The species is among 28 animals being assessed for potential upgrade of their threat status, federal government says

Plea to remember ‘birds do not know borders’ amid spat between Taiwan’s largest bird conservation group and UK-based BirdLife InternationalBirdwatchers around the world may have to decide whether they are hawks or doves when it comes to the thorny issue of Taiwan independence.Long-running geopolitical tensions spilled into the conservation world this month after UK-based NGO BirdLife International severed ties with a Taiwanese group, after it refused to sign a declaration it would not advocate for independence – something the apolitical group maintains it never does anyway. Continue reading...

Plan to open Alaska’s Tongass national forest to logging faces backlash from environmental advocates, tribal nations and fishermenThe Trump administration has announced it will move forward with a plan to roll back regulations protecting millions of acres in America’s largest national forest from logging, sparking an outcry from environmental advocacy organizations, Alaskan tribal nations, and fishermen.More than half of the Tongass national forest – a 16.7m-acre old-growth temperate rainforest in south-east Alaska – has been protected for the last two decades by the so-called “Roadless Area Conservation Rule”, which prohibits development in designated wild areas. The US Forest Service is expected to release a final environmental impact statement on Friday which would allow for the Tongass to be exempt from the rule, moving one step closer to ending the protections entirely.

The 2.5m-year-old tree would be first plant species protected by law in state as current habitat increasingly becomes less viableThe western Joshua tree will be considered for protection under the California Endangered Species Act, possibly becoming the first plant species to be given protection of law in the state because of a primarily climate crisis-related threat.The California Fish and Game Commission voted Tuesday to accept a petition that provides the gnarly-limbed yucca plants protected status for a year while the state conducts a study. The Joshua tree – which is not a tree but is actually a succulent called Yucca brevifolia – has graced the landscape of the Mojave desert for 2.5m years. Continue reading...

The potentially dangerous chemicals are ubiquitous and used in numerous consumer products. Here’s what to knowPFAS compounds are ubiquitous, used in a range of products, from food-delivery boxes to non-stick cookware to stain-resistant clothing.But one of the most troubling routes to PFAS exposure is drinking water that has been contaminated by discharges from factories and other facilities. Continue reading...

The federal government has still not set limits for PFAS compounds, and some allege that could be because it is a polluter of them itself

Exclusive: African state says it has agreements with oil companies in Lake Chad areaChad has asked to suspend an application for world heritage site status for Lake Chad to explore oil and mining opportunities in the region, it can be revealed.In a letter leaked to the Guardian, Chad’s tourism and culture minister wrote to Unesco, the body which awards the world heritage designation, asking to “postpone the process of registering Lake Chad on the world heritage list”. Continue reading...

Mitch McConnell has long resisted climate action even as the farm and coal sectors suffer, but a growing movement could bring change

Shadow climate spokesman fronted Sky News to clarify earlier statement that gas would not underpin Australia’s future prosperityThe shadow climate minister, Mark Butler, has walked back an observation that gas won’t underpin Australia’s prosperity in the 21st century after the remarks triggered a fresh round of consternation within Labor – including pushback from union leaders.In prepared remarks sent to a carbon farming forum on Wednesday, Butler said Australia had found itself with plentiful coal and gas in the 20th century, “making us one of the most prosperous societies in human history on the back of these fossil fuels”. Continue reading...

Water minister Melinda Pavey had blamed local councils, but the auditor general points the finger at the state governmentA damning new report has laid blame for many western New South Wales regional towns almost running out of water during the drought squarely at the feet of the state government, saying it “has not effectively supported or overseen town water infrastructure planning since at least 2014”.When Dubbo, Tamworth, Walgett and other western NSW towns had to ration town water – and some even had to truck in drinking water – last summer, there was much finger pointing over who was to blame. Continue reading...

The president vowed to help the industry, but it continues shrinking despite his cuts to regulationsArt Sullivan is considered something of a political heretic by other coalminers in south-western Pennsylvania, where a wave of support for Donald Trump based upon his flamboyant promises of a resurgence in coal helped propel the Republican to the US presidency.Related: Trump weakens Obama-era rules on toxic wastewater from coal plants Continue reading...

Which? singles out big brands for lack of environmentally conscious packagingCrisps, chocolate and cheese are among the worst foods for packaging recyclability, with big brands such as Pringles, KitKat and Babybel singled out for failing to do more to help the environment, a new investigation has claimed.The consumer group Which? analysed 89 of the UK’s best-selling branded groceries and found only a third (34%) had packaging that was fully recyclable in household collections. About four in 10 (41%) of items had no relevant labelling, leaving even environmentally conscious consumers in the dark about disposal. Continue reading...

