Investigators uncover widespread fraud which allows traders to register ivory as ‘legal’ despite coming from endangered sourcesJapan is fuelling the trade in illegal ivory and undermining international efforts to protect Africa’s elephants by failing to crack down on illegal registration practices, according to a report released today.

Foreign affairs minister earns mock award for claim that ‘coal will remain critical to promoting prosperity, growing economies and alleviating hunger for years’Australia has finally won the “fossil of the day” award – bestowed each day by young climate activists at big international climate summits.

In the third in a series of films for Guardian Australia, Olandi Pearson, an elder from the island of Poruma in the Torres Strait, walks the shoreline of his home to show the effects of erosion caused by climate change. Pearson was born on Poruma but was forced to leave in 1964 owing to a water shortage. Since his return in 1985 he has kept a close eye on rising sea levels and coastal erosion, hoping something will be done to stop the sand disappearing Continue reading...

After more than 20 years of negotiations, the next 48 hours are seen as crunch time in reaching a deal to avoid dangerous temperature riseAustralia has warned against stripping the Paris climate agreement of ambition in order to get some kind of deal as negotiators met to consider yet another draft agreement.

When disasters happen we look for an explanation. This week’s extreme rainfall in the north-west of the UK will be no exception. Honister, in Cumbria, had a record-breaking 341mm of rainfall within 24 hours, breaking the previous record of 316mm set at nearby Seathwaite in November 2009. More than 5,200 properties have been affected by the recent flooding, and insurers estimate a bill of as much as £250m to clean up the mess.Just like November 2009, Cumbria this season has been affected by an “atmospheric river”, a narrow ribbon of very moist air, stretching back over thousands of kilometres. About 10 potentially damaging atmospheric rivers pummel the UK each winter, but this one was particularly strong. Continue reading...

Signing declaration at the Paris climate talks ‘recognises the role a carbon market might play after 2020’, foreign minister Julie Bishop saysAustralia has signed a Paris declaration calling for new clear rules for international carbon trading in a signal the Coalition’s six-year carbon pricing policy veto could be softening as it prepares to review its climate policy in 2017.

Despite agreeing on need for bold plans to protect vulnerable countries from rising seas, gaps remain in latest draft text, with next 48 hours crucialNearly 200 governments honing in on a deal to fight climate change have set lofty aspirations for protecting vulnerable countries from rising seas, but delegates said there were still gaps in the latest draft of an agreement.

Critics including Greenpeace UK say proposals affecting solar panels and wind turbines make a mockery of David Cameron’s claims to climate leadershipThe government has shocked the renewable energy industry by proposing a massive hike in VAT on solar panels and wind turbines from next summer.The moves, announced by the revenue and customs authority, HMRC, made “a mockery of (David) Cameron’s claims to climate leadership” say critics and come amid proposed cuts of almost 90% in some solar subsidies. Continue reading...

Storm Desmond washed us out too, say Northumberland residents who feel abandoned by media and government“There’s been so much on the TV about Cumbria and the north-west – but what about us?” asked Andy Feeley as he helped his brother Ian clear his ruined house in the pretty town of Corbridge, Northumberland. Sodden carpets, muddy sofa cushions and soggy kitchen units were heaped up in the back garden, the shed tipped on its side, tools spewing out on to the grass.“They kept showing an aerial shot of Carlisle football pitch, but they could just as easily have come here and shown our rugby and cricket pitches under water,” he said on Wednesday, gesturing to the waterlogged fields behind him, where fish were swimming in the car park a day earlier. Continue reading...

Study raises concerns over accelerating climate change as the icy mass under state’s surface releases carbon into atmosphereUp to a quarter of the permafrost that lies underneath the surface of Alaska could melt by the end of the century, spewing long-held carbon into the atmosphere and helping accelerate climate change, US government scientists have predicted.The US Geological Survey used satellite and on-ground data to estimate that 38% of mainland Alaska has permafrost, a band of soil, rock or sediment that is frozen underground for at least two consecutive years. In Fairbanks, Alaska, the soil has been frozen for several thousand years at just 30 to 40cm underground, with only the upper level of soil thawing every summer before freezing again in winter. Continue reading...

