The week’s top environment news stories and green events. If you are not already receiving this roundup, sign up here to get the briefing delivered to your inbox Continue reading...

Grade II-listed structure battered by 2015 Christmas floods restored in mulitmillion-pound reconstructionA bridge in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, has reopened more than a year after its partial collapse came to symbolise the destruction of the 2015 Christmas floods.

An otter family, a diving kingfisher and the Amazon coral reef are among this week’s pick of images from the natural world Continue reading...

Charity calls for tougher legislation to prevent shooting, poisoning and trapping of birds such as peregrine falcons, red kites, buzzards and hen harriersAlmost 200 reports of shooting, trapping and destruction of birds of prey were received by the RSPB in 2015, the charity said.Some 64 out of the 196 reports were confirmed, including the shooting or attempted shooting of 46 birds of prey, including 16 buzzards, 11 peregrines, three red kites, one red-footed falcon and one hen harrier, a new report from the RSPB said. Continue reading...

Kjell Magne Bondevik describes shock after being held and questioned at Dulles hub under new US entry controlsA former prime minister of Norway has spoken of his shock after he was held and questioned at Washington Dulles airport because of a visit to Iran three years ago.Kjell Magne Bondevik, who served as prime minister of Norway from 1997-2000 and 2001-05, flew into the US from Europe on Tuesday afternoon to attend this week’s National Prayer Breakfast. Continue reading...

Extraordinary readings pile pressure on operator Tepco in its efforts to decommission nuclear power stationRadiation levels inside a damaged reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station are at their highest since the plant suffered a triple meltdown almost six years ago.

Destructive seaweeds found in reefs worldwide will grow more poisonous and eventually take over in the fight for spaceThe destruction of coral reefs worldwide could accelerate as rising carbon emissions help coral-killing seaweeds grow more poisonous and take over, according to researchers.A Griffith University study on the Great Barrier Reef has shown how rising CO emissions trigger more potency in chemicals from common “weed-like” algae that poison corals as they compete for space.

Crewe Green, Cheshire No wonder the spines of this tiny mammal keep most predators away; it’s like touching surgical needlesAlthough the air is mild for the time of year, the sky is iron-blue, threatening another downpour. It is wet and muddy under foot, slippery too. Charcoal and murky-brown, dead leaves clot the woodland path. There is the breath of tannin; I can almost taste it. Two grey squirrels chase each other over rotten logs, then dash up a tree strangled by ivy. A blackbird skitters into some bushes. I call my jack russell, Roob, who is loitering behind, sniffing new scents; this isn’t our usual walk. She doesn’t appear.I retrace my steps, calling again, scanning through perished bracken and withered nettles. I smell ghostly flowers and wizened rosehips. There are tangled brambles, bitter-black berries and bare trees. A gust of wind rattles their branches; they creak and moan in protest. Then I hear her, growling at something near a holly bush. Continue reading...

Retailers’ work with charities is barely denting the waste problem and leaves the biggest problems untouchedAs public outrage over food waste grows, almost every British supermarket has responded to consumer pressure and linked up with food redistribution organisations such as FareShare and Foodcycle.But while good practice is emerging, supermarkets’ work with charities is barely denting the waste problem. Fareshare, for example, estimates it accesses just 2% of supermarkets’ available food surplus. Continue reading...

Leaders of Vanuatu province want to turn local people and tourists away from unhealthy imports in favour of locally grown crops and seafoodA group of south Pacific islands are banning foreign junk food imports in favour of an all-local, organic diet as a way to combat future health problems.Torba province, part of Vanuatu, aims to impose restrictions on the import of western foodstuffs and instead take advantage of its productive agricultural land and rich natural resources. Continue reading...

