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Ministers reveal 169 local authorities breached annual legal limits on nitrogen oxide, linked to lung disease, last year

Four in 10 of Britain’s local authorities breached legal air quality limits last year, largely due to heavy road traffic, government records reveal.

Ministers have admitted that 169 local authorities were found to have gone over annual limits on nitrogen dioxide. It is an invisible gas produced predominantly by road traffic, and is linked to lung disease and cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and strokes.

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The battle for Mosul, the ongoing violence in Syria, the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew – the best photography in news, culture and sport from around the world this week

WARNING: this gallery includes images that some might find distressing

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Borrowdale, Lake District Borrowdale is thriving following an era of being successfully farmed by generations of Westmorland hill farmers

Several faces, mottled black and white, glance up as I alight from the car. On seeing no dog, these Rough Fells – burly ewes with horns – return to grazing the open fell, unalarmed.

Following the A685 Kendal road south from Tebay in the Lune Gorge, I had turned off through woodland of rowan, alder, birch and holly, and parked along a byway running for nine miles west towards Shap summit through the “other” Borrowdale. This is Howgills country, lonely and mysterious and devoid of the crags and lakes that bring the tourists to the Borrowdale near Keswick. Yet in a reshuffle of the boundaries, it too has recently become part of the Lake District national park.

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The phrase 'mate for life' might have romantic connotations for humans, but the reality of such a relationship for the long-lived Australian Magpie involves turf wars, potential sex on the side and the possibility of a foster dad bringing up your kids if you get too aggro.

As Tim Entwisle's habit of inventing new seasons continues, Matthew Crawford helps him chart a future for the world's largest urban elm forest while asking how Australia can adapt to stronger cyclones.

The suggestion that the previous government failed to address questions surrounding air quality (Report, 20 October) does not reflect the progress that has been made on the issue since December 2015. Since then, the government’s air quality plan, updated modelling undertaken by Heathrow and an independent study by Cambridge University have all shown that baseline air-quality levels around the airport will have significantly improved by the time a new runway is built, as the nation’s vehicle fleet gradually becomes cleaner.

The Airports Commission’s analysis concluded that a third runway at Heathrow can be delivered in accordance with EU air-quality limit law, and would have less impact on health receptors (where people live and work) than a runway at Gatwick would have on the community in that area. A new runway at the UK’s hub airport represents an opportunity to deliver significant improvements to air quality around Heathrow: the redesign of local roads, support for sustainable transport and the opportunity to introduce an airport emissions charge all have the potential to bring improvements in air quality.

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There might not be the clopping of horses, or the smell of kerosene lamps, but there's no doubt Central Victoria is once again home to a gold rush.

The gouge in the ground likely made by Europe's Schiaparelli probe as it hit the surface of Mars on Wednesday has been imaged by an American satellite.

English comedian Bill Bailey on the comedy that ensues from travelling.

The week’s top environment news stories and green events. If you are not already receiving this roundup, sign up here to get the briefing delivered to your inbox

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Experts say fin whales are normally found on south or west coasts of UK, not on east coast

Mystery surrounds how a rare 12-metre (40ft) fin whale came to be washed up on a beach in Norfolk.

The enormous creature was already dead when it was washed up on Holkham beach, on the north Norfolk coast, on Thursday afternoon.

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During the spring harvest season, a group of traditional Malaysian honey hunters travel to the rainforest near the Thai border to collect honeycombs from giant bees – and risk their lives climbing 200ft trees

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An inquisitive polar bear, blue-footed boobies and autumn colours are among this week’s pick of images from the natural world

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UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon tells the world's mayors they face making 'tough decisions' to ensure future generations live in a safe and sustainable urban world.

Solar expected to almost triple in less than three years by 2017 as coal continues to fall, solidifying gas as country’s chief electricity source, reports Climate Central

Solar power capacity in the US will have nearly tripled in size in less than three years by 2017 amid an energy shakeup that has seen natural gas solidify its position as the country’s chief source of electricity and coal power continue to fade, according to monthly data published by the US Department of Energy.

Cutting carbon dioxide emissions from electric power plants is a major part of the US strategy for tackling climate change as the country seeks to meet its obligations under the Paris climate agreement and keep global warming from exceeding more than 2C (3.6°F).

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Number of nesting Manx shearwaters almost triples in three years after a project, backed by Prince Charles, sucessfully kills off the rats that eat the birds’ chicks and eggs

A scheme to kill rats on two of the Isles of Scilly, backed by Prince Charles, has led to a resurgence in rare sea birds.

