The film-maker and conservationist is as determined to protect the marine world and indigenous peoples, in places like Mexico and the Amazon, as her famous forebearsPeople always think that my grandfather Jacques or father [oceanographic explorer] Jean-Michel were my main influences. But my mother was a great influence too. She was an expedition photographer and from when I was about nine and living in France she travelled for around three months of the year – I used to swing by her office and see her leaning over the light table looking at slides from her latest expedition. It was natural to see all these far-flung places brought back home.I’m passionate about the ocean and its conservation. I spent time recently in Cancun, Mexico with the Mesoamerican Reef Leadership Program. It’s the second largest reef system on the planet and there are scientists working on amazing projects, replanting coral and trying to understand its resilience to shifts in ocean activity. It’s crucial work – coral is such an important ecosystem in terms of sustaining life. Continue reading...

Public left with huge liability for a government closure of power plant before 2060 under UK’s agreement with EDFThe Hinkley nuclear power deal contains a “poison pill” which could leave taxpayers with a £22bn bill if a future UK government closed the plant before 2060, according to an official document seen by the Guardian.The huge liability shows Hinkley is a “terrible deal” for the UK public, according to critics, with the company also guaranteed three times today’s price for electricity for 35 years. The project has recently been battered by financial warnings and resignations at its prime backer EDF, although on Thursday France’s economics minister, Emmanuel Macron, said that the French state would bail the company out. Continue reading...

Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda are taking part in a scheme to revive trees, with manifold benefits for farmers and their environmentStephen Tumhaire rakes through the knee-high grass in his field to get rid of fallen tree branches that might stop the grass from growing. Sweat shines on his face, and he repeatedly mops it with his palm.In 1972, Tumhaire’s grandfather moved from the west of Uganda to the central Nakasongola district, a once sparsely populated area now made up of small farms created when farmers started dividing land among their children. Continue reading...

Animal wandering along one of Kenyan capital’s main roads became agitated and swiped at 63-year-old man, say officialsA Kenyan man was clawed by a lion that was wandering along a busy road during morning rush hour in Nairobi on Friday, wildlife officials said.It is the third time in a month that lions have caused panic as they roamed outside of Nairobi national park, a 117 sq km (29,000-acre) reserve almost surrounded by the Kenyan capital, a fast-growing city of over 3 million people. Continue reading...

Defra says minister was wrong to suggest levy could be introduced after revelation only one in 400 cups is recycledThe Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has said one of its own ministers was wrong to suggest coffee cups could be taxed to tackle a “huge” recycling problem in Britain.Rory Stewart made the remarks in the House of Commons after it was revealed that just one in 400 coffee cups are recycled each year. Continue reading...

Queensland Nickel Sales took samples from two creeks and advised environment department that excessive ammonia levels were detectedClive Palmer’s north Queensland nickel refinery has contravened its environmental licence because of elevated ammonia levels in two creeks, tests show.The Yabulu facility, which is being operated by a skeleton staff after 550 workers were sacked last week, is required to report excessive chemical levels to the environment department within 10 business days, in accordance with its environmental authority. Continue reading...

East Asian box tree caterpillar, that feeds on box plants, has beaten slugs and snails to become gardeners’ top foe, says Royal Horticultural SocietySlugs and snails are traditionally the gardener’s worst foe but they have been knocked off the top spot for pests by an invasive hedge-eating caterpillar.

A new breed of insurers, risk analysts and designers is aiming to help businesses and homeowners prepare for rising sea levelsAs climate change risks go, rising sea levels fail to sound the same alarm bells as dramatic weather events and melting ice caps. Yet their long-term effects are among the most alarming. Flooded cities, submerged coastal areas, mass migrations.According to recent research, the world’s oceans rose by 14cm last century. If we’re lucky, that number will merely double during the course of this century. If we’re not, an almost tenfold increase could be in store. Continue reading...

South Uist Wind has hurled loose grains of sand into the air, scouring the steeply sloping face of the ridgeFrom a distance it appears as if a freak blizzard has left a layer of snow on the landward side of the dunes and the edges of the neighbouring fields. But what has been deposited by the wind is actually sand, the fine white sand that makes up the island’s beaches and is a key component of its coastal soils.With the exception of one or two small rocky headlands, South Uist’s western coast consists of almost unbroken beach backed by a line of dunes. These are the machair’s line of protection but they face constant onslaught from the sea and the weather. Continue reading...

The vessels were researching climate change in the Pacific before being blown off course and sending a distress signalThe Chilean navy has rescued 14 people aboard two balsa wood rafts that were swept up in strong currents hundreds of kilometres off the coast.The Kon-Tiki 1 and 2 rafts set sail in early January from Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean toward the Chilean port city of Valparaiso with the aim of documenting climate change, pollution and marine life. Continue reading...

Former Labour leader deeply critical of government cuts to green policies, such as cancelling carbon capture and storage competitionDavid Cameron’s government is to blame for overseeing the fraying of the UK’s cross-party consensus for action on climate change, according to Ed Miliband.Related: UK cancels pioneering £1bn carbon capture and storage competition Continue reading...

