Environment | The Guardian

Thousands march in Melbourne CBD as Victoria reports 1,221 new Covid-19 cases, NSW 250 and the ACT 11. This blog is now closed

Deadlock stretched climate summit past its scheduled end with hopes leaders will reach agreement by Saturday

Humans have encroached on the animals’ habitat – now villagers face daily raids as the elephants break into their homes in search of foodIt was around midnight when Kittichai Boodchan heard two loud crashes coming from in front of his home. He knew immediately what was happening. An elephant was outside, and it wanted the family’s stash of bananas.Boonchuay, a local bull from the nearby Kaeng Krachan national park notorious for his habit of raiding the village in search of snacks, had come to call. Kittichai had earlier bought 200kg of bananas to sell and, although stored inside, the sweet scent had undoubtedly piqued Boonchuay’s interest. Continue reading...

The modelling was delayed until the final Friday of COP26 to avoid embarrassment. But it’s even worse than expected

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Royal Society Open Science research finds bees release ‘rallying call for collective defence’ that is ‘quite harsh and noisy’A study has revealed a new defense mechanism used by bees when attacked by giant “murder” hornets: screaming.When left unchecked, the giant Asian hornets can destroy a honeybee hive in hours, feeding on larvae and decapitating bees in what scientists call a “slaughter phase”. The hornets then feed severed body parts to their young. Continue reading...

Deadline passes for global deal to tackle climate change but negotiations to continue

Birds Chile and Greater, painstakingly restored by taxidermists, will be on display at SA Museum as part of Feast festivalAustralia’s last flamingos will go on display this weekend after taxidermists restored the magnificent pink birds.The last flamingo in Australia (named Chile) died in 2018, the second last (Greater) in 2014 – but they have been resurrected as gay emblems for South Australia’s Feast festival. Continue reading...

Environmental campaigners celebrate as state government announces plan to extend conservation area to cover unique rock formation and ecosystemsConservationists have hailed the extension of protection of the Gardens of Stone, a region of dramatic rock formations and rare wildlife in the Blue Mountains that has long been threatened by coalmines.The New South Wales government is set to announce on Saturday a $50m plan to transfer about 31,500ha of state forest and other crown land west of Sydney into a state conservation area. Continue reading...

Climate Action Network give unwanted prize of worst country at the talks to Australia for its ‘breathtaking ineptitude’Australia has been named the “colossal fossil” of the Glasgow climate talks for its “appalling performance” at the summit, with activists castigating the country for its ongoing embrace of fossil fuels.At a mock ceremony held at the Cop26 summit, activists at the Climate Action Network gave the unwanted first prize of the worst country at the talks to Australia, which had previously been named “fossil of the day” five times during the two-week UN conference. Continue reading...

Ofgem tells Orbit, Simply Your Energy, Delta, Social Energy Supply and Whoop they could lose licencesThe energy regulator has threatened to strip five suppliers of their licences after they failed to hand over more than £500,000 collected from customers’ bills to help pay for a renewable energy support scheme.Ofgem warned Orbit Energy, Simply Your Energy, Delta Gas and Power, Social Energy Supply and Whoop Energy to pay a total of £575,000 into the pot used to support small-scale renewable energy projects such as rooftop solar panels “immediately” or face enforcement action. Continue reading...

Indigenous people, representatives of farmers and environmental NGOs carry red ribbons as they exit convention centre

World’s largest shipping company Maersk plans to power new container ships on carbon-neutral methanol but very little of it is produced todayIn August, Maersk, the world’s largest shipping company, announced that it would add eight new container ships to its fleet that would be unlike any merchant vessels operating on the high seas today. Instead of running on “bunker” fuel – the gunky, tar-like substance left behind after oil is refined – Maersk plans to power these ships on carbon-neutral methanol, a colorless liquid made from biomass such as agricultural waste or by combining renewably generated hydrogen with carbon dioxide.Globally, very little of this “green” methanol is produced today and compared with the oil industry waste product most ships run on, the cost is high. Maersk hasn’t yet announced a fuel supply for its new fleet but the company hopes that standing up the world’s first green methanol-powered fleet will spur the energy sector to significantly ramp up production of clean fuels. Continue reading...

