Environment | The Guardian

Tory leadership candidate criticised by campaigners after reports her team have met energy firms

Despite many challenges, December’s crucial biodiversity talks in Montreal may set a new path for humans to live with nature

Conservationists say auditor general’s report shows offsets must be ‘last resort’ amid calls for overhaul of biodiversity market

Senator David Pocock and Bob Carr among those urging Albanese government to claw back massive mining profits

Weather agencies warn of flooding as analyst warns a winter energy crunch is ‘highly likely’Rain across central China this week is expected to relieve the country’s worst heatwave on record, but weather agencies are now warning of potential floods, while analysts say the energy crisis exacerbated by the months-long drought is not over.Almost half of China has been affected by the latest heatwave, the hottest since record-keeping began in 1961. Hundreds of temperature records have been broken, and the heat has exacerbated the effects of low rainfall, drying up rivers and reservoirs across the country. Continue reading...

Watchdog due to arrive in Kyiv as frequent attacks on Russian-occupied power station raise fears mission may be called off

Outgoing PM to warn against focusing on short-term energy solutions in one of his final speechesLeading green Conservatives have backed Boris Johnson’s call for his successor to invest in renewable energy, amid concern that the Tory leadership frontrunner Liz Truss could rely more on fossil fuels to combat soaring prices.In one of his final speeches as prime minister, Johnson is set to warn against focusing on short-term solutions and neglecting both renewables and a wider shift towards net zero. Continue reading...

Loss will contribute a minimum rise of 27cm regardless of what climate action is taken, scientists discoverMajor sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now inevitable, scientists have found, even if the fossil fuel burning that is driving the climate crisis were to end overnight.The research shows the global heating to date will cause an absolute minimum sea-level rise of 27cm (10.6in) from Greenland alone as 110tn tonnes of ice melt. With continued carbon emissions, the melting of other ice caps and thermal expansion of the ocean, a multi-metre sea-level rise appears likely. Continue reading...

Northern Irish painter Jack Coulter used the climate activist’s words and music by the 1975 to create the pieceWhen Greta Thunberg delivered her “Our house is on fire” speech at Davos in 2019, she galvanised hundreds of thousands of school students to strike for the climate. The address was unique and potent in its urgency, but what did it look like in colour? What hues, textures and shapes could be ascribed to her words?One artist has sought to answer that very question, by transcribing Thunberg’s voice into a painting that will debut at Sotheby’s next month. Continue reading...

Foreign minister urges countries and IMF to help stricken country after climate change minister speaks of climate ‘catastrophe’Pakistan’s government has appealed for international help to tackle a flooding emergency that has killed more than 1,000 people and threatens to leave a third of the country – an area roughly the size of Britain – underwater.Foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Sunday night that floods brought on by weeks of extreme monsoonal rainfall and melting glaciers would worsen Pakistan’s already dire economic situation and that financial aid was needed. Continue reading...

Lack of activity has confounded forecasts so far but a cluster of thunderstorms could change thatThe Atlantic hurricane season has so far confounded forecasts of an active year, with only three named storms so far, none of which were hurricane strength. In fact, until now this August joins 1997 and 1961 in having no named storms.However, there are three months left of the season and activity is starting to stir in the tropics. A cluster of thunderstorms in the central Atlantic has the potential to organise sufficiently to become the first named storm since Colin in early July. Should this occur, it may move westwards and approach the Leeward Islands, bringing the threat of heavy rainfall towards the end of this week, but there is little suggestion it will develop into a significant storm at this stage. Continue reading...

EA ‘shutting down’ calls from public about rivers, says former worker Helen Nightingale, leading waterways to deteriorateEngland’s rivers will continue to deteriorate unless the Environment Agency stops “shutting down” the public’s calls about pollution, according to an ex-employee who worked at the agency for three decades.Officers are told to ignore calls from the public and told not to look at possible incidents if the caller thinks they are lower impact, meaning they fall into so-called category 3 or 4. This has left staff “demoralised” says Helen Nightingale, a catchment planner in north-west Lancashire who left the Environment Agency in April. Continue reading...

