Environment | The Guardian

Exclusive: A string of protesters linked to Blockade Australia have been charged under the legislation

Moon’s severe injury, likely the result of a boat strike, is stark reminder of growing dangers for whales along Canada’s west coastOver the course of nearly three months, navigating ocean swells and currents, vast expanses of flat water and immense pain, Moon the humpback whale completed a journey of 5,000km (3,100 miles) from the waters of British Columbia to Hawaii – all with a broken back.Her crossing of the Pacific – and the likelihood that she will soon die – is a stark reminder of the growing dangers for whales along Canada’s west coast, as marine traffic clashes with the gentle marine giants. Continue reading...

Grey wolves from Oregon may now be thriving in California, after vanishing more than a century agoIn a year of environmental ups and downs, a hopeful story of recovery is afoot in California. A grey wolf pack gave birth to eight pups this spring, it was recently confirmed, offering signs of a remarkable comeback after wolves were wiped out in the state more than a century ago.The births in the Whaleback wolf pack, based in northern California’s Siskiyou county, happened in the spring but were only confirmed by California’s department of fish and wildlife in November. They may be a sign that wolves who entered the state from Oregon several years ago are thriving. Continue reading...

‘Red wall credentials’ suspected at Westminster as real reason for approval by Michael GoveSenior steel industry figures have rejected claims that their demand for coal has driven the government’s divisive decision to sanction the first new UK coalmine for 30 years.Levelling up secretary Michael Gove’s decision to approve the mine at Whitehaven in Cumbria last week has already faced a backlash in the UK and beyond, with John Kerry, Joe Biden’s special envoy for climate, warning he was closely examining the decision. Continue reading...

The government says the needs of UK steelmaking override the environmental impact. The industry thinks differently

Countries are negotiating a framework that will cover issues from pesticides to plastic, from soil to human-wildlife contactFrom nature restoration to sharing new information about diseases, the biodiversity agreement being negotiated at Cop15 in Montreal over the next two weeks covers a vast range of issues. Pollution, human-wildlife conflict and soil health are among the topics up for discussion as 193 governments wrangle over the “fate of the living world” in the negotiating halls, side rooms and corridors of the Palais des congrès.These are the key targets that could make the final agreement, known as the post-2020 biodiversity framework, which is due to be completed on 19 December. As always, everything could change in the last hours of negotiations. The final text will not be legally binding although the aims of the UN convention on biological convention are, so it will have significant teeth. Continue reading...

High court will rule next week on challenge brought by Alexander Darwall to remove right to wild camp on moorWild campers are planning to hold protests against a landowner’s attempts to outlaw sleeping under the stars on Dartmoor.Rallies attended by those who camp, and those who support the right to, will take place on Dartmoor on Sunday and outside the high court in London on Monday to express fierce public opposition to an attempt to legally overturn the right to camp in Dartmoor national park. Continue reading...

US climate envoy says he will publicly criticise UK’s approval of Cumbrian mine if it adds to emissionsJohn Kerry, the US climate official, has said he is closely examining the UK government’s approval of a new coalmine, over concerns that it will raise greenhouse gas emissions and send the wrong signal to developing countries.Kerry, Joe Biden’s special envoy for climate, said he was taking a close interest in the mine, the first to get the go-ahead in the UK for 30 years, and that he would speak out publicly against the approval if it did not meet strict criteria. Continue reading...

Experts describe it as a ‘beautiful endemic rainforest species’, one of several that have not been seen for decades

Los Angeles’ resident big cat will have his health assessed after recent attacks on two chihuahuas and roaming too close to homesLos Angeles’s most famous mountain lion, known as P22, will be captured and studied in order to assess his health following recent attacks on two small dogs and close encounters with people near the park he calls home.Wildlife officials made the announcement on Thursday and said in a statement that, following the evaluation, California department of fish and wildlife veterinarians and National Park Service biologists will determine the best next steps for the animal while also prioritizing the safety of the surrounding communities. Continue reading...

