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Tweets going viral: birds can 'learn second language' from peers
The Australian fairy wren can master the meaning of a few key ‘words’ by listening to other species
Birds can learn a second language by listening to the tweets and chirps of other birds, helping them to find out when a predator is approaching, scientists have found.
Wild animals are known to listen to each other for clues about lurking predators, effectively eavesdropping on other species’ chatter. Birds, for example, can learn to flee when neighbours cluck the equivalent of “hawk!” — or, more precisely, emit a distress call.
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5,500 UK churches switch to renewable energy
Churches estimated to have diverted £5m from fossil fuels to clean energy providers
More than 5,500 churches including some of the UK’s most famous cathedrals have converted to renewable power to help tackle climate change.
Church of England places of worship, along with Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Quaker and Salvation Army congregations, have made the switch to 100% renewable electricity, and faith leaders are urging more to follow suit.
Continue reading...Principal Consultant, Asia Renewable Energy, South Pole Group – Bangkok
CP Daily: Thursday August 2, 2018
NA Markets: RGGI unphased by emissions data as WCI drags
Pollutionwatch: city sparrows' decline linked to car exhausts
RSPB found urban sparrow colonies waning at fastest rate where traffic-borne nitrogen dioxide was worst
The cheeky house sparrow is the archetypal city bird. You can find them around the world, but they are in serious decline in cities in Italy, Canada, India and the UK. London’s house sparrow population fell by 60% between 1994 and 2006.
Scientists from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds fed London sparrows in 33 colonies and compared them with birds at 33 other places where no extra food was offered. More food meant more fledglings, but it did not improve their wintertime survival.
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Postdoctoral Researcher, Climate Policy, Nuffield College – Oxford
Ontario formally launches lawsuit against federal carbon price
EU Market: Prices ease in quiet trade after eking out fresh 7-year high
California vows to 'fight this stupidity' as EPA moves to scrap clean car rules
Governor Jerry Brown calls administration’s proposal to weaken Obama-era emissions rules ‘reckless’ and a ‘betrayal’
The Trump administration has moved to weaken US vehicle emissions standards and has set up a major confrontation with California by scrapping its ability to enact stricter pollution standards and mandate the sale of electric cars.
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A bird's eye view: Songbirds perceive colour like humans
Alaska floats carbon tax in latest update to draft climate plan
Buried UK government report finds fracking increases air pollution
Report was with ministers in 2015 but only published three years later, days after a key fracking permit was awarded
A UK government report concluding that shale gas extraction increases air pollution was left unpublished for three years and only released four days after ministers approved fracking in Lancashire, it has emerged.
The report, written by the government’s Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG), was given to ministers in 2015, but was published quietly on 27 July. Fracking firm Cuadrilla was given the first permit under a new regulatory regime on 24 July, the final day of the parliamentary year.
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North-west England's hosepipe ban rained off
United Utilities announces U-turn on controversial ban due to rainfall and cooler weather
A controversial hosepipe ban affecting millions of people in the north-west of England has been called off three days before it was to start because of the “recent deluge and a drop in temperatures”.
United Utilities had said on Tuesday that there would be no U-turn on the decision to start the ban on Sunday, but it has now announced that the demand for water has eased.