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Nearly 9,500 people die each year in London because of air pollution – study

The Guardian - Wed, 2015-07-15 20:04

Counting impact of toxic gas NO2 for the first time suggests more than twice as many people as previously thought die prematurely from pollution in UK capital

Nearly 9,500 people die early each year in London due to long-term exposure to air pollution, more than twice as many as previously thought, according to new research.

The premature deaths are due to two key pollutants, fine particulates known as PM2.5s and the toxic gas nitrogen dioxide (NO2), according to a study carried out by researchers at King’s College London.

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15 species that should be brought back to rewild Britain

The Guardian - Wed, 2015-07-15 15:00

From wolves to grey whales and lynxes, plans are afoot to introduce some iconic species back into the countryside and UK waters

A new national organisation called Rewilding Britain launches on Wednesday with the aim of reversing centuries of ecological damage by returning species and habitats to the British countryside that have been absent for decades and sometimes much longer. In the process it hopes to recharge the natural world with wonder and help people to reconnect with it. Here are some of the species that have been lost to our countryside but may yet return:

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Invitation to comment on species listing assessment

Department of the Environment - Wed, 2015-07-15 14:55
The Threatened Species Scientific Committee is seeking comments on the assessment of Stylidium ensatum. The public consultation period will be open until 31 August 2015.
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Threatened Species Strategy Action Plan 2015-16 - 20 birds by 2020

Department of the Environment - Wed, 2015-07-15 11:43
The Threatened Species Strategy Action Plan 2015-16 identifies 12 threatened birds for action. The remaining eight birds will be identified within one year through community consultation.
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Vivienne Westwood launches celebrity Arctic campaign

The Guardian - Tue, 2015-07-14 16:30

Andy Gotts has photographed almost 60 celebrities wearing the Save the Arctic T-shirt designed by fashion icon and activist Dame Vivienne Westwood, in a project that has taken 18 months. Here are more than a few of his pictures

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Six species listed under the EPBC Act

Department of the Environment - Tue, 2015-07-14 15:30
The Minister has approved the inclusion of six species to various categories effective 8 July 2015.
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Queensland Fin Fish (Stout Whiting) Trawl Fishery

Department of the Environment - Tue, 2015-07-14 12:13
Agency application on ecological sustainability - comments open from 14 July 2015 until 14 August 2015
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Queensland River and Inshore Beam Trawl Fishery

Department of the Environment - Tue, 2015-07-14 12:09
Application on ecological sustainability - comments open from 14 July 2015 until 14 August 2015.
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Threatened Species Strategy Action Plan 2015-16 - 20 mammals by 2020

Department of the Environment - Mon, 2015-07-13 14:29
The Threatened Species Strategy Action Plan 2015-16 identifies 12 threatened mammals for action that will grow their populations.  The remaining eight mammals will be identified in one year through community consultation.
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Program released, early-bird registrations close soon. Charlie Hargroves and carbon.

Newsletters S.A. - Mon, 2015-07-13 11:05
Program released, early-bird registrations close soon. Charlie Hargroves and carbon.
Categories: Newsletters S.A.

Wind power generates 140% of Denmark's electricity demand

The Guardian - Fri, 2015-07-10 22:19

Unusually high winds allowed Denmark to meet all of its electricity needs – with plenty to spare for Germany, Norway and Sweden too

So much power was produced by Denmark’s windfarms on Thursday that the country was able to meet its domestic electricity demand and export power to Norway, Germany and Sweden.

On an unusually windy day, Denmark found itself producing 116% of its national electricity needs from wind turbines yesterday evening. By 3am on Friday, when electricity demand dropped, that figure had risen to 140%.

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Scientists predict huge sea level rise even if we limit climate change

The Guardian - Fri, 2015-07-10 19:52

Study of past sea level changes shows coastal communities may face rises of at least six metres even if we limit global warming to 2C, reports Climate Central

Even if world manages to limit global warming to 2C — the target number for current climate negotiations — sea levels may still rise at least 6 meters (20 ft) above their current heights, radically reshaping the world’s coastline and affecting millions in the process.

That finding comes from a new paper published on Thursday in Science that shows how high sea levels rose the last time carbon dioxide levels were this high.

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Proposal to streamline wildlife trade regulation

Department of the Environment - Fri, 2015-07-10 12:24
The Australian Government is considering a proposal to streamline regulation of trade in wildlife listed on the CITES of Wild Fauna and Flora. Invitation to comment closes 31 August 2015.
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Exxon knew of climate change in 1981, email says – but it funded deniers for 27 more years

The Guardian - Thu, 2015-07-09 06:41

A newly unearthed missive from Lenny Bernstein, a climate expert with the oil firm for 30 years, shows concerns over high presence of carbon dioxide in enormous gas field in south-east Asia factored into decision not to tap it

ExxonMobil, the world’s biggest oil company, knew as early as 1981 of climate change – seven years before it became a public issue, according to a newly discovered email from one of the firm’s own scientists. Despite this the firm spent millions over the next 27 years to promote climate denial.