The mayor, state regulator, governor and the US Environmental Protection Agency all blame each other for the lead-poisoned water in the Michigan cityThree bruising congressional hearings into the Flint water crisis, possibly the gravest US public health emergency since Hurricane Katrina, have produced plenty of bluster and finger-pointing, but also troubling suggestions that America’s system of government is fundamentally broken.A procession of elected officials, mayors, regulators and an emergency manager have appeared before the inquiry since February, to be berated over how a poverty-stricken city of 100,000 people was fed poisoned water for over a year before anyone started to heed warnings that all was not well. An estimated 8,000 Flint children risk growing up with learning and developmental problems due to the lead that leached into their drinking supply. Continue reading...

Money will be made available to help build nuclear plant, says economics minister, as union repeats call for project to be shelvedThe French government has promised a financial bailout for cash-strapped energy group EDF so that it can proceed with the £18bn plan to build the first nuclear reactors in Britain for 20 years.France’s economics minister, Emmanuel Macron, said it would be a mistake for the 85% state-owned company not to build a new Hinkley Point C power plant in Somerset and he would ensure it happened. Continue reading...

A federal judge has ordered NYC housing authority to produce evidence of elevated blood lead levels and other safety issues, amid concerns over toxic paintThe US Department of Justice (DoJ) announced an investigation into the general health and safety of New York City housing authority (NYCHA) developments Wednesday, including a probe for evidence of elevated blood lead levels among residents.Related: High levels of lead found in Mississippi capital's water likened to Flint crisis Continue reading...

Switzerland-based mining company gives up looking for survivors after wall collapses at open pit mine in the Democratic Republic of CongoGlencore’s efforts to reduce fatalities among its staff have suffered a setback with the announcement that the death toll from an accident at a Congolese mine has risen to seven.Rescuers have been searching for survivors for 10 days, after the wall of an open pit mine owned by a Glencore subsidiary, Katanga, collapsed on employees performing upgrade work. It had previously reported three fatalities at the operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), saying it would keep looking for four people who were unaccounted for. Continue reading...

£540m in new funding, announced in George Osborne’s budget, means flood defence projects left unbuilt due to previous cuts will now be able to go aheadEnglish cities and towns left without planned flood defences by government cuts will now get the projects after a surprise £540m boost in funding in Wednesday’s budget.The north of England, devastated by winter floods, will get at least £150m of the new money, giving better protection for thousands of homes. Continue reading...

‘While the deal is not enough by itself, it is a major step forward,’ says former US vice president and climate campaigner during visit to PhilippinesWorld leaders must show their commitment to tackling global warming by signing the Paris climate agreement at a ceremony in April at the United Nations, climate change activist and former US vice president Al Gore said.

Michigan governor Rick Snyder, who is under pressure to resign over his response to the ongoing Flint water crisis, appeared before the House oversight committee in Congress on Thursday morning, telling members that the tragedy weighs on his mind ‘day [and] night’. Snyder has faced increasing criticism in recent weeks following revelations he was aware of the scale of the lead poisoning in the city months before he took action to address the problem Continue reading...

Communities and campaigners in Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg lobby for closure of two ageing 40-year old Belgian nuclear reactors close to bordersAn unprecedented alliance of 30 major cities and districts from three countries has joined forces to try to shut down two ageing Belgian nuclear reactors close to their borders.Cologne and Dusseldorf in Germany, Luxembourg City and Maastricht in the Netherlands are among the cities co-funding a lawsuit to close one reactor – Tihange 2 – and calling on the European commission to prepare a separate case at the European court of justice. Continue reading...

SeaWorld announced that it will end its practice of breeding killer whales, or orcas, for entertainment, stating that its current stable of 29 whales will be the last. The company has come under increasing pressure over its treatment of the animals following the 2013 documentary Blackfish, which told the story of Tilkum, a male orca that lived in captivity and was involved in the deaths of several people Continue reading...

Animal rights activists welcomed announcement, which would be effective immediately, after years of criticism over theme park’s treatment of captive orcasSeaWorld will stop breeding orca whales in captivity, the company announced on Thursday, a move applauded by animal rights activists who have been calling for an end to the public exhibition of the animals altogether for years.“By making this the last generation of orcas in our care and reimagining how guests will experience these beautiful animals, we are fulfilling our mission of providing visitors to our parks with experiences that matter,” said Joel Manby, president and CEO of SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. Continue reading...

Scientists hope monitoring the ice through winter, as well as summer, will give insight into the effect of winds, clouds, snow and sun on melt ratesA research ship will spend an entire year adrift with the ice floes of the Arctic to better understand the disappearance of the polar ice cap.

Jackson residents stunned as elevated levels of lead were found in drinking water last year but officials didn’t issue a warning until January

Getting a bike is a obviously good start, but what else should you look for to guarantee a fun and safe ride?The debate around helmets continues, but if you are a new cyclist, or starting to cycling a bit faster, protecting your head is a good idea. In terms of safety, most helmets are created equal (make sure it has a European CE EN 1078 sticker) and be very careful if you buy a second-hand lid as helmets are made for one impact and are then useless. To be safe, always purchase a new helmet from a reputable bike shop and dispose old helmets. Continue reading...

