Documents show BP, Shell and Equinor had several meetings with government officials

Future research funding will also be scrutinised in response to climate crisisCambridge University is to divest its multibillion-pound endowment fund from fossil fuel corporations after a five-year campaign by students, academics and politicians.The vice-chancellor, Prof Stephen Toope, said that the university would divest from all direct and indirect investments in fossil fuels by 2030 and cut its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2038. Continue reading...

Efforts in the US to oversee one PFAS compound from chemical company Solvay illustrate challenges officials face

When Covid-19 hit, the islands were locked down, giving the environment time to recover and residents a chance to thinkWill Benson stands on the platform of a mint green fishing boat, under a white-hot sun, and whipsaws a fly fishing rig over azure waters as glassy as an aquarium. The water is no more than 10 feet deep. Dreadlock Holiday plays on the radio. His son Luke, six, watches.He lets the lure fly – wheeeeeeeeesh. It sails over the silhouettes of two nurse sharks, one lemon shark and to the immediate left of an elusive school of permit, sparking some interest but no bites. They roll over, silvery fins glancing at the surface. Continue reading...

Uncontrolled release of birds for shooting threatens UK’s only venomous snake, expert warnsThe adder, Britain’s only venomous snake, could become extinct across much of Britain within 12 years because of the uncontrolled release of millions of game birds, according to an expert.The warning comes at the start of the pheasant shooting season, during which 47 million non-native pheasants and 10 million partridges will be released into the countryside by estates and shoots across Britain. Continue reading...

Big is beautiful in the public vote for the brown bear piling on the most pounds before hibernation in Alaska’s Katmai national parkDeep into a tumultuous and often harrowing year, it will be a relief to many that America has now finally arrived at a cherished annual highlight: fat bear week.Related: US government issues bear advice: friends don't let friends get eaten Continue reading...

Scientists look forward to data from tags tracking captive-bred white storks at a West Sussex farmMarge, a white stork released onto a rewilded farm in West Sussex, is shedding light on the birds’ unpredictable migratory habits by flying to Morocco for her first winter and spending the summer in Spain.Scientists are using satellite tags to track white storks released onto the Knepp estate to learn what migratory habits the captive-bred birds will develop. Continue reading...

Half of all confirmed persecution reports in the past seven years occurred in protected nature areasThere were 85 confirmed incidents of the illegal shooting, trapping and poisoning of birds of prey in Britain in 2019, according to the RSPB’s annual Birdcrime report.Half of all confirmed persecution incidents in the past seven years have occurred in landscapes supposedly already “protected” for nature, such as national parks. Continue reading...

Products will have to prove they break down into harmless wax containing no microplasticsA new British standard for biodegradable plastic is being published which scientists say will cut through a jungle of classifications that leave consumers confused.Plastic claiming to be biodegradable will have to pass a test to prove it breaks down into a harmless wax which contains no microplastics or nanoplastics in order to make the grade, published by the British Standards Institute. Continue reading...

Brazilian leader vows to continue to exploit country’s natural resources in combative comments at UN biodiversity summit

The question framed the existence of a human-made climate crisis as something that is for some Americans still debatableThe long-awaited climate question in last night’s presidential debate broke a 20-year silent streak from moderators on the crisis – thrusting it into prime time but also revealing just how stuck in the past much of the US is on the issue.After more than an hour of chaos as the candidates talked over each other, the Fox News anchor Chris Wallace asked Donald Trump: “What do you believe about the science of climate change and what will you do in the next four years to confront it?” Continue reading...

Paul Stein QC is ‘deeply concerned’ the IPC has been diminished by recent changes introduced by the government

Consumers can get vouchers to install insulation, double glazing, smart controls and moreHomeowners in England can now apply for vouchers worth between £5,000 and £10,000 to make their homes more energy efficient under the government’s Green Homes Grant scheme.From Wednesday, homeowners can apply for a government grant to fund energy efficient improvements. Continue reading...

UK retailer worked with dairy farms to end use of destructive cattle feed, but critics say move could ‘shift problem elsewhere’UK retailer Marks & Spencer has eliminated soya from the production of all its milk as part of its commitment to end deforestation in its supply chain.The high street chain says it has worked with the 44 British farmers producing M&S RSPCA Assured milk to replace soya feed with alternatives such as rapeseed oil and sugar beet – avoiding the use of nearly 4,000 tonnes of soya each year. The retailer sells an estimated 160m pints of milk in its UK stores and through Ocado annually. Continue reading...

