Prime minister under pressure to increase country’s 2030 emissions reduction goal but faces challenges from openly hostile Nationals

Bloc says it needs to play greater part in region, citing global heating and possible tensions over resourcesThe European Union has called for oil, coal and gas in the Arctic to stay in the ground, as it announced aspirations to play a greater role in the world’s northernmost region.The EU, which has three member states with Arctic territory, said there was a “geopolitical necessity” for it to be involved in the region, as global heating opens up competition for resources and the prospect of new shipping lanes. Continue reading...

MPs challenge heads of five water companies over ‘routine’ discharges into English waterwaysA water company boss has told MPs he would swim in the rivers and sea in the area where he lives, as he and others were challenged over “routine” dumping of raw sewage.The heads of the five largest privatised companies – Southern Water, South West Water, Northumbrian, Severn Trent and Thames Water – were questioned on Wednesday over discharges of raw effluent into rivers. Continue reading...

Wild pigs seen in Alberta’s Elk Island national park, raising fears they will cause damage to sensitive ecosystemsFeral hogs have been spotted in a Canadian national park for the first time, raising fears that the wild pigs – which in recent years have rampaged across North America – will cause damage to sensitive ecosystems.Parks Canada has confirmed that wild pigs – a hybrid of domestic pigs and European wild boar – have been spotted in Alberta’s Elk Island national park. Continue reading...

Ed Miliband joins climate experts in expressing deep concern over Beijing’s plans to step up coal outputChina’s “deeply concerning” plan to burn more coal threatens to derail the UK’s efforts to coordinate tougher global commitments to reduce carbon emissions at next month’s Cop26 summit in Glasgow, according to climate experts and Labour.Beijing has ordered its major coal-producing regions to step up output, after large parts of the country were hit by rolling blackouts affecting factories and homes. Continue reading...

Kadri Simson points to Russia’s failure to increase gas supplies as reason to scale up renewablesRussia’s failure to boost short-term supplies to ease Europe’s energy price shock shows why the EU needs to wean itself off foreign fossil fuels and scale up renewables, the bloc’s top energy official has said.Kadri Simson, the European commissioner for energy, also defended the EU’s green deal plan to move to a net zero carbon economy by 2050, amid calls for a climate policy rethink from central European leaders, as she set out the EU’s response to the energy price spike after wholesale electricity prices increased by 200% over the last year. Continue reading...

Tense scenes as lorry drivers use vehicles to try to break through demonstrators’ blockadesDrivers dragged climate protesters out of the road and threatened to run them over on the eastern outskirts of London as Insulate Britain staged roadblock protests for the 13th time.There were tense scenes as about 40 members of the climate activist group blocked the M25 at junction 31 and the London Road A1090 near the Dartford Crossing, with stranded drivers shouting abuse and accelerating towards protesters. Continue reading...

International Energy Agency says $4tn investment needed over decade to reach net zero targetCurrent plans to cut global carbon emissions will fall 60% short of their 2050 net zero target, the International Energy Agency has said, as it urged leaders to use the upcoming Cop26 climate conference to send an “unmistakable signal” with concrete policy plans.In its annual World Energy Outlook, redesigned this year as a “guidebook” for world leaders attending the summit in Glasgow, the IEA predicted that carbon emissions would decrease by just 40% by the middle of the century if countries stick to their climate pledges. Continue reading...

Chris Bowen warns battle for emissions reduction is not yet over, and says Coalition has ‘one last chance’ on new roadmap

Report warns England faces more floods and droughts, rising sea levels and greater demand on water suppliesEngland faces more floods and droughts, rising sea levels and greater demand on water supplies due to climate change, the Environment Agency has warned.Ahead of the UN Cop26 climate talks in Glasgow, the government agency is warning that adaptation – becoming resilient to the already inevitable effects of climate change – is just as important as actions to cut greenhouse gases. Continue reading...

Shadow business secretary hits out at Boris Johnson and says Britain is stalling on climate pledgesBoris Johnson needs to “get off the sun lounger and start being a statesman” with less than three weeks to go before the Cop26 global climate change summit in Glasgow, Ed Miliband will say on Wednesday.With Johnson on holiday in Spain, the shadow business secretary will say the UK is in danger of allowing “greenwashing” at Cop26, with insufficient pledges from countries across the world so far to make the summit a success. Continue reading...

Climate activist group was responding to injunctions that ban protests on M4 and M25 and around DoverInsulate Britain protesters have accused the government of delaying taking action against them to avoid the embarrassment of having demonstrators in prison while Glasgow hosts a crucial climate summit.Members of the climate activist group, who have blocked motorways and busy roads in and around London, were in the high court on Tuesday morning. They were responding to three injunctions granted to National Highways that ban the group from protesting on the M25, on the M4 and around the port of Dover. Continue reading...

