The news should allow us to keep in touch with what is happening to the World around us
World News
You don’t need to watch the news I do this for you, although I am always behind…. The below provides a short summary for those with a short attention span (like me) of news articles that I come across in the UK, so there is a lot that I will miss from other Countries. Many articles are from the BBC, and The Guardian in the UK. If you enjoy reading these summaries I urge you to visit their websites to read the articles directly.
The Guardian 24th January 2023
EU f
Some more good
The Guardian 24th January 2023
E
Some more good
The Guardian 24th January 2023
EU f
Some more good
The Guardian 31st January 2024
Off the charts - global coral reef heat stress monitor forced to add new alerts as temperature rises
Coral reefs are dying and the scale didnt account for this.
The Guardian 24th January 2024
Climate scientist says that we have all of the technology to a cleaner world
He is from UCL and knows his stuff, spends al his time working out how we can help ourselves.
The Guardian 29th January 2024
Move to sustainable food could bring huge benefits.
Modern food has more costs than benefits.
The Guardian 25th January 2024
Canadian oil sands pollution up to 6300% higher than reported.
If you ask me how many glasses of wine i drink a day i will always tell you one, even if i had five. Same here but on a huge scale.
The Guardian 24th January 2024
EU fossil fuel CO2 emissions hit a 60 year low
Some more good news. We just need the rest of the world to follow now.
The Guardian 24th January 2024
Devastating drought in Amazon result of climate crises study shows
The drought is an indication that the Amazon is close to a tipping point of becoming Savannah
The Guardian 22nd January 2024
Australia suffers under severe heatwave and extreme rainfall.
The west coast is really hot up to 50C, and heavy rain is in the northern territory.
The Guardian 11th January 2024
Greenland losing 30m tonnes of ice an hour study reveals
That is a lot of ice. This is 20% higher than thought and just means the models are wrong and the predictions are probably wrong too. It also means that the Atlantic ocean circulation might turn off sooner.
The Guardian 15th January 2024
Cheaper to save the world than destroy it. Why capitalism is going green.
Of course it is. We need everyone to realise. When they do they will be acting as fast to save the world as they acting to destroy it.
The Guardian 8th January 2024
Where has all the honey gone? Scientists point to factors in declining yields
They found that is due to farmers using herbicides to kill unwanted plants so that only the plants they want grow. The only thing is all the flowers and plants the bees like go.
The Guardian 4th January 2024
Germanys emissions hit 70 year low as it reduces reliance on coal
At last some good news.
The Guardian 2nd January 2024
Climate crises. 2023 was UKs second hottest year on record.
Before climate change it would have happened every 500 years but now it was just a couple of years ago.
The Guardian 1st January 2024
Saudia Arabia hit by floods as temperature records are broken in Canada
There is a breakdown in the climate everywhere. Canada had temperatures that are 20C higher than normal
The Guardian 27th December 2023
Weather changes causing chaos for UK flora and fauna say National Trust audit
Of course it is. The temperature is all over the place in the UK. One minute its freezing and the next its the warmest day.
The Guardian 19th December 2023
Human driven extinction of bird species twice as high as thoug
About 12% of birds have died as a result of human activity
The Guardian 14th December 2023
Failure of COP28 on fossil fuel phase out is devastating say scientists
Whilst no one really know what global change is happening the scientists do and they know that the politicians are foolish to the extreme.
The Guardian 11th December 2023
Fossil fuel phase out will not avert climate breakdown without protection for nature
If we manage to reduce emissions we need to increase nature at the same time.
The Guardian 11th December 2023
COP28 deal calls for a global transition sway from fossil fuels for first time
Its taken them 28 years to get this far!! Now all they have to do is set some targets and keep to them. Hopefully that does not take another 28 years as we only have six left. How about agreeing a 10% reduction in emissions in 2025, a 20% reduction in 2027, 30% in 2028, 40% in 2029 and 50% in 2030?
The Guardian 11th December 2023
Quarter of worlds freshwater fish at risk of extinction according to assessment
Reasons are overfishing, heating of water, pollution and falling water levels. This accounts for about 3000 of the 15000 freshwater species.
The Guardian 11th December 2023
COP draft climate deal criticised as grossly insufficient and in coherent
Of course it is. That is the point. That way Countries dont have to do anything. How else have we had 28 COPs and nothing has changed?
The Guardian 8th December 2023
Opec rails against fossil fuel phase out at COP 28 leaked letters.
They are slow to catch on arent they. The whole point is that unless they adapt then they will go out of business and someone has to put them out of business if we are to survive.
The Guardian 6th December 2023
World on verge of five catastrophic climate tipping points scientists warn.
These are collapse of ice sheets in Greenland and West Antarctica, thawing of permafrost, death of coral reefs, and the collapse of the oceanic current in the north Atlantic. And what did COP28 do about it? Nothing.
The Guardian 4th December 2023
COP 28 Agreement to phase out fossil fuels would be huge for humanity says Gore
This is correct. But there is nothing on hitting the targets for a 50% cut in emissions by 2030 or 90% by 2040. This still seems a mile off with emissions still rising. What did COP 28 do about that? Nothing. COP still needs to get its act together after 28 of them they have achieved nothing in reality.
The Guardian 5th December 2023
Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels to hit record high
Global emissions from burning fossil fuels reached a record high in 2023. What id COP28 do about it? Nothing.
The Guardian 2nd December 2023
US outlines measures to cut methane emissions by 80% in next 15 years.
Some good news and hope they do it.
The Guardian 27th November 2023
The climate crises explained in 10 charts
These are on Co2 which is rising for the fastest rate in 66m years. Fossil fuel burning. Forest destruction. Methane emissions. Global average temperature rise. sea level rise. Extent of Arctic sea ice shrinking. Increase in wind and solar energy. Electric vehiicles and battery costs.
The Guardian 30th November 2023
Agreement on loss and damage deal reached on first day of COP28 talks
This is a small beginning but will Countries actually pay what they say they will? Can the UN make them pay? No.
The Guardian 27th November 2023
US oil and gas production set to break record in 2023 despite UN climate goals
And what did the COP28 do about it? Nothing.
The Guardian 20th November 2023
Mediterranean heats up as Eastern US faces storms
Parts of the Med are 4C higher and the Black sea is 6C higher.
The Guardian 20th November 2023
World facing hellish 3C of climate heating UN warns before COP28
This is a dire warning given by experts, but what did the COP 28 do about it? Nothing.
BBC News 13th November 2023
Kenyans get tree planting holiday to plant 100million seedlings
This is at last some good news.
The Guardian 10th November 2023
Food soil water how the extinction of insects would transform our planet
The number of species at risk of extinction is 2m. They play a vital role in soil health with which crops will not grow.
The Guardian 6th November 2023
Beef soya and palm oil products linked to deforestation still imported into UK
This is inevitable.
The Guardian 2nd November 2023
Global heating is accelerating warns scientist who sounded climate alarm in the 80s
Hansen is essentially saying that there is a lot of latent heat yet to happen from what we have done already, which will lead to exponential growth in temperature as these triggers begin to take effect.
The Guardian 25th October 2023
Earth close to risk tipping points that will damage our ability to deal with climate crises warns UN
This is related to ground water supplies risk of flooding, mountain glacier loss leading to no drinking water from rivers. And what did COP28 do? Nothing.
The Guardian 23rd October 2023
Rapid ice melt in west Antarctica is now inevitable research shows
Research shows that this ice shelf is collapsing and sea leveels as a result will go up by 5 metres once it has gone.
The Guardian 18th October 2023
Drought turns Amazonian capital into climate dystopia
Maneus has poor air quality and low river levels as the Amazon burns and dries up.
The Guardian 13th October 2023
IMF should give poor countries $300bn a year to fight climate crises
This is possible if some of the $7trn of support to the oil industry, see 24th August is diverted to poor Countries. We can do this we just need some leadership.
The Guardian 12th October 2023
Antarctica has lost 7.5tn tonnes of ice since 1997 scientists find
40% of ice sheets have shrunk. This means that ice in Antarctica is in decline. This is significant, see 26th September.
The Guardian 6th October 2023
Extreme weather displaced 43m children in past 6 years Unicef reports.
This is from floods, droughts, storms and wildfires.
The Guardian 4th October 2023
South American monsoon heading towards tipping point likely to cause Amazon dieback
This is where the Amazon will become savannah. This is because of deforestation. This is one of the Earths key tipping points that will affect us all.
The Guardian 28th September 2023
Swiss glaciers lose 10% of their volume in two years.
They are going. 18 years left if they are lucky then. Thats the equivalent of what they lost between 1960 and 1990.
The Guardian 27th September 2023
One in six species at risk of extinction in Great Britain say wildlife experts
This is a result of intensive farming and effects of climate change already happening here.
The Guardian 26th September 2023
Antarctica sea ice shrinks to lowest annual maximum level on record data shows.
A tipping point could have been reached in which sea ice extent is now falling across the continent. If this is the case then this is very significant for us all.
The Guardian 19th September 2023
Wildlife loss accelerating scientists warn
Groups of animal species are going extinct 35 times faster than at any time in the last million years. The sixth mass extinction is well underway. And what did COP28 do about it? Nothing.
The Guardian 14th September 2023
US launches $1bn tree planting scheme to mitigate effects of climate crises
This will aim to help reduce extreme heat.
The Guardian 13th September 2023
Earth well outside safe operating space for humanity scientists find
Humans have been populating the world for the last 10,000 years. In this time the Earth has been stable. When 9 indicators of the Earths health are examined 6 of them are no longer working. Things like natural habitats, ocean acidification. This means that life cannot continue as it has and the Earth has been damaged so much.
The Guardian 12th September 2023
World Bank spent billions backing fossil fuels in 2022 study finds.
They are actively doing what they say they wont. They need to spend the same amount on clean energy projects.
The Guardian 12th September 2023
US behind more than a third of global oil and gas expansion plans report finds
Canada and Russia lead the table followed by China Brazil and the UAE who are hosting the COP28.
The Guardian 12th September 2023
Beginning of the end of fossil fuel era approaching say IEA
But the downturn is no way near enough which you could say is a huge understatement of the obvious.
The Guardian 10th September 2023
7 days of 30C heat in September is new UK record.
It was hot!
The Guardian 8th September 2023
A critical moment UN warns world will miss climate targets unless fossil fuels phased out
And what did they agree at COP28? Nothing just a statement that they should be phased out but with no timetable. Pathetic demonstration of leadership.
The Guardian 8th September 2023
How much of the worlds oil needs to stay in the ground
For a 50% chance of staying within 1.5C rise in temperature then 90% of coal and 60% of oil and gas needs to be kept in the ground. Im surprised that it is that high.
The Guardian 7th September 2023
Antarctica warming much faster than models predicted in deeply concerning sign for sea levels
The models will need recalibrating but this means that global sea levels will rise faster than expected.
The Guardian 1st September 2023
Coalmine approvals in Australia this year could add 150m tonnes of CO2 to atmosphere
This is a third of the countries annual amount over their lifetime so is a large amount.
The Guardian 29th August 2023
China continues coal spree despite climate goals
They are approving about two new coal fired power plants are week.
The Guardian 29th August 2023
Greece wildfire declared largest ever recorded in EU.
This is a sign of things to come.
The Guardian 28th August 2023
Of the charts records has humanity finally broken the climate?
This is an article about how scientists are wondering if we have already gone too far or if there is a small window of opportunity left.
The Guardian 28th August 2023
Climate crises means that quarter of European ski resorts face scarce snow
At 2C of warming half of ski resorts will need to make snow themselves.
The Guardian 24th August 2023
Fossil fuels being subsidised at rate of $13m a minute says IMF.
This is by governments who put in $7trn of support in 2022 alone. What did COP28 do about this? Nothing which frankly is astonishing. Imagine what that investment could do for poor and rich countries to transition.
The Guardian 24th August 2023
Emporer penguins thousands of chicks in Antarctica die due to record low sea lice levels
This has affected many colonies over a large region. The young chicks do not have waterproof feathers and so if the sea ice on which the colony breaks up underneath them then they have to swim to survive and move to another place. The chicks cannot do this.
The Guardian 17th August 2023
Drinking water of millions of Americans contaminated with forever chemicals
This affects about 28 million people.
The Guardian 16th August 2023
Extreme water stress faced by countries home to quarter of world population
25 countries are using 80% of their water supplies each year. This is forecast to rise to 60% of the worlds population by 2050.
The Guardian 14th August 2023
Gamechanger judge rules in favour of young activists in US climate trial.
This is that the state of Montana had violated their right to a healthy environment
The Guardian 8th August 2023
Fears over Antarctica sea ice as yearly ozone layer hole forms very early
This will help to warm the southern ocean and lead to more melting of sea ice.
The Guardian 2nd August 2023
Amazon deforestation falls over 60% compared with last July says Brazilian minister
Thats some good news at last
The Guardian 27th July 2023
Era of global boiling has arrived says UN chief as July set to be hottest month on record
Yet more calls for us to act and what did they do at COP 28 months later? Nothng.
The Guardian 25th July 2023
Gulf stream could collapse as early as 2025 study suggests
It is at its weakest in 1600 years and is near a tipping point where it will literally turn off. When that happens northern Europe will get a lot colder.
The Guardian 24th July 2023
New North sea oil and gasfields will emit as much carbon as 14m cars.
This is the UKs attempt at cutting emissions. They are like the folks in Saudia Arabia and Dubia.
BBC News 22nd July 2023
Climate records tumble leaving Earth in unchartered territory
The graphs are exponential. Do we reallly want this for our home?
BBC News 20th July 2023
World will miss 1.5C warming limit top UK expert
This is hardly surprising since we have done nothing to try and keep within the limit since 2015. We will fly past it.
The Guardn 17th July 2023
Top economists call for action on runaway global inequality
COP 28 completely ignored this and the breakdown of the climate too for that matter.
The Guardian 17th July 2023
Longer heatwave driven by turbo charged climate change says scientists
As climate breaks down heatwaves across Europe and the US will be longer and hotter
The Guardian 13th July 2023
UK told to prepare for possible 30% increase in unconformably hot days
Britain and Switzerland need to adapt the most.
The Guardian 7th July 2023
UN says that climate change out of control after likely hottest week on record
The hottest week on record for a hundred thousand years at least. That is signicificant.
The Guardian 4th July 2023
Climate heating El Nino has arrived and threatens lives declares UN
This combined with climate change means that temperatures will be even hotter across the world.
The Guardian 4th July 2023
Monday was hottest day for global average temperature on record as climate crises bites
Heatwaves in the US, Africa, China and Antarctica
The Guardian 4th July 2023Millions swelter under extreme heat as climate crises tightens grip on US
A Heat dome of high pressure and heavy rains across the US both at the same time in different states. Soon to come to your country too.
The Guardian 3rd July 2023
June was UKs hottest on record says Met Office
The average temperature of 15.8C was 1C higher than the previous record.
The Guardian 22nd June 2023
Ecological tipping points could occur much sooner than expected study says.
This is properly scary as this is the Earth flipping into a hothouse state which we might not be able to avoid if these triggers happen. See the page on triggers.
The Guardian 19th June 2023
Unheard of marine heatwave off UK and Irish coasts poses serious threat
Fish follow water temperature, so the fish we normally have will move north if they can. If they can then there could be mass mortality of fish and oysters.
The Guardian 14th June 2023
Peak in global oil demand in sight before end of decade
This is too little too late. Just Stop Oil now. Somehow we need a global consensus to reduce production now.
The Guardian 13th June 2023
Turkmenistan moves towards plugging massive methane leaks
Methane accounts for 25% of our warming. Lets hope that they can do it.
The Guardian 10th June 2023
Canada battles hundreds of wildfires as smoke still chokes major cities
After very hot weather there were over 400 out of control fires across the Country
The Guardian 7th June 2023
Insect decline a threat to fruit crops and food security
This shows how much farming has to change as otherwise farmers wont be producing much in the future
The Guardian 6th June 2023
Too late now to save Arctic summer ice climate scientists find
This just leaves winter ice now which will affect climate in the northern hemisphere
The Guardian 2nd June 2023
More than 800 million Amazon trees felled in six years to meet beef demand
This says a lot about how much we like beef and how little we care for the Amazon.
The Guardian 1st June 2023
Brazilian Amazon at risk of being taken over by mafia ex police chief warns
Organised crime is increasing.
The Guardian 31st May 2023
Earths health failing in seven out of eight key measures says scientists.
This says that the world needs to have up to 60% of natural ecosystems and in human occupied areas about 25% of this needs to be devoted to semi natural areas to keep habitats. Other items are air pollution, water quality, soil pollution and quality. We need to start living within the limits of our Mother Earth.
The Guardian 25th May 2023
Slowing ocean current caused by melting Antarctic ice could have drastic climate impact study says
This is a deep ocean current that has weakened by 30% since 1990. Its existence impacts global ocean circulation and hence global climate since the climate is partly derived from the ocean temperature below it. This is how the earth gets hotter as cooling from the poles to the rest of the earth is diminished.
The Guardian 17th May 2023
World likely to breach 1.5C climate threshold by 2027 scientists warn.
Their being ignored already so I dont imagine this will change anything.
The Guardian 15th May 2023
Intensive farming is biggest cause of bird decline in Europe study says.
The high use of pesticides and fertilizers is the key factor behind decline of 550 million birds. Thats a lot of birds and surely its common sense. If you poison and kill insects then anything further down the food chain is affected?
BBC News 11th May 2023
Wind is main source of UK electricity for first time
Finally some good news. All they need to do now is reduce electricity prices now it is cheaper to generate.
The Guardian 9th May 2023
Mind boggling methane emissions from Turkmenistan revealed
Their two oil fields emit more than the UK in one year. I wonder if they have fixed it yet?
The Guardian 27th April 2023
Endless record heat in Asia as highest April temperatures recorded
Records have been beaten across the whole of South Asia. On 7th May Vietnam recorded its highest ever temperature of 44C.
The Guardian 26th April 2023
Record ocean temperatures put Earth in unchartered territory say scientists
This is unseen and more evidence of a climate breakdown of normal ocean temperatures.
The Guardian 12th April 2023
UK still well off track on pledge to cut methane emissions.
That is because we are not taking it seriously.
The Guardian 5th April 2023
Ice sheets can collapse at 600 metres at day, far faster than feared study finds.
This is a warning for Antarctica and in September there are articles about Antarctic ice melting. This is what happened at the end of the last ice age.
The Guardian 30th March 2023
Net zero strategy shows UK will miss 2030 emissions cut target
The UK government does not take climate change seriously at all and this is evidence of that.