Anglo-Dutch oil firm expects to save up to $2.5bn a year through restructuring plan

Record-breaking wildfires and hurricanes were just the most high-profile effects of global heating – and this is only the startIn a flurry of recent fires and storms, the climate crisis has left unmistakable wounds on America. Even in a tumultuous year not short of anguish elsewhere, scientists warn the climate-fueled disasters of 2020’s summer point to major shifts that will upend Americans’ lives like no other threat.The American west has experienced its biggest year of fire on record, with blazes the collective size of Connecticut roaring across a tinderbox-dry landscape, consuming thousands of buildings, claiming several dozen lives and turning the Bay Area’s sky an eerie orange. Continue reading...

Proposal was backed by federal and state governments, but the public response has been overwhelmingly against it due to environmental concernsA controversial proposal for a coal seam gas development at Narrabri, in northern New South Wales, has won final approval from state authorities subject to what they described as stringent conditions.The state’s independent planning commission announced on Wednesday a “phased approval” under which the controversial $3.6bn project proposed by the oil and gas company Santos must meet specific requirements at each stage of development before it can proceed. Continue reading...

Race against time to save plants and fungi that underpin life on Earth, global data showsTwo in five of the world’s plant species are at risk of extinction as a result of the destruction of the natural world, according to an international report.Plants and fungi underpin life on Earth, but the scientists said they were now in a race against time to find and identify species before they were lost. Continue reading...

Research shows Zambian species with surgically removed eyes change nest-building habits but other behaviours remain intactNear-blind, underground-burrowing, African Ansell’s mole-rats can sense magnetic fields with their eyes, a study has found.Native to Zambia, the animals have eyes that span just 1.5mm in diameter, live in elaborate underground tunnel systems of up to 1.7 miles (2.8km) long and feed on plant tubers and roots. Continue reading...

Expert believes this small, dynamic butterfly is breeding here but spending winter in warmer climesShould Britain be celebrating its 60th native butterfly species? For years, the long-tailed blue was considered a Mediterranean butterfly but global heating has enabled this rare migrant to become a regular one. Big influxes occurred in 2013, 2015, 2019 and again this year. This small, dynamic butterfly flies over the Channel in early August and lays eggs on everlasting pea. British-born migrants emerge in September, October and even November.“I’ve seen long-tailed blues chasing clouded yellows on the South Downs,” says butterfly expert Neil Hulme. “That’s what you expect to see from your sunbed in the Canary Islands and we’re getting it in Britain.” This year’s hotspot is Whitehawk Hill in Brighton; the species was first discovered nearby in 1859 and named “the Brighton Argus”. Continue reading...

The NSW independent planning commission is due to hand down a decision on the proposed gas development at Narrabri. Here’s what is at playThe New South Wales independent planning commission is due to make a decision on a proposed new gas development at Narrabri, in northern NSW, on Wednesday. Here is what is at play. Continue reading...

The ‘five for animals’ bill was tabled by the country’s rightwing coalition and seeks to ban fur farming within a yearPoland’s fur farms could be in their final year in operation if a bill banning production of fur clears legal hurdles next month. And France looks set to follow suit.The Polish bill, dubbed “five for animals” (because it has five main objectives, including the ban) was tabled in early September, much to the dismay of fur farmers. The bill was announced as undercover footage from the largest fur farm in Poland was released, which campaigners said appeared to show “cannibalism, aggression, self-aggression, open wounds and paralysis of minks’ limbs”. Continue reading...

Researchers have drawn up a blueprint of areas that need additional conservation to stem biodiversity and climate crisesWorld leaders are preparing to join a key summit on biodiversity being hosted in New York amid mounting evidence that governments are failing to halt the unprecedented loss of species around the world.Earlier this month, a UN report revealed that the international community had failed to fully achieve any of the 20 biodiversity targets agreed in 2010. Continue reading...

Covid has hit the industry hard, but the shift to renewables is inevitable. We need government-funded retraining

Thames Water says design is more likely to leak as Waterwise warns 400m litres are being lost from UK toilets a dayToilets specially designed to save water are wasting more than they conserve, the UK’s largest water firm has warned.Campaigners have warned for years that dual-flush toilets, introduced as more efficient alternatives that were expected to use less than half the amount of water per flush, are more prone to leaks. Continue reading...

Everything you need to know about who will be there, who’s staying away and what the hot topics will be at Wednesday’s virtual event in New York

Debate over how to protect landmark without limiting access comes as Philadelphia parks face $12.5m funding cutThis summer, Devil’s Pool – a basin where the Wissahickon and Cresheim creeks meet in Philadelphia’s Wissahickon Valley park – drew thousands of daily visitors from out of state, leaving mountains of trash and fresh graffiti on rocks and trees. The attention has concerned and frustrated locals, and brought back an unpopular proposal for deterring swimmers: filling the pool with rocks.Many residents say the real issue is not any new influx of people – but how the cash-strapped city doesn’t have enough park rangers. Continue reading...

