Scientists operating a submersible have discovered deep-sea coral reefs in pristine condition in a previously unexplored part of the Galapagos marine reserve. Diving to depths of 600 metres (1,970ft), to the summit of a previously unmapped seamount in the central part of the archipelago, the scientists witnessed a breathtaking mix of deep marine life. This has raised hopes that healthy reefs can still thrive at a time when coral is in crisis due to record sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification

Reusables have 25% less global heating potential, finds UK government report, but overall picture is mixedEnvironmental campaigners are calling on the UK government to take action after new analysis found a significant difference between the carbon footprints of washable and disposable nappies.Reusable nappies have 25% less global heating potential compared with single-use nappies, according to a report commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Continue reading...

NSW environment agency took almost a month to release full results of six water samples taken from Darling-Baaka River five days after event

Report highlights environmental and economic impacts of algae threatened by climate crisis, overfishing and pollutionAlmost a third of the globe’s coastal environments rely on kelp to reduce local pollution and sustain fisheries that provide billions of dollars in benefits, according to a new study.But the climate crisis, overfishing, invasions of voracious sea urchins and pollution are putting at risk the world’s kelp forests, threatening the economic benefits they provide and the huge array of species they support. Continue reading...

London-listed Serabi Gold extracting gold without approval of Brazilian land registry and Indigenous communitiesA London-listed company has been mining gold in the Amazon rainforest without approval from the Brazilian land agency or the consent of nearby Indigenous communities, according to an investigation by the Guardian and partners.Serabi Gold has been blasting 4.5 metre-wide tunnels and trucking ore from the Coringa project site in Pará state. But interviews with land agency officials and documents seen by the Guardian, Unearthed and Sumaúma indicate that ownership of the area is disputed and the land was allegedly occupied by illegal land-grabbers. Continue reading...

Government introduced restrictions last year in attempt to curb spread of bird fluBritish free range eggs will soon start returning to supermarket shelves, following the lifting of restrictions introduced last year by the government in an attempt to curb the spread of bird flu.A legal requirement for poultry and other captive birds to be kept indoors was introduced in England last November, and in Wales the next month, in response to the UK’s largest outbreak of avian influenza. Continue reading...

Officials announce 45-day ban on harvesting elvers in provinces of Nova Scotia and New BrunswickCanada has temporarily shut down its baby eel fishery following a string of attacks on harvesters, as well as mounting concerns over widespread poaching of the threatened fish.Officials from the department of fisheries and oceans on Saturday announced a 45-day ban on harvesting the young eels, called elvers, in the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, shuttering the lucrative C$50m (£30m) market. Continue reading...

Diving to 600m, researchers find reefs full of octopus, lobster and fish, raising hopes for corals’ survival amid rising sea temperaturesScientists operating a submersible have discovered deep-sea coral reefs in pristine condition in a previously unexplored part of the Galápagos marine reserve.Diving to depths of 600 metres (1,970ft), to the summit of a previously unmapped seamount in the central part of the archipelago, the scientists witnessed a breathtaking mix of deep marine life. This has raised hopes that healthy reefs can still thrive at a time when coral is in crisis due to record sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification. It also showed the effectiveness of conservation actions and effective management, they said. Continue reading...

Kit Harington and Rose Leslie attend ‘couples therapy’ in Richard Curtis film for Make My Money MatterThe Game of Thrones stars and real-life couple Kit Harington and Rose Leslie are co-starring in a Richard Curtis short film highlighting the “toxic relationship” between UK high street banks and the fossil fuel industry.The Couples Therapy film is part of Curtis’s Make My Money Matter campaign to raise awareness of how consumers’ cash may be financing industries that are destroying the planet. Continue reading...

The Bristol-based charity Forest of Avon Trust has recently acquired 100 acres of grazed farmland near the village of Pensford in Somerset, to create the Great Avon Wood. Alongside charity partners Avon Needs Trees, the aim is to plant more than 40,000 trees supplied by the Woodland Trust over the next three years, resulting in a green corridor of three linked woodland sites. The first step is an army of volunteers … Continue reading...

Hampton Court flower show to feature gardens using creative methods to mitigate against heatwavesWilting flowers, dried-up soil and sweltering tents have become the norm at flower shows in England as the country faces more frequent heatwaves and droughts in summer.Now, “desert gardens” featuring cacti and other succulents are being used at top shows as horticulturists struggle with a changing climate.The pretty, pink palm-like shrub Cordyline australis brings some colour while being tolerant to heat.Juniperus conifers are drought-tolerant and many varieties have an attractive gold hue.The Judas tree, Cercis siliquastrum, has heart-shaped leaves and does not need too much water.Jasmine plants provide pretty little flowers and a heady scent, and are also able to grow in warm climes.The Abelia × grandiflora is recommended by the RHS as it provides dainty, well-scented flowers over a long period in summer, and tolerates heat well. Continue reading...

