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The Australian Open tennis and the recent Ashes Test cricket series show why our sporting stadiums need to be "climate-proofed" to deal with extreme heat. Paul J Govind, Lecturer in Enviromental Law, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

40% of UK primary energy was derived from natural gas in 2016, a 50% increase from 1990, writes Ken Cronin

Your editorial (Fracking’s day may have passed, 10 January) was keen to downplay the role of onshore gas in the UK’s future energy mix, and was deeply concerning. Natural gas has a role to play for many decades, and this is backed up by the National Grid, the government and other forecasters. 40% of UK primary energy was derived from natural gas in 2016, a 50% increase from 1990. In the UK, a projected annual gas demand of 68bcm in 2030, which is 90% of 2015 economy-wide consumption, is in keeping with the Committee on Climate Change’s fifth carbon budget. Natural gas is the largest energy source for UK homes and businesses, providing us with heat, power and vital feedstocks needed for our industries.

The site at Balcombe is not a site that will use hydraulic fracturing as there is not a need to – that was made clear by the company. You also refer to Ineos wanting to access gas in sensitive areas – this is despite the company confirming they have no plans to access site of special scientific interest (SSSI) areas for the purposes of the survey being carried out in the East Midlands, and this being confirmed by the governing authority, the local council.

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If spilled, heavy fuel oil would remain for long periods and could spread widely if entrained in moving ice, writes Sue Libenson

The stricken tanker now sunk offshore of Shanghai should give pause to all with concern for the ocean, especially those who depend on sensitive, remote waters such as the Arctic. The tanker’s cargo of light fuel burned for a week, but response crews have voiced concerns about the heavy fuel oil or bunker fuel that powered the tanker. Heavy fuel is the dirtiest oil and highly persistent if spilled. A large heavy fuel spill into the waters of China’s largest fishery would compound the tragedy of the tanker’s missing crew. High seas, poisonous fumes, explosions, and winds have hampered rescue and response efforts this week. China’s calamity highlights efforts to prevent heavy fuel oil spills in other sensitive, but more challenging waters. International consideration is being given to phase out the use of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic where communities depend on marine life and spill response is negligible. If spilled, heavy fuel oil would remain for long periods and could spread widely if entrained in moving ice. This dangerous fuel is already banned under international rules for Antarctic waters. The Arctic deserves the same international precautions.
Sue Libenson
Senior Arctic program officer, Pacific Environment, Haines, Alaska

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Campaigners hail movement towards prohibiting the controversial practice but warn other measures will leave European waters in a worse state

The European Union’s parliament has voted to prohibit the controversial practice of electrical pulse fishing within EU waters, to the approval of some groups of small-scale fishermen and green campaigners.

However, a series of other measures designed to prevent overfishing and preserve the marine environment were voted down. Campaigners say the rejection will have a damaging effect on Europe’s fisheries for many years.

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Firm’s financial pain offset by rising oil prices as it winds down payouts from 2010 disaster

BP is nearing the end of the $65bn (£47bn) Deepwater Horizon compensation process, it said as it announced an unexpectedly high payout of $1.7bn among the final few hundred outstanding claims.

The British oil firm said on Tuesday it would pay the $1.7bn charge in the last quarter of 2017 for court-ordered payments resulting from the worst oil spill in US history. It means BP will have paed out $3bn in compensation for 2017, compared with the $2bn anticipated.

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Brussels targets single-use plastics in an urgent clean-up plan that aims to make all packaging reusable or recyclable by 2030

The EU is waging war against plastic waste as part of an urgent plan to clean up Europe’s act and ensure that every piece of packaging on the continent is reusable or recyclable by 2030.

Following China’s decision to ban imports of foreign recyclable material, Brussels on Tuesday launched a plastics strategy designed to change minds in Europe, potentially tax damaging behaviour, and modernise plastics production and collection by investing €350m (£310m) in research.

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The Hubble telescope has scored an unprecedented close-up view of one of the Universe's oldest galaxies.

Donkeys, horses and camels are beaten and forced to carry tourists in extreme heat, a group says.

Only lowering our living standards will achieve sustainable growth. That’s the message from Satyajit Das.

We are destroying the world’s biodiversity. Yet debate has erupted over just what this means for the planet – and us.

Just over 250 million years ago, the planet suffered what may be described as its greatest holocaust: ninety-six percent of marine genera (plural of genus) and seventy percent of land vertebrate vanished for good. Even insects suffered a mass extinction – the only time before or since. Entire classes of animals – like trilobites – went out like a match in the wind.

But what’s arguably most fascinating about this event – known as the Permian-Triassic extinction or more poetically, the Great Dying – is the fact that anything survived at all. Life, it seems, is so ridiculously adaptable that not only did thousands of species make it through whatever killed off nearly everything (no one knows for certain though theories abound) but, somehow, after millions of years life even recovered and went on to write new tales.

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When NGO Bikeygees set out to teach female refugees how to ride a bike they were shocked by the demand. Now hundreds have benefitted from the scheme

Emily is a 21-year-old Afghan refugee living in Berlin, and her best experience in Germany so far has been, without a doubt, learning to ride a bike.

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Wolsingham, Weardale: In the fog every surviving thread was spangled with water droplets, sparkling as the sun broke through

Swirling fog plays tricks. As we crossed an open field the silhouette of an oak loomed, with a glimmer of pale yellow light cradled in its branches, before it dissolved back into the clammy miasma.

We had descended from the high fells, from clear blue sky and crystal-clear views into a monochrome lake of valley fog, cold grey vapour trapped by warmer air above. It thickened as we followed the footpath along the riverbank.

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Energy minister Josh Frydenberg has declared Australia's electric vehicle revolution to be "nigh.” But can the Coalition back its proselytising with policies? Or will EVs go the way of renewable energy in the party room?

The unusual sight of a wallaby bounding across the Sydney Harbour Bridge has surprised early-morning motorists.

Peer-to-peer renewable energy marketplace leader recognised for high potential; heads to Necker Island later this year to compete as one of 3 finalists.

Electricity from renewables in Germany grew by a record amount, but one big news item may have been overlooked amidst all the new records.

The heart of China’s coal country has become a global leader in EVs – but is the switch sustainable?

A month into operation, the Tesla lithium-ion battery at Neoen wind farm in Hornsdale, South Australia is already providing essential grid services.

Continuing its strategy of proximity, aiming to offer its customers the high quality service, Imeon Energy opens a Service Center in Melbourne, Australia.

Insects are often portrayed as a sustainable superfood - and many are delicious.