Environment | The Guardian

Converted Nissan van called the Dynamo licensed to help clean up capital’s ‘filthy air’The launch of a fully electric black cab for London has been hailed by the mayor for helping clean up the capital’s polluted air.The Dynamo, a taxi converted from a Nissan electric van in a Coventry factory, is the first 100% electric taxi on the streets of London since 1899. Its predecessor, the Bersey, failed to take off at a time when most cabs were horse-drawn. Continue reading...

Seabird conservationists perplexed by discoveries on Mullion island work out depressing explanation

Region’s expected increase in coal-fired power plants could turn out to be ‘more fizz than boom’ as construction rates fall markedlyThe number of new coal-fired power plants starting construction across south-east Asia has fallen markedly over the past two years as Australia has increasingly looked to the region to expand its thermal coal exports.Analysis by US-based climate research and advocacy group Global Energy Monitor found work on only 1.5 gigawatts of new coal generation – equivalent to one large Australian plant – began in the region in the six months to June, all of it in Indonesia. Continue reading...

National Farmers’ Federation sends a list of demands for immediate drought response to the commonwealthFarmers have sent a list of key demands for immediate drought response to government, including a call for the commonwealth to pay council rates for affected businesses and to offer exit packages for those wanting to leave the land.Releasing its national drought policy on Wednesday, the National Farmers’ Federation will outline its priorities for a new national framework, while also listing a set of demands for farmers affected by the current drought. Continue reading...

Akshay Kaul of Ofgem defends the regulator’s decision to refuse Scottish Power’s request for electric car supportYour article (Scottish Power blames Ofgem ‘disconnect’ for stalling electric vehicle rollout, 19 October) does not fully reflect Ofgem’s position. Our statutory duty is to protect consumers now and in the future. We do this by helping to deliver, as one of our core priorities, a net-zero-emissions economy by 2050 at the lowest cost to consumers. This includes prioritising electric vehicle rollout.We’ve already made sure that networks have £3bn of funding to reinforce their local grids, including to accommodate low-carbon demand for electric vehicles. Continue reading...

New York lawsuit alleges company was ‘exposed to far greater risk from climate change than investors were led to believe’ExxonMobil is to face trial in New York City on Tuesday, accused of misleading investors over the business risks caused by regulations aimed at addressing the climate crisis.The oil and gas giant has been taken to court by New York’s attorney general for allegedly covering up the costs it will incur from government rules designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Continue reading...

Russian navy discovers yet-to-be-named islands previously hidden under glaciersThe Russian navy says it has discovered five new islands revealed by melting glaciers in the remote Arctic.An expedition in August and September charted the islands, which have yet to be named and were previously hidden under glaciers, said the head of the northern fleet, Vice-Admiral Alexander Moiseyev. Continue reading...

Figure more than double that spent each year on trying to reduce violent crime in London

Group was disbanded by the EPA, but continued its work anyway, as Trump agencies roll back environment and health protectionsA group of scientist advisers dismissed by the Trump administration has concluded that national limits on fine particles of air pollution aren’t strong enough to protect people.The expert panel of epidemiologists and toxicologists was disbanded by the Environmental Protection Agency but decided to continue its work anyway. Continue reading...

Documents show government’s plans to use money from £1bn 2017 deal to prioritise support of major oil companiesThe UK is planning to invest in Argentina’s controversial oil shale industry using a £1bn export finance deal intended to support green energy, according to government documents seen by the Guardian.UK Export Finance, the government’s foreign credit agency, promised in 2017 to offer loans totalling £1bn to help UK companies export their expertise in “infrastructure, green energy and healthcare” to invest in Argentina’s economy. Continue reading...

Rubjerg Knude used to be 200 metres away from coast before sand shifting and erosionA 120-year-old lighthouse in Denmark, at risk from North Sea erosion of the country’s north-west coastline, was on Tuesday wheeled back from the cliff edge.When the 23-metre (75ft) Rubjerg Knude lighthouse was first lit in 1900, it was roughly 200 metres from the coast; that distance shrank to six metres. Continue reading...

