Environment | The Guardian

PM says opposition leader's refusal to name a short-term emissions reduction target in line with Paris agreement is calculated to reignite climate wars

Stephen Kwikiriza is one of 11 campaigners against EACOP targeted by authorities in past two weeks, rights group saysA man campaigning against the controversial $5bn (4bn) east African crude oil pipeline (EACOP) is recovering in hospital after an alleged beating by the Ugandan armed forces in the latest incident in what has been called an alarming crackdown" on the country's environmentalists.Stephen Kwikiriza, who works for Uganda's Environment Governance Institute (EGI), a non-profit organisation, was abducted in Kampala on 4 June, according to his employer. He was beaten, questioned and then abandoned hundreds of miles from the capital on Sunday evening. Continue reading...

Some studies link the popular soda sweetener to higher cancer risk, but the links are weak and questions remainOn 29 June 2023, the soda industry was bracing for a fresh wave of controversy. A media leak had suggested that a research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), which had been reviewing the artificial sweetener aspartame, was planning to classify the additive as possibly cancer-causing.The sweetener - included in candy, soft drinks such as Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi, and common items such as toothpaste - has long been dogged by questions about potential health risks. And such a determination could disrupt consumers' spending and billions in annual sales. Continue reading...

The vessel, which sank off the coast of Canada in 1962, was used by the explorer on his final voyage to the continentThe wreck of the ship on which renowned Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton died has been found off the coast of Labrador, Canada, searchers have announced.Locating the Quest - a schooner-rigged steamship which sank on a 1962 seal hunting voyage - represents a last link to the heroic age of Antarctic exploration", said search leader John Geiger. Continue reading...

Cocaine traffickers have put two-thirds of Central America's key habitats for threatened birds under threat, study findsCocaine consumption is threatening rare tropical birds as narco-traffickers move into some of the planet's most remote forests to evade drug crackdowns, a study has warned.Two-thirds of key forest habitats for birds in Central America are at risk of being destroyed by narco-driven" deforestation, according to the paper, published on Wednesday in the journal Nature Sustainability. Continue reading...

Pennon Group annual report lists dangers to water quality posed by higher temperaturesThe owner of South West Water has warned that global heating will increase the risk of outbreaks of the parasite that caused diarrhoea and vomiting in south Devon.Pennon Group said that gradual and significant increasing average and high temperatures" could pose risks to water quality and water treatment" - including the cryptosporidium parasite - in its annual report, published this week. Continue reading...

State reportedly arrested at least 25 journalists and activists in last year as it prepares for September climate summitAzerbaijan's government has been accused of cracking down on media and civil society activism before the country's hosting of crucial UN climate talks later this year.Human Rights Watch has found at least 25 instances of the arrest or sentencing of journalists and activists in the past year, almost all of whom remain in custody. Continue reading...

Exeter University study has origins in 1950 discovery by ornithologists who chanced upon a spectacle'It is a weird and wonderful sight: millions of migratory insects funnelling through a single narrow pass high in the Pyrenees, looking like a dark flying carpet and emitting a low, deep hum.A team of scientists from a British university that has been studying the phenomenon for the last four years has now concluded that more than 17 million insects fly each year through the 30 metre-wide Puerto de Bujaruelo on the border of France and Spain. Continue reading...

Liv Garfield's pay included a 584,000 bonus despite firm's 2m fine for spilling 260m litres of sewage into River TrentThe boss of Severn Trent Water has been awarded a 3.2m pay deal, including a 584,000 bonus, despite the company being fined 2m for spilling 260m litres of sewage into the River Trent.Liv Garfield, who has been the head of the utility firm for a decade, saw her pay increase by 2.1%, bringing her total take-home pay during her time as Severn boss to more than 28m. Continue reading...

Conservationists criticise disappointing' and dangerous' move to allow harpooning of fin whales after curbs last yearIceland has granted a licence to Europe's last whaling company to kill more than 100 animals this year, despite hopes the practice might have been halted after concerns about cruelty led to a temporary suspension last year.Animal rights groups described the news as deeply disappointing" and dangerous". Continue reading...