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says Pembroke Resources can now hire the 500 workers needed to build the Olive Downs mineThe Queensland government has given final approval to a $1bn coalmine in the state’s Galilee Basin.Pembroke Resources has been granted mining leases for its 25,000-hectare Olive Downs coking coal project by the state government following federal environmental approval in May. Continue reading...

The NSW independent planning commission says Lock the Gate’s evidence arrived too late to meet its strict approval timeframeEvidence suggesting the proposed Narrabri coal seam gas development could have a greater impact on groundwater than previously believed has not been considered by authorities due to a strict approval timeframe imposed by the New South Wales government, activists say.The state’s independent planning commission is due to announce on Wednesday its decision on the controversial gas project in northern NSW following a 16-week assessment period in which opponents have raised concerns about implied political pressure on the commission to approve the development. Continue reading...

Atlassian billionaire tells Q+A panel China’s move to become carbon neutral by 2060 spells doom for Australia’s coal and gas productionAustralia’s fossil fuel industry will collapse within 20 years as China abandons coal imports and pledges to become carbon neutral before 2060, businessman Mike Cannon-Brookes has warned.On a climate-focused episode of Q+A, the Atlassian cofounder also criticised the government’s promised “gas-led recovery” and said it was “laughable” Australia did not have a 2050 emissions target. Continue reading...

Breakthrough that builds on plastic-eating bugs first discovered by Japan in 2016 promises to enable full recyclingA super-enzyme that degrades plastic bottles six times faster than before has been created by scientists and could be used for recycling within a year or two.The super-enzyme, derived from bacteria that naturally evolved the ability to eat plastic, enables the full recycling of the bottles. Scientists believe combining it with enzymes that break down cotton could also allow mixed-fabric clothing to be recycled. Today, millions of tonnes of such clothing is either dumped in landfill or incinerated. Continue reading...

Scott Morrison declined as 10-point plan calls for commitments considered inconsistent with government policy

Release of CO from UKCS rigs was much greater than Norwegian and Danish regionsBritain’s oil and gas rigs are the most polluting in the North Sea oil basin, according to industry data, with enough unwanted gas burned off every year to heat a million homes.Oil rigs in the UK continental shelf (UKCS) released 13.1m tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere last year, according to data from Rystad Energy, significantly more than those from the Norwegian and Danish regions of the North Sea, which produced 10.4m tonnes and 1.4m tonnes of CO respectively in the same year. Continue reading...

#EndSewagePollution wants legally binding targets for water firms in environment billA coalition of river and sea organisations is calling for targets for water companies to reduce sewage discharges to be included in the upcoming environment bill.The groups, which include surfers, canoeists and environmental activists, have joined forces in a campaign called #EndSewagePollution. They intend to deliver a petition calling for an end to sewage discharges into rivers and coastal waters to George Eustice, the environment secretary, next month. Continue reading...

Activist being sued by mining giant says it offered to drop case if he identified how ‘information they say is confidential information has been allegedly used’Lawyers for Adani have sought to identify people who obtained leaked information about its Carmichael coal project, raising concerns that journalists could be dragged into “conspiracy” legal proceedings launched by the miner against an environmental activist.The activist, Ben Pennings, from the group Galilee Blockade, is being sued by Adani for conspiracy, intimidation and breach of confidence. Continue reading...

Language and accuracy matter, as they can contribute to making the roads less safe for non-motorists and how the law is appliedThere’s a problem with how we talk about our roads. From news reports on “accidents” to who gets blamed for road danger in comment pieces, our media sources sometimes flip the sources of death and injury on their head.Language and accuracy matter, and too often reporting contributes to making the roads less safe. Continue reading...

Annual Big Butterfly Count shows big falls in peacocks and small tortoiseshellsDespite a warm and sunny British summer, fewer butterflies than ever were recorded in each count by the biggest butterfly survey in the world.Record numbers of people took part in the Big Butterfly Count in July and August, with nearly 150,000 15-minute counts of butterflies taking place in parks, gardens, woods and nature reserves across the country. Continue reading...

From Thursday customers can hand over fruits of lockdown clearouts for donation to OxfamMarks & Spencer will this week bring back its popular UK “shwopping” scheme which is aimed at keeping clothing out of landfill, six months after it was mothballed because of coronavirus.Customers can from Thursday donate their unwanted clothes, shoes, bras and accessories of any brand or condition in 287 stores with clothing sections. Continue reading...

