Environment | The Guardian

The elusive giant willow aphid goes into hiding in spring. Now the Royal Horticultural Society wants volunteers to help find out whyGardeners have been urged by scientists to help find a mysterious bug which disappears in spring and reappears at the end of summer.The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is asking people to send in sightings of the giant willow aphid (Tuberolachnus salignus) so that they can find out where it goes and how it interacts with garden plants. Continue reading...

Agricultural businesses risk closure as figures show government paid only tiny fraction of slashed EU farming subsidiesCuts to post-Brexit farming payments mean farms risk “going out of business” as new figures reveal only a tiny fraction of slashed EU subsidies went to agriculture businesses last year.The government is replacing the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which paid subsidies to farmers to keep them in business, with “payments for public goods”, meaning land managers get paid for improving nature. Continue reading...

The Swarm joins The Last of Us as the latest drama series to depict the biological destruction of civilisationA sudden outbreak of online searches for terms like “deadly fungus invasion”, “poisonous fog spores”, “toxic seafood” and “killer ice worms” might be worrying. It would, though, only be a reaction to the grim natural threats in the latest spate of hit television thrillers. Despite all the real-life horror in evidence across the planet, appetites for revelling in the fictional biological destruction of civilisation appear to be growing.In the wake of The Last of Us, the acclaimed American drama series currently chronicling a lethal fungus attack, and following the malign fog enveloping Martin Compston in the Scottish sci-fi thriller The Rig, next comes The Swarm, a show with an equally terrifying premise from Game of Thrones’ producer Frank Doelger. Continue reading...

At least 24,596 people have been confirmed dead after the 7.8-magnitude quake struck on Monday

Air quality experts weigh in on different methods to keep air pollution out of the home and refute commonly held beliefsThe humble gas stove has claimed a place in America’s national psyche in the past month, after studies showed that burning fossil fuels at home can cause asthma and other ailments, on top of releasing emissions that warm the planet. Are there any quick fixes?The Guardian spoke with air quality experts to find out if air purifiers help reduce pollution from gas stoves and other forms of indoor contaminants. We also asked them to set the record straight on the air-purifying qualities, or lack thereof, of houseplants. Continue reading...

Japan’s Fuji and New Zealand gala could replace pippin and russet as rising temperatures threaten homegrown speciesClassic British apples may die out and be swapped for varieties from New Zealand and Japan, as climate breakdown means traditional fruits are no longer viable.Apples such as pippin or the the ancient nonpareil, grown in Britain since the 1500s, are struggling in the changed climate because there are not enough “chilling hours” for the trees to lie dormant in winter and conserve energy for growing fruit. Continue reading...

Oxford University-led study detects 26 types of PFAS compounds in ice around Svalbard, threatening downstream ecosystemsNorwegian Arctic ice is contaminated with alarming levels of toxic PFAS, and the chemicals may represent a major environmental stressor to the region’s wildlife, new research finds.The Oxford University-led study’s measurements of ice around Svalbard, Norway, detected 26 types of PFAS compounds, and found when ice melts, the chemicals can move from glaciers into downstream ecosystems like Arctic fjords and tundra. Continue reading...

Experts warn of ‘step-change’ in avian flu spread as number of cases in mammals continues to grow globallyFour dead seals have tested positive for bird flu in Scotland, as the number of cases of highly pathogenic avian flu in mammals continues to grow globally with experts warning of “a step-change” in its spread.The largest ever bird flu outbreak had already spilled over into otters and foxes in the UK, with about 70 mammals having tested positive for the (HPAI) H5N1 virus. The seal carcasses were sent for screening last year and the results have come back positive, according to the Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme (SMASS). Continue reading...

Judge says protesters who ran on to track during British Grand Prix last year posed ‘risk of serious harm’Six Just Stop Oil protesters who ran on to the track during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone last year have been convicted of causing a public nuisance.David Baldwin, 47, Emily Brocklebank, 24, Alasdair Gibson, 22, Louis McKechnie, 22, Bethany Mogie, 40, and Joshua Smith, 29, were convicted on Friday at Northampton crown court, after the jury deliberated for eight hours and 40 minutes. Continue reading...

