Environment | The Guardian

For some, the smell brings on nausea and headaches. Others fear forever chemicals' seeping into the water

Exclusive: Rising flood risks driven by climate change could release chemicals from ageing sites - posing threats to ecosystems

Residents claim raw sewage and poorly treated effluent as result of Thames Water's failings are threat to healthCommunities across south-east England are filing the first coordinated legal complaints that sewage pollution by Thames Water negatively affects their lives.Thames Water failed to complete upgrades to 98 treatment plants and pumping stations which have the worst records for sewage pollution into the environment, despite a promise to invest in them over the last five years. Continue reading...

Sri Lanka and Indonesia deployed military personnel as they raced to help victims of devastating flooding that has killed more than 1,100 people across four countries in Asia.Millions of people have been affected by a combination of tropical cyclones and heavy monsoon rains in Sri Lanka, parts of Indonesia's Sumatra, Thailand and Malaysia in recent days.In Indonesia, at least 604 people have been killed and 464 remain missing, according to the national disaster agency. The death toll stands at 366 in Sri Lanka, with 366 missing, and 176 dead in Thailand. Three deaths have been reported in Malaysia

Site removes feature after real estate agents and some homeowners say scores appear arbitrary and hurt salesZillow, the US's largest real estate listing site, has removed a feature that allowed people to view a property's exposure to the climate crisis, following complaints from the industry and some homeowners that it was hurting sales.In September last year, the online real estate marketplace introduced a tool showing the individual risk of wildfire, flood, extreme heat, wind and poor air quality for one million properties it lists, explaining that climate risks are now a critical factor in home-buying decisions" for many Americans. Continue reading...

Shrimp soundtrack will be played underwater to lure baby oysters in program aimed at fighting algal blooms

Trump promised to cut consumers' energy costs within his first year in office but gas price is up 4% on averageAmericans using gas stoves to cook during the holidays, or any other meal in the near future, are set for persistently higher bills, with the price of gas expected to keep rising into next year.US households will pay 4% more for gas power this year, on average, compared with 2024, with the industrial and power plant sectors experiencing a much higher price rise, a recent analysis from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) has found. Continue reading...

Expert cautions large pipeline of potential projects will not deliver required energy capacity unless companies make final investments

Exclusive: Pollution targets set out alongside nature recovery projects to allay concerns over housebuildingWood-burning stoves are likely to face tighter restrictions in England under new pollution targets set as part of an updated environmental plan released by ministers on Monday.Speaking to the Guardian before the publication of the updated environmental improvement plan (EIP), the environment secretary, Emma Reynolds, said it would boost nature recovery in a number of areas, replacing an EIP under the last government she said was not credible". Continue reading...

The case of a planned Cumbrian coalmine shows how governments around the world are being threatened by litigation in shadowy offshore courtsHow do you reckon our political system works? Perhaps something like this. We elect MPs. They vote on bills. If a majority is achieved, the bills becomes law. The law is upheld by the courts. End of story. Well, that's how it used to work. No longer.Today, foreign corporations, or the oligarchs who own them, can sue governments for the laws they pass, at offshore tribunals composed of corporate lawyers. The cases are held in secret. Unlike our courts, these tribunals allow no right of appeal or judicial review. You or I cannot take a case to them, nor can our government, or even businesses based in this country. They are open only to corporations based overseas.George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Officials in Indonesia say more than 442 people have died, while Sri Lanka suffers worst natural disaster since 2004 tsunamiAuthorities in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand are racing to clear debris and find hundreds of missing people after more than 900 died in devastating floods and landslides across the south of Asia.In the latest example of the impact of the climate crisis on storm patterns and extreme weather, heavy monsoon rains, exacerbated by a tropical storm, have overwhelmed parts of south-east Asia in recent days, leaving thousands of people stranded without shelter or critical supplies. Continue reading...

River Action says use of issuance tied to environmental benefits is corporate greenwash on steroids'Water companies have issued a fifth of the UK's green bonds" since 2017, despite a consistently poor record of sewage pollution during that time, research has shown.Privately owned water companies in England have together issued 10.5bn in bonds tied to projects that offer environmental benefits", according to analysis of financial market data by Unearthed, which is part of Greenpeace UK. Continue reading...