The loss of the Colorado River has destroyed the social fabric of the Cucapá tribe and is partly to blame for its population decline

The Merino sheep was found wandering near Canberra in 2015 with a 41kg fleeceChris the Merino sheep who made international headlines after being found wandering and barely visible under a world-record 41kg fleece has died, his “heartbroken” carers have announced.“Chris the sheep has passed away. We are heartbroken at the loss of this sweet, wise, friendly soul,” wrote carers at the Little Oak Sanctuary in posts on social media. Continue reading...

State government wants to prevent the regulation of scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions in mining approvalsThe New South Wales government has announced it will introduce legislation to try to stop planning authorities from blocking mine developments based on emissions from coal once it is burned.The push is a response to the historic Rocky Hill verdict delivered by the NSW Land and Environment court earlier this year and comes just days after the government launched a review of the state’s Independent Planning Commission (IPC). Continue reading...

Animals act as natural pest control in Malaysia’s vast palm oil plantations, reducing crop losses from rodentsScientists in Malaysia have said they were “stunned” to discover monkeys regularly killing and eating rats on palm oil plantations, providing a natural anti-pest measure in the country, which is responsible for 30% of the world’s palm oil production.A report released in Current Biology on Monday, showed that southern pig-tailed macaques, generally thought to eat mainly fruit plus occasionally lizards and birds, foraged for rats on plantations. The authors said that the monkeys’ appetite for rodents showed that rather than being pests, as is commonly believed, the primates’ presence reduced crop losses. Continue reading...

Appeal tribunal reverses council decision to block luxury camp on Halls Island on Lake Malbena in Walls of Jerusalem national parkA contentious private tourism development with helicopter access in Tasmanian world heritage wilderness is a step closer to going ahead after a planning tribunal reversed a council decision to block it.The luxury camp proposal for remote Halls Island on Lake Malbena in the Walls of Jerusalem national park was approved by the federal and state governments but rejected by the Central Highlands council in February. Continue reading...

More than half of Australia’s Paris emissions commitment will come from controversial credits from previous targetsThe federal environment department says it is not aware of any countries other than Australia planning to use controversial “carryover credits” to meet international climate commitments.The comment, at a Senate estimates hearing on Monday, comes as the Morrison government rebuffs calls from international leaders, analysts and activists for it to abandon the use the credits to meet its 2030 Paris emissions goal. Continue reading...

Mining giant says contracts will cut energy prices by 20% and save 3m tonnes of carbonThe mining giant BHP has signed four renewable energy contracts that will replace coal-fired power at two of its copper mines in Chile, a move it says will mean both sites are fully powered by renewables by the mid-2020s.The company said on Monday it had signed the contracts for its Escondida and Spence copper mine operations. BHP’s Escondida mine, in Chile’s Atacama Desert, is the world’s largest copper producer. Continue reading...

Food shortages force animals into nearby areas which then suffer from overcrowdingAt least 55 elephants have starved to death in the past two months in Zimbabwe’s biggest national park as a serious drought forces animals to stray into nearby communities in search of food and water, authorities say.“The problem is real, the situation is dire,” said National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesman Tinashe Farawo. Other animals such as lions at Hwange National Park have been affected. Continue reading...

Plates will mean perks such as free parking as part of scheme to push zero-emission vehiclesGreen coloured number plates will be issued for electric cars under government plans to encourage drivers to buy zero-emission vehicles.The government said the new licence plates would make the least polluting cars easily identifiable and help their drivers benefit from incentives such as free parking or access to clean air zones. Continue reading...

Exclusive: public notice on proposal was placed in classifieds of paper in Queensland town of EmeraldA Clive Palmer-controlled company has applied for a mining lease and environmental authority to build a massive coalmine four times the size of Adani’s in the Queensland Galilee Basin.The Galilee Coal project – formerly called China First – has not progressed since it gained federal environmental approval in late 2013. Continue reading...