Unique ecosystem on the brink of collapse due to climate crisis and mismanagement, says conservation group American RiversA 277-mile stretch of the Colorado River that snakes through the iconic Grand Canyon is America’s most endangered waterway, a new report has found.The unique ecosystem and cultural heritage of the Grand Canyon is on the brink of collapse due to prolonged drought, rising temperatures and outdated river management, according to American Rivers, the conservation group that compiles the annual endangered list. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Conservation group Action for Dolphins has lodged a complaint with police, demanding the meat be removed from saleMarine conservation campaigners have lodged a complaint with police demanding that “toxic” dolphin meat be removed from sale in Japan, after a test showed a sample contained levels of mercury up to 100 times higher than the government’s recommended safe level.Action for Dolphins (AFD), a nonprofit based in Australia, filed the complaint with police in central Japan this month, amid expert warnings that regular consumption of dolphin meat could threaten the health of consumers. Continue reading...

Change to bill says opening and licensing of new coalmines by the Coal Authority to be prohibitedAn amendment to the energy bill currently going through the House of Lords means that it will not be possible to open a new coalmine in England.The amendment may still be reversed in the House of Commons, but it marks the growing frustration of politicians as they press the government to move faster and harder on the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Campaigners worry about scheme’s impact on marine ecosystem but Planetary Technologies says concerns misplaced“Planetary can stick it up their waste pipe,” read one of the many waspish placards at the north Cornwall beach where more than 300 protesters gathered on Sunday.They came to Gwithian beach to object to a proposed carbon dioxide removal scheme by the Canadian company Planetary Technologies – winner of a $1m XPrize for climate change solutions in 2022 – which wants to add magnesium hydroxide to the wastewater pipe at Hayle that stretches out to sea. Continue reading...

To get earthworms for fishing, people do a thing called ‘worm grunting’An article on earthworms published in the New York Times in 1881 – “Habits of earth-worms: The curious work which they accomplish” – describes a helminth British empire. “In England they abound in the fields, in the paved courts of houses, though they are rarer in bog fields,” the author writes. “Worm castings have been found as high as 1,500 feet in the Scotch hills and at great altitudes in south India, and on the Himalaya mountains. Both in the extremes of a climate like England and in very hot weather, worms cease their work.”Earthworms are hermaphrodites, which the journalist, all the way back in 1881, expresses in a glittering sentence: “Two sexes unite in one individual but two individuals pair”. Continue reading...

More than 35% of Australia’s electricity last year was supplied by renewables, up from just under 17% in 2017

Government wants to create more green jobs in response to Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act packageMinisters are considering an overhaul of the bidding process to fund new renewable energy projects in an effort to create green jobs, amid Joe Biden’s subsidy race.The government said on Monday it has begun a review of the “contracts for difference” (CfD) scheme, which is used to determine the price of electricity from offshore wind and solar farms, with the aim of adding factors such as how many jobs they create to the regular auctions. Continue reading...

Survey finds 359 hectares of rich habitat, a highly effective carbon sink, in St Austell BayOne of the largest seagrass beds in the UK, home to seahorses, pipefish and scallops and a highly effective carbon sink, has been identified off the south coast of Cornwall.An acoustic study of St Austell Bay carried out by a survey boat pinpointed 359 hectares (887 acres) of seagrass hugging the coastline, and divers sent in to examine the site close up recorded 56 species living in the rich habitat. Continue reading...

Conservationists blame changing weather patterns as low numbers of amphibians found across countryFrog and toad populations in England have been devastated by climate breakdown, conservationists fear, after the drought dried up their breeding ponds last year.Usually at this time of year, ponds are full of jelly-like frog and toadspawn. But conservationists have found the habitats to be bare, with no amphibians or their young to be seen. Continue reading...

Indians warned to stay vigilant during spell of very hot weather. Elsewhere, sandstorms plague ChinaThe heatwave that has been plaguing the states of West Bengal, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh in India is forecast to continue through the coming week. Daytime temperatures of 40C have been recorded for several consecutive days in these regions, about 5C above the seasonal average.This excessive heat is linked to a north-westerly flow of air, which is also bringing much drier than usual conditions. The authorities have advised people to be vigilant about their health by staying hydrated, wearing breathable clothing and avoiding street food, which could easily go off in these conditions. They have also closed schools and universities for a week in response to schoolchildren complaining about headaches. Continue reading...