France, Germany and UK among more than 60 countries promising to put wildlife and climate at heart of post-Covid recovery plansWorld leaders have pledged to clamp down on pollution, embrace sustainable economic systems and eliminate the dumping of plastic waste in oceans by the middle of the century as part of “meaningful action” to halt the destruction of nature on Earth.Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, Justin Trudeau, Jacinda Ardern and Boris Johnson are among 64 leaders from five continents warning that humanity is in a state of planetary emergency due to the climate crisis and the rampant destruction of life-sustaining ecosystems. To restore the balance with nature, governments and the European Union have made a 10-point pledge to counteract the damage to systems that underpin human health and wellbeing. Continue reading...

21 containers violated international laws governing the shipping of hazardous materialSri Lanka has shipped back to Britain container-loads of waste that the Colombo government said were brought into the island in violation of international laws governing the shipping of hazardous material.The 21 containers – holding up to 260 tonnes of rubbish – first arrived by ship in the capital Colombo’s main port between September 2017 and March 2018, customs told AFP, adding that they departed Sri Lanka on Saturday. Continue reading...

Country will need to kick addiction to coal and build eye-watering amount of wind and solar capacityChina’s President Xi Jinping stunned climate action observers in a speech at the United Nations general assembly last week with a pledge to reach “peak carbon” before 2030, and drive down emissions to virtually zero by 2060.The pledge from the world’s biggest climate polluter is considered by environmentalists to be the most important step in tackling the climate crisis since the Paris Climate Agreement galvanised global governments to reduce carbon emissions in an attempt to cap global heating well below 2 degrees C above pre-industrialisation levels. Continue reading...

In what should be a vintage year because of ideal growing conditions, farmers are forced to abandon fruit where it falls

About 200 of 360 carcasses have been towed out of the harbour, but hope remains that more survivors will be found

From clean hydrogen, energy storage and low-carbon materials to carbon capture and storage, and soil carbonThe Coalition government this week released its much-anticipated Low Emissions Technology Statement that targeted five different technologies for rapid development: clean hydrogen, energy storage, low-carbon materials (steel and aluminium), carbon capture and storage and soil carbon. The plan was immediately criticised by many experts for shunning proven renewable energy generation, but others were cautiously optimistic. Here we take a closer look at some of the key technologies mentioned and whether they can deliver. Continue reading...

William Perry Pendley not confirmed by Senate to role as acting Bureau of Land Management director, as required by constitutionA federal judge has ruled that a controversial Trump official who has overseen a vast weakening of public lands protections cannot continue in his position since he has not been approved by the Senate.Related: Donald Trump set to nominate Amy Coney Barrett to supreme court – live Continue reading...

For years, the nation has tried to bring Lolita, also known as Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut, back to her family from the Miami SeaquariumSign up for monthly updates on America’s public lands. Continue reading...

Triple-digit temperatures could spark new fires just a few weeks after a record heatwaveCalifornia is bracing for another dangerously warm weekend, with dry winds, parched vegetation, and triple-digit temperatures threatening to ignite new fires and complicating containment efforts in an embattled state.With only a few weeks’ reprieve after a record heatwave in early September, firefighters have made progress in containing the dozens of blazes tearing across the region. But fatigued crews – many of whom have spent weeks fighting on the frontline – are preparing for a potentially rough week ahead. Continue reading...

Readers respond to George Monbiot’s warning that electric vehicles are not the solution to the UK’s pollution and transport problemsGeorge Monbiot’s article (Electric cars won’t solve our pollution problems – Britain needs a total transport rethink, 23 September) is spot on. As a retired architect and urban designer, I was particularly taken by the last section where Monbiot states: “Fundamentally this is not a vehicle problem but an urban design problem.”His account of the “15-minute city” being carried out by the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, is the way all big cities should go. By re-localising and bringing together all the workers and residents in each neighbourhood, with their own commons at the centre and weekly assembly meetings practising participatory democracy, big steps can be taken towards implementing the kind of circular economics, with zero waste, that the world so urgently needs. Continue reading...

Once watering holes for mammoth and elk, Herefordshire’s neglected ancient ponds are being restoredEcologist Will Watson is hunting for Britain’s largest blood-sucking leech in a 14,000-year-old pond in Herefordshire. The elusive medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis), grows up to 20cm long and has only officially been recorded three times in the county in the past two decades. In the ice age pond in Moccas Park national nature reserve it was last found in 2000.Watson shakes his net in the water. Most creatures shy away from such disturbance but this leech – the only one in Britain that sucks human blood – is attracted to the vibrations as they suggest the movements of large mammals trampling around the edge of the pond, which could signal a potential meal. Continue reading...