Highview Power claims device will be Europe’s largest energy storage projectBritish battery pioneers plan to build Europe’s largest energy storage project using a cryogenic battery that can store renewable energy for weeks rather than hours.The device will be built on the site of an old fossil fuel plant in the north of England to power up to 50,000 homes for up to five hours. Continue reading...

Michael Miller writes on the Conservatives’ record on tackling the climate crisis, while Dr Andy Higginbottom argues that both parties fail to acknowledge the real impact and Dr David Lowry says that nuclear power is not the panacea it’s made out to beThe letter from Conservative MPs listing their climate achievements makes rather sad reading (Letters, 17 October). Yes, they have done some positive things but the letter glosses over many problems.The record investment in renewables and phase-out of coal power stations is largely a result of market forces because green measures have become much cheaper, and it was the Labour government that introduced the feed-in tariff leading to the huge growth in solar power. Setting a net-zero target is meaningless unless supported by action, and hosting the 2020 UN climate talks will probably simply produce more hot air than reduce CO . Continue reading...

Fall in UK-produced emissions has been offset by those from increase in imported productsBritain has contributed to the global climate emergency by outsourcing its carbon emissions to developing nations, according to official figures, despite managing to weaken the domestic link between fossil fuels and economic growth.The Office for National Statistics said the UK had become the biggest net importer of carbon dioxide emissions per capita in the G7 group of wealthy nations – outstripping the US and Japan – as a result of buying goods manufactured abroad. Continue reading...

White bellbird’s call reaches same volume as pneumatic drill during courtship ritualA bird in the Amazon has shattered the record for the loudest call to be recorded, reaching the same volume as a pneumatic drill.The white bellbird, which lives in the mountains of the north-eastern Amazon, was recorded at 125 decibels (dB), three times louder than the next bird in the pecking order, the screaming piha. Continue reading...

Exclusive: mayor to reject changes to his London Plan which aims to protect green belt and stop Heathrow expansionThe mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is on a collision course with the government over proposals to water down his green plan for the capital, which involves stopping the expansion of Heathrow and protecting the green belt.Planning inspectors want Khan to withdraw his objections to Heathrow’s expansion, permit fracking in London, and loosen his commitment to the green belt by allowing building in “very special circumstances”. Continue reading...

Five luminaries explain the concept of ‘environmental justice’ and reveal why, alongside the climate crisis, it is one of the most pressing issues of our time

The Colorado River serves over 35 million Americans before reaching Mexico – but it is dammed at the border, leaving locals on the other side with a dry delta

Environmentalists’ vote share soars but anti-immigrant Swiss People’s party remains largestGreen parties have made historic gains in national elections in Switzerland, marking a significant shift in power in the consensus-centred system of the Alpine country, where political change often takes place at glacial speed.The rightwing anti-immigrant Swiss People’s party (SVP) remained the largest party in parliament despite a slip in its support. But the Swiss Greens received a six-point bump on their 2015 performance, taking 13.2% of the vote in a result that amounted to “a tectonic shift”, according to their president, Regula Rytz. Continue reading...

Energy agency says solar power will drive faster than forecast growth in renewablesGlobal supplies of renewable electricity are growing faster than expected and could expand by 50% in the next five years, powered by a resurgence in solar energy.The International Energy Agency (IEA) found that solar, wind and hydropower projects are rolling out at their fastest rate in four years. Continue reading...

John Lewis Partnership also plans to reduce amount of glitter in products soldJohn Lewis and Waitrose are to stop selling Christmas crackers containing plastic toys and puzzles as part of a drive to reduce single-use plastics – but not until 2020.The retailers will announce on Monday that they would switch next year to crackers filled with toys and other items made from recyclable materials such as metal and paper, with the cardboard wrappers embossed rather than decorated with plastic glitter. Continue reading...