Compostable packaging is popular for environmental reasons, but it can be treated with ‘forever chemicals’ linked to health problemsA group of toxic PFAS chemicals that industry has claimed is safe to use in food packaging are concerning and present a health threat because they can break off and end up in food and drinks, a new peer-reviewed study finds.The subgroup of PFAS, called “fluorotelomers”, have been billed as a safe replacement for a first generation of PFAS compounds now largely phased out of production in the US, Canada and the EU because of their high toxicity. Continue reading...

Fewer than 2,000 rhino remain in Kenya, and the country’s wildlife service needs to keep tabs on them to make sure they thrive. It’s a major undertaking, involving a helicopter, 4x4s and a lot of rangersWords and photographs by Peter MuiruriKenya has the world’s third largest rhinoceros population: a total of 1,890 including 966 black rhinos, 922 southern white and two northern white. But how to keep track of them and ensure the species are thriving? Every two or three years, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) carries out an ear-notching exercise in all rhino sanctuaries in the country to ensure that at least 60% of the animals are uniquely identifiable.An ear-notch is a pattern unique to an individual rhino within a specific ecosystem that helps rangers and researchers keep accurate records and monitor the rhino’s health.Here comes a chopper … a helicopter is used to dart the highly aggressive black rhino Continue reading...

Living in the twilight zone, cockeye squid float between two worlds and have adapted to keep an eye on bothCockeye squid face a conundrum. Living hundreds of metres underwater, they float in between two worlds. Above them is the surface ocean, where a dim blue fraction of sunlight filters down. Below them is the deep sea, sunless and black. Which way to look?Their mismatched eyes solve the problem – by letting them gaze into both worlds at once. Continue reading...

Madrid says regional authorities’ proposals for water use threaten Doñana world heritage siteSpain’s environment minister has accused the Andalucían regional government of engaging in “short-term electoral demagoguery” and playing into the hands of the far right by pressing ahead with irrigation plans for strawberry farms that could threaten the survival of one of Europe’s most important wetlands.Water supplies to the Doñana Natural Space, whose marshes, forests and dunes extend across almost 130,000 hectares (320,000 acres) and include a Unesco-listed national park, have declined drastically over the past 30 years because of climate breakdown, farming, mining pollution and marsh drainage. Continue reading...

Chris Bowen is expected to introduce an EV and vehicle fuel efficiency standards policy this week

East Atlantic Flyway in England takes first step to becoming world heritage site alongside global wonders including the Galápagos and KilimanjaroHigh over the Essex coast, an ancient battle of life and death is playing out: a peregrine falcon scans the ground at Old Hall Marshes nature reserve where lapwings guard their nests. A “deceit” (the collective noun for lapwings), bolts into the air to chase away the bird of prey. The furious group of expecting parents nip at the falcon’s feathers until it loses interest.“This is probably the wildest part of Essex,” says Kieren Alexander, the RSPB site manager, scanning the wetlands with his binoculars for more skirmishes after the lapwings settle. Continue reading...

Climate Change Committee says little hope of getting on track if Stormont power sharing not restored soonThe prolonged lack of devolved government in Northern Ireland threatens to seriously hamper the country’s ability to hit the ambitious emissions reduction targets enshrined by law in its climate act, the chief executive of the UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC) has said.There has been no power-sharing government in place to advance work on meeting these commitments since Northern Ireland’s Climate Change Act, which includes a 2050 net zero target, was passed last spring. Continue reading...

The 55-year-old businessman appeared via video link at Parramatta magistrates court. This blog is now closed

In the first of a two-part report, we look at the successes – and the costs – of what once was Australia’s largest power station

Exclusive: Origin Energy says it has monitored the bubbling water since 2015, along with other seep locations

Energy department gives green light to exports from liquefied natural gas program, after Willow project approved last monthThe Biden administration on Thursday approved exports of liquefied natural gas from the Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, a document showed, prompting criticism from environmental groups over the approval of another “carbon bomb”.The US energy department approved Alaska Gasline Development Corp’s (AGDC) project to export LNG to countries with which the United States does not have a free trade agreement, mainly in Asia. Backers of the roughly $39bn project expect it to be operational by 2030 if it receives the required permits. Continue reading...

Dartmoor National Park Authority is preparing to appeal against court decision to overturn right to wild campA wealthy landowner has accused Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) officials of “acting like campaigners” as they prepare to appeal against a court decision to overturn the right to wild camp.Earlier this year, as a result of a court case brought by a local landowner, backpack camping, also known as wild camping, was made illegal on Dartmoor without landowner permission, overturning what campaigners claim was a long-held right to camping on the moor. Continue reading...