Use of 8m pounds of antibiotics and antifungals a year leads to superbugs and damages human health, lawsuit claimsA new legal petition filed by a dozen public health and farm worker groups demands the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stop allowing farms to spray antibiotics on food crops in the US because they are probably causing superbugs to flourish and sickening farm workers.The agricultural industry sprays about 8m pounds of antibiotic and antifungal pesticides on US food crops annually, many of which are banned in other countries. Continue reading...

Tweaks to state laws mean many Americans will be able to benefit from small, simple plug-in solar panelsAcquiring solar panels at home can be an expensive hassle for people in the US. But small, simple, plug-in solar panels for use on balconies are soon to become available for millions of Americans, with advocates hoping the technology will quickly go mainstream.Earlier this year, Utah became the first state in the country to pass legislation allowing people to purchase and install small, portable solar panels that plug into a standard wall socket. Continue reading...

Hundreds of people still missing after heavy rain and mudslides in country's deadliest natural disaster for yearsEntire areas of Sri Lanka's capital are flooded after a powerful cyclone triggered heavy rains and mudslides across the island, with authorities reporting nearly 200 dead and dozens more missing.Officials said the extent of the damage in the country's worst-affected central region was slowly becoming clear on Sunday as relief workers cleared roads blocked by fallen trees and mudslides. Continue reading...

Labour knows it needs to win over the sea wall' cohort of coastal voters in the next election. But as anger over inequality grows, time is running outIt is a lovely sunny autumn day in Ramsgate on Britain's Kent coast, and quintessential seaside chippy Peter's Fish Factory is doing a roaring lunchtime trade. Across the road, at the entrance to the town's pier, local MP and chair of the newly reformed coastal parliamentary Labour party (PLP), Polly Billington, is having her photo taken.In between shots she shows us the community art project that adorns the fence along the entrance to the pier. It is made up of pictures, drawn primarily by local children and young people, of the 65 little ships that set sail earlier this year from Ramsgate to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation. Continue reading...

Tensions grow after research in England finds there may not be enough water for planned carbon capture and hydrogen projects

NSW police arrest 141 people as campaigners demand federal government cancel planned fossil fuel projects and tax existing operations at 78%

More than 350 people killed on Indonesia's Sumatra island with 162 reported dead across ThailandThe death toll from devastating floods and landslides in south-east Asia reportedly climbed past 500 on Saturday as clean-up and search-and-rescue operations got under way in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.Heavy monsoon rain overwhelmed swathes of the three countries this week, killing hundreds and leaving thousands stranded, many on rooftops awaiting rescue. Continue reading...

Another 191 missing after heavy rains from Cyclone Ditwah while almost 78,000 evacuated to temporary shelters amid rescue operationsTorrential rains and floods triggered by Cyclone Ditwah have killed 153 people across Sri Lanka so far, with another 191 still missing, the country's Disaster Management Centre (DCM) said on Saturday.The DMC director general, Sampath Kotuwegoda, said relief operations were under way with 78,000 people moved to nearly 800 state-run welfare centres after their homes were destroyed by the week-long heavy rains. Continue reading...

Biden earmarked billions for former coal communities in Appalachia - and his successor came and took it awayFor a moment, Jacob Hannah saw an unprecedented opportunity to make Appalachia great again.In 2022, the Biden administration earmarked billions of dollars to help revitalize and strengthen former coal communities. The objective was to lay down building blocks for the region to transition from extractive industries like coal and timber to a hub for solar and other advanced energy technologies, with a view to long-term economic, climate and social resilience. Continue reading...

Dawn Butler leads calls for humanitarian visas and fee waivers for vulnerable relatives of UK nationals affected by stormBritish MPs have joined campaigners calling for more aid and humanitarian visas for Jamaicans to enter the UK after Hurricane Melissa demolished parts of the country, plunging hundreds of thousands of people into a humanitarian crisis.The UK has pledged 7.5m emergency funds to Jamaica and other islands affected by the hurricane, but many argue that the country has a moral obligation to do more for former Caribbean colonies. Continue reading...

Exclusive: UCL scientists find large swathes of southern Europe are drying up, with far-reaching' implicationsVast swathes of Europe's water reserves are drying up, a new analysis using two decades of satellite data reveals, with freshwater storage shrinking across southern and central Europe, from Spain and Italy to Poland and parts of the UK.Scientists at University College London (UCL), working with Watershed Investigations and the Guardian, analysed 2002-24 data from satellites, which track changes in Earth's gravitational field. Continue reading...

