Guardian investigation reveals ‘extremely high levels’ of toxic effluent in Lancashire river

Oil companies plan to pump crude oil from Lake Albert, Uganda to the coast of neighbouring Tanzania, with the goal of producing 1.4bn barrels over the next two decades. But the pipeline project has created a human tragedy for those living in its 900-mile path• Photographs by Sadak Souici. Words by Théophile Simon for La Chronique d’Amnesty International France Continue reading...

Mapping project reveals standards for PFAS will not be met until 2063 in many areas

The University of Melbourne study estimated that 11,105 people die prematurely from transport emissions, many more than past figures

Experts say more cities should join the growing legislative trend to reduce trash, save birds and protect against wildfiresLaguna Beach – the California city known for surfers, waves, rolling hills – grabbed headlines this week for enacting a strict ban on the sale and use of balloons. The city council passed the resolution on Tuesday night, citing wildfire risk and the fact that balloons are a huge source of marine trash. Beginning in 2024, balloons of all types will not be permitted to be used on public property or at city events, with violators facing fines of up to $500. Residential homes will be exempt.The move is part of a growing trend. Maryland and Virginia banned intentional balloon releases in 2021, Hawaii followed suit in 2022, with New York and Florida now considering similar measures. And like plastic bags and other pollutants, experts say balloon bans could catch on more widely as awareness rises of the harms that the popular celebratory item causes to the environment. Continue reading...

Thérèse Coffey’s championing of UK ‘specialisms’ causes one Labour MP to retort: ‘Let them eat turnips!’The UK environment secretary, Thérèse Coffey, has caused a furore after she suggested people should “cherish” seasonal foods such as turnips as bad weather cleared supermarket shelves of tomatoes and other fresh produce.“It’s important to make sure that we cherish the specialisms that we have in this country,” Coffey told parliament. “A lot of people would be eating turnips right now rather than thinking necessarily about aspects of lettuce and tomatoes and similar.” Continue reading...

Farming leader Minette Batters says government needs to take action to tackle worsening water shortagesNew reservoirs are needed across England to cope with increasingly severe water shortages that are putting the UK at risk of not being able to grow the food consumers require, a farming leader has warned.Minette Batters, the president of the National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales, said failure to manage the country’s water adequately was creating problems for farmers and threatening food supplies. Continue reading...

The National Archives of Australia has restored and made public hundreds of rare and fragile images, digitised from glass plate negatives and lantern slides, of early 20th century British and Australian Antarctic expeditions Continue reading...

The Perrottet government is being accused of ‘double dipping’ on offsets by using land that’s already been put aside for conservation

Preventing heat waste largely being ignored as solution to energy crisis, say environmental campaignersExcess heat produced across Europe could almost power the entire region but preventing this waste is largely being ignored as a solution to the energy crisis, say environmental experts.“The global energy crisis is a wakeup call to stop wasting energy,” said Toby Morgan, senior manager for the built environment at Climate Group, an environmental not-for-profit. “Now, more than ever, we need to make better use of the energy we already produce, we simply can’t afford to let it literally escape out the window. Energy efficiency improvements, like capturing and recycling excess heat, are absolutely critical to lower fossil fuel demand and lower bills.” Continue reading...

Data released by the International Energy Agency leads to renewed calls for more emission cuts and block on new projects

Critics say power generator would make loss without public support as firm boosts dividend after 84% rise in profits to £731mMinisters are under pressure to cut subsidies to the operator of Britain’s biggest power station after it reported an 84% increase in annual profits, helped by high electricity prices.Drax, the power generator that owns the eponymous plant in North Yorkshire, posted underlying profits of £731m for 2022, up from £398m a year earlier. Continue reading...

Despite a new relief fund in Sonoma county, farm workers face economic catastrophe when storms and fires strikeAs a series of deadly storms whipped through California’s wine country, liquefying fields and turning vineyards into wading pools, thousands of farm workers in the region were forced to stay home. Though the power has been long since restored and roads reopened – many of them are still confronting an economic catastrophe.For Isidro Rodriguez, the storms caused him to lose half his monthly income – about $1,100. Continue reading...

If the workers at Lodi succeed, they could be leaders in a new labor-organizing movement at higher-end eateries – but supporters say there is fierce pushbackAt an Italian-style cafe in New York City’s Rockefeller Center, workers move seamlessly between tables draped in white tablecloths dotting the covered patio. This is Lodi, where everything is business as usual, except for a new addition to some workers’ uniforms: a small button with gold lettering pinned to the lapel of their chore coats, announcing they back the restaurant’s first-ever union.They are part of a surprising movement. It has been increasingly common in recent years for workers at chain restaurants and coffee shops, like Starbucks and Chipotle, to start union drives, but it is far rarer for this to happen at higher-end, independent restaurants – the Balthazars and Gramercy Taverns of the world. Continue reading...