Government plan to cut agriculture emissions by 25% by 2030 will drive many farms into bankruptcy, say criticsDonald Scully gazes at his herd of 208 cows munching grass and clover in a verdant field, as a light breeze ruffles the stillness.“There is an enjoyment for me to come out and look and see how healthy and happy these cows are,” says Scully, 47, a third-generation dairy farmer. “Every single cow has her own personality, they’re all individuals.” Continue reading...

Renovations valued at more than $50,000 will be subject to the new NSW government planning policy

The release of vast new areas along the Australian coast for oil and gas exploration is undermining proclamations about creating a cleaner economy

Penny Allman-Payne says body would combat climate scare campaigns by giving workers a secure future

Under deal, German owner of Nottinghamshire station would be paid a fee to pause decommissioningThe effort to prevent electricity blackouts this winter is expected to delay the closure of part of a coal-fired power station in Nottinghamshire, with the plant’s German owner nearing agreement with the UK authorities.In the third in a series of deals to have more coal power on standby if needed, National Grid’s electricity system operator (NGESO) is working towards finalising an agreement with Uniper to keep all of the operations at the Ratcliffe-on-Soar site open through the winter. Continue reading...

Conservationists and smaller fishers say expansion scheme is ‘good for the big boys’ but will not benefit Devon portA scheme to double the size of England’s most lucrative fish market and provide more room for “industrial” trawlers using levelling up funds has been condemned by green campaigners, smaller-scale fishers and leisure boat enthusiasts.Critics claim the plans for the Devon harbour town of Brixham, which is expected to land a record-breaking £50m worth of fish this year, will lead to more environmentally damaging fishing practices, increase lorry movements and benefit a few powerful businesses rather than improving the town as a whole. Continue reading...

Environment Agency chief calls for new attitudes to conserve water and avoid droughtsBritish people need to be “less squeamish” about drinking water derived from sewage, the boss of the Environment Agency has said.Writing in the Sunday Times, Sir James Bevan outlined measures the government, water companies and ordinary people should be taking to avoid severe droughts. Continue reading...

Flash flooding from ‘monster monsoon’ washes away villages and crops and leaves thousands homelessA Pakistani minister has called the country’s deadly monsoon season “a serious climate catastrophe” and “a climate dystopia at our doorstep” as officials said deaths from widespread flooding in Pakistan had passed 1,000 since mid-June.Flash floods, which have intensified in recent days, have swept away villages, roads, bridges, people, livestock and crops across all four provinces. Pakistan has appealed for international help as soldiers and rescue workers have evacuated stranded people to relief camps and provided food to thousands of displaced people. Continue reading...

Environmentalists are measuring the impact of Russian military’s devastation and hope to force Moscow into making reparations

Governments urged to plan for emerging technologies that will allow bidirectional charging so vehicle batteries can power homes

Landowner and bird experts cast doubt on Queensland government’s rat poison theory

If foreign secretary wins the Tory leadership contest she looks set to have to change course on ‘handouts’ despite campaign pledgesFor months, everyone in government had known that Friday was energy cap day, and at 7am the bad news duly dropped. Phones pinged as the nation woke to Ofgem’s confirmation that typical gas and electricity bills were to rise by a frightening 80%.Millions of people would be unable to cope, said charities. Even those on low or middle earnings who had some savings could see them entirely wiped out. It was a full-on national crisis, albeit long predicted. Continue reading...

This fifth round of discussions was meant to establish a UN Ocean Treaty that would protect biodiversity in international watersThe latest round of talks at the United Nations aimed at securing protections for marine life in international waters that cover half the planet ended without agreement Saturday.The fifth round of discussions, which began two weeks ago, were designed to establish a UN Ocean Treaty that would set rules for protecting biodiversity in two-thirds of the world’s oceanic areas that lie outside territorial waters. Continue reading...

Agricultural waste outstrips sewage as the main danger – and activists blame the ex-environment secretary’s cuts to farm inspectionsLiz Truss is responsible for farmers being allowed to dump a catastrophic “chemical cocktail” of pollutants into Britain’s rivers, according to environmental campaigners.This has meant agricultural waste now outstrips sewage as the leading danger to England’s waterways. Continue reading...