Attendees on day 11 of UN summit in Glasgow included London mayor Sadiq Khan and a Tyrannosaurus rexCop26 climate summit: day 11 – as it happened Continue reading...

The best of this week’s wildlife pictures, including a swinging gibbon, a cheeky macaque and a preying crocodile Continue reading...

British designer’s tote bag to go on sale at Sainsbury’s and Waitrose in new bid to tackle single-use plasticWith the exception of a new must-have brand of oat milk and an aesthetically pleasing tin of chopped tomatoes, the supermarket experience is not an especially chic one – unless Anya Hindmarch is along for the ride.Having sent shoppers wild in the aisles of Sainsbury’s with the I Am Not a Plastic Bag bag that opened a debate on single-use plastic in 2007, the accessory designer is returning to the checkouts this winter with a bag she hopes will revolutionise the way we carry our shopping. Continue reading...

The measure could curb the wind-driven wildfires in the region, but critics want a deeper assessment“That tree is dead. That tree is dead – we are too late for them,” Greg Thomson, the forester for Los Padres national forest says, as he traipses through a dense patch of conifers clustered on a peak overlooking Ventura county. Pine needles and yellowed grass crunch beneath his boots as he points to giant spiny tree skeletons with thick trunks.These trees, he says, were victims of the drought, beetle infestations and a changing climate on an overgrown landscape that has not seen a good fire in too long – and it’s his job to do something about that. Continue reading...

Who pays for ‘loss and damage’ is in vogue at Cop26, but the authors of the climate emergency are still escaping accountabilityMohammed Nasheed made global headlines in 2009 by convening the world’s first underwater cabinet meeting. As president of the Maldives, a nation of 1,138 low-lying islands south-west of India, Nasheed donned scuba gear and descended beneath the waves with 13 government ministers. The officials used waterproof pencils to sign a document urging the world to slash carbon dioxide emissions so the Maldives would not disappear beneath rising seas.“If the Maldives cannot be saved today, we do not feel that there is much of a chance for the rest of the world,” Nasheed told reporters.This story is published as part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of news outlets strengthening coverage of the climate story. Mark Hertsgaard is Covering Climate Now’s executive director Continue reading...

Restaurateurs invited to discuss plant-based ‘faux gras’ ahead of expected ban on liver-based spreadIt is prized for its rich flavour and exclusive image by top restaurants and gourmands, but now foie gras is going vegan as the government meets chefs to discuss how to make alternatives out of nuts and mushrooms.Vegan restaurateurs have been invited to meet UK government advisers to discuss how to create plant-based “faux gras” in the event of an upcoming ban, the Guardian has learned. Sources said the government hoped to show that a gap in the market left by a restriction on the trade of the controversial product could be filled by high-end chefs who are willing to produce alternatives. Continue reading...

Federal government releases net zero modelling; Scott Morrison says ‘of course the French are upset’; Australia passes 90% first dose Covid vaccination milestone; Victoria records 1,115 cases and nine deaths; NSW records 286 cases and two deaths; state funeral for Bert Newton. This blog is now closed

Negotiators in Glasgow are working to come to an agreement as the conference enters its final dayCountries are being called on to accelerate the phaseout of coal power at the Cop26 summit, and to return to the negotiating table next year with improvements to their national plans on cutting greenhouse gases.The second draft of the key outcome from the Cop26 summit, now nearing its final hours in Glasgow after a fortnight of intense talks, showed a slight softening of language in some instances but retained the core demands for a return. Continue reading...

