Hotline set up in Japan's capital to report sightings of raccoons, which became popular as pets after success of 1970s TV anime seriesHaving won the battle to tackle Tokyo's population of giant, ravenous crows, the city's authorities are now embroiled in an even tougher campaign: to rein in another animal menace, the North American raccoon.The number of raccoons caught in the capital every year has increased fivefold over the past decade, according to media reports, amid concern about the damage the animals are inflicting on the local ecosystem. Continue reading...
Unite launches bid to persuade Keir Starmer to invest more in north-east ScotlandThe UK's oil and gas workers risk becoming the coal miners of our generation," Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, has warned, urging Labour not to ban new North Sea licences without a clear plan to safeguard jobs.Unite is launching a billboard campaign in six Scottish constituencies aimed at persuading Keir Starmer to commit more investment to north-east Scotland, the centre of the offshore oil and gas industry. Continue reading...
The behavior, documented in footage from researcher Chris Law, is most seen in females and sheds light on the threatened speciesFloating on its back in the waters of California's Monterey Bay, a sea otter takes a shelled animal and strikes it against a rock sitting on its chest to break open the prey.This behavior, documented in footage from researcher Chris Law, is seen in relatively few animals and allows the otter to access food without damaging its teeth. A new study, which will be published in the journal Science on Friday, sheds light on the threatened species' tactics. Continue reading...
Republicans opposed to plan from Bureau of Land Management affecting Powder River Basin area of Wyoming and MontanaThe Biden administration on Thursday proposed an end to new coal leasing from federal reserves in the most productive coal mining region in the US as officials seek to limit climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions from burning the fuel.The Bureau of Land Management proposal would affect millions of acres (millions of hectares) of federal lands and underground mineral reserves in the Powder River Basin area of Wyoming and Montana. Continue reading...
Reduction in insect numbers contributes to drop, and there are declines across more than a third of bird species surveyedSwallows, swifts and house martins were once a common sight over UK towns and cities, dextrously catching insects on the wing. But these spring and summer visitors are becoming increasingly rare, according to the definitive survey of the country's birds.Populations of these insect-eating birds have dropped by 40% or more in the past decade, according to the latest Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) report. Continue reading...
Russian constitutional court is considering claim, which activists hope will raise awareness about emissionsA group of activists are fighting for the right to scrutinise Russia's climate policies, and in particular its enormous methane emissions, in court.Russia's constitutional court is considering a claim brought by 18 individuals and the NGO Ecodefense that insufficient action by the Russian state to cut national greenhouse gas emissions is violating their rights to life, health and a healthy environment. Continue reading...
Near-10% dividend increase follows allegation that water company failed to prevent illegal pollution for 10 hours in February Business live - latest updatesOne of Britain's most polluting water companies has increased its payouts to shareholders by nearly 10% in the same week that it emerged it had pumped raw sewage into Windermere in the Lake District for 10 hours.United Utilities will pay its investors - which include some of the world's biggest asset managers - 339m in dividends for this year, up from 310m for 2023, after it reported higher operating profits thanks to a rise in customer bills. Continue reading...
State, which just had its hottest year since 1895, will ban offshore wind power, boost natural gas and reduce gas pipeline rulesClimate change will be a lesser priority in Florida and largely disappear from state statutes under legislation signed on Wednesday by the state's governor, Ron DeSantis, in a move which experts say ignores the reality of Florida's climate threats.The legislation, which comes after Florida had its hottest year on record since 1895, also bans power-generating wind turbines offshore or near the state's lengthy coastline. Continue reading...
Council says primary school in Brixham shut due to having no drinking water as cases of cryptosporidiosis investigatedA primary school in south Devon has closed as it does not have drinking water as officials investigate a local outbreak of a disease that causes sickness and diarrhoea.The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said 22 cases of cryptosporidiosis, a waterborne disease caused by a microscopic parasite, had been confirmed in Brixham and more were expected. Other reported cases of diarrhoea and vomiting among residents and visitors to the town are under investigation. Continue reading...
Ex-president at Mar-a-Lago last month hosted more than 20 executives, including from Chevron, Exxon and OccidentalA deal" allegedly offered by Donald Trump to big-oil executives as he sought $1bn in campaign donations could save the industry $110bn in tax breaks if he returns to the White House, an analysis suggests.The fundraising dinner held last month at Mar-a-Lago with more than 20 executives, including from Chevron, Exxon and Occidental Petroleum, reportedly involved Trump asking for large campaign contributions and promising, if elected, to remove barriers to drilling, scrap a pause on gas exports, and reverse new rules aimed at cutting car pollution. Continue reading...
