Environment | The Guardian

Animal, thought to be a sperm whale, believed to have become caught in rope in Loch EribollRescuers are on their way to a loch in the far north of Scotland to help a whale thought to have become ensnared in rope.The nine-metre (30ft) animal, believed to be a juvenile sperm whale, has become stranded in Loch Eriboll, a 10-mile-long (16km) sea loch on the north coast of Scotland, close to the village of Durness. Continue reading...

Air quality index at 12 times US government-recommended level and visibility lowDelhi residents woke to a thick, grey smog on Thursday as air pollution in the Indian capital surged to emergency levels.The state-run Central Pollution Control Board’s air quality index, which shows the concentration of poisonous particulate matter known as PM 2.5, stood at 440, up from 430 on Wednesday and about 12 times the US government-recommended level of 35. Continue reading...

A former park service director says leaving parks open without key staff is equivalent to leaving the Smithsonian open with priceless artefacts unattendedWhen I was a ranger at Crater Lake national park in the 1980s, the average snowfall at headquarters was 500in a year, and snow could accumulate at 2in an hour. One of my jobs as ranger was to shovel out the fire hydrants every day, so that if there was a fire in the hotel, headquarters or housing, we’d be able to fight it. Our maintenance staff plowed roads for safe visitor access and rangers patrolled on skis, regularly performing rescues. This was all part of ensuring that, in accordance with the National Park Service’s founding charter, the parks are “unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations”.Leaving the parks open without these essential staff is equivalent to leaving the Smithsonian museums open without any staff to protect the priceless artefacts. Yet as a result of the government shutdown, which furloughed most park staff, this is what has happened. It is a violation of the stewardship mandate, motivated only by politics. While the majority of the public will be respectful, there will always be a few who take advantage of the opportunity to do lasting damage. Continue reading...

Energy efficiency and changing economy cut generation by 1% in 2018 as renewables supplied 33% of electricityThe output of British power stations fell this year to levels last seen almost a quarter of a century ago, while renewables achieved a record share of the UK electricity supply.Electricity generation in 2018 was the lowest since 1994, when Tony Blair became the leader of the Labour party. Continue reading...

Protection measures appear to be working, but the outlook for the whales remain bleak as only 411 are believed to remain worldwideNo North Atlantic right whales were killed in Canadian waters last year – a rare glimmer of hope for officials working to protect one of the world’s most endangered species.While the government protection measures appear to be working, the outlook for the whales remains bleak: only 411 are believed to remain worldwide, with fewer females giving birth than in previous years. Continue reading...

Executive order transfers regulation and creation of indigenous reserves to agriculture ministry controlled by agribusiness lobbyHours after taking office, Brazil’s new president, Jair Bolsonaro, has launched an assault on environmental and Amazon protections with an executive order transferring the regulation and creation of new indigenous reserves to the agriculture ministry – which is controlled by the powerful agribusiness lobby.Related: Jair Bolsonaro's inauguration: the day progressive Brazil has dreaded Continue reading...

‘Reverse vending machines’ receive 311,500 bottles to date, says supermarket IcelandShoppers have received the equivalent of more than £30,000 in total for recycling plastic bottles in the first supermarket trial using “reverse vending machines” installed to reduce littering.The machines, introduced last year by the Iceland chain at five UK sites, reward consumers with a voucher worth 10p for every deposit of a bottle purchased at the shops. Continue reading...

Almost half of proposed area of construction falls within hunting and roaming zone that is essential to animal’s survivalThe extinction of the endangered Florida panther could be hastened by a large development proposed for the state, environmental groups are warning, as a major project is expected to win approval from the Trump administration as early as April. Continue reading...

As we reflect on a year of extreme weather and ominous climate talks, Guardian environment writer Fiona Harvey explains why 2019 could see some much-needed breakthroughsExtreme weather hit the headlines throughout 2018, from the heatwave across much of the northern hemisphere, which saw unprecedented wildfires in Sweden, drought in the UK and devastating wildfires in the US, to floods in India and typhoons in south-east Asia.According to the World Meteorological Organisation, last year was the fourth hottest on record and confirms a trend of rising temperatures that is a clear signal that we are having an effect on the climate. Droughts, floods, fiercer storms and heatwaves, as well as sea level rises, are all expected to increase markedly as a result. Continue reading...

Energy Transfer Partners planted only about 8,800 of the 20,000 trees required along the pipeline’s route in 2018The developer of the Dakota Access oil pipeline missed a year-end deadline to plant thousands of trees along the pipeline corridor in North Dakota. The company said it was still complying with a settlement of allegations it violated state rules during construction.Related: 'They're billin' us for killin' us': activists fight Dakota pipeline's final stretch Continue reading...