Sale of peat-based compost for use on private gardens and allotments to be outlawed within 18 monthsSales of peat for use on private gardens and allotments will be banned in England from 2024, the government has announced.Environmental campaigners have long called for stricter laws to restore peatlands. Continue reading...

After begging the industry to increase supply, the White House used its reserve to strategically set fuel pricesCan Joe Biden push big oil to drill for more oil, lower gas prices and speed up the switch to electric vehicles? That’s the ambitious aim of a plan the Biden administration is implementing as drivers continue to wrestle with soaring gas prices. Unusually, the plan has support not just from the oil industry but some economists and environmentalists.As 2022’s gas prices set off inflation and oil companies celebrated record profits, Biden practically begged industry executives to take a basic step that could have brought down costs: pump more oil to increase supply. His pleas fell on deaf ears. Continue reading...

Unless an emergency meeting for a further round of negotiations is convened an agreement looks unlikely in 2022, Greenpeace warns

Clive Palmer’s Central Queensland Coal suggested proposed coalmine is a ‘greater economic powerhouse’

Biodiversity certificates scheme for private landowners gets mixed reception as issues with likened carbon credits system lingerConservation groups have called on the Albanese government to get on with strengthening the country’s environmental protections after it announced a plan to create a market for nature restoration.The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said the new scheme would recognise private landholders who restored and managed habitat by granting them biodiversity certificates that could then be sold to other parties. Continue reading...

Public will have chance to weigh in on details of plan, with transportation accounting for 40% of state greenhouse gas emissionsWashington state will follow California and prohibit the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035, Jay Inslee, the state governor, said.California regulators on Thursday moved forward with a landmark plan to phase out the sale of gas cars over the next 13 years in the US’s largest auto market. Continue reading...

Work to begin in coming weeks in move that emphasises ties between Viktor Orbán and Vladimir PutinHungary has announced that the €12.5bn (£10.6bn) construction of two nuclear reactors by Russia’s Rosatom will begin in the coming weeks after regulators approved the project.The war in Ukraine has not deterred Hungary’s interest in the project to add to the four reactors already operating at the Paks plant outside Budapest. Continue reading...

The Environmental Protection Agency wants to include two common ‘forever chemicals’ in Superfund lawThe Biden administration on Friday announced a new proposal that could force polluters of two common PFAS compounds to pay billions of dollars for the toxic substances’ cleanup.The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to designate PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under the Superfund law, the statute that guides cleanup at the nation’s most contaminated sites. Continue reading...

The best of this week’s wildlife pictures, including bathing elephants, a slow loris and newborn panda twins Continue reading...

Lib Dems say investment will end up on customers’ bills and public will be paying for executives’ bonusesThe UK government’s strategy to tackle sewage discharges is a “cruel joke”, critics have said, after ministers laid out plans to stop the pollution.George Eustice, the environment secretary, announced that water companies would have to invest £56bn over 25 years into a long-term programme to tackle storm sewage discharges by 2050. Continue reading...

Volodymyr Zelenskiy says ‘radiation disaster’ narrowly avoided after all lines to plant cut during fighting

Authorities say more than 900 killed and 220,000 homes destroyed in worst monsoon rains disaster for a decadeHeavy rain has pounded large areas of Pakistan as the government declared an emergency to deal with monsoon flooding it said had affected more than 30 million people.The annual monsoon is essential for irrigating crops and replenishing lakes and dams across the Indian subcontinent, but each year it also brings a wave of destruction. Continue reading...

Peter Purves says innovation to cut waste is a disaster for amateur arts and craftsPeter Purves has decried the invention of tubeless toilet rolls as a “complete catastrophe” as it deprives the public of a key component of amateur arts and crafts.Loo paper brand Cushelle has become the first company to remove the cardboard inner tube from its packaging in an attempt to reduce waste. Continue reading...

A journey down the waterway in an area of outstanding natural beauty highlights troubles facing UK riversThe thick mist hangs low over the high moor where the river rises from a boggy wilderness. It rushes over granite slabs and waterfalls down rocks, pooling alongside small oaks amid the coconut tang of yellow gorse, before picking up pace once more, fed, at last, by a few days of rain.Twenty-three miles downstream its brackish flow swooshes at pace into a steep-sided estuary where paddleboarders ride the tidal motion and surfers run into the swell of Bigbury Bay. Continue reading...

