Bringing back the long-vanished bird to the UK was hailed as a conservation triumph. Then farmers started finding the corpses of their prized livestock

Direct flights from the US to Nuuk expected to double next year but there are concerns about the expected influxThe capital's new airport has been opened, two more are in the making, and expectations are high: the Americans are coming to Greenland.On Thursday, the first ever international flight into Nuuk, the most populous settlement on the autonomous Danish territory, landed to cheers on the ground and in the cabin of Air Greenland flight GL781 where passengers were served miniature bottles of Nicolas Feuillatte champagne. Continue reading...

Leading the charge towards clean energy would bring some much-needed positive momentum to international climate policyWhen Australia announces its 2035 emissions target to the world, there will be a unique opportunity to promote Australia's ambition to help other countries decarbonise through exports of renewable energy-based commodities, while coal and gas exports will fall.Coal and gas exports from Australia are equivalent to well over a billion tonnes of CO2 when burned in other countries. That is around 3% of global fossil fuel CO2 emissions - far more than Australia's greenhouse gas emissions at home that the national emissions target applies to. Continue reading...

Dave Lewis says the near-constant stream of clean electricity could supply the grid as early as 2030In the south-west of Morocco, a sprawl of wind and solar farms stretching across an area the size of Greater London could soon generate the green electricity powering more than 9m British homes.This is the unflinching vision of Sir Dave Lewis, the former Tesco boss who is hoping to build the world's longest subsea power cable in order to harness north Africa's renewable energy sources and power Britain's clean energy agenda. Continue reading...

As neighbors face an uncertain political future, the city's only Afghan restaurant provides a sense of community - and a bit of happiness'An aromatic blend of spices and bolani, stuffed pan-fried bread, and the voice of Asad Badie, an Afghan pop singer who rose to stardom in the 1980s, foreshadowed a meal experience that one could easily believe was taking place thousands of miles away.In reality, it was almost 1pm in Tucson, Arizona, when Ritiek Rafi and Ahmad Bahaduri started to greet and take orders from customers in Dari and English inside the only Afghan restaurant in the city. Continue reading...

Worcestershire town has been flooded seven times in past four years and shop owners can no longer afford insuranceIn the aftermath of its latest flood, the town centre of Tenbury Wells was a scene of chaos. The main street was caked with a layer of mud, shop windows were smashed and piles of sodden furniture and wares, all ruined, were heaped in the street.On Monday when we came in we wanted to leave, lock the doors and just disappear," said Richard Sharman, the owner of Garlands Flowers. We've lost about 6,000 and we won't get a penny back. Six weeks ago we lost about 4,000 in a flood." Continue reading...

Chair of talks in Busan says progress has been made but a few critical issues' are unresolvedNegotiators have failed to reach agreement on a landmark treaty to curb plastic pollution, the diplomat chairing the talks has said.Nearly 200 nations are taking part in a meeting in Busan, South Korea, which is intended to result in a landmark agreement after two years of discussions. A week of talks has failed to resolve deep divisions between high-ambition" countries seeking a globally binding agreement to limit production and phase out harmful chemicals, and like-minded" nations who want to focus on waste. Continue reading...

Environmentalists say marine park waste regulations need updating to limit grey water and exhaust chemicals as passenger cruise numbers rise

Table to seat 60 being built by local artists and craftspeople in woodland on edge of DartmoorA community in Devon has raised 22,555 to turn a 500-year-old oak tree into what they believe will be the longest table ever crafted from a single English oak tree.The 18 metre-long (59ft) Great Oak Table, capable of seating 60 people, was being built in a small patch of private woodland near Chagford, on the edge of Dartmoor. Continue reading...

Legal petition filed by 170 groups pushes environmental agency to tackle pressing health threat of pollutionA new legal petition filed by more than 170 top environmental groups demands that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) begin monitoring for microplastics in drinking water, an essential first step to reining in pollution viewed as one of the nation's most pressing public health threats.The scale of microplastic water pollution, the extent to which the substance is lodged throughout human bodies, and the many health implications have come into sharp focus in recent years, but the EPA still has not taken meaningful action, public health advocates say. Continue reading...