Sid Marris leaves role as head of climate and environment at Minerals Council of Australia to take up job with PM’s officeMalcolm Turnbull’s next climate and energy adviser will be Sid Marris, who is leaving his role as head of climate and environment at the coal industry lobby group, the Minerals Council of Australia.The appointment comes amid a push from the Turnbull government for new coal-fired generators to be built, a suggestion enthusiastically welcomed by the Minerals Council. Continue reading...

Minister says he’s not surprised that generators don’t want another big baseload power station to enter the marketAustralia’s resources minister, Matt Canavan, has flagged subsidising a “clean” coal baseload power plant from the government’s $5bn northern Australia infrastructure fund, and says the government has already heard from an interested party.

Spill comes less than 18 months after a fire on the same oil rig and prompts warning from environmentalists over dangers of offshore drillingAn oil spill at an ExxonMobil platform in the Bass Strait is being investigated by the federal regulator, after the discovery of an oily sheen on waters around the rig.The spill comes less than 18 months after a fire raged on the same platform for nine hours before it could be controlled. And in 2013, Exxon was responsible for a spill from another rig in the Bass Strait. Continue reading...

As the ice melts, the race is on to exploit Arctic resources. And that means more claustrophobic submarine operationsDiminishing ice cover has increased political and economic competition for resources inside the Arctic Circle. This means more submarine operations, which are doubly claustrophobia-inducing, as a sub can only surface where the ice is comparatively thin. In an emergency, finding the nearest hole in the ice is essential, and this has spurred the development of a new type of forecast.There are two types of hole in the ice, known as leads and polynyas. Leads are long fractures, gigantic cracks caused by ice sheets moving apart. Ultimately, they are due to wind or ocean currents pushing areas of ice in different directions. Leads are generally transient, as the seawater freezes over quickly when exposed to the cold air. Continue reading...

Forecasters predict gales of up to 70mph and problems for coastal areas at high tideFlood warnings have been put in place in south-western and north-eastern England for Thursday evening, with problems expected around high tides.Communities across most of southern England and Wales were warned to expect gales on Friday and Saturday, with forecasters saying gusts of wind of up to 70mph could bring down trees and cause travel disruption. Continue reading...

Congressman Jason Chaffetz withdraws House bill 621 as conservationists and outdoorsmen vow to continue fight over similar legislationIn the small hours of Thursday morning, US congressman Jason Chaffetz announced that he would withdraw a bill he introduced last week that would have ordered the incoming secretary of the interior to immediately sell off 3.3m acres of national land.Chaffetz, a representative from Utah, wrote on Instagram that he had a change of heart in the face of strong opposition from “groups I support and care about” who, he said, “fear it sends the wrong message”. Continue reading...

The Woodland Trust is calling on tree lovers to vote for their favourite entry in this year’s European contest that includes four British trees. The competition highlights the cultural importance of old trees and the need to protect them Continue reading...

Transport secretary says airport expansion will bolster post-Brexit economy but critics warn over environmental obligationsProposals for a third runway at Heathrow have been published for public consultation by the government as it declared that expanding the airport would show the world Britain was open for business after Brexit.Related: Heathrow third runway plans published for public consultation Continue reading...

‘Twenty-eight Climate Change Elevator Pitches’ delivers basic, accurate climate information

Nomadic herders have killed wildlife and torched buildings but questions remain over the causes of the violenceThousands of heavily-armed herders are invading conservancies, private properties and smallholdings in Laikipia, one of Kenya’s most important wildlife areas, as they search for pasture for their cattle.

Plans for one million new homes by 2020 risk overwhelming drains, unless the government ends freeze on legal requirements for sustainable drainage

Solar power and clean cars are ‘gamechangers’ consistently underestimated by big energy, says Imperial College and Carbon Tracker reportFalling costs of electric vehicles and solar panels could halt worldwide growth in demand for oil and coal by 2020, a new report has suggested.A scenario that takes into account the latest cost reduction projections for the green technologies, and countries’ pledges to cut emissions, finds that solar power and electric vehicles are “gamechangers” that could leave fossil fuels stranded. Continue reading...

