David Speirs said protest was ‘a good thing’, but ‘there are some countries where your head would be cut off for doing that sort of protest’

Ministers were warned about the risks of private equity entering the sector but did nothing. Now we’re paying the priceThe revelation should anger all who care about England’s rivers and beaches. Two decades ago, ministers were warned about private equity firms buying up water companies. In a briefing prepared for Britain’s competition regulator prior to the takeover of Southern Water, researchers raised the alarm that private equity-owned water companies would become “impossible” to regulate. Despite the 20-year transparency rule, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has not released the briefing. Its existence was uncovered by this newspaper. Though its full contents remain secret, its implications are clear: ministers were alerted to the devastating impact that this industry could have on England’s water supply, but they chose not to act.Since then, a tide of effluent has polluted England’s rivers. Following the privatisation of water companies in 1989, owners have enriched themselves while neglecting infrastructure and dumping vast quantities of untreated sewage. As investors have loaded water companies with debt, they have continued to pay dividends to their shareholders, which totalled £1.4bn last year. The public, meanwhile, have shouldered the costs. Water bills have risen. Last week, the industry apologised for these sewage spills and pledged to invest £10bn in infrastructure – to be paid for by increases in customer bills. Ruth Kelly, the former Labour cabinet minister who is head of the industry’s trade body, Water UK, said more should have been done to address the spillages. She was silent on the subject of dividend payments. Continue reading...

Members of Ultima Generazione fossil fuel group climbed in and poured diluted charcoal into waterSeven activists protesting against climate change climbed into the Trevi fountain in Rome and poured diluted charcoal into the water to turn it black.The protesters from the Ultima Generazione (Last Generation) group held up banners saying “We won’t pay for fossil [fuels]” and shouted “Our country is dying.” Continue reading...

Residents feel trapped and choked by dust, while experts warn environmental damage is ‘solving one problem by creating others’Deep in the Mojave desert, about halfway between Los Angeles and Phoenix, a sparkling blue sea shimmers on the horizon. Visible from the I-10 highway, amid the parched plains and sun-baked mountains, it is an improbable sight: a deep blue slick stretching for miles across the Chuckwalla Valley, forming an endless glistening mirror.

With cost of cleanup to be passed on to bill payers, analysis shows they will also pay £624 more by 2030 to fund investor payoutsEnglish water companies will pay an estimated £14.7bn in dividends by the end of this decade, while making customers pay for new investment to stem the tide of sewage pollution in seas and rivers, analysis for the Observer has revealed.Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron denounced the billions going to shareholders as “absolutely scandalous” while families struggling with the cost of living would be facing increases in bills to pay for the sewage cleanup. Continue reading...

Just 192 hectares of ‘natural colonisation’ have been established in England under woodland creation offerA government scheme to support the natural regeneration of trees has in two years created an area of new woodland smaller than Regent’s Park in London.Just 192 hectares (474 acres) of “natural colonisation” have been established in England through the woodland creation offer, a financial support package launched by the government in May 2021 after natural regeneration was hailed as one of the cheapest, efficient and most wildlife-friendly ways of increasing tree cover and capturing carbon. Continue reading...

Wildlife and environment groups condemn plan promising renewable energy for 600,000 homesPlans for a renewable energy tidal barrier linking Norfolk and Lincolnshire have sparked fierce debate between scientists, wildlife charities and a port company CEO who is leading the project.Entrepreneur James Sutcliffe, who has managed and advised port companies in Sierra Leone and Bangladesh, has now set his sights on the Wash, which is the sea, mudflats and salt marsh between the two counties. Continue reading...

Groundbreaking analysis by One Earth is first to quantify economic burden caused by individual companiesThe world’s top fossil fuel companies owe at least $209bn in annual climate reparations to compensate communities most damaged by their polluting business and decades of lies, a new study calculates.BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Total, Saudi Arabia’s state oil company and Chevron are among the largest 21 polluters responsible for $5.4tn (£4.3tn) in drought, wildfires, sea level rise, and melting glaciers among other climate catastrophes expected between 2025 and 2050, according to groundbreaking analysis published in the journal One Earth. Continue reading...