Secret international court system enables fossil fuel firms to sue governments for lost future profitsExperts have urged the UK to leave the controversial energy charter treaty (ECT), a secret court system that enables fossil fuel companies to sue governments for huge sums over policies that could affect future profits.The European Commission said this week that remaining part of the treaty would “clearly undermine” climate targets and that an exit by EU countries appeared “inevitable”. Seven EU countries, including France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, have already said they will quit the ECT. Continue reading...

Coffee capsules notoriously produce waste – but some experts maintain that reducing how much coffee you use, even with a pod, can decrease emissionsIf you drink one of the 2bn cups of coffee consumed each day worldwide, you may have seen headlines last month celebrating the coffee pod, a single-serving container – typically made of plastic or aluminum – that can be inserted into a machine to brew a cup of coffee.New analysis found that coffee pods may be more environmentally friendly than filter coffee, making headlines in the Washington Post and the BBC. But could it really be true? Some experts and coffee enthusiasts questioned how good for the planet pods actually are, especially given the waste that coffee capsules notoriously produce. But some scholars maintain that – even though it’s important to consider how capsules are disposed of – most greenhouse gas emissions happen while coffee is being grown. So reducing how much coffee you use, even if that takes using a coffee pod, can decrease the emissions of your coffee habit. Continue reading...

Invasive species proliferating in Valais is encroaching on natural reserves and posing a biodiversity threatThe residents of the Swiss canton of Valais are used to seeing their mountainsides covered with snow in winter and edelweiss flowers in summer. But as global heating intensifies, they are increasingly finding an invasive species colonising the slopes: cacti.Authorities say cactus species belonging to the genus Opuntia, or prickly pears, are proliferating in parts of Valais, encroaching on natural reserves and posing a biodiversity threat. Continue reading...

The best of this week’s wildlife pictures, including rescued flamingoes, fighting gulls and a huge crocodile Continue reading...

Bernheim Forest in Kentucky is the largest privately held forest block in the eastern United States, and is currently fighting plans for a 12-mile gas pipeline, part of which would cross a northern section of the forest. In 2022, photographer Carla Rhodes became the forest’s first environmental artist-in-residence and captured the abundance and wonder of the 16,000-acre oasis Continue reading...

Findings of lower diesel and PM2.5 emissions may fortify mayor as he extends scheme across whole cityThe initial expansion of London’s ultra low emissions zone (Ulez) for motor vehicles has brought notable benefits in reducing pollution, a study has found as the mayor prepares for a big extension to its boundaries.The report by officials at the Greater London authority and Transport for London could help Sadiq Khan counter a political backlash to the imminent further expansion. Continue reading...

Nine-year-old tiny California mouse boldly goes where no mouse has gone before and wins the Guinness World record for longevityA tiny California mouse now has a big title after winning a Guinness World record for longevity.A Pacific pocket mouse named Pat – after Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart – received the Guinness approval Wednesday as the oldest living mouse in human care at the ripe age of nine years and 209 days, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced after a certification ceremony. Continue reading...

We are a species that is superb at killing, says veteran oceanographer, who calls for us to stop treating fish like crops and give them the respect they deserveThe renowned oceanographer Sylvia Earle has urged a global gathering of marine experts to rein in industrial overfishing that threatens hundreds of species with extinction and to rethink our relationship with the oceans, calling on humanity to “do unto fish as you would have them do unto you”.In an interview with the Guardian at the Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (Impac5) in Vancouver, the American marine biologist and first female head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says intensive factory fishing is treating marine species the same as farmed livestock, despite being very different. Continue reading...

PM flew to London from Dorset on Wednesday evening and then back to south-west England the next morning

Many people warming homes with wood from construction sites unaware of health risks, say expertsArsenic particles are being spotted by scientists in London’s air, as concerns grow that people are increasingly burning waste wood from construction sites while being unaware of the serious health risks.Dr Anja Tremper at Imperial College London’s air research station in south London tracked January’s data and found arsenic particles in London’s air, especially around the weekend of 2223 when air pollution reached the top index value of 10 on the UK government’s scale. Continue reading...