The number of Manx shearwaters has risen to 73 nesting pairs this year, the highest in living memory and almost triple the number of nesting birds just three years ago. The birds appear to be breeding successfully, with 30 chicks spotted on the popular holiday islands. Another species of rare ground-nesting birds, storm petrels, have also returned to the Scillies.

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We will soon see a three-peat of record hot annual global temperatures

We know the world is warming – no factor can explain it aside from human emissions of greenhouse gases. Despite this, people who deny the basic facts of climate change have tried to argue that the Earth is either not warming or is only slowly heating. Well that just isn’t true anymore. The last three years are the nail in the coffin of the deniers of climate change. We have enough data this year to call 2016 as the hottest year ever record – and we have three more months left to go.

So, just how hot is 2016? Well my early predictions are shown in the graph below. I have taken temperature data from NASA and superimposed my predictions for 2016 – it isn’t even close. And by the way, it doesn’t matter whose data you use (NASA, NOAA, JMA, Hadley Centre) the results are the same. 2016 is going to blow 2015 out of the water.

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At the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee Supplementary Budget Estimates hearing on 21 October 2016, the Department was asked about estimates it had prepared for the Minister for the Environment and Energy of the capital...

Right whales have been shown to be affected by noise pollution. FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

The sounds of the sea are associated with tranquillity and relaxation. People go to the beach to enjoy the soothing crash of ocean waves. But beneath the surface of the ocean, there is no peace and quiet for whales and dolphins.

The increasing use of the sea for human activities has resulted in a dramatic rise in noise levels. A new film, Sonic Sea, screening at the Environmental Film Festival Australia, shows that the ocean is not at all silent. It highlights our emerging understanding of the consequences of human-produced noise pollution in the ocean.

The documentary, directed by Michelle Dougherty and Daniel Hinerfeld, brings together beautiful cinematography and audio effects that draw viewers into this ethereal underwater world.

When mammals returned to the sea, they evolved to use sound as their primary way to navigate through their environment. This is because sound travels further and more efficiently through water than air.

For marine mammals, using sound to communicate, and to see (echolocate), is invaluable. But this dependence by marine mammals on underwater sound is now a trap; they have nowhere to escape the increasing underwater noise.

Where does the noise come from?

The film presents three major sources of human-produced noise in the ocean: shipping, seismic exploration, and military sonar.

Shipping noise is acoustically overwhelming the ocean, doubling every decade with no hint of slowing. Not only is the number of ships increasing, but they are also getting bigger and carrying more containers.

This noise reduces the distance over which animals can communicate with one another, forcing them to compete with increasing background noise.

Finding mates would become more difficult meaning whales may miss out on the opportunity to breed.

Alarmingly, this increasing noise has been shown to cause stress in the northern right whales, one of the world’s most endangered marine mammals. The situation can be likened to being in the audience at a rock concert without being able to leave.

Mass stranding events of beaked whales have been linked to the use of military sonar. It appears that these whales have a marked behavioural response to some types of sonar. This may be why the whales strand at times when military sonar has been used. This has raised serious concerns for the navy about whether, and where, this type of sonar can be used.

Even though seismic explosions, used by oil and gas companies, do not cause direct harm to whales, the blasts do drive them away from the area. Fish, on the other hand, are deafened by these detonations and we have seen a long-term drop in numbers with the prolonged use of seismic air guns.

Turning down the volume

The film presents various solutions to help reduce the amount of noise that is generated and the impact caused to these vulnerable animals.

Our heavy reliance on ships for the transport of goods means we cannot simply stop their movement. But it is possible to implement quieter and more efficient engines and propellers to reduce noise.

Critical habitat such as feeding and breeding grounds, as well as migratory routes, need to be identified and protected.

When whales are present, harmful activities such as seismic blasts and sonar need to stop.

The film concludes by leaving viewers with the question: what would the world look like if we don’t reduce our impacts? It raises the question of sustainability and the legacy we will leave for future generations once we are gone.

Sonic Sea is screening at the Environmental Film Festival Australia in Sydney on Saturday October 22, 2016.

Gary Truong is affiliated with UNSW Australia.

Tracey Rogers receives funding from Australian Research Council. She is affiliated with UNSW Australia.

Imagine Project sets out to cut waste in the industry by renting rather than selling bikes, which can then be returned and refurbished when the child outgrows them

The idea had been nagging at her for years, but Isla Rowntree went to the ends of the earth before she was finally ready to go ahead with something she hopes will revolutionise the way the bicycle industry is run.

This is the Imagine Project, currently being developed by Rowntree’s eponymous firm making children’s bicycles, Islabikes. It offers a simple but hugely innovative solution to reducing waste – bikes will be rented to customers rather than sold, and returned to the factory for refurbishment when their young rider outgrows them.

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