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...
by Nina Lakhani in Huntington, West Virginia and Dant on (#71TB2)
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...
by Natricia Duncan, Chris Osuh and Anthony Lugg in Ki on (#71T7S)
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Trump puts US in unflattering company as lack of representative reveals disdain for climate progressMore than two decades ago, the US railed against the axis of evil". Now, after international climate talks spluttered to a meagre conclusion, the US finds itself grouped with unflattering company - an axis of obstruction" that has stymied progress on the climate crisis.Donald Trump's administration opted to not send anyone to the UN climate summit in Brazil that culminated over the weekend - a first for the US in 30 years of these annual gatherings and another representation of the president's disdain for the climate crisis, which he has called a hoax" and a con job". Continue reading...
Campaigners say closure of loophole making it cheaper to export rather than recycle will boost circular economyThe UK could end its reliance on exporting plastic waste by 2030 to support the creation of 5,400 new jobs and take responsibility for the environmental impact of its waste, according to research.The report said up to 15 new recycling facilities could be built by the end of the decade, attracting more than 800m of private investment. The increase in capacity would help generate almost 900m of economic value every year, providing at least 100m in new tax revenues annually. Continue reading...
Scarborough and Bognor Regis among places where water is so polluted it is not recommended for swimmingOne in seven (13%) of England's bathing waters are rated as polluted, and one in 14 so polluted they are not recommended for swimming.Famous beaches including Bognor Regis, Scarborough's South Bay and Littlehaven Beach in South Shields were all rated poor" in the latest classifications from the Environment Agency, which means they are not recommended for swimming. Continue reading...
Evidence that the whales and other marine animals are particularly vulnerable to sound is driving calls for quieter vesselsThe delicate clicks and whistles of narwhals carry through Tasiujaq, locally known as Eclipse Sound, at the eastern Arctic entrance of the Northwest Passage. A hydrophone in this shipping corridor off Baffin Island, Nunavut, captures their calls as the tusked whales navigate their autumn migration route to northern Baffin Bay.But as the Nordic Odyssey, a 225-metre ice-class bulk carrier servicing the nearby iron ore mine, approaches, its low engine rumble gives way to a wall of sound created by millions of collapsing bubbles from its propeller. The narwhals' acoustic signals, evolved for one of Earth's quietest environments, fall silent. Continue reading...
The Nature inFocus photography competition 2025 announced its winners at the Nature inFocus festival hosted at Jayamahal Palace in Bengaluru, India.Close to 16,000 images were submitted by more than 1,250 photographers from more than 38 countries. Continue reading...
It took some oblique wording, but Saudi Arabia made a last-minute decision to sign deal that marks departure for CopDawn was breaking over the Amazonian city of Belem on Saturday morning, but in the windowless conference room it could have been day or night. They had been stuck there for more than 12 hours, dozens of ministers representing 17 groups of countries, from the poorest on the planet to the richest, urged by the Brazilian hosts to accept a settlement cooked up the day before.Tempers were short, the air thick as the sweaty and exhausted delegates faced up to reality: there would not be a deal here in Brazil. The 30th UN climate conference would end in abject failure. Continue reading...
A fragile Cop30 consensus is a win. But only a real bargain between rich and poor nations can weather the climate shocks that are comingThis year's UN climate talks in Brazil's Belem ended without a major breakthrough. The text of the final agreement lacked a deal to shift away from fossil fuels, delayed crucial finance and the mutirao" decision contained no roadmap to halt and reverse deforestation. But the multilateral system at Cop30 held together at a point when its collapse felt close. This ought to be a warning: next year's conference of the parties must strike a better bargain between the rich and poor world.Developing countries are far from united on some issues. Over rare earth minerals China sees any move as targeting its dominance, while Africa sees it as essential for governance. Elsewhere petrostates did not support Colombia's call for a fossil fuel phase-out. Yet the global south broadly coheres around a simple principle: its nations must be equipped to survive a climate emergency they did not create. That means cash to build flood defences, make agricultural systems resilient, protect coastlines and rebuild after disasters strike. They also demand front-loaded finance to transition to clean, green economic growth.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
A preening brush turkey, a wise cassowary and some hungry terns are among the winning and shortlisted photos in this year's prize. They were chosen from thousands of entries across nine categories, including the special theme of diurnal raptors. Funds raised by the competition support bird conservation programs in Australia Continue reading...
Firefighters call for long-term investment and say UK is dangerously underprepared as climate crisis worsensWildfires have devastated more moorland, forests and fields in the UK this year than at any time since records began, putting huge pressure on the country's fire service, figures show.The Global Wildfire Information System estimates that by November, wildfires had burned 47,026 hectares (116,204 acres) in 2025 in the UK - the largest area in any year since monitoring began in 2012, and more than double the area burned in the record-breaking summer of 2022. Continue reading...
Hunger is part of American life. Even as a professional adult, it's never too far from Dr Angie Morrill's thoughtsI asked my older sister why we sang the Patty Cake song so often as children: Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man. Bake me a cake as fast as you can! She replied simply: Because we were hungry."Her answer stayed with me, and I thought about some happy memories: mom making Toll House cookies while The Wizard of Oz played on television. Delivering baked goods to elders and friends in our Native urban community at Christmas; we are enrolled citizens in the Klamath Tribes, whose traditional homelands are in southern Oregon and northern California. Sharing food is a cultural value for Native people. Mom taught us to always offer food and drinks to our guests. It's also important to have enough food to share. Continue reading...
by Patrick Greenfield and Kristi Greenwood on (#71PFK)
Blazes that smoulder in the permafrost, only to reignite, are extending fire season though winter, leaving vegetation struggling to recoverIn May 2023, a lightning strike hit the forest in Donnie Creek, British Columbia, and the trees started to burn. It was early in the year for a wildfire, but a dry autumn and warm spring had turned the forest into a tinderbox, and the flames spread rapidly. By mid-June, the fire had become one of largest in the province's history, burning through an area of boreal forest nearly twice the size of central London. That year, more of Canada burned than ever before.The return of cold and snow at the close of the year typically signal the end of the wildfire season. But this time, the fire did not stop. Instead, it smouldered in the soil underground, insulated from the freezing conditions by the snowpack. The next spring, it reemerged as a zombie fire" that continued to burn until August 2024. By then, more than 600,000 hectares (1.5m acres) had been destroyed. Continue reading...
The fingerprints of Russia and Saudi Arabia are all over the decision text in Brazil. But a group of nations led by Colombia and the Netherlands offer hope
by Gideon Mendel ; interviews by Rico Ibarra on (#71PCM)
The Philippines is one of the countries most at risk of the climate emergency due to its low-lying island geography. With sea temperatures rising, the country deals with increasingly frequent and intense typhoons, rising sea-levels that threaten coastal communities, and changing rainfall patterns that disrupt agriculture. The country is one of the smallest contributors to climate change but one of the places most affected by its impacts. Gideon Mendel's visceral portraits from his project Drowning World show people in Bulacan province dealing with the climate emergency in their daily lives Continue reading...
by Adam Morton Climate and environment editor on (#71P9Z)
Opposition claims key diplomatic role at next year's conference in Turkey would make Bowen a part-time minister' while Australians face inflated energy prices