These images were taken by underwater photographer Robert Stansfield, from Southampton, UK, on a blackwater dive in the open ocean surround the island of Cozumel, Mexico.‘The blackwater dives never fail to amaze me with the crazy alien-like life forms that drift past out in the open ocean, well away from a reef,’ says Robert. ‘The idea is to see the largest biomass migration on the planet. Every night a huge volume of life migrates up from the mesopelagic zone up to the epipelagic. This night-time migration gives us the opportunity to see life at the surface that normally lives well beyond recreational diving depths.’• This article was amended on 23 February 2023. An earlier version misspelled crab megalopa as “megalopia”. Continue reading...

Major mapping project reveals PFAS have been found at high levels at thousands of sites

Chris Davis died after being bitten multiple times by a shark while swimming at Chateau Royal beach south of Nouméa

Plan to triple size of Macquarie Island protection zone to shield ‘remote wildlife wonderland’

With the Coalition opting out of an adult discussion on climate policy, tough decisions lie ahead for Labor, the Greens and independents on what they are willing to acceptThe long-running fractures that define Australian climate politics can do weird things to people who have been involved in it too long.One observer with more experience than most had a moment of reverie this week, joking about a fantasy universe in which Labor, the Coalition and the Greens all made substantial compromises to transform the landscape, literally and figuratively. Continue reading...

Far more tiny particles now come from tyres than are emitted from exhausts but new tyre designs may helpScientists are “increasingly concerned” by the health impact of air pollution produced by the wear of vehicle tyres. The particles are especially damaging due to the toxic chemicals they are made from, say the scientists from Imperial College London.The warning follows UK government data that shows significantly more tiny pollution particles now come from tyre erosion than are emitted from vehicle exhausts. Continue reading...

Former president criticizes Biden administration’s response to train derailment in East Palestine as he visits townDonald Trump’s record of rolling back environmental protections was highlighted by critics on Wednesday as the ex-president visited the town of East Palestine, Ohio, and called the federal response to the toxic train derailment there earlier this month a “betrayal” .Trump’s administration, which rolled back more than 100 environmental rules in total, watered down several regulations at the behest of the rail industry. Continue reading...

Deaths the result of deoxygenation caused by carp population boom at NSW weir, primary industries department says

Sydney-based MPs Kylea Tink and Sophie Scamps meet locals fighting coal seam gas project and Hunter pipeline

Renewable energy generator said underlying group profits were helped by windy conditions last yearProfits for ScottishPower, the renewable energy generator, were improved by windy conditions last year – but the supplier took a hit as Britons cut back on energy consumption in the face of higher bills.The energy generation and supply group, which is owned by Spain’s Iberdrola, said underlying group profits in 2022 had risen 3.6% to £1.6bn on a year earlier. Continue reading...

Oil and gas companies seek expansive contracts to tackle short-term problem of tight European gas supplyUS oil and gas companies are pushing to solve the short-term problem of a tight European gas supply, driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) contracts, a new report shows.The US fossil fuel industry has locked in 45 long-term contracts and contract expansions since the start of the war, according to research by Friends of the Earth, Public Citizen and BailoutWatch. That’s a major increase from the 14 such contracts signed in 2021. Continue reading...

Warning comes as supermarkets ration sales of produce owing to dry conditions elsewhere in EuropeEngland is at risk of a severe drought, with experts warning it is one dry spell away from conditions similar to last summer.Farmers are preparing for a difficult growing year, with some areas having never left drought and others just recovering. This means it will be difficult to grow certain vegetables and yields could be affected. Last year, yields on crops such as cabbage and kale were reduced because of the drought. Continue reading...

Southern states led by Republicans did not vote for climate spending, but now embrace clean energy dollars like never beforeGeorgia, a state once known for its peaches and peanuts, is rapidly becoming a crucible of clean energy technology in the US, leading a pack of Republican-led states enjoying a boom in renewables investment that has been accelerated by Joe Biden’s climate agenda.Since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in August, billions of dollars of new clean energy investment has been announced for solar, electric vehicle and battery manufacturing in Georgia, pushing it to the forefront of a swathe of southern states that are becoming a so-called “battery belt” in the economic transition away from fossil fuels. Continue reading...

