Environment | The Guardian

Action helps thwart advance of invasive yellow-legged hornet that can kill 50 bees a day and has devastated honeybee colonies in France and ItalyRapid action against an invasive bee-killing hornet has stopped its spread in the UK despite suitable climate and habitat for the insect, a study has found.Research led by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) looked at how suitable European countries were for the yellow-legged or Asian hornet to become established, and how they might have spread without action. Continue reading...

Changing state guidelines to lift the wind speed at which turbines start spinning won't notably affect energy generated, government consultants say

Contamination thought to stem from the heavy application of pesticides containing TFA, a type of PFASMineral water from several European nations has been found for the first time to be contaminated with TFA, a type of PFAS forever chemical" that is a reproductive toxicant accumulating at alarming levels across the globe.The finding is startling because mineral water should be pristine and insulated from manmade chemicals. The contamination is thought to stem from the heavy application of pesticides containing TFA, or compounds that turn into it in the environment, which are used throughout the world. Continue reading...

Climate researchers share theories behind apparent surge, though none have a full understanding yet of what has happenedScientists are still puzzling over the reasons behind a streak of unexpected, record heat that scorched 2023 and into this year, sparking fears that the climate crisis could be moving faster than previously thought.Is it the clouds? Or shipping? Or maybe a huge volcanic eruption? Continue reading...

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Our natural soundscapes are falling silent as bird populations decline. To improve our lives, we must invest in conservationImagine you're walking across rolling hills that stretch for miles, with warm sunshine and the chirping of birds all around.This peaceful and serene scene is an increasingly rare one in the modern world.It goes to show how important nature is for humanity on so many levels and hopefully a study like this supports more investment and help in retaining as well as improving our natural soundscapes. Continue reading...

UK Energy Research Centre says there is very little room for error' to avoid delays and protect vulnerable peopleLabour's plan to switch to a clean power system by 2030 faces significant challenges" to avoid delays and prevent vulnerable households paying higher bills, experts have warned.The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) has said there is very little room for error" in meeting the government's plan to create a 95% low-carbon electricity grid by the end of the decade. Continue reading...

Developers in England deliver 53% of features such as trees and bird boxes demanded in planning permissions, study saysNearly half of the nature-friendly enhancements promised by developers building new homes have failed to materialise, according to a study of almost 6,000 new houses.Developers are failing to keep legally binding pledges to boost wildlife when building new homes, according to the survey by University of Sheffield academics for Wild Justice. Continue reading...

A dozen marine scientists, film-makers, musicians and conservationists, including Tim Winton, John Butler and Dr Ben Fitzpatrick, have made an epic voyage to Scott Reef, one of Australia's wildest and most remote coral reefs, to document the threats posed by Woodside's Browse gas proposal. Woodside's Burrup Hub is the biggest new fossil fuel project in the southern hemisphere and, if approved, would emit more than 6bn tonnes of CO2 by 2070

From farm workers in Brazil to India and the US midwest, shifting to a schedule where it's dark out could mean dangerous conditions and less foodThis story was produced by Grist and co-published with the Guardian.For years, Josana Pinto da Costa ventured out every morning on to the waterways lining Obidos, Brazil, in a small fishing boat. Gliding over the murky, churning currents of the Amazon River basin, her flat nets brought in writhing hauls. Continue reading...

Marginalised communities have been elevated during hearings in The Hague on impact of climate crisisThe village of Veraibari in Papua New Guinea sits at the mouth of the Kikori River, just before it opens into the Pacific. Veraibari was so beautiful when I was a child," remembers Ara Kouwo, 52. I used to walk down to the beach passing under mango trees."Kouwo's testimony was one of many included in written submissions to the international court of justice (ICJ) before hearings that began last week and continue until Friday in a landmark case in which the court has been asked to give an advisory opinion on the obligations of states in respect of climate change". Continue reading...

Residents accuse the oil firm of overstating the benefits of its ethane cracker plant - and playing down the harmsNadine Luci lives on a breezy hill south-western Pennsylvania, but hardly ever opens her windows for fear the air outside is harming her.I have to live in a cocoon year-round," she said. Continue reading...

Palau plans to allow more fishing in its marine sanctuary, as countries across the region seek to balance conservation with economic needsDotted across the north-west of the Pacific Ocean, the limestone islands of Palau rise like forested domes. Beneath the waves, reefs pulse with activity - fish dart through coral gardens, turtles drift nearby, while sharks with black-tipped fins shadow a passing tourist boat.Nearly a decade ago, the country took a bold step to safeguard this vibrant seascape, declaring 80% of its waters a no-fishing sanctuary.Ngerukewid, also known as the Seventy Islands', is a group of dozens of small, raised coral islands nestled within Palau's lagoon. Continue reading...