The Guardian 21st March 2023
Eight things the world must do to avoid the worst climate change
The IPCC has released a key report telling us what we need do. These are:
Reduce Methane emissions;
Stop deforestation
Restore degraded land and dont return it to agriculture
Change agriculture and change the way we eat
Use more Solar and wind power
Be more energy efficient in how we use energy
Stop burning coal
Put climate at the heart of all decision making
The Guardian 22nd March 2023
Pressure grows on shipping industry to accept carbon levy
The whole world needs a carbon levy not just shipping. The UN needs to administer it and we all need to pay heavily. Shipping is a good start though.
The Guardian 22nd March 2023
Decline of more than 500 species of marine life on Australian reefs the tip of the iceburg
The warming of the ocean is leading to a decline in all 500 common species on the reef
The Guardian 20th March 2023
Weather tracker. sea surface temperatures hit record high
The previous record was from 2016
BBC News 20th February 2023
UN Climate report Scientists release survival guide to avert climate disaster
The world is now warmer than in the last 125,000 years. CO2 is the highest for 2 million years. The warmer the world the greater the loss of species. The report says that we have the ability to do what is needed too. We need to shift to a low carbon economy, one with climate justice, The scale of the challenge though is massive.
The Guardian 17th March 2023
Global fresh water demand will outstrip supply by 40% by 2030 say experts
This is particularly in the hot central countries and mid latitudes.
The Guardian 17th March 2023
Alarming rate of mountain forest loss a threat to wildlife
Since 2001 7% of the habitat has been lost globally from logging, fires and agriculture. Looking at the maps in the article this is happening everywhere globally
The Guardian 6th March 2023
Meat, diary and rice production alone will bust the 1.5C climate target study shows
These are high methane producing foods.
The Guardian 2nd March 2023
CO2 emissions may be starting to plateau says global energy watchdog.
They increased by 1$ in 2022 but still need to fall by 7% each year between now and 2030 if we are to have any hope.
BBC News 27th February 2023
Ocean plastic. How tech is being used to clean up waste pollution
There are 1000 rivers and five huge ocean areas of plastic pollution. this is a system that collects plastic for recycling and is in the process of being scaled up.
The Guardian 24th February 2023
Ecosystem collapse inevitable unless wildlife losses are reversed
There have been five mass extinctions in the Earths history, with species now being lost at the fastest rate than now for any of them. Studies of one 252 million years ago from fast heating due to volcanic eruptions left only 5% of life left. Once an ecosystem loses key species in the plants, predators or prey roles then a tipping point is reached and an ecosystem can collapse very quickly.
The Guardian 22nd February 2023
England one dry spell away from return to severe drought say wxperts
This is affecting farmers in the UK and Europe
The Guardian 19th February 2023
Cattle not coca drive deforestation of the Amazon in Columbia
Previously it was thought that cocaine was to blame.
The Guardian 15th February 2023
Extreme situation Antarctic sea ice hits record low
The sea ice holds back the ice sheets so if this goes then the ice sheets can flow and melt faster. A natural feedback loop then forms. This means that the Thwaites glacier and Antarctic ice are very sensitive to sea temperature. Sea ice in 2022 was its lowest ever recorded in Antarctica news on 4th March.
The Guardian 14th February 2023
Rising seas threaten mass exodus on a biblical scale UN Chief warns
A billion people are under threat and this is another call for action which hopefully is not ignored. Oceans are warming fastest in the last 11,000 years since the last ice age in essence.
The Guardian 8th February 2023
Brazil launches operation to drive illegal miners from Yanomami lands
The Amazon needs some good news, so at last it has some.
The Guardian 8th February 2023
Deal to curb harmful fishing devices a huge win for yellowfin tuna stocks
Fishing needs some good news, so at last it has some.
The Guardian 3rd February 2023
UK butterflies vanish from nearly half of the places they once flew
All since 1976 its scarey how fast we can destroy somthing`
The Guardian 3rd February 2023
Worlds biggest investment fund warns directors to tackle climate crises or face sack
At last some good news.
The Guardian 30th January 2023
EU plans to loosen state aid rules to boost renewables investment
This is in response to Joe Bidens recent aid to renewables.
The Guardian 28th January 2023
New Zealand flooding. Three dead and one missing as Auckland hit by record rainfall.
Another sign of climate change
The Guardian 20th January 2023
Super Tipping Points could trigger cascade of climate action
As electric car sales soar this reduces the cost of batteries and energy, from fertilizer made from hydrogen and nitrogen from the air, and from plant based meat and dairy replacements. I had one of those for tea tonight and it was tasty.
The Guardian 20th January 2023
Columbia announces halt on fossil fuel exploration for a greener economy
At least they understand the threat to us all. And some good news.
The Guardian 18th January 2023
UN head accuses fossil fuel firms of business models inconsistent with human survival
This is no joke, another article about extinction, this time its us not vertebrates.
The Guardian 18th January 2023
Extreme heat could put 40% of land vertebrates in peril by end of century
This is real possibility if temperatures reach 4.4C above pre industrial levels which is also quite possible at the rate we are going.
The Guardian 16th January 2023
California’s rainstorm hell amongst the deadliest disasters in our history
This must be very hard for those affected.
The Guardian 16th January 2023
Warning of unprecedented heatwaves as El Nino set to return in 2023
This is expected late 2023 and into 2024 and follows the worlds hottest year which was in 2016 an El Nino year.
The Guardian 12th January 2023
Revealed. Exon made breathtakingly accurate climate predictions in the 1970s and 1980s.
This is nothing but deplorable. They rubbished the science which they knew was correct. The predicted that warming would be about 0.2C a decade, They predicted that everyone would start to notice it in 2000 and that there is a carbon budget to keep temperature increase below 2C. They denied and lied about the science all along.
The Guardian 11th January 2023
Oceans were the hottest ever recorded in 2022 analysis shows
This explains why they are able to melt the ice faster in the poles.
The Guardian 10th January 2023
Extreme weather caused 18 disasters in US last year costing $165bn
That’s a lot of money that could be pumped into green measures.
The Guardian 6th January 2023
UK windfarms electricity at record high in 2022
Good news. Its got to 27% of the total but gas is up to 39%.
The Guardian 6th January 2023
3.3 million US adults displaced by natural disasters in past year
These are not natural disasters they are man made disasters.
BBC News 5th January 2023
UK weather. 2022 was warmest year ever Met Office confirms
This is not surprising it was really hot all year.
The Guardian 22nd December 2022
Emperor Penguin at risk of extinction, along with two thirds of native Antarctic species
All of this could happen by 2030.
The Guardian 22nd December 2022
Target date for cleaning up waterways in England is moved back by 36 years
This is incredible. It is the UK effectively saying that we are unable to clean our waterways from pollution so we are not going to. I feel ashamed to be a UK citizen.
The Guardian 20th December 2022
Global temperatures in 2023 set to be among highest on record
This is what happens when you put enormous amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere.
The Guardian 20th December 2022
Cop15 in Montreal. Did the summit deliver for the natural world?
A summary of the incremental changes from this COP based on nature. Its all so watered down that you dont have to do anything.
The Guardian 9th December 2022
Marine Life hit by perfect storm
This details that there is a red list of marine life that is threatened with extinction. Many more shellfish and corals have been added to this list.
The Guardian 16th November 2022
Flying insect nunmbers plunge 64% since 2004 UK survey find
This is incredible. Whatever we have done since 2004 must be reversed says the article. I remember cleaning my dads car in the 1980s and the number plate was covered in insects, now there are none on ours.
The Guardian 16th December 2022
EU becomes first leading economy to legislate for green tariff on imports
This is more good news and will apply to steel in particular.
The Guardian 7th December 2022
Fate of the living world will be decided in Cop15 says scientists
This is a COP that no one has never heard of before, and now its a do or die one. Amazing how we can get to this.
The Guardian 29th November 2022
Air pollution linked to almost a million stillbirths a year
The loss is hard to get your head around, but surely is a good reason to reduce air pollution.
The Guardian 24th November 2022
Over 20,000 died in western europe summer heatwaves figures show.
This years temperatures would have been virtually impossible without climate change.
The Guardian 21st November 2022
New gadget could reduce shark bycatch by 90%.
Finally some good news. Sorry its been a while.
The Guardian 20th November 2022
A deal on loss and damage but a blow to 1.5C what will be COP27 legacy?
The worlds leaders are like a bunch of unruly children with no headteacher. In the end they agreed to fund the loss and damage by climate change from poorer countries, but failed to limit emissions. The chance of keeping to 1.5C seems very slim now. In essence very little has changed to prevent a catastrophe.
The Guardian 16th November 2022
Global heating to drive stronger La Nina and El Nino event by 2030 researchers say
Australian scientists have realised that by looking at the Pacific ocean temperature and winds in more detail they can see climate changes influence over them now rather than in 40 years time as previous less complex climate models predicted.
The Guardian 16th November 2022
Lula vows to undo environmental degradation and halt deforestation
This is the best change that we have for the Amazon to be saved. Good bless him.
The Guardian 16th November 2022
Devastating floods in Nigeria were 80 times more likely because of climate change
Their is no part of the Earth that is not affected by warming and climate change
The Guardian 15th November 2022
Fear of backsliding on Glasgow pledges dominates Cop27
This happens at every Cop. You get heartfelt speeches at the beginning, then some ideas, then some pledges in the middle, and by the end it has all been watered down to very little.
The Guardian 12th November 2022
Replace animal farms with micro organism tanks say campaigners
Emissions from livestock are 16% of the total, and land can be rewilded and taken out of food production. 85% of UK land is used for animals so you can see the potential.
The Guardian 11th November 2022
Cop27 Biden says leaders can no longer plead ignorance over climate crises
This didnt stop them from listening to him though.
The Guardian 11th November 2022
Warmest Armistice Day ever for England, Scotland and Ireland
The UK was so hot in November it was very strange, and it went on for weeks.
The Guardian 7th November 2022
World faces terminal loss of Arctic sea ice during summers, report warns
The loss of polar ice sheets in the summer could happen within ten years and was unthinkable ten years ago. When a trigger is reached it can create a very fast change to a system. This is really significant for sea levels and there is no going bac.
BBC News 4th November 2022
COP27 King Charles hosts meeting ahead of climate summit
He has done what he could.
The Guardian 4th November 2022
UN chief warns we will be doomed without historic pact.
This is where rich countries who have up until now added most of the CO2 to the atmosphere must pay for the damage this causes. They did agree this at the last minute at COP 27, but could be sure that they will not honor it in any way. At Cop 28 we will talking about no County making any of the promising payments.
The Guardian 4th November 2022
How UN secretary general became an outspoken voice for climate action
Its not good him speaking out because no Country listens to him. He needs to force world leaders to act somehow.
The Guardian 3rd November 2022
Climate change. UN demands funding surge to save millions of lives
If all Countries paid a tax to the UN in proportion to their wealth then the UN might have the funding it needs to act in the way it needs to. This report says that funding for adaptation to the impacts of climate change is required.
The Guardian 2nd November 2022
Europes climate warming at twice rate of global average says report
This is not unexpected as the climate maps forecasting the future show the higher latitudes and poles warming faster than the lower latitudes and equator.
BBC News 27th October 2022
Climate change. UN warns key warming threshold slipping from sight
There is no credible way of keeping within the 1.5C threshold. See the page here on why this is so significant. Emissions must fall by half by 2030 to stop the irreversible change from happening. Collectively with no referee making it happen is that possible? This is why the UN should be tasked with making it happen.
The Guardian 26th October 2022
Atlantic overfishing was already a problem. Then brexit happened.
Like the page on overfishing, this article says that the north east Atlantic is being overfished because there is no method of control. Its like the wild west out there. First one to get the gold (or fish) wins. Everyone else loses.
The Guardian 26th October 2022
Cut meat consumption to two burgers a week to save planet study says
The editor has missed a trick here. What it should say is that the State of Climate Action 2022 report which reports progress on 40 key indicators says that we are not doing well on any of them, with some getting worse than better, like the use of gas. Maybe I say in optimism at Cop27 they will decide to act?
The Guardian 21st October 2022
France becomes latest country to leave controversial energy charter treaty
This treaty gives financial guarantees to fossil fuel giants who dont need them, so it makes sense to not give them anymore.
The Guardian 18th October 2022
Pesticides use around world doubles since 1990 report finds.
They are very effective as at the same time field bird and butterfly populations have fallen by 30%. (what about everything else? Ed - they dont say but you can guess its something similar or worse). There use needs to stop.
The Guardian 14th October 2022
UK joins calls for World Bank reform to focus on funding on climate crises
Normally if you want to fund a dam, or a oil well you might go to the world bank, and say you are developing your country. Maybe this might change.
The Guardian 14th October 2022
East Antarctic glacier melting 70bn tonnes a year due to warm sea water
This could make the ice sheet unstable as most of Antarctica has little snowfall, it doesnt snow as much as it is melting.
The Guardian 12th October 2022
Third of emissions cuts must come from behaviour change say Lords
A report essentially says our government has no plan and no focus on meeting its own climate change targets.
The Guardian 8th October 2022
Greta Thunberg on the climate delusion. Weve been greenwashed out of our senses time to stand our ground
Of course she is right, this is a call to action and comes ahead of a new book which I have to get and read.
The Guardian 5th October 2022
Cutting emissions will hit growth but costs of inaction much higher says IMF
The economists for the world are telling countries in their polite economic way to act now.
The Guardian 14th September 2022
Citizen scientists to monitor English and Welsh rivers in scheme
This is because the Environment Agency dont do their job properly. See 7th September.
The Guardian 13th September 2022
World heading into unchartered territory of destruction says climate report
We are not changing fast enough and weather is becoming more extreme.
The Guardian 12th September 2022
EU slammed over failure to protect marine life from destructive fishing.
If even the EU cannot protect marine ecology then there is no hope. This begs the question how do you enforce and what is the penalty? Answer we dont know and nothing.
The Guardian 7th September 2022
Environment agency told to protect wetlands in landmark court case
The EA in the UK don’t actually do what they should, so we have to take them to court to get them to do there job. Very funny if it only wasn’t true.
The Guardian 7th September 2022
China reports most severe heatwave and third driest summer on record
Average temperatures were 1.2C higher than norm.
The Guardian 8th September 2022
Temperatures smash records in US west as brutal heatwave continues
Another heatwave in this part of the US.
The Guardian 5th September 2022
Large Parts of the Amazon may never recover major study says
74% of the original forest remains but it varies from country to country and is dependant on whether indigenous land can be protected and managed by indigenous peoples. Oil, mining and agriculture are the biggest threats. As I am writing this Brazil have elected a new president who hopes to protect the Amazon.
The Guardian 2nd September 2022
New Zealand reports warmest and wettest winter on record
Another month another record
The Guardian 2nd September 2022
Prevent tree extinctions or face global ecological catastrophe, scientists warn
About a third of the worlds 60,000 tress are at threat of extinction.
The Guardian 29th August 2022
Major sea level rise caused by melting of Greenland ice cap is now inevitable.
Sea level will rise 30 cm no matter what. And it could be as high as 80 cm if melting continues at current rates. This is proper science they are not mucking about.
The Guardian 22nd August 2022
China drought causes Yangtze to dry up sparking shortage of hydropower
Like Europe more drought see below.
BBC News 23rd August 2022
Europe’s drought the worst in 500 years - report
Two thirds of Europe has a drought warning.
The Guardian 10th August 2022
Global heating has caused shocking changes in forests across the Americas studies find
Forests are moving north, others in the south are dying off. The Boreal forest is changing, will it survive global warming or will it become savannah?
The Guardian 10th August 2022
Fate of sleeping gian East Antarctica ice sheet in our hands
Research says that if heating is within 2C then this ice sheet should not melt, but if we go beyond then a tipping point is reached and then the consequences are vast.
The Guardian 8th August 2022
Scottish Power to build £150M hydrogen plant
Is this the beginning of the future?
The Guardian 8th August 2022
Canadian province declares emergency amid worst wildfires in over 50 years.
This is more evidence of wildfires in the temperate rainforests.
The Guardian 8th August 2022
The new normal. How Europe is being hit by a climate driven drought crises.
This summers drought and heat introduces the idea that Europe as a whole is running out of water. Fast.
The Guardian 30th July 2022
Soon the world will be unrecognisable. Is it still possible to prevent a climate breakdown?
A book called Hothouse Earth has been written by a scientist Bill McGuire telling it like it really is, not watered down sanitised by careful language. A must read book about what is happening now and what could happen.
The Guardian 29th July 2022
Mediterranean ecosystem suffering marine wildfire as temperatures peak
The sea there is so hot its like having a giant bath
The Guardian 28th July 2022
No Biden hails Senate deal as most significant US climate legislation ever.
A massive investment into a revolution of non fossil fuel projects across the Country. Truly amazing and shows what is possible.
The Guardian 28th July 2022
Climate targets at risk as countries lag in updating emission goals.
What you do is turn up at a COP meeting, make lots of nice sounding promises, go home and promptly shred them as fast as you can.
The Guardian 27th July 2022
James Lovelock obituary
Marks the passing of the man who invented the Gaia theory of the Earth being a living self regulating system.
The Guardian 23rd July 2022
DRC to auction oil and gas permits in endangered gorilla habitat
If only nature had a value this would be a good way of keeping it. If only keeping the tropical rainforest was more valuable than if the land was farmed or mined.
The Guardian 18th July 2022
Court orders UK government to explain how net zero policies will reach targets.
It cant explain this because it has no intention of meeting the targets. If you ever need evidence that a government pays lip service to its environment policies then this is it.
BBC News 11th July 2022
India will overtake China in 2023 says the UN
Indias population will exceed 1.4bn people in 2023. World population will top 8bn in November, and this is the scary bit. The growth is coming from eight countries including the DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Inda, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania. Chinas population will start to fall next year.
The Guardian 11th July 2022
Humans need to value nature as well as profits to survive. UN report finds.
Its not rocket science but if nature had a value then we would not destroy it and would keep it.
The Guardian 7th July 2022
Venezuela indigenous leader killing terrifies defenders of the Amazon
A further impact of the crises in Venezuela.
The Guardian 7th July 2022
Plant based meat by far the best climate investment report finds
Non meat protein is a really good way of reducing emissions from food production.
The Guardian 6th July 2022
Sand battery could solve green energy’s big problem
Storage. This one can store it for months at a time at 500C. You use solar power to heat sand, sand stays hot for months, use heat to heat nearby houses. Groovy.
The Guardian 4th July 2022
Spain and Portugal suffering driest climate for 1,200 years research shows
The heatwave from May is still going
The Guardian 29th June 2022
EU Countries reach climate crises deal.
They have agreed to phase out fossil fuel cars by 2035.
The Guardian 25th June 2022
Greta Thunberg makes surprise appearance at Glastonbury festival
We face a global catastrophe unless citizens take action. She is still only 19. Amazing woman.
