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Food waste: green vegetable and potato crop glut after mild UK autumn
Fears of shortages early next year as farmers say they are having to ‘tear up’ sowing and harvesting timelines
The mild autumn has caused much of the UK’s green vegetable and potato crops to grow early, leading to a glut and a large amount of waste, and fears of shortages early next year.
Cabbages, cauliflower and broccoli that were supposed to be ready later in December or in January are ready to harvest now, with some having grown to huge sizes because of the exceptionally mild autumn.
Continue reading...Euro Markets: Midday Update
England and Wales’s broken water system can be fixed – here’s what to do first | Dieter Helm
The water companies and regulators must act, alongside changing consumer behaviour and tackling pollution at source
Thirty-two years after water privatisation, rivers in England and Wales are not improving, leakage levels are unacceptable, and massive financial engineering has not added to the resilience of the system or the ability to finance the large-scale investment we now need. It cannot and should not be allowed to go on like this.
It is easy to blame the water companies for all this. And they do indeed deserve a lot of the blame, but they are not alone in polluting our rivers. Regulators are to blame too. Ofwat could have ensured water company revenues were used to fund more investment. The way the industry watchdog set the cost of capital provided opened the door for businesses to borrow against their assets – for the benefit of owners, rather than customers. Share buybacks, special dividends and multiple takeovers were never part of the gameplan at privatisation, and nor were the excessive executive salaries. None of this should have been allowed to happen.
Dieter Helm is professor of economic policy at the University of Oxford and fellow in economics at New College, Oxford. From 2012 to 2020, he was independent chair of the Natural Capital Committee, providing advice to the government on the sustainable use of natural capital
Continue reading...A UK tree provides hundreds of pounds of benefits a year, report finds
Exclusive: Trees standing alone and in small groups worth billions to UK, which researchers say justifies spending to protect them
The huge value of trees standing alone and in small groups in the UK has been revealed in a new report, which found they provide billions of pounds worth of benefits to people every year. The trees capture climate-heating CO2, reduce toxic air pollution and slow the flow of rainwater, cutting flood risks.
There are millions of such trees across the country, covering a combined 750,000 hectares, and making up 20% of all the nation’s trees. The value of woodland has already been estimated but the report is the first to calculate a value for trees in gardens, parks, fields and along streets across the UK.
Continue reading...CN Markets: CEA trading volume jumps on rise in block deals
Weather tracker: Storm Ariel brings heavy rain and lightning to Greece
Low pressure disrupts water and power supplies in Thessaloniki as meteorological winter begins
On Thursday night last week, an area of low pressure formed off the southern coast of France. During the course of Friday, low pressure deepened into a storm as it travelled south-eastwards towards Italy.
It brought heavy rain to much of Italy; however, the west coast received the brunt of the wet weather on Friday night with 197mm of rain recorded in 24 hours on the island of Capri. The island of Ischia, close to Capri, experienced flooding and a landslide early Saturday morning, which killed at least 10 people.
Continue reading...England’s water can be renationalised without compensation, activists say
Campaigners cite previous court rulings against shareholders, such as in the case of Northern Rock bank
Parliament could renationalise the water industry in England without being obliged to compensate shareholders, according to previous UK court judgments cited by campaigners.
Activists are putting mounting pressure on the government and opposition parties to look again at the privatised water system after criticism that the industry is not acting in the public interest.
Continue reading...Environmental photographer of the year 2022 – in pictures
This year’s Environmental photographer of the year competition, from CIWEM, WaterBear, Nikon and Arup, showcases some of the most striking images of the natural world, providing an international platform to raise awareness for the issues that threaten our planet. Here’s a closer look at the winning photos
Continue reading...NZ Market: NZU price dives as govt yet to make a decision on ETS price settings
Malaysia’s Sarawak to begin first forest carbon project under new regulations in Q1 2023
The week in wildlife – in pictures
The best of this week’s wildlife pictures, including a singing robin, a swimming buck and a praying mantis
Continue reading...Climate activist who blocked traffic on Sydney Harbour Bridge jailed for at least eight months
Lawyers for Deanna ‘Violet’ Coco, who stopped traffic for 25 minutes in April, say it is ‘outrageous’ their client was refused bail ahead of an appeal next year
A climate protester who blocked a lane of traffic on Sydney Harbour Bridge has been sentenced to 15 months in prison with a non-parole period of eight months, with human rights advocates labelling the punishment “disproportionate”.
Magistrate Allison Hawkins in Sydney’s Downing Centre local court on Friday sentenced Deanna “Violet” Coco to prison for her role in the climate protest on 13 April this year, when the now 32-year-old parked a truck and stood holding a lit flare.
Continue reading...UK farmers making tiny profits as supermarkets boast record takings
Ministers urged to act as study shows average block of cheese or loaf of bread makes farmers less than a penny
UK farmers are receiving negligible profits for many items as food prices rise and supermarkets boast record takings.
An average block of cheese or loaf of bread produces less than a penny for farmers, and fruit producers do not fare much better, making just 3p from each kilo of apples.
Continue reading...David Pocock criticises official’s ‘inappropriate’ conduct after she confronted scientific group over carbon credit evidence
Shayleen Thompson of the Clean Energy Regulator had ‘robust’ exchange with Wentworth Group director
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The independent senator David Pocock has criticised a senior government official’s conduct as “troubling and inappropriate” after parliament heard she was involved in a “robust” conversation with a scientific group about its evidence to an independent inquiry into Australia’s carbon credit scheme.
Shayleen Thompson, the executive general manager of government agency the Clean Energy Regulator, told Senate estimates she contacted the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists to raise what she considered “factual issues” with its submission to the Chubb review into the carbon credit system.
Continue reading...Santos loses appeal over Barossa gas field but insists it will hold to schedule
Santos insists it will stick to its schedule to deliver the first gas from its controversial $3.6 billion Barossa offshore gas field by 2025 despite losing a court appeal.
The post Santos loses appeal over Barossa gas field but insists it will hold to schedule appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Australia Market Roundup: ACCU issuance rises as New Forests launches landscape, forestry fund
CP Daily: Thursday December 1, 2022
Wintershall to develop North Sea CO2 hub with partners as part of giant Greensand CCS project
The day world’s biggest isolated grid had enough wind and solar to reach 100 pct renewables
There was enough wind and solar in WA's isolated grid - the biggest in the world - to meet all local demand one day last October. Here's why it didn't.
The post The day world’s biggest isolated grid had enough wind and solar to reach 100 pct renewables appeared first on RenewEconomy.
California’s forest carbon offset programme “not doing much” for climate, scientists warn
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