Proposed transmission lines to help meet renewable targets are slated to run through Ripon, held by just 15 votes in 2018

Exclusive: Critics say cut in day-to-day spending will leave department unable to properly tackle issues such as sewage spillsThe government’s environment department is facing a £500m real-terms cut after last week’s autumn statement, as critics say this will leave it unable to properly tackle issues including sewage spillages.The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) oversees all things to do with the environment and agriculture, from farming inspections and nature restoration to cracking down on environmental vandalism including fly-tipping and sewage spills. Continue reading...

A list of the five most promising legal steps we can take to help fight climate changeThe world has reached an acute point in the “highway to climate hell”. Talks at Cop27 barely achieved anything, despite the fact that almost one-third of Pakistan’s territory was submerged during unprecedented flooding; record heat over the summer killed nearly 25,000 in Europe; and almost 200,000 people in a major US city have not had clean water for months.It’s all too easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless in the face of such widespread catastrophe. But we as citizens can do something right now. There are many interesting and entirely workable legal ideas percolating around the world from some very thoughtful people. Together, alongside increased citizen activism, these ideas can begin to provide a coherent and comprehensive legal framework for all of us to help save the planet.Steven Donziger is a human rights lawyer and environmental justice advocate. He is also a Guardian US columnist Continue reading...

Indigenous people in Sweden are battling UK firm over plans for iron-ore mine on reindeer-herding landsThe charity founded in Greta Thunberg’s name has donated £158,000 to cover the legal costs of Indigenous people in Sweden’s Arctic north as they battle a British mining company over plans for an iron-ore mine on reindeer-herding lands.Beowulf Mining, which has its headquarters in the City of London, was given approval in March by the Swedish government for excavation on an area used by the Sami community. Continue reading...

The country is highlighting China’s status as top polluter after being called out for climate inactionThe US, fresh from reversing its 30 years of opposition to a “loss and damage” fund for poorer countries suffering the worst impacts of the climate crisis, has signaled that its longstanding image as global climate villain should now be pinned on a new culprit: China.Following years of tumult in which the US refused to provide anything resembling compensation for climate damages, followed by Donald Trump’s removal of the US from the Paris climate agreement, there was a profound shift at the Cop27 UN talks in Egypt, with Joe Biden’s administration agreeing to the new loss and damage fund. Continue reading...

More than 630 fossil fuel lobbyists attended Cop27, and the Emirates, where Cop28 will be held, is a major oil and gas exporterFears are growing among climate experts and campaigners over the influence of fossil fuel producers on global climate talks, as a key Gulf petro-state gears up to take control of the negotiations.The United Arab Emirates, one of the world’s biggest oil exporters, will hold the presidency of Cop28, the next round of UN climate talks that will begin in late November next year. Continue reading...

As Anthony Albanese and Dominic Perrottet walk through the disaster zone, residents remind them of the prohibitive costs of flood insurance

The action in the Victorian supreme court mirrors another in the US that was recently settled for $1.3bn

An independent study backs whistleblower’s warning of ‘significant integrity problems’ in carbon market

Just Stop Oil campaigners were held on remand after charges relating to M25 protestsMore than 30 climate activists were behind bars in UK prisons while diplomats from around the world negotiated at the Cop27 UN climate talks in Egypt.Most of the activists, all supporters of the Just Stop Oil campaign, were held on remand after being charged with causing a public nuisance, or conspiracy to cause a public nuisance, in relation to disruptive protests on the M25 motorway. Continue reading...

Oceanographer takes top honours in prime minister’s prizes for science after researching ocean’s role in regulating climate

Exclusive: Most important antibiotics for human health still used in supply chains of major US food companies, risking spread of superbugsSuppliers of beef to McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Walmart are sourcing meat from US farms that use antibiotics linked to the spread of dangerous superbugs, an investigation has found.Unpublished US government records obtained by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and the Guardian show farms producing beef for meat packing firms Cargill, JBS, and Green Bay are risking public health by still using antibiotics classed as the “highest priority critically important” to human health (HP-CIAs). Continue reading...

Agency dismisses criticisms of the project, insisting it will deliver an overall economic benefit

The loss of the amphibian from Costa Rica’s cloud forest was one of the first linked to global heating, say scientistsDeep in Costa Rica’s mist-shrouded cloud forest, hundreds of bright golden toads would appear suddenly each April to mate. It was a spectacular sight for those who witnessed it: the dazzling, mostly subterranean amphibians gathered en masse around pools of rainwater and fought aggressively for the right to copulate with the females before heading back underground.“It was one of the truly great wildlife spectacles of the American tropics,” says ecologist Alan Pounds, resident scientist at the Tropical Science Center’s Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve, standing at the centre of the toads’ former habitat. “It somehow looked unreal.” Continue reading...

