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A new study finds that waiting 5 extra years to peak carbon pollution will cost 20 cm sea level rise

A new study published in Nature looks at how much global sea level will continue to rise even if we manage to meet the Paris climate target of staying below 2°C hotter than pre-industrial temperatures. The issue is that sea levels keep rising for several hundred years after we stabilize temperatures, largely due to the continued melting of ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland from the heat already in the climate system.

The study considered two scenarios. In the first, human carbon pollution peaks somewhere between 2020 and 2035 and falls quickly thereafter, reaching zero between 2035 and 2055 and staying there. Global temperatures in the first scenario peak at and remain steady below 2°C. In the second scenario, we capture and sequester carbon to reach net negative emissions (more captured than emitted) between 2040 and 2060, resulting in falling global temperatures in the second half of the century.

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Woodland Trust records show more evidence that spring is arriving earlier in the UK

Winter in the UK has become a landscape of yellow hawthorn, the orange flash of red admiral butterflies, blackbirds nesting, and bumblebees feeding on mauve chives, pink valerian and lavender.

Before the white-out of snow which covered much of the country on Wednesday, reports by the Woodland Trust charity showed yet more evidence that spring is arriving earlier and earlier.

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New, solar-focused energy retailer DC Power Co is set to disrupt the market, and it hopes to be majority owned by Australia's rooftop solar households.

At current rates of progress no African country will meet the UN goal set for 2030, a study reveals.

Researchers discover the oldest figurative tattoos in the world on two mummies from Egypt.

AEMO highlights critical role played by rooftop solar in meeting a week of demand in "remarkable" heatwave in Queensland in February.

Overseas, new EV sales make up from 5% in California to more than 25% in Norway. In Australia, it’s less than 0.1% (and falling). Why?

Shared electric vehicles, or "robo-taxis" could become the dominant form of car transport in Australia within 10 years – taking the share of EVs to 95 per cent and accelerating the push to a 100 per cent renewable grid.

Clean Energy Regulator's latest list of Australia's top 10 corporate emitters shows the biggest emitter has twice the emissions of the next biggest.

Powershop announces 5% price drop for Victorian customers, one month after huge deal to buy three hydro plants, output of solar and wind farms.

This rural Georgia highway has become a proving ground for cutting-edge clean energy technologies.

In the Cairngorms National Park Jo Whalley learns what to do if you become lost in a blizzard.

Microsoft purchases 100 percent of the renewable output from new 60MW solar project, supports development of new solar projects and greening of Singapore’s grid.

In the UK, there is evidence to suggest that snowfall has decreased over the past few decades. Worldwide, it's a more complicated picture.

Renewable electricity and biofuels made from agave are now one step closer, following kick-off of a groundbreaking trial by MSF Sugar, with support from the Queensland Government.

Scientists observe a signature on the sky from the very first stars to shine in the Universe.

Most uses of insecticides known as neonicotinoids represent a risk to wild bees and honeybees, say European experts.

Record temperatures in the Arctic have pushed cold air further south.

Red squirrels, for whose troubles the greys are blamed, became virtually extinct in the UK before greys were even introduced, writes Natalia Doran

Your article (The faddy eater: Could I stomach southern-fried squirrel?, 22 February) should be admired for its honesty in showing appropriate discomfort with the idea of eating a creature that should have been living, breathing, playing, instead of suffering an early violent death. However, it also propagates a couple of myths regarding the highly intelligent and successful grey squirrel. The thing is, red squirrels, for whose troubles the greys are blamed, became virtually extinct in this country before greys were even introduced. That happened because of habitat loss. The reds were then also reintroduced from continental Europe, so the “nativeness” narrative is flawed. The tree damage is hugely exaggerated as well – the Forestry Commission puts the damage at 5%. More is lost due to poor growing practices. Furthermore, that figure relates to commercial forestry: in natural woodland grey squirrels are uniformly good for the ecosystem.
Natalia Doran
Urban Squirrels, London

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Exclusive: Despite official denials, emails reveal discussions about the Indian company’s requests before ministers wrote to a Chinese agency vouching for the $16bn project

Adani asked the Australian government to help secure funding for its controversial Carmichael coalmine, documents obtained under Freedom of information reveal. Two government ministers subsequently wrote to a Chinese government agency vouching for the proposed coalmine.

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