Campaigners and experts say holiday park in ancient woodland would have been ‘disastrous’ for wildlifeCenter Parcs has scrapped plans for a new holiday park in an ancient woodland that is home to rare birds after outcry from wildlife campaigners.The holiday company said that it had decided the 550-acre Oldhouse Warren site in Worth Forest was “not suitable” for the development, due to not being able to meet targets to improve biodiversity at the site. The plans included 900 lodges, indoor and outdoor leisure facilities, a variety of restaurants, a spa, and a “subtropical swimming paradise”. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Conservative peer says government should stick to its post-Brexit animal welfare commitments

Law enforcement training center has drawn attention and concern from a broad range of local and national US voices who worry about its impactThe headlines surrounding the “Cop City” project in Atlanta have focused on the death of Manuel Paez Terán, a 26-year-old killed when police fired at least 12 shots during a raid on the forest where the eco-activist, who went by Tortuguita, and others had been camped out, seeking to stop the building of a police and fire department training center.But in fact the movement opposed to the center – planned for the South River forest in an area south-east of the Georgia city – has drawn attention and concern from a broad range of local and national US voices who worry about the social and environmental impact of the huge complex. Continue reading...

Last year’s combined $200bn profit for the ‘big five’ oil and gas companies brings little hope of driving down emissionsWhile 2022 inflicted hardship upon many people around the world due to soaring inflation, climate-driven disasters and war, the year was lucrative on an unprecedented scale for the fossil fuel industry, with the five largest western oil and gas companies alone making a combined $200bn in profits.In a parade of annual results released over the past week the “big five” – Exxon, Chevron, Shell, BP and TotalEnergies – all revealed that last year was the most profitable in their respective histories, as the rising cost of oil and gas, driven in part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, helped turbocharge revenues. Continue reading...

National Trust aims to inspire visitors to reapply forgotten skills to make their clothes more sustainableSome of the garments in the exhibition are made of elegant silk, others of rough-looking wool or scratchy nylon – but what they all have in common is that they have been repaired, remodelled and reused, sometimes over the course of centuries.There is a long-sleeved waistcoat made in the late 17th century and then adapted and preserved over 300 years, wedding dresses handed down from mothers to daughters and brought up to date with clever tweaks, even clothes that were created during the second world war out of parachutes and old army blankets when fabric was rationed. Continue reading...

The fallout when the industry fails to act is still smaller than the rewards for pumping out more pollution

Lake Elsinore was flooded with visitors in 2019 when wildflowers erupted over its landscape; this year, it doesn’t want themCalifornia’s lush hillsides and verdant valleys may soon be awash with color, as hints that another botanical bonanza is budding after the state was doused with rain. Soaked soils could help set off another super bloom – a spectacle of wildflowers that coat the deserts and grasslands in vibrant hues of orange, purple and yellow.But the possibility of another eruption in blossoms has some officials bracing. The flowers set off a frenzy four years ago when heavy winter rains coated a Lake Elsinore canyon in wild poppies. The town 60 miles (96km) south-east of Los Angeles was flooded by tourists, who crushed the delicate flowers and unleashed chaos upon the small city. Continue reading...

Special forces destroy aircraft and seize weapons in effort to protect largest Indigenous reserve from mining mafiasThe Brazilian government has launched its campaign to drive tens of thousands of illegal miners from the country’s largest Indigenous reserve, with special-forces environmental operatives destroying aircraft and seizing weapons and boats during an operation deep in the Amazon’s Yanomami territory.Members of Brazil’s environmental protection agency Ibama – with support from the Indigenous agency Funai and the newly created ministry for Indigenous peoples – launched the long-awaited operation on Monday, with troops establishing a base along the Uraricoera river. Wildcat tin ore and gold miners use the waterway – as well as dozens of illegal airstrips – to reach and supply their illegal outposts in Yanomami lands. Continue reading...

Assessment shows 20% global loss since 1700 – far less than thought – but Europe, US and China bear the bruntHalf the wetlands in Europe, continental US and China have been destroyed in the past 300 years, with some areas – including the UK, Ireland and Germany – losing more than 75%, new research shows. Globally, an area the size of India has disappeared.Until now, it wasn’t known how many wetlands were left – previous estimates suggested between 28% and 87% had been destroyed since 1700. For the first time, researchers combined global historical records with maps of today’s wetlands to create a more accurate global picture, and found an estimated 20% of all wetlands destroyed. Europe, however, was the worst affected area, with Ireland losing more than 90% of its wetlands, Germany, Lithuania and Hungary more than 80% and the UK, the Netherlands and Italy more than 75%. Continue reading...

