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Dairy farms need female cows to produce milk but with little demand for male calves many farmers can’t afford to keep them beyond birth

The number of male calves being killed straight after birth is on the rise again, despite efforts by the dairy industry to end the practice known as ‘the dirty secret’.

A Guardian analysis shows that it can cost a farmer up to £30 per calf to sell it on for beef or veal, while early disposal costs just £9. A growing number of farmers feel compelled to take the latter option, with 95,000 killed on-farm in the most recent set of figures.

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Carpenter’s Lodge, Lincolnshire: Why was a kestrel so interested in the rising corner of a small rural overpass?

The climbing bend of an overpass, in a frigid easterly wind, early. I’ve come because of an eye-hook bird I’ve often seen hovering here. A kestrel – static in the air as if on a pole, above this corner in precisely the same place. More recently, I’ve seen a red kite showing interest too, wheeling and listing and riding the wind like its namesake. If it was a child’s kite, its line would have been tied to the barrier of this bend.

I’ve seen the kestrel for years, usually at dusk, against the sunset sky like a mad little spatter of dirt on a west-facing window. Wings frantic, head down, tail splayed. Watching.

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Artificial islands that are now mushrooming across the ocean are regarded as 'engineering marvels'. But, little attention is paid to how these human-made structures affect sea life. Katherine Dafforn, Senior Research Associate in Marine Ecology, UNSW Ana Bugnot, Research Associate, UNSW Eliza Heery, Research Fellow in Marine Ecology, National University of Singapore Mariana Mayer-Pinto, Senior Research Associate in marine ecology, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Gold plated or not, the idea that governments would agree to a write-down or rebate on network costs is laughable.

State governments now have an opportunity to reset the clock – to pay off the mistakes of the past and let consumers guide choices about our future grid.

High spot prices and better than expected output from new Kidston solar farm delivers revenue bonus - but it won't last.

This service allows Tesla owners to add up to 270 kilometres in just 30 minutes or a fuavll charge in just over an hour – providing time for a quick bite, grocery shop, or to explore the latest in fashion.

Last month, the Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers submitted a report calling into question impacts of climate change and tailpipe pollutants in an effort to undercut the need for fuel economy regulation.

Maker of one of world's most popular EVs, the Nissan Leaf, wants to roll out 8 new pure electric cars by 2022, sell 1m EVs a year.

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised international energy company WIRCON GmbH, owners of Wirsol Energy, on the development and acquisition of the Gannawarra Energy Storage System in the state of Victoria in Australia.

RCR Tomlinson Ltd, is pleased to announce it has been awarded a contract for the 25MW/50MWh Gannawarra Energy Storage System (“the Project”) being developed by Edify Energy with co-investment from Edify Energy and Wirsol Energy.

RenewEconomy is looking to expand its coverage of the clean energy transition, particularly around electric vehicles.

Simplicity doesn’t always equal efficiency, but it does usually equal reliability. A system with multiple layers of complexity is more vulnerable to breakdown.

A new report has found that Tasmanians, Queenslanders and New South Welshmen are paying $100-$400 a year for unnecessary infrastructure. Kate Griffiths, Senior Associate, Grattan Institute Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The seahorse dads carry the babies in a pouch. Camilla Whittington, Research Fellow / Lecturer, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Sawmillers say industry in ‘wind-down mode’ as state government discusses logging agreements extension

Victoria’s national parks and water catchments should be opened up for sustainable logging, according to a group of six Victorian sawmillers.

The sawmillers – who call themselves the G6 – say the Victorian timber industry is in crisis. They want access to either more timber or exit packages.

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We may be only a few years from hearing the purring of the last turtle dove in the UK, writes Jonathan Wallace

Thank you Jonathan Franzen (Why do birds matter? Where shall I begin? 24 March) for your wonderful paean to birds. They enrich our lives yet we continue to push birds towards oblivion. We may be only a few years from hearing the purring of the last turtle dove in this country, for example. There are many ways in which we harm bird populations, some easier to address than others. The outrageous persecution of birds of prey on some shooting estates could be stopped tomorrow with sufficient goodwill and government commitment. Slowing the general bleaching of wildlife from our countryside is less straightforward and will require creative thinking in order to balance the legitimate need for farmers to make a living and produce food with the need to protect wildlife, water supplies and soils. We must not shirk the challenge or Mr Franzen’s grandchildren will be denied the opportunity of experiencing anything but a fraction of the wonders he has enjoyed.
Jonathan Wallace
Newcastle upon Tyne

• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com

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New data shows global emissions are at a historic high. Political leaders must now consider imposing serious penalties

For optimists, it was tempting to view three years of flatlining global carbon emissions, from 2014-16, as the new normal. We now know celebrations should be put on hold. Figures for 2017 published last week show global emissions from energy have jumped back up again, to a historic high.

The data from the International Energy Agency shows we still have much to do when it comes to stopping global warming. Three years ago experts cautioned that 2015’s near standstill in emissions might be only a temporary pause before resuming the upward march as India and China developed. Those warnings were prophetic.

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Understanding the human condition has been the province of many disciplines, but you wouldn’t necessarily expect microbiology to be among them. Think again!

Understanding the human condition has been the province of many disciplines, but you wouldn’t necessarily expect microbiology to be among them. Think again!