We are trying to be positive, but there’s little likely to put a smile on your face – except for a couple of things …Making predictions in the world of business and economics is a fool’s errand but that’s no reason not to have a crack at it. Here are some things to look out for in 2019, which could be a rollercoaster ride. Continue reading...

MPs must show leadership on issues such as meat production and air travel, says Clive Lewis

Human feces, overflowing garbage and damaging behavior reported as staff hampered over busy holiday period

I reject the suggestion that the capital’s action plan contains nothing newTwo weeks ago, the mayor of London and I spent a morning cycling with the leader of Enfield council looking at their excellent new protected cycleways and secure bike parking hub at Edmonton Green station. Together we unveiled Transport for London’s new cycling action plan, which aims to make London the world’s best big city for cycling and to double the number of cycle journeys in five years.The launch follows the publication of this year’s TfL business plan, in which Sadiq Khan demonstrated his continuing commitment to cycling by not only protecting the record level of funding for cycling, but increasing it from an average of £169m to £214m a year. This commitment is despite central government’s complete withdrawal of the £700m annual operating grant, which has left TfL in a tough financial position, compounded by the delay and increased cost of Crossrail. Continue reading...

Climate change is transforming the state’s coast but with habitats hemmed in by cliffs, condos and farms, pre-emptive action is needed to preserve biodiversityThe sea otters of Elkhorn Slough float by on their backs, greeting the occasional kayaker with unwanted socializing that can tip a boat. Chubby harbor seals lounge on large rocks and a great blue heron stands tall among hundreds of birds on a sliver of land.This Monterey Bay estuary south of San Francisco hosts about 20,000 migratory shorebirds a year and is a nursery habitat for fish and shellfish. It’s notable for having bolstered the waning population of the curious southern sea otters, which now exceed 100 and are webcast live daily. Continue reading...

Wildlife Trusts report comeback of rare seahorse breed and nudibranch slugs but plastic pollution still poses grave riskA rare kind of seahorse and a rainbow-coloured sea slug with a titillating name are among the creatures making a comeback in UK waters, according to an annual conservation review.The coast around Britain is now home to more than 100 species of nudibranchs – brightly hued, soft-bodied marine molluscs that appear nude because of their lack of external shells. The Wildlife Trusts credited a big conservation push around the coast for their proliferation. Continue reading...

Pilot will redistribute surplus food, with aim of stopping waste going to landfill by 2030The government has appointed a food waste champion to tackle the problem of 250m meals being thrown away in the UK each year.Ben Elliot, a philanthropist and co-founder of the lifestyle group Quintessentially, will aim to help the government eliminate food waste going to landfill by 2030. Continue reading...

Guardian journalists spell out the potential impact, sector by sector, on national lifeIf Theresa May fails to get her deal through parliament in January, the prospect of the UK leaving the EU without a deal becomes more likely. Here, Guardian journalists examine what a no-deal Brexit could mean for the country, sector by sector. Continue reading...

Monastery producing 10m litres a year invents plant-based recycling systemKoningshoeven abbey is one of only 13 places in the world to brew Trappist beer, and its products have won over drinkers around the world.For all the commercial success, however, a nagging sense that money has triumphed over spirituality has prompted the monks to rethink their use of water after more than 130 years. Continue reading...

Cumbrian farmers who planted willow for a Swedish paper mill say the crop kept floods at bayOne December night three years ago, more rain fell over Cumbria than ever recorded before. Simon Peet’s farm in Langwathby, near Penrith, was one of 600 across the county that took a battering. Twenty of his Herdwick sheep drowned when the River Eden burst its banks, up to 4km of fencing was destroyed and 5,000 tons of gravel from the river ended up in one of his fields. The repair bill was £38,700.Twenty-five miles up the road, by the River Derwent near Keswick, Steven Clark, a sheep farmer, was bracing himself for the worst after Storm Desmond. But while nearby bridges had collapsed and the army had been called in to help 5,500 people flooded out of their homes, Clark’s farm in the village of Braithwaite was fine. The year before he had been persuaded to take part in an experimental project with a paper mill in Workington, which involved planting 28 acres of willow crop. He is convinced it saved his land. Continue reading...

State-run chain of heritage properties converts to sustainable energy to set wider example to countrySpain’s state-owned chain of paradores, the grand hotels often housed in ancient castles and monasteries, has announced that all 97 of its establishments will use only electricity from renewable sources from the start of the new year.The 90-year-old chain said the decision to switch to green electricity had been made for both environmental and symbolic reasons. “Paradores is a company that supports sustainable tourism in every sense of the word,” said its chair, Óscar López Águeda. “What’s more, as a public company, we also want to set an example when it comes to investments that encourage energy saving and responsible consumption.” Continue reading...

