Environment | The Guardian

Varadkar reveals ideas to curb greenhouse gases and move towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2050Ireland has unveiled an ambitious plan to tackle the climate emergency by weaning the state, businesses, farms and households off fossil fuels.The government published a long-awaited report on Monday outlining more than 180 measures to curb the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and set a path for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Continue reading...

Destructive industrial fishing practices condemned as ‘corporate, organised crime’Illegal fishing by foreign trawlers is decimating Ghana’s fish populations and costing the country’s economy tens of millions of dollars a year, according to researchers.An investigation published on Monday by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) claims that “saiko” fishing, whereby trawlers target the staple catch of Ghanaian canoe fishers and sell it back to fishing communities at a profit, landed approximately 100,000 tonnes of fish in 2017, worth $50m (£40m) when sold at sea and up to $81m when sold at port. Continue reading...

Millions of people who use park face up to 93 low-flying aircraft an hour under planA psychologist who treats patients experiencing stress and anxiety with a dose of nature in Richmond Park says the expansion of Heathrow airport will be detrimental to mental health.Heathrow will on Tuesday publish a consultation on its “master plan” for airport expansion, including environmental aspects of building a third runway. Continue reading...

Kensington and Chelsea council has blocked a flagship plan after a campaign based largely on myths

A Guardian report from 11 countries tracks how US waste makes its way across the world – and overwhelms the poorest nationsWhat happens to your plastic after you drop it in a recycling bin?According to promotional materials from America’s plastics industry, it is whisked off to a factory where it is seamlessly transformed into something new. Continue reading...

United States of Plastic, a new series that will run for the rest of 2019, will reveal global inequality and the environmental consequences of our dependence on a miracle materialWhat happens to your plastic after you drop it in a recycling bin?According to promotional materials from America’s plastics industry, it is whisked off to a factory where it is seamlessly transformed into something new. Continue reading...

Environment Agency brings in high-volume pumps in a bid to lower water levels in WainfleetHigh-volume pumps are being used to reduce flood waters in a Lincolnshire town where nearly 600 homes have been evacuated.Police have advised residents in around 590 properties in Wainfleet and neighbouring areas to evacuate amid concerns about flood defences along the river Steeping. Continue reading...

More than 700 companies, including Amazon, Tesco and ExxonMobil, lack transparency, campaign group claimsA $10tn (£7.9tn) investor alliance has accused more than 700 companies, including Amazon, Tesco and ExxonMobil, of failing to reveal the full extent of their impact on the climate crisis, water shortages and deforestation.The major global companies, with a combined worth ofmore than $15tn, lack transparency over their effect on the environment, according to the intervention by some of the world’s biggest financial names. Continue reading...

Michael Stone on the reality of Britain’s consumption, Celia Forsyth on support for fossil fuel projects, Gemma Cantelo on making cities greener and Stephen Martin on the sustainable development goalsTheresa May is deceiving us, either deliberately or through ignorance, with regard to the goal of reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050 (May puts 2050 zero emission target into law, 12 June). This is impossible for any economy based on mass consumption.Over decades, most British manufacturing has shifted abroad, in particular to Asia where labour is cheap. These items are usually produced with high carbon outputs, with electricity supplied through coal. For an accurate figure of Britain’s emissions, our consumption of goods produced overseas must be included. As Britain’s consumption has increased enormously over the past 30 years, this carbon addition will be substantial. Continue reading...

‘Orchard of France’ is badly hit by extreme weather that has killed two peopleFrance will declare a state of natural disaster after rain and hail storms lashed a swathe of the south-east on Saturday, devastating crops.The flash storms, which brought hailstones as big as pingpong balls to some areas, killed two people in France and Switzerland, and injured at least 10 others. Continue reading...

Military helicopters are drafted in to repair broken bank of River Steeping in WainfleetHundreds of homes have been evacuated in a Lincolnshire town following severe flooding as the local MP warned that residents are “by no means out of the woods yet”.Residents in at least 590 homes in Wainfleet and Thorpe Culvert were told to leave as waters continued to surge on Saturday. Continue reading...