Critics say JH Campbell coal-fired plant in western Michigan is expensive and emits high levels of toxic pollutionTrump administration orders to keep an ageing, unneeded Michigan coal-fired power plant online has cost ratepayers from across the US midwest about $113m so far, according to estimates from the plant's operator and regulators.Still, the US energy department last week ordered the plant to remain open for another 90 days. Continue reading...

French government-owned company to receive funding for Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C

Temperatures dip to -8.5C in Poland and 250mm of rain falls in 24-hour period across Sri LankaTemperatures plummeted this week across the eastern half of Europe, with the Alps dipping as low as -20C and to -8.5C in the Polish town of Zakopane in the Tatras Mountains.Heavy snow also affected other parts of Poland with 15-20cm (about 6-8in) of snow falling in much of the central swathe of the country and more than 40cm in the south towards the mountains. Continue reading...

Alarming shift since 2010 means planet's three main rainforest regions now contribute to climate breakdownAfrica's forests have turned from a carbon sink into a carbon source, according to research that underscores the need for urgent action to save the world's great natural climate stabilisers.The alarming shift, which has happened since 2010, means all of the planet's three main rainforest regions - the South American Amazon, south-east Asia and Africa - have gone from being allies in the fight against climate breakdown to being part of the problem. Continue reading...

Researchers using aircraft to sample exhaust plumes say infringements persist - even in stricter zonesA new study has found that a significant proportion of ships are breaching air pollution limits.Although the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set regulations for shipping pollution since 2005, it is hard to know what happens once ships are at sea. Continue reading...

Minister Steven Guilbeault says Indigenous nations were not consulted and the pipeline would have major environmental impacts'Mark Carney has agreed an energy deal with Alberta centred on plans for a new heavy oil pipeline reaching from the province's oil sands to the Pacific coast, a politically volatile project that is expected to face stiff opposition.The move proved politically damaging within hours, with the minister of Canadian culture, Steven Guilbeault, who is the former environment minister, announcing he would leave cabinet. Guilbault, a former activist and lifelong environmental advocate, said he strongly opposed the plan. Continue reading...

In what are dangerous times for democracies around the world, parliament's overhaul of nature laws in the EPBC Act shows ambitious reform remains possible

Experts lay out scale of changes needed in first-of-its-kind national emergency briefing' in WestminsterA host of eminent scientists have warned politicians, business and community leaders that the UK risks severe climate-related risks to its economy, public health, food systems and national security.According to its organisers more than 1,000 corporate bosses, senior civil servants and civic leaders were set to assemble in the Methodist central hall in Westminster for the first-of-its-kind national emergency briefing" on Thursday morning. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Unknown culprit suspected of spraying glyphosate on protected trees hoped to stop peat erosion and floodingTrees planted as part of a nature restoration project on Prince William's land in Dartmoor national park have been deliberately poisoned with herbicide, sparking outrage and a hunt for the culprit.The willow trees, on Duchy of Cornwall land, were planted as part of a project to stop peat erosion, store carbon and reduce the risk of flooding. Continue reading...

Ecologically sound farming and land stewardship can change individual, collective and planetary healthWithin Indigenous communities across North America and beyond, we have long known that food is medicine. This isn't just theory; it's fact. We understand that seasonal, regionally specific and culturally relevant foods are vital for nurturing, nourishing and healing both our people and our planet. And it's high time we all embrace the Native American concept of food as medicine.Our ancestral wisdom has ensured our survival for millennia, even in the face of unthinkable circumstances like colonialism, genocide and ongoing oppression. This ever-relevant knowledge will ensure our collective survival amid today's unthinkable circumstances here in the United States, such as political instability, climate change and rising health issues. Continue reading...

Fossil fuel company plans to expand exploration in Beetaloo basin

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, No Taste Like Home aims to rebuild trust between students and the landJuniper Stewart just turned 12. She wears a cropped orange sweater and her ginger curls in a bob. She used to like Taylor Swift, but now she's more into the Cranberries and other indie rock.Juniper also knows how to identify a Pilobolus mushroom, which grows on cow poop", according to Juniper. She can confidently harvest plantain leaf, a ubiquitous wild plant that's tasty in salads and sautees, and useful as a poultice on stings and poison ivy. She has paper bags full of sourwood leaves drying at home to make tea, and she's delighted by the fact that when you touch jewelweed seed pods, they explode. Continue reading...