The Guardian 22nd June 2022
EU plan to halve use of pesticides in milestone legislation to restore ecosystems
In an attempt to restore insects and wildlife back after 30 years of removing them from fields has to be a good thing for nature and us all.
The Guardian 21st June 2022
First WTO deal on fishing subsidies hailed as historic despite big holes
As with all these agreements they look good on paper but they have more holes than a trawler net after 100 years of use.
The Guardian 14th June 2022
India takes tough stand at climate talks as Delhi endures brutal heatwave
The heatwave has lasted since mid March, so not just in Europe
The Guardian 10th June 2022
Spain in grip of heatwave with temperatures of 44C.
The European heatwave continues, but how can we not be surprised with this much CO2 in the atmosphere?
The Guardian 6th June 2022
CO2 levels are now 50% higher than during the pre-industrial era. At 421 ppm level last seen 4 million years ago, its only taken us 250 years, and will take many thousand years to fall. Read the book Hothouse Earth.
The Guardian 20th May 2022
Spain braces for heatwave of extraordinary intensity
It led to records for May across Europe being broken
The Guardian 17th May 2022
Shut down fossil fuel production site early to avoid climate chaos says study.
This is because there is enough coal oil and gas underneath us to make the earth hot enough to melt iron. So we have to leave it in the ground.
The Guardian 7th May 2022
Record after record: Brazils Amazon deforestation hits April high, nearly double previous peak
So far th
The Guardian 9th May 2022
Climate limit of 1.5C close to being broken scientists warn.
It is inevitable but when it happens it is a significant moment.
The Guardian 7th May 2022
Record after record: Brazils Amazon deforestation hits April high, nearly double previous peak
So far this year 754 sqm miles has been lost. Despite the despair amongst scientists and other Countries, we are utterly powerless to stop this happening. The UN needs to step in and stop it. They need to become the worlds environmental police.
The Guardian 2nd May 2022
We are living in hell. Pakistan and India suffer extreme spring heatwaves.
Temperatures of 50C are hard to imagine, but have meant water and electricity shortages. The heat has also affected Afghanistan, Nepal and China affecting 1.5billion people. Crops fail, glaciers are melting faster and water supplies drying up.
The Guardian 27th April 2022
One in five reptiles faces extinction in what would be a devastating blow.
That’s a very polite English way of saying we have a big problem if this happens. This is in Nature too so must be right. See the item below surely the two are linked?
The Guardian 27th April 2022
UN says up to 40% of worlds land now degraded
This is where the amount of natural vegetation or water has been depleted by intensive agriculture. This leads to soil fertility falling and land becoming degraded. This is at a time of increasing population. Maybe we need to learn an agricultural system that has natural vegetation as well as crops?
The Guardian 26th April 2022
Too many new coal fired coal fired plants planned for 1.5C climate goal.
Its not rocket science, if you increase coal burning you increase CO2 emissions. this is despite what might have been pledged in COP26.
The Guardian 18th April 2022
Lawless logging in DRC raises concerns about $500m forests deal signed by Boris Jonson.
Money is given to protect the forests but can this be assured to happen in a Country that is very poor?
The Guardian 13th April 2022
Historic global climate plans can now keep heating below 2C.
This is only if every nation that has made a net zero pledge keeps to the pledge on time. But they think the chance of that happening is only 10%. If the UK government is representative of every other nation, then the chance is much more like 1%, there is no chance they will make it.
The Guardian 8th April 2022
Methane in Earths atmosphere rose by record amount last year US government data shows
We need to plug methane leaks and reduce emissions.
The Guardian 4th April 2024
Final Warning: What Does the IPCCs third reports instalment say?
There is a narrow chance of keeping the increase in temperature to 1.5C. Got to stop using coal. Have to keep the trees we have got, cannot plant enough to stop what is happening. Carbon capture technology will not help us. We need to change our lifestyles now. The investment in existing technology needed is a small proportion of GDP so is possible if there is the will.
The Guardian 4th April 2022
IPCC Report. Now or never if world is to stave off climate disaster
Emissions must peak by 2025 and must be halved by 2030. This is possible but at the moment we are doing nothing to avoid rising temperatures of 3C. This is nothing short of catastrophic for our children.
CO2 safe Level is 350. May 2022 its 419 and it went up by 25 in ten years but is rising exponentially.
The Guardian 31st March 2022
Protect indiginous peoples rights or climate goals will fail.
Its not rocket science but we do not do this.
The Guardian 2nd March 2022
World leaders agree to draw up historic treaty on plastic waste
Leaders of 17
The Guardian 21st March 2022
UN ocean treaty summit collapses as states accused of dragging out talks
Its a common tactic. The United Nations should now impose restrictions of global fishing on everyone and enforce it. There is no other option to avert an overfishing crises.
The Guardian 20th March 2022
Heatwaves at both Earths poles alarm climate scientists
At one time the Antarctic was 40C above normal and the Arctic was 30C above normal. This is totally way out there.
The Guardian 7th March 2022
Climate crises: Amazon rainforest tipping point is looming data shows
This is when it becomes a Savannah. We will only know once the tipping point is reached once it has happened.
The Guardian 7th March 2022
Six key lifestyle changes can help avert the climate crises study finds
Leeds University has worked out these 6 things could make up 25% of the emissions reduction needed to keep within a 1.5C rise in temperature. They are:
1 Eat a largely plant based diet with no waste - I fail at this
2 Buy no more than 3 new items of clothing a year - I failed this
3 Keep electrical products for at least 7 years. I can do this OK
4 Take no more than one short haul flight every three years and a long haul every eight years. - In covid I keep to this one,, out of Covid not
5 Get rid of your car or use it less. We need our car
6 Make a big switch like getting solar power.
The Guardian 2nd March 2022
World leaders agree to draw up historic treaty on plastic waste
Leaders of 173 countries have agreed to have a legally binding agreement. But who is going to make sure that they stick to it? Step forward the United Nations please.
The Guardian 28th February 2022
Deforestation emissions far higher than previously thought, study finds
Carbon emissions from felling trees has doubled in 20 years and is accellerating
The Guardian 17th February 2022
Harmful subsidies why is the world still funding the destruction of nature?
Money is the root cause of much destruction of nature. We need to make it more profitable to restore and retain nature not to exploit it.
The Guardian 14th February 2022
Flourishing plants show warming Antarctica undergoing major change.
Native plants are spreading rapidly.
BBC News 2nd February 2022
Climate change: UK plants now flowering a month earlier
At the same time as the Autumn fall is happening later, winter is getting shorter.
The Guardian 28th January 2022
West accused of climate hypocrisy as emissions dwarf those of poor countries
The average Britain produces more carbon in two days that a person in Congolese person does in a whole year
The Guardian 1st February 2022
North sea oilfield plan approved despite climate goals.
The UK has decided that it should get more oil out of the sea when we should be leaving it there.
The Guardian 18th January 2022
Chemical pollution has passed safe limit for humanity says scientists
A cap on pollution is needed to save our ecosystems around the world.
The Guardian 14th January 2022
Worlds poorest bear brunt of climate crises
Worlds rich countries must do more to help poor countries.
The Guardian 13th January 2022
Nearly quarter of worlds population had record hot year in 2021 data shows
World warmer now than at any time in the last 2000 years.
The Guardian 11th January 2022
US hit by 20 separate billion dollar climate disasters in 2021. Nasa report says.
This is quite alarming.
The Guardian 11th January 2022
Hottest ocean temperatures in history recorded last year.
This affects how oceans circulate and this affects climate by creating more hurricanes and storms, melting ice sheets faster, This is a real indicator of climate heating.
The Guardian 11th January 2022
How the speed of climate change is unbalancing the insect world
A really long article about how important insects are but how the insect population is declining and needing to adapt to changing climates.
The Guardian 11th January 2022
German climate minister says speed of carbon cuts needs to be trebled
He must be right as we are not acting with any urgency at the moment it feels.
The Guardian 10th January 2022
Past seven years hottest on record - EU data
Time is fast running out to limit global temperature rise to 1.5C
The Guardian 7th January 2022
More than 400 weather stations beat heat records in 2021
Wow
The Guardian 7th January 2022
Drastic rise in high Arctic lightning has scientists worried
Lots more lightening in an area where it used to be too cold and dry to create lightning.
The Guardian 1st January 2022
Warmest UK New Years day.
Its like the UK in summer!
The Guardian 1st January 2022
Real reason for hope on climate action says archbishop of Canterbury
If the head of the Church of England is optimistic maybe he knows something we dont?
The Guardian 31st December 2021
24C in Spain 15C in the Alps warm end to 2021 in Europe
Its like the UK in summer!
The Guardian 29th December 2021
Alaska warning following heat record
Record December temperature of 19C is like the UK in summer!
The Guardian 27th December 2021
US snowstorms California and other western states battered
30inches of snow is a lot!
The Guardian 9th December 2021
Tropical forests can partially regenerate in just 20 years without human interference.
That’s great, all we need to do is make it more profitable to allow forests to regenerate rather than for mining, crops or cattle.
The Guardian 7th December 2021
From Siberia to US west wildfires spewed record carbon emissions in 2021.
1.76Bn tonnes of carbon is a lot.
The Guardian 2nd December 2021
Plans to mine Ecuador forest violates rights of nature court rules.
Permits for mining and water must be cancelled rule the Country’s highest court.
The Guardian 29th November 2021
Major fashion brands linked to Amazon deforestation
Its from the leather.
The Guardian 26th November 2021
Every tree counts.
Dutch find a way to plant forests by digging up saplings and trans planting them.
The Guardian 23rd November 2021
UK will press governments to stick to climate pledges says Cop 26 president.
The United Nations needs to force nations to act. Who is going to listen to Boris?
The Guardian 20th November 2021
Polluters face price pain as global carbon trading system moves forward
Is this the beginning of getting polluters to pay for their pollution?
The Guardian 17th November 2021
Brazils Amazon beef plan will legalise deforestation say critics
It is perfectly possible to sign a pledge to stop deforestation at the same time as developing a plan to help it along. Its like drinking a cup of coffee and saying at the same time I hate coffee.
The Guardian 17th November 2021
EU aims to curb deforestation with beef and coffee import ban
If this works great idea.
The Guardian 15th November 2021
Climate leaders call for pressure on stubborn nations before COP27
If this works great idea.
The Guardian 7th November 2021
India criticised over coal at Cop26 but real villain is climate injustice
The US and China are also keen to water down the text for reducing the use of coal. They might have other choices and lots of money, but India is heavily reliant on coal and world nations need to help it to move away from coal. India needs more energy and a way to get this without increasing emissions.
The Guardian 13th November 2021
Delhi schools to close for a week due to smog.
The current reality for a huge city.
The Guardian 12th November 2021
Transform approach to Amazon or it will not survive, warns major report.
I doubt if the Brazilian government want to do this with their recent track record, but it would be good for us all if they did. The United Nations needs to force them to act.
The Guardian 11th November 2021
We are not on course scientists warn action must match words at COP26.
These COP conferences are great in the first week as there are lots of fancy announcements, but in the second week everyone goes oh no we cant have possibly meant that, and make sure that the actual agreement waters everything down to such an extent that they need to do nothing. Perfect job done then. Everyone is happy.
The Guardian 9th November 2021
COP26, world on track for disastrous heating of more than 2.4C says key report.
There is just not the impetus to get this done properly. The United Nations needs to now force nations to act and to penalise them if they do not. Why not start by writing a report telling each world country what it should do.
The Guardian 7th November 2021
UK may eventually need carbon border tax.
If things cost more because they are more damaging to the planet then we will change our behaviour to buy the cheapest thing. This could work, as economics works, but as you can see in the article below people will not otherwise change their behaviour.
The Guardian 7th November 2021
Few willing to change lifestyle to save the planet, climate survey finds.
This is normal human behaviour to pretend that all is fine. What we need is someone in authority to tell us that the rules have changed and then we will grudgingly accept it, and adjust where we need to. So come on then United Nations and national governments time for you to get tough.
BBC News 4th November 2021
COP26 Emissions of rich put climate goals at risk - study.
The actions of the top 1% are putting us all at risk. They need to be taxed so heavily that they cannot spend like they do at the moment.
The Guardian 4th November 2021
Small cuts in air traffic would level off global heating caused by flying - study
This needs annual cuts of 3% which could be done by those who fly a lot.
The Guardian 3rd November 2021
More than 20 countries and financial institutions have vowed to halt all financing of fossil fuel development overseas.
This is great news and will divert the money to solar and wind projects. This will make a difference
The Guardian 4th November 2021
Half worlds fossil fuel assets could be worthless by 2036 in net zero transition.
This is great news why not all of the worlds fossil fuels?
The Guardian 3rd November 2021
More than 20 countries and financial institutions have vowed to halt all financing of fossil fuel development overseas.
This is great news and will divert the money to solar and wind projects. This will make a difference.
The Guardian 3rd November 2021
India’s huge solar uptake has boosted climate goals says minister.
Even though India has said it wants to be net zero emitter by 2070 this is really good news. Can they turn off their coal plants and stop importing Australian coal by 2030?
The Guardian 3rd November 2021
Cop 26 emission pledges may limit global heating to below 2C.
This is not enough we can do better as many are saying. Action needs to be concrete, now and immediate. We need emissions to drop like they are falling off a cliff by 2030. Nothing from COP26 gives hope that this will actually happen. More Blah Blah Blah as Greta says.
The Guardian 29th October 2018
Humanity has wiped out 60% of animal populations since 1970.
Startling.
The Guardian 2nd November 2021
Latin American countries join reserves to create vast marine protected area
This is a larger area around the Galapagus Islands and a fantastic action. All the United Nations has to do now is work out how to stop fishing in protected areas and the overfishing elsewhere in the Pacific.
The Guardian 2nd November 2021
World Leaders announce plan to make green tech cheaper than alternatives
A great idea if they can get rid of coal, oil and gas quickly.
BBC News 1st November 2021
Climate change. Greenhous gas build up reached new high in 2020
This can be no surprise. We have to actually cut emissions rather than increase them.
The Guardian 31st October 2021
JCB signs deal to import green hydrogen from Australia to UK
This is to run its diggers and other machinery. The first possible mass use of hydrogen.
The Guardian 31st October 2021
Cop 26 literally the last chance saloon to save the planet - Prince Charles
He has been urging us to take this seriously for decades and only now we may listen.
The Guardian 31st October 2021
Cop 26 summit at serious risk of failure says Boris Johnson
Trying to warn us all before it happens I guess.
The Guardian 28th October 2021
Disappointing but not unexpected. China climate goal leaves experts unsatisfied
This is the national plan to reduce emissions which says that emissions would peak by 2030 and then be net zero by 2060. This would still be an amazing achievement but maybe the scientists are saying that more is needed before 2030.
The Guardian 26th October 2021
World faces disastrous 2.7C temperature rise on current climate plans, UN warns
No surprise there then. We have to actually cut emissions rather than increase them.
The Guardian 27th October 2021
Global Stats
Atmospheric CO2 414.85 ppm global. Arctic sea ice -12.3% from 1981-2010 average. UK electricity 77% from low carbon.
The Guardian 27th October 2021
Global Stats
Atmospheric CO2 414.85 ppm global. Arctic sea ice -12.3% from 1981-2010 average. UK electricity 77% from low carbon.
The Guardian 27th October 2021
The heat is on. From the Arctic to Africa wildlife is being hit hard by climate change.
This is so sad because we depend on nature so much.
The Guardian 23rd October 2021
Urgent action on fish stocks needed say processors and retailers
Fish in the North Atlantic and in danger of being over fished with stocks collapsing to nothing. Nations that fish there cannot agree to cut the amount of fish that they take. As a result of this the wider industry is saying to them sort it out children, as otherwise out industry will collapse. Interesting. Who is going to take charge of stopping over fishing globally? Surely the UN has to step up to this.
The Guardian 21st October 2021
COP26 document leak reveals nations lobbying to change key climate report
Nations will lobby for their short term interests versus global climate change.
The Guardian 20th October 2021
Planned fossil fuel output vastly exceeds climate limits says UN.
No surprise there then. This means that no country is really that committed to cutting emissions.
The Guardian 17th October 2021
UK’s net zero plan falls short on ambition and funding says critics
This means that the UK isn’t really that committed to net zero even if they might say they are. But it is a good step in the right direction.
The Guardian 17th October 2021
India floods at least 25 dead after heavy rains in Kerala
Another example of the affects of climate change
The Guardian 27th September 2021
Paraguay on the brink as historic drought depletes river
This is because so much depends on the river
The secret to rewilding is people not trees.
With the right people you can do anything.
The Guardian 24th September 2021
Global climate strike thousands join coordinated action across the world.
Well done everyone
The Guardian 22nd September 2021
Russia forest fire damage worst since records began says Greenpeace
This is because 18.16m hectares has been destroyed in 2021 alone.
The Guardian 17th September 2021
Global coral cover has fallen since 1950’s
This is because of over fishing, heating water, habitat destruction.
US and EU pledge 30% cut in methane emissions to limit global heating.
They just have to do it now.
The Guardian 13th September 2021
Meat accounts for nearly 60% of all emissions from food production.
This is twice the emissions of plant based food.
The Guardian 9th September
Disastrous season mean shoppers could pay 50% more for pasta
Drought in Canada.
The Guardian 6th September 2021
Climate impact of a transatlantic flight could cost global economy $3,000
Some very clever people have worked out the cost of the climate crises to global production.
New Zealand records its warmest ever winter
This was 1.3C above the long term average.
Third of shark and ray species face extinction.
Overfishing
The Guardian 3rd September 2021
Climate crises is here says Biden in week of storms, floods and wildfires
President warns we need to act now climate change is here now.
The Guardian 30th August 2021
Renewables could meet 100% demand in Australia at certain times of day by 2025.
This could lead to a huge drop in emissions.
The Guardian 20th August 2021
Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon hits highest annual level in a decade
Amazon lost 10,500sq km in year to July 2021.
A billion children at extreme risk from climate impacts UNICEF
This is so sad.
The Guardian 18th August 2021
Swedish mountain shrinks by 2m in one year due to snow melt.
It has lost 20 metres in the last 30 years.
The Guardian 17th August 2021
Global water crises will intensify with climate breakdown
Flooding, drought and wildfires will worsen as global heating disrupts planets water cycle.
Government reveals plans for £4bn hydrogen investment
This is to enable hydrogen to replace gas for heating.
The Guardian 15th August 2021
Germany set for biggest rise in greenhouse gas emissions for 30 years.
This is despite a goal to reduce emissions by 40% from 1990 levels.
The Guardian 13th August 2021
July was world’s hottest month ever recorded.
It was 0.9C hotter than the 20th century average.
