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Birders headed to Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park to view brightly coloured painted bunting

Hundreds of people have flocked to the Washington DC area to catch a glimpse of a new, celebrated arrival who has offered some welcome relief following a bruising year. No, it’s not Joe Biden.

Excited birders have crammed into a Maryland park, braving rain and dismally low temperatures, to witness the painted bunting, a brightly coloured bird that usually reserves its elan for the warmer climes of Florida.

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The whole thing that is great about the teeth of the narwhal is that nothing makes sense

• The Nature of ... is a column dedicated to interesting animals, insects, plants and natural phenomena

There are some animals about which it is easy to forget the fact that they have teeth, so that every time they flash their grins, it is as though you are seeing a new animal. Dogs, cats of all kinds, sharks and crocodiles are not among these. Horses, rabbits, fish and geese live toothless in my mind.

Narwhals are among the actually toothless, if you discount their tusks. Inside their mouths, which are shaped in a permanently sweet smile, there are no teeth as we understand teeth to be.

But the males have a long, unicorn-like projection protruding – just off centre – from what might be described as their upper lip. I find them quite festive, like ornaments that should be hung on a Christmas tree. Maybe it’s their wintry, icicle-like tusk. I try to forget that this tusk is a tooth.

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Massachusetts will follow California’s lead in phasing out sales of new gas-powered light-duty vehicles by 2035, as well as implementing a regional low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS) to operate alongside the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI) carbon market, Governor Charlie Baker’s (R) administration announced last week.

ENGIE's European Affairs Department is seeking a European Affairs Policy Advisor.

Research says planting trees in urban areas could mitigate rising temperatures

Urban regions around the world are likely to see a near-universal decrease in humidity as the climate changes, a study has found.

The research suggests that building green infrastructure and increasing urban vegetation might be a safe bet for cities looking to mitigate against rising temperatures.

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#SustainablePublicAffairs is looking for a highly motivated young professional to join its fast-growing team.

The European Climate Law, industrial policy, and green shipping are three priorities of the six-month Portuguese EU Council presidency that took over on Jan. 1, putting the bloc’s climate files high on the agenda.

To support the expansion of ENGIE Impact in the EMEAI region, and bring the highest standard of consulting services to its clients, ENGIE Impact looks for a Strategy and Energy Markets Analyst based in Brussels.

The unusual phenomenon looks like candy floss on the trees - but touch it and it melts away.

Verra is looking for a Director, Sustainable Development Programs to oversee the strategy, direction and evolution of Verra’s sustainable development (SD) programs, which currently include the Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standards, the Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta), the Plastic Waste Reduction Standard and the Sustainable Development Contributions Report.

Verra is looking for a Manager, Technology Innovations, to lead our work in assessing potential opportunities and designing pathways and systems to take advantage of remote sensing (RS), artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML), distributed ledgers (DL) and other established and emerging technologies, in Verra standards, tools, programs, and registry, especially as they relate to natural climate solutions (NCS).

The BBC's Tom Heap explores exciting emissions-saving ideas that could help save the planet.

As well as my work as a sociologist, I'm also a professional snake catcher. I don’t expect people to love snakes, but I believe they should know more about them - and it's not all bad. Gavin JD Smith, Associate Professor in Sociology, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Not-for-profit Women in Fisheries aims to get more women involved in male-dominated industry

Superstition among fishing crews has traditionally said that women on ships are bad luck – and it is among many of the reasons women in the fishing industry are in short supply.

Now though, they are being urged to join Britain’s fishing fleet by the first UK company to emerge that is actively encouraging women to fish.

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Environmental activist says she has stopped buying new clothes but will not criticise those who fly or have children

The environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg says she has stopped buying new clothes and holds no grudges against people who fly or decide to have children.

In an interview to mark her 18th birthday, the Swedish activist offered a relaxed view when asked about celebrities who trumpet their environmental awareness yet contribute to carbon emissions by using passenger aircraft.

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GPS collars that alert cows when they reach a boundary are helping to improve habitats and boost biodiversity

There is something missing from the bucolic upland scene of shaggy, bracken-coloured cattle grazing between young trees on the Cumbrian hillside: fencing.

When the Highland-cross cows reach a certain point, the blue plastic medallion dangling from their necks plays a melody like a mobile phone ringtone. The cow turns around, and the invisible GPS fence has done its job.

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Winning images from the year’s national and international competitions

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The giant development lies 75 miles away from England's largest sea bird colony in Yorkshire.

Climate activists explain how individuals can help reduce their carbon emissions.

Exclusive: Environment minister releases reasons for denying Kingvale station owner Scott Harris permission to clear nearly 2,000 hectares

A landholder’s controversial plans to clear almost 2,000 hectares of native vegetation on Queensland’s Cape York were denied after he rejected government advice that it would put five threatened species at risk.

Kingvale station owner Scott Harris, who wanted to clear the land for cropping, had also refused to pay for ecological surveys before clearing, according to a detailed statement provided to environmental campaigners by the environment minister, Sussan Ley, and seen by the Guardian.

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