Sun Bank, Teesdale Snow has a magical effect when the shadows emphasise features of this post-glacial landscapeIf there was a league table for roadside laybys, ranked according to the grandeur of the landscape that they overlook, then this one, on the B6282 two miles east of Middleton-in-Teesdale, would be a strong contender.It’s perched on the edge of a steep escarpment, high above the river Tees. With the valleyblanketed in snow, the bare branches of birch, alder and ash below stood out in minute detail, as if drawn on a blank canvas. Continue reading...

Predictions that our oceans could contain more plastic than fish by 2050 have forced brands to rethink packagingThe wide array of plastic cartons, trays and films developed to keep products intact and food safe are often too complex to recycle – with grave environmental consequences.According to a recent report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, “without fundamental redesign, about 30% of plastic packaging will never be reused or recycled.” And that means ever more plastic into landfill, and into our oceans. Continue reading...

Opponents of Pilliga state forest wells raise doubts about economic and environmental claims in fact sheetDoubts have been raised about claims made in the environmental impact statement for Santos’ controversial plans to drill 850 coal seam gas wells in and around the Pilliga state forest.The full statement has not been publicly released yet but questions are being raised about the economic and environmental claims in it, which are summarised in a “fact sheet” released by Santos. Continue reading...

South Australia’s energy minister, Tom Koutsantonis, responds to the federal government’s push for clean coal generation as an energy source for Australia’s future. He says ‘clean coal is a fairytale, clean coal doesn’t exist’, following calls by the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull and his deputy, Barnaby Joyce Continue reading...

North Dakota police arrested 76 people one day after federal officials suggested that the government could soon approve the final stage of pipeline constructionNorth Dakota police have arrested 76 people at Standing Rock one day after federal officials suggested that the government could soon approve the final stage of construction of the Dakota Access pipeline.Related: Dakota Access pipeline moves to final stage in army corps approval process Continue reading...

Myron Ebell, a key presidential aide, said climate education material could be ‘withdrawn’ and review of car fuel efficiency standards could be reopenedDonald Trump will work towards the abolition of the Environmental Protection Agency – and any employees cleaving to the Obama era should be “very worried” by the prospect of Scott Pruitt taking over the agency, a key aide of the president has told the Guardian.In an exclusive interview, Myron Ebell – who headed up Trump’s EPA transition team, said that agency’s environmental research, reports and data would not be removed from its website, but climate education material might be changed or “withdrawn”. Continue reading...

The Coalition could use the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to finance new coal power stations but it wouldn’t be cheaper than renewablesJust a few months ago, the idea that a new coal power station would ever be built in Australia seemed laughable. Banks, energy companies and even the Turnbull government seemed to accept the inevitable decline of the coal industry.But, since then, the Turnbull government has been furiously talking up the idea of “clean” coal. And while no bank is likely to finance the building of a new coal-fired power station here, Turnbull and his ministers have been indicating the government might themselves fund them. Continue reading...

Transport secretary Chris Grayling says plans send a signal that Britain will be open for business after BrexitPlans for the third runway at Heathrow are to be published on Thursday as the government begins a four-month public consultation on its decision to expand Britain’s biggest airport.The transport secretary, Chris Grayling, is expected to herald the launch as a sign that Britain will be open for business after Brexit and that the government is delivering the major infrastructure the nation will need. Continue reading...

Six years after the Fukushima disaster, local government is working with private firms in one Japanese city to rebuild its economyIt’s a cold January day in Iwaki City, 211km north of Tokyo. But here, in a balmy glasshouse, light and sunny, pop music is being piped in, and tonnes of tomatoes are ripening and being picked.They’re not in the ground; they’re being grown from waist-high pots of coconut matting. These are no ordinary tomatoes. They are growing on Wonder Farm, an “integrated agricultural theme park”, run by Tomato Land Iwaki, which is part-funded by the local city council and the Fukushima prefecture. Continue reading...