International Energy Agency says without CCUS projects energy goals will be impossible to reach

Experts look to technologies that inject factories’ carbon dioxide deep underground

Study finds some species are less able to control their body heat and are more vulnerableCatching nearly 4,000 wild butterflies with handheld nets and taking the temperature of each tiny insect must rank among the more arduous of scientific endeavours.However, researchers have discovered significant differences in the ability of British butterflies to maintain a suitable temperature, raising fears that global heating will threaten the populations of some species. Continue reading...

Beijing now has a more ambitious long-term climate goal than Australia – and there are fears that could have a dire impact on our economy

At least 380 whales are dead in one of the largest mass strandings on record globally and the biggest in Australia’s historyWhale rescuers at one of the world’s largest stranding events on Tasmania’s west coast have now released 70 of the 470 marine mammals into the ocean, with only 20 of those remaining now well enough to be rescued.Vets at the scene in Macquarie Harbour have recommended four of the long-finned pilot whales be euthanised. The task was being carried out on Thursday morning. Continue reading...

Gavin Newsom says ‘we can’t continue down this path’ as state grapples with historic fires and record temperaturesCalifornia’s governor signed an executive order on Wednesday that would ban the sale of gas-only cars within 15 years, in a bid to combat the effects of climate change crisis.The move comes as the state battles historic wildfires, following a summer of record-high temperatures. “We can’t continue down this path,” Gavin Newsom said. Continue reading...

UK to host online event marking fifth anniversary of Paris climate agreement this DecemberThe world cannot allow the climate emergency to be overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic, the UK prime minister Boris Johnson will warn, but must “build back better” after the crisis by cutting greenhouse gas emissions as a matter of urgency.Johnson will announce that the UK will host an online event to mark the fifth anniversary of the Paris climate agreement this December, with a call to all countries to strengthen their commitments on cutting carbon. Continue reading...

Campaigners welcome turnaround after pressure from investors but say 2025 deadline too long to resolve problemsBrazilian meat giant JBS said on Wednesday that it will monitor its entire supply chain by 2025, including problematic “indirect supplier” Amazon farms it currently has no control over, some of which have been linked to illegal deforestation.“As a company we are assuming our responsibility to be a transformation agent for society, to be a catalyst. To build together with everyone a better world, a more sustainable Amazon and a better Brazil,” said JBS global CEO Gilberto Tomazoni in a virtual launch of the JBS Green Platform. Continue reading...

Study says potential for natural regrowth to absorb carbon has been substantially underestimatedThe costly and difficult work of replanting forests that have been cut down may not be the only way to restore the Earth’s carbon-absorbing capacities, research has found, as allowing trees to grow back naturally without intervention could offer a cheaper alternative.Keeping forests standing is still a better way to reduce the impact of the climate crisis, but in large areas of the world, forest and scrubland has already been cleared or degraded in some way, through deforestation, failed agriculture or some other exploitation. Often, the loggers, prospectors and ranchers quickly move on, leaving devastation in their wake. Continue reading...

NFU urges dog owners to let them off leads if approached by cattle after teacher diesA schoolteacher from North Yorkshire has become at least the second member of the public to be trampled to death by cows in the UK this year, as the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) urged walkers to let their dogs off their leads if they are charged by cattle.Dave Clark, the deputy headteacher at Richmond school, was killed in a field in Richmond on Monday evening while walking his dogs. Continue reading...

Research says melting will continue even if temperature rises are limited to 2CMelting of the Antarctic ice sheet will cause sea level rises of about two and a half metres around the world, even if the goals of the Paris agreement are met, research has shown.The melting is likely to take place over a long period, beyond the end of this century, but is almost certain to be irreversible, because of the way in which the ice cap is likely to melt, the new model reveals. Continue reading...

Yachts less than 15 metres told to avoid area near coast of Galicia after series of incidentsSmall yachts have been ordered to steer clear of a stretch of water off the north-west coast of Spain after at least three boats were damaged by a gang of boisterous orcas.On Tuesday, Spain’s transport ministry said yachts of less than 15 metres in length would be banned from sailing close to the coast between Cape Prioriño Grande and Estaca de Bares point in Galicia for a week. Continue reading...

US planning $3tn in spending with few environmental safeguards attached

State water minister Melinda Pavey tells a Senate inquiry ‘NSW could not deliver the plan as it currently stands’The New South Wales water minister, Melinda Pavey, has again threatened to walk away from a key part of the Murray-Darling Basin agreement, telling a Senate inquiry that “NSW could not deliver the plan as it currently stands”.Pavey’s comments on Wednesday enraged the federal Greens, who said the posturing involved NSW “politically blackmailing other basin states”. Continue reading...

Heat and wildfire smoke force residents to seek respite – and buy cooling systems and air purifiers, if they can afford themWildfire smoke had painted the sky orange last week when Sam, a Bay Area resident, plugged in his newest purchase: an air filter with a car adapter that would turn his minivan into an escape vehicle.Sam’s daughter has an immune disorder, and with smoke from nearby fires making the air among the globe’s dirtiest, the family fled north for clearer skies. Continue reading...

