Environment | The Guardian

Exclusive: Study shows resilience workers, mostly refugees and immigrants, poorly protected as top firms pad their pockets by cutting costs'Private equity firms are increasingly profiting from cleaning up climate disasters in the US, while failing to better protect workers and often also investing in the fossil fuels that are causing the climate emergency, new research has found.The demand for skilled disaster restoration or resilience workers, who are mostly immigrants and refugees from Latin America and Asia, is soaring as greenhouse gases released by burning fossil fuels heat the planet, provoking more destructive storms, floods and wildfires. Continue reading...

Yemi Amu, founder of New York City's first outdoor aquaponics farm, combines growing fish and growing plants without soil, and teaches residents its benefitsNestled between a Trader Joe's and New York City's East River is Oko Farms, a little hub of greenery in Brooklyn that looks out on to Manhattan's skyline. Fenced off in the corner of an expansive construction site, it's not easy to locate.Past the gates is a 10,000 sq ft plot brimming with beds of lemongrass, cabbage, okra, peas, peppers, tomatoes, leeks, onions and carrots. They are sprawling patches of greenery, accessed by a narrow wooden walkway that interlaces throughout the property. But unlike most urban gardens, the plant beds have plastic tubes stuck to them. The tubes are connected to large baths of tilapia, carp, catfish and perch, and circulate water between the two. Continue reading...

To mark Threatened Species Day, Perth zoo has shared footage of 13 newborn numbat joeys. With less than 2,000 remaining in the wild, it is hoped these baby marsupials will contribute to the survival of the species. Careers and zookeepers have provided around-the-clock care for the joeys, raising three by hand after one of the mothers was showing signs of mismothering. They are expected to be released into the wild by the end of the year

Energy industry experts say steep rise in costs could result in few projects submitting bidsBritain's offshore wind industry is expecting to lose out on financial help for projects toward meeting the UK's climate goals, because soaring inflation means developers are not able to compete for crucial government support.Ministers are expected to announce the results of the latest auction for financial support contracts this Friday, but energy industry insiders suggest it could be a damp squib in a potential blow to the UK's climate goals. Continue reading...

Using explosives is illegal, wasteful and devastating to marine life and people's livelihoods. Yet in Sri Lanka and around the world it's thriving as a quick and easy route to a lucrative haulThe immediate aftermath of a blast is obvious, says Wilson Perera: the ocean turns murky with blood and is strewn with fish that are missing eyes or other organs. Those fish that are wounded swim off to die elsewhere. Their carcasses wash ashore days later.Everything within a 100-metre radius of the blast is destroyed - coral reefs, marine plants and animals," says Perera. Continue reading...

Tanya Plibersek announces crayfish, frogs, insects and plants among wildlife now under threat amid renewed calls for reform

Environmental and community groups have filed lawsuit as the water body shrinks from overuse, hastening its demiseEnvironmental and community groups have sued Utah officials over failures to save its iconic Great Salt Lake from irreversible collapse.The largest saltwater lake in the western hemisphere has been steadily shrinking, as more and more water has been diverted away from the lake to irrigate farmland, feed industry and water lawns. A megadrought across the US south-west, accelerated by global heating, has hastened the lake's demise. Continue reading...

Seven oil and gas leases canceled by interior department, which said sale during final days of Trump administration were flawedThe US interior department has canceled seven oil and gas leases in Alaska's Arctic national wildlife refuge that were part of a sale held in the waning days of the Trump administration, arguing the sale was legally flawed.The interior secretary, Deb Haaland, said with her decision to cancel the remaining leases no one will have rights to drill for oil in one of the most sensitive landscapes on earth". However, a 2017 law mandates another lease sale by late 2024. Administration officials said they intend to comply with the law. Continue reading...

At least 12 people die across three countries as torrential rainstorms cause severe damage to buildings, roads and bridgesAt least 12 people have died in Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria as flash floods from torrential rainstorms turned rivers into torrents, swept away bridges and inundated streets, homes and public buildings.Greece's climate crisis and civil protection minister, Vassilis Kikilias, said after an emergency cabinet meeting: This is the most extreme phenomenon in terms of the maximum amount of rain in a 24-hour period since records began in the country." Continue reading...

Nairobi Declaration, issued at first African Climate Summit, also includes call for global carbon taxesAfrican leaders have called for debt relief across the continent to allow countries to get on with responding to the climate crisis, as they publish the Nairobi Declaration at the end of the first African climate summit.The declaration, which had a heavy focus on climate finance, also included a call for global carbon taxes, and for increased representation of African and other countries in the governance of multilateral banks. Continue reading...