After reading your article (Weighing in to fight waste in the kitchen with a measuring spoon – and an app, 28 January) I felt so guilty I went and dug out from the compost bin two very brown soggy bananas I had thrown away earlier and made them into a banana loaf. Apart from the satisfaction of the loaf, I was also able to knock 252g/9oz off my somewhat nerdy tally of food wasted in January. I decided at new year to record how much food we wasted in an effort to reduce it – a paper version of the app in the article. It’s made us really conscious about not wasting food, because we hate to be the one who has to “put it in the book”. I thought the bananas were beyond hope – but I’ve just had a delicious slice and will live to tell the tale. Now for the sugar angst.

Congress begins effort to remove Obama-era protections, including measures to keep people safe when mountaintops are blown off to reach coalRepublicans have begun dismantling Obama-era environmental protections by targeting rules that restrict drilling in national parks, curb the release of methane and prevent people from being harmed when the tops of mountains are blown off to access coal.

This viral picture of VIP birds of prey en route to Saudi Arabia came as no surprise to Bryn Close, breeder to the sheikhsBryn Close was not surprised by the picture flying around the web this week showing 80 falcons on an airline flight to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The birds of prey sit on boxes on the middle-row seats, apparently ignoring the safety talk. “To me that’s totally normal, we do it all the time,” he says from a Doncaster industrial estate, where he breeds the fastest birds in the world. “But when we do it they normally send a private jet over here to pick them up.”There is big money in falcons, nearly all of it circling around the deserts outside Middle Eastern cities. For centuries, tribesmen in the region used the birds to hunt. Today, as cities including Jeddah as well as Dubai and Abu Dhabi have exploded, falcons have become economic as well as cultural status symbols. Continue reading...

EU looks set to meet its 2020 goal of using 20% of energy from renewable sources but the UK is one of three member states to increase reliance on imported energyThe European Union is on track to meet its renewable energy targets but the UK is one of only three member states to become more dependent on imported energy in the last decade.A report from the European commission boasts of good progress towards the goal of using 20% of final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020. Continue reading...

With grey winter skies still dominating the northern hemisphere and the southern still enjoying the summer heat, what sort of wildlife will you discover?The shortest month of the year is upon us and, while the fog and mist might be clearing slightly in the northern hemisphere, the southern hemisphere is still basking in the summer sunshine. So what sort of wildlife will we all discover on our doorsteps? We’d love to see your photos of the February wildlife near you.Share your photos and videos with us and we’ll feature our favourites on the Guardian site. Continue reading...

From elephant skins as a remedy for eczema, to otters’ sex organs as a natural aphrodisiac, a $20bn-a-year global wildlife trade operates under the shadow of Myanmar’s Golden Rock buddhist pilgrimage site Continue reading...

Students in St Louis propose to help millions of ‘food insecure’ people and reduce America’s mountain of food waste ... by piggybacking on the vehicles and shuttered offices of the United States Postal Service

Four-month consultation on possibility of fracking in Scotland runs until end of May with dedicated website at talkingfracking.scot, reports BusinessGreenThe Scottish government has launched a public consultation over whether to allow unconventional oil and gas extraction – including fracking – to take place in Scotland.The four-month consultation runs until the end of May and the Scottish government then plans to make a recommendation that will go before MSPs for a vote towards the end of the year. Continue reading...

Nationals leader says he would not oppose taxpayers subsiding the building of new coal-fired plantsThe deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, says it is “morally prudent” for Australia to build new coal-fired plants and he would have no problem if taxpayers provided support.

Wenlock Edge This sycamore isn’t native either, and neither are the people who planted them, or who look at them nowThe squirrels look as though they make everyday life into a game; they have the kind of mischievous intelligence once attributed by folklore to hidden, supernatural creatures such as fairies, elves, goblins and the like. These grey and ginger squirrels are tricky. To some people they are a delight to watch; to others they are an anathema, interlopers blamed for the demise of the native red squirrel.