Renewed commitment to coal could scupper Britain’s aim to secure global phase-out pact at climate summitChina plans to build more coal-fired power plants and has hinted that it will rethink its timetable to slash emissions, in a significant blow to the UK’s ambitions for securing a global agreement on phasing out coal at the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow.In a statement after a meeting of Beijing’s National Energy Commission, the Chinese premier, Li Keqiang, stressed the importance of regular energy supply, after swathes of the country were plunged into darkness by rolling blackouts that hit factories and homes. Continue reading...

As demand increases amid the pandemic, there is a shortage of supply – and prices are rising rapidlyGlobal energy markets are facing the perfect storm. Demand for energy shot up after China and other major economies began to recover from the pandemic. In Europe, a cold winter depleted gas reserves, while a long spell of still days reduced wind power supply to the grid. Meanwhile, CO prices have hit record levels. Russia, one of Europe’s biggest suppliers, had declined to increase supplies on the short-term spot market, although the Kremlin recently said it was starting to help out.In Asia and Europe, energy prices are going in one direction: up. And the US is watching anxiously. Continue reading...

Brighton and Hove residents worry about rats and foxes as more refuse and recycling walkouts plannedBrighton’s sea air is taking on a distinctly unsavoury tang as the smell of rotting garbage gently permeates parts of the city.One week into a strike by refuse lorry drivers – which could last until mid-November – bin bags are piling high on its streets to the dismay of its human residents and delight of its vermin. Continue reading...

French president uses speech to outline his plan for French innovation in 2030Emmanuel Macron has given a taste of his likely re-election bid by announcing a €30bn (£25.4bn) plan to “reindustrialise” France and make it a global leader on green hydrogen, create new, smaller nuclear reactors and invest in French television series and video games to challenge foreign offerings on platforms like Netflix.Macron, who is expected to run for re-election in April but will not launch his campaign until next year, used a 90-minute speech at the Élysée to outline his long-term plan for French innovation in 2030. He sought to reconnect with his promise in the previous election to build a “start-up nation” – deliberately focusing on his favoured topic of the economy in an attempt to contrast with the right and far-right, who are concerned with identity and immigration, while the left is focusing on working hours and salary increases. Continue reading...

A record 75% of voters are worried about climate and 69% want the PM to push for net zero, but Queenslanders are less concerned than the rest of the nation

Though renewable energy could meet 100% of demand by 2025, the nuclear option still looms over discussions on how to rapidly lower emissions. Is it worth it?

Commentator adds voice to backlash against Mission Zero editorial project which has been criticised by some longtime supporters of climate action

Industry leaders say means-tested package is no more than ‘flimsy sticking plaster’ for high energy costsHeavy industry struggling with surging energy costs will only get support if they can prove they have been pushed to the brink of closure, Whitehall sources have said, as industry leaders warned that the package sounded like no more than “flimsy sticking plaster”.A senior government source said on Tuesday that any scheme for companies would be means-tested, time-limited and repayable to make sure it only dealt with the most severe cases of those about to stop production or go under entirely. Continue reading...

Couple add role at Ethic to growing jobs portfolio since stepping down as working members of royal familyThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex have added to their portfolio of jobs since stepping down as working members of the royal family last year, joining a US ethical money manager as “impact partners”.Prince Harry and Meghan said they hoped their partnership with Ethic, which has $1.3bn of assets under management, would encourage more younger people to invest their money in sustainable companies. Continue reading...

New images show what areas of the world can be saved or lost if carbon emissions aren’t curbedThe land on which 10% of the world’s population lives could be lost to sea level rise if carbon emission trends continue, new maps and visualizations show.Fifty major cities, mostly in Asia, and at least one large nation on every continent but Australia and Antarctica are at risk. Many small island nations are threatened with near total loss of their land. Continue reading...

Eight in 10 thermal power stations within days of running out as state blackouts spark protestsIndia is facing a looming power crisis, as stocks of coal in power plants have fallen to unprecedentedly low levels and states are warning of power blackouts.States across India have issued panicked warnings that coal supplies to thermal power plants, which convert heat from coal to electricity, are running perilously low. Continue reading...

Campaigners say there has been a fivefold increase in damaging and ‘absurd’ burnings in national parksMore than 100 moorland fires have been reported across England’s national parks in the past four days, a fivefold increase on last year.Just weeks before countries gather in Glasgow for Cop26, the UN climate summit, thousands of acres of moorland across the north of England have been torched as part of annual burning carried out by the grouse shooting industry, a practice wildlife campaigners describe as “absurd” and “illogical on so many grounds”. Continue reading...