The email from Exxon’s in-house climate expert provides evidence the company was aware of the connection between fossil fuels and climate change, and the potential for carbon-cutting regulations that could hurt its bottom line, over a generation ago – factoring that knowledge into its decision about an enormous gas field in south-east Asia. The field, off the coast of Indonesia, would have been the single largest source of global warming pollution at the time.

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Threatened Australian wildlife at grave risk from habitat loss, study finds

The Guardian - Thu, 2015-07-09 00:01

Habitat loss is seen as the primary threat to at-risk species but recovery plans avoid addressing it and governments have entrenched the extinction process

Successive Australian governments have failed to protect the habitat of the country’s most endangered creatures, with 90% of the 120 most endangered animals having no safeguards to prevent the loss of their homes, a new study has found.

An analysis by environmental groups of the official recovery plans for Australia’s endangered wildlife has discovered that just 12 of the 120 most endangered animals were covered by plans that placed limits on the future loss of their habitat.

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You deserve the night off - join SENG for dinner 29 July

Newsletters QLD - Wed, 2015-07-08 19:20
You deserve the night off - join SENG for dinner 29 July
Categories: Newsletters QLD

South Australian Wetlands to benefit from Partnership Agreement

Department of the Environment - Wed, 2015-07-08 16:38
The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder and SAMDB NRM Board today announced the signing of a partnership agreement that will see environmental water delivered to key floodplains and wetlands along the River Murray in South Australia.
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Death on the ice: the last expedition of Marc Cornelissen and Philip de Roo

The Guardian - Sun, 2015-07-05 17:30

Arctic activists Marc Cornelissen and Philip de Roo’s last expedition ended tragically in April when they fell through thinning ice. Fellow environmental campaigner Ruth Dawkins recalls the vital work and warm spirits of her inspirational friends

In April of this year, two Dutch polar explorers, Marc Cornelissen and Philip de Roo, set off from Resolute Bay in the Canadian Arctic. They were headed for Bathurst Island, a journey of 400km that was due to take around a month. This was part of the Last Ice Survey expedition to gather data about snow and ice thickness for York University, Ontario. They would walk and ski across a region known as the Last Ice Area, where summer sea ice is expected to be most resilient to climate change.

A few days into their trip, when they were still in Resolute Bay preparing for the hard month ahead, Philip found Marc’s sled from a previous unsuccessful expedition being used by a local hunter. In one of the many short voice recordings which they uploaded each day during their journey, Marc talks about what a special feeling it is to be back in the region and how pleased he is to be there with his trusted expedition partner Philip. “That [last expedition] was a failure, but if we make it there this time, it will be a beautiful contrast.”

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Solar Impulse lands in Hawaii after longest non-stop solo flight in history

The Guardian - Sat, 2015-07-04 02:01

Veteran pilot tested to the limit of endurance on record-breaking solar-powered flight across the Pacific, on the eighth leg of round-the-world journey

A solar plane attempting the world’s first flight around the globe has landed in Hawaii, after breaking the record for the longest non-stop solo flight in history.

Solar Impulse 2, piloted by the Swiss pilot André Borschberg, took off from Nagoya in Japan at 3am on Monday, for the five-day crossing of the Pacific Ocean, the riskiest leg of its journey.

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The 'jellyfish invasion' story one newspaper didn't want you to read | Steve Backshall

The Guardian - Fri, 2015-07-03 23:13

TV presenter and naturalist Steve Backshall was asked by a British newspaper to write about the ‘invasion’ of jellyfish this summer. But they didn’t like what he had to say, so we’re publishing it here in full instead

While the sunshine may be an unpredictable visitor to UK summer shores, there’s one silly season certainty that you can count on. It’s an invasion striking terror into the hearts of humble Brits, causing widespread panic, forcing terrified tourists to abandon our seas and seek safer foreign waters. Yes, it’s the early summer newspaper headline, designed to get us all terrified of Mother Nature.

Whether it’s false widow spiders that leap from their webs and rot your flesh, vile sunspiders that inject novocaine into our British soldiers, rats the size of cows, man-eating foxes or a lone great white shark travelling across the Atlantic with the sole intent of savaging plucky Cornish surfers, testicle-munching pacu fish set to invade our seas … these genuine news stories have two things in common: they are factual nonsense, and they all contain the message that nature is evil, and she’s out to get you.

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