‘Really lousy’ garden wins contest on island of Gotland that aims to promote water conservationResidents of Sweden’s largest island have been competing to determine which of them has the ugliest lawn.The competition is an effort by the municipality of Gotland to promote water conservation. After the island, located in the middle of the Baltic Sea, received a record-breaking number of visitors and residents last summer, its politicians realised that it needed to make drastic changes to save its water supplies. Gotland’s population doubles during the summer months and this places a heavy demand on water reserves and limited groundwater supplies. Continue reading...

US government’s 2020-2025 guidance is meat- and dairy-heavy. Experts say that isn’t sustainableTo keep the climate habitable, most scientists agree that switching to renewable energy alone isn’t enough – Americans also need to change the way they eat. Environmental and public health advocates are pushing a new strategy to help get there: including climate breakdown in the official US dietary guidelines, which shape what goes into billions of meals eaten across the country every year.Every five years, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services jointly publish a new version of the guidelines. They form the basis for the public-facing eating guide MyPlate, formerly MyPyramid, as well as many government-backed meal programs, such as National School Lunch. Historically, these guidelines have narrowly focused on human nutrition, but some are now saying they should be expanded to incorporate climate considerations as well. Continue reading...

In California’s Bay-Delta, civil rights are inextricable from water rights, a coalition says – and a way of life is on the lineIn the Bay-Delta, the watershed formed by the two mighty rivers at the heart of California’s water system – the Sacramento and the San Joaquin – signs of worsening climate conditions intensify year after year.Once abundant species of plants and animals that call these spaces home are disappearing. Flourishing toxic algal blooms threaten the health of the rivers and the people who live near them. As temperatures surge, there’s even less water to go around. Continue reading...

The fossil-fuel friendly senator has resurrected the Mountain Valley pipeline, leaving residents with a bitter pill to swallowTaking on the fossil fuel industry in West Virginia was always going to be a David v Goliath type battle, but after years of protests, lobbying and lawsuits, 68-year-old Becky Crabtree thought the community-led resistance had beaten the Mountain Valley pipeline (MVP) in a fair fight.So when news broke earlier in August that the state’s fossil-fuel friendly senator Joe Manchin had resurrected the beleaguered pipeline, Crabtree, a high school science teacher who teaches students about the climate crisis, felt “numb”. Continue reading...

Fears that Moscow wants to switch plant to Russian power network have heightened safety concerns

Exclusive: Experts warn drought could be start of three-year cycle with dire impacts on wildlife and environmentRiver-flow rates in England have been lower this summer than at any time in the past 21 years, data has shown, and could be much worse next year, with dire impacts on wildlife and the natural environment, conservation experts have warned.Analysis since 2002 of England’s groundwater, reservoir levels and river flows – three key indicators for the severity of drought, and for river health – shows that July this year was the worst in that period.Tell us what you think about the Guardian’s climate reporting – it takes just two minutes Continue reading...

Environmental activists stage sit-down protests, blocking entrances and gluing themselves to pumpsEnvironmental protesters have taken action at petrol stations in central London, vandalising pumps, blockading entrances and spray painting “no new oil” across signs.The Just Stop Oil campaign said 51 of its supporters took part in the demonstrations at seven petrol stations on Friday morning. Some groups staged sit-down protests at entrances or glued themselves to pumps, while others moved from station to station damaging pumps. Continue reading...

New Hope prepares to resume mining operations near Oakey as it seeks water licence, while local landowners respond with dismay

Experts raise concerns over emissions and say rate of gas flaring at Portovaya plant is unprecedented

Scientists in the Canary Islands and Portugal are collecting water from fog to enable reforestation of degraded landscapesAs summer fires continue to devastate huge areas of woodland in Spain, France and Portugal, and drought plagues Europe and the UK leaving tens of thousands of acres at risk of desertification, some scientists are busy collecting fog.The EU-backed Life Nieblas project (niebla is Spanish for fog) is using fog collectors in Gran Canaria in Spain’s Canary Islands, and Portugal, to improve degraded landscape and fuel reforestation. Continue reading...