Exclusive: environmental group calls plan to protect black-throated finch an ‘elaborate hoax’Adani has set aside a “conservation area” for the endangered black-throated finch at the same site earmarked for the massive Clive Palmer-backed Alpha North coalmine.The environmental group Lock the Gate said the land-use conflict meant the Adani plan to protect the black-throated finch – which is one of two crucial management plans for the Carmichael mine yet to be approved by the Queensland government – amounted to an “elaborate hoax”. Continue reading...

The idea, central to Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign, aims to eliminate greenhouse gas pollution – but lacks key political supportMost US voters would support a “Green New Deal”, for the country to transform its infrastructure with a rapid shift to clean energy. But while the idea is gaining attention on Capitol Hill, it lacks key political support. Continue reading...

Trump administration criticized for trying to make it harder to obtain records of interior department dealings

From an eruption of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano sending lava into residential areas to deadly wildfires in California, the US saw record-breaking natural disasters in 2018. This year’s weather was more extreme because of human-caused climate change, scientists say Continue reading...

Ridgeview – named the world’s best producer – uses candles to protect vines from frostBritons buy record 164m bottles of sparkling wine in 2018

First global coastline survey shows 16% of tidal flats lost between 1984 and 2016Coastal development and sea level rise are causing the decline of tidal flats along the world’s coastlines, according to research that has mapped the ecosystems for the first time.Scientists from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the University of Queensland used machine-learning to analyse more than 700,000 satellite images to map the extent of and change in tidal flats around the globe. Continue reading...

Opponents of plan to dump waste from coal seam gas mining celebrate court decisionControversial plans to dump up to 15m tonnes of salt and other waste near a creek in drought-stricken Queensland have hit an unexpected roadblock after a court ruled that planning approvals do not allow for trucks to park at the site.Guardian Australia reported in October that a study had found that the dump, near the town of Chinchilla, north-west of Brisbane, carried a “considerable” risk of water contamination. Salt waste from coal seam gas operations is planned to be stored fewer than 100 metres from Stockyard Creek, in the headwaters of the Murray-Darling basin. Continue reading...

Move is part of a series of rollbacks pursued on behalf of coal interests, decisions scientists say are detrimental to public healthThe Trump administration will reconsider the reasoning for restrictions on toxic mercury pollution from coal plants that is linked to developmental delays in children, it was announced on Friday. Continue reading...

Environmentalists raise concern as Lime and Bird vehicles pile up in California lakeIt was a sight as common at Oakland’s Lake Merritt as the ducks paddling on the water or the seagulls fighting over scraps: a bright green motorized Lime scooter was submerged just feet off the murky shore.“Aw man, the Lime person just came by this morning,” James Robinson, executive director of the Lake Merritt Institute, said when he found out about the latest scooter deposit. Continue reading...

After a harrowing week of human tragedy, rescuers find a moment of hope as they return more than 30 turtles to the seaFor the officials and volunteers aiding rescue efforts after the tsunami that killed at least 430 people in Indonesia, it has been a grim week.After deadly waves hit the coasts of Java and Sumatra in the Sunda Strait, they know they are more likely to find bodies than survivors. Amidst the horror, volunteers are clinging to any victories, however small, to keep them going. Continue reading...

Decades after it became part of the fabric of our lives, a worldwide revolt against plastic is under way• Read the text version hereClare Longrigg, deputy editor of the Guardian’s Long Read section, introduces three of her favourite long reads from 2018. They’re all on the theme of “Discovering the Familiar” – things we use every day without considering the extraordinary impact they can have on us.Today: plastic. Decades after it became part of the fabric of our lives, a worldwide revolt against plastic is under way. Continue reading...

‘Beast from the east’ to summer heatwave resulted in record years for some species while others struggledA year of extreme weather ranging from the snowy bitterness of the “beast from the east” to a baking hot summer has resulted in a rollercoaster year for wildlife, according to an annual audit of the UK’s flora and fauna.The prolonged, harsh end to the winter followed by a mild May and sunny weather in June and July meant some species had record years while others struggled to cope. Continue reading...

Tiny creatures prefer calm, warm waters – with risk of stings increasing after rainfallIrukandji jellyfish may be elusive during far north Queensland’s big wet but they’re set to come back in big numbers when the sun comes out.After they forced the closure of two northern Queensland beaches last weekend, including Ellis Beach near Cairns when a teenage girl was admitted to hospital with stings to her upper body, no irukandji have been spotted in swimming areas since. Continue reading...

Cressida Dick rules out taking over investigation amid calls for more robust procedure to deal with such incidentsThe Gatwick drone incident that brought the airport to a standstill should be a “wake-up call” to the whole country, the Metropolitan police commissioner has said.Cressida Dick, the UK’s most senior police chief, said the Met would not be intervening in the investigation into drone sightings at Gatwick. Continue reading...

Fears for native biodiversity as climate ideal for propagationThe raucous squawking comes first. Then they are seen, banking and diving before they crash-land on trees.If Greeks had been told, not long ago, that their skies would become the preserve of ring-necked parakeets, the response would have been one of incredulity. Continue reading...