Ships have been essential to enable safe passage of grain but more than 300 crew remain stuck on vessels that are key targets• Russia-Ukraine war – latest updatesShipping companies and maritime organisations have urged the UN secretary general to help evacuate hundreds of seafarers who have been trapped onboard vessels in Ukrainian ports for a year.About 2,000 seafarers in 112 ships were berthed in Ukrainian ports across the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov before Russia’s invasion. After the war broke out, most crew were evacuated, but 331 seafarers remain stuck on 62 vessels across nine Ukrainian ports, including Mariupol and Odesa. Continue reading...

Exclusive: premier’s comments in November raise questions about how far Coalition would go to support fossil fuels if re-elected

EPA orders Norfolk Southern to clean up site in East Palestine, Ohio, as residents demand answers about health risksFederal environmental regulators on Tuesday took control of the clean-up from the derailment of the train carrying huge quantities of toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this month, and ordered the railroad company Norfolk Southern to foot the bill.Amid growing fear and frustration among residents about safety and transparency, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will now take control as the fallout from the 3 February train disaster moves from emergency response to the clean-up phase. Continue reading...

George Hibberd, convicted of obstruction with other Just Stop Oil activists, told court he gave up ‘dream job’ because of climate concernsA former easyJet pilot who sat in the road outside Harrods to cause traffic chaos told a court he left his job because he thought he was contributing to climate change.George Hibberd, 29, was part of a group of about 20 Just Stop Oil (JSO) activists who protested outside the world famous store in Knightsbridge, London. Continue reading...

Farming groups say allowing high-carbon meat to enter UK could undermine domestic beef sector and harm environmentMexican beef could hit UK supermarket shelves as the farming minister confirmed that the high-carbon meat could be imported under a new trade deal.Mark Spencer told journalists at the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) conference in Birmingham that the deal could pave the way for meat from the Latin American country, declaring: “We have to be fair to everyone; we can’t say we will sell milk to you but we won’t buy your beef.” Continue reading...

Only half of the packaging of kettles, air fryers and stick vacuums was being recycled, according to a survey by the consumer group

Mudburra elder Ray Dimakarri Dixon says he was shocked to discover site using his image to support fracking, which he is campaigning against

Decision allows Santos to open 116 new wells with an operational life of about 30 years in Surat Basin

Fuel loads that increased after heavy rain are now drying out and creating ‘powder keg’ conditions for future fires, report finds

Report finds four new offshore depots would emit around three times what the entire US emits each year, pushing world closer to climate catastropheJoe Biden’s administration has been urged not to sink its own climate goals by approving an unprecedented ramp-up of oil export infrastructure off the Texas coast that could result in planet-heating emissions equivalent to three years of the US’s entire emissions output.The federal government has already quietly approved the Sea Port oil terminal project, a proposed offshore oil platform located 35 miles off the Texas coast, south of Houston, and will decide whether to allow three other nearby oil terminal proposals. Combined, the four terminals would expand US oil exports by nearly 7m barrels every day, handling the capacity of half of all current national oil exports. Continue reading...

Body of missing 22-year-old campaigner who also took part in Just Stop oil protests found in London parkA young activist who campaigned with the climate groups Insulate Britain and Just Stop Oil has been found dead after going missing almost a week ago.Xavier Gonzalez-Trimmer, 22, was found in Richmond Park on Monday after searches by friends and relatives in the area.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org. Continue reading...

Using local creatives and actors, director Katie Mitchell’s A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction is a narrative response to the climate crisis and an experiment in sustainabilityKatie Mitchell’s new theatre production will arrive at the Barbican in London in April having already toured internationally without anyone involved getting on a plane or even crossing a border. The show, entitled A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction, is an experiment in how theatre can be more sustainable. It is staged by a local creative team and features a different performer in each venue it plays.The idea took shape at Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne in Switzerland, where the British theatre director was due to stage a show. The French choreographer Jérôme Bel had recently announced that he would no longer fly, a decision Mitchell had herself made after working with scientist Stephen Emmott on Ten Billion, staged at the Royal Court in 2012. Mitchell and Bel began discussions with producers at Vidy-Lausanne about sustainable theatre in which, says Mitchell, “the artistic conversations were intersecting with budgeting and systems and structures as well”. The zero-travel rule is just one part of the initiative which is not a set-in-stone model but rather a way to prompt new ways of working on individual productions and within organisations. Continue reading...