At least 279 animals have been stranded, triple the usual figure, and 98% have died, prompting investigationAt least 279 dolphins have become stranded across much of the US Gulf coast since the start of February, triple the usual number, and about 98% of them have died, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) said.Scientists will investigate whether lingering effects from the 2010 BP oil spill and more immediate effects from low salinity because of freshwater flowing from high rivers and a Louisiana spillway contributed to the deaths, said Teri Rowles, coordinator for Noaa fisheries’ marine mammal health and stranding response program. Continue reading...

A depressing picture of global power generation has coal still firmly on top. And in a vicious cycle, the very heatwaves and winter freezes high carbon emissions cause seem to be increasing themThe world’s largest sovereign wealth fund is preparing to leave fossil fuels behind. Last week, Norway’s parliament confirmed by unanimous vote that its $1tn sovereign wealth fund would dump $13bn of fossil fuel investments – and start investing billions in renewables.The move is designed to protect Norway’s state-owned investment fund from the decline in fossil fuels that will be vital if full-blown climate catastrophe is to be averted. Continue reading...

Yorkshire dairy by-products will be turned into renewable biogas to cut carbon emissionThe crumbly cheese beloved of TV duo Wallace and Gromit will soon help heat thousands of Yorkshire homes with renewable “green gas” made from cheese waste.The Wensleydale Creamery has struck a deal to supply the waste whey from its cheese factory to a local bioenergy plant that produces enough renewable biogas to heat 4,000 homes. The Leeming biogas plant, which currently runs on ice-cream residue, will use a process called anaerobic digestion to turn the dairy-based waste into renewable biogas. Continue reading...

Former Greens leader says coalmine greenlight is not the end of the environmental battle

Shift from fossil fuels top of agenda for Paris air show, industry having lagged behind other sectorsFaced with growing calls for action on the climate crisis, aerospace companies gathering for the Paris air show next week are turning their thoughts to a future run on electricity rather than fossil fuels.The scale of the challenge is considerable. The target for net zero carbon emissions by 2050, recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and embraced by the UK this week, coincides with the expectation that the number of flights will double in the next 20 years. Continue reading...

Ocean advocate highlights lack of action over South Georgia and the Sandwich IslandsBoris Johnson did nothing to protect “the most important biodiversity hotspot on the planet,” while foreign secretary, according to the United Nations patron for the oceans.Lewis Pugh, who in his role raises awareness about the state of the world’s oceans, has worked with three of the rivals in the Tory leadership race – Michael Gove as environment secretary and both Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson as foreign secretaries – but highlighted Johnson’s lack of action. Continue reading...

Group defies court order against Arctic Sunrise supporting occupation of North Sea rigPolice have arrested two Greenpeace activists who had boarded a North Sea oil rig as the environmental group said it was sending its ship Arctic Sunrise to join the protest in defiance of court orders obtained by BP.The oil firm has taken out injunctions against the ship and the Greenpeace ice-breaker, the Esperanza, forbidding them from supporting a protest on a rig in Scotland’s Cromarty Firth that is now in its sixth day. Continue reading...

Addressing energy leaders, pope warns of ‘catastrophic’ effects of global heatingPope Francis has declared a global “climate emergency”, warning of the dangers of global heating and that a failure to act urgently to reduce greenhouse gases would be “a brutal act of injustice toward the poor and future generations”.He also endorsed the 1.5C limit on temperature rises that some countries are now aiming for, referring to warnings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of “catastrophic” effects if we crossed such a threshold. He said a “radical energy transition” would be needed to stay within that limit, and urged young people and businesses to take a leading role. Continue reading...

A cattle egret, a roving monkey and a curious chipmunk Continue reading...

Scottish Power claims it is making a ‘significant step’ forward with renewable energy, but David Miller has doubtsJillian Ambrose (Report, 11 June) claims that a 50MW battery system is a “significant step”. But how significant a step does not depend upon the instantaneous energy output in megawatts. Most significantly, it depends on how long it can keep this energy flow going. So the relevant measurement, to compare with rival systems, would be in MW hours (which are what we pay for in our electricity bills).