Education secretary asks headteachers to consider using sustainable alternativesSchools are being encouraged to set themselves the target of eliminating their reliance on single-use plastics by 2022.The education secretary, Damian Hinds, has urged headteachers in England to consider using sustainable alternatives instead of non-recyclable plastic for items such as straws, bottles, bags and food packaging. Continue reading...

Federal environment department publishes proposal on Christmas Eve and public has only 10 business days to commentThe oil and gas company Woodside Energy has applied for federal approval for dredging and pipeline construction in waters near the Western Australian Dampier Archipelago marine reserves.The company has sought the approval as part of its proposed Scarborough gas project, an offshore development about 380km from the Burrup peninsula that would use a 430km pipeline to transport gas to its existing Pluto liquefied natural gas facility on the peninsula. Continue reading...

Figures showing declining birth rates are ‘cause for celebration’, not alarmDeclining fertility rates around the world should be cause for celebration, not alarm, a leading expert has said, warning that the focus on boosting populations was outdated and potentially bad for women.Recent figures revealed that, globally, women now have on average 2.4 children in their lifetime a measure known as total fertility rate (TFR). But while in some countries that figure is far higher – in Niger it is more than seven – in almost half of countries, including the UK, Russia and Japan, it has fallen to below two. Continue reading...

Foxhunts may hold Boxing Day meets under guise of trail hunting, warn campaignersEnvironmental groups fear the ban on foxhunting is being ignored as hunters prepare for the largest event of the year this Boxing Day.Across the country, 53 foxhunts are scheduled to meet on Wednesday, including two on National Trust land. However, campaigners say there are likely to be more fox, hare and stag hunts that are not listed. Continue reading...

The Gulf of Maine’s rapidly warming waters draws in larger numbers of Kemp’s ridley turtles, enticing them to stay longerAt the New England Aquarium’s sea turtle hospital in a repurposed shipyard building south of Boston, the casualties of climate change swim in tanks as they recover after being pulled stunned from the beach.Every year, as autumn turns to winter and ocean temperatures off Massachusetts drop below 10C (50F), dead, dying and stricken sea turtles wash up on the shores of Cape Cod as those shelled reptiles that have failed to migrate south start to die in the chilly waters. Continue reading...

Company already committed to spend $1bn-$2bn annually in the next two years on low carbon energyShell has declared an ambition to double the amount it spends on green energy to $4bn (£3.2bn) a year, in a sign of how the Anglo-Dutch company is looking to speed up its move to a future beyond oil and gas.Maarten Wetselaar, the head of the gas and new energy unit which generates a third of the company’s revenues, said he wanted to raise Shell’s investment in low carbon energy. Continue reading...

Authorities in Indian capital rate conditions as ‘severe to emergency’Pollution in Delhi has reached its worst level this year in the past two days, prompting authorities to rate conditions as “severe to emergency”, which indicates the potential for a public health crisis.Senior government officials said the main reasons for the increase in smog were unusually cold air, fog and a lack of wind. Continue reading...

Releasing ‘pure’ animals could counter interbreeding with domestic cats, experts sayConservationists could release wildcats captured from other European countries in the Scottish Highlands in a final effort to protect Scotland’s population from extinction.Recent genetic testing by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland of 276 Scottish wildcat samples found those in the wild are so heavily interbred with domestic cats that they are close to becoming functionally extinct. Continue reading...

Many towns claiming to be the birthplace of Santa Claus have seen unseasonal temperaturesAfter a year in which the climate has been far more naughty than nice, even Father Christmas – in his various guises – is feeling the heat, according to the towns that claim to be his birthplace.From Alaska to Finland, half a dozen Arctic towns have staked a claim to be the home of Santa Claus or whatever other name he is locally known as. And almost without exception, these winter wonderlands are hotting up. Continue reading...

Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey says economic and social regeneration must be part of transition to low-carbon futureA future Labour government would oversee an economic revolution to tackle the climate crisis, using the full power of the state to decarbonise the economy and create hundreds of thousands of green jobs in struggling towns and cities.Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow business secretary who is driving the party’s climate agenda, said the UK’s “entire society and entire economy” needed to be refocused to meet the looming challenge of ecological breakdown. Continue reading...

Visitors face ‘disruption and disappointment’ as states scramble to keep key sites openThe doors remained locked at Fort McHenry National Monument in Maryland, the birthplace of the US national anthem. In Georgia, the Fort Pulaski National monument announced it would be closed except for one boat ramp. At Washington’s Mount Rainier national park, ranger-led snowshoe walks were cancelled.And at the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California, a scheduled talk by the nation’s oldest park ranger, 97-year-old Betty Reid Soskin, had to be called off. Continue reading...