The leak occurred in Washington county, Kansas, with the affected segment being ‘isolated’ and the drip containedAn oil spill in a creek in north-eastern Kansas this week is the largest for an onshore crude pipeline in more than nine years and by far the biggest in the history of the Keystone pipeline, according to federal data.Canada-based TC Energy estimated the spill on the Keystone system at about 14,000 barrels and said the affected pipeline segment had been “isolated” and the oil contained. It did not say how the spill occurred. Continue reading...

Documents show the fossil fuel industry ‘has no real plans to clean up its act’ and took steps to continue business as usualSome of the world’s largest oil and gas companies have internally dismissed the need to swiftly move to renewable energy and cut planet-heating emissions, despite publicly portraying themselves as concerned about the climate crisis, a US House of Representatives committee has found.Documents obtained from companies including Exxon, Shell, BP and Chevron show that the fossil fuel industry “has no real plans to clean up its act and is barreling ahead with plans to pump more dirty fuels for decades to come”, said Carolyn Maloney, the chair of the House oversight committee, which has investigated the sector for the past year. Continue reading...

Conservationist groups hail legislation aimed at curbing private ownership of tigers and lions in US with little oversightConservation groups in the US have hailed a new law that will end what they call the “horrific” practice of keeping big cats such as tigers and lions as pets or as petting zoo amusements.Joe Biden is expected to swiftly sign the new legislation, which requires that only certified zoos and universities are allowed to hold lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars and other large cats, following its passage in the US Senate this week. The House of Representatives voted for the bill, called the Big Cat Public Safety Act, in July. Continue reading...

Invasive reptile scuttles into electric substation in Florida, frying power and itselfThis rebel reptile had volt-ing ambition – but definitely came down to earth with a bang.One of Florida’s notorious and plentiful green invasive iguanas wreaked chaos earlier this week in one city after scuttling into an electricity substation in Lake Worth Beach and somehow causing a huge power cut. Continue reading...

Unsustainable human activity putting dugongs, abalone shellfish and pillar coral at risk of disappearing, says latest IUCN updateIllegal and unsustainable fishing, fossil fuel exploration, the climate crisis and disease are pushing marine species to the brink of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, with populations of dugongs, abalone shellfish and pillar coral at risk of disappearing for ever.Marine life is facing a “perfect storm” of human overconsumption, threatening the survival of some of the world’s most expensive seafood, according to the conservation organisation, which publishes the most up-to-date information on the health of wildlife populations on Earth. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Despite demands from water campaigners, there will be no overall target for river healthWater pollution goals are to be weakened by the government next week, the Guardian can reveal, as Environment Act targets will give farmers three extra years to reduce their waste dumping into waterways.River campaigners have said the news is proof the government has not dropped its “attack on nature”. Continue reading...

Open Spaces Society secures re-registration of 116 hectares of ‘splendid’ moorland’ for common useMore than 100 hectares of some of the most stunning landscape in west Cornwall has finally been recognised as common land, protecting it for the public 140 years after it was threatened with enclosure.Lizard Downs was authorised for enclosure – the act of taking ownership of common land – in 1880 but the proposed fencing off never happened. Continue reading...

Female calf named Nessa will help efforts to protect species, of which fewer than 2,500 remain in the wildAn endangered Malayan tapir has been born at a UK zoo, in what the zoo said was an “important moment” for conservation.The female calf, which zookeepers have named Nessa, was born weighing 9kg on Wednesday at Chester zoo, one of only two places in the country to keep tapirs, a species related to the horse and the rhinoceros. Continue reading...

Built to Passivhaus standards, Goldsmith Street’s low-energy approach offers a pioneering approach to the housing crisisEven on the coldest day of the winter so far, tenants of a pioneering housing scheme say they do not need to turn on their heating. A blast of Arctic air has brought a dusting of snow to the Goldsmith Street housing scheme in Norwich, but inside “it’s like summer”, according to Jayed Abdas Samad, 32, a Just Eat delivery rider.At a time of health fears for more than 3 million households struggling to pay for heating, Jayed and his neighbours can provide a glimpse of how much better it would be if the UK’s homes were properly insulated and ventilated. Continue reading...