Natural England chair bemoans budget cuts that have left conservation body ‘massively depleted’The reserves and protected places that are the “jewels in the crown” of English nature cannot be managed properly because of budget cuts, Tony Juniper, the chair of Natural England, has said.The budget for the government’s conservation watchdog has been slashed in half over five years, leaving it “massively depleted”, according to Juniper, the influential former Friends of the Earth campaigner whom the environment secretary, Michael Gove, appointed earlier this year. Continue reading...

Lewisham campaigners block three roads into city centre to highlight ‘air pollution crisis’Environmental protesters stopped traffic on three main roads into central London from the south-east in protest over the “air pollution crisis” in the area.The protesters, organised by a local chapter of the Extinction Rebellion group, blocked traffic on the A20 near Lewisham station, A205 South Circular in Catford and the A2 in Deptford during the morning rush-hour. Continue reading...

Travellers stuck for hours after flooding and landslide in NorthamptonshireHundreds of rail passengers have been left stranded because of a landslide, and a military helicopter deployed after a river burst its banks during heavy rainfall that has caused ongoing disruption to parts of the country.Fifteen flood warnings and 51 alerts were issued by the Environment Agency on Friday, with the majority in place across the Midlands and the north-west. Continue reading...

Environmentalists say opening up Queensland’s Galilee Basin ignores global climate goalsEnvironmentalists have described as reckless the decision by the Australian government to grant the Indian mining company Adani the final approvals it needs to start work on a huge coalmine in Queensland.The project, which received the green light on Thursday to commence initial construction, would open up the Galilee Basin, one of the last known untapped coal reserves on earth. Continue reading...

The ‘sunshine tax’ is dead, and Barcelona and Cádiz are mounting a renewables revivalAfter a close fight, Barcelona’s radical mayor, Ada Colau, is expected to take office for a second term on Saturday, vindicating her often-criticised policies, which have included making sure all the city’s municipal buildings and services run on renewable energy.On the other side of the country in Andalucía, José María González was re-elected as mayor of Cádiz last month having swept to power in 2015 on the same tide that brought Colau to office, with energy as a central issue in his campaign. Continue reading...

Analysis says DRS would stop thousands of tonnes of waste entering English rivers and seaA comprehensive deposit return scheme in England could prevent 6,600 tonnes of plastic waste entering rivers and the sea by 2030, according to an analysis of the government’s proposed waste strategy.Of the measures being considered by the government to tackle plastic pollution, the assessment by the charity Common Seas reveals that a DRS on all drinks containers, not just small bottles, would have the most dramatic impact. Continue reading...

The pipeline poses grave risk to animals and Indigenous communities. As leaders of four sovereign tribes, we are calling on the government to say noIn February, Canada’s National Energy Board released its final report recommending approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, in spite of devastating risks to the Salish Sea and the salmon, orca and tribal nations that rely on it. On 18 June, the government of Justin Trudeau is expected to issue its final decision.The Trans Mountain pipeline, first proposed by oil giant Kinder Morgan in 2013, would transport Alberta tar sands oil to a shipping terminal in Vancouver, British Columbia. This would mean a massive increase in oil tanker traffic through the Salish Sea, which comprises the water bodies of Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Strait of Georgia. The marine species in these waters know no border, and the risks to Indigenous peoples in both Canada and the US also cross borders. As leaders of four sovereign tribes, we are calling on the Trudeau government to do the right thing and say no. Continue reading...

The state has just had its warmest spring on record, causing permafrost to thaw and dramatically reshaping some areasA city in western Alaska has lost a huge stretch of riverbank to erosion that may turn it into an island, amid renewed warnings from scientists over the havoc triggered by the accelerating melting of the state’s ice and permafrost.Residents of the small city of Akiak were alarmed to find the Kuskokwim River suddenly much closer to housing after about 75-100ft of riverbank disappeared over the course of just a few hours. Continue reading...