Thousands of my constituents in South Lakeland have been forced out by floods again. But the high number of second homes are a perfect temporary solutionOn Saturday, Storm Desmond unleashed upon Kendal some of the worst floods in living memory, as the river Kent burst its banks and water gushed through the streets. By the next morning, the appalling scale of the damage was clear. Flooding had affected more than 1,400 homes in the area, forcing huge numbers of residents to evacuate their homes, and leaving countless more with irreparable damage.Walking around areas such as Sandylands the next day, I was shocked by the damage the water had wrought. One local resident had lived there for more than 60 years, yet had never experienced flooding on this scale before. People had torrents of filthy water pouring into their homes. It was heartbreaking to see people, many of whom are not covered by insurance, carrying piles of sodden, ruined belongings out of their floodswept homes. Continue reading...

Unlike Arthur Boyt of Cornwall, I’d never have dolphin on the menu in my house, no matter how it died. Here are my personal guidelines on such mattersThere’s been no end of speculation about the palaeolithic diet, and most of it is nonsense. There’s a simpler description of what our ancient ancestors were likely to have eaten than the precise diets on which various mountebanks insist: whatever they came across.This would have varied greatly from place to place and season to season. The remarkable saltmarsh excavations at Goldcliff on the Severn estuary provide us with a few glimpses of how the mesolithic hunter-gatherers who lived there some 8,000 years ago might have survived. Continue reading...

People who fled their homes when the water rose in early 2014 say the hardest part was coming back and seeing all the work to be done“I really do feel for those poor people in Cumbria,” said Margaret Lock, a 72-year-old carer. “They are in for a very difficult time. For me, the worst wasn’t leaving. It was the coming back that was most traumatic, seeing the mess and realising there was so much work to do.”Lock has firsthand experience of what is it like to be driven from a beloved home by flooding. She was one of the scores of residents who had to flee when murky, smelly water spilled into homes in the villages of Moorland and Fordgate on the Somerset Levels in February 2014. Continue reading...

The first unassisted expedition to the North Pole took place in 1990; 25 years later the effects of global warming mean the trip is almost impossible. A new TV shows takes a look at the ‘final’ race to the poleYou don’t need to be in Paris this week to get in on the climate change conversation. Watching modern explorers attempt to get to the North Pole while an ice cap melts around them might be enough to get even the staunchest of global warming apologists thinking. That’s the set-up for Melting: Last Race to the Pole, a reality show/expedition that details what its creators are claiming could be the final trip to the North Pole before the impact of climate change makes the journey impossible.

Ten people arrested during demonstration against Paris museum’s sponsorship deals with major oil companies Total and EniTen activists have been arrested inside the Louvre in Paris after protesting against oil sponsorship of the museum.The group, clad in black, walked barefoot through an “oil spill” created by molasses poured on the museum’s marble floor. Meanwhile, hundreds of artists and activists gathered by the pyramid outside the museum with black umbrellas painted in white with the words “fossil free culture”.

John Kerry’s promise of $861m by 2020 marks final push by the US to reach a global climate dealThe US has promised to double to $861m aid to countries on the frontline of climate change in the final push to reach an agreement to avoid dangerous global warming at crucial UN talks in Paris.As the negotiations moved into their critical final phase, the White House said the US would deepen its commitment to help low-lying and poor countries that are already threatened by rising seas and powerful storms. Continue reading...

Public accounts committee to question officials over ‘persistent rows’ between civil servants that damaged delivery of £1.8bn EU subsidiesA government programme to deliver £1.8bn of EU payments to farmers has been undermined by rifts between senior civil servants, MPs will hear on Wednesday.The public accounts committee will question officials over “persistent rows” between staff from the Rural Payments Agency and the Government Digital Service at a hearing. Continue reading...