Move to ban TCE and perc, commonly used in everyday products, will make it hard for Trump to undo rulesThe US Environmental Protection Agency has banned perc and TCE, toxic chemicals that are widely used in everyday products but strongly linked to cancer and other serious health problems.The move comes after the first Donald Trump administration killed the process to limit the chemicals' uses, but the bans make it difficult for the second Trump administration to undo the rules. Continue reading...

Harnessing wind, hydro and maybe geothermal power, the tiny Canary Island of El Hierro is blazing a trail for sustainable energy - and the secret is all in the mix

Research done with the help of citizen science shows male humpback completed almost twice the typical migration distance

From rural buses to solar panels, our Green agenda has been transformative. Yet, vested interests and big polluters helped to poison the well of public thinking

Thinktank founder says recent attempts to build new towns are depressing, unsustainable and stupid'Labour should build 12 new towns in England that are not car-dependent or built on flood plains, a former government adviser has said in a report.A detailed plan for a dozen new towns, proposed by thinktanks Britain Remade and Create Streets, would mean 550,000 well-designed and appropriately located homes. The new homes would boost the economy by 13-28bn annually by improving access to high-paying jobs in well-connected cities, according to the report. Continue reading...

US Fish and Wildlife Service extends protections to iconic' insects, who experts say may not survive climate crisisThe US Fish and Wildlife Service announced a decision on Tuesday to extend federal protections to monarch butterflies after years of warnings from environmentalists that populations are shrinking and the beloved pollinator may not survive the climate crisis.Officials plans to add the butterfly to the threatened species list by the end of next year following an extensive public comment period. Continue reading...

Drastic shift driven by frequent wildfires, pushing surface air temperatures to second-warmest on record since 1900The Arctic tundra is undergoing a dramatic transformation, driven by frequent wildfires that are turning it into a net source of carbon dioxide emissions after millennia of acting as a carbon sink, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) said on Tuesday.This drastic shift is detailed in Noaa's 2024 Arctic Report Card, which revealed that annual surface air temperatures in the Arctic this year were the second-warmest on record since 1900. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Glenn Platt says opposition leader's lazy' response to report undermines science

Friends of the Earth calls on government to rein in growth of datacentres for fear they could increase fossil fuel useIreland has allowed itself to become a data dumping ground" for big technology companies such as Amazon and Meta which are monopolising clean energy generation for their datacentres, campaigners claim.They say the growth of the cloud storage sector in Ireland is so rapid it is threatening the country's legally binding decarbonisation commitments. Continue reading...

Backers of blocked Utah railway proposal want justices to narrow scope of 50-year-old environmental legislationThe future of environmental safeguards protecting communities, wildlife and waterways from harm will be considered by the US supreme court on Tuesday, in a case about a proposed oil train that threatens to upend five decades of legal precedent.The case brought by Utah's Seven County Infrastructure Coalition and Uinta Basin Railway LLC is asking the supreme court to overturn a federal appeals court decision blocking the approval of an 88-mile railway through the Uinta Basin in north-eastern Utah. The railway's backers want the court to narrow the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act (Nepa) - the country's landmark environmental legislation passed by Congress and signed by Richard Nixon in 1970. Continue reading...

Government should point to evidence of FSA licensing of additive, says chair of environment and climate change committeeThe government must urgently reassure consumers that feed additives given to cattle to reduce methane emissions are harmless, and a vital tool in tackling the climate crisis, the chair of an influential parliamentary committee has warned.Lady Sheehan, chair of the environment and climate change committee of the House of Lords, called on ministers to step up as a row has blown up over the prospective use of the additive Bovaer in British dairy herds supplying Arla, the dairy company. Continue reading...

European Commission scientific advisers say technology to offset global heating could wreak havoc on weatherEurope should ban space mirrors, cloud whitening and other untested tools being touted to reflect the sun's rays, the European Commission's scientific advisers have warned, but said the door should be left open for research into their development.The scientists said the risks and benefits of solar radiation modification (SRM) - also known as solar geoengineering - were highly uncertain". They called for an EU-wide moratorium on using it as a way to offset global heating. Continue reading...