The Guardian 9th August 2021
Worst polluting countries must make drastic carbon cuts says COP26 chief
This is because they are rich and also very polluting.
Climate Crises unequivocally caused by human activities says IPCC report
This is is worlds most eminent scientists telling us some hard truths. Everywhere is affected and it will get a lot worse. CO2 levels are now at the highest point for 2million years. Heating and changes are the most severe for the last 3000 years. If we cut emissions drastically we could stay within 1.5C heating, but if not 2C heating is likely. This is bad. If we don’t cut emissions then 3C is likely. Really bad. If nothing changes then 4C 5C is likely which is catastrophic for life. Nothing will reverse for several thousand years either so it will only get worse, with ice melting, oceans warming. Oceans could rise by anything up to 2metres by the end of the century. Pacific Countries could disappear. 5m by 2150. 2,400bn tonnes of CO2 have been emitted since 1850 and we can only emit 400bn more if we are to try and keep within 1.5C. We have used up 86% of our budget and emissions are not falling anywhere yet. They must peak within 4 years. This is the scientists shouting at the politicians to act.
Amazon rainforest now emitting more CO2 than it absorbs.
This is because of fires set for soya and beef production.
Smoke from Siberia wildfires reaches north pole in historic first.
This is a first amid worsening fires in Russia.
Fire friendly weather returns as second largest blaze in California history burns
Dixie fire grew to cover 763sq miles.
The Guardian 8th August 2021
Australia lagging as the back of the pack of OECD countries on climate action.
And they have so much potential for solar power too.
BBC News 7th August 2021
Greece wildfires spread, causing mass evacuations
In a hot Country wild fires are becoming more prevalent. Like in Australia and California.
The Guardian 5th August 2021
Biden sets goal for 50% of new US vehicles to be electric by 2030
Wow amazing what a target, and what a huge reduction in CO2 this could make.
The Guardian 5th August 2021
Scientists spot warning signs of Gulf Stream Collapse
Over millions of years the gulf stream has been activated or deactivated. If this is true then it means that northern Europe will face a crises if the Gulf Stream is turned off.
The Guardian 4th August 2021
Millions more people vulnerable to flooding in next decade.
I think that I might be one of them.
The Guardian 29th July 2021
Extreme weather will be the norm but UK is not prepared, scientists warn.
Everything has to change, but this is in the UK and everywhere else too.
The Guardian 26th July 2021
Critical measures of global heating reaching tipping point.
This is like taking your car for its annual check, and the mechanic saying that it has got lots of holes in the bottom.
The Guardian 22nd July 2021
Merkel. Germany has not done enough to hit Paris Climate targets.
Reflecting on her 16 years of leadership. This would be impossible for the UK to admit to.
The Guardian 20th July 2021
G20 states subsidised fossil fuels by $3tn since 2015
If only they could invest the same in wind and solar power we would be much better off.
John Kerry: world leaders must step up to avoid worst impacts of climate crises.
But in the Cop26 conference will they and can they do it? I hope so.
Climate crises threatens access to nutrients in fish.
Fisheries in 40% of countries are highly vulnerable if fisheries collapse due to over fishing. Its like not filling up the tank, eventually your car will run out of fuel.
The Guardian 14th July 2021
Amazon rainforest now emitting more CO2 than it absorbs.
This is because of fires set for soya and beef production.
The Guardian 12th July 2021
UN sets out Paris style plan to cut extinction rate by factor of 10
The UN needs to be our policeman not watchman. Go to the GET INVOLVED page to encourage them.
The Guardian 9th July 2021
Southern Water fined £90M for deliberately pouring sewage into sea.
The UK is meant to be progressive in terms of its controls on pollution, but this case just shows how easy it is for big companies to pollute and hide it.
The Guardian 7th July 2021
Extreme temperatures kill 5 million people a year with heat related deaths rising study finds.
Frightening and we are worried about Covid19?
The Guardian 5th July 2021
Sixty years of climate change warnings. the signs that were missed and ignored.
Fascinating article on the human factors, science, and our ability to deny something until it is so obvious that even the blind man can see the elephant.
The Guardian 5th July 2021
New Zealand experiences hottest June on record despite polar blast.
Another record involving global warming.
The Guardian 1st July 2021
Call for global treaty to end production of virgin plastic by 2040
Great idea if we can do that.
The Guardian 2nd July 2021
Turkeys plastics ban. Where does the UK send its waste now?
Maybe we have to deal with it ourselves? Interesting concept that.
The Guardian 30th June 2021
Big oil and gas kept a dirty secret for decades. Now they may pay the price.
They knew they were selling climate change to us, but now the are facing lots of lawsuits in the US.
The Guardian 30th June 2021
Canada weather Dozens dead as heatwave shatters records.
Changes to the gulf stream meant that the impossible was possible. This could happen anywhere.
The Guardian 28th June 2021
Farmers swap crops for energy as east of England solar farm proposals double.
If the UK can manage this, and we cant really manage much, then Countries like Australia have no excuse.
The Guardian 25th June 2021
Yellowstone report reveals extent of climate threat to oldest US national park
Temperatures are already the hottest for the last 20,000 years and are set to increase further.
The Guardian 24th June 2021
Top insurers join Prince Charles to fight climate crises
I am in awe of Prince Charles and all that he has done to raise awareness of climate change over his life.
The Guardian 23rd June 2021
IPCC steps up warning on climate tipping points in leaked draft report.
I studied this in University so it all makes sense that earth does have tipping points.
The Guardian 23rd June 2021
Moscow sees hottest June day for 120 years with more to come
This is the start of some very unusual weather in the northern latitudes over the next month.
The Guardian 17th June 2021
Drought is a hidden global crises says UN.
Countries urged to act on land and water management as an emergency.
The Guardian 16th June 2021
Climate activists take Norway to human rights court over Arctic oil plans.
That oil growth will threaten the quality of human life for future generations. Hope it wins.
The Guardian 16th June 2021
Pacific plunder. Why the worlds most fertile fishing ground is facing a unique and dire threat.
Chinas Pacific fishing fleet has grown by 50% since 2012 and will empty the Pacific of tuna and other fish if not stopped. Anyone want to stop them? UN?
The Guardian 12th June 2021
Rich nations urged to come up with a detailed plan to cut emissions.
The UK government cannot plan anything so this would be a real challenge to them.
The Guardian 11th June 2021
Antonio Guterres on the climate crises: we are coming to a point of no return.
Can the UN force nations to act when they are not acting fast enough? You can write to them to ask them force nations to act.
The Guardian 7th June 2021
We are running out of time to reach deal to save natural world says UN.
There is a summit to try and save the natural world from destruction in October. Hopefully they agree something significant then.
The Guardian 4th June 2021
Arctic sea ice thinning twice as fast as thought, study
Another impact of warming water and poles.
The Guardian 4th June 2021
World’s soils under great pressure says UN pollution report
Without soil we are nothing.
The Guardian 4th June 2021
World leaders ignoring role of destruction of nature in causing pandemics
See article below, its all linked. And its cheaper too to rewild than fight a pandemic.
The Guardian 2nd June 2021
World must rewild on massive scale to heal nature and climate, says UN.
Another important new research from the. Write to them asking them to make it mandatory for nations to do this.
The Guardian 2nd June 2021
Climate crises is suffocating the world’s lakes, study finds
Another impact of warming water.
The Guardian 31th May 2021
EU greenhouse gas emissions fell by nearly 4% in 2019.
Its good progress, they are now 24% lower than 1990 levels.
The Guardian 26th May 2021
Court orders Royal Dutch Shell to cut carbon emissions by 45% by 2030
Amazing good news and a challenge for them.
The Guardian 25th May 2021
Poland defies EU court by refusing to close major coalmine
How might this be possible and save jobs from being lost?
The Guardian 23rd May 2021
Prince Charles small scale family farms must be at heart of sustainable future
He is a genius and always right in my view. the UK has however lost 100,000 of them since 1990.
The Guardian 20th May 2021
Climate disasters caused more internal displacement than war in 2020.
55million people affected. Its hard to imagine if you are not affected by floods, storms or wildfires.
The Guardian 20th May 2021
Climate crises behind drastic drop in Arctic wildlife populations - report.
Another impact of rapid warming of the poles.
The Guardian 11th June 2021
World oil demand will rebound to pre Covid levels by end of 2022.
This is probably true until we can find alternatives
The Guardian 21st May 2021
Richest nations agree to end support for coal production overseas.
Cant happen soon enough. G7 summit agreement to try and keep to Paris agreement but is dependant upon Japan and China working on this too.
The Guardian 18th May 2021
Twenty firms produce 55% of world’s plastic waste, report reveals.
This is new plastic from oil.
The Guardian 18th May 2021
Sales of peat compost to gardeners to be banned from 2024.
Why not from now?
The Guardian 18th May 2021
Twenty firms produce 55% of world’s plastic waste, report reveals.
This is new plastic from oil.
The Guardian 17th May 2021
UK plastics sent for recycling in Turkey dumped and burned, Greenpeace finds.
The UK should be dealing with its own plastic and hopefully not by burning it in incinerators.
The Guardian 14th May 2021
Third of global food production at risk from climate crises
This is at the end of the century if emissions continue to rise at their current rate. The implications of this are almost impossible to imagine.
The Guardian 11th May 2021
Global renewable energy industry grew at fastest rate since 1999 last year.
A staggering 45% rise in new capacity from solar and wind power in one year.
The Guardian 11th May 2021
Forest the size of France regrown worldwide over 20 years, study finds
However, overall loss is still staggering, but does show that conservation efforts can work.
The Guardian 10th May 2021
Call for UK airport expansion plans must be suspended amid new climate goals.
The conflict in the UK between a target and a policy to reach the target begins.
The Guardian 9th May 2021
Parched Taiwan prays for rain as Sun Moon Lake is hit by drought.
Another example of how we are all affected by climate change.
The Guardian 7th May 2021
The young people taking their countries to court over climate inaction.
Bring it on. Fantastic news about children who are demanding climate justice in the courts and what they are achieving.
The Guardian 6th May 2021
Cutting methane emissions is quickest way to slow global heating - UN report.
This means less cows in rainforests then, less rotting vegetation and burning less fossil fuels. Methane is responsible for 30% of global heating. You can write to the UN to ask them to enforce this.
The Guardian 6th May 2021
Germany to bring forward climate goals after constitutional court ruling.
To be carbon neutral by 2045 instead of 2050. I would believe that Germany would aim to achieve this as well, as it is already an amazing Country.
The Guardian 5th May 2021
Global heating pace risks unstoppable sea level rise as Antarctic ice sheet melts.
There is a tipping point where if we continue as we are basically Antarctica will melt into the sea. This is by a real scientist in USA.
The Guardian 30th April 2021
April 2021 had the lowest average minimum temperatures in UK since 1922.
It was really cold and dry, no rain at all, in a month where you normally get lots. With frosts nearly every night.
The Guardian 30th April 2021
Brazilian Amazon released more carbon than it absorbed over past 10 years.
No surrprise really if you try and burn it down.
The Guardian 30th April 2021
Antarctic doomsday glacier may be melting faster than was thought.
Previous work reported found that warm water was reaching below the glacier but now this has found to be reaching further and having more of a melting consequence. This glacier on its own can raise sea levels by 65cm. A tipping point is being reached. See Environment Issues page for more information on tipping points.
The Guardian 27th April 2021
Thousands of barrels of suspected toxic DDT found dumped in Californian ocean.
Its been thrown into a deep ravine, is poising fish, but it seemed like a good idea years ago when it was dumped there.
The Guardian 28th April 2021
Speed at which worlds glaciers are melting has doubled in 20 years.
Glaciers now account for more sea level rise than melting of Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. This means that those dependant on fresh water from glaciers will be affected in the future.
The Guardian 27th April 2021
Regulators missing pollutions effect on marine life, study finds.
They highlight that fish are affected by over fishing but also by plastic and chemical pollution.
The Guardian 27th April 2021
Global alliance for phasing out coal not fit for purpose say NGO.
Is this a case of saying one thing and doing another?
The Guardian 26th April 2021
Citizens juries deliver climate crises verdict to Westminster.
They have made recommendations on how we can cut our emissions. This is by things like
The Guardian 22nd April 2021
Biden vows to slash US emissions by half to meet ‘existential crises of our time’
He is much more believable as a man of his word than the UK’s prime minister, Boris. This is amazing news too after months of bad news reporting some good at last! He hosted an Earth Day Summit with 40 world leaders. He made a very inspiring and totally realistic speech. This might be a world leading acting like a world leader.
BBC News 20th April 2021
UK to speed up target to cut carbon emissions
The UK also has a history of making grand pledges and then not following up on them. So this time will it be different? This pledge is to cut emissions by 78% of 1990 levels by 2035 which is truly amazing if we manage to do it.
The Guardian15th April 2021
Carbon emissions to soar in 2021 by second highest rate in history.
Economies are expected to invest in fossil fuels more, but of course need to divest from them to reduce emissions.
The Guardian19th April 2021
Relentless. Climate crises intensified in 2020 says UN report.
World Meteorological Organisation report findings that any lowering of CO2 emissions has made no difference to concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. That is because it is already up there, and we are still putting more up there, so no surprise really. See above.
The Guardian15th April 2021
This is it. The last chance to confront the climate crises.
The earth is 4.5Bn years old. Humans have been around for about 10,000 years in a window of ideal weather. Can we keep it this way?
The Guardian15th April 2021
Just 3% of world’s ecosystems remain intact study suggest.
The fingerprint of humanity is everywhere it seems.
The Guardian 14th April 2021
Boris too cosy with vested interests to take serious action.
A view presented that the UK government is too concerned with meeting the demands of party donors, or lobbyists, rather than take seriously climate change. I can believe this. They will of course make many grand promises that sound good though.
The Guardian 12th April 2021
France to ban some domestic flights where train available.
Great idea.
The Guardian 11th April 2021
Negotiating with your worst enemy. Biden in risky talks to pay Brazil to save the Amazon.
This may be successful, but if the economics of keeping a tree meant you earnt more money than keeping a cow then Brazil would be planting trees.
The Guardian 9th April 2021
16 of Britain’s top 20 garden birds have declined in number, annual survey.
A million people took part, and numbers of some down by more than 80% since 1979.
The Guardian 7th April 2021
Carbon dioxide levels in atmosphere reach record high
417 ppm which is 50% higher than when the industrial revolution began in the UK.
The Guardian 3rd April 2021
China sandstorms highlight threat of climate crises
We all can see climate change wherever we live now.
The Guardian 3rd April 2021
Canada’s herring facing biological decimation says First Nations and activists
Another very good example of over fishing. The UN needs to act on our behalf in deregulated fishing areas.
The Guardian 2nd April 2021
Every choice matters. Can we cling to hope of avoiding 1.5C heating?
The Australian Academy of Science has good reason to believe that we can’t. This triggers an even worse outcome for us. See the World 1.5C challenge page.
The Guardian 1st April 2021
Toxic impact of pesticides on bees has doubled study shows.
And we need bees for pollinating everything.
The Guardian 1st April 2021
Rapid global heating is hurting farm productivity study finds.
This is also as the worlds population is increasing rapidly.
The Guardian 31st March 2021
Destruction of world’s forests increased sharply in 2020
42,000 sq km was lost in tropical regions in 2020. The UN has to act on our behalf.
The Guardian 31st March 2021
Elite minority of frequent flyers’ cause most of aviation’s climate change
Hopefully they will travel less post covid.
The Guardian 31st March 2021
Urgent policies needed to steer countries to net zero says IEA chief
Otherwise we will continue to invest in fossil fuels, see 24th March, in the post covid era.
The Guardian 31st March 2021
Damage from invasive species trebling every decade.
The more we trade, the more rats, mosquitos, weeds we get as alien species.
The Guardian 30th March 2021
UK records warmest March day in 53 years with 24.5C temperature
Another climate record this time in the UK.
The Guardian 29th March 2021
UK urged to take lead in helping poor countries fund climate action
This is from the UN, but the UK is not capable of being urged. It needs to be forced by the UN.
The Guardian 29th March 2021
Average westerner’s eating habits lead to loss of four trees every year
I need to stop eating cadbury’s and using bath foam.
The Guardian 27th March 2021
Jo Biden invites 40 world leaders to virtual summit on climate change
Great idea hope that they attend.
The Guardian 25th March 2021
Indigenous peoples by far the best guardians of forests - UN report
If the forest is your home you will not destroy it. Perhaps the UN can enforce the rights of indigenous people around the world now?
The Guardian 24th March 2021
Disease outbreaks more likely in deforestation areas - study finds
Perhaps not a surprise.
The Guardian 24th March 2021
Big banks trillion dollar finance for fossil fuels ‘shocking’ says report
Since the Paris accord the reason why carbon emissions is still rising is because we are still investing heavily in fossil fuels. Can the UN control us?
The Guardian 24th March 2021
Rising risk of wildfires across UK from climate crises, scientists warn
They could be common by 2080.
The Guardian 24th March 2021
Use of Earth’s giant carbon sinks may have been overestimated - study.
The ability of soil to soak up carbon from the atmosphere may have been over estimated. This can lead to more rapid heating of the Earth.
The Guardian 23rd March 2021
Sweden to increase airport fees for high polluting planes.
Economics in action.
The Guardian 22nd March 2021
New South Wales flooding. Disaster zones declared as 18,000 people evacuated in Sydney and mid-north coast.
this is only a year after drought and the forest fires that swept through the area, and is the worst rainfall in 100 years.
The Guardian 20th March 2021
The scientists turning the desert green.
This shows you that by dredging up sediments and using them as soil you can bring greenary and rain back to a desert. its doing the reverse of what others did a few years ago when they cut down the trees and enabled desertification.
The Guardian 19th March 2021
Climate protestors gather in person and online for Fridays for Future.
Its carrying on and hopefully bigger and better than before.
The Guardian 18th March 2021
UK, US and others face credit ratings fall over CO2 emissions. Study.
What a good idea.
The Guardian 17th March 2021
UKs Cop26 calls for world to get on track to hit net zero y 2050.
This includes the desire to set new emissions targets for 2030, but without new global economics there is little chance these will be met.
The Guardian 17th March 2021
Global oil demand could exceed pre Covid levels without clean energy moves.
We will carry on using oil until oil is more expensive and global economics are different.
The Guardian 17th March 2021
Bottom trawling releases as much carbon as air travel landmark study finds.
It releases stored carbon on the seabed as well as destroying seabed habitats. An all around not a good thing then.
The Guardian 16th March 2021
Eating up the rainforest. China’s taste for beef drives exports from Brazil.
Supply meets demand. How can world economics be changed to benefit the rainforest? Can the UN help?
The Guardian 16th March 2021
Doubling uptake of wind and solar power could set up Australia for net zero emissions by 2040.