You deserve better, Queensland, even though you don’t seem to think you do

MP says she’s prepared to fight for her portfolio – and a priority will be cutting ‘green tape’ for big projectsThe new environment minister, Sussan Ley, has declared herself an “environmentalist”, saying she is prepared to fight for the environment around the cabinet table even when colleagues disagree with her.Ley, who welcomed the Queensland government’s decision on Thursday to give the green light to the Adani coalmine, told Guardian Australia she wanted to see more action on recycling, threatened species and biodiversity protection, and a greater focus on individual action to achieve a better environment. Continue reading...

Companies face hostile shareholders as Westpac acknowledges a ‘variance’ with Business Council of AustraliaActivist groups are stepping up their efforts to lobby Australia’s biggest companies on climate policy as the corporate sector prepares for the annual general meeting season.Some of Australia’s best-known companies could face hostile shareholder resolutions at their annual meetings in the spring as the battle over climate policy moves into the country’s boardrooms. Continue reading...

Plans for airport expansion and new roads lead to mayor being accused of ‘empty rhetoric’The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has pledged to make the region carbon neutral by 2038,more than a decade earlier than the target date adopted by the European commission, at the unveiling of a new industrial strategy.But Burnham was quickly accused of peddling “empty rhetoric” because of the regional authorities’ majority stake in Manchester airport, which aims to double passenger numbers over the next 20 years, and plans to spend £6bn on new roads. Continue reading...

Third climate activist charged with disorderly conduct as occupation enters fifth dayAnother Greenpeace activist who boarded a North Sea oil rig off Inverness has appeared in court charged with disorderly conduct, following appearances by two protesters who were ordered to leave Scotland.Police meanwhile appeared to be preparing to seize and arrest the last two protesters on the rig, which has been hired by BP to drill for oil in the Vorlich field. Late on Thursday afternoon, two police boats appeared next to the rig as oil workers began lowering it into the water, to bring the protesters closer to the surface of the water. Continue reading...

News comes as National Grid announces greenest winter for energy use after mild weatherThe UK’s race to increase renewable energy sources has intensified with the announcement of plans to close another coal-fired power station.The news on Thursday came as last winter was revealed to be the greenest yet for the country’s energy system, after strong winds produced more renewable electricity and coal-fired power dwindled. Continue reading...

Agricultural ammonia emissions are not monitored, but investigation exposes gas at three out of eight farms across south of England

Government clean air strategy failing to control increasing emissions that add to ‘hidden killer’ of air pollution

Researchers say simply sitting and enjoying the peace has mental and physical benefitsA two-hour “dose” of nature a week significantly boosts health and wellbeing, research suggests, even if you simply sit and enjoy the peace.The physical and mental health benefits of time spent in parks, woods or the beach are well known, but the new research is the first major study into how long is needed to produce the effect. If confirmed by future research, two hours in nature could join five a day of fruit and veg and 150 minutes of exercise a week as official health advice. Continue reading...

Draft report says Warragamba dam changes would affect Aboriginal historical sitesA leaked draft report has predicted world heritage areas of the Blue Mountains would be “permanently” changed by a controversial New South Wales government plan to raise a dam wall.The state government is proposing to raise the walls of the Warragamba Dam by 14 metres to mitigate the impact of floods – a move that environmental activists say would flood Unesco-protected bushland, and endanger 50 historic Indigenous sites. Continue reading...

Queensland government decision means company can begin work on mine site, but other federal approvals still required before coal extraction can beginAdani has been cleared to start work on its Carmichael coalmine after the Queensland government approved the company’s plans for groundwater management.Queensland’s coordinator general posted the decision on Thursday afternoon. Continue reading...

Seven of the birds native to New Zealand have died, with just 142 adults remainingThe world’s fattest parrot is facing an existential threat in the form of a dangerous fungal infection which has already endangered a fifth of its species.Seven of New Zealand’s native kākāpō have died in recent months after falling victim to the respiratory disease aspergillosis. The latest was on Tuesday, where a 100-day-old chick died at the Auckland Zoo. Continue reading...

Pentagon released 59m metric tons of carbon dioxide and other warming gases in 2017, research showsThe United States creates more planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions through its defense operations alone than industrialized countries such as Sweden and Portugal, researchers said on Wednesday.The Pentagon, which oversees the US military, released about 59m metric tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in 2017, according to the first study to compile such comprehensive data, published by Brown University. Continue reading...