Contamination of wildlife with Pfas, which can increase risk of cancer, a growing problem in USHunters in Maine have been warned not to eat wild turkeys in parts of the state, after the birds were found to contain forever chemicals" that can cause an increased risk of cancer.Maine officials warned that high levels of Pfas - per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances - have been detected in wild turkey and deer killed and harvested in areas in the south-west of the state. Continue reading...

Climate change minister Chris Bowen acknowledges additional work' needed to meet 2035 goal

This week's best wildlife photographs from around the world Continue reading...

Councils will end contracts allowing private enforcers to receive 50% to 100% of each fine servedMinisters have signalled an imminent crackdown on so-called for-profit" litter enforcement arrangements in England, where private firms are paid for each fixed penalty notice issued.Under long-awaited statutory guidance, councils would have to end contracts that allow private enforcers to receive between 50% to 100% of each fine they serve. Continue reading...

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act changes are an improvement, but the rush to pass them was purely political

A boom in places offering petting sessions is linked to a rise in the illegal movement of exotic and endangered species, say expertsThe second floor of an unassuming office building in central Bangkok is a strange place to encounter the world's largest rodent. Yet here, inside a small enclosure with a shallow pool, three capybaras are at the disposal of dozens of paying customers - all clamouring for a selfie. As people eagerly thrust leafy snacks toward the nonchalant-looking animals, few seem to consider the underlying peculiarity: how, exactly, did this South American rodent end up more than 10,000 miles from home, in a bustling Asian metropolis?Capybara cafes have been cropping up across the continent in recent years, driven by the animal's growing internet fame. The semi-aquatic animals feature in more than 600,000 TikTok posts. In Bangkok, cafe customers pay 400 baht (9.40) for a 30-minute petting session with them, along with a few meerkats and Chinese bamboo rats. Doors are open 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Continue reading...

Treasury says concession could be worth 30m next year and then 70m annually until 2030

A record 39,000 birds are overwintering on Wallasea island wetlands thanks to soil transported from London tunnelsAlmost 40,000 birds have made their home on a nature reserve created using soil from tunnel excavations for the Elizabeth line.Three million tonnes of earth were transported from London to Wallasea island in Essex and used to lift the ground level and make wetlands. Continue reading...

Strategy paper released with budget allows new oil and gas projects to move ahead if they are linked to existing fields

The Mohana of Pakistan's Sindh province once thrived on the lake but pollution and drought have caused the fragile ecosystem to collapse, along with their way of lifeAt the mouth of Lake Manchar, gentle lapping disturbs the silence. A small boat cuts through the water, propelled by a bamboo pole scraping the muddy bottom of the canal.Bashir Ahmed manoeuvres his frail craft with agility. His slender boat is more than just a means of transport. It is the legacy of a people who live to the rhythm of water: the Mohana. They have lived for generations on the waters of Lake Manchar in Sindh province, a vast freshwater mirror covering nearly 250 sq km. The lake, once the largest in Pakistan, was long an oasis of life. Now, it is dying.Bashir Ahmed in his boat on the lake, next to simple huts built on top of the right bank outfall drain Continue reading...

Exclusive: Former US secretary of state calls for more demanding steps from Australia as it takes over presidency of next year's UN climate summit

EPA had previously said rule reducing fine particle matter from vehicles and industrial sources could prevent thousands of premature deaths a yearThe Trump administration is seeking to abandon a rule that sets tough standards for deadly soot pollution, arguing that the Biden administration did not have authority to set the tighter standard on pollution from tailpipes, smokestacks and other industrial sources.The action follows moves by the administration last week to weaken federal rules protecting millions of acres of wetlands and streams and roll back protections for imperiled species and the places they live. In a separate action, the interior department proposed new oil drilling off the California and Florida coasts for the first time in decades, advancing a project that critics say could harm coastal communities and ecosystems. Continue reading...

If Labor cannot reach deal on Thursday, it will mark second time in 12 months that it has failed to secure planned EPBC Act reforms

As Australians face a maelstrom of interconnected disasters, the climate catastrophe has become just one of many things to doomscroll about

Results show a general sense of gloom' as fewer Australians now believe climate change is caused by humans compared with March