Neoprene is made from toxic chemicals, hard to recycle and, with 400,000 tonnes made a year, a growing problem. So can surfers and swimmers find green wetsuits?I have been hesitating for months. The wetsuit I swim in every week to keep me toasty warm in the winter and safe from jellyfish stings in the summer is riddled with holes. Yet I can't bring myself to buy a new one because I've learned that comfortable, flexible and insulating neoprene is manufactured using some of the most toxic chemicals on the planet.Neoprene, a synthetic foamed rubber, is made from the petrochemical compound chloroprene. Exposure to chloroprene emissions, produced during the manufacturing process, may increase the risk of cancer, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Continue reading...
The Strawberry Line network of paths in Somerset has found a way to speed up planning permission and harness the goodwill of the communityIn the past two years, multiple sections of a hoped-for 76-mile rural cycling and walking route spanning Somerset have sprouted up around the small town of Shepton Mallet, seemingly every few weeks.These new routes are popular. One 300-metre section of path in the heart of the town, for example, uses one of Historic Railway Estates' bridges for the first time for a cycle route (an organisation usually more given to infilling its structures). Continue reading...
by Fiona Harvey, Gwyn Topham and Jillian Ambrose on (#6MVBK)
Sir John Armitt urges ministers to act swiftly or risk impeding growth and jeopardising climate targetsRishi Sunak's U-turns over net zero have delayed progress on vital infrastructure that is needed for economic growth, the government's advisers have said.Sir John Armitt, the chair of the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), said good progress had been made on renewable energy in the past five years, but changes to key policies, including postponing a scheme to boost heat pump takeup, had created uncertainty and delay.The government will fail to meet its targets on heat pump rollout.The promised lifting of a ban on new onshore windfarms has not gone far enough.Massive investment is needed in the electricity grid.There is no proper plan for rail in the north and Midlands now that the northern leg of HS2 has been cancelled, severely inhibiting economic growth in those regions.Water bills will need to go up to fix the sewage crisis, and more reservoirs are needed to avoid drought, while water companies have done too little to staunch leaks.The UK lacks a coherent strategy on flooding, with more than 900,000 properties at risk of river or sea flooding and 910,000 at risk of surface water flooding.Good progress has been made on the rollout of gigabit broadband around the country. Continue reading...
Polytag system prints invisible tag on to containers, which can be picked up by readers located at recycling centresMarks & Spencer is teaming up with a recycling technology group to enable the retailer to trace what happens to its drinks bottles, cartons and other plastic packaging.The Polytag system prints an invisible tag on to containers, which can be picked up by electronic readers located at recycling centres. Continue reading...
Clean river campaigner says pollution poses threat as Labour MP calls for water industry to be taken into public ownershipA clean river campaigner has warned of a serious risk someone will die from swimming in English rivers and seas because of the level of E coli from water pollution.Charles Watson of River Action, speaking on Wednesday as the bathing water season officially opened, said that with warm weather approaching and half-term in a week, thousands of children and families would be taking to rivers, lakes and seas. Most of these sites are not monitored for E coli, as they are not designated bathing sites. Continue reading...
Footage on social media showed roads full of cars evacuating the suburbs of Fort McMurray in the western Canadian province of Alberta. A growing blaze threatened the city and its surroundings, which experienced devastating fires in 2016. Local officials have ordered thousands to evacuate as the fire grows in size and strength, with winds fanning the flames. 'We're seeing extreme fire behaviour. Smoke columns are developing and the skies are covered in smoke. Firefighters have been pulled from the fire line for safety reasons,' Josee St-Onge of Alberta Wildfire told reporters
Read more from The DIY Climate Changers, a new series on everyday people's creative solutions to the climate crisisBeverly Lofton's home in south Los Angeles used to have a water-guzzling grass lawn. Today, it's a verdant microfarm that uses solar power and recycled water to grow carrots, beets, potatoes and more, with the bounty distributed to her neighbors. The 67-year-old's switch was a bold move in a city ruled by cars and concrete, and where the impact of extreme heat and water shortages are acutely felt. It's also a powerful rebuttal to food insecurity and big agriculture, in a neighborhood considered a food desert".*** Continue reading...