Eighteen new coal projects represent carbon bomb' that should not be approved, conservationists say

Government's choice of energy regulator boss criticised as putting the fox in charge of the hen house'

The climate crisis and emerging El Nino event pushed up temperatures and drove extreme weather across the worldThe summer of 2023 was the hottest ever recorded, as the climate crisis and emerging El Nino pushed up temperatures and drove extreme weather across the world.In June, July and August - the northern hemisphere summer - the global average temperature reached 16.77C, which was 0.66C above the 1991 to 2020 average. The new high is 0.29C above the previous record set in 2019, a big jump in climate terms. Continue reading...

Decision on regulations for ground-level ozone - AKA smog - avoids election-year battle with industry groups and RepublicansThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is delaying plans to tighten air quality standards for ground-level ozone - better known as smog - despite a recommendation by a scientific advisory panel to lower air pollution limits to protect public health.The decision by the EPA Administrator, Michael Regan, means that one of the agency's most important air quality regulations will not be updated until well after the 2024 presidential election. Continue reading...

The climate crisis and soaring temperatures are worsening air quality, WMO says, with knock-on effects'Heatwaves across the world are worsening air quality and pollution, scientists have said.The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has said extreme temperatures are not the only hazard from heatwaves but that they also cause pollution-related health problems. Continue reading...

Heavy rain in Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria has triggered flash floods that have left at least seven dead and many missing. In Turkey, some holidaymakers were feared dead after flash flooding at a campsite in Kirklareli province, near the border with Bulgaria. Nikolai Denkov, the prime minister of Bulgaria, said two people died and three others were missing

In today's newsletter: How 2015 legislation under David Cameron made it almost impossible to build windfarms, despite their effectiveness - and surprising popularity Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.There was a time under the leadership of David Cameron that the Conservative party had the ambition of becoming the greenest government ever". But by the early 2010s the party was marred by significant pushback from Conservative MPs against environmental policies that still plagues the government a decade later. One particular point of contention has been the eight-year ban on the development of onshore windfarms in England. Rules that were ushered in under Cameron meant that a local authority in England can reject an application to build an onshore windfarm on the basis of a single objection from a local resident.US | Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the far-right Proud Boys group, has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for his part in the failed plot to keep Donald Trump in power after the 2020 election.Schools | The cost of fixing the buildings crisis in England is approaching 150m and could rise much further, according to Guardian estimates based on figures from the construction industry, government and schools.UK news | Birmingham city council, the largest local authority in the UK, has in effect declared itself bankrupt after issuing a section 114 notice, signalling that it does not have the resources to balance its budget.Health | The number of under-50s worldwide being diagnosed with cancer has risen by nearly 80% in three decades, according to the largest study of its kind. More than a million under-50s a year are dying of cancer, the research reveals.Museums | Manchester Museum has announced that it is returning more than 174 objects to an Indigenous community in northern Australia in what is being described as a landmark example of cultural repatriation. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Motion from Barnaby Joyce's federal electorate council calls on Nationals to back away from commitment, threatening to reopen acrimonious debate

Move comes after Minns government announced plans to engage with the owner of Australia's biggest coal-fired power station to extend its life

Exclusive: Greg Mullins calls for fossil fuel subsidies to be torn up as he blasts Labor over incomprehensible' coalmine approvals

Areas of Greece report 75.4cm of rain late on Tuesday - the highest level recorded since 2006Fierce rainstorms have battered neighbouring Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria, triggering flooding that caused at least seven deaths, including those of two holidaymakers swept away by a torrent at a campsite in northwestern Turkey.Ali Yerlikaya, the Turkish interior minister, said four other people were missing after the flash flood at the campsite in Kirklareli province, near the border with Bulgaria. He said about 12 holidaymakers were present when the waters hit. Continue reading...

Michael Gove announces changes to planning system that mean turbines can no longer be blocked by a single objectionMichael Gove has loosened restrictions on building onshore windfarms in England, meaning developments will no longer be quashed by one objection, but campaigners have said such schemes are still at a disadvantage.The communities secretary announced on Tuesday that the government would make a series of changes to the planning system in order to lift a de facto ban on the structures that has been in place since 2015. Continue reading...

UN-developed Marine Sand Watch estimates 6bn tonnes dug up a year, well beyond rate at which it is replenishedOne million lorries of sand a day are being extracted from the world's oceans, posing a significant" threat to marine life and coastal communities facing rising sea levels and storms, according to the first-ever global data platform to monitor the industry.The new data platform, developed by the UN Environment Programme (Unep), tracks and monitors dredging of sand in the marine environment by using the AIS (automatic identification systems) data from ships. Using data from 2012-19, Marine Sand Watch estimates the dredging industry is digging up 6bn tonnes of marine sand a year, a scale described as alarming". The rate of extraction is growing globally, Unep said, and is approaching the natural rate of replenishment of 10bn to 16bn tonnes of sand flowing into the sea from rivers and needed to maintain coastal structure and ecosystems. Continue reading...