Seven in 10 support government action to address crisis – and young Republicans are less accepting of their party’s inaction, according to new poll published in partnership with Covering Climate NowThe climate crisis is set to be a significant factor in a US presidential election for the first time, with new polling showing a clear majority of American voters want decisive action to deal with the threats posed by global heating.Seven in 10 voters support government action to address climate change, with three-quarters wanting the US to generate all of its electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind within 15 years. Continue reading...

In the Pacific north-west, local people work the shoreline, creating conditions for useful species to thriveOn winter nights for the past six years, a group of 20 people have rustled through dark, coniferous woods to emerge on a Canadian beach at the lowest possible tide, illuminated by a correspondingly full moon.An elder offers a greeting to the place and a prayer, then the team of researchers, volunteers, and First Nations “knowledge holders” lights a warming fire and begins its work. At sites outlined by stones placed hundreds or even thousands of years ago, some begin raking, or “fluffing”, the top three inches of the beach, loosening rocks and mud - and a remarkable number of old clam shells. Continue reading...

Reading of -69.C in 1991 from Greenland is nearly 2C colder than previous known recordsThe coldest temperature ever recorded in the northern hemisphere just got colder, thanks to the work of climate detectives at the World Meteorological Organization.Searching through the WMO archives of heat records from weather stations at the top of the world, researchers found the coldest temperature reading came from an automatic weather station in Greenland in midwinter almost 30 years ago, nearly 2C (3.6F) colder than the previous known records. Continue reading...

More than 450 long-finned pilot whales became stranded in harbour in Tasmania with rescuers managing to save about 50About 380 pilot whales were confirmed dead in Tasmania’s west on Wednesday afternoon with rescuers fighting to save the remaining 30 that are still alive.More than 450 long-finned pilot whales were caught on sandbanks and beaches inside Macquarie Harbour, with a rescue effort starting on Tuesday morning. Continue reading...

Extreme weather, locust invasions and violence have forced people to flee their homes

Labor, Greens, independents, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers, Animal Justice party and One Nation join forces in the upper houseA crucial law that would have legalised floodplain harvesting in New South Wales while the government devises a comprehensive licensing scheme has been disallowed, leaving the status of the practice in limbo.In a rare defeat for the NSW government, Labor, the Greens, independents, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers, the Animal Justice party and One Nation joined forces in the upper house last night to defeat the regulation, which would have allowed “passive take” of floodwaters. Continue reading...

Approximately 25 whales from the pod of 270 were freed on Tuesday but about one-third have died

This slender and speedy creature, usually less than 25cm long, is our smallest carnivoreThe weasel (Mustela nivalis) is the UK’s smallest carnivore, able to put its head through the average wedding ring. The animal’s agility, speed and ability to escape from tight corners has given the language a range of insults – a weasel is a “deceitful and treacherous person”, then there are weasel words or being weasel faced. This is a slander on the species because while these animals are not exactly cuddly, they are attractive, long and slender. Even including a short tail they rarely measure more than 25cm.Weasels are quick and relentless hunters of small rodents, particularly mice and voles. They are small and thin enough to enter mouse holes and frequently take them over as a den and breeding place. Weasels are said to be fairly common over mainland Britain in almost any habitat from urban gardens to mountainsides. Continue reading...

Unexpectedly forthright pledge will boost UN efforts to galvanise action on climate crisisChina will reach carbon neutrality before 2060 and ensure its greenhouse gas emissions peak in the next decade, Xi Jinping has told the UN general assembly.“China will scale up its intended nationally determined contributions [under the Paris climate agreement] by adopting more vigorous policies and measures,” the Chinese president said, calling for a “green recovery” from the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading...

Environment Protection Authority says Maas Group Properties is alleged to have transported building waste from Sydney to the Southlakes housing estate in DubboA major property developer was penalised just $563 as an “administration fee” after being accused of dumping tonnes of asbestos-contaminated building waste at a site it was developing in Dubbo.The incident, which is alleged to have involved tonnes of building waste from Sydney being dumped at the newly developed Southlakes housing estate by the housing estate’s developer, Maas Group Properties, illustrates the difficulties of enforcement of the environmental laws. Continue reading...

Coalition calls for independent scrutiny of contaminated land clean-ups to check for toxinsResidents living near four gasworks redevelopment sites in London and Brighton have joined forces to demand an overhaul of regulations on the treatment of contaminated land.The move follows a Guardian report on residents’ claims that toxic substances from a site in west London were damaging their health. Continue reading...