Planning guidance from mayor sets air pollution limits that would not be met with solid fuel burners installedWood burners have been in effect banned in new and refurbished buildings in London. New planning guidance announced by the mayor sets air pollution limits for home and office developments that would not be met if burners for wood or other solid fuels were installed.Wood burning in towns and cities is a major contributor of toxic air pollution particles, which have been linked to a wide range of health problems, including heart and lung disease, dementia and mental illness in children. Dirty air causes thousands of early deaths a year in London alone, and 26,000 to 38,000 in England. Continue reading...

Workers at Environment Agency who monitor warning systems among those striking for second time in monthEngland’s flood warning systems have been placed on autopilot for the second time in a month as staff at the Environment Agency stage their latest strike over pay and conditions.Thousands of workers at the government agency, who have key roles in controlling pollution and protecting communities from weather disasters, began striking at 7am on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Agreement to restrict use of aggregating apparatus in the Indian Ocean is hailed as a ‘giant step forward’ for species conservationCoastal nations and conservation groups have described an agreement to restrict fishing vessels from using devices that contribute to overfishing as a “huge win” for tuna populations and marine life.The adoption by fishing nations of tough proposals to restrict “fish aggregating devices” (FADs) in the Indian Ocean, follows warnings to EU officials from retailers, including Marks & Spencer, environmentalists and coastal nations that the tools are one of the main contributors to overfishing of Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna, because they catch high numbers of juveniles. Continue reading...

Climate campaigners hit out at Norwegian state-owned Equinor’s record £62bn profits as household bills riseBritain’s biggest gas supplier, the Norwegian state-owned oil company Equinor, has been accused of “profiteering” from the energy crisis and higher household bills after posting record annual earnings of £62bn.The oil and gas producer said on Wednesday that adjusted profits hit $15.1bn (£12.5bn) in the final three months of last year, bringing total annual profits to $74.9bn, the highest in its 51-year history. Continue reading...

The Inflation Reduction Act was hailed for its climate funding – but some are concerned several provisions will worsen a growing environmental disasterThe $369bn Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was applauded by a chorus of US organizations and activists enthusiastic about the generous funding earmarked for projects designed to mitigate climate change and improve environmental health.But some researchers and activists are raising concerns that several provisions of the new law will actually worsen a growing environmental disaster in the nation’s heartland by increasing the tide of farm-related pollution washing into waterways and groundwater. Continue reading...

Storm King, the celebrated outdoor sculpture collection in upstate New York, is overhauling itself in a bid to improve accessibility and landscape protectionFounded in 1960, Storm King’s contemporary sculpture collection graces 500 acres of rolling meadows and forestland in New York’s Hudson Valley Where else can you witness a multi-ton modernist masterpiece like Alexander Liberman’s Iliad – cherry red steel tubes stacked on to one another, 36ft by 54ft – against green meadows and forests?The museum’s visitation increased sharply during the height of the pandemic, as exploring outdoor art offered a welcome break from fraught indoor contact. But can a museum accommodate increased traffic while also ensuring accessibility – and protection of its prized landscape? Continue reading...

Bird flu is a mass killer, and mink farms are perfect for infection and transmission. They are a grave threat and must be bannedIf you wanted to kill as many people as possible, deniably and with no criminal consequences, what would you do? You’d do well to start with a bird flu. Bird flus are responsible for all the known flu pandemics: the great influenza that started more than a century ago, “Asian flu”, “Hong Kong flu” and “Russian flu”, which killed tens of millions between them. They also cause many of the annual outbreaks that slaughter hundreds of thousands of people.Once you have found a suitable variant, two further components are required to weaponise it. The first is an amplifier. The best amplifier is a giant shed or factory in which thousands of birds are packed. These birds should be genetically homogenous, so that your viral strain can travel freely between them. Intensive poultry farms would serve very well. Before long, a low-pathogenic strain should mutate in these circumstances into a highly pathogenic variety.George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

BMW, Renault and Peugeot PHEVs all exceeded carbon dioxide output claimed in standard lab tests, on-road tests showPopular plug-in hybrid cars emit significantly more carbon dioxide than official measures suggest, according to new on-road tests by academics that add to concerns over the true impact of cars sold as better for the environment.Cars from BMW, Renault and Peugeot all emitted much more than standard lab tests had claimed, with the BMW 3 Series in particular emitting more than three times advertised, according to the research by Austria’s Graz University of Technology. Continue reading...