Taskforce deployed to remove thousands of cows owned by land grabbers from indigenous territoryThe Brazilian government has launched its biggest ever operation to remove thousands of cows owned by illegal land grabbers from indigenous territory in the Amazon rainforest.Three helicopters, a dozen vehicles and a heavily armed corps of police and environment rangers are carrying out the cattle drive, which criminal gangs attempted to block by setting fires on the route, destroying bridges and intimidating drivers. Continue reading...

Wildlife under threat from habitat loss on remote British Overseas TerritoryThree new species of spider have been discovered on the island of St Helena, in the South Atlantic, prompting calls from scientists to quickly identify unknown invertebrates so they can be protected.The wolf spiders bring the total number of species that exist nowhere else in the world except this remote island to 505. Continue reading...

Taro, amaranth and kelp are sustainable crops that could become staples if you know how to bring out the best in themEvery time I come across a climate-friendly ingredient that's new to me, I want to start cooking with it immediately. But in a world where just a few species dominate our food system, it can take some work to figure out how.Of the thousands of edible species in the world, humans globally rely on just 15 of them for 90% of our calories. Some of those species are grown in environmentally destructive ways, and others may not be well-equipped to continue to serve as cornerstone foods as the planet warms - which is why many advocates and sustainability-minded chefs are calling for a shift toward foods that are more naturally climate-resilient and require fewer harmful inputs, like fossil fuel-based fertilizers. Continue reading...

Former Cop26 president says political parties not tackling climate crisis will pay heavy price at pollsPolitical parties shying away from tackling the climate crisis will pay a heavy price" at the ballot box, the former Cop26 president Alok Sharma has warned, as he and other Conservative MPs look set to force the removal of a de facto ban on new onshore windfarm projects in England.Ministers are expected to overturn the measure on Tuesday following a campaign from Tory MPs including Sharma and the former prime minister Liz Truss as legislation comes up for debate in the Commons. Continue reading...

Move follows revelations Albanese government knew project was seen as key enabler' for gas export despite being branded a sustainable development precinct'The Senate will investigate the proposed development of the Middle Arm precinct on Darwin harbour after the government voted to support an inquiry into the controversial project.It follows a Guardian Australia investigation that revealed the Albanese government knew the project was seen as a key enabler" for the export of gas from the Beetaloo basin, despite being branded a sustainable development precinct".Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

Opponents call on Minns government to use the funds it would pay Origin to instead hasten rollout of rooftop solar and batteries

Australia used twice as much electricity as China on a per capita basis and 48% of it came from coal plants, thinktank says

Cary Fowler says world needs to produce 50-60% more food by middle of the century but global heating is expected to reduce yield rates

An image of a peregrine falcon tackling a brown pelican that ventured too close to its nest in California is the overall winner of the world's largest bird photography competition, which had more than 20,000 entries from all over the world competing for a 5,000 grand prize Continue reading...

The party's clashing factions table series of amendments supporting and opposing renewables developmentBritain's energy security and progress to net zero are under threat as the energy bill enters the Commons again.Warring factions of the Tory party have tabled amendments to the bill including relaxing rules on onshore wind permissions, banning certain types of solar developments and softening a ban on oil boilers. Continue reading...

Downing Street is hoping to satisfy Tory rebels, but developers say changes would leave effective ban in placeMinisters will this week announce a series of changes designed to make it easier for developers to win planning permission to build onshore wind turbines.The government could publish proposals as soon as Tuesday on how to adapt the planning system to stop local authorities standing in the way of almost every new wind power development on land. Continue reading...

Their five jaws are arranged in a shape Aristotle described as a lantern' but should have called a horrible beak'Sea urchins are as sinister as they appear. Ten years ago, in California's vast, wavy kelp, sea urchins started to eat and breed, and eat and breed, and over seven years destroyed most of the underwater forests. Then they settled on the floor of their wasteland, forming spiny purple carpets, clicking urchin barrens along 150km of coastline. A major marine heatwave had damaged the kelp and a sea star wasting syndrome" killed the urchins' main predator, sunflower sea stars.Could they be eaten by us or by otters? They could not. They had entered a zombie state and contained very little uni, the rich meat inside the urchin's shell. And they are prepared to stay that way: dormant, alone - until they spot any kelp sprout that dares to breed out of the dead land and eat it before another urchin can. They are method actors performing The Waste Land, and we are students in an English lesson late on a hot afternoon, trying not to fall asleep as we listen to TS Eliot's voice on a scratchy recording, a recording that sounds like it was made in a room full of urchins, faintly clicking their spines:What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow

National response urgently needed to prevent further extinction of native flora and fauna, advocates say

Oil-producing African nations argue they should be able to use fossil fuel resources for economic growthAfrican leaders and campaigners are at odds over the way forward for the continent as a critical climate summit begins in Nairobi.Some countries, such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt and South Africa, have been expanding their renewable energy access and leading transition efforts on the continent, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. Continue reading...