Homegrown stems accounted for 14% of £865m worth of flowers sold in Britain last yearThe British-grown flower industry is now worth £121m – up from £82m in 2015 – following years of decline owing to imported stems, figures reveal.Last year homegrown flowers accounted for 14% of the £865m worth of all stems sold in the UK, compared with 12% three years ago, according to a report by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Continue reading...

Government urged to overturn effective ban to help meet ambitious climate targetsGovernment ministers face rising calls to lift their block on onshore wind farms to help meet the UK’s ambitious climate targets while reducing home energy bills.Some of Europe’s largest energy investors have urged the government to overturn an effective ban on new onshore wind farms in England, warning that it may be stifling a flood of investment into the UK’s clean energy sector. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Louisiana agency poised to sue companies associated with neoprene plant over alleged Clean Air Act violationsLouisiana’s environment agency is poised to sue the two chemical companies associated with America’s only neoprene plant in the town of Reserve, the Guardian has learned. The legal action relates to alleged violations of the Clean Air Act and Louisiana state environmental laws.The news comes a month after the Guardian launched a year-long reporting project from Reserve, called Cancer Town, that tracks residents’ struggle for clean air and reports from other parts of the New Orleans-Baton Rouge corridor known colloquially as Cancer Alley. Continue reading...

Announcing a target to cut greenhouse gases by at least 100% below 1990 levels in 2050 is a necessary step to tackle the climate emergency. But it won’t be enough on its ownOne of Theresa May’s most consequential decisions of her unhappy premiership is to set a legally binding target for the UK to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. If it were to be achieved, this would mark the end of Britain’s contribution to global warming, apart from the those emissions “exported” by buying products made abroad. It is undoubtedly a very good thing that her successor will not only be left with draft laws to enact, but also with raised public expectation that they do so.Mrs May’s decision comes not a moment too soon. The influential BP review of worldwide energy use estimates that global CO emissions grew by 2% in 2018, the fastest growth for seven years. This country ought to reach net-zero emissions before the middle of the century. Clear policy direction is essential to change the way we produce, distribute and consume energy. The cleaning of the British economy can be traced back to the landmark decision by the European Union in 2007 to implement “20-20-20” green targets: reducing greenhouse gases by at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020; for 20% of energy consumption to come from renewables; and 20% reduction in energy use. The impact has been dramatic. Continue reading...

We will have to change almost everything, from our homes to our mealsThe net zero carbon target will require sweeping changes to almost every aspect of British life, affecting our homes, food and the way we get around, as well as jobs and businesses across the board. Ministers hope there will be health benefits and improvements to the natural environment along the way, as well as helping to stave off the global climate emergency.On some of the key areas where rapid change is needed, however, the signals so far have been mixed. Continue reading...

Consultants say 60% will be grown in vats or plant-based products that taste like meatMost of the meat people eat in 2040 will not come from slaughtered animals, according to a report that predicts 60% will be either grown in vats or replaced by plant-based products that look and taste like meat.The report by the global consultancy AT Kearney, based on expert interviews, highlights the heavy environmental impacts of conventional meat production and the concerns people have about the welfare of animals under industrial farming. Continue reading...

Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global gets go ahead to divest $13bn of investmentsThe world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, which manages $1tn (£786bn) of Norway’s assets, has been given the go ahead for the largest fossil fuel divestment to date by dropping more than $13bn of investments.Norway’s parliament voted plans into law on Wednesday for the fund to dump investments in eight coal companies and an estimated 150 oil producers. Continue reading...

Behaviour of tourists prompts writer of Sky/HBO hit TV series to speak outThe writer of the acclaimed TV series Chernobyl has called for visitors to behave “with respect”, after a number of photographs emerged on social media apparently showing tourists taking inappropriate or lewd selfies at the site of the nuclear disaster.Visitor numbers to the site of the former Soviet-era power plant in Ukraine have soared since the the five-part mini-series began airing on HBO and Sky Atlantic in May, with some tour companies reporting a 40% increase in bookings. Continue reading...