Democrats on the House oversight committee send letters to oil executives asking about alleged $1bn quid pro quo offerHouse Democrats have launched an investigation into a meeting between oil company executives and Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago home and club last month, following reports that the former president offered to dismantle Biden's environmental rules and requested $1bn in contributions to his presidential campaign.Democrats on the House oversight committee late on Monday evening sent letters to nine oil executives requesting information on their companies' participation in the meeting. Continue reading...
Fossil Free Books' statement also demands that the book festival sponsor stops investing in companies that profit from Israeli apartheid, occupation and genocide'More than 200 authors including Naomi Klein, Sally Rooney and George Monbiot have signed a statement by Fossil Free Books (FFB), which puts increased pressure on investment management firm Baillie Gifford, sponsors of the Baillie Gifford prize for nonfiction. In addition to the reiteration of its previous demands that the company ceases its investments in the fossil fuel industry, the group is asking that Baillie Gifford also divests from companies that profit from Israeli apartheid, occupation and genocide", as it believes that solidarity with Palestine and climate justice are inextricably linked".Literary organisations that accept sponsorship from Baillie Gifford can expect escalation, including the expansion of boycotts, increased author withdrawal of labour, and increased disruption until Baillie Gifford divests," the statement reads. Continue reading...
by Christopher Cherry, Rebecca Ratcliffe, Sawitree Wo on (#6MTJE)
Ban Khun Samut Chin, a coastal village in Samut Prakan province, Thailand, has been slowly swallowed by the sea over the past few decades. This has led to the relocation of the school and many homes, resulting in a dwindling population. Currently, there are only four students attending the school, often leaving just one in each classroom. The village has experienced severe coastal erosion, causing 1.1-2km (0.5-1.2 miles) of shoreline to disappear since the mid-1950s Continue reading...
Oscar-winning film-maker Craig Foster on his first octopus encounter, the price of fame and his new video book about the power of connecting with animalsWhen the film My Octopus Teacher aired on Netflix in 2020 it was a huge overnight success, going on to win an Oscar the following year for best documentary. The simple but touching tale of the tender bond between film-maker Craig Foster and his young undersea companion had audiences spellbound worldwide. Some, like Sir Richard Branson, even gave up eating octopus after watching the film.Yet for Foster himself, the overnight fame was emotionally debilitating. You're working on this little story that you think a few people might be interested in and suddenly you're in front of 100 million people," he says. I didn't think it would affect me so much, but it was very difficult. Terrifying, to be honest." Continue reading...
Free-roaming animals reintroduced in Romania's arcu mountains are stimulating plant growth and securing carbon stored in the soil while grazingA herd of 170 bison reintroduced to Romania's arcu mountains could help store CO emissions equivalent to removing almost 2m cars from the road for a year, research has found, demonstrating how the animals help mitigate the worst effects of the climate crisis.European bison disappeared from Romania more than 200 years ago, but Rewilding Europe and WWF Romania reintroduced the species to the southern Carpathian mountains in 2014. Since then, more than 100 bison have been given new homes in the arcu mountains, growing to more than 170 animals today, one of the largest free-roaming populations in Europe. The landscape holds the potential for 350-450 bison. Continue reading...
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington taking very serious look' at whether Mar-a-Lago meeting justifies legal actionA powerful watchdog group that has been at the forefront of efforts to hold Donald Trump accountable for constitutional violations is investigating whether his Mar-a-Lago meeting with oil company executives last month merits legal action.Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew) has told the Guardian that it is investigating the dinner at Trump's club with more than 20 oil and gas company executives. Trump asked them for a $1bn presidential campaign contribution, while at the same time vowing to undo Joe Biden's restrictions on natural gas export permits, oil drilling and car pollution, the Washington Post reported. Continue reading...