US declined to join promise to end coal mining and to compensate poor countries for climate damage. Critics ask, is that leadership?The crucial UN climate talks in Scotland have produced landmark commitments to phase out coalmining, to call time on the internal combustion engines and to compensate poorer countries for damage caused by the climate crisis.The United States, which has trumpeted its regained climate leadership at the summit, has not joined any these pledges as the talks draw to a close. Continue reading...

Barack Obama may have struck a gloomy tone, but that sense is amplified for those in imminent perilAfter an exhausting two weeks of speeches, protests, meetings and increasingly tortuous negotiations at the Glasgow climate summit, a sense of simmering frustration and anxiety has gripped many of the 25,000 attenders.Even former world leaders are not immune. “There are times where the future seems somewhat bleak,” said Barack Obama on Monday. “There are times where I am doubtful that humanity can get its act together before it’s too late, and images of dystopia start creeping into my dreams.” Continue reading...

Washington state is debating wether to grant a special waiver after the tribe fought a lengthy legal battle to try to resume the historic practiceHunting gray whales has long been a sacred tradition for the Makah Tribe, dating back thousands of years. But in recent decades, the practice has faced severe scrutiny from conservationists, and the tribe, located in Washington state, has fought a lengthy legal battle to try to resume the historic practice.Now, the situation could be finally gearing up to a resolution. Continue reading...

New walk covering parks’ most spectacular peaks opens to public on Saturday after construction delaysA 160km multi-day hiking trail running the length of the Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park will open to the public on Saturday becoming one of the longest trails in Victoria.Connecting some of the parks’ most spectacular peaks, the Grampians Peaks Trail is a 13 day/12 night journey commencing at Mt Zero and travelling south over the ranges that make up Gariwerd and ending in the town of Dunkeld. Continue reading...

Chevron says it failed to meet Western Australia’s target of capturing at least 80% of the CO2 that would otherwise be released at its Gorgon LNG project

The ‘unusually large’ and deadly spider’s fangs – so big they could bite through a human fingernail – will be milked for venom

Analysis released at Cop26 climate summit shows Australia’s per capita emissions from coal power nearly double those of ChinaAustralia has the highest greenhouse gas emissions from coal power in the world on a per capita basis, nearly doubling those in China, according to a new analysis released at the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow.As the talks headed towards a fraught final day, there was disagreement over whether a closing declaration would commit countries to return with stronger short-term emissions reduction targets next year, and explicitly support an accelerated phaseout of coal. Continue reading...

UN chief calls for an end to the trillions in subsidies given to the fossil fuel industry as discussions over the final text contine

The London mayor and chair of a global alliance of cities announces $1bn for electric buses

The 2,750 gigalitres to be returned to river will be lost to evaporation from heating climate, CSIRO says

Locals frustrated at distraction of Tory sleaze scandals when focus should be on climate talks

Scottish ministers fear raft of measures could be undermined by delay to parallel action in EnglandThe sale of plastic straws, cutlery and polystyrene cups and food boxes is to be banned in Scotland next year as part of measures to reduce waste and pollution.The Scottish government said the ban would cover all single-use polystyrene food containers and their lids, as well as plastic stirrers, balloon sticks, plates and coffee stirrers, and would come into force on 1 June. Continue reading...

Recipients felt ‘threatened’ by letter from Mears, which is contracted to house asylum seekers in Glasgow

Seafood company looks for aquarium to take in lobster, which is one of one in 100m with unusual purple and blue coloringA lobster fisherman in Maine has caught an incredibly rare, one in a 100m “cotton candy” lobster that he has called Haddie and has now saved from being put in a cooking pot.In a Facebook post, Get Maine Lobster, a seafood company, said Bill Coppersmith found the rare cotton candy lobster during a recent day of fishing. Continue reading...

Reducing emissions for cargo ships and planes isn’t as simple as sticking a huge battery in them Continue reading...