PM says opposition leader’s claim that climate aid is ‘giving away’ Australians’ money boosts re-election chances of independents and Greens over Liberals

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In Whitby, just outside Ellesmere Port, residents wait to hear whether their village will be chosenOn the site of an old leisure centre, a U-shaped trio of temporary offices sit alongside a neat lawn and fledgling shrubs. Named the “hydrogen experience centre”, this unassuming place is at the heart of a testy tussle that could have implications for how homes across the country are heated.The site, in the village of Whitby, just outside Ellesmere Port on the south bank of the Mersey, could become the UK’s first “hydrogen village”. It is being analysed, along with Redcar in the north-east, for potential conversion to 100% hydrogen heating, using the existing gas network and new appliances to update up to 2,000 properties. Continue reading...

Trials of the SharkGuard – which emits a pulse to repel sharks and rays from fishing gear – have produced eye-catching resultsMarine scientists have designed a piece of technology that could drastically reduce shark bycatch by emitting short electrical pulses as a deterrent.The small battery-powered device, known as SharkGuard, reduced the numbers of blue sharks accidentally caught by commercial fishing gear in a French longline tuna fishery in the Mediterranean by 91% and stingrays by 71%, according to a study in the peer-reviewed journal Current Biology. Continue reading...

Showers, storms and damaging winds forecast for NSW and ACT as recovery assistance points set up for flood-affected communities

Qualified victory was snatched from defeat at the climate summit with a genuine and surprising agreement on loss and damage. But there’s still no plan to get to 1.5C

Experts say biggest economies must pledge more cuts to carbon emissions but hail agreement to set up loss and damage fund

The creation of a loss and damage fund is a milestone, but a 1.5C limit to the global temperature rise looks even further out of reachThe Cop process often seems to encapsulate the broader global reaction to climate breakdown. Leaders make grand but vague pledges of action; fossil fuel lobbyists (600 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, this year) schmooze and press governments into maintaining the status quo; and scientists, civil society groups and those most affected by the climate emergency have to scream to be heard at all. The results are predictable: indecision, evasion, obstruction and buck-passing followed by desperately needed – but desperately inadequate – last-minute action.Given the utter disarray evident as late as Saturday evening, the final outcome of Cop27 is a relief, and in one regard even a cause for celebration. The agreement to establish a loss and damage fund is a historic breakthrough, demanded for three decades by developing countries. The devil will as usual lie in the detail: who will fund it? But it should help to provide the financial assistance poorer nations need for rescuing and rebuilding as extreme weather pummels their populations and infrastructure. And it comes despite the sustained opposition of the US and (until the eleventh hour) the EU. Continue reading...

Despite breakthrough on fund for developing nations, Ursula von der Leyen says Cop27 has not delivered on commitment to phase down fossil fuelsThis liveblog is now closedThe main sticking point of Cop27 has been over the creation of a loss and damage fund – finance provided by rich nations to poorer ones to help them prepare for and recover from the worst impacts of climate breakdown.Some, especially in the rightwing press, have framed this as “reparations”, a highly loaded term. It’s also misleading, as under article 8 of the Paris climate agreement it is explicitly made clear that loss and damage “does not involve or provide a basis for any liability or compensation”. Continue reading...

Anger at western hypocrisy heated to boiling point in Sharm el-Sheikh, but after intense talks the impasse was finally brokenOn the eve of the Cop27 climate conference that has just finished in Sharm el-Sheikh, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, warned of the stark consequences of failure.“There is no way we can avoid a catastrophic situation, if the two [the developed and developing world] are not able to establish a historic pact,” he said, in an interview with the Guardian. “Because at the present level, we will be doomed.” Continue reading...

With the deadly devastation fresh in the world’s mind, Pakistan pushed for damage funds with other frontline countriesIn early September, after unprecedented rainfall had left a third of Pakistan under water, its climate change minister set out the country’s stall for Cop27. “We are on the frontline and intend to keep loss and damage and adapting to climate catastrophes at the core of our arguments and negotiations. There will be no moving away from that,” Sherry Rehman said.Pakistan brought that resolve to the negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh and, as president of the G77 plus China negotiating bloc, succeeded in keeping developing countries united on loss and damage – despite efforts by some rich countries to divide them. Its chief negotiator, Nabeel Munir, a career diplomat, was backed by a team of savvy veteran negotiators who had witnessed the devastation and suffering from the floods, which caused $30bn (£25bn) of damage and economic losses. Every day, Munir repeated the same message: “Loss and damage is not charity, it’s about climate justice.” Continue reading...