Know Gorky Park from Golden Gate? Central Park from the Summer Garden? We’ve stripped out street names and lost labels – can you recognise the cities?Images by Bing Maps/Guardian Imaging

Doubling the share of clean energy in the global energy mix would create more jobs, save millions of lives and limit global warming, say researchersDoubling the share of renewables in the global energy mix to 36% by 2030 could save the world economy up to $4.2tn a year, research by the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) showed on Wednesday.Renewable sources, such as wind and solar, accounted for around 18% of global energy consumption in 2014. Under existing national policies, the share of renewables is forecast to reach 21% by 2030. Continue reading...

So says the Scottish government, but for many in the land reform movement a new act represents unfinished businessWith plaudits like “radical”, “transformative”, and “new dawn for land reform” being thrown about by the Scottish government, the land reform (Scotland) bill had its final passage through Holyrood late on Wednesday evening.

No longer happy working in media and advertising, Mea Trenor gave it all up to go back to school for zoology. Now she’s racing to save an endangered frog from extinction – if only she can find it first.

Chancellor earmarks funds from small rise in insurance premium tax to help regions ravaged by floods over the winterThe UK regions hit by the winter floods are set to benefit from an extra £700m to boost flood defences, after the chancellor announced another rise in insurance premium tax and earmarked the cash raised to flood-damaged towns.George Osborne said he would hike the standard rate of IPT by half a percentage point to 10%, and use the proceeds to top up a fund designed to prevent repeats of the carnage that afflicted communities in the north of England and Scotland over the winter. It is the second time in recent months the chancellor has increased IPT. In November it was hiked from 6% to 9.5%. Continue reading...

Crook, County Durham Each frozen dawn shortens the fuse that releases the explosion of growth when spring arrivesIt was a dawn that almost made me wish that winter might last a little longer. The sun was rising over frosted grass into a cloudless sky. A crystalline morning beckoned, payback for those mildest-on-record months with their grey skies and rain that lasted from daybreak until dusk.I shielded my eyes against shafts of sunlight that speared through the hawthorns and highlighted the fresh green growth of goosegrass. A hedge sparrow, singing from its perch on top of the hedge, was surrounded in a halo of light. Continue reading...

Decision to broaden scope of offsets opposed by staff at the Office of Environment and HeritagePlanting trees on old mine sites can count as an “offset”, allowing miners to destroy native ecosystems elsewhere, despite documents showing government staff recommended against the move.The revelations appear in documents obtained under freedom of information laws by the NSW Nature Conservation Council and revealed by Fairfax Media. Continue reading...

Free public transport offered as city remains shrouded in muddy brown smog and officials consider suspending industrial activityAuthorities have banned more than 1 million cars from the roads and offered free subway and bus rides to coax people from their vehicles as Mexico City’s first air pollution alert in 11 years stretched into a third day.Officials advised people on Wednesday to limit outdoor activity owing to high ozone levels that were nearly double acceptable limits in the sprawling capital, which lies in a high-altitude valley ringed by smog-trapping volcanic mountains. Continue reading...

Taipei’s YouBike program nearly collapsed four years ago. It now thrives after a much-needed upgrade made the bikes better and cheaper to rentTAIPEI, Taiwan – Taipei’s rental bikes are hard to miss. The Taiwanese capital has 7,264 of them, and their distinctive orange frames, yellow fenders and smiley face logo are nearly as common in some parts of town as the city’s ubiquitous motor scooters. Last year, the city’s bike rental program logged more than 20m trips, a stunning figure that becomes slightly less surprising when one considers that the bikes rent for as little as $0.15 per half hour from 222 self-service, card-activated storage lots.Related: Return of the Bicycle Kingdom? How pavement cycling is transforming Taipei Continue reading...

The murder of another member of Berta Cáceres’ activist organisation Copinh comes amid growing fears for the safety of her colleagues and family membersAnother indigenous activist has been murdered in Honduras amid an escalating wave of repression against the relatives and colleagues of renowned campaigner Berta Cáceres, who was murdered less than two weeks ago.Nelson García, 38, an active member of the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organisations of Honduras (Copinh) was killed on Tuesday after a violent eviction carried out by Honduran security forces in a nearby Lenca indigenous community. Continue reading...

George Osborne introduces budget measures to help North Sea industry which is forecast to make losses until at least 2021The North Sea oil industry, once a huge moneyspinner for the Treasury, is set to become a £1bn burden for the taxpayer next year as the plunging crude price hits revenues.

Policies on renewables and the Great Barrier Reef will also influence the way people vote, according to Lonergan pollAlmost half of Australian voters say policies on climate change, renewable energy and the Great Barrier Reef will influence the way they vote at the next federal election, according to new polling shared exclusively with Guardian Australia.The nationwide poll of 1,048 people over the weekend found 47% of people agreed or strongly agreed that “climate change and renewable energy will influence the way I vote at this year’s federal election”. Continue reading...