A man has been filmed pushing Just Stop Oil protesters to the ground as they marched down Mansell Street in east London. In the footage shared on social media, the man can be seen shoving protesters, ripping away banners and grabbing one person's phone before throwing it away. The activist group held two slow marches in Cannon Street and Tower Hill on Friday morning. A Met spokesperson said the force was 'aware of an incident in which a member of the public appears to have remonstrated' with protesters before police arrived. A spokesperson for Just Stop Oil said: 'The disruption we are seeing on British streets is nothing compared to what's coming if we do not stop licensing new oil, gas and coal' Continue reading...

City is sinking approximately 1-2mm each year on average, worsening effects of sea level rise and flooding threatNew York City is sinking in part due to the extraordinary weight of its vertiginous buildings, worsening the flooding threat posed to the metropolis from the rising seas, new research has found.The Big Apple may be the city that never sleeps but it is a city that certainly sinks, subsiding by approximately 1-2mm each year on average, with some areas of New York City plunging at double this rate, according to researchers. Continue reading...

The best of this week’s wildlife photographs, including a rare monk seal, nesting gannets and lurking alligator Continue reading...

The category-5 storm brought 160mph winds and torrential rain to parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar on Sunday, leaving at least five dead and causing half a million people to be evacuated Continue reading...

Torrential rain, coming on top of the country’s worst drought in four decades, has forced 250,000 people to leave their homesJamal Ali Abdi has seen flooding in Beledweyne before but never on the scale witnessed earlier this month when the Shabelle River burst its banks, causing devastation to the central Somali town and displacing almost the entire population.As water gushed through the streets, Ali’s home was soon surrounded by murky brown flood water. Continue reading...

The last of the world’s Asiatic lions live in Gujarat state, but as the apex predators outgrow their forest reserve, they are moving to the seasideIt was one morning, while walking on the beach in Gujarat, that wildlife expert Meena Venkataraman spotted a pair of paw prints. But this was no dog or fox that had visited. The footprints belonged to an Asiatic lion, the king of the jungle – and, increasingly, the beach.Once found throughout Mesopotamia, Persia and the Indian subcontinent, the Asiatic lion was almost driven to extinction by the early 1900s due to hunting and habitat loss, before a nawab in the western Indian state of Gujarat intervened. Today, the state is the only home of the Asiatic lion. Continue reading...

Lakes and reservoirs have lost 22 gigatonnes a year since 1992, driven by factors including global heating and human consumptionMore than half of the world’s large lakes and reservoirs have shrunk since the early 1990s – chiefly because of the climate crisis and human consumption – intensifying concerns about water supply for agriculture, hydropower and human consumption, a study has found.A team of international researchers reported that some of the world’s most important freshwater sources – from the Caspian Sea between Europe and Asia, to South America’s Lake Titicaca – lost water at a cumulative rate of about 22 gigatonnes a year for nearly three decades, equivalent to the total water use in the US for the entire year of 2015. Continue reading...

Devastating floods in Emilia-Romagna region have left several dead and thousands homeless after torrential rains triggered landslides and caused rivers to burst their banks Continue reading...

Staffers raise concerns about inclusivity and accountability after US environmental organization says it needs to cut costsThe Sierra Club, one of the US’s oldest and largest environmental advocacy groups, is going through a turbulent restructuring, which a union has issued two formal complaints about and warned could lead to more than 100 job losses.Some staff also raised questions about how the changes might affect its recent efforts to improve workplace culture following allegations of misconduct, and boost inclusivity in the aftermath of scrutiny over the racial views of its founder, the conservationist John Muir. Continue reading...