At least 3,500 harmful invasive species recorded in every region on Earth spread by human activity, says UN reportInvasive species are costing the world at least $423bn every year and have become a leading threat to the diversity of life on Earth, according to a UN assessment.From invasive mice that eat seabird chicks in their nests to non-native grasses that helped fuel and intensify last month's deadly fires in Hawaii, at least 3,500 harmful invasive species have been recorded globally in every region, spread by human travel and trade. Their impact is destructive for humans and wildlife, sometimes causing extinctions and permanently damaging the healthy functioning of an ecosystem. Continue reading...

Hollow bricks are easy win' to help several endangered species, say experts and Zac Goldsmith who is tabling amendment

This year's heatwaves have been a huge challenge - and scientists predict 2024 will likely break records againIt's been a record-breaking summer of heatwaves across large parts of the US and the world, and trying to stay cool and safe has been an unprecedented challenge.There has been a rise in heat-related fatalities; companies and organizations have been under greater pressures to protect workers; and officials from small towns to the White House have been scrambling to respond. Continue reading...

Recent studies from the US have seen evidence for health harms from oil and gas projects grow substantially stronger', experts say

Since the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement banks have provided some $3.2tn to the fossil fuel industry to expand operationsBanks are pouring trillions of dollars into the expansion of the world's most emitting industries in the global south, according to a new report.Developing countries are often on the frontlines of the climate crisis yet lack the resources to enact climate action plans. As such, they require trillions of dollars in aid to decarbonize their economies and adapt to a warming world. Continue reading...

Spanish research centre achieves first tank-bred Atlantic bluefin as NGOs warn of poor welfare, more antibiotic use and water pollutionThe first successful breeding of Atlantic bluefin tuna at a Spanish research centre has spurred at least two companies to ramp up plans for the industrial farming of land-bred tuna.The companies would be the first to use only tank-bred Atlantic bluefin stocks of fertilised eggs or young tuna. Up to now, farming of Atlantic bluefin has relied on catching young wild fish and fattening them in open-sea cages. Continue reading...

Ministers hope to make it easier for councils to pass planning applications for new turbines in move that has Labour supportRishi Sunak is reportedly planning to revoke the ban on building new onshore windfarms in order to head off a row with Conservative MPs for the second time.Ministers are preparing to introduce changes to planning rules that will allow councils to give the go-ahead to turbine proposals where there is broad public support, according to the Telegraph. Continue reading...

Campaigners speak out amid suggestion government could reject Climate Change Committee's adviceRishi Sunak faces electoral carnage" if the government rejects its climate advisers' recommendations on halting airport expansion, a coalition of community groups have warned.The prospect of a renewed political battle around airport growth in various parts of England has been reignited amid concern from campaigners at suggestions the government could reject the Climate Change Committee's (CCC) advice that all such expansions must be halted. Continue reading...

Australia has to make the case it is an attractive place to live with a solid commitment to renewable energy to counter America's Inflation Reduction Act, experts say

An unusually wet winter tamped down conditions so far in 2023, but experts say the state can't afford to rely on luckAs the Labor Day holiday weekend draws the summer to a close, it's been an unusually quiet season for fires across the American west.Roughly 80,000 hectares (2m acres) have burned across the country so far, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), roughly 61% less than the 10-year average for this time of year. The decrease has been particularly pronounced in the fire-prone west, which has grown accustomed to seeing swaths of their parched forests and browning hillsides ignite but has largely been given a reprieve from a summer of smoke-filled skies. Continue reading...

Return to the wild will boost biodiversity, but government accused of backing out of schemeThey were some of the country's most resilient residents, creatures that shaped and nurtured our environment for millennia. Few animals could beat the beaver as a restorer of blighted landscapes, say scientists.This ecological prowess means Castor fiber has a crucial role to play in helping the nation to revitalise its biodiversity and find solutions to the impacts of climate change, these researchers argue. However, they have become alarmed that a government scheme to reintroduce beavers across England is being held back by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Continue reading...

I welcome robust discussion, but this obsession with Ulez is an attempt to sow discord and divisionLondon's ultra-low emission zone expanded to the Greater London boundary on 29 August - making it the largest clean air zone in the world. Five million more Londoners will now breathe cleaner air - helping to prevent early deaths, protect children growing up with stunted lungs and reduce serious health issues such as asthma, cancer and dementia.Nine out of 10 cars seen driving in outer London on an average day already meet the strict emissions standards and their drivers will not have to pay the charge, but will see the benefits of cleaner air. The Ulez will also help to tackle climate change and congestion. Continue reading...

Mayor of London defends scheme and accuses Tories of trying to sow division and discord'