Experts call for schemes to help fruit growers keep trees and preserve habitats vital for biodiversityFarmers are ripping up orchards because they are unable to afford to keep them, the president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has said, in a major blow for biodiversity.The increasing cost of labour and spiralling energy costs have meant fruit growers are removing trees from their land, Minette Batters said. Continue reading...

Weather warnings issued as worshippers brave temperatures to celebrate Catholic holy dayA heatwave has hit parts of central South America this week, coinciding with the Immaculate Conception pilgrimage attended by Catholic worshippers.A sizzling 43.5C was recorded in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, on Wednesday, a day before the holy day. Weather warnings for extreme heat were issued by the Argentinian and the Paraguayan national meteorological services this week, as temperatures rose 10C above the seasonal norm for several days in many places. Continue reading...

The best of this week’s wildlife pictures, including a released snow leopard, a rescued bear and a very large flower Continue reading...

Campaigners expected to gather on Friday and Saturday, and possible legal challenge is being exploredCampaigners in Cumbria are planning protests after the government gave the green light to the first new coalmine to be dug in the UK for three decades.Opponents of the mine are expected to gather in Penrith on Friday and at the site of the mine in Whitehaven on Saturday, as local opposition to the scheme gathers steam. Continue reading...

Neckarwestheim’s nuclear power station was granted a stay of execution amid Russian gas shortage. Some want it to stay while others can’t wait for it to goOn a slope above the river Neckar in south-west Germany, about 25 miles (40km) from Stuttgart, stands the village of Neckarwestheim, its red terracotta roofs surrounded by vineyards and farmers’ fields, with streets leading to a central market square.

Agency aims to double the number of schemes it supports after success of £15m pilot projectsLow-tech “natural” flood management such as using natural materials to slow river flow and storing flood water on meadows will play a key role in preventing future floods, according to the chief executive of the Environment Agency.Sixty pilot natural flood management projects have helped protect 15,000 homes and create storage for up to 1.6m cubic metres of flood water, while also helping nature recovery on 380 miles (610km) of river and on 4,000 hectares of wetlands and woodlands. Continue reading...

‘It is believed additional sites could exist across Victoria and the country,’ state environment protection authority says

Environment groups say Robbins Island, home to Tasmanian devil colony and critically endangered orange-bellied parrot, is ‘worst possible place’ for energy park

Accommodation, power and service connections remain a challenge, local volunteer says

Ed Miliband vows party will seek to prevent ‘climate-destroying’ plan and if elected would deliver green jobsLabour would stop the new coalmine in Cumbria from going ahead if elected, and will seek to prevent it progressing before then, the party has said.Ed Miliband, the shadow climate change secretary, said: “A Labour government will leave no stone unturned in seeking to prevent the opening of this climate-destroying coalmine, and instead ensure we deliver the green jobs that people in Cumbria deserve.” Continue reading...

West Cumbria Mining, which set up Whitehaven office during push for new mine, owned by EMR Capital• What is the Cumbrian coalmine and why does it matter?The first deep coalmine to be dug in the UK in a generation is ultimately owned by an international private equity company, with executives whose mining interests have stretched to Russia, Asia, Africa and across Australia.West Cumbria Mining positioned itself as a local company with an office in Whitehaven, and promised it would provide jobs for people in the area, during its campaign for permission to extract 2.8m tonnes of coking coal a year from the site. Continue reading...