Biden officials consider whether symbol, created for first Earth Day in 1970, is misleading because of use on non-recyclable materialThe triangular loop of arrows that has been the universal symbol of recycling for the past five decades could itself end up being binned in the US, with Joe Biden’s administration mulling whether it is misleading to the public.The “chasing arrows” logo, designed by a college student for the first Earth Day in 1970, has become ubiquitous on everything from cartons of milk to shampoo bottles as a way to nudge users to recycle packaging rather than discard it. Continue reading...

Older and disabled people trapped in homes as rescuers battle harsh conditions in Emilia-Romagna regionOlder and disabled people were trapped in their homes as rescuers worked under pounding rain throughout the night to save people in the most catastrophic flooding to affect Italy in 100 years.The floods in the northern Emilia-Romagna region have claimed 13 lives as of Thursday evening. An estimated 20,000 have been left homeless in a disaster that caused 23 rivers to burst their banks and 280 landslides, engulfing 41 cities and towns. Continue reading...

Party promises to enshrine in law equal access to benefits of green spaces if it wins next election

Clean water activists say industry’s promise to reduce pollution should not be taken on trustThe water industry’s promise to triple investment in the sewage system in England to reduce pollution and quell public anger should not be taken on trust, campaigners have said.Clean water activists including surfers, swimmers and anglers criticised water companies for passing the £10bn bill for investment, which should have been carried out years ago, on to customers. Continue reading...

Charity says stocking countryside for shooting season would be catastrophic with disease still a major threat to wild birdsThe RSPB is calling for a moratorium on the release of game birds this summer to keep avian flu levels down.The charity says it will be catastrophic for tens of millions of game birds such as pheasants and partridges to be released in late June and July for shooting in the summer and autumn with avian flu still a huge threat to wild birds. Continue reading...

Italian authorities are continuing rescue operations across the flood-hit northern Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Footage recorded by the Italian coastguard showed helicopters rescuing people from their roofs, including a pregnant woman and an elderly couple. At least nine people have been killed by the floods and close to 5,000 evacuated from their homes

Viewed by the Chumash people as their ancestral home, the Native American tribe is behind the first Indigenous-led initiative to protect the ocean and repair its damaged ecosystemThe Chumash people viewed the Pacific Ocean as their first home. Their territory once spanned 7,000 sq miles, from the rolling hills of Paso Robles to the white sand beaches of Malibu. Now, the region is one of the most expensive in the US, home to resort hotels, vineyards and multimillion-dollar mansions.The average house price in Avila Beach, California, where Violet Sage Walker grew up hunting for grunion in the midnight hours, is $1.9m (£1.5m). Continue reading...

Activists plan to keep holding firms to account as some suggest it is customers who should be compensated

Founded by Paul Nicklen, Cristina Mittermeier and Chase Teron, 100 for the Ocean unites 100 world-class photographers selected for their talents and contributions to conservation. Until 31 May 2023, photographs are on sale with profits going to under-funded and under-recognised ocean-focused NGOs voted for by photographers. The top-voted NGOs so far include: Whale Guardians, Coast First Nations, and Por el Mar“The UN is telling us that in order to fulfil the promise of protecting the ocean under Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Underwater, we need about $170 billion. We hope to shine a spotlight on the ocean and why we need to protect the largest ecosystem on our planet, the one ecosystem that allows life on earth to exist.” Cristina Mittermeier Continue reading...

Ballooning cost of cleaning up toxic PFAS contamination at military sites places service members and civilians at riskThe cost of cleaning up toxic PFAS “forever chemical” contamination around hundreds of US military installations is ballooning, but Congress and the Pentagon are failing to keep pace, a development that is leaving service members and civilians indefinitely at risk, a new analysis finds.The estimated total cost for remediating about 50 contaminated military sites has soared to $31bn, up by $3.7bn from 2016 to 2021, the last year the Department of Defense provided estimates. But its requested cleanup budget increased just $400m over the same period, according to the new report by Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit that tracks the military’s PFAS pollution. Continue reading...