Cross-party group of 50 calls on prime minister to appoint climate envoy and back Beyond Oil and Gas AllianceA cross-party group of MPs and peers has urged Rishi Sunak to make a U-turn on his oil and gas extraction plans as part of a broader plea to increase efforts to address the climate crisis.The 50 politicians, including three Conservatives, wrote to the prime minister calling for the UK to regain its international leadership on the crisis by ending the licensing of new oil and gas fields, appointing a climate envoy, and backing the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance. Continue reading...
by Damian Carrington Environment editor on (#6MT4F)
Human-caused climate crisis brought soaring temperatures across Asia, from Gaza to Delhi to ManilaThe record-breaking heatwave that scorched the Philippines in April would have been impossible without the climate crisis, scientists have found. Searing heat above 40C (104F) struck across Asia in April, causing deaths, water shortages, crop losses and widespread school closures.The extreme heat was made 45 times more likely in India and five times more likely in Israel and Palestine, the study found. The scientists said the high temperatures compounded the already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where displaced people are living in overcrowded shelters with little access to water. Continue reading...
Experts say changing climate is threat multiplier' and that US and Germany already include it in planningThe US, Germany and other countries are putting the climate crisis at the heart of their national security plans but the UK is failing to do likewise, experts have told the government.Extreme weather and heat are killing increasing numbers of people, damaging economies and forcing millions around the world to flee their homes, adding to an already unstable geopolitical situation, MPs were told on Tuesday at a select committee hearing. Continue reading...
National Farmers' Union president warns food production is likely to drop next year and says farmers need help right nowRishi Sunak's plan to improve the UK's food security will not help build farmer's confidence in the short-term, the head of the country's biggest farming body has said.Food production was likely to drop next year, said Tom Bradshaw, the president of the National Farmers' Union, who warned that the prime minister's plan, published during the UK's second annual Farm to Fork summit, failed to give farmers the solutions they needed. Continue reading...
by Jonathan Watts Global environment editor on (#6MSVN)
Extra 270 million adults aged 69 or over will suffer dangerous heat levels of 37.5C amid global heating and ageing populationsThe heat exposure of older people will at least double in all continents by 2050, according to a study that highlights the combined risk posed by a heating world and an ageing population.Compared with today, there will be up to an extra 250 million people aged 69 or above who are exposed to dangerous levels of heat, defined as 37.5C. The paper warned this is likely to create biological and social vulnerability hotspots with increasing concentrations of older adults and high temperature extremes. Continue reading...
Government told Net Zero Teesside gas scheme will be massive polluter despite its carbon capture claimsA multibillion-pound net zero" project backed by two of the world's biggest fossil fuel firms will be responsible for more than 20m tonnes of planet-heating carbon over its lifetime, according to research submitted to the UK government.The Net Zero Teesside scheme to build a new gas-fired power station in north-east England is backed by BP and Equinor and says it will use carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to capture up to 95% of its emissions and bury them beneath the North Sea. Continue reading...
by Leyland Cecco in Toronto and the Associated Press on (#6MRP4)
Out-of-control Parker Lake fire, which has already forced thousands to evacuate, bears down on Fort NelsonOfficials in western Canada were bracing for volatile wildfire activity" on Monday as an out-of-control blaze, which has already forced the evacuation of thousands, threatened to destroy a northern British Columbia town.The province's wildfire service said the blaze was burning just 2km (1.2 miles) north-west of Fort Nelson, which has already seen about 3,500 people evacuated from there after an order to leave was issued on Friday. Continue reading...
Republican frontrunner vows to put an end to horrible' wind turbines, pledging to undo yet another key US green policyDonald Trump has vowed to immediately halt offshore wind energy projects on day one" of a new term as US president, in his most explicit threat yet to the industry and the latest in a series of promises to undo key aspects of the transition to cleaner energy.Trump repeated false accusations about wind projects as being lethal to whales during a rally on Saturday in Wildwood, a resort city on New Jersey's coast, promising to stamp out an industry that has been enthusiastically backed by Joe Biden. Continue reading...
State's department of fish and wildlife says the brown pelicans are showing signs of malnutrition, but that the cause is still unclearHundreds of starving and stranded brown pelicans have turned up along the California coast in recent weeks in what wildlife advocates have described as a crisis".In Newport Beach in southern California, lifeguards came upon two dozen sick pelicans on a pier last week. The Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach, the non-profit caring for the animals, said they had treated more than 100 other birds who were anemic, dehydrated and extremely underweight. Continue reading...