Should be easy in a country with lots of sun.
The Guardian 15th March 2021
Renewable energy growth must speed up to meet Paris goals.
More wind turbines and solar panels please.
The Guardian 15th March 2021
Climate crises recent European droughts worst in 2,000 years.
Since 2014 the weather had been extraordinary. Yet more evidence of climate change.
The Guardian 15th March 2021
Revealed seafood fraud happening on a vast global scale.
Mislabelling in restaurants, fishmongers and markets is common. Not fake news, fake fish!
The Guardian 10th March 2021
Shipping industry proposes moonshot fossil fuel levy.
This is so that it can invest in new technology that will make the shipping fleet less reliant on oil. Great idea.
The Guardian 10th March 2021
Is this the end of Forests?
Research has shown that after wildfires in California trees are not returning, but shrubland is.
The Guardian 10th March 2021
China leads world’s biggest increase in wind power capacity.
In 2020 it rose by 60% on the year before.
The Guardian 9th March 2021
Inaction leaves world playing Russian roulette with pandemics say experts.
They originate because of the destruction of nature.
The Guardian 8th March 2021
Land could be worth more left to nature than when farmed, study finds.
This is because of the service it provides to nature. We need a new form of economics to value nature.
The Guardian 8th March 2021
Global heating pushes tropical regions towards limits of human livability.
Frightening, and this is just from the 1.5C increase target that we are likely to miss.
The Guardian 5th March 2021
EU accused of Neo colonial plundering of tuna in Indian Ocean
The EU has the largest fleet of ships fishing the yellow fin tuna out of the Indian Ocean. They need some control. They do with devices on the surface that attract the fish. Perhaps by the UN or the EU?
Our World in Data 4th March 2021
If the World adopted a plant based diet we would reduce global agricultural land use from 4 to 1 billion hectares.
And this land could be restored back to nature which we need to do. Like reforesting the Amazon or Europe for instance.
The Guardian 2nd March 2021
Fossil fuel emissions in danger of surpassing pre Covid levels.
The UN needs to put a huge tax on fossil fuels and then the use will fall dramatically.
The Guardian 2nd March 2021
Cancel all planned coal projects globally to end deadly addiction says UN chief.
This is aimed at all nations globally. Why not put a huge tax on coal by the UN?
The Guardian 2nd March 2021
Biden administration pauses transfer of holy Native American land to mining firm.
It was being rushed through by president Trump before he left office.
The Guardian 1st March 2021
A third of top UK firms’ CO2 emissions not in line with global climate goals.
Reductions are needed by individuals, companies and countries.
The Guardian 1st March 2021
Iceberg size of greater London breaks off Antarctica.
Its 1300sqm km and 150m thick. This is a rare event and one that has been expected by the British Antarctic Survey.
The Guardian 26th February 2021
CO2 emissions nations’ pledges far away from Paris targets says UN.
This is the same story for the last forty years. Now we need to see the UN enforce it on nations and us all. A 45% reduction is needed in the next 10 years. This is real now, we cannot ignore it anymore.
The Guardian 25th February 2021
Fiercer more frequent fires may reduce carbon capture by forests
As global warming leads to more fires this leads to forests being less able to capture carbon from the atmosphere.
The Guardian 26th February 2021
Atlantic Ocean circulation at weakest in a millennium say scientists
Climate change is leading to the circulation of the Atlantic breaking down after being a constant for over a million years. Its hard to comprehend. This affects the weather in Europe. Without the Gulf stream we would be much colder and stormy in winter and hotter in the summer. This circulation is fundamental to climate in the no
rthern hemisphere and is already weakened by 15% due to melting ice from the Arctic diluting the circulation. Scientists predict that if present trends continue that it could weaken by up to 45% by then end of the century, which may then trigger the whole circulation turning off. This is the first news article I have seen relating to this key global trigger. There is much more detail in the full article and is worth a read.
The Guardian 24th February 2021
Arctic ice loss forces polar bears to use four as much energy to survive - study.
They now have to swim much more for seals whereas when there was more ice they could it and wait for a seal to pop up for air.
The Guardian 23rd February 2021
I tested my tap water for forever chemicals.
He found PFAS at high levels in him and his cat, and it is in everything so no surprise really.
The Guardian 23rd February 2021
Global freshwater fish populations at risk from extinction, study finds.
As if the below article wasn’t sad enough, this one just piles it on. Migrating fish populations and large fish and others are nearly gone in the last 50 years. Pollution, over fishing, damage to rivers, invasive species, climate change. Frightening.
The Guardian 23rd February 2021
Dive into the Blue - interactive.
Goes through the main threats in our oceans of fishing gear, overfishing, rising acidity, plastic and so much more. Well worth a look.
The Guardian 23rd February 2021
UK weather up to 17C expected in parts of England.
May temperatures in February. Not good.
The Guardian 23rd February 2021
Climate crises hits worst case scenario levels. Environment Agency head.
the UKs body that looks after rivers saying that recent flooding events were of the magnitude of the worst case imagined signifying that climate change is having a very strong impact on flooding.
The Guardian 22nd February 2021
Its in our DNA. Costa Rica wants the world to take giant climate step.
They are leaders of regeneration of the rainforest and in international politics on biodiversity loss. We need leaders like them to show us the way forward.
The Guardian 19th February 2021
How fires have spread to previously untouched parts of the world.
This article points to evidence that shows that wild fires are spreading to new ecosystems with global warming.
The Guardian 19th February 2021
US rejoins Paris climate accord with warning: this years talks are last best hope.
John Kerry is a wise man. He points out that China, India and the EU are not doing enough to reduce emissions.
The Guardian 18th February 2021
Human destruction of nature is senseless and suicidal warns UN chief.
As a world leading organisation the UN is in a position to influence nations and force change. Perhaps they will take the lead? The UN has so been ignored by nations by its statements of climate emergency, so maybe is now the time for it to force nations to listen to what they are saying?
The Guardian 17th February 2021
Oil firms should disclose carbon output says BlackRock.
The finance industry demanding that the oil industry becomes a net zero emitter of carbon. Quite something.
The Guardian 17th February 2021
Heating Arctic may be to blame for snowstorms in Texas scientists argue.
The Arctic is heating at twice the rate of the global average. This in turn is changing long established global climate circulation systems.
The Guardian 17th February 2021
Put a big price on Carbon. OECD chief bows out with climate rally cry.
The OECD is the group of richest nations and so it is quite something for him to retire with this statement. What a way to retire!
The Guardian 15th February 2021
Wildlife trafficking driving severe decline in traded species finds study.
Not a surprise to see a link between trade and wildlife populations.
The Guardian 13th February 2021
Bill Gates on the climate crises.
Two numbers. 51Bn and zero. How many tonnes of CO2 we currently put into the atmosphere and what it needs to be. This needs a new way of doing transport, industry, farming, Making cement means you make a lot of CO2 at the same time.
The Guardian 13th February 2021
Digging in. A million trees planted as villages and schools join climate battle.
Local activists write to local landowners asking to plant trees on their land, and then raise money locally to plant them as a community initiative. The Woodland Trust give trees to local groups too.
The Guardian 13th February 2021
Trump’s California water plan troubled federal biologists. They were sidelined.
A plan to allow more water for agriculture that would damage habitats is the subject of this article.
The Guardian 12th February 2021
Revealed: no penalties issued under useless English farm pollution laws.
For everyone else’s benefit, in the UK we love to have laws with no plan to ever enforce them. They may even cut the funds of those doing the enforcement at the same time as bringing in the laws.
The Guardian 9th February 2021
This land feeds our souls. The battle to save the Rockies from big coal.
Opposition on the sale of mining rights in Alberta Canada has forced the government to take notice and stop the sale. This is through the power of people writing letters and signing petitions - and shows it works. Only then did the politicians realise that they were being watched and decided to act. You can get involved yourself see the get involved page.
The Guardian 10th February 2021
Climate action could save millions of lives through clean air, diet and exercise.
Seems like a good idea when you look at it this way.
The Guardian 9th February 2021
Climate crises pushing great white sharks into new waters.
They have moved 600km up the coast of California into waters that were previously too cold for them and at the same time developed a taste for sea otters and salmon which is reducing their populations.
The Guardian 9th February 2021
Invisible killer. Fossil fuels caused 8.7m deaths globally in 2018, research finds.
Air pollution kills one in five of us.
The Guardian 9th February 2021
State owned fossil fuel firms plan to invest £1.9tn could destroy climate hopes.
Rather than working out ways of getting more oil and coal out of the ground, we need to keep it in the ground.
The Week 6th February 2021
Our Disappearing Soil
Soil is only 450 million years old, compared to 4.5 billion for the planet, and is essentially live matter as it consists of so many tiny organisms. This article details that soil does everything, and we are utterly dependant upon it being there. It absorbs huge amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere, Soil is disappearing fast, and is being killed by chemicals and is being eroded. We need to learn how to preserve and keep what soil we have if we are to keep demanding from it continued production of food for which we all survive.
The Guardian 4th February 2021
Cacophony of human noise is hurting all marine life scientists warn.
Sonar use by shipping and fishing and lots of other sources increase noise, which all sea life depends on not hearing to survive.
The Guardian 3rd February 2021
Plant based diets crucial to saving global wildlife says report
Biodiversity is most threatened by intensive agriculture that produces cheap food. We need to move from cattle to plant based diets. Food system results in 30% of carbon emissions.
The Guardian 2nd February 2021
Sea level rise could be worse than feared warn researchers
They think that sea levels could rise as much as 1.35m of over 3ft by 2100.
The Guardian 1st February 2021
World needs to kick its coal habit to start green recovery says IEA head
The energy watchdog says that China is building more coal plants and India need to move to renewable energy sources.
The Guardian 2nd February 2021
Economics of biodiversity review
The UK treasury has commissioned a Cambridge professor Dasgupta of economics. He says that at current rates we need 1.6 earths, that our whole way of valuing the environment has to change. Nations should be paid to protect world assets like the Amazon. So come on UN get is sorted before it goes please.
The Guardian 2nd February 2021
Big day for UK seas as bottom trawling ban in four protected areas proposed
All they have to do now is work out a way to enforce it, as there is no enforcement of protected areas at present.
The Guardian 2nd February 2021
Economics’ failure over destruction of nature presents extreme risks
There is a need for economics to value the environment and for the way economies work to change drastically.
The Guardian 30th January 2021
Scientific records show number of bee species down by 25% since 1990
This is based on global analysis and is part of a wider decline of insects by between 10% to 20% per decade. Astonishing, and really is evidence of a mass extinction. This is at the same time as using pesticides on crops that kill bees, we need bees to pollinate crops - how backward!
The Guardian 27th January 2021
Dizzying pace of Biden’s climate action sounds death knell for era of denialism
He has done lots of things in one climate day. At last we see a politician taking it seriously.
The Guardian 29th January 2021
Controversy over new regulations to protect English peatland
This is the start of the UK protecting its peat bogs.
The Guardian 28th January 2021
UK electricity from renewables outpaces gas and oil power.
Renewable electric was greater than oil and gas in 2020 and in Europe
The Guardian 28th January 2021
Flower power. The movement to bring back Britain’s beautiful meadows
Like America great prairies 97% of Britain’s flower meadows have gone. Some folks are replanting them on smallholdings.
The Guardian 28th January 2021
How much is an elephant worth?
About $2M each so much more than the ivory is worth. Can the UN sort out how to value the environment at its next biodiversity meeting in China later this year.
The Guardian 27th January 2021
UN global climate poll. The people’s voice is clear they want action.
This hopefully give the UN a mandate to take unilateral action and enforcement.
The Guardian 27th January 2021
Climate crises, world is at its hottest for at least 12,000 years - study.
This is all the time that humans have been around for. It could also be hottest for 125,000 years although this needs more data. The level of CO2 is at its highest for 4million years and is rising at its fastest rate since 66million years ago.
The Guardian 27th January 2021
Global shark and ray population crashed more than 70% in 50 years - study.
Pushing many species to extinction. What are they fished for, do we eat them? Is it bi catch?
The Guardian 26th January 2021
Fury as long awaited UK environment bill is delayed for third time.
Its almost as if the government don’t want the bill as its been three years in the making now. We need Joe Biden in the UK.
The Guardian 25th January 2021
Global ice loss accelerating at record rate study finds
Enough ice to cover the UK has been lost since 1994. Sea level rise now the worst case scenario predicted by the IPCC.
The Guardian 23rd January 2021
Jair Bolsonaro could face charges in The Hague over Amazon rainforest. This is for the damage to the lives of indigenous people as a result of the damage to the rainforest.
The Guardian 21st January 2021
Building a green economy could stop nightmare degradation of Amazon.
Work by Cambridge University to put a value on ecosystems needs to be adopted, so that it is more valuable to land owners to keep forests rather than to mine or farm them.
The Guardian 21st January 2021
John Kerry commits US to climate crises fight but warns world’s way off pace.
He said that everything that we are doing is lots slower than it needs to be. So glad Trump is no longer president.
The Guardian 22nd January 2021
Only a third of UK’s key fish populations are not overfished.
And the UK has little idea of how to prevent and control over fishing. We need to catch much less fish to allow stocks to return and then to find the amount that is sustainable.
The Guardian 22nd January 2021
Electric vehicles close to tipping point of mass adoption
A battery pack is now just $4000 and set to get cheaper. Soon battery cars will be cheaper than petrol or diesel.
The Guardian 20th January 2021
Limiting air pollution could prevent 50,000 deaths in Europe
Globally air pollution kills 7 million people a year. That’s 800 an hour.
The Guardian 18th January 2021
NGO’s demand action not promises as EU accused of failing to protect seas.
They are rightly pointing out that there is no point in having a law without any police to enforce it. This goes for any fishery not just in the EU.
The Guardian 15th January 2021
Pope’s advisor says Covid has highlighted ‘existential’ climate risk.
Pope is encouraging us to help those affected by climate change and to recognize its threat.
The Guardian 15th January 2021
Air pollution will lead to mass migration, say experts after landmark ruling.
Air pollution does not follow boundaries.
BBC News 14th January 2021
Climate change: ‘Exceptionally’ hot 2020 concludes warmest decade.
And is tied with 2016 as the warmest year. Average global temperature is now 1.2C above the average between 1850-1900. CO2 emissions were 7% lower,, but if this was to have an impact on climate we need to get to zero emissions.
The Guardian 14th January 2021
Countries adapting too slowly to climate breakdown, UN warns.
Not enough funding is earmarked for dealing with climate change within rich countries, and as aid between rich to poor countries.
The Guardian 12th January 2021
Clothes washing linked to pervasive plastic pollution in the Arctic.
Polyester clothes washing in the US and Europe results in microplastics getting into the oceans and this then gets to the Arctic, damaging marine life.
The Guardian 13th January 2021
Turkey - droughts Istanbul could run out of water in 45 days.
The worst drought in a decade.
The Guardian 13th January 2021
Top scientists warn of ghastly future of mass extinction and climate disruption.
The state of the planets biosphere is worse than expected and we are not doing enough to respond to this. It is a normal human condition not to react until something impacts them directly.
The Guardian 12th January 2021
Loophole will let UK continue to ship plastic waste to poorer countries.
No doubt the UK will continue to do this as Europe’s largest plastic producer. The EU banned this on 1st January.
The Guardian 11th January 2021
Nigerian cattle crises how drought and urbanisation led to deadly land grabs.
Conflicts between an increase head of cattle and farmers.
The Guardian 8th January 2021
22 disasters, 26 dead, $95Bn in damages, US saw record year for climate driven catastrophes.
This is 6 more than the previous record.
The Guardian 8th January 2021
Climate Crises. 2021 was joint hottest year ever recorded.
Despite a 7% fall in CO2 emissions. Surface temperature is now 1.25C above pre industrial levels of 18050-1900, dangerously close to the 1.5C set by the Paris agreement. Europe is already 1.6C above the pre industrial average. The Arctic was particularly hot this year, resulting in more forest fires and much less sea ice. A record 29 tropical storms formed in the Atlantic Ocean from the hotter air and sea.
The Guardian 3rd January 2021
Bali’s beaches buried in tide of plastic rubbish during monsoon season.
Evidence on land of a global marine pollution crises.
The Guardian 31st December 2020
UK has first Climate Assembly.
108 people have met and produced a report with recommendations for the government. Like taxing frequent flyers, banning SUV’s. The government has responded with a ten point green plan, which is a good start.
The Guardian 31st December 2020
Australia criticised for Antarctica airport plan.
Are they protecting their territory over imposters or developing. Either way is a good idea to add more infrastructure to something that you want to protect? Like building a road through a rainforest helps the forest get exploited.
The Guardian 29th December 2020
Greta Thunberg says climate experts are being ignored.
This is realistic human behaviour, we have to see something before we believe it. But we can see climate change where ever we look, we are blind and need the scientists to open our eyes. Greta as always is our guide in the darkness.
The Guardian 28th December 2020
Weather disasters cost $150Bn in 2020.
What if we could spend that much on tree mortgages? See below. Could you save the rainforest by giving it a financial value and income with the trees intact?
The Guardian 28th December 2020
How a tree mortgage scheme could turn an Indian town carbon neutral.
Kerala is a beautiful part of India but has a higher than average temperature increase. Trees are recorded and paid for by a mortgage to owners to make it an incentive to keep them, and even plant more. Suddenly the environment is viewed as an financial asset - this is the way forward. Can the same be done for the Amazon and every rainforest before they go?
The Guardian 25th December 2020
Discovery of cryptic species shows Earth is even more biologically diverse
Tiny variations of species shows that the variety of life on Earth is so little understood.
The Guardian 23rd December 2020
Pollution killed 1.7m people in India in 2019.
And we worry about Corona Virus. Lung cancer, heart disease, neonatal and respiratory disease.
The Guardian 21st December 2020
Global food industry on course to drive rapid habitat loss - research
The risks are in sub Saharan Africa and South America.
The Guardian 17th November 2020
Trump officials rush plans to drill in Arctic refuge before Biden inauguration.
Predictable childish and spiteful.
The Guardian 19th December 2020
Windfarms in Great Britain break record for clean power generation.
40%.
The Guardian 16th December 2020
Its over for us, how extreme weather is emptying Bangladesh’s villages
People in coastal regions whose land has remained flooded for months are having to move to towns and cities to survive.
The Guardian 17th December 2020
EU set to miss targets on sustainability after agreeing fishing quotas.
The EU had set itself to only fish within limits set by scientists by 2020 but will not manage this for a few more years now. Fishing for some stocks will continue to be unsustainable until this happens.
The Guardian 16th December 2020
DIY shops in Europe selling wood taken illegally from Russia report alleges.
This is being investigated in Russia but it seems despite EU rules they can still be broken easily.