The activist says she will continue to repeat her message until governments take meaningful steps to address the climate crisisGreta Thunberg is “open” to meeting with Joe Biden at the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, though the young Swedish activist does not expect much from either the US leader or the make-or-break summit that runs from 31 October to 12 November.In an interview with the global media collaboration Covering Climate Now, Thunberg expressed surprise at the idea that the US president, or any world leader, might want to sit down with her at Cop26, but said she was open to the possibility, if asked. “I guess that will depend on the situation,” she said. “I don’t see why these people want to meet with me, but yeah.” Continue reading...

Rumors have pointed to antifa, rightwingers, even space lasers as culprits but fire-setting accounts for a minority of blazesAs California endures another grueling wildfire season, the charges against two alleged arsonists this summer attracted widespread attention.Alexandra Souverneva, a former doctoral student and yoga teacher, made tabloid headlines in September when she told investigators suspecting her of causing the Fawn fire that she had tried to start a fire to boil water she thought contained bear urine. The arrest of Gary Maynard, a former criminal justice professor who allegedly went on a fire-setting spree near Lassen national forest in an effort to trap crews fighting the Dixie fire the month before, prompted warnings about the “potent threat” of an arsonist’s match as the state grapples with megafires. Continue reading...

Benton Harbor residents have had lead-contaminated water for at least three years as activists call on state to do moreResidents of a majority-Black city in Michigan have been advised by the state not to use tap water for drinking, bathing, or cooking “out of an abundance of caution” owing to lead contamination.For at least three years, residents of Benton Harbor, Michigan, have been suffering from lead-contaminated water with what experts describe as insufficient intervention from state and local officials. Continue reading...

Industry responsible for about 8% of CO emissions commits to reaching net zero by 2050 without offsettingCement makers around the world have pledged to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by up to a quarter this decade and reach net zero by 2050, in a move they said would make a major difference to the prospects for the Cop26 climate summit.The industry is responsible for about 7%-8% of global carbon dioxide emissions, the equivalent of more than any individual country except China and the US. Cutting emissions from cement production is difficult, because the chemical processes used to make it and concrete release CO. Continue reading...

In a petition to the international criminal court experts said the ‘mass deforestation’ poses a clear dangerThe Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro must be held criminally responsible for a “ruthless” assault on the Amazon that has exacerbated the climate emergency and imperilled humanity’s very survival, activists have argued in a petition to the international criminal court.In a submission to The Hague-based tribunal on Tuesday, legal and scientific experts said the “mass deforestation” unfolding under the rightwing nationalist posed a clear and present danger to Brazil, and to the world. Continue reading...

Biggest ever analysis shows public backs carbon tax on industry, flight levies and grants for heat pumpsThe UK public backs a carbon tax on polluting industries, higher levies on flying and grants for heat pumps in order to tackle the climate crisis, according to the biggest analysis of policy preferences ever published.Almost 22,000 people chose their favoured mix of policies to hit the government’s 2030 target for emissions cuts. A speed limit of 60mph on motorways and a campaign to reduce meat eating by 10% were also among the most popular measures, all of which had between 77% and 94% public support. Continue reading...

Arthur Sinodinos declares Australia has the potential to be an ‘alternative energy superpower’ as Scott Morrison continues efforts to land new policy

Wildlife officials in Colorado successfully remove obstruction from bull elk at fourth attempt this weekWildlife officials in Colorado say an elusive elk that wandered the hills with a car tyre around its neck for at least two years has at last been freed.The four-and-a-half-year-old, 270kg (600lb) bull elk was spotted near Pine Junction, south-west of Denver, on Saturday evening and tranquillised, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. It was the fourth attempt wildlife officers had made in the past week to try to capture and help it. Continue reading...

When China has shortages or surpluses of gas, coal or electricity they spread rapidly across the worldEnergy markets are a hot topic now with gas prices going vertical in Europe and coal prices breaking all-time highs. There have been numerous hypotheses lodged online blaming some very plausible causes including reduced gas storage and nuclear and some where the causal link appears to be missing, like renewables. Renewables are variable, but without them Europe would undoubtedly need more gas and be in more strife.Over the last year I’ve been working on a project with Australian National University on China’s coal markets and logistics and how domestic drivers lead to massive changes in imports. This focus has perhaps given me a different lens to look through recent energy market developments. Continue reading...

Attorney general will seek to determine cause of spill and how it could have been preventedCalifornia’s justice department is investigating the spill off the coast of Huntington Beach earlier this month, which sent thousands of gallons of oil into the ocean, the state’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, announced on Monday.The spill, from an undersea pipeline, polluted the waters near Los Angeles last weekend, blackening beaches and endangering wildlife. Continue reading...