Footage recorded by Kinder mountain rescue on Sunday shows how the team carefully makes its way around residential streets in Carlisle that have been flooded as a result of Storm Desmond. They carry out house-to-house checks and come across several residents trapped by water that was still rising as this was filmed

Devastation wrought at Brunton Park stadium has ruined weddings as well as the team’s preparations, but a spirit of solidarity prevailsBride-to-be Sophie Watters was inconsolable when she saw pictures of Carlisle United’s submerged stadium on television – and not only because she’s a huge fan of the club.Watters, 28, and her fiancé Richard Cakans, 38, were due to have their wedding reception at Brunton Park this Saturday. But those plans now lie in ruins thanks to Storm Desmond.

Insurance firm Aviva and major funds in the UK, Norway and France join forces to put pressure on big corporations to clean up their electricity sourcesA new £352bn coalition of investors including large insurer Aviva and major public and private funds in the UK, Norway and France has been launched to put pressure on some of the world’s biggest corporations to clean up their electricity sources.Aviva Investors – the £267bn arm of one of the UK’s biggest insurers – is one of 20 founding members of the initiative, which launches on Wednesday in Paris as negotiators at UN climate talks work against the clock to thrash out a new deal on limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Continue reading...

Beijing’s authorities have issued an air pollution red alert. People have complained of dry throats, bleeding noses and respiratory problems. Almost half of the Chinese city’s 5m cars have been banned from the roads, schools and nurseries have been shut and construction sites closed down. But many Beijing residents doubt the alert will help combat the blanket of smog Continue reading...

Chancellor says homes and businesses affected by torrential rains and waterlogged streets will receive support via cash given to local authoritiesGeorge Osborne has announced a £50m repair and renew scheme for Cumbria and Lancashire in the wake of the floods, promising businesses and homeowners they will quickly receive the help that they need.The chancellor made the announcement at prime minister’s questions, where he was standing in for David Cameron who is travelling to Poland to continue his talks on European Union reform. Continue reading...

German carmaker boosted by news carbon dioxide rigging claims apply to just 36,000 cars, instead of 800,000 figure it warned ofVolkswagen has said the number of cars with irregular carbon dioxide levels is far lower than originally feared, providing some much-needed respite for the beleaguered German carmarker.The company warned last month that CO2 emissions levels and fuel consumption figures may have been rigged in 800,000 cars. However, VW now believes that only about 36,000 vehicles are affected. Continue reading...

The Holy See is lending itself to environmentalism with a special public art installation timed to coincide with the final stretch of climate negotiations in Paris. The facade of St Peter’s Basilica was turned into a massive backdrop for a photo light show by Obscura Digital about nature organised by humanitarian organisations titled Fiat Lux: Illuminating our Common Home Continue reading...

Families and business owners begin the huge task of cleaning up after floods caused by Storm Desmond. For some whose houses have been severely damaged, this is not their first experience of such flooding. Sixteen flood alerts remain in place across Cumbria and Lancashire. Further heavy rain is forecast for Cumbria on Wednesday Continue reading...

Photographs from the Eyewitness series Continue reading...

Rural residents are stockpiling supplies after poor harvest leads to fears for shortages during cold season Continue reading...

Warming has been the ultimate ‘threat multiplier’ in fragile countries, fuelling conflict and extremism. We must build resilience, and with it a climate of peaceIn Paris this week, world leaders are working to agree a robust climate deal to curb greenhouse gas emissions. They are also grappling with how to tackle the pervasive threat of terror. The aim in both cases is to safeguard the right of current and future generations to live safe, secure and fulfilled lives. The fact that the climate conference is taking place in Paris grimly underscores this duality. But it isn’t simply that tackling climate change and insecurity are parallel challenges. They are linked risks that need to be met with linked responses.Even if we get the best possible global agreement to cut emissions in Paris, the effects of warming already in the system will play out for at least the next two decades, with an impact on conflict, security and fragility. Climate change plays a role in the ongoing political conflicts in Darfur and Mali, and in food insecurity across the Sahel. Climate change has also complicated conflicts linked to the Arab spring, most notably in Syria. Continue reading...

Environment Agency says up to 58mm of rain could fall overnight, potentially hampering recovery of areas worst-hit by flooding at the weekendHeavy rain is forecast to return to Cumbria with up to 12 hours of rainfall and further flooding possible, residents in the county have been warned.