The Guardian 14th December 2020
US to hold world climate summit early next year and seek to rejoin Paris accord.
Great news that it wants to lead again a big meeting and to rejoin the club. Some countries were banned from attending the summit because they hadn’t been behaving well.
The Guardian 12th December 2020
World in danger of missing Paris climate target summit is warned.
The UK business secretary is doing the warning in a global meeting. Can he show others what to do I wonder?
The Guardian 12th December 2020
UN secretary general urges all countries to declare climate emergencies.
The UN CEO or big boss is urging countries to do more. Can the UN broker this and make them do it?
The Guardian 11th December 2020
Paris climate agreement 54 cities on track to meet targets.
From tree planting to public transport, we can do it.
The Guardian 11th December 2020
UK to stop funding overseas fossil fuel projects.
In the last four years it spent £21Bn on this so is a good thing.
The Guardian 10th December 2020
Greta Thunberg. We are speeding in the wrong direction on climate crises.
Thank You Greta for again pointing out the reality. after five years of the Paris Climate Agreement.
The Guardian 9th December 2020
Human made materials now outweigh Earths entire biomass - study.
Perhaps not surprising.
The Guardian 2nd December 2020
Ending UKs climate emissions is affordable say official advisors.
The advisors have determined that it is cheaper to change to greener technology than to carry on with fossil fuels. More electric cars, wind turbines, woodlands, means the economics may drive change.
The Guardian 8th December 2020
Greenhouse gas emissions transforming the Arctic into an entirely different climate.
It is heating much faster than anywhere else with fires, highest temperatures and lowest amount of ice being recorded.
The Guardian 7th December 2020
Snow may not settle in most of UK by end of century study suggests.
The leading climatologists in the Met Office have shown us what could happen if we don’t change.
The Guardian 6th December 2020
UK urged to follow Denmark in ending North Sea oil and gas exploration.
The Guardian 4th December 2020
US plans to protect thousands of miles of coral reefs in Pacific and Caribbean.
Hopefully it can do better than Europe at stopping harmful activites.
The Guardian 4th December 2020
Radical reassessment needed to hit net zero emissions by 2050 says NAO.
If the below article was the dream this one spells out the reality. The UK government cant manage to achieve the goads it already has yet alone any more stringent ones. Our actions it seems do not match our words so far.
The Guardian 4th December 2020
UK vows to outdo other economies with 68% emissions cuts by 2030.
For a government that finds it hard to deliver even simple things, could it manage to do this? An amazing statement that will have to be judged by the actions to back it up.
The Guardian 4th December 2020
Global soils underpin life but future looks bleak warns UN report.
It takes thousands of years to form, and only a handful to blow or wash away.
The Guardian 3rd December 2020
Atlas reveals birds pushed further north amid climate crises.
Species are adapting to warmer temperatures by moving with the moving climate zones.
The Guardian 3rd December 2020
Auditors slam EU for marine protected areas that fail to protect ocean.
The UK has the same problem, it is happy to declare a MPA but has no resource or means to enforce it. Its like saying to a child don’t eat those sweets, and then putting a huge bowl of sweets under his nose.
The Guardian 2nd December 2020
Humanity is waging war on nature, says UN secretary general.
Secretary General is like CEO or Chief Executive or boss of the UN has warned nations that is in summary suicidal. One Million species are under threat of extinction, Extinction Rebellion are being ratified by the UN it seems. Fantastic. We need to make peace with Nature. The UN can become a broker of that peace surely?
The Guardian 1st December 2020
Wildflower meadows to line England’s new roads.
A small simple gesture that will help to replace some of the loss we have had in the last fifty years of intensive farming.
The Guardian 30th November 2020
European states ordered to respond to youth activists climate lawsuit.
Some very clever young people from Portugal have argued to the European Court of Human Rights that Europe’s 33 Countries are not doing enough to reduce emissions which they aren’t. The court now has ordered these Countries to demonstrate to it that actually they have. If they don’t satisfy the court, then the court can make them take more action. Amazing, simple, brilliant and hope it works to get Counties to reduce emissions.
The Guardian 30th November 2020
Environment to benefit from biggest farming shake up in 50 years.
This could be the UK government acting to help protect the environment, and if so is an amazing act. Time will tell but it looks good. Will they actually do it?
The Guardian 30th November 2020
International lawyers draft plan to criminalise ecosystem destruction.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague may be able to create the crime of Ecocide, of mass destruction of the environment. The only problem is that its no use charging Brazil once all of the Amazon has gone. Need to do it now.
The Guardian 25th November 2020
Revealed: UK supermarket and fast food chicken linked to deforestation in Brazil.
Soya grown in the Amazon is the link. It is fed to the chickens.
The Guardian 23rd November 2020
Climate crises: CO2 hits new record despite Covid 19 lockdown.
Levels are about 411 ppm up from 310 in 1960. Rate is climbing faster than ever, it was 415 ppm in 2015. It was last this high 5Million years ago, when temperatures were 3C higher and sea levels 20 metres higher. This is what will happen once the Earth has had time to react. It takes a while, but it will react.
The Guardian 24th November 2020
1% of farms operate 70% of worlds farmland.
Land and hence the environment is now controlled by a small minority. So if we can get them to act responsibly then they can be a huge force for good. Otherwise we will continue to loose habitats.
The Guardian 20th November 2020
Pressure grows on Boris Johnson over UK carbon emissions plan.
The UN secretary general would like all major economies to set out their targets to reduce their carbon emissions ahead of a key UN conference next year to be hosted by Boris. So Boris is being urged to come up with a plan to do that, but can he?
The Guardian 20th November 2020
Brazil accused of holding up UN biodiversity talks.
They don’t like having virtual meetings, or it could be that they want to hold up the meeting itself. This is a key one in China next year that seeks to protect the Earths natural resources. This is a bit of a shame as they have so much biodiversity in the Amazon that needs protecting. Can the UN force them to attend?
The Guardian 19th November 2020
Megaprojects risk pushing forests past tipping point - report.
A joint report by many scientists has highlighted that a pledge to protect forests by 50 countries and 50 of the worlds largest companies back in 2014 isn’t working. Pledges don’t generally work without enforcement.
the report highlights that our forests are needed to reduce the amount of climate change as they act to soak up carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. However, forests everywhere are no longer forests, they are becoming mines, dams, roads, railways. This then allows them to be felled further. Can the UN act?
The Guardian 19th November 2020
UK to support plans for new global treaty to turn tide on plastic pollution.
Plastics in the Oceans is set to treble by 2025 and the worlds largest producers are the US and the UK. It is hoped that the UK will join a treaty like the Paris Climate accord to limit plastic pollution. Can Boris do it?
The Guardian 17th November 2020
Boris Johnson announces 10 point green plan with 250,000 jobs.
This does mean that a point is reached that shows that we are on a new path, but many say that more can be done. This is still good news though.
The Guardian 15th November 2020
Scientists link record breaking hurricane season to climate crises.
This is from the strength, intensity and rainfall, and is what you get from warmer sea water. This makes storms become hurricanes much quicker, and thus generates more hurricanes. .
The Guardian 17th November 2020
1% of people cause half of global aviation emissions - study.
Airlines produce a billion tonnes of CO2 a year and receive $100bn in subsidy each year by not paying for the climate change that they cause. My grandad is one of the frequent fliers and hopefully he will fly less.
The Guardian 13th November 2020
Tiny Atlantic island takes giant leap towards protecting world’s oceans.
Their territory is 700,000kmsq and they are declaring it as a marine protection area banning all fishing. Just need a method of policing it no, as we have these in the UK but do nothing to keep trawlers out of them.
The Guardian 16th November 2020
Bank of England needs more powers to decarbonise economy says experts.
This could help cut emissions and promote a green economy.
The Guardian 10th November 2020
World Heritage status for Scottish peat bogs could help UK meet net zero goals.
Peat stores vast amounts of Carbon dioxide and if dug up this would release thousands of years worth of carbon into the atmosphere. Protecting them would help prevent this. As long as its not Natural England protecting them that is.
The Guardian 12th November 2020
Reaching UK net zero target cheaper than we thought say climate advisor.
That’s if you have got a plan, which of course the UK doesn’t. It did announce plans on November 17th but not sure if this amounts to a plan.
The Guardian 10th November 2020
We want real action. Young activists aim to fill void on climate with Mock Cop26.
They probably talked more sense too.
The Guardian 10th November 2020
Natural England cut to the bone and unable to protect wildlife say staff.
We are a developed Country but clearly we have a lot to do. It just shows politicians are more concerned with words than action. This should not be surprising.
The Guardian 10th November 2020
Renewable energy defies Covid-19 to hit reccord growth in 2020.
The International Energy Agency report says that 90% of new energy generation in 2020 was renewable. Great news.
The Guardian 9th November 2020
Hypocrites and greenwash/ Greta Thunberg blasts leaders over climate crises.
World Leaders are happy to set targets for decades in the future but flinch when immediate action is needed she says. She is of course right. World Leaders do not want to do anything just yet, not on their watch. That is why we need them to receive letters from around the world to ask / demand that they act now.
This is a fundamental issue as if we delay then the carbon budget will be gone. It is rapidly going, which means our ability to prevent huge global heating is more limited if we exceed the carbon budget.
We need to treat climate as a crises and only then will we take it seriously Greta says in this interview with the Guardian. We do after all demonstrate that we can take Covid seriously, so why not the climate? Greta says it is not about being an optimist or a pessimist, it is about being a realist. the reality is we have to act now.
If there is a red light a speeding car should always stop. We are acting like there is no red light, even though it is the brightest and most obvious light right in front of our eyes. We should apply the brakes now otherwise we will crash. We certainly shouldn’t do what Mr Bean does here.
The Guardian 8th November 2020
Global experts question the UK’s commitment to tackle climate crises.
Of course they are right, the UK government has never planned to tackle the climate crises, despite whatever it might say about it. That is why as Greta says we need to stand up to our politicians and demand action from them now, and not some time in the future.
The Guardian 6th November 2020
Raw sewage dumped into English and Welsh beaches 2.900 times this year.
Systemic. They don’t care it seems, perhaps its case of profits before nature. This is the wrong way around, and should be possible in the UK to avoid.
The Guardian 1st November 2020
Russia rules out cutting fossil fuel production in new few decades.
They think there will be a lot of demand to come. I hope they might be wrong.
The Guardian 30th October 2020
Humans pushing North Atlantic right whale to extinction faster than believed.
This is fishing, speeding boats, ropes in areas where the whales congregate.
The Guardian 30th October 2020
US and UK citizens are world’s largest sources of plastic waste - study.
So we recycle diligently and the greedy companies decide it is cheaper to send the whole lot to poor countries for them to sift. They don’t bother doing this, and just chuck it into the nearest river or sea/ We should all stop exporting our waste, and all Countries should be banned from importing it. Am angry this is not right.
The Guardian 29th October 2020
Global heating threatens UK wildlife’s ability to adapt and survive.
Each year climate zones move 5km north in the UK. Nature cannot keep up so we need to be inventive to help it bridge the gap. Scarily fish are moving north by 50km a year. This is clear evidence of a warming climate. This is not climate change it is global warming. Rewild Britain suggests creating habitats that link together.
The Guardian 29th October 2020
Plans to dredge notorious ‘ship swallower’ sandbank condemned.
The sandbank is also a habitat, and if it has sunk so many ships surely it would be avoided by them with modern navigation systems?
The Guardian 29th October 2020
2020 likely to be one of warmest years on record despite La Nina.
A cooling of the sea along the Pacific or western coast of South America has global impacts, and demonstrates the link between oceans and global air currents. Warming seas make this more complex and amplified.
The Guardian 28th October 2020
Banks lent $2.6tn linked to ecosystem and wildlife destruction in 2019 - report.
Thats a lot of money. Global economics needs a rethink I think.
The Guardian 27th October 2020
‘Sleeping giant’ Arctic methane deposits starting to release, scientists find.
Methane under the sea is melting as the Arctic warms. This leads to it venting into the atmosphere. This is a really serious discovery. The world operates on feedback loops, and if the melting of methane is triggered then this is factor of rapid global warming.
The Guardian 23rd October 2020
Campaigners criticise global deal on carbon emissions from shipping.
Global shipping is allowed to continue with its very high emissions. This is quite confusing but they have agreed to reduce emissions for ships, but the amount of shipping is set to continue, so therefore the total emissions from shipping will continue.
The Guardian 22nd October 2020
Alarm as Arctic sea ice not yet freezing, at latest date on record.
This is another example of the Arctic possibly reaching and going over its tipping point.
The Guardian 21st October 2020
Australian outback cattle station to house world’s largest solar farm, powering Singapore.
This is an energy pioneer not the Australian Government I think. Amazing that they can use the sun like this. Is far better than digging coal out of the ground, as is the case elsewhere in Australia. Just need a few more of them now until India doesn’t need any of the coal.
The Guardian 19th October 2020
Vast majority of Europe’s key habitats in poor or bad condition - report
The state of nature in EU survey shows that intensive farming is harming Europes wildlife. The two are not compatible it seems. Issue is, can the European Community as an organised and functioning body actually manage to do anything to reverse this? Or will we see another report in five years time saying the same thing but worse? I hope as an optimist that there will be a change.
The Guardian 15th October 2020
Rio F1 racetrack plans add fuel to Brazil deforestation row.
Money has suggested that it would be a good idea to build a racetrack in some rainforest. Hopefully not.
The Guardian 15th October 2020
UK brands act to cut catch of near-threatened yellowfin tuna.
The rules on fishing and the prevention of over fishing is so poor that these companies are doing this by themselves. They are not even been made to do it. It must be bad but at least someone has some sense to stop before they have all gone. See the Overfishing page.
The Guardian 13th October 2020
The Arctic is in a Death Spiral. How much longer will it exist?
The Milne Ice shelf half went in July which had been there for 4000 years. An ice cap in St Patrick’s Bay also went. This is really north, so if you don’t have ice up there its got to be warm hasn’t it? The Greenlans Ice sheet is now depleting as there is not enough snowfall to keep it. Add to this melting permafrost and landslides because of soft ground and it all tells a story. The Earth doesn’t heat evenly, so the poles are heating much faster than everywhere else.
The Guardian 14th October 2020
Great Barrier Reef Corals have more than halved in past 25 years.
So we have about 20 years then before its gone? This is global warming resulting in warmer seas and acidification of the Murray River basin. Solution is a global one to reduce emissions for this 2300km long reef.
The Guardian 12th October 2020
Fifth of countries at risk of ecosystems collapse analysis finds.
Destruction is now so bad that soon whole economies will cease to function. Economics and nature need each other. Surely this is lesson number one to avoiding extinction.
The Guardian 10th October 2020
Investors and graduates flock to UK’s burgeoning windfarms.
Another good news story for an industry that will overtake oil. Why invest in oil which will run out when you could invest in renewables which don’t run out.
The Guardian 10th October 2020
Campaign seeks 1bn people to save climate one small step at a time.
Count Us In = amazing idea. Must look and act.
The Guardian 9th October 2020
Revealed 97% of UK marine protected areas subject to bottom - trawling.
So if you give something a name then fishing boats say that’s fine and carry on as if nothing has changed. What you need to do is what Greenpeach have done and now do something to protect these protected areas.
The Guardian 8th October 2020
EU parliament votes for 60% greenhouse gas emissions cut by 2030.
Good on them. Will the member Countries vote for it? I hope so. Will they achieve it? I doubt it as they have missed all the goals as reported previously. So what this needs now is some hard hitting enforcement.
The Guardian 8th October 2020
Opec rejects projection that global demand for oil has peaked.
What planet are the oil producing Countries living on? Perhaps the myth of eternal growth is so strong that they don’t mind about the impact of this growth on global warming and climate change?
The Guardian 7th October 2020
Intensive farming worldwide threatens Paris climate accord report says.
This is related to Nitrous Oxide emissions from fertilizer and manure related to farming. It is 300 times more powerful than CO2 in global warming and climate change so this indicator is very important.
The Guardian 7th October 2020
Carbon capture moonshot moves closer as billions of dollars pour in.
This is where technology may be able to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. This is like driving at full speed towards a cliff edge and hoping that the emergency parachute saves the fall. Perhaps we should slow down the car just in case it doesn’t work.
The Guardian 7th October 2020
September was world’s hottest on record globally.
This article also notes that temperatures in the Siberian Arctic continue to be higher than normal, and Arctic sea ice is at its second lowest rate since they started looking at it with satellites.
The Guardian 6th October 2020
California wildfires spawn first ‘gigafire’ in modern history.
This is where lots of smaller fires merge into one huge fire that is over 1m square acres. The first one in modern history, unless you go back thousands of years I think this means.
The Guardian 5th October 2020
What China’s plan for net zero emissions by 2060 means for the climate.
China joins the Eu on this target announced by president Xi is amazing, and they could do it too of all of us. China is responsible for 28% of global CO2 emissions. This is the single largest climate commitment to date and meets the Paris agreement. China currently burns half the worlds coal so this is a huge change, but it is already leading the way in solar and electric energy, and future technology. If anyone can do this it is China. The UK cannot organize anything beyond an afternoon tea party.
The Guardian 5th October 2020
Amazon near tipping point of switching from rainforest to savannah study.
See my section on the Amazon which explains this more but if this could really be the turning point for hte Amazon. Are we too late, even if we could stop the forest fires, which are worse than ever
The Guardian 3rd October 2020
Smoke choaking California again as dangerous fire conditions continue.
Must be terrible out there. 4m acres burned, air quality for people living there is badly affected.
The Week 2nd October 2020
England’s Rivers are all polluted.
This is from raw sewage and run off from agriculture. This now needs some enforcement as clearly wishing for a reduction in pollution will not make any difference.
The Guardian 2nd October 2020
Humpback whales seize chance to sing in Alaska’s cruise free Covid summer.
With no cruise ships means no day trips which means tens of boats not on the water next to whales, which means whales have loads more fun on their own.
The Guardian 1st October 2020
Cambridge University to divest from fossil fuels by 2030.
Well done to them they wont regret it.
The Guardian 30th September 2020
M&S cuts soya from production of milk to curb deforestation.
This just highlights the link between soya and deforestation and is a good step.
Greenland’s ice melting faster than at any time in past 12,000 years.
This could lead to sea levels rising by 10cm by end of century. Is it reversible? I hope so but probably not now.
The Guardian 29th September 2020
Planetary safety net could halt wildlife loss and slow climate breakdown.
Some really good research which shows where we need to conserve wildlife in order to keep the Earth habitable as we know it. Lots needs to be conserved which may be a problem given the UN research on loss of wildlife though.
The Guardian 28th September 2020
How our warmer oceans are contributing to climate breakdown.