Record-breaking temperatures in the last few years shatter the myth that air conditioning alone will keep people safeGloria Gellot, 79, takes a careful seat in a kitchen chair in front of her only air-conditioning unit, massaging her knees. She's hung a sheet in the doorway to keep the cool air in the kitchen, and drawn shades to keep the sun - already blazing in May - out of her second-floor New Orleans apartment. Her home was badly damaged by Hurricane Ida in 2021, and heat radiates from the gutted walls.All the heat's up here," she says. I don't have to go out in the sun. I get a suntan inside." Continue reading...

In the run-up to July's general election, the Guardian video team is touring the UK looking at the issues that matter to voters. After swimmers and rowers fell sick from sewage discharges into the River Thames we went to the seat of Henley and Thame to see how environmental concerns rank for voters in a seat that has been Conservative for more than 100 years Continue reading...

New research reveals levels of ethylene oxide more than 1,000 times above previous measurementsThe air throughout south-east Louisiana's Cancer Alley" is probably being poisoned with a highly carcinogenic gas at levels much higher than previously thought, new research reveals.Using cutting-edge equipment that more accurately checks for the gas, ethylene oxide, which is primarily used in plastic production, researchers found levels more than 1,000 times above previous measurements, and about 10 times higher on average than regulators' modeling. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed

Prime minister says there will be regrettable' consequences for global relationships after Liberal leader won't commit to 2030 target

Institutions alleged to have given billions of dollars to oil and gas companies involved in projects that are harming the rainforestsFive of the world's biggest banks are greenwashing" their role in the destruction of the Amazon, according to a report that indicates that their environmental and social guidelines fail to cover more than 70% of the rainforest.The institutions are alleged to have provided billions of dollars of finance to oil and gas companies involved in projects that are impacting the Amazon, destabilising the climate or impinging on the land and livelihoods of Indigenous peoples. Continue reading...

Families in Taranto, Italy, watch their kids play in polluted soil in the shadow of a steelworks, knowing that many people there have lost their lives to cancer. Lisa Sorgini captures their struggle Continue reading...

Open letter signed by naturalist Chris Packham and comedian Paul Whitehouse says pollution from United Utilities treatment plants is degrading lakeThe next government must give Windermere greater protection from sewage pollution, campaigners including the naturalist Chris Packham and the comedian Paul Whitehouse have urged in an open letter to all party leaders.The campaign group Save Windermere, which organised the letter, says the lake has huge ecological significance, is home to rare and protected species and brings in about 750m to the economy. But the signatories, who include the Wildlife Trust, the countryside charity the CPRE and WildFish, say it is being degraded by sewage pollution from United Utilities treatment plants. Continue reading...

Court seeks Biden administration's view as fossil fuel industry fights to avoid trial in lawsuitsThe supreme court on Monday asked the Biden administration to weigh in on big oil's request to thwart litigation that could put them on the hook for billions of dollars.The one-line order will delay the litigation from advancing to trial. It follows an unprecedented pressure campaign from far-right fossil fuel allies on the court. Continue reading...

North Warwickshire council seeks to extend controversial order against persons unknown' for Kingsbury terminalA council is trying to extend a controversial injunction against persons unknown" to stop any future protests outside an oil terminal operated by Shell UK.Lawyers for North Warwickshire borough council will argue in the high court on Tuesday that an interim injunction granted in 2022 should be made permanent to stop protests outside Kingsbury oil terminal in Tamworth. Continue reading...

Supporters hospitalized following rallies in Las Vegas and Phoenix, where temperatures have broken recordsDozens of Donald Trump's supporters have been requiring medical help at his rallies in the scorching US south-west but it seems lost on him that his plans to reverse climate policies and drill, baby, drill" for fossil fuels will only worsen extreme weather, campaigners say.A total of 24 people at a Trump rally in Las Vegas on Sunday required medical attention due to the heat, according to the Clark county fire department, with six taken to hospital for treatment. The hospitalizations come after a further 11 people needed to be admitted to hospital for heat exhaustion as they waited for Trump to speak at a rally in Phoenix on Thursday. Continue reading...