New study shows impact of weather phenomenon could have a ‘double whammy’ effect, leading to worsening extreme weather and accelerating sea level rise

Farmers’ union president Minette Batters to say ‘volatility, uncertainty and instability are greatest risks to farm businesses’“The clock is ticking” to support Britain’s farmers battered by a storm of rising costs, labour shortages, bird flu and post-Brexit changes to support payments, the union representing the sector has told ministers.“Volatility, uncertainty and instability” are endangering UK farm businesses, according to the National Farmers’ Union, which is urging the government to support British food producers so they can keep supplying squeezed UK households and a growing global population. Continue reading...

Gondolas unable to navigate some of its famous canals as Italy faces prospect of another droughtWeeks of dry winter weather have raised concerns that Italy could face another drought after last summer’s emergency, with the Alps having received less than half of their normal snowfall, according to scientists and environmental groups.The warning comes as Venice, where flooding is normally the primary concern, faces unusually low tides that are making it impossible for gondolas, water taxis and ambulances to navigate some of its famous canals. Continue reading...

Cities cancel carnival festivities as rescue workers search for victims and clear roadsAt least 36 people have died and dozens are missing after torrential rain brought flooding and landslides to coastal areas of south-east Brazil over the weekend as the country geared up for its annual carnival celebrations.Rescue efforts continued in São Paulo state on Monday as more than 500 workers searched for victims, cleared roads and tried to reconnect isolated communities. Continue reading...

Controversy stirs in New Jersey along political lines as some scientists say wind turbine theory is ‘cynical disinformation’Thousands gathered at New Jersey’s Point Pleasant beach on Sunday with a united mission: to pause offshore wind projects in response to recent whale deaths along the New York-New Jersey coast.The gathering unfolded even as officials dispute the notion that the projects may be to blame for the dead whales, a controversy that – like many – is breaking along political party lines. Continue reading...

But usually its pupils are W-shaped. It also has three heartsA cuttlefish, the tentacled, colour-changing sea creature with floating, polystyrene-like centre, is a kind of child’s birthday party lucky packet in cephalopod form: reach into the strange mixture and you’ll pull out a series of simple diversions, small delights. Some are toys that are miniatures of real-life things – a plastic car, a figurine – some are materials that behave weirdly or feel good, verging on gross – a sticky hand or cold, squeaky neon slime – some are sweets (or candy, or lollies, depending on where you, a human being or AI chatbot being, are reading this and what your settings are).Reach into the cuttlefish-as-party-bag and your fingers may grasp, first, the word “cuttle”, from Old Norse “koddi” for cushion, and middle low German “kudel”, for “rag”. Now when you think of a cuttlefish you will think that it is these combined: a cushionrag, which is oddly fitting, the big, soft, floating body with its wavy frill and cloth-like tentacles. Continue reading...

Successive La Niñas have eased demand but, with many renewable and storage projects now delayed, the energy market operator has revised its projections

Exclusive: Poll shows national support for ban in urban areas, where burners have worst impactAn overwhelming majority of people in London support the banning of wood burners, which are the single biggest source of tiny air pollution particles in Britain.An exclusive poll for the Guardian indicates that 67% of Londoners backed a ban, with 17% opposed and 16% saying they did not know. Across Britain, 44% supported a wood burner ban, with 36% opposed. Continue reading...

Storm has been upgraded to Very Intense Tropical Cyclone with severe risk of deadly landslidesCyclone Freddy, upgraded to a Very Intense Tropical Cyclone on 19 February, is expected to make landfall in Madagascar this week, with fatalities likely.The previous tropical cyclone to affect the country was Cheneso, which struck about a month ago and caused dozens of deaths. Freddy is forecast to inflict much more damage. Continue reading...

Unions say rail companies’ desire for increased profits is driving up safety risks – and more accidents will happen without actionUS railroad workers say the train derailment in Ohio, which forced thousands of residents to evacuate and is now spreading a noxious plume of carcinogenic chemicals across the area, should be an “eye-opening” revelation for Congress and “an illustration of how the railroads operate, and how they’re getting away with a lot of things”.Workers and union officials cited the Norfolk Southern Railway derailment in early February as a glaring example of why safety reforms to the industry – which include providing workers with paid sick leave – need to be made. Continue reading...

Northern states on alert for invasion of cross-bred pig that threatens flora and fauna – and is difficult to stopFor decades, wild pigs have been antagonizing flora and fauna in the US: gobbling up crops, spreading disease and even killing deer and elk.Now, as fears over the potential of the pig impact in the US grow, North America is also facing a new swine-related threat, as a Canadian “super pig”, a giant, “incredibly intelligent, highly elusive” beast capable of surviving cold climates by tunneling under snow, is poised to infiltrate the north of the country. Continue reading...