This is a fascinating article about how the oceans respond to rises in water temperature. Essentially you get less ocean circulation which becomes a worsening feedback loop.
The Guardian 28th September 2020
Britain’s oil and gas rigs most polluting in North Sea says report.
Unwanted gas could heat a million homes and sends 13.1m tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. What a waste. Need to put a solar panel on the gas rigs I think.
World Leaders pledge to halt Earths destruction ahead of UN summit.
This is a good start, but at UN summits we always get these pledges. Without any legal enforcement and action then they remain just words but nice ones at that. Just needs some really big countries to sign up to it and for it to be enforced now.
The Guardian 25th September 2020
Young people resume global strikes calling for urgent action.
Great news hope they carry on.
The Guardian 16th September 2020
Birds falling out of the sky in mass die off in south western US.
A loss of habitat somewhere has stopped them from feeding, possibly the forest fires.
The Guardian 15th September 2020
World fails to meet a single target to stop destruction of nature – UN report.
Humanity at a crossroads after a decade in which all the 2010 Aichi goals to protect wildlife and ecosystems have been missed.
The Global Biodiversity Outlook 5 report states that for the second decade no targets have been met. This comes as no surprise after the UN report earlier this week which tells us that the World is being swept away by human destruction. The UN produced the last report in 2010, so does this mean that for the last 50 years they have been diligently recording the decline of nature? Watching as the cathedral of Notre Dame burns down in front of them. We all watch but do nothing. Who is going to enforce us to act. Maybe the UN can. Where are the green helmets? Every playground needs a teacher to make sure the children behave. We now need enforcers, it is no good carrying on as we are.
BBC News 10th September 2020
Wildlife in catastrophic decline due to human destruction, scientists warn
Wildlife populations have fallen by two thirds in fifty years, we only have 16.5 years left before its all gone. Frightening. Habitat land is lost, 1 million species are threatened with extinction and to top it all we are wasting food that we do produce and throwing it away.
BBC News 10th September 2020
Tax frequent fliers and get rid of SUVs, government told.
This a a citizens panel who clearly know more of what to do than the government to meet the Paris Climate Accord targets.
The Guardian 9th September 2020
Defra forms taskforce to reduce sewage discharge into rivers and seas.
After allowing this for years they have finally been caught out by some very good journalism by the Guardian, and now have to act. Hopefully something happens and maybe a dividend is cut to pay for what is needed? don't get carried away..ed.
The Guardian 10th September 2020
Winds fuel wildfires across US west, destroying record 2.5m acres.
This is across Washington, Oregon and California states and is hard to image the scale and how difficult it must be for everyone living in this area. See references to articles about this area having a prolonged drought. So soon after the Australian fires.
The Guardian 9th September 2020
Petrol and diesel cars could cost up to £1500 more under proposals.
Great idea, and the subsidy would go towards electric cars too.
The Guardian 9th September 2020
Huge cavities threaten glacier larger than Great Britain.
Fissures allow warm water into the glacier helping it to melt faster. Just like lave flowing in rivers into the sea, so warm water forms dykes into the ice. This one glacier will increase sea level by 65cm so is just a matter of time as to when this will happen, not if.
The Guardian 7th September 2020
Africa's Great Green Wall just 4% complete halfway through schedule.
Turns out it is much harder to plant lots of trees than say you are going to plant trees. Its also very easy to cut them down after too.
The Guardian 4th September 2020
War on plastic could strand oil industry's £300bn investment.
If we recycle more then they don't need to produce so much plastic which means less oil is used. Sounds like a great idea, and you could spend the £300bn on more recycling around the world too.
The Guardian 2nd September 2020
Amazon tragedy repeats itself as Brazil rainforest goes up in smoke.
Fires burning the forest for agriculture are worse than last year. This will only get worse until its all gone. Unless they have an incentive to protect the forest that is. Where are the UN green helmets? We need them to stop the burning.
The Guardian 1st September 2020
Queen of the Dolomites glacier could vanish within 15 years.
80% of it has already gone, so its gone now really.
The Guardian 26th August 2020
Antarctica 60% of ice shelves at risk of fracture, research suggests.
The process described on 9th September 2020 could happen across the whole of Antarctica and is the first learning of how it could melt after millions of years.
The Guardian 26th August 2020
Up to half of world's water supply stolen annually, study warns.
This can only go one way. War. Or maybe we will learn to share something just like children learn to share toys?
The Guardian 25h August 2020
Its terrifying can anyone stop Chinas vast armada of fishing boats?
No. They have 17,000 of them after some research and they go around the world hoovering up anything in international waters. How long will that take for all of the fish to be taken? 5yrs, 10yrs, 15yrs. Can anyone put some sense into international fishing? Maybe the UN can? Its like allowing a large kid in the playground taking all the toys off the smaller kids and giving him a clap whilst all the little ones are in tears. You wouldn't do that would you. Where are the UN green helmets?
The Guardian 20th August 2020
How the climate crises is already harming America.
This is a long article going through each region detailing how climate is shifting. We are all affected, and you could do something similar across the whole world.
The Guardian 19th August 2020
We may have just seen the worlds highest recorded temperature ever.
Wow, in Death Valley. 54.4C.
The Guardian 20th August 2020
Greenland ice sheet lost a record 1m tonnes of ice per minute in 2019.
Per minute? How do you get your head around that figure? Ice will be gone fast in this generation. Does that scare you? It scares me.
The Guardian 13th August 2020
Brazil experiences worst start to Amazon fire season for 10 years.
So we can count 10,000 fires from space but cant work out what to do on the ground to reduce it to 9,999. Can the UN help us all out, where are the green helmets?
The Guardian 13th August 2020
Trump rolls back methane climate standards for oil and gas.
This means that they can emit what they like when drilling. Methane helps the world heat up even faster, and we should be reducing its emissions. Politicians do not have any interest to tackle climate change.
The Guardian 13th August 2020
Supertrawlers ramp up activity in UK protected waters during lockdown.
These could be some of the 17,000 vessels controlled by China, see 25th August. If an area is protected it actually turns out that it isn't then.
The Guardian 12th August 2020
UK poised to stop UK funding overseas fossil fuel projects.
A good start if it happens.
The Guardian 12th August 2020
Last decade was Earth's hottest on record as climate crises accelerates.
As the Earth heats up all the natural systems will flip from one state into another as they adjust and fuel a hotter world. Its like a fire getting hotter without you needing to add any wood to it.
The Guardian 9th August 2020
Is this the end of King coal in Britain?
It has taken 250 years for coal use to rise and then fall to very low levels in the UK.
The Guardian 4th August 2020
Rising temperatures will cause more deaths than all infectious diseases – study.
This is a very real threat to us all. Can we treat the climate crises like we treat Covid19 please?
The Guardian 3rd August 2020
There's still a choice. New Zealand's melting glaciers show the human fingerprints of climate change.
No surprise to this result of some research. This would be the case for most glaciers, the Arctic, Greenland, and Antarctica then. Do we need a global emissions quota and then some hard policing of it by the UN to reduce global warming.
BBC News 31st July 2020
Climate change driving UK’s extreme weather.
The Met Office confirms that 2019 was the UK’s 12th warmest year in a row. It was marked by a highest temperature in July, a highest winter temperature, a highest December temperature, a highest minimum record for February. UK temperatures are now 1.1C above the 30 year average to 1990. The wettest 5 months have also happened in the last ten years, as rainfall increases.
The Guardian 31st July 2020
Landmark ruling sees poacher jailed for killing Rafiki the gorilla. Six year sentence following death of country’s best known silverback mountain gorillas is first of its kind.
Hopefully this will deter others from doing the same thing and is a good example of control of humans to protect an ecosystem.
The Guardian 30th July 2020
European commission order France to outlaw barbaric glue traps for birds. French government risks paying huge fines if it bows to pressure from hunting lobby.
This method is aimed at catching some species, but just like fishing it is not selective. How can you say to a bird don’t land on this glue stick its not meant for you, or to a fish sorry I didn’t mean to catch you in my huge net.
The Guardian 30th July 2020
Small crustacean can fragment microplastics in four days, study finds. ‘Completely Unexpected’ finding is significant as harmful effects of plastic might increase as particle size decreases.
This is a bad thing as particles get smaller and can be absorbed in cells and then passed up the food chain to us all.
The Guardian 30th July 2020
Argentinas delta fires rage out of control.
Fires on the Parana river delta rage out of control after droughts exacerbated by climate change and cattle ranching. This is one of South Americas biggest wetlands.
The Guardian 29th July 2020
UK’s biggest pension fund begins fossil fuels divestment. National Employment Savings Trust to shun firms involved in coal, tar sands, or arctic drilling.
is this the beginning of a new world economy that is not based on fossil fuels?
The Guardian 28th July 2020
Alarm over discovery of hundreds of Chinese fishing vessels near Galapagos Islands. The fleet, found just outside a protected zone, raises prospects of damage to the marine ecosystem.
Its not going to be a good thing. Ecuador cannot protect the area with fishing of this scale, who are doing their best to protect the area and extend the protected waters to 350 miles from the islands.
The Guardian 27th July 2020
How the Global Climate fight could be lost if Trump is re-elected. The US officially leaves the Paris accord one day after the 2020 US election and architects of that deal say the stakes could not be higher.
The Guardian 20th July 2020
Flooding in Assam and Nepal kills hundreds and displaces millions.
This is particularly severe monsoon floods this year in this region, and worthy of mention here because the severity of these floods is now worse because of climate change.
The Guardian 18th July 2020
James Lovelock: ‘The biosphere and I are both in the last 1% of our lives. Interview on his 101st birthday.
He created the Gaia Theory that everything on Earth is an organism that is linked to everything else, explaining the beauty and fragility of life on Earth.
The Guardian 17th July 2020
Dramatic footage fuels fears Amazon fires could be worse than last year. As dry season starts campaigners sound alarm over shocking scale of fires, as Bolsonaro doubles down on denials.
Greenpeace highlights that more burning is taking place. This is of course bad news as no one has yet worked out how to stop the Amazon burning, and so more of it being burnt each year until presumably when none of it is left. The good news in this article is that international investors are now concerned about international business, presumably because they have know that when people realise that most of their beef has come from the Amazon, that they won’t want to buy it. Quite right, I only buy local beef now.
The Guardian 16th July 2020
North Atlantic right whales now officially ‘one step from extinction’. International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s red list changes ocean giant’s status to ‘critically endangered’.
As always fishing, whaling, slow birth rates, boat strikes are all making life difficult for this creature, that if humans don’t act on then it will die out.
The Guardian 16th July 2020
Pamdemic shows climate has never been treated as crises, say scientists. Letter also signed by Greta Thunberg urges EU leaders to act immediately on global heating.
The letter says that we can act but on climate we choose not to. This is because if you perceive that something doesn’t affect you then you don’t take it seriously. Even if it affect millions of other people. That doesn’t matter because I’m not affected. The pandemic affects us all directly and so we take that seriously.
The Guardian 15th July 2020
Climate change made Siberian heatwave 600 times more likely - study. Human fingerprint on record temperatures ‘has rarely, if ever, been clearer’, says report.
Between January and June this year temperatures have been more than 5C above average. Frightening. Without humans this wouldn’t happen in 80,000 years.
The Guardian 7th July 2020
Scientists put forward plan to create universal species list. Single classification system could end centuries of disagreement and improve global efforts to tackle biodiversity loss.
Believe it or not but if you are not given the right name then you might not be protected from trade. If you are an African Elephant your tusks could be expected to be protected from trade by Cites. However, Cities might not list you if your a Forest Elephant. This list should remove any confusion and loop holes in the future and can only be a good thing.
World Meteorological Organisation 9th July 2020
There is a 20% chance that one of the next five years will be at least 1.5C warmer than pre industrial levels.
All the science reported on the global 1.5C challenge page is just about to come true sooner than we thought. We really are running out of time to act. Humanity likes to act when there is a crises, I wonder what needs to happen before we decide to act on the science before our eyes.
The Guardian 7th July 2020
Legal Action threatened over Boris Johnson’s ‘unlawful’ green recovery plans. Campaigners say £3bn scheme fails to comply with Paris accord and is just a fig-leaf for polluters’.
A successful pressure group called Plan B have started legal proceedings against the government about the latest recovery plan. They have already stopped a third runway at Heathrow which has ended years of indecision.
BBC News 4th July 2020
Greta Thunberg, the climate campaigner who doesn’t like campaigning.
An interview that illustrates how articulate, bright and committed she is. We are all so lucky that she chose to speak out and highlight what the scientists are saying to us all.
The Guardian 1st July 2020
Exclusive: water firms discharged raw sewage into England’s rivers 200,000 times in 2019. Untreated effluent flowed into waterways for more than 1.5M hours, data shows.
The industry has invested a lot into infrastructure but has also paid out £57billion in dividends since its creation. This is illegal, and only permitted after extreme storm events. However, the scale of this means that it is actually a daily normal practice. Horrifying, and this is a developed nation……The Environment Agency relies on the industry to monitor itself.
The Guardian 1st July 2020
Europe losing forest to harvesting at alarming rate, data suggests. Rise in harvesting, could effect ability to combat climate crises due to carbon absorption capacity reducing.
Forest covers 38% of Europe and most of this is managed for timber production. The only problem is that more of the forest is being cut down in the last few years than periods before then. This will reduce forest cover at a crucial time when it is needed.
Nature 30th June 2020
The increasing likelihood of temperatures above 30 to 40C in the UK.
Some research that shows that by 2100 if current trends continue the UK will routinely be experiencing Mediterranean temperatures. Scary.
The Guardian 29th June 2020
Cooking up a solution to Uganda’s deforestation crises with mud stoves
A new form of cooking stove that can halve the amount of firewood it uses has been developed. All it needs is for it to be given to every household where it is needed in Africa.
The Guardian 29th June 2020
Emmanuel Macron pledges £15Bn to tackle climate crises. French President announces measures following green wave in local elections.
France has done three things that are world firsts. It has set up a panel of people from all walks of life to recommend how France should tackle the climate crises, which has made recommendations. The second is that the president is reported to have accepted nearly all of these recommendations and wishes to act on them quickly. The third is that French people have elected green candidates to lead many of their towns and cities. This has to be a first, I want to go and live in France. We are backward in the UK.
The Guardian 25th June 2020
The Arctic heatwave here’s what we know.
The Arctic in Russia has experienced terrifying heat that you would expect in southern Spain but not in northern Siberia. Sea ice and permafrost is melting, there are more forest fires releasing methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is due to the changes to climate from the polar jet stream, one of the worlds jet streams that helps move warm and cold air around the world.
The Guardian 21st June 2020
Britain still failing on climate crises, warn advisors. Committee urges that companies must meet green standards to qualify for Covid-19 corporate bailouts.
Every year the UK has an up to date report and it is no surprise that little progress has been made since last year.
BBC News 18th June 2020
Paulinho Paiakan: Amazon indigenous chief dies with coronavirus.
One of the best known indigenous leaders who became famous fighting the Belo Monte dam defending the Amazon rainforest has died with coronavirus in Brazil, where the disease continues its rapid spread.
The Guardian 17th June 2020
Pandemics result from destruction of nature, say UN and WHO. Experts call for legislation and trade deals worldwide to encourage green recovery.
This sounds like its needed.
The Guardian 15th June 2020
Emissions from 13 diary firms match those of entire UK, says report. Milk giants’ climate impact of rising and production caps needed say researchers.
BBC News 13th June 2020
Dalai Lama: Seven billion people need a sense of oneness.
He is right of course which is said on the homepage.
The Guardian 13th June 2020
Climate worst-case scenarios may not go far enough, cloud data shows. Modelling suggests climate is considerably more sensetive to carbon emissions than thought.
World climate models are being updated on the latest super computers and the results show that climate heating could be up to 5C above pre industrial levels. This means that hitting the 1.5C target is even more hopeful than it is now. Scientists will continue their work which will be reported in the next IPCC report which is due next year. Perhaps the greenhouse effect is more reactive than was thought.
The Guardian 9th June 2020
Great Britain heads for record coal-free period during lockdown. England, Scotland and Wales on brink of two-month milestone, longest period since 1880’s says National Grid.
GB has a long history of burning coal for power, but now most of its coal mines are closed since the 1980’s. A fall in demand and the sunniest spring on record - see news below has meant coal has not been needed. Levies on carbon emissions and the low price of renewables makes coal less competitive which is great news for CO2 emissions. GB is to close all coal plants by 2024 from providing 40% of power in 2010. Coal emits double the amount of CO2 to gas power unless you can capture the carbon emitted through carbon capture technology.
The Guardian 8th June 2020
Only two-thirds of UK bathing waters rated excellent in EU study. Latest data puts Britain near bottom of Europe’s league table for bathing water quality.
This is an improvement on 2019 data, but if you want a swim in water that is rated excellent you need to pick your beach carefully. The UK was forced by the EU to clean up its rivers and beaches and much work has been done on this, but sewage and pollution is still affecting water quality.
The Guardian 5th June 2020
Meat giants selling to UK linked to Brazil farms in deforested Amazon reserve. Greenpeace report shows cattle indirectly sold to JBS, Marfrig and Minerva came from protected Sero Ricardo Franco park.
This article shows that cattle from within the Amazon is sold to farms outside the Amazon who then sell it to meat traders. Meat is a global commodity just like coal. We could have eaten beef from the Amazon and not know it.
BBC News 1st June 2020
Climate change: May was sunniest calendar month on record in UK.
The UK had 266 hours of sun in May beating the last record set in 1957. On average the UK gets 436 hours of sun between March and the end of May. The record is 555 and only ten years have recorded more than 500 hours in the last hundred years. This year it was beaten by 626 hours, there were no clouds. This is because the jet stream which controls our weather controlled the very wet February, and then the hot spring. Meteorologists are staggered at the swing from one state and extreme to another extreme, and also by how much sun we have had. It was like being transported to the Mediterranean on holiday with no rain, blue skies and hot sun continuously for over two months. Another example of climate change.
The Guardian 1st June 2020
Bid to grant MSC ‘ecolabel’ to bluefin tuna fishery raises fears for ‘king of fish’. Conservationists warn the species which was almost extinct 10 years ago, could be under threat if Japanese fishery is MSC certified.
Most blue fin tuna is consumed in Japan. There seems to be debate about whether or not the amount of tuna has recovered enough to enable fishing to resume. This is to be decided on by a judge.
The Guardian 29th May 2020
US south-west in grip of historic ‘megadrought’ research finds.
A bumper day of mostly bad world news for The Guardian. Near constant forest fires in California are a sign of a 20 year drought in this region. Scientists have found that over the last 1200 years there have been five similar megadraughts, with the current one being the second most severe in that period. The article also notes that NASA has recorded that 19 of the hottest 20 years have occurred since 2000, so that’s every year.