To move away from a disposable culture, businesses need robust, efficient reuse systems, argue campaignersFor several months last year, patrons of a Seattle coffee shop called Tailwind Cafe had the option of ordering their americanos and lattes in a returnable metal to-go cup. They could borrow one from Tailwind, go on their way and then at some point - perhaps a few hours later, perhaps on another day that week - return it to the shop, which would clean it and refill it for the next person. If the cup wasn't returned within 14 days, the customer would be charged a $15 deposit, although even that was ultimately refundable if the cup was returned by the end of 45 days.But the system quickly ran into trouble. It was overwhelming" trying to explain the return system to every interested customer, said Tailwind's head chef, Kayla Tekautz. Many were hesitant to participate after learning that they could only return the cups to Tailwind or the other drop-off location, six miles away. Plus, Tailwind's QR code reader kept malfunctioning, requiring repeated visits from a mechanic. At the end of last summer, Tailwind quietly ended the scheme. It just didn't work," Tekautz said.This story was originally published by Grist and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Continue reading...
The ancient fish were successfully hatched by scientists in Tasmania using two adults and 50 eggs. The Maugean skate is thought to be found only in the vast harbour on the state's west coast. Numbers have fallen sharply due to the impact of salmon farms, hydro power stations altering upstream river flows, gillnet fishing and rising harbour temperatures due to the climate crisis, studies have found
by Charlotte Simmonds, Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil and Jus on (#6MRRC)
The climate crisis can seem intractable - especially in an election year. But the remarkable actions of individuals are reason for hopeThe hottest year on record. Extreme drought, wildfires and flooding. Despairing scientists, wildlife loss and rampant waste. The sheer scale of the climate crisis can feel overwhelming.And when it comes to taking serious action, politicians move at a glacial pace, and the very real possibility of another Donald Trump presidency could stymie progress even further.If you would like to share your story, send us an email at diyclimate@theguardian.com. Tell us a bit about yourself, your project and why you started it, and the impact it's had. Please leave contact details; one of our reporters will get in touch if we are interested in finding out more Continue reading...
More than 4,000 species are targeted by traffickers, with illegal trade active in 80% of countries, says Office on Drugs and CrimeMore than 4,000 species around the world are being targeted by wildlife traffickers, causing untold harm upon nature", a UN report has warned.Wildlife crime is driven by demand for medicine, pets, bushmeat, ornamental plants and trophies. Out of all the mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians seized, 40% were on the red list of threatened or near-threatened species, the report found. Continue reading...
Water campaigner Feargal Sharkey says newly designated sites will join ignoble, floundering list of failure'Twenty-seven new bathing sites will be designated in England ahead of this summer's swimming season, the government has announced.Giving waterways bathing status means the Environment Agency has to test them for pollution during the summer months, putting pressure on water companies to stop dumping sewage in them.Church Cliff beach, Lyme Regis, DorsetCoastguards beach, River Erme, DevonConiston boating centre, Coniston Water, CumbriaConiston Brown Howe, Coniston Water, CumbriaDerwent Water at Crow Park, Keswick, CumbriaGoring beach, Worthing, West SussexLittlehaven beach, Tyne and WearManningtree beach, EssexMonk Coniston, Coniston Water, CumbriaRiver Avon at Fordingbridge, HampshireRiver Cam at Sheep's Green, Cambridge, CambridgeshireRiver Dart estuary at Dittisham, DevonRiver Dart estuary at Steamer Quay, Totnes, DevonRiver Dart estuary at Stoke Gabriel, DevonRiver Dart estuary at Warfleet, Dartmouth, DevonRiver Frome at Farleigh Hungerford, SomersetRiver Nidd at the Lido leisure park in Knaresborough, North YorkshireRiver Ribble at Edisford Bridge, LancashireRiver Severn at Ironbridge, ShropshireRiver Severn at Shrewsbury, ShropshireRiver Stour at Sudbury, SuffolkRiver Teme at Ludlow, ShropshireRiver Tone in French Weir Park, Taunton, SomersetRiver Wharfe at Wetherby Riverside, High St, Wetherby, West YorkshireRottingdean beach, Rottingdean, East SussexWallingford beach, River Thames, BerkshireWorthing Beach House, Worthing, West Sussex Continue reading...
Charity that challenged UK's Rwanda policy helps create space designed to evoke happier memories of homelandsThe healing power of horticulture for survivors of torture is to be celebrated at this year's Chelsea flower show in a garden also promoting the work of a charity at the forefront of challenging the government's Rwanda deportation plans.The garden, one of the most politically themed yet to appear at the annual event, will be relocated afterwards so it can be used as part of the therapy work undertaken by the human rights charity Freedom from Torture (FFT). Continue reading...