Energy company's deal with Japan's Jera will allow it to focus on exploiting oil and gas assets

Conservation groups join those who helped plant woodland in opposing expansion of bottling plantHarrogate Spring Water, which is owned by the multinational Danone, is planning to cut down a wood planted by schoolchildren in order to expand its bottling factory in the North Yorkshire town.Two primary schools, along with other local volunteers, helped to plant 450 trees in a project aimed at fighting climate breakdown organised by the Rotary Club of Harrogate almost 20 years ago. Continue reading...

An area nearly a third larger than India turned permanently arid in past three decades, research showsAn area of land nearly a third larger than India has turned from humid conditions to dryland - arid areas where agriculture is difficult - in the past three decades, research has found.Drylands now make up 40% of all land on Earth, excluding Antarctica. Three-quarters of the world's land suffered drier conditions in the past 30 years, which is likely to be permanent, according to the study by the UN Science Policy Interface, a body of scientists convened by the United Nations. Continue reading...

For every 1 spent on renewable energy projects, only 25p was invested in connecting them to grid, report findsThe UK is lagging behind in the race to rewire the world's power grids by investing four times more on renewable energy projects than on the electricity cables needed to connect them to the grid and consumers, according to a new report.For every pound the UK has spent on renewables it has spent only 25p on the cables and power lines, claims the report by Bloomberg NEF, which placed the UK eighth in an index of the world's 10 biggest energy markets. Continue reading...

Social media sites have become crucial tools for the sale of endangered species and platforms should do more to combat it, say expertsWhen the baby parrots were delivered to Alice Soares de Oliveira's desk they had no feathers and could barely open their eyes. Housed in a dirty cardboard box, the pair were barely a month old, and showed signs of underfeeding.The parrots - along with a pair of young toucans that arrived just under a month later - were victims of wildlife traffickers. Snatched by poachers, perhaps from their mother's nest, they were all advertised for sale on social media. Continue reading...

Average global temperature in November was 1.62C above preindustrial levels, bringing average for the year to 1.60CThis year is now almost certain to be the hottest year on record, data shows. It will also be the first to have an average temperature of more than 1.5C above preindustrial levels, marking a further escalation of the climate crisis.Data for November from the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) found the average global surface temperature for the month was 1.62C above the level before the mass burning of fossil fuels drove up global heating. With data for 11 months of 2024 now available, scientists said the average for the year is expected to be 1.60C, exceeding the record set in 2023 of 1.48C. Continue reading...

Drivers killed when vehicles were hit by falling trees, while quarter of a million people had power cut

National science agency dismisses argument nuclear's economics have not been adequately considered in new draft report

Male players must step up and add their voice to the campaign to stop our sport being sold out to the big polluters causing climate changeAt the Cop29 climate conference last month Sofie Junge Pedersen and Katie Rood again called for Fifa to drop its sponsorship deal with the Saudi Arabian state oil company Aramco. They were among more than 130 female players who signed an open letter in October that described the partnership as a middle finger to women's football" that will do real damage to people and our planet.After the letter was published, I spoke out in support of their initiative. I hoped other professional male players would join me. The women were widely applauded for speaking out but their male counterparts have not followed suit. On Wednesday, Fifa is poised to confirm Saudi Arabia as the host of the 2034 men's World Cup. Continue reading...

PM vows to overrule local authority heads who resist housing revolution amid concerns from wildlife groups and Labour-run administrations On wokeness, patriotism and change, Kamala Harris's defeat has lessons for StarmerKeir Starmer has warned local leaders that he will not hesitate to overrule them if they attempt to dodge their responsibilities" in approving new homes, amid growing concerns among wildlife groups and councils over his plans for a housing revolution.The prime minister has placed a pledge to build 1.5m new homes in England by the next election at the heart of his government's plans. Continue reading...

Hot, dry conditions bring numerous species into contact with people and pets, and not just in the bush. It's good to know which is which

Plans of deportation and trade wars should concern farmers, yet they backed him by a three-to-one marginEvery year, farmers in California's Central valley heavily rely on the labor of hundreds of thousands of immigrant agricultural workers to grow and harvest their crops.But for many in a region that produces one-quarter of the country's food, president-elect Donald Trump's promise to deport millions of undocumented migrants - a move that could result in national agricultural output falling by up to $60bn - is not a threat to their livelihoods. Continue reading...

The best of this week's wildlife photographs from around the world Continue reading...

New research estimates a 32% increase in deaths of people under 35 if greenhouse gases not radically cutExtreme heat fueled by the climate crisis is often viewed as primarily a problem for vulnerable segments of the population, such as elderly people. But it is people aged under 35 that are set to suffer the brunt of heat-related deaths as temperatures climb, new research has suggested.While older people are susceptible to heatwaves, they currently make up the bulk of cold-related deaths. As the world heats up, it will be younger people that will suffer disproportionately as the mortality burden shifts, with the new study estimating a 32% increase in deaths of people under 35 years old this century from heat if greenhouse gases emissions aren't radically cut. Continue reading...