Scientists say greenhouse gases have already affected climate patterns in the Pacific that could lead to more severe weather, floods and heatwaves

Report finds farming community has lower levels of mental wellbeing than population at largeLack of transport to mental health services is causing a crisis in England’s rural communities, MPs have said.Farmers and vets in particular have faced high levels of mental distress, MPs on the cross-party environment, food and rural affairs committee say. Continue reading...

Finance minister Grant Robertson says initial phase will fund cyclone recovery before improving infrastructure to withstand climate extremes

Opposition leader criticises government policies including the price cap, which Treasury has estimated saved households $230 on power bills

Under-fire bosses announce ‘unprecedented plan’ to reduce last year’s 300,000 incidents of sewage pollutionWater companies have apologised for repeated sewage spills and pledged to invest £10bn this decade in an attempt to quell public anger over pollution in seas and rivers.The companies will triple their existing investment plans to plough funds into the biggest modernisation of sewers “since the Victorian era” to reduce spills of overflowing sewage into England’s waterways. Continue reading...

Vaccine gets emergency approval as ‘highly contagious’ virus sweeps through flocks of species on the brink of extinctionA new vaccine has been granted emergency approval to protect California condors from a deadly strain of avian influenza, federal officials said this week, amid attempts to pull the endangered species back from the brink of extinction.The emergency action underscores an outbreak that has alarmed the conservation community, which fears that condors, a vulnerable species that has spent decades in recovery, could be dealt a devastating blow. After first being detected in a deceased condor in late March, the illness has swept through the small flock of wild birds, which are closely monitored by agencies in the south-west. So far 21 condors have died, impacting eight breeding pairs, according to a statement issued by the US Fish and Wildlife service. Continue reading...

Twenty-one rivers burst their banks after heavy storms across country cause landslides and submerge villagesNine people have died and thousands have been evacuated from their homes after heavy storms wreaked havoc in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, causing severe flooding and landslides.People sought refuge on the rooftops of their homes after 21 rivers broke their banks, submerging entire towns. Continue reading...

Climate crisis a key factor in flash flooding of Beledweyne as rains end drought and Shabelle River breaks its banksFloods have caused almost a quarter of a million people to flee their homes after the Shabelle River in central Somalia broke its banks and submerged the town of Beledweyne, even as the country faces its most severe drought in four decades, according to the government.Aid agencies and scientists have warned that the climate crisis is among the most significant factors accelerating humanitarian emergencies, while those affected are some of the least responsible for CO emissions. Continue reading...

Temperatures up to 45C recorded in April in parts of India, Bangladesh, Thailand and LaosA searing heatwave in parts of southern Asia in April was made at least 30 times more likely by climate breakdown, according to a study by international scientists.Unusually high temperatures of up to 45C (113F) were recorded last month in monitoring stations in parts of India, Bangladesh, Thailand and Laos. Continue reading...

Ruling requiring ‘unlimited guarantee’ from oil firms to cover costs of spills could change offshore drilling throughout regionA ruling from Guyana’s high court could change the face of offshore oil drilling throughout the Caribbean, according to financial and legal analysts.The ruling ordered the country’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to require an independent liability insurance policy from Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) and an “unlimited guarantee” from its parent company, ExxonMobil, in the case of any damage caused by the company’s oil and gas development in the country. Continue reading...

UN agency says El Niño and human-induced climate breakdown could combine to push temperatures into ‘uncharted territory’The world is almost certain to experience new record temperatures in the next five years, and temperatures are likely to rise by more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, scientists have warned.The breaching of the crucial 1.5C threshold, which scientists have warned could have dire consequences, should be only temporary, according to research from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). Continue reading...

