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The government’s decision to greenlight aviation expansion (Chris Grayling: decision on airport expansion to be made on Tuesday, theguardian.com, 23 October) is a predictable failure, but not an acceptable one. With the scrapping of vital decarbonisation policies and funding, the UK is already way off-track to meet our climate change commitments. The impacts of any new runway will be devastating to people’s lives and to the planet. Locally it will see the demolition of hundreds of homes, result in increased noise pollution, and illegal levels of air pollution – already responsible for almost 10,000 premature deaths in London every year.

But the biggest tragedy of the government’s failure is a global one. Only around 5% of the world’s population flies at all, yet the impacts of climate change – droughts, floods and heatwaves – are already hitting poorer communities in the global south, who are the least likely to ever set foot on a plane.

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Transport secretary denies government has already decided which plan it will back in choice between Heathrow or Gatwick

The government’s decision over which London airport expansion scheme it will finally choose is expected to come on Tuesday, after the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, said the decision would be made at a cabinet committee meeting that day.

Grayling said that the government had still not decided which option to choose and would make the final decision on the day. He is expected to announce the choice to the House of Commons as soon as it has been made.

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Transport secretary Chris Grayling denies government has already decided which plan to back at Heathrow or Gatwick, during an appearance at BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, adding that a decision will be made on Tuesday during a cabinet committee meeting. The committee will meet amid predictions that the government has already opted to push for expansion at Heathrow

• Read: Chris Grayling: decision on airport expansion to be made on Tuesday

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Trees are coming under attack from beetles and moths that are infesting imported timber

In July 2013, a large, strangely shaped beetle emerged from the fabric of a wooden chair that had just been bought in the UK. The inch-long creature had developed inside the chair’s wooden frame before it ate its way to the surface and burst through the seat’s plastic covering – much to the alarm of its purchaser. Crucially, the furniture had been made in, and imported from, China.

Analysis by Fera Science, formerly the Food and Environment Research Agency, showed the beetle was a Japanese pine sawyer. Worse, the beetle was found to be infested with a second serious pest: the pinewood nematode worm. In combination, the beetle (Monochamus alternatus) and worm (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) have been linked to widespread damage to pine forests in China and Japan. Now it is spreading through parts of Europe.

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How highly should we rate the energy ratings?

It’s not very rock’n’roll, but I’ve always loved an energy rating. A third of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions come from Energy Using Products (EUPs) in offices and industry and also, significantly, in our own homes, too. The ones we control can really help to reduce that percentage, so choosing the best energy-rated model makes sense.

EU energy labels give us an easy way to power down. Regulated by European law, they can help us see how efficient a product is before we buy it, and also mandate vampirical products that suck power out of the grid when you think they’re asleep (since 2010 products cannot have standby power greater than 1W). Don’t ask me what happens after Brexit. I worry about that, too.

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Canadian scientists use drones to capture rare whale footage in the Arctic.

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.