Policymakers must act as extreme weather events put more pressure on food inflation and production worldwideYour morning - and afternoon - coffee is the latest staple threatened by climate chaos: the price of quality arabica beans shot to its highest level in almost 50 years last week amid fears of a poor harvest in Brazil.It follows warnings that orange crops have been wiped out by the catastrophic floods in Valencia, Spain; and the soaring cost of olive oil in recent years, as the southern Mediterranean has sweltered. Continue reading...

Entire slate of councilors in Milton defeated after grassroots revolt to proposal for facility close to treasured riverA citizens' revolt in a small Florida city ousted an entire slate of councilors who were pushing for a new sewage plant to be built close to one of the state's most pristine and treasured rivers.The Save Blackwater River campaign, in partnership with a citizen action group, toppled all four Milton politicians running for re-election last month in a remarkable victory for grassroots activism. Continue reading...

Report calls for course correction to avoid land abuse compromising Earth's capacity to support human and environmental wellbeing'Land degradation is expanding worldwide at the rate of 1m sq km every year, undermining efforts to stabilise the climate, protect nature and ensure sustainable food supplies, a study has highlighted.The degraded area is already 15m sq km, an area greater than Antarctica, the scientific report says, and it calls for an urgent course correction to avoid land abuse irretrievably compromising Earth's capacity to support human and environmental wellbeing". Continue reading...

Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson talks about his arrest on behalf of the Japanese government, his interesting' Greenland prison, and separation from his childrenThe humpback whales watched by Paul Watson from his prison cell this summer have long since migrated from the iceberg-flecked Nuup Kangerlua fjord to warmer seas. It is over four months since Watson - an eco-terrorist to some and a brave environmentalist to others - was brought here to Anstalten, a high-security jail perched on the frozen coast of south-east Greenland after being arrested while refuelling his ship, MV John Paul DeJoria, in nearby Nuuk, the capital of the autonomous Danish territory.He had been on his way with a 32-strong crew to practise his decades-long policy of non-violent aggression" by intercepting a new Japanese whaling mothership", the 7.5bn ($47.4m) Kangei Maru. But shortly after tying up his vessel in the harbour a nice police car turned up" and 12 armed officers boarded. Continue reading...

Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds says there is no route to net zero' that ignores concerns of businesses after wave of closures Jonathan Reynolds: If we delay the UK's drive for electric vehicles, our rivals will overtake usThere is no route to net zero" that ignores the real concerns of businesses, a cabinet minister has warned, as the government prepares to reduce financial penalties handed to carmakers not selling enough electric cars.Ministers are also looking at how cheaper loans could be introduced to help people buy an electric vehicle (EV), after a wave of job losses and closures in which carmakers blamed the onerous fines they were facing. Continue reading...

Nature is going to solve the problem by eliminating the modern humanIn response to Ashish Ghadiali's story last week (Yes, there is a lot of greenwashing, but Cop summits are our best chance of averting climate breakdown", Comment, last week), nearly 70 years ago Gilbert Plass coined the term climate change" in a paper in the journal Tellus.Most of that 70 years has been spent arguing over the reality of climate change, an argument by vested interests that continues to this day. Meanwhile, global warming has continued to rise due to the burning of fossil fuels. Now, polar ice caps and glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, causing sea level rises and threatening the survival of over half the world's population living on islands and in coastal zones near sea level. Continue reading...