Police investigating after ‘vile’ incident condemned by animal protection servicesPolice are investigating reports of a man seen dragging a seagull across a road in Blackpool on a what appeared to be a dog lead.The incident took place on Monday, with an image and video of it circulated on social media. Continue reading...

‘Exceptional’ super-colony of endangered barbastelles found in path of proposed road near NorwichThe centre of an “exceptional” super-colony of one of Britain’s most endangered bats has been discovered in the path of a proposed road across a chalk stream.A planning application for the Western Link dual carriageway near Norwich is expected to be submitted this summer despite researchers identifying the UK’s largest known colony of barbastelle bats in the threatened Wensum valley woodlands. Continue reading...

Slow-moving supercell thunderstorms trigger flooding in Florida and a cyclone hits AustraliaFort Lauderdale experienced a historic rainfall event this week. As low pressure developed across the northern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday morning, a warm front lifted slowly north across southern Florida, bringing moderate rainfall through the early afternoon.Multiple slow-moving supercell thunderstorms developed, each following similar tracks across the area. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport provisionally measured 25.91in (65.8cm) of rainfall during the 24 hours to 7am on Thursday, mostly falling within 12 hours. The previous daily rainfall total at the travel hub was 14.59in in 1979. Continue reading...

The best of this week’s wildlife photographs, including a green forest lizard, gentoo penguins and a wild beaver Continue reading...

Number of house sparrows spotted has dropped by nearly 60% since 1979, according to RSPB annual surveyHouse sparrows are the most spotted bird in UK gardens for the 20th year in a row, according to new data. This comes despite the decline of the bird’s population, with nearly 22 million house sparrows lost from the country since 1966.Roughly 1.5 million house sparrows were spotted in gardens between 27 and 29 January this year, according to people who took part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, the garden wildlife survey conducted by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Continue reading...

Sandstorms whipped up from the Gobi desert have spread from northern China to Thailand and South Korea and as far east as Japan, causing a reduction in visibility and an increase in respiratory illness. There have been four sandstorms in the space of a month in China this year Continue reading...

Labour analysis shows that raw sewage was discharged into cabinet ministers’ constituencies for 180,759 hours last yearMore than 7,500 days’ worth of raw sewage was dumped in the constituencies of cabinet ministers last year, an analysis has found.The Yorkshire seat of the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, was third on the leaderboard, with 3,455 dumping events, lasting 20,615 hours, Labour party analysis has found. Continue reading...

The parched state’s landscape is peppered with magnificent red, orange and yellow blooms that can be seen from spaceCalifornia’s superblooms this year are so lush and so exuberant that they can be seen from space.Satellite images from Maxar Technologies, a Colorado-based company, show striking images of bright orange, red, yellow and purple blooms across southern California. Continue reading...

Data shows 48% of species declined between 2015 and 2020 with woodland birds faring worstBird populations in the UK continue to crash, new data shows, as campaigners predict the government will fail to meet its own nature targets unless radical changes are made.Statistics released by the government show that bird populations continue to decline in the long and short term. In 2021, on average the abundance of 130 breeding species was 12% below its 1970 value. Though much of this loss was between the late 1970s and the late 1980s, caused mostly by relatively steep declines in woodland and farmland birds, there was still a significant 5% decrease between 2015 and 2020. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Previous holder says loss is ‘disappointing’ and damages UK’s ability to spur global climate action

Madeleine King says gas can help decarbonise the economy but not even big users of the fossil fuel are convinced

Dead creature was one of 150 descendants of four hippos imported by drug baron Pablo Escobar in 1980sColombia has logged its first hippopotamus-caused road traffic accident after a car crashed into one of the animals at high speed, leaving the vehicle mangled and the two-tonne mammal lying lifeless and bloodied across a highway.The hippo was declared dead soon after the crash on Tuesday night in the municipality of Doradal on a highway connecting the cities of Bogotá and Medellín, local environmental authorities said. Continue reading...

The 14-acre site was being used to store plastics for recycling when the out of control blaze broke out on TuesdayAn evacuation order affecting more than 1,000 people was expected to remain in place through Wednesday around a large industrial fire in an Indiana city near the Ohio border, where crews worked through the night to douse piles of burning plastics, authorities said.Multiple fires, which began burning on Tuesday afternoon, were still ablaze on Wednesday in a 14-acre (5.5-hectare) property containing various types of plastics. Continue reading...

Rules will also include ban on campfires and barbecues as part of a crackdown on antisocial behaviourVisitors to the New Forest face being fined up to £1,000 for petting ponies and for lighting campfires and barbecues, as part of measures to tackle antisocial behaviour.The new rules, approved by New Forest district council, ban the petting and feeding of animals out of concern for their wellbeing and to prevent them from becoming aggressive. Continue reading...