Lauren St John on why losing Africa’s unicorn because of human greed and wickedness would be to lose something irreplaceable Continue reading...

Oslo is the latest city to announce plans which shift the focus away from cars – by banning all private vehicles from the centre by 2019. Car-free days have slashed pollution in Paris while new eco-cities are aiming to design out the need for vehicles – but will cars in cities ever be consigned to history?When Oslo revealed plans to ban all private vehicles from the centre by 2019, it joined a lengthening list of cities seeking to shift the focus away from cars and towards greener, citizen-focused mobility solutions.Around 7 million people globally are estimated to die from air pollution every year, not to mention the millions more killed in accidents involving motor vehicles. Continue reading...

Jonathan Scott: The poisoning of members of the Marsh Pride, the world’s best known lions, highlights the need for a lasting solution to human–wildlife conflict in AfricaOn Sunday morning (6 December 2015) news broke of the poisoning of members of the Marsh Pride. These are the lions that Angela and I have followed since 1977 and were the stars of our “Big Cat” TV series, that documented the fascinating and often tumultuous life of the pride over a period of more than 12 years.The Marsh Pride occupies a territory on the edge of the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, one of Africa’s foremost protected areas. All members of the “big five” (lion, leopard, African elephant, African buffalo, and black rhinoceros) are found on the vast plains of the Mara, plus a wealth of other wildlife. Continue reading...

Calls for Italy to ban palm oil on health and environmental grounds are challenged by those who believe boycotts are not the best way forwardMozzarella, ciabatta, Parma ham … when considering Italy’s culinary landscape, palm oil is unlikely to feature high on the list – if at all. Yet the Mediterranean country is the EU’s second largest (pdf) importer of the oil, which some estimate is found in 90% of biscuits and baked goods in Italian supermarkets. Continue reading...

Two charges of wilfully contravening a condition of environmental authority are referred to a higher court after a three-day committal hearingClive Palmer’s embattled Queensland Nickel company has been ordered to stand trial over alleged environmental breaches at its refinery near Townsville.Related: Clive Palmer makes hasty exit after meeting with Queensland treasurer Continue reading...

Two men – including one who works for the Gabon’s forest department – arrested after huge haul of ivory seized by authorities fighting poachingThe central African state of Gabon, home to half of Africa’s endangered forest elephants, has impounded more than 200kg (440lb) of ivory in what may be its largest seizure ever.Gabon is seeking to promote ecotourism and has poured money into protecting its 50,000 forest elephants, prized by ivory poachers for their particularly hard, straight tusks. Continue reading...

Beneath thick hazardous smog Beijing restricted the use of cars, shut schools and halted outdoor construction after issuing its highest-ever red pollution alert, which came into effect early on Tuesday Continue reading...

In the second of a series of films for Guardian Australia, two health workers who live in the Torres Strait Islands explain the impact of climate change on the local people and the trauma and uncertainty of king tides and annual flooding. But relocation would bring its own challenges for a hopeful community with such close ties to their environment Continue reading...

Lib Dems and Labour round on government over postponed scheme to protect Cumbrian town of KendalThe government’s spending on flood defences has come under criticism after it emerged that a prevention scheme for the Cumbrian town of Kendal, which was submerged by up to 5ft (1.5 metres) of water after the weekend’s storm, was repeatedly postponed.

US secretary of state expects a slog in the next 72 hours as governments seek to reach an agreement, but he voices optimism: ‘Consensus is slowly being built’John Kerry, the US secretary of state, has said governments trying to reach a climate agreement in Paris face a tough fight in the 72 hours remaining to reach a deal.The talks move into the endgame on Wednesday, when the French hosts produce a new draft text for review by the 195 assembled countries. Continue reading...

Alliance representing more than 100 countries, including US, shows developed and developing world can work together, says EU climate chiefA coalition representing more than 100 countries, formed in secrecy six months ago, has emerged at key UN talks in Paris to push for a legally binding global and ambitious deal on climate change.The “high ambition coalition” speaks for the majority of the 195 countries at the crunch conference and consists of 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, the US and all of EU member states. But notable exceptions include major developing countries such as China and India. Continue reading...