The Guardian 29th May 2020
EU’s greenhouse gas emissions continue to fall as coal ditched. New figures for 2018 show 2.1% drop on previous year in switch to renewables.
Emissions are 23% lower than in 1990 or 21% if you include the UK. Energy generation shows the largest fall as coal is replaced. Transport emissions are stable. To meet the Paris agreement to limit global temperatures to within 2C, annual falls of 7% are needed. So there is more to do.
The Guardian 29th May 2020
Markets not paying attention to climate crises, IMF says. Firms should be made to disclose exposure to global heating, report says.
The IMF has warned that the money lending markets are not taking into account risks from climate change. In the 1980’s there were 50 disasters, and since 2000 there has been more than 200. This places pressure on the markets to be able to deal with climate change as they have until now. Even the IMF (a global bank) is warning of climate change affecting the natural environment, and of the impact to humanity being far greater in the future. It notes that global temperatures are up 1.1C and are in line to rise by 3C from pre industrial levels.
The Guardian 29th May 2020
UK spring the sunniest since records began, says Met Office. Country also set for driest May for 124 years, with farmers warning of serious impact.
This is the warmest spring since 1929, with hardly any rain in May. Farmers are warning of impacts to rain fed cereal and grass crops. Sunshine has been constant for the entire period of lockdown from the end of March to the present, every day like a day on holiday in Spain. This follows an extremely wet February, see 1st June.
The Guardian 25th May 2020
Climate change in deep oceans could be seven times faster by middle of century, report says. Uneven heating could have major impact on marine wildlife, as species that rely on each other for survival are forced to move.
A study of how warmer water from climate warming heats the water column to more than 4km down shows that as water warms at different rates at different depths this can lead to a significant change in temperature in what would be extremely stable environments. This movement of water through the water column would triple even if emissions were cut drastically, and could result in species moving location to find the environment that suits them best. Deep ocean life is also more at risk as it is so adapted to a stable environment and certain temperature. Is this the beginning of us seeing a major shift in ocean life?
The Guardian 22nd May 2020
Microplastic pollution in oceans vastly underestimated - study. Particle may outnumber zooplankton, which underpin marine life and regulate climate.
Plastic pollution harms marine life in its fertility, growth and survival. Fine nets have been used to measure the amount of plastics in water samples off the UK and US coasts. The particles were of textiles like ropes and clothing. Frofdm the sea the plastic can enter insects, birds, and the wider food chain, as well as being ingested by zooplankton.
The Guardian 22nd May 2020
Young climate activists call for EU to radically reform farming sector. Fridays for Future to publish letter urging reform of common agricultural policy ahead of European commission meeting.
The EU is being urged to pay farmers not for the amount of land farmed, but for its outputs in clean water and lower emissions. Currently the EU spends 6O billion Euros a year on the CAP. The good news is that the EU has announced 20 billion Euros a year to enhance wildlife, and wants to plant 3 billion trees in the next decade. The European Green Deal plan is described in more detail which is worth reading about here.
The Guardian 22nd May 2020
UK Approval for biggest gas power station in Europe ruled legal. High court rejects challenge after ministers overruled climate objections of planning officials.
The powerplant could account for 75% of the UK’s emissions from power generation once built. Greenpeace are quoted as saying that this is not a good way of showing leadership, and risks the UK not meeting its own zero emissions target for 2050. This is why Greta is saying that we have to start reducing emissions now, as otherwise we will think that we have until 2049 to do it, (but by 2030 it is too late).
The Guardian 19th May 2020
Lockdowns trigger dramatic fall in global carbon emissions.Responses to coronavirus crises cause sharpest drop in carbon output since records began.
When lockdowns are in place emissions have fallen about 25%, falling by 17% globally in early April. This shows how difficult it is to reduce emissions globally according to scientists at the University of East Anglia. Globally emissions may only fall by 4% in 2020 but this would still be the biggest fall since world war two, and would be nothing to meet the Paris Agreement goals. We have so much more to do it seems to reduce emissions globally, which are rising at a rate of 1% a year. Not falling.
The Guardian 5th May 2020
Forest fire season is coming. How can we stop the Amazon burning? The Guardian investigates fire in the state of Para - to reveal the loopholes that allow deforestation to be legitimised.
This is astounding journalism that investigates how an region can be deforested by the construction of roads, land ownership that is opaque, a cat mouse game with firefighters, a government that issues fines for deforestation but then is not able to collect them, big profits from goods, and an export trade that is not able to monitor where goods come from. It is fascinating and daunting reading this, but this article does give a real insight into how complex an issue this is.
The Guardian 5th May 2020
One billion people will live in insufferable heat within 50 years - study. Human cost of climate crises will hit harder and sooner than previously believed, research reveals.
Research finds that for each additional 1c global increase in temperature a billion people will either be displaced or live in insufferable heat. There is a comfortable zone in which humans thrive, and this zone will shrink, and as a result more people will live outside of this zone as the world gets hotter. Up to a third of the world’s population will be as hot as the hottest parts of the Sahara Desert, threatening human survival. In the same way that you can grow coffee in a certain climate zone, so it happens that you can only exist as a human in a certain climate zone. It’s not rocket science, but it takes a scientist to tell us what any farmer in Africa will tell you. If there is a drought, or a plague of locusts then your crop does not grow and your survival is threatened.
The Guardian 3rd May 2020
We are on the eve of a genocide: Brazil urged to save Amazon tribes from Covid-19. Open letter by photojournalist Sebastio Salgado and global figures warns disease could decimate indigenous people.
David Hockney my favourite artist and many others have signed an open letter that sets out that illegal loggers and gold miners in the Amazon can bring with them the disease, which is yet another threat to indigenous people in this region. (The current Brazilian government has sought to remove laws and agencies that have before now helped to protect indigenous people).
BBC News 21st April 2020
India coronavirus: Can the Covid-19 lockdown spark a clean air movement? When India went into lockdown last month…the skies over its cities quickly turned blue, and the air, unusually fresh.
Delhi and 13 other Indian cities feature on a list of the worlds 20 most polluted. It is estimated that more than a million Indians die every year because of air-pollution related diseases. However, this shows that achieving clean air is possible in a short space of time.
The Guardian 21st April 2020
Ice-free Arctic summers now very likely even with climate action. Scientists surprised by latest results but say carbon cuts remain vital to prevent ice loss becoming permanent.
The loss of summer ice in the Arctic is now very likely before 2050 even if carbon emissions are cut rapidly. If emissions remain very high then the Arctic could also be ice free in winter which would be catastrophic. Ice has up until recently covered the sea within the Arctic meaning that ships have to go around it rather than through it.
BBC News 8th April 2020
Coronavirus lockdown sees air pollution plummet across the UK.
After two weeks of lockdown nitrogen dioxide levels have fallen by up to 60% in Cities. This reduction mostly comes from the lack of cars and therefore reduces our contribution to global warming.
The Guardian 2nd April 2020
We must use this time well: climate experts hopeful after Cop26 delay. Moving summit gives worl time to respond to coronavirus and may allow a new US leader to join talks.
World governments are being encouraged to make strong commitments to cut emissions at the summit. As you could argue not a lot has changed in the previous 25 summits it is hoped that the 26th will result in some real changes being made, which could involve moving to a low carbon economy and stopping any support of the fossil fuel industry. The article reiterates that global heating beyond 1.5C will result in climate change being catastrophic and irreversible. (Ed - Imagine standing on a deserted highway and a truck is coming at you at speed. Its not stopping and there is nothing you can do to stop it. It hits you at 1.5C, and we are at 1.1C now).
The forthcoming US election may allow for the US to join the summit as it is currently due to leave the Paris agreement in November 2020.
The Guardian 30th March 2020
Bolsonaro government thanked Johnson for stance on Amazon
There was a global trade summit last August in which Brazil was negotiating trade with the EU. At this time the deforestation of the Amazon had increased by 30% due to an increase is forest burning which had been encouraged by President Bolsonaro. The UK had supported trade with Brazil for its own reasons (possibly on leaving the EU).
Deforestation is leading to the mass displacement of indigenous peoples and has reached 17% of the biome in Brazil due to increased production of timber, beef and soya beans. Scientists say that the rainforest could reach a tipping point within decades where it would turn into dry Savannah. This is because the ecosystem would no longer be able to survive because without trees rainfall would not be generated, and the water cycle would be broken. This can happen if only 20 to 25% of the forest is felled. The WWF call for us all to be environmentally aware in what we buy and in Countries importing goods from rainforests.
The Independent 29th March 2020
Climate crises: Government unveils unprecedented vision of future travel with focus on walking, cycling and public transport.
This report finally recognises the link between transport and emissions and says that the UK (and us all) need to reduce our reliance on the car to reduce emissions. We will have to wait and see if this turns into policies and money for walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure.
The Guardian 19th March 2020
Greenland's melting ice raised global sea level by 2.2mm in two months. Analysis of satellite data reveals astonishing loss of 600bn tons of ice last summer as Arctic experiences hottest year on record.
Last year over twice the amount of ice was lost than between 2002 and 2019, and the rate of ice loss is now seven times faster than what it was in the 1990’s. Last year the annual extent on sea ice in the Arctic circle was the second lowest on record. The University of California studies images from NASA’S Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment and follow on missions. The research has further illustrated the dangers posed by runaway global heating.
Ed – this warming was observed in Europe in the winter of 2019 / 2020 with Norway and Europe having a very warm winter – see 6th February.
The Guardian 12th March 2020
We should stop buying fish until the industry stops slaughtering dolphins. Britain and the EU are complicit in hundreds of deaths a year in their refusal to impose effective rules on commercial fishing.
George Monbiot the prominent writer and environmentalist highlights the plight of dolphins in modern commercial fishing. Dolphin numbers in the Indian Ocean have fallen by 87% since 1980, caught in gill nets set for Tuna. The Indian Ocean is huge,, this is quite an achievement. Dolphins only calve every four years, and so they could soon be extinct. The north Atlantic Right Whale is also mentioned, and fishing for lobster and crab with pots is again cited as being the main reason for deaths. Two types of fishing catch high numbers of dolphins. These are pair trawlers where two trawlers set a huge net between them to catch bass, and supertrawlers who tow huge nets that swallow a whole shoal and its predators in one go. All these do is make fish pellets which get fed to farmed fish. Its horrific when you think about it. Fish have to be fed fish, which is killed on an industrial scale, because we want to buy sustainable farmed fish.
The Guardian 10th March 2020
Climate Emergency: Global action is ‘way off track’ says UN head. Deadly heatwaves, floods and rising hunger pose a far greater threat to world than coronavirus, scientists say.
The world is “way off track” in dealing with the climate emergency and time is fast running out, the UN secretary general has said António Guterres sounded the alarm at the launch of the UN’s assessment of the global climate in 2019. The report concludes it was a record-breaking year for heat, and there was rising hunger, displacement and loss of life owing to extreme temperatures and floods around the world. Scientists said the threat was greater than that from the coronavirus, and world leaders must not be diverted away from climate action. The climate assessment is led by the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO), with input from the UN’s agencies for environment, food, health, disasters, migration and refugees, as well as scientific centres.
The long-term decline of Arctic sea ice also continued in 2019, with the September average extent – usually the lowest of the year – the third worst on record. “Climate change is the defining challenge of our time. We are currently way off track to meeting either the 1.5C or 2C targets that the Paris agreement calls for,” said Guterres. 2019 ended with a global average temperature of 1.1C above pre-industrial levels. “Time is fast running out for us to avert the worst impacts of climate disruption and protect our societies.”
He added: “We need more ambition on [emission cuts], adaptation and finance in time for the climate conference, Cop26, in Glasgow, UK, in November. That is the only way to ensure a safer, more prosperous and sustainable future for all people on a healthy planet.”
Ed – there is so much more to read in this article, well worth a more thorough look but be warned its frightening.
The Independent 9th March 2020
Carbon emissions fall at fastest rate in 30 years as electricity sector moves away from coal. Governments must still ‘dramatically accelerate’ transition to renewable energy to keep global warming at 1.5C analysts warn. Coal fuelled electricity declined 3% in 2019, leading to a 2% fall in the power sector’s carbon dioxide emissions, according to a worldwide assessment by think tank Ember. Ed (this is the second positive news article reported so far!! May there be many more to come).
BBC News 4th March 2020
Greta Thunberg brands EU’s new climate law ‘surrender’. Ms Thunberg spoke in Brussels on Wednesday as the EU unveiled a proposed law for reducing carbon emissions. If passed, the law would make it a legal requirement for the EU to be carbon neutral by 2050. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the law as the "heart of the European Green Deal". But 17-year-old Ms Thunberg dismissed the law as "empty words", accusing the EU of "pretending" to be a leader on climate change. "When your house is on fire, you don't wait a few more years to start putting it out. And yet this is what the Commission is proposing today," Thunberg told the European Parliament's environment committee. She said the law, which would give the EU Commission more powers to set tougher carbon reduction goals, did not go far enough. "Your distant targets will mean nothing if high emissions continue like today, even for just a few more years, because that will use up our remaining carbon budget before we even have the chance to deliver on your 2030 or 2050 goals," Ms Thunberg said.
Ed…Greta is saying that the targets need to bite now, and not in five or ten years because we cannot afford to allow emissions to continue even at their current levels for any length of time, because we have no time left to act. She has a point. It could be a classic case of closing the stable door once the horse has bolted.
The Independant 4th March 2020
French ski resort goes bust due to lack of snow. Le Mont-Dore closed majority of 33 pistes during one of the warmest winters on record in France. Climate conditions have changed. The last time we had so little snow in February half term break was 30 years ago. Since the end of the 19th century, the Alps, Europe's highest mountain range, has seen an average temperature rise of 2C. You can see a visible difference in photos of Mont Blanc glaciers and snow cover in the article.
The Guardian 2nd March 2020
Worlds beaches disappearing due to climate crises – study. UK on course to lose a quarter of its sandy coast because of human driven erosion. About half of the worlds sandy beaches will have retreated significantly by the end of the century.
The Guardian 2nd March 2020
More than 80% of Indian Ocean dolphins may have been killed by commercial fishing study finds. An estimated 4 million small cetaceans (dolphins) caught as by catch in commercial tuna fishing nets since 1950 researchers say. Around 80,000 are currently caught each year at present. This is astonishing and highlights the true cost of commercial fishing.
The Guardian 27th February 2020
Heathrow third runway ruled illegal over climate change. Appeal court says decision to give go-ahead not consistent with Paris agreement. Plans for a third runway at Heathrow airport have been ruled illegal by the court of appeal because ministers did not adequately take into account the government’s commitments to tackle the climate crisis.
The ruling is a major blow to the project at a time when public concern about the climate emergency is rising fast and the government has set a target in law of net zero emissions by 2050. The prime minister, Boris Johnson, could use the ruling to abandon the project, or the government could draw up a new policy document to approve the runway. The court’s ruling is the first major ruling in the world to be based on the Paris climate agreement and may have an impact both in the UK and around the globe by inspiring challenges against other high-carbon projects.
Lord Justice Lindblom said: “The Paris agreement ought to have been taken into account by the secretary of state. The national planning statement was not produced as the law requires.”
Ed (this is the second positive news article reported so far!! May there be many more to come).
The Independent 21st February 2020
Climate crisis could cause economic recession ‘like we’ve never seen before’, study warns. This study finds that the financial markets are not adequately assessing the risk of disruption to industry, agriculture and water supplies resulting from climate change incidents. These could include rising sea levels, flooding, fires and extreme weather events.
BBC News 20th February 2020
Astonishing blue whale numbers at South Georgia. Record numbers of blue whales have been counted off the coast of South Georgia in the South Atlantic by scientists. At 30m long the size of Blue Whales made them profitable during the era of commercial whaling and between 1904 and 1925 over 33,000 were killed, with an overall population of around 240,000. After a ban was introduced in 1966 any sightings of blues in the southern Atlantic around South Georgia would have been significant, and to see 55 in one year in this area is significant.
The Guardian 12th February 2020
EU accused of climate crises hypocrisy after backing 32 gas projects
In its latest round of energy related investment decisions the EU has decided to back 32 gas infrastructure projects which critics say will lock the EU into burning fossil fuels for generations. Many of these are said to be unnecessary, and the result of successful lobbying by the gas industry.
The Week 8th February 2020
Mexico’s environmental campaigner against illegal logging and the protection of butterfly habitats Homero Gomez Gonzalez has been found dead, possibly at the hands of the people who benefited from the illegal logging in the habitat of the monarch butterfly.
The Guardian 7th February 2020
Antarctica logs hottest temperature on record with a reading of 18.3C. A new record set so soon after the previous record of 17.5C in March 2015 is a sign that warming in Antarctica is happening much faster than global average.
Almost all of the regions glaciers are melting on the northern peninsula. This is one of the fastest warming places on earth where temperatures have risen by 3C in the past 50 years.
Independent 6th February 2020
January 2020 hottest on record with parts of Norway 25C warmer than normal.
Daily Mail Online 6th February 2020
Last month was the warmest January on record globally - with temperatures in Europe 0.4°F higher than the previous warmest January in 2007
Last month was the warmest January ever recorded, according to data released by the European Union's satellite monitoring service.
Global temperatures were 0.05°F (0.03°C) warmer than the previous warmest January in 2016, the Copernicus Climate Change Service revealed.
In Europe, the temperature increase was more pronounced, reaching 5.6°F (3.1°C) higher than the 19-year average between 1981 and 2010, and 0.4°F (0.2°C) warmer than the previous warmest January in 2007.
Independent 6th February 2020
Climate crisis: Massive hole opens up under Antarctic glacier which could lead to catastrophic sea level rises - Thwaites glacier is known as Doomsday: if it collapses, sea surge would submerge major cities across globe
The massive Thwaites ridge would send sea levels surging by up to two feet if it dissolved completely – enough to submerge major coastal cities across the globe.
A massive hole has been discovered under the Thwaites Glacier on western Antarctica. The void, in total, is about six miles long and 1,000 feet deep — representing the loss of some 14 billion tons of ice.
Because the UK-sized chunk acts as a barrier protecting the vast West Antarctica, its melting would also destabilise the entire region by exposing it to warmer waters.
Now, scientists say a cavity beneath the glacier is far larger than previously thought – making it far more vulnerable to collapse.
International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration – a five-year, £38m effort led by the UK and US – will seek to understand why the glacier is changing so rapidly.
BBC News 16 Jan 2020
The BBC launches today a new focus on climate change called Our Planet Matters with several articles about climate change and its impact. This will continue through 2020 and I will try and keep track of it.
David Attenborough a very famous naturalist has given an interview explaining why we have to act now. It is only two minutes long.
There is a page explaining climate change with some really good graphics
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24021772