Exclusive: upbeat US climate envoy anticipates big announcements from key players at Glasgow talks

Prince of Wales warns of ‘catastrophic’ impact to planet if more ambitious action not taken in Glasgow

Charles’s ‘quaint’ solution to decarbonise his Aston Martin using high blend of bioethanol is not scalable, experts sayBurnishing his green credentials before the Cop26 summit, it was with pride that Prince Charles revealed that he runs his Aston Martin on “surplus English white wine and whey from the cheese process”.“I hope he drives caerphilly,” was one response on social media. Continue reading...

A WWF-Australia report reveals more than 1,500 of the country’s unique ecosystems are lacking protection

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FSO Safer has been abandoned since 2017 and loss of its 1.1m barrels would destroy Yemen’s fishing stocksThe impact of an oil spill in the Red Sea from a tanker that is rotting in the water could be far wider than anticipated, with 8 million people losing access to running water and Yemen’s Red Sea fishing stock destroyed within three weeks.Negotiations are under way to offload the estimated 1.1m barrels of crude oil that remains onboard the FSO Safer, which has been deteriorating by the month since it was abandoned in 2017. The vessel contains four times the amount of oil released by the Exxon Valdez in the Gulf of Alaska in 1989, and a spill is considered increasingly probable. Continue reading...

Hundreds of international health organisations and professionals sign open letter to politicians ahead of Cop26More than 400 international health organisations and professionals, representing two-thirds of global healthcare workers, have signed an open letter calling on politicians to consider the health benefits of climate action ahead of the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow.“We know that climate change is impacting people’s health, this is increasingly visible around the world. We also know that many solutions to address climate change offer tremendous health co-benefits,” said Dr Jeni Miller of Global Climate and Health Alliance, the organisation which drafted the letter. “The health community is really seeing that if we don’t step up and call for action on climate change, we’re failing the patients and the communities that we care for.” Continue reading...

Extinction Rebellion and others urged to use ‘more constructive’ methods to avert ‘catastrophic’ climate crisis

As world leaders gather for the environmental conference, here is our summary of the key terminology

Everything you need to know about the Glasgow conference seeking to forge a global response to the climate emergency

At least three people dead and 11 others missing after incident in flood-hit Hebei provinceA bus has fallen into a river in northern China, leaving at least three people dead and 11 others missing after flooding from heavy rains destroyed homes and covered farmland in two provinces.Video posted online showed people on top of an almost submerged bus in a rushing river flowing over a nearby bridge outside the city of Shijiazhuang, about 165 miles (265km) south-west of Beijing. Continue reading...

Ecosystem collapse is as much a threat as the climate crisis, but valuing nature will help us meet both these challengesAll eyes are on Cop26 in Glasgow since the climate crisis aroused worldwide attention and compelled more than 120 countries to join the unprecedented global Race to Zero carbon-emissions campaign. But the UN biodiversity conference in Kunming, or Cop15, should not be overshadowed, as biodiversity loss is an equally grave threat to humanity.Cop15, delayed repeatedly by the Covid-19 pandemic, will take place in two parts, online from 11 October, with more detailed discussions left for April’s meeting in Kunming, China. The conference will convene governments from around the world to agree new goals for nature for the next decade, as global biodiversity losses pose a threat to human wellbeing, affecting food, health and security, and increasing the likelihood of pandemics. Continue reading...

The government should be supporting green jobs for fossil fuel workers, not deepening our dependency on oil and gasIn three weeks’ time world leaders will gather in my hometown of Glasgow to talk about the biggest threat to our future: the climate crisis. We’ve seen an unrecognisable summer of flooding and extreme heat, and as a result people have lost their lives in Europe and around the world. The crisis is very much upon us.And yet, incredibly, our prime minister, Boris Johnson, is preparing to sign off on a new drilling permit at Cambo oilfield, west of Shetland. If approved, Cambo would produce 170m barrels of oil and would deepen the climate crisis for decades to come. It would be a staggeringly backward move, going against the science and denying us all the green recovery we’ve been promised.Peter Capaldi is an actor and campaigner Continue reading...

‘It was like a clamp around my leg,’ says Eric Steinley, who was helped by others at Sonoma county beach

Exclusive: executives demand meaningful action to protect ecosystems as UN biodiversity summit opensWorld leaders must do more to prevent the destruction of nature, business leaders have warned before a summit in China that aims to draw up a draft UN agreement for biodiversity.In an open letter, the chief executives of Unilever, H&M and nine other companies have called on governments to take meaningful action on mass extinctions of wildlife and the collapse of ecosystems or risk “a dead planet”. Continue reading...