Around The Web

WHO database lowers Beijing’s particulate ranking from 40th worst in world to 187th, as coal plants flagged as key culprit

Beijing is slowly shedding its image as the world’s most polluted city. In 2013, it ranked as the 40th worst city for the particulate PM2.5 in the World Health Organisation global database. Four years on, thanks in part to a crackdown on polluters, it stands in 187th place.

Air pollution in the 62 Chinese cities tracked by the WHO dropped by an average of 30% between 2013 and 2016. China’s air pollution problems are often blamed on the country’s rapid industrial growth but the problems probably date back to the 1950s.

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South Africa’s cabinet on Thursday approved the government’s proposed carbon tax bill, bringing the long-delayed legislation a step closer to becoming reality.

New research highlights the role of sea turtles and dugong in the dispersal of seeds and maintenance of seagrass meadows, an important marine habitat and the primary food source for both animals. Samantha J Tol, PhD Candidate, James Cook University Alana Grech, Assistant Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Paul York, Senior Research Scientist in Marine Biology, James Cook University Rob Coles, Team leader, Seagrass Habitats, TropWATER, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The seal named Relashio was close to death when he was rescued.

The seal named Relashio was close to death when he was rescued.

Vast troughs are identified in one of the last places to be explored on Earth - under the ice at the South Pole.

Vast troughs are identified in one of the last places to be explored on Earth - under the ice at the South Pole.

Britain may be denied full access to the EU's Galileo satellite navigation system on security grounds after Brexit.

Britain may be denied full access to the EU's Galileo satellite navigation system on security grounds after Brexit.

The UK steps up its war of words with the EU over being shut out of new satellite navigation system.

European carbon prices jumped to a fresh seven-year high on Thursday, before recovering from a brief intraday drop under €16.

Fossil records suggest only flightless birds survived when T rex was wiped off the Earth

Birds had to rediscover flight after the meteor strike that killed off the dinosaurs, scientists say.

The cataclysm 66m years ago not only wiped out Tyrannosaurus rex and ground-dwelling dinosaur species, but also flying birds, a detailed survey of the fossil record suggests.

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Access to the EU's emissions trading registry will be suspended for 48 hours in early June to allow for a software upgrade, the European Commission announced on Thursday.

Survival depended on whether ancient 'birds' lived on the forest floor or in the branches, say scientists.

Survival depended on whether ancient 'birds' lived on the forest floor or in the branches, say scientists.

Michael Gove, the enviroment secretary, responds to a Guardian editorial on his clean air strategy

You write that “the main contributor to the air quality crisis … is road transport” (Editorial, 23 May). Road transport contributes 34% of nitrogen dioxide emissions and 12% of particulate matter emissions. The majority of air pollution comes from other sources. In particular, domestic burning contributes 38% of primary particulate matter – the most damaging pollutant to human health, according to the World Health Organisation.

You write that our clean air strategy “purported to tackle a public health crisis by getting families to open their windows more often because ‘air pollution inside the home can often be higher than outside’.” Those 11 words are taken from almost 40,000 in the document, which sets out action on domestic fuel, farming, ports, aviation and in other areas.

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Taxpayer’s right to healthcare | ‘Falling’ pregnant | Female film critics | Nancy Banks-Smith | Clothes moths

You report (24 May) that Pauline Pennant, a UK citizen living overseas, pays UK taxes through her pension, earned after 30 years working with the NHS, yet is no longer entitled to free healthcare. If she is no longer entitled to this because she lives overseas, then why does she still pay UK tax on her pension and what, or who, is this deducted tax being used for?
Lin Aldridge
Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire

• Once again we read that a woman “had fallen pregnant” (Landmark conviction for forced marriage, 23 May). Since the word “fall” generally indicates a failure of some kind, isn’t it time to replace this antiquated and somewhat sexist expression with the more factual “had become pregnant”?
Dr Brigid Purcell
Norwich

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Sweden has scrapped its plan to spend SEK 300 million (€29.4 mln) annually to buy and cancel EU Allowances, Carbon Pulse has learned, and will instead spend the earmarked proceeds from its sale of state-owned utility Vattenfall’s German lignite assets on low-carbon innovation.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) signed a raft of energy legislation into law on Wednesday, including a controversial Zero Emissions Certificate (ZEC) programme for the nuclear power sector.

Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s is piloting an initiative where customers automatically offset the footprint of their retail purchases through buying Peruvian forestry offsets via blockchain technology.