• Prime minister boosts conservatives’ calls for U-turn on green energy plan

The biggest bank in Germany says all new investment will stop and existing exposure will be gradually reducedDeutsche Bank, the biggest bank in Germany, has said it will stop financing coal projects as part of its commitments under the Paris agreement to tackle global warming.

The acting secretary of the army has directed the army corps of engineers to grant the easement necessary to finish the billion-dollar projectThe Dakota Access pipeline is in the final process of getting approvals to complete construction across the Missouri river, according to North Dakota senator John Hoeven.Related: Trump orders revival of Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines Continue reading...

Last year thousands of valuable farm animals were poached from isolated farms to await slaughter in ‘abhorrent’ and illegal conditionsThe thick swarm of black flies hanging above the backyard of the rural property was the first tip-off. The metallic stench of weeks-old animal blood was another.“There were dead animals, offal and blood everywhere, spread out on an exposed concrete slab with people walking through it and birds flying through,” says Gary Orr. Continue reading...

The project is part of Elon Musk’s plan to help transform the power gridFrom the road, the close to 400 white industrial boxes packed into 1.5 acres of barren land in Ontario, California, a little more than 40 miles from downtown Los Angeles, look like standard electrical equipment. They’re surrounded by a metal fence, stand on concrete pads and sit under long electrical lines.Related: US advances on clean energy with first offshore wind farm Continue reading...

Oil and gas concession overlaps 1.3m hectare “protected area” inhabited by indigenous peoples in “isolation”One of the almost 100 resolutions adopted by the World Conservation Congress (WCC) held in Hawai’i in September 2016 was that “protected areas” such as national parks should be “no go” for mining, oil and gas operations, agriculture, dams, roads and pipelines. Another resolution was that indigenous peoples’ territories overlapped by “protected areas” should be recognised and respected, calling upon International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) members, non-member States and others to do so.While it might not seem particularly significant or startling to demand that “protected areas” should be, er, protected from such damaging activities as oil operations, and while WCC resolutions aren’t legally-binding on anyone, such calls do urgently need to be made. Take as an example Peru, the country that, according to the IUCN, established more “protected areas” than any other in 2016. Undoubtedly its most important conservation achievement in recent years has been the creation of the 1.3m hectare Sierra del Divisor National Park, although approximately 40% is included in an oil and gas concession ultimately controlled by a Canadian-headquartered company, Pacific Exploration and Production. Continue reading...

‘Silent pandemic’ of air pollution affects UK children and there is no indication protection against toxic waste will be retained after BrexitAir pollution is a crisis that “plagues” the UK, particularly children, according to the UN’s special rapporteur on hazardous substances and wastes.

After the murder of at least 123 activists since 2009 military coup, the Global Witness group points to involvement of politicians and business mogulsHigh-ranking politicians and business tycoons are implicated in a wave of violence against environmental activists in Honduras, according to an investigation by the anti-corruption group Global Witness, which says the country’s elites are using criminal methods to terrorize communities with impunity.

Long treated as a bottomless resource pit, over-exploitation of the ocean, pollution and rising sea levels are having a catastrophic impact on life in the bayThe Bay of Bengal’s basin contains some of the most populous regions of the earth. No less than a quarter of the world’s population is concentrated in the eight countries that border the bay. Approximately 200 million people live along the Bay of Bengal’s coasts and of these a major proportion are partially or wholly dependent on its fisheries.For the majority of those who depend on it, the Bay of Bengal can provide no more than a meagre living: 61% of India’s fisherfolk already live below the poverty line. Yet the numbers dependent on fisheries are only likely to grow in years to come, partly because of climate change. In southern India drought and water scarcity have already induced tens of thousands of farmers to join the fishing fleet. Rising sea levels are also likely to drive many displaced people into the fishing industry. Continue reading...