Former and current NFL and WNBA stars are ushering in a wave of athlete-farmers who see farming as a greater missionWhen Jason Brown speaks to schoolchildren, they clamor to hear about his seven-year NFL career. A mountain of a man who stood six-three and weighed 330lbs in his prime, he excelled at center - gridiron speak for the innermost lineman who initiates offensive plays by snapping" the ball between his legs to the quarterback.Brown entered the draft in 2005 after standout years at the University of North Carolina. He quickly gained a reputation for being a human plow who relentlessly cleared pathways for some of the game's best. He got paid well for it, signing a $20m free-agent contract with the St Louis Rams in 2009. At 26, he was the position's highest paid player in the league, and he bought the toys to show it: the MTV Cribs-style house, the flashy cars to match. Continue reading...

Here are some of the standout images from the 2024 Nature Conservancy Oceania photo contest.The 2024 contest saw close to 2,000 entries from photographers in Australia, New Zealand, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea

High voltage required to use Aemo's emergency backstop is a bit like stopping a car by driving into a tree, Vince Garrone says

Campaigners want rethink of national policy because of wasteful knock-it-down-and-start-again approach'Campaigners are calling for planning rules to consider the environmental implications of knocking down buildings after a controversial redevelopment of Marks & Spencer's historic store on London's Oxford Street was given the green light by the government.Save Britain's Heritage said national policy should consider the embedded carbon linked to a site when considering its future and prioritise reuse of historic buildings amid the climate crisis alongside issues such as preserving important architecture. Continue reading...

The overwhelming majority of Europeans support climate action, but they must be compensated for its costs in tangible waysThis year was not an easy time to be Green. Green parties took a beating in June's European elections, with their seat count plummeting from 71 to 53. In national elections they haven't fared much better. The Green party was nearly wiped out in last week's general election in Ireland, losing all but one of its seats after having been part of a coalition government.At the same time, climate-sceptic parties framing environmental policies as elitist and unfair have surged across the continent. In Germany, for instance, the far-right AfD owes some of its electoral success to its rallying cry against an emerging eco-dictatorship".Bjorn Bremer is an assistant professor of political science at Central European University and a John F Kennedy Memorial fellow at Harvard University. Jane Gingrich is a professor of social policy at the University of Oxford. Hanna Schwander is a professor of political sociology and social policy at the Humboldt University of Berlin. They are all co-conveners of the Progressive Politics Research Network, whose findings are published here Continue reading...

The forests are home to eagles, smelly lichen and fungus that looks like intestines, say conservationists battling to save themBritain's rare rainforests are home to wildlife from eagles to the world's largest slugs and lichen that looks like dragon skin, say conservationists battling to save them.The Woodland Trust has unveiled a list of 11 weird and wonderful" species that make their home in and around temperate rainforests found in the south-west and north-west of England, Wales and Scotland. Continue reading...

Couple discovered animal in their driveway in northern Ontario, where climate crisis can change bear behaviourA man who leapt on" a polar bear to protect his wife in a northern First Nations community in Canada is expected to fully recover from the severe injuries he sustained in the attack.But experts caution that changing environmental conditions will lead to a shift in where and when polar bears are spotted, increasing the risk of surprise encounters. Continue reading...

Some media outlets are already offering forecasts nearly three weeks out - but the BoM advises people to check in on 18 December

Tight correlation' between premium rises and counties deemed most at risk from climate crisis, experts sayConcern over the climate crisis may evaporate in the White House from January, but its financial costs are now starkly apparent to Americans in the form of soaring home insurance premiums - with those in the riskiest areas for floods, storms and wildfires suffering the steepest rises of all.A mounting toll of severe hurricanes, floods, fires and other extreme events has caused average premiums to leap since 2020, with parts of the US most prone to disasters bearing the brunt. A climate crisis is starting to stir an insurance crisis. Continue reading...

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New liquefied natural gas projects could produce 10 gigatonnes of emissions by the end of the decade, close to the annual emissions of all coal plantsA $200bn wave of new gas projects could lead to a climate bomb" equivalent to releasing the annual emissions of all the world's operating coal power plants, according to a report.Large banks have invested $213bn into plans to build terminals that export and import gas that is chilled and shipped on ocean tankers. But a report has warned that they could be more damaging than coal power. Continue reading...