PM overruled negotiations between environment minister and the Greens after speaking with WA premier last week

Woman weaves through traffic at 80km/h before fleeing from snake in car barefoot and attempting to flag down passing motorists

Findings highlight how built environment in low-income neighborhoods presents multiple PFAS exposure routesNew research aimed at identifying which US neighborhoods face increased exposure to toxic PFAS forever chemicals" found those living near superfund" sites and other major industrial polluters, or in areas with limited access to fresh food, generally have higher levels of the dangerous compounds in their blood.The study looked at hundreds of people living in southern California and found those who do not live within a half mile of a grocery store have 14% higher levels of PFOA and PFOS - two common PFAS compounds - in their blood than those who do. Continue reading...

Items such as coffee cups and bin liners are wrongly labelled compostable', leading to calls for governments to impose standards

Some in the US are reconsidering children, with fears over reproductive healthcare and the climate crisis front of mindChris Peterson wasn't surprised that Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election. But he was surprised by how quickly he and his wife started asking one another: should we try to have another baby before a possible nationwide abortion ban takes effect? Or should we give up on having a second child?Peterson and his wife, who live in North Carolina, are thousands of dollars in debt because their first child needed to spend weeks in the hospital after being born prematurely. They had wanted to pay off that debt and wait a few years before having a second baby. But now, reproductive rights are again in the balance - Trump has said he would veto a nationwide abortion ban, but his allies are emboldened to push through more restrictions. Continue reading...

Government puts forward 1.98bn in funding over three years, an increase of about 40% on last pledgeThe UK has increased its contribution to the World Bank, in a move that will boost prospects for climate finance.Next week, at a meeting in Seoul of the International Development Association (IDA) - the body that funds the World Bank's support for low-income countries - the UK will put forward 1.98bn in funding over three years, an increase of about 40% on the previous pledge. Continue reading...

Campaigners say news that Walleys Quarry in Silverdale has been told to close has given them huge relief, just elation'A landfill site in Staffordshire which has plagued residents with noxious fumes for years has been told to permanently shut down, with local campaigners hailing the news as absolutely amazing".The Environment Agency said it had brought the closure of Walleys Quarry forward after exhausting other enforcement options", and said it had to stop accepting new waste from Friday. Continue reading...

Important shift' made in global attempts to address plastic pollution though final treaty text yet to be agreedPressure from an increasingly large bloc of countries has offered hope that a breakthrough at critical international plastic treaty talks could be in sight at last, after two years of deadlock. But some warned that fragile progress could disappear again in the last stages of negotiations over the weekend.For some time, the talks have been split over demands for the treaty to include plans to reduce the amount of plastic that is being produced - a production cap. A draft text for a final deal published on Friday included language for a global target to reduce the amount of plastic made. But it also included another option for no text - meaning no action would be taken to reduce plastic production worldwide. The final text, which may use either of those options, will hopefully be decided this weekend. Continue reading...

Juneau's residents are divided over whether to embrace the economic benefits of millions of visitors, or reclaim their town from an industry that has reshaped it

Ban on new petrol and diesel cars starts in 2030 but government may change rules for some modelsCar manufacturers may be allowed to sell Toyota Prius-style hybrid models in the UK until 2035, as the government looks at ways to loosen electric vehicle sales rules.Earlier this week the government launched a fast-track consultation to determine what types of electric vehicles carmakers can sell after a ban on new petrol and diesel cars, which is due to come into force from 2030. Continue reading...

The Tories' targets glossed over the impact on carmakers and cash-strapped drivers - but the move to net zero won't be cheap or simpleHave cake, will eat. For years it has been the default political response to awkward questions about the climate crisis, with successive governments insisting that going green would create jobs, not destroy them, and that the planet could be saved without stifling growth or demanding uncomfortable sacrifices. Keir Starmer promised only this month not to tell people how to live their lives", suggesting the road to net zero would not be quite as painful as some think. And then, this week, he hit a pothole.The carmaker Stellantis, which owns Vauxhall, announced it was closing its van factory in Luton, putting 1,100 jobs at risk; its rival Ford is axing 800 jobs. In Sunderland, Nissan has warned of an industry at crisis point".Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

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

It is one of the world's most dangerous materials, and global leaders are meeting in South Korea to thrash out a treaty to curb its effectsThis week, world leaders are gathering in Busan, South Korea, to hammer out a global plastics treaty to try to curb pollution from one of the most dangerous materials on the planet. While such a high-level event might seem far removed from our everyday lives, it is the products we use every day that are at the heart of the negotiations. Some plastics are worse than others and have a unique impact in various parts of the world. Here, we look at five of the worst offenders. Continue reading...