Bouvier’s red colobus monkey was ‘rediscovered’ after an expedition up river and through swamps in the Republic of the Congo“They have a nice black eyebrow, but I especially liked the fluffy white hairs on their cheeks.” For Congolese primatologist Gaël Elie Gnondo Gobolo, seeing Bouvier’s red colobus monkey (Piliocolobus bouvieri) for the first time “was an unexpected moment, like being in a dream”.No one knew the monkey still existed in the Republic of the Congo. Assessments for the IUCN in 2008 and 2016 classified it as critically endangered, with a note saying it was “possibly extinct”. There had been no recorded sightings since the 1970s until Lieven Devreese, a primatologist from Belgium, led a two-month expedition in 2015. Gnondo Gobolo was a biology student at Marien Ngouabi University in Brazzaville, Congo’s capital, at the time and accompanied him. Continue reading...

Serious pollution, poor service and weak financial management embedded, says England and Wales water industry regulatorSerious pollution by water companies has increased in the past year, the regulator has said in a damning report on the performance of the sector in England and Wales.Ofwat said poor performance by some firms was embedded, and named Northumbrian Water, Southern Water, South West Water, Thames Water, Welsh Water and Yorkshire Water as lagging in the way they served customers and ran the system. Continue reading...

Critics accuse authorities of ‘bogus environmentalism’ over installation in historic Piazza VeneziaA row has broken out over two “ugly” solar panels intended to power the lights on Rome’s traditional Christmas tree.There is always much anticipation in the Italian capital when the fir arrives at the Piazza Venezia in the historic centre – a Unesco world heritage site – with many giving their view on the choice of decoration. Continue reading...

The mass-scale removal of resources is a key driver of biodiversity loss. Extractivism’s grip on the planet must be brokenAt the biodiversity Cop taking place in Montreal, much attention will focus on a policy proposal calling for 30% of the planet’s land and oceans to be protected by 2030, known as 30x30. Protected areas have their place in addressing the biodiversity crisis, but we also know that they are insufficient. Since the 1970s, they have increased fourfold globally, expanding to about 17% of the planet, but extraction rates have more than tripled. This unrelenting expansion of forestry, mining, monoculture farming and fossil fuel developments is a central driver of biodiversity loss. Ending or at least reducing “extractivism” must be front and centre at Cop15.Extractivism is more than extraction. Extraction is the not inherently damaging removal of matter from nature and its transformation into things useful to humans. Extractivism, a term born of anti-colonial struggle and thought in the Americas, is a mode of accumulation based on hyper-extraction with lopsided benefits and costs: concentrated mass-scale removal of resources primarily for export, with benefits largely accumulating far from the sites of extraction. One estimate puts the drain south to north at a staggering $10tn (£8tn) a year. Continue reading...

Cumbrian Lib Dem MP condemns decision to give green light to Britain’s first new coalmine in 30 years

Canada’s prime minister calls on China, Russia and Brazil to expand protected areas for natureJustin Trudeau has urged China, Russia, Brazil and other large countries to massively expand protected areas for nature at Cop15 while putting Indigenous rights at the heart of conservation, as momentum gathers behind a controversial target to conserve 30% of Earth.On Wednesday, the Canadian prime minister committed C$800m (£510m) of funding over seven years for Indigenous-led conservation projects in his country across an area the size of Egypt, starting a “story of reconciliation” with Indigenous peoples. Continue reading...

Experts create guide to help save seabirds from bleak future caused by global heatingThe majority of puffin nesting sites in western Europe are likely to be lost by the end of the century due to climate breakdown, a report has warned.Other seabirds will also be affected unless urgent action to limit global heating is taken, with razorbills and arctic terns forecast to lose 80% and 87% of their breeding grounds respectively owing to reduced food accessibility and prolonged periods of stormy weather. Continue reading...

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Crossbench says government’s response ‘moving in the right direction’ but lacks aspects such as a climate trigger and a pause on logging

If Qatar exploits all its reserves it will add 50bn metric tons of CO2 to atmosphere, more than entire annual emissions of whole worldQatar’s longest-lasting legacy following the World Cup won’t be football or even its human rights record – it will be the climate crisis, according to a new report warning that its huge expansion of gas extraction could push the planet into catastrophic global heating.Should Qatar exploit all of its oil and gas reserves it will eventually add an enormous 50bn metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere once burned, which is more than the entire annual emissions of the whole world, the new research, shared with the Guardian, has found. Continue reading...