Campaigners say development of huge Rosebank field in North Sea would drive climate breakdownThe Norwegian government is facing growing pressure to scale back its huge global fossil fuel expansion plans – including the development of a controversial new oilfield in the North Sea.Climate activists from around the world descended on Stavanger in Norway last week to attend the AGM of the state-owned oil and gas giant Equinor. They warned that its plans to develop the huge Rosebank field in the North Sea, as well as other mega-projects in Canada, Brazil and Suriname, would drive climate breakdown with devastating consequences for humanity. Continue reading...

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Ten of 16 management plans for multibillion-dollar pumped hydro project overdue by up to 31 months, says National Parks Association

Government has rowed back on plans to ditch 4,000 laws but key pollution legislation still slated to go

There are now around 800 food pantries on US college campuses, and demand is growing as pandemic-era resources endFor Anthony Meng, a senior at Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, food insecurity can take on many different forms. On some days, it means skipping meals as he’s rushing to work or to class. On others, “it’s like, I don’t think I can afford groceries,” he said. “Which is difficult to say at times, but it’s the reality of the situation.”Meng, 22, rolls out of bed every morning around 9 or 10am. His schedule is typically packed with back-to-back lectures and extracurriculars. More often than not, Meng finds himself heading out for the day with just a granola bar in hand, if anything at all. Continue reading...

Changes needed are major but also practical and affordable, report says, and would bring trillions of dollars in benefitsGlobal plastic pollution could be slashed by 80% by 2040, according to a report from the UN Environment Programme (Unep). The changes needed are major, but are also practical and affordable, the agency said.The first step is to eliminate unnecessary plastics, such as excessive packaging, the report said. Then next steps are to increase the reuse of plastics, such as refillable bottles, boosting recycling and replace plastics with greener alternatives. Continue reading...

Poland has a deep and historic relationship with coal, importing huge amounts despite producing yet more locally. With the energy crisis biting, fuelled by the war in Ukraine, the country’s government withdrew restrictions on burning materials and subsidised coal, creating huge air quality issues, particularly in the industrial south – reversing 10 years of hard work by air pollution campaigners in the process.The Guardian visits southern Poland to witness first hand the impact of this decision on affected communities, meeting the ostracised miners at the front of the culture wars, and joining climate activists visiting towns in the region that are fighting back against fossil fuels and air pollution Continue reading...

A slew of anti-pollution, from toxic water to planet-heating emissions has been issued by an agency belatedly flexing its musclesThe sleeping giant of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stirred.In the past month, an avalanche of anti-pollution rules, targeting everything from toxic drinking water to planet-heating gases in the atmosphere, have been issued by the agency. Belatedly, the sizable weight of the US federal government is being thrown at longstanding environmental crises, including the climate emergency. Continue reading...

Residents hope traffic, emissions and noise data they are analyzing with the Guardian will help rein in the spread of e-commerce facilitiesOn a drizzly Friday night, Rosana Zapata was mapping out a changing neighborhood.Using Sharpie and pencil, the 18-year-old sketched her world on printer paper: a street intersection, a small parking lot, a lit-up sign for fried chicken. “I have a lot of memories there,” Zapata told a small group of young artists seated at school desks, who had each drawn their own favorite neighborhood spots. Continue reading...

PM to tell farmers he will never do a trade deal that includes practices associated with US factory farms

Invasive Burmese pythons are devastating wildlife but one firm believes turning snake leather into accessories could be a win-winThe fight to eradicate Burmese pythons from the Florida Everglades has intertwined with New York’s haute fashion scene in a project launched by a group of environmental activists who have already experienced success working with the skins of other invasive species.The Tampa-based team, founded by a group of former college friends with a passion for scuba diving, cut their teeth transforming the skins of non-native lionfish off the US south-east coast and Caribbean Sea into high-end sneakers in partnership with the Italian shoemaker P448. Continue reading...

These beautiful black and white images of the shallowest Great Lake remind us of what we have done to the environment – and each other Continue reading...