Satellite data analysis suggests algal blooms could be behind mass die-off in Botswana that sparked flurry of theories in 2020More than 350 elephants that died in mysterious circumstances probably drank toxic water, according to a new paper that warns of an alarming trend" in climate-induced poisoning.The deaths in Botswana's Okavango delta were described by scientists as a conservation disaster". Elephants of all ages were seen walking in circles before collapsing and dying. Carcasses were first spotted in north-eastern Botswana in May and June 2020, with many theories circulating about the cause of death, including cyanide poisoning or an unknown disease. Continue reading...

Early deaths from air pollution in US could be reduced by between 4,000 and 15,000 a year by 2035, study showsThe burning of fossil fuels that harms our climate also produces air pollution that damages ecosystems and harms our health. But we fail to tally up the benefits of reduced air pollution in our climate policies, and overlook opportunities to tackle these problems together.A reminder of this failure is illustrated in a new study which has found that reduced air pollution from net zero policies in the US could result in a health gain of between $65bn (51bn) and $128bn in 2035 alone. Continue reading...

Lord Howe Island is thriving, and so are the raucous local woodhens

Record $6.7bn expected to be spent from Friday to Monday but some brands choosing to opt out over overconsumption concerns

Government approves up to four days of paid leave so workers can avoid travelling during weather emergenciesSpain's leftwing government has approved paid climate leave" of up to four days to allow workers to avoid travelling during weather emergencies, a month after floods killed at least 224 people.Several companies came under fire after the 29 October catastrophe for ordering employees to keep working despite a red alert issued by the national weather agency. The firms said the authorities failed to inform them sufficiently and sent telephone alerts too late during the European country's deadliest floods in decades. Continue reading...

Temperatures of this week would be exceptional for summer, says climatologist, never mind late NovemberTowns in south-west France roasted in completely extreme" heat in the early hours of Tuesday, with overnight temperatures hitting 26.9C (80.42F).It's very exceptional temperatures - even for the summer, let alone late November," said Matthieu Sorel, a climatologist at Meteo France. Continue reading...

Restoration projects awarded grants to convert defunct bogs to bring environmental benefits and restore wildlifeAs millions of cranberries were being harvested for Thursday's US Thanksgiving holiday, Massachusetts farmers were working to convert defunct cranberry bogs to back to wild wetlands, amid climate crisis woes.Several restoration projects were awarded $6m in grants to carry out such initiatives, state officials announced this week. Continue reading...

In a booming sector where the biggest ships have doubled in size since 2000, pressure is growing to make cruising a greener, more sustainable way to travel

As Australia's natural environment declines, Labor appears to cave to vested interests, writes Felicity WadeOn Thursday we were hoping to be celebrating the Australian parliament passing legislation to create a federal Environmental Protection Agency, an expert watchdog to oversee our country's natural bounty. This was going to be a major moment for which my organisation, the Labor Environment Action Network (LEAN) and many others had worked for years. Promised on the eve of the 2022 election, it was the centre-piece of the Labor's commitment to the environment. But late on Tuesday afternoon the legislation was moth-balled.It is a sad and sorry tale.Felicity Wade is national co-convener of the Labor Environment Action Network Continue reading...

