drought conditions, with farmers struggling to plant and harvest crops, and hosepipe bans in action across the country. Water companies were preparing to take drastic action, including banning the filling of public swimming pools and cleaning non-domestic buildings. Continue reading...
London’s waste and recycling systems – in pictures
Photographer Daniel Leal takes a look at the various ways London handles its waste, from incineration north of the city to street recycling and waste management facilities along the Thames riverside Continue reading...
Australia joins Vanuatu bid for international court to rule on obligation to prevent climate harm
Pacific island country will put resolution to UN general assembly seeking opinion on international legal obligations that countries have to act on the crisis
How sugar kelp may help to tackle the climate crisis
A North Sea trial aims to develop methods for growing and harvesting the seaweed as a means of carbon sequestrationBefore the Met Office was set up, and long afterwards in seaside towns, sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) was used to forecast the weather. Plucked from rock pools, it often hung on a hook by the seaside landlady’s door. If the seaweed was limp and damp because of moist air, it was sure to rain soon. If it was dry, then the day would be fine.This species has also long been gathered for food and as a cosmetics ingredient in Asia and in the UK. More recently, seaweed has been suggested as a means of carbon sequestration comparable to rainforests. Last month, Amazon gave a huge boost to efforts to test that idea by giving a €1.5m (£1.3m) grant to set up a farm-scale trial in the North Sea. The idea is to develop methods for growing and harvesting seaweed on a large scale between the thousands of turbines being built in shallow water on the continental shelf that now cannot be commercially fished. Continue reading...
US firm to bid to turn DRC oil permits in Virunga park into conservation projects
Exclusive: company plans to sell carbon and biodiversity credits in endangered gorilla habitat and Congo basin rainforest as alternative to drilling for fossil fuelsA New York investment firm is to launch a $400m (£334m) bid for oil concessions in the Congo basin rainforest and Virunga national park with plans to turn them into conservation projects, the Guardian can reveal.EQX Biome, a biodiversity fintech company, has sent an expression of interest to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) government for 27 oil exploration blocks put up for auction last July, some of which are in critical ecosystems. Continue reading...
Canadian government urged to test sick patients for herbicide
Patients in New Brunswick with array of symptoms ‘show signs of exposure to glyphosate’, says neurologistA neurologist who believes his patients are suffering from a suspicious illness has pleaded with the Canadian government to carry out environmental testing he thinks will show the involvement of the herbicide glyphosate.For more than two years, dozens of people in the Canadian province of New Brunswick have experienced a distressing array of neurological symptoms, initially prompting speculation that they had developed an unknown degenerative illness – and that figure is believed to be far higher than official reports. Continue reading...
UK energy firms must pass on price savings to customers, ministers warn
Grant Shapps to tell suppliers that reduced wholesale prices must be seen in consumer pricesMinisters have warned energy firms that they must pass on the benefits of lower wholesale prices to consumers, amid concern that bills could rise this spring.In a speech on Wednesday, Grant Shapps will tell energy suppliers that reduced wholesale prices must be seen in consumer prices, “no ifs, buts or maybes”. Continue reading...
UK efforts to deal with energy crisis ‘raise risk of missing net zero target’
Absence of long-term plan could deter investors or lead them to increase prices, says National Audit OfficeMinisters’ efforts to tackle the energy bills crisis have left the UK at risk of missing a key target to source green power and are threatening the country’s net zero goal, the government spending watchdog has said.The government said in 2021 it wanted all electricity to be generated from low-carbon sources by 2035, a pillar in the plan to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. Continue reading...
Lufthansa’s ‘green’ adverts banned in UK for misleading consumers
Airline claim that it was protecting the world’s future is latest ad to fall foul of ASA rulesAn ad campaign by Lufthansa claiming that its green initiatives were protecting the world has been banned by the UK advertising watchdog, which ruled it was misleading consumers over the environmental impact of flying.The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) launched an investigation into the campaign – which featured a plane with an image of the Earth on its underside and the strapline: “Connecting the world. Protecting its future” – over concerns the German airline was giving consumers a “misleading impression of its environmental impact”. Continue reading...
US justice department sues two companies over pollution in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’
Japanese company Denka, along with US chemicals giant DuPont, have operated the plant that produces cancer-causing chloropreneThe US justice department has sued the two petrochemical giants behind a facility in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” responsible for the highest cancer risk rates caused by air pollution in the US in a major federal lawsuit that seeks to substantially curb the plant’s emissions.Unveiled on Tuesday, the lawsuit alleges emissions at the Pontchartrain Works facility in Reserve, Louisiana, violate the Clean Air Act and “present an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health and welfare”. Continue reading...
US environmental agency opens office near site of Ohio toxic train derailment
Residents can sign up for air monitoring and cleaning services for their homes as well as information on the clean up effortsThe head of the US Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday he doesn’t want any stigmas attached to the Ohio community where a train derailed and spewed toxic gases three weeks ago and that he’s pushing the railroad to clean up the mess as fast as possible.The agency is continuing to monitor the air around East Palestine and working to protect the area during the cleanup, said EPA administrator Michael Regan. Continue reading...
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