In high-density places such as Sydney many drones may hover over an animal at once, amplifying disturbance pressure

The Coalition's rejection of a 43% cut in emissions by 2030 will have major ramifications for us and the world

Blue crabs with no natural predators have been disrupting prized shellfish populations on Italy's coast. So revenge is on the menuIn a down-to-earth suburb of Catania on Sicily's east coast, smoke billows from street stands selling traditional grilled horse meat, and local youngsters gather around kiosks selling the region's unique handmade drink, seltz limone e sale (seltzer with lemon and sea salt). It is here that a family of charismatic ex-fishers have opened a seafood restaurant that bravely challenges long-held regional conventions.The Salamone family sell all the usual local specialities in their slick new business La Fish", such as Sicily's famous swordfish, sardines and tuna. However, the feature of tonight's tasting menu - attracting customers who range from local families to food connoisseurs - is a relative newcomer to these shores and to Sicilian tables: the Atlantic blue crab. Continue reading...

Former Nationals leader says aspirations have to take a secondary position to the economic reality' after Peter Dutton said he would oppose government's targets

The White House has a goal to conserve 30% of US land and water by 2030 - Trump has different plansA week after his presidential inauguration, Joe Biden cited the climate and biodiversity crises as reasons to set a sweeping new goal - to conserve at least 30% of America's vast lands and waters by the end of the decade.Three years on, new protections have spurred meaningful progress towards meeting the target by 2030. Continue reading...

Pay rise for Pennon Group CEO Susan Davy comes despite outrage over Devon diarrhoea outbreak caused by polluted water

More than 400 scientists write to political parties urging ambitious action or risk making Britain and the world more dangerous and insecure'After five years of record heat and record floods, one might assume British politicians would also pay record attention to the climate issue in the current election campaign.But with the manifestos due this week, concerns are growing that the response of the two main parties will range from tepid progress to a great leap backwards, despite the certainty of further climate chaos during the next parliament. Continue reading...

Reports and emails show a landfill at the top of a hill is leaching dangerous toxins into the Napa RiverFamous for its lush vineyards and cherished local wineries, Napa valley is where people go to escape their problems.When you first get there, it's really pretty," said Geoff Ellsworth, former mayor of St Helena, a small Napa community nestled 50 miles north-east of San Francisco. It mesmerizes people." Continue reading...

Groups linked to billionaire Leonard Leo, who seems to have ties to Chevron, are pressing the court to intervene in lawsuits that could cost billionsFar-right fossil fuel allies have launched a stunning and unprecedented campaign pressuring the supreme court to shield fossil fuel companies from litigation that could cost them billions of dollars.Some of the groups behind the campaign have ties to Leonard Leo, the architect of the rightwing takeover of the supreme court who helped select Trump's supreme court nominees. Leo also appears to have ties to Chevron, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Continue reading...

Federal government says opposition is saying white is black' following Peter Dutton's comments to News Corp on Paris climate agreement

Scheme would collect funds from power companies to pay communities affected by new transmission lines

Riot police use teargas to disperse demonstrators at site of A-69 near Puylaurens in southern FrancePolice and masked activists clashed at a protest over a motorway project in southern France on Saturday, leaving five people hurt, local officials said.Thousands of demonstrators ignored a ban on the gathering to turn out for the protest at the site of the A-69 motorway between Castres and Toulouse in the south-west. Continue reading...

Extreme temperatures and flammable grass fed by a wet winter are among this year's biggest risks, experts sayThis week's broiling heatwave in the US south-west is just the start of what experts warn will be a brutally hot summer, setting the stage for an active wildfire season - even in places that don't burn often.Thanks to a wet winter, the dangers could be delayed in many fire-prone regions across the west, including in California forests where the threats from catastrophic blazes are often high. But the extra rainfall also helped seed invasive grasses that spread across sparse arid landscapes, and rapidly dried as temperatures rose. Continue reading...

Imogen May has withheld payments since 2019 and is thought to be one of thousands boycotting water chargesSouth West Water has taken a legal stake in a customer's home after she withheld her bill payments in a protest over sewage dumping in rivers and the sea.Thousands of water company customers are thought to be withholding payments but this is the first known case of a company enforcing a claim against a customer's home. Continue reading...

Mt Buller had the country's only ski-on chairlift operating on season's opening day on Saturday - but snow is forecast for the week ahead

Opposition leader reportedly told News Corp he would oppose the legislated 2030 emissions target - a 43% cut compared with 2005 levels - at the next election

Biden's rule for 2% fuel-economy increase a year met with disappointment by some environmental groupsNew vehicles sold in the US will have to average about 38 miles per gallon (mpg) of gasoline in 2031 in real-world driving, up from about 29mpg this year, under new federal rules unveiled on Friday by the Biden administration.The final rule will increase fuel economy by 2% a year for model years 2027 to 2031 for passenger cars, while SUVs and other light trucks will increase by 2% a year for model years 2029 to 2031, according to requirements released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Continue reading...