The case, brought by the EDO on behalf of three Tiwi Island traditional owners, was dismissed in January in a scathing judgment

Devastated by quota changes post-Brexit, fishers are pinning all their hopes on Ireland's politicians as they head into a general election

Across the globe, vast swathes of land are being left to be reclaimed by nature. To see what could be coming, look to BulgariaAbandonment, when it came, crept in from the outskirts. Homes at the edge of town were first to go, then the peripheral grocery stores. It moved inward, slow but inexorable. The petrol station closed, and creeper vines climbed the pumps, amassing on the roof until it buckled under the strain. It swallowed the outer bus shelters, the pharmacies, the cinema, the cafe. The school shut down.Today, one of the last institutions sustaining human occupation in Tyurkmen, a village in central Bulgaria, is the post office. Dimitrinka Dimcheva, a 56-year-old post officer, still keeps it open two days a week, bringing in packages of goods that local shops no longer exist to sell. Once a thriving town of more than 1,200, Tyurkmen is now home to fewer than 200 people. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Stellantis executive's recent comments to investors undermine claim Luton closure was down to emission mandate

Exclusive: National landscapes' chiefs say environment secretary has given no budget assurances and they are to expect cutsProposed cuts to England's most beautiful landscapes pose an existential threat", the managers of the National Landscapes Association have warned.These 46 regions, including the Chilterns, the Cotswolds, the Wye Valley and the north Pennines, used to be known as areas of outstanding natural beauty but were renamed this year as national landscapes". They cover 15% of England, including 20% of the coastline. Continue reading...

Source of Philadelphia's drinking water sees salt line pushed closer to city by drought and sea level riseSalty ocean water is creeping up the Delaware River, the source for much of the drinking water for Philadelphia and millions of others, brought on by drought conditions and sea level rise, and prompting officials to tap reservoirs to push the un-potable tide back downstream.Officials say drinking water is not imminently at risk, but they are monitoring the effects of the drought on the river and studying options for the future in case further droughts sap the area, amid the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Fossil fuel and chemical industry representatives outnumber those of the EU or host country South KoreaRecord numbers of plastic industry lobbyists are attending global talks that are the last chance to hammer out a treaty to cut plastic pollution around the world.The key issue at the conference will be whether caps on global plastic production will be included in the final UN treaty. Lobbyists and leading national producers are furiously arguing against any attempt to restrain the amount that can be produced, leaving the talks on a knife-edge. Continue reading...

Loyalists selected for important roles have offered staunch support to fossil fuels and downplayed climate crisisDonald Trump's cabinet picks have been eclectic and often controversial but a unifying theme is emerging, experts say, with the US president-elect's nominees offering staunch support to fossil fuels and either downplaying or denying the climate crisis caused by the burning of these fuels.Trump ran on promises to eviscerate green new scam" climate policies and to drill, baby, drill" for more oil and gas, and his choices to run the major organs of the US government echo such sentiments, particularly his picks relating to the environment, with Lee Zeldin chosen as the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, Chris Wright as energy secretary and Doug Burgum as interior secretary. Continue reading...

We've cared for our farm through war, pandemic and money worries. The inheritance tax row shows how little the government respects that

Hundreds of climate protesters joined a rally in Canberra on Wednesday - days after a protest in Newcastle

Another vast tourist resort project promising jobs and prosperity. But critics say such developments imperil the pristine environments they advertise

Ed Miliband argues the UK should race towards becoming a clean energy superpower', but costs to the consumer shouldn't be ignoredThe government's plan to decarbonise the UK's electricity system by 2030 is a vast undertaking. Energy companies will throw 40bn-plus annually at the effort, backed by financing that ultimately affects consumers' bills. So it is extraordinary that no official body seems able to answer this question: will it cost more to complete the job by 2030 rather than by the old 2035 timetable? Is it more expensive to go faster?That is not to dispute the necessity of generating electricity from clean domestic sources, an ambition shared widely across the political spectrum for reasons of security of supply and climate emergency. But the pace of decarbonisation can clearly also affect the cost for consumers, a point Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, tends to skip over too breezily when he argues that security, sustainability and affordability are now perfectly aligned. Continue reading...