Many residents of Martin county, Kentucky, won’t drink their tap water, a legacy of years of mismanagementFlorene Reed always makes sure there’s enough bottled water for her teenaged grandson, even if that means making do with tap water herself that causes a burning sensation in her stomach.Reed, 63, grew up drinking the crystalline water from wells and local springs dotted throughout the Appalachian mountains in Martin county, but switched to bottled while raising her own family amid safety fears linked to coal mining and mismanagement at the utility. Continue reading...

The climate crisis and Covid-19 are crying out for international cooperation, writes the prime minister of BangladeshOne-third of my country was underwater last month. The heaviest rains in almost a decade began and have still not abated. More than 1.5 million Bangladeshis are displaced; tens of thousands of hectares of paddy fields have been washed away. Millions of my compatriots will need food aid this year.Calamities, alas, never strike alone. The floods, which come in the wake of widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Amphan in May, are making it more difficult to contain the coronavirus. More than 2.4 million people had already been moved from the destructive path of the storm without delivering them into the even greater danger of Covid-19. Yet while the infection and death rates have been contained, concerns remain until a foolproof safeguard is acquired. Economic lockdowns have hit our textile industry and exports and forced hundreds of thousands of our international migrant workers to return home, with the vast majority remaining unemployed. Continue reading...

Facebook blames mistake in system for restrictions on groups including Greenpeace USAFacebook has suspended the accounts of several environmental organizations less than a week after launching an initiative it said would counter a tide of misinformation over climate science on the platform.Groups such as Greenpeace USA, Climate Hawks Vote and Rainforest Action Network were among those blocked from posting or sending messages on Facebook over the weekend. Activists say hundreds of other individual accounts linked to indigenous, climate and social justice groups were also suspended for an alleged “intellectual property rights violation”. Continue reading...

Energy minister outlines framework for $18bn taxpayer-funded investment in low-carbon technologies, as former PM labels policy ‘crazy’Angus Taylor says the Morrison government will develop an emissions reduction target for 2035, but likely not reveal it before the next federal election, and says his working definition of low-emissions technology is “what will move the dial”.The energy minister on Tuesday launched the first annual statement under the government’s technology roadmap, which is the Coalition’s new policy framework for long-term emissions reduction. Continue reading...

A huge rescue effort is under way near Strahan in Macquarie Harbour, with 60 people and several boatsRescuers have freed 25 of the 270 whales stranded on Tasmania’s west coast with the state government confirming about 90 of the marine mammals have already died.A huge rescue effort got under way near Strahan in Macquarie Harbour on Tuesday morning, with 60 people and several boats trying to free the marine mammals stuck on two sandbanks and a beach. Continue reading...

Australia’s commitment to limit global heating to between 1.5C and 2C requires a mid-century net zero target, according to latest scienceThe Morrison government’s rejection of a net zero emissions target for 2050 is at odds with the Paris agreement and more than 100 countries that have backed the goal, according to some of Australia’s most experienced climate experts.Scott Morrison told the ABC on Sunday that the government’s position was to reach net zero carbon dioxide emissions “in the second half of the century, and we’ll certainly achieve that”. Continue reading...

Marooning of 270 whales at Macquarie Harbour the worst in more than a decade, as operation under way to refloat animals

Sea ice minimum has fallen below 4m sq km for the second time in 40 years as the climate crisis rapidly transforms the regionRising temperatures in the Arctic shrank the ice covering the polar ocean this year to its second-lowest extent in four decades, scientists have announced, in yet another sign of how the climate crisis is rapidly transforming the region.Satellites recorded this year’s sea ice minimum at 3.74m sq km on 15 September, only the second time the ice has been measured below 4m sq km in 40 years of record keeping, said researchers at the National Snow and Ice Data Center. Continue reading...

Prince of Wales says threat posed by global heating will ‘dwarf the impact of the coronavirus pandemic’Prince Charles has called for the world to put itself on a “warlike footing” to tackle the “comprehensive catastrophe” caused by the climate crisis and the loss of nature.The threat posed by global heating and the degradation of biodiversity will “dwarf the impact of the coronavirus pandemic”, the Prince of Wales said. Continue reading...

Whistleblowers say contaminated soil used to make ‘turf underlay’ at Oran Park site, a development of 25,000 homes

Aviation firm announces three different concepts with aim of taking to the skies by 2035Airbus has announced plans for the world’s first zero-emission commercial aircraft models that run on hydrogen and could take to the skies by 2035.The European aersospace company revealed three different aircraft concepts that would be put through their paces to find the most efficient way to travel long distances by plane without producing the greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global heating. Continue reading...

Devon-based company scores highly owing to employee ownership modelThe organic vegetable box company Riverford has been certified as an ethical B Corporation business, reflecting its focus on its workers’ wellbeing through its John Lewis-style employee ownership model.The Devon-based company scored 124.6 out of 200 in its first B Corp assessment, becoming the second highest-scoring food business overall in the UK behind the chocolate brand Divine Chocolate. Continue reading...