World leaders, diplomats and activists respond to signing of ‘historic’ deal as climate talks wrap up

Cities are trying hard to keep the festive spirit amid the cost of living crisis and war in UkraineEuropean Christmas markets and illuminations are scaling back due to the energy crisis and climate breakdown – ditching seasonal ice rinks for rollerskating and switching on lights for less time.When the traditional end-of-year markets and Christmas lights launch in France and Germany this week, in many cities such as Paris they will go dark hours earlier than usual. Continue reading...

Every fraction of a degree increases human suffering, so the fight to end the fossil fuel industry must ramp up

In the US, most food waste ends up in landfills while South Korea recycles close to 100% annually, and its model could illustrates some core principlesEvery few months or so, 69-year-old Seoul resident Hwang Ae-soon stops by a local convenience store to buy a 10-piece bundle of special yellow plastic bags.Since 2013, under South Korea’s mandatory composting scheme, residents have been required to use these bags to throw out their uneaten food. Printed with the words “designated food waste bag”, a single 3-liter bag costs 300 won (about 20 cents) apiece. In Hwang’s district of Geumcheon-gu, curbside pickup is every day except Saturday. All she has to do is squeeze out any moisture and place the bag by the street in a special bin after sunset. Continue reading...

Harassment of climate summit delegates and holding pen for protesters mar country’s attempt to polish international reputationAn empty pen designed to contain protesters in the middle of the desert, harassment and surveillance of Cop27 delegates (including evidence that the official conference app could spy on them), food and water shortages, and widespread problems with accommodation have all served to undermine the Egyptian government’s attempts to use the climate talk to bolster its international image.Belgian politician Séverine de Laveleye said she was briefly detained by Egyptian security forces while entering the conference centre simply for carrying badges depicting some of Egypt’s 65,000 political prisoners, including British-Egyptian democracy activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah. “It’s clear that human rights aren’t even respected at the heart of the Cop,” she said. “Sisi’s Egypt is one of repression.” Continue reading...

Deal is hailed as potential turning point that acknowledges vast inequities of climate crisisDeveloping countries celebrated on Sunday morning as crucial climate talks ended with a “historic” deal on their most cherished climate goal: a global fund for “loss and damage”, providing financial assistance to poor nations stricken by climate disaster.However, the deal was far from perfect, with several key elements flawed or lacking. Some countries said the commitments on limiting temperatures to 1.5C represented no progress on the Cop26 conference in Glasgow last year, and the language on phasing out fossil fuels was weak. Continue reading...

Developed countries agree to ‘loss and damage’ fund for vulnerable nations, but delay approving wider deal

Protesters sat at tables in the Chelsea venue to highlight ‘perfect inequality’ of high-end diningClimate crisis activists occupied Gordon Ramsay’s three-star Michelin restaurant in London’s Chelsea on Saturday evening to protest at the “perfect inequality” such high-end dining venues represent.Members of Animal Rebellion entered Restaurant Gordon Ramsay on Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea at about 6pm. Continue reading...

This month’s environmental summit opened as our planet wilts under the impact of climate crisis. Here we examine five key areas and assess what success – if any – was achieved in EgyptA key Cop27 goal was to strengthen emission pledges made at last year’s climate summit in Glasgow. These are needed to ensure global heating is limited to 1.5C. No such commitments have been made in Egypt and most observers now conclude the world is destined to heat beyond this limit. Continue reading...

Xie Zhenhua said he’d had ‘very constructive discussions’ with John Kerry at Cop27 but there’s no change on finance issues

Residents rally over scheme they believe will benefit only bicycling students and donsIn 1381, a mob sacked university buildings and burned books in the town square, shouting: “Away with the learning of clerks!” More recently, battle lines have been drawn over plans to build homes on green belt land and attempts to ban wild swimming in the river Cam.Now, tensions between town and gown are rising again in Cambridge. This time, it’s over proposals to introduce a £5 congestion charge on weekday car journeys to the city, with a protest march to Parker’s Piece common planned for 27 November. Continue reading...