Up to 9bn plastic cigarette butts are discarded and washed into waterways in Australia each year

Crime scene established at Keysborough as residents within 2km warned to stay indoors

Charity says death of bird named Flamingo in Manhattan likely ‘caused by inhaling the toxins’ from pink dyeA pigeon that was allegedly dyed pink as part of a gender reveal ceremony has died, a bird charity said.The pigeon, named Flamingo, had captured hearts in recent days after it was rescued in New York City. Continue reading...

David Nixon disobeyed judge’s order not to mention climate crisis as motivation during trial over road-blocking protestAn environmental activist has been jailed for eight weeks after disobeying a judge’s instruction not to mention the climate crisis as his motivation during his trial for taking part in a road-blocking protest.David Nixon, 36, a care worker from Barnsley, was sentenced at Inner London crown court on Tuesday after admitting contempt of court the day before by using his closing address to begin telling a jury about his reasons for protesting. Continue reading...

Sewage, poor sanitation and a lack of regulation give rise to antimicrobial resistance and threaten global health, report saysPollution from livestock farming, pharmaceuticals and healthcare is threatening to destroy a key pillar of modern medicine, as spills of manure and other pollution into waterways are adding to the global rise of superbugs, the UN has warned.Animal farming is one of the key sources of strains of bacteria that have developed resistance to all forms of antibiotics, through the overuse of the medicines in farming. Continue reading...

Political and Indigenous leaders hope to replicate success of British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest conservation areaNearly a decade ago, Canadian political leaders, environmental activists and Indigenous nations came together to shelter a sprawling 6.4 million-hectare area of trees, sea wolves, salmon and grizzly bears – a project that was named, with some branding acumen, the Great Bear Rainforest.The plan has since been hailed as a triumph for protecting swathes of old-growth cedar and spruce and drawing global attention to an area of pristine forest the size of Ireland. Continue reading...

Ministers hope training in range of forestry skills will help to meet tree-planting and other climate goalsA shortage of foresters has prompted the government to launch free courses as it rushes to meet targets for tree planting.There will be training in chainsaw maintenance, coppicing, woodland management, hedge laying and the sale and marketing of timber. Continue reading...

Graphs show the sources of generation in a country that has one of the most diverse ranges in EuropeGreat Britain has one of the most diverse ranges of electricity generation in Europe, with everything from windfarms off the coast of Scotland to a nuclear power station in Suffolk tasked with keeping the lights on. The increasing reliance on renewable energy sources, as part of the country’s green ambitions, also means there can be rapid shifts in the main source of electricity generation. On windy days, most electricity generation comes from onshore and offshore windfarms. When conditions are cold and still, gas-fired power stations known as peaking plants are called into action.

Scientists warn that wolf numbers not large enough to sustain healthy populationHunters have shot dead 54 wolves in a month in Sweden’s largest and most controversial cull of the animals yet, prompting fury from conservationists and satisfaction among farmers who consider the predators a threat to their livelihoods.The Stockholm government has authorised the shooting of 75 wolves in its 2023 cull, more than twice last year’s figure, despite warnings from scientists that wolf numbers are not large enough to sustain a healthy population. Continue reading...

From contact lenses to blister packs and used dental floss, there are items that perplex even the most dedicated recycler. Here is the expert guide to getting organised – and getting rid of your rubbishI spend a lot of time – too much time – thinking about recycling and the main thing I think, over and over, is: it shouldn’t be this hard. Eighty per cent of UK households are “still unclear” about how to recycle effectively, according to research last year – and who can blame us?Labelling often requires a doctorate in semiotics to decode, kerbside collections are a postcode lottery and council recycling centres are often difficult to access without a car. At home, packaging piles up – no one knows what to do with toothbrushes or the cat’s treat packages, and we’re squabbling over pizza boxes. All of it amounts to us collectively wondering whether recycling is ultimately pointless because it’s all going to end up in landfill in the developing world. Continue reading...

Energy company faces calls for toughened windfall tax as it reaps rewards from high gas prices

With floods covering much of the land, farmers in Paguir, an isolated village in Fangak county, are replacing despair with resilience and learning new skills to survive

Rapid decline stumps researchers, who theorise traffic collisions, climate crisis, cane toads and inbreeding could play a role

Central Australian Frack Free Alliance argues NT environment minister failed to properly consider Tamboran project’s impact