Fuel made from waste and synthetic ‘e-fuels’ could reduce emissions significantly but scaling up quickly will be an immense challenge• Why it’s so hard to electrify shipping and aviation – interactiveA powder blue airplane flew from London to Glasgow in September to deliver on a promise. Airlines around the world have committed to decarbonizing the industry – the British Airways flight was meant to demonstrate a decade of progress toward that goal.Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), made partly from recycled cooking oil, along with more efficient engines, a sleeker design and improved air traffic management helped reduce the flight’s carbon emissions by 62% compared with a similar trip in 2010, according to BA. The airline was able to bill the trip as “carbon neutral” because it bought carbon credits to offset the remaining 38% of emissions. Continue reading...

Organisers of Glasgow march claim police risked ‘chaos’ by failing to adhere to agreed arrangements

Plan to transform 130 hectares of Allestree Park could see reintroduction of species such as red kite and harvest mouse“I’m excited about the potential for large wildflower-rich grassland areas mixed with naturally regenerating scrub,” said Prof Alastair Driver, director at Rewilding Britain. “It won’t be long before these areas are ringing with warbler song and sizzling with grasshoppers and crickets.”The source of Driver’s excitement is Allestree Park, the largest open space in Derby, to which Derby city council has given the green light this week to become what Rewilding Britain believes to be the UK’s largest urban rewilding project. Continue reading...

Countries do not have to include armed forces’ emissions in their targets despite estimates sector creates 6% of greenhouse gases

BoM has issued storm warnings for NSW and Queensland; court approves extradition of Mostafa Baluch on drug charges. This blog is now closed

UN and EU say the agreement could help pave the way to wider breakthrough, though concerns remain over ‘patchy details’An unexpected agreement between the US and China to work together on cutting emissions has been broadly welcomed by leaders and climate experts.The world’s two biggest emitters appeared to put aside their differences at the Cop26 climate summit and on Wednesday unveiled a joint declaration that would see close cooperation on emissions cuts that scientists say are needed in the next 10 years to stay within 1.5C. Continue reading...

Pulp frontman weighs in on Cop26, Brexit and arts cuts as Let’s Stick Around is released

On day 10 of the conference China’s climate spokesman said the countries would work together to ‘enhance climate action’

In a surprise press conference, the two superpowers promised to cooperate more and hoped for the success of Cop26China and the US announced a surprise plan to work together on cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the crucial next decade, in a strong boost to the Cop26 summit, as negotiators wrangled over a draft outcome.The world’s two biggest emitters had been trading insults for the first week of the conference, but on Wednesday evening unveiled a joint declaration that would see the world’s two biggest economies cooperate closely on the emissions cuts scientists say are needed in the next 10 years to stay within 1.5C. Continue reading...

Poorer nations say the rich must come forward with more money to help them cope with global heating

How such catastrophes occur remains mysterious. But research suggests that Earth may experience a cascade of disruptions when stressedFive times in the last 500m years, more than three-fourths of marine animal species perished in mass extinctions. Each of these events is associated with a major disruption of Earth’s carbon cycle. How such catastrophes occur remains mysterious. But recent research increasingly points to the possibility that the Earth system – that is, life and the environment – may experience a cascade of disruptions when stressed beyond a tipping point.As world leaders gather at Cop26 in Glasgow, it makes sense to rally behind concrete goals such as limiting warming to 1.5C. If we don’t meet such a goal, we’ll know it soon. Mass extinctions, on the other hand, may require tens of thousands of years or more to reach their peak. But if they are indeed the result of a disruptive cascade, we must act now to prevent such a runaway process from starting.Daniel H Rothman is a professor of geophysics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He co-directs MIT’s Lorenz Center, which is devoted to learning how climate works Continue reading...

The Guardian’s anonymous insiders respond to the publication of a draft deal at the climate conference

Official projectionists hit back with animations and ‘go away’ after activists beam climate slogans

Even the industry’s own data suggests its impact on emissions is extraordinarily marginal