Icac hears lobby group pressured government after IPC blocked mine on environmental groundsThe head of New South Wales’s mining lobby said his group had “publicly and privately” pressured government to review the state’s independent planning body after it blocked a new coalmine on environmental grounds, an anti-corruption probe has heard.The NSW Minerals Council chief executive, Stephen Galilee, fronted the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) on Monday to answer questions about the way his organisation attempts to influence government. Continue reading...

Infrastructure Victoria suggests households be given bins for general waste, organics, plastics, glass, metals, paper and cardResidents in Victoria could soon have as many as six bins for waste and recycling, under a proposal by Infrastructure Victoria to deal with the state’s recycling crisis.Around 35% of all waste produced by households in Victoria in 2017-18 ended up in landfill, according to evidence from Sustainability Victoria, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office. Continue reading...

The Engineers Declare movement pledges to put climate considerations first in evaluating plansEngineering firms are under increased pressure from their own employees to abandon controversial fossil fuel projects, as the sector turns its attention to the climate crisis.About 1,000 Australian engineers and 90 organisations – including large firms and respected industry figures who have worked with fossil fuel companies – have signed a declaration to “evaluate all new projects against the environmental necessity to mitigate climate change”. Continue reading...

Data reveals acute impact on people’s health and the strain it puts on emergency servicesScores of children and adults are being rushed to hospital for emergency treatment on days of high pollution in cities across England, figures show.Each year emergency services see more than 120 additional cardiac arrests, more than 230 additional strokes and nearly 200 more people with asthma requiring hospital treatment on days of high pollution compared with the average on days of lower pollution. Continue reading...

Airline hails achievement after 19-hour New York-to-Sydney flight carrying 50 passengers and crewThey did the Macarena 10,972 metres above Las Vegas, dined on chilli- and lime-poached prawns and spicy “Jiangxi-style” cod and watched a fair few movies, including the Elton John biopic, Rocketman. Well, they had enough time: 19 hours and 16 minutes to be precise.Aviation history was made at 7.43am on Sunday when Qantas flight QF7879 touched down at Sydney airport, completing the world’s longest ever commercial flight. It had taken off from New York’s JFK airport at 9.27pm on Friday night. Along the way, it produced the equivalent carbon dioxide emissions of burning more than 700 barrels of oil. Continue reading...

Landowners were painted as battling victims of heartless bureaucrats by the Sydney broadcaster. But was he telling the whole story?• Hear audio of Ben Fordham on 2GB in our podcast Full Story

Onlookers applaud as topless protesters from Extinction Rebellion covered in fake oilSemi-naked environmental campaigners have been drenched in fake oil at the National Portrait Gallery to protest against its sponsorship by BP.To the surprise of visitors on Sunday afternoon, activists from Extinction Rebellion wearing just underwear suddenly assumed the foetal position while others poured the “oil” on their bodies in the Ondaatje Wing main hall, where a collection of pieces sponsored by BP is on display. Continue reading...

Somerset House exhibit will feature natural birdsong being taken over by artificial soundThe dawn chorus is one of the wonders of the natural world, but a discordant note will be struck when a soundtrack of hundreds of birds is heard in London this month. The chiffchaffs, great tits, redstarts, robins and thrushes almost sound like the real thing, but they have been created by a machine as part of a major art installation warning of an apocalyptic world where Britain’s bird population has been allowed to diminish.The synthetic bird sounds are the creation of the artist Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg, who has worked with scientists at an AI company more used to researching Donald Trump deepfake videos to create the work. Continue reading...