The hoodwinker sunfish, or Mola tecta, is a different species from the more common ocean sunfish, Mola molaAn enormous rare fish thought to live only in temperate waters in the southern hemisphere has washed up on Oregon's northern coast, drawing crowds of curious onlookers intrigued by the unusual sight.The 7.3-ft (2.2-metre) hoodwinker sunfish first appeared on the beach in Gearhart on Monday, the Seaside Aquarium said in a media release. It was still on the beach on Friday and may remain there for weeks, the aquarium said, as it is difficult for scavengers to puncture its tough skin. Continue reading...

John Browne appears to back Labour energy policy as he underlines need for green transitionThe former boss of BP John Browne has appeared to back a key Labour energy policy by calling for an end to new North Sea oil and gas drilling licences.The oil industry veteran, who was known as the Sun King when he ran the oil company between 1995 and 2007, said an important test for the UK's political parties before next month's general election was whether they have serious plans for the country's green energy transition". Continue reading...

Professional body says outbreaks of foodborne illnesses will increase unless urgent action takenOutbreaks of foodborne illnesses, such as E coli, will increase in the UK unless urgent action is taken to tackle severe shortages of environmental health officers, a body representing the profession has said.The warning comes after more than 100 E coli cases were reported in a fortnight, having spread via food distributed across Britain. Continue reading...

A new, cleaner ship points way as US ports in the region are spending millions on upgrades in pursuit of net zeroIt's just after 9.30pm on a Thursday night in late May when a conveyor belt begins dumping 21,000 tons of road salt into the cavernous hull of the MV Mark M Barker at a dock in Cleveland.As the first US-flagged freighter to be built on the Great Lakes in nearly 40 years, the 639ft (195-meter)-long ship - launched in 2022 - is the only vessel of its kind in the region powered by cleaner, tier four" marine engines that meet the federal Environmental Protection Agency rules governing hydrocarbons and particle matter emissions. Continue reading...

The Guardian contacted 11 major organizations that run fossil-fuel ads after Wednesday's speech by Antonio GuterresMajor news and tech media that have run fossil-fuel ads were largely staying quiet after the UN's secretary general called for governments and companies to place bans on advertisements for coal, oil and gas.Stop taking fossil-fuel advertising," Antonio Guterres implored in a major speech on Wednesday after railing against energy companies for distorting the truth, deceiving the public, and sowing doubt" about the climate crisis. Continue reading...

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

NT government's environmental management plan approval of Tamboran gas development spurs calls for federal minister to step in

Some flash flooding causing road closures and inundating homes but rainy weather forecast to ease later on Friday, BoM says

Exclusive: Party wants to appeal to voters' patriotism by improving access to nature and green spacesLocal communities would be given the right to buy up derelict eyesores and turn them into parks under a Labour government, while walkers and swimmers would gain access to hundreds of miles of river pathways, the party has pledged.Labour will make a direct appeal to voters' patriotism, presenting the restoration of nature as a matter of national identity and status. Continue reading...

Patrice Miller was found dead in her home in what authorities confirm is first known attack of its kindA 71-year-old woman was mauled to death by a black bear in a Sierra Nevada community in 2023 in what is believed to be California's first fatal black bear attack, the state department of fish and wildlife confirmed this week.Patrice Miller was found dead in her Downieville home in November by a Sierra county sheriff's deputy who was called to the residence to check on the senior after she had not been seen for several days, KCRA3 reported. Continue reading...

Climate advocates say Hochul missed crucial opportunity to follow cities around the world in reducing gas emissionsAn 11th-hour decision to halt a plan to charge a fee for cars entering the heart of New York City has provoked outrage from environmental advocates and Democratic lawmakers, potentially scuppering hopes of congestion pricing taking hold in any US city in the near future.New York City was, on 30 June, primed to be the first American city to toll drivers in its traffic-clogged centre, with cars entering Manhattan south of 60th Street set to be charged $15 a day in a plan heralded as a landmark moment in tackling air pollution, helping curb carbon emissions and providing a funding boost for New York's sprawling yet beleaguered public transit system. Continue reading...