Report from chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty finds air pollution kills up to 36,000 people a year in England“Ecodesign” wood burning stoves produce 450 times more toxic air pollution than gas central heating, according to new data published in a report from Prof Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England.Older stoves, now banned from sale, produce 3,700 times more, while electric heating produces none, the report said. Continue reading...

Mine could affect Britain’s climate commitments, which some believe could help get decision struck downThe government has given the green light to a new coalmine in Cumbria, the first in the UK for more than 30 years, but already moves have begun to challenge the decision before construction work can start.Climate campaigners are examining the decision with a view to a legal challenge, based on the UK’s national and international legally binding climate commitments. Continue reading...

Australia’s largest coal producer says it’s reviewing plans for project in Bowen Basin citing net zero commitment and state’s royalty hike

Albanese government commits to agency and new national environment standards in response to Samuel review of EPBC Act

Despite positivity in Whitehaven, near the former Marchon chemical plant, proposals still cause worry“If it brings jobs, then I’m all in favour of it,” said retired chemical worker Keith Walker as he wandered with his dog Eddie on the site of what could be something many thought would never be seen in the UK again: a coalmine.Walker worked at the Marchon chemical works on the outskirts of Whitehaven, the proposed site of the mine, for 27 years. Continue reading...

In today’s newsletter: AMA says ‘weak political leadership’ has opened the door to ongoing virus risk; ‘abhorrent’ Umar Patek out on parole; David Warner launches spray at Cricket Australia

Senator had proposed to attach energy bill to appropriations legislation but plan fails amid criticism of party leadershipA last-ditch effort to force through legislation that would weaken environmental protections and fast-track energy projects has failed.Joe Manchin, the fossil fuel-friendly senator from West Virginia, had attempted to latch the controversial deregulation and permitting reforms to a must-pass defense bill – after failing to get his so-called “dirty deal” passed earlier this year. Continue reading...

Letter urges sponsors provide ‘corporate climate political influencing statements’ after 630 lobbyists attend Cop27Senior Democratic senators have written to the head of the United Nations warning that public trust in global negotiations on climate action is at risk because of the scale of corporate lobbying – and new controls are needed.Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Ben Cardin of Maryland and Ed Markey of Massachusetts have sent a letter to António Gutierres, the UN secretary general, urging the UN to require sponsors and participants at future climate conferences to provide “audited corporate climate political influencing statements”. Continue reading...

Leading researchers say the UN biodiversity summit is ‘vastly more important’ than the recent Cop27 climate meetingThe “fate of the entire living world” will be determined at the Cop15 UN biodiversity summit, according to leading scientists.They said the gathering of the world’s nations, which began on Wednesday in Montreal, is “vastly more important than Cop27”, the recent high-profile UN climate meeting. “We say this because of the many dimensions of anthropogenic global change … the most critical, complex and challenging is that of biodiversity loss,” the researchers said. Continue reading...

Locals desperate for lower bills, jobs and economic revival have been seduced by this plan, but they – and we – will sufferToday, the government has thrown its weight behind a climate-busting, backward-looking coalmine in Cumbria. The staggering hypocrisy of demanding other countries phase down coal, just when we’re phasing it back in again, sends a truly terrible message to global south countries and marks this decision as a climate crime against humanity.Given this, you’d be forgiven for wondering why a new coalmine appears to have garnered local support. Areas such as Whitehaven in west Cumbria have been told it will “level up” the community – bringing lower bills, more jobs and economic revival to areas that have severely lacked all three for generations. So when a private coal company turned up, the community, understandably nostalgic for its more prosperous past, bit their arm off. Continue reading...