‘We have made a tragic, desperate mess’ of our world, says naturalist, but there are signs of positive changesHumans have made a “tragic, desperate mess” of the planet, Sir David Attenborough has warned. Speaking as BBC One prepares to air his new natural history series, Seven Worlds, One Planet, next Sunday, the naturalist said: “We are now universal, our influence is everywhere. We have it in our hands, and we have made a tragic, desperate mess of it so far.”However, he added one note of optimism. “Nations are coming together and recognising we all live on the same planet ... and we are dependent on it for every mouthful of food we eat and every breath of air we take.” Attenborough also paid tribute to environmental activist Greta Thunberg and praised her “passion, insight and concern about the future”. He described the Swedish 16-year-old as a “political person” rather than a broadcaster. “And making programmes like this, I’ve been doing it for a long time, and I’m sure a hell of a lot of young people are saying, ‘For God’s sake, why doesn’t he move over? Give another person a chance’, but, anyway, there I am.” Continue reading...

The Aussie Backyard Bird Count begins on Monday and an exceptionally dry 2019 could see a changing of the guard in the top 10• The Guardian/Bird Life Australia bird of the year poll returns on 28 OctoberSince BirdLife Australia launched the Aussie Backyard Bird Count in 2014, the number of participants has risen from 9,000 to over 70,000. Unsurprisingly, the amount of birds that have been counted in our cities and towns has also risen – from 850,000 to more than 2.75 million birds last year.Yet when it comes to the top 10 most commonly seen birds, the song remains the same, with the same species entrenched firmly at the top every year. It’s the birding equivalent of tuning into Countdown in the 70s to find Abba’s Fernando top of the charts for the 27th week in a row. Continue reading...

A proposed sanctuary to protect reefs and marine life off east Antarctica was knocked back last year by nations including China and Russia

Environmentalist Jacqueline Evans says she was dismissed from the Marae Moana for urging caution on deep-sea miningThe public champion of the world’s largest marine reserve – the Cook Islands’ Marae Moana – has said she lost her job managing it because she supported a moratorium on seabed mining in the Pacific.Six months ago, Jacqueline Evans won the Goldman Environmental prize – the world’s foremost environmental award – for her work establishing Marae Moana (meaning “sacred ocean”), which covers the Cook Islands’ entire exclusive economic zone of more than 1.9m sq km. Continue reading...

The World Solar Challenge, celebrated biennially since 1987, saw teams from around the world set off from Darwin on a 3,000km race to Adelaide by solar-powered car. Belgian team Agoria took first place this year after Dutch rivals Vattenfall caught fire 250km from the finish line Continue reading...

Spurred on by the likes of Greta Thunberg, the movement is now engaging with social problemsInspired by a wave of youth activism, scouts from across Britain are setting aside campfires and hobby badges to tackle some of the UK’s biggest social issues, from homelessness and the climate crisis to migrants and mental health.The 112-year-old movement has enlisted the support of British astronaut Tim Peake to lead its campaign, in part spurred on by the 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. Continue reading...

For young Extinction Rebellion members, there is an urgency they say others struggle to fully graspWhen five members of Extinction Rebellion’s youth faction climbed on top of the entrance to YouTube’s HQ on Wednesday, they were protesting against a problem that has particular relevance for their generation.In a letter to the company, they demanded that YouTube changes what the group claims is its disproportionate platforming of climate denial, on a site which is the most watched platform for 16-24-year-olds. Continue reading...

Strengthening public order laws could be ‘shocking assault on right to protest’, warn civil rights lawyers

At launch of BBC nature series Seven Worlds, One Planet, Attenborough says message is finally getting throughDavid Attenborough has delivered a heartfelt message to children around the world on how they can help save the planet: “Live the way you want to live but just don’t waste.”At the first screening of the BBC’s forthcoming blockbuster nature series, Seven Worlds, One Planet, the 93-year-old offered his advice to a five-year-old in the London audience. The boy was overwhelmed by nerves when handed the microphone, so his father asked his question on his behalf: “What can he do to save the planet?” Continue reading...

Discovery of whale’s body near Gravesend follows death of young humpback this monthA second whale has been found dead in the Thames less than two weeks after a humpback nicknamed Hessy died near the same stretch of water.The Port of London Authority confirmed the suspected fin whale was discovered in the river at Denton, near Gravesend, on Friday morning. Continue reading...