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New rules introduced by International Maritime Organisation expected to reduce certain forms of air pollution

Sulphur will be cut drastically from global shipping transport fuels in 2020, in a move that should reduce some forms of air pollution, and may help towards tackling the climate emergency – but which could also lead to a rise in the price of flights.

From 1 January 2020, ships will only be allowed to use fuel oil with a very low sulphur content, under rules brought in by the International Maritime Organisation. This cut in sulphur content has been more than a decade in the planning, and almost all shipping around the world is expected to comply, or face penalties.

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Residents of Australia’s capital are told to stay indoors and brace for more smog in the coming days

Canberra has experienced its worst air quality on record, as bushfire smoke became trapped by atmospheric conditions and residents were told to stay indoors and brace for more smog in the coming days.

The ACT’s acting chief health officer, Dr Paul Dugdale, said the smoke was the worst since the 2003 bushfires and was “certainly the worst” since air quality monitoring started in the city 15 years ago.

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The move is designed to protect marine life around the Pacific island state.

A group of viruses, of which measles is one, are adept at jumping to species barrier.

Allan, a 1.5 metre corn snake, had been driving to Oldham with its owners for Christmas

A 1.5 metre (5ft) snake named Allan had to be rescued from inside a car after escaping while travelling with its owners over Christmas.

The pet corn snake got out of its vivarium as it was travelling with owner Ellie Bond from Nottingham to Oldham to spend the Christmas break with family.

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge unveil a global prize to tackle climate issues in the next decade.

The measure would ban all "non-essential" private car journeys in the city centre by 2023.

The Wildlife Trust is looking to recruit a deputy warden and a visitor officer to work on the island.

Some of the world’s leading voices on the environment discuss concerns and areas of optimism

At the end of a tumultuous decade for biodiversity, in which a report based on the most comprehensive study of life on Earth warned that “nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history”, we spoke to some of the world’s leading voices on the environment about their greatest fears for the next decade – and also their hopes. As the IPBES report’s authors noted: “It is not too late to make a difference, but only if we start now at every level from local to global.”

We asked three questions:

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New woodlands and wild places are needed to fight climate crisis and improve people’s health

Half of the nation’s farmland needs to be transformed into woodlands and natural habitat to fight the climate crisis and restore wildlife, according to a former chief scientific adviser to the UK government.

Prof Sir Ian Boyd said such a change could mean the amount of cattle and sheep would fall by 90%, with farmers instead being paid for storing carbon dioxide, helping prevent floods and providing beautiful landscapes where people could boost their health and wellbeing.

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Thousands were evacuated on the New South Wales south coast and Victoria’s East Gippsland region on New Year’s Eve as multiple bushfires threatened towns and cut off highways. Many were forced to seek shelter on jetties or in lakes or the ocean as their escape routes were cut off. Two men were confirmed to have died at Cobargo in NSW and another was reported missing.

• ‘We’ve lost our beautiful town’: Mogo residents flee as bushfire rages up NSW south coast

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UK Wildlife Trusts report says 2019 saw sea change in public attitudes to marine conservation

Seals, dolphins and seabirds in British coastal waters are increasingly being disturbed by people using drones, kayaks and jetskis, according to a new report.

Plastics, ocean waste and discarded fishing equipment have continued to devastate marine species in the UK’s coastal waters, while warming seas driven by the climate crisis have caused a boom in the non-native Pacific oyster, according to the Wildlife Trusts.

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Scottish Salmon Company wants to build 20-cage site close to tourist destination

Islanders on Arran are protesting against plans to install one of the UK’s largest fish farms close to one of the island’s most treasured holiday destinations.

The Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) wants to build a fish farm near Lochranza on the northern tip of Arran, which will be more than twice the size of most other salmon farms.

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Bees innocuously buzzing 'round the birdbath may be a barometer for burgeoning bee invasions. Manu Saunders, Research fellow, University of New England Callum McKercher, PhD Student, University of New England Mark Hall, Research fellow, Western Sydney University Tanya Latty, Associate professor, University of Sydney Tobias Smith, Ecologist, bee researcher and stingless bee keeper, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

• Swedish activist and president attended UN climate summit
• ‘He’s not listening to experts … why would he listen to me?’

Greta Thunberg has said she wouldn’t have wasted her time talking to Donald Trump about climate change at the UN climate change summit in New York earlier this year – the same event she was pictured glaring at the one of the world’s leading climate-change deniers.

Related: Vladimir Putin thanks Donald Trump for tip that foiled Russian terror plot

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Mark Carney said the financial sector had begun to curb investment in fossil fuels. but slowly.

Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough thanked each other for their climate activism when they spoke for the first time in a Skype call. The discussion was part of the Swedish activist's guest-editing slot on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Attenborough praised the teenager for raising awareness of the climate crisis, to which Greta said nature documentaries inspired her to take on the cause

• Greta Thunberg: climate activism has made her 'very happy', says father
  

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Greta Thunberg's father has spoken about how activism helped his daughter out of depression. Speaking to the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Svante Thunberg says he had thought it was 'a bad idea' for his daughter to take to the frontline of the battle against climate change but adds that her activism helped her battle depression. 'You think she's not ordinary now because she's special, and she's very famous, and all these things. But to me she's now an ordinary child,' he says. As part of Greta’s guest editorship of the programme, she also talks to Sir David Attenborough for the first time.

• Greta Thunberg: climate activism has made her 'very happy', says father
  

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The teenage activist and veteran naturalist talk to each other for the first time (via Skype).

Closing prices, ranges and volumes for China's regional pilot carbon markets this week.