Countries urged to make progress as ‘untransparent, unpredictable and chaotic’ talks in danger of collapse

Consumers get the chance to buy leftover meals, expiring or misshapen food at discount prices, and aim to encourage consumers to effect policy change in their communitiesIf food waste were a country, it would be the third-highest greenhouse-gas emitting nation behind the US and China. That’s because 40% of all food grown in the world goes uneaten each year, according to a World Wildlife Fund report from last year. And when food ends up in landfills, it produces huge amounts of greenhouse gases.So it’s no surprise then that apps designed to combat food waste – by giving consumers the opportunity to purchase leftover, expiring or misshapen food at discount prices – have become increasingly popular in recent years. Some of these apps have millions of users in the US, and are growing internationally. TikTok users often post videos of the food they have salvaged from restaurants through the apps, and a Reddit community with more than 12,000 members shares photos of their hauls. Continue reading...

‘Thermal effect’ of high-neck jumpers and scarves will save electricity during energy crisis, says governorThe governor of Tokyo has urged people to wear a turtleneck this winter to stay warm and reduce energy consumption.Yuriko Koike said wearing turtleneck jumpers could help reduce energy bills. Continue reading...

Independent scientists raise concerns about apparent industry influence and distortions of the science in WHO guidelinesMore than 110 scientists and regulators worldwide are raising a public alarm over what they label “weak” PFAS drinking water limits proposed by the World Health Organization, which they charge used shoddy science and “arbitrarily” dismissed hundreds of studies linking the “forever chemicals” to serious health problems.Some further alleged the process of developing the guidelines was corrupted by industry-aligned consultants aiming to undercut strict new PFAS limits proposed in the US, and weaken standards in the developing world. The chemicals have been called “forever chemicals” due to their longevity in the environment. Continue reading...

Kingdom’s Cop27 announcement of new storage hub part of pattern of delaying fossil fuel transition, experts saySaudi Arabia is bolstering years of negotiation tactics designed to stymie vital climate negotiations with a focus on carbon capture technologies that experts say risk delaying a meaningful transition from fossil fuels.The kingdom, which is the world’s second largest oil producer, accounting for roughly 15% of global output, announced plans at Cop27 in Egypt for what it labelled the “circular carbon economy”, in partnership with the national oil company, Aramco, which recently reported $42.4bn in profit. Continue reading...

Lachlan River is at major flood level and SES predicts a record peak of 7.8 metres on Monday. This blog is now closed

Forbes mayor criticises decision to base recovery team in Parkes as towns and villages downstream wait days for peak

The European Union has backed a loss and damage fund, one of the key demands of developing countries at the climate talksThis liveblog is now closedThe low-lying Pacific island of Tuvalu has been reacting to the EU’s proposal on “loss and damage”. Its finance minister, Seve Paeniu, called for support for phasing out all fossil fuels, language so far missing from the draft Sharm el-Sheikh agreement.He described the EU position on loss and damage as a “breakthrough”. Continue reading...

Climate action group believes US is blocking progress on global heating by rejecting payments to poorer countriesThe US has been named the “colossal fossil” of the Cop27 climate talks by campaigners who criticised the country for its intransigence in providing support to developing countries hit hardest by the climate crisis.The “award”, unveiled at a ceremony featuring a person dressed as a dinosaur, is an annual event staged by Climate Action Network International to shame the countries deemed to be blocking climate progress. Continue reading...

It’s a miracle that any one of us is alive today. Those with the power to grant that miracle to future generations chose not toThe chances of any one person being born were calculated by the life coach Dr Ali Binazir. He multiplied the probability of your parents meeting, mating and conceiving by the chances of a particular sperm and egg fusing; of all your human and hominid ancestors reaching reproductive age; and of all them successfully reproducing. He arrived at a figure of one in 10 to the power of 2,640,000. In other words, a 10 followed by 2.6m zeros. It’s an unimaginable, miraculous number. Yet here we are.The chances of being alive right now, as a member of one of the first generations to know the path it is on, and one of the last that can change it, must add several more zeros to this crazy number. The chances of being the president or prime minister of your nation at this critical moment … well you get the idea.George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Campaigners who interrupted US president’s speech had passes revoked after they put ‘lives in danger’

The state’s treasury does not expect the taxes to make a significant impact on investment decisions

It is not enough to professionally communicate the science of climate change. This is not a matter of rationality.The role of science communication is to counter wilful ignorance. I don’t mean the deliberate placing of blinkers over the eyes or rose-coloured glasses on the nose. I mean the facts that are inconsistent with the pleasant stories we tell about ourselves, our species, our future. I mean the delusions we live by because they are enjoyable, help keep us sane and motivated, and those cultivated by vested interests to hoodwink us into putting their greed ahead of the public good.Science develops inconvenient facts through the best form of knowledge production we have. It’s not flawless; it’s messy and human. Continue reading...