Feed aggregator
First Solar Panels installed at White Rock Solar Farm
Frydenberg condemns Lord Howe to fossil fuel future. It’s just not acceptable
SGS Awards JinkoSolar with the First C2C Certificate in China
Ecological historian argues koala population decline is 'not a crisis'
CWP plans second major solar and battery storage project in NSW
What's the net cost of using renewables to hit Australia's climate target? Nothing
Boom in renewables weakens fracking's case in UK, says Tory MP
Chair of policy committee also points to action to extract more North Sea gas and oil, suggesting support for shale gas is cooling
The case for fracking in Britain has weakened because of government action to extract more oil and gas from the North Sea and meteoric growth in renewable power, according to a Conservative MP tasked with developing the party’s energy policy.
James Heappey said the new rules on tax relief for offshore oil and gas fields announced in last week’s budget could change the energy landscape.
Continue reading...The eco guide to yoga
Mindfulness helps us deal with the stress of climate trauma, and seek solutions. Make sure your kit’s sustainably sourced and exercise outside
Daily yoga sessions were the unexpected hit at the recent Cop23 climate talks in Bonn. Delegate demand was so high that the organisers (the Indian delegation) ran out of mats.
Yoga is an accessible route to mindfulness, and a crucial tool for exposing environmental emergency
Continue reading...Queensland chooses sunshine over coal, to relief of solar industry
Great Barrier Reef coral-breeding program offers 'glimmer of hope'
Project, which could help restore damaged coral populations, has seen success in the Philippines
Scientists have stepped in as environmental matchmakers by breeding baby coral on the Great Barrier Reef in a move that could have worldwide significance.
Coral eggs and sperm were collected from Heron Island’s reef during last November’s coral spawning to produce more than a million larvae.
North Atlantic’s greatest survivors are hunted once more
After decades of recovery, right whales are now under threat from industrial fishing
One of the more hopeful ecological stories of recent years – the slow restoration of numbers of the North Atlantic right whale – has taken a disastrous turn for the worse. Marine biologists have found their population has plunged abruptly in the past few years and that there may now only be around 100 reproductively mature females left in the sea. Many scientists fear the species could soon become the first great whale to become extinct in modern times.
The principal cause for the North Atlantic right whale’s precipitous decline has been the use of increasingly heavy commercial fishing gear dropped on to the sea bed to catch lobsters, snow crabs and hogfish off the east coast of North America. Whales swim into the rope lines attached to these sea-bed traps and their buoys and become entangled. In some cases hundreds of metres of heavy rope, tied to traps weighing more than 60kg, have been found wrapped around whales. “We have records of animals carrying these huge loads – which they cannot shake off – for months and months,” said Julie van der Hoop, of Aarhus University in Denmark.
Continue reading...Mexico creates vast new ocean reserve to protect 'Galapagos of North America'
Fishing, mining and new hotels will be prohibited in the ‘biologically spectacular’ Revillagigedo archipelago
Mexico’s government has created the largest ocean reserve in North America around a Pacific archipelago regarded as its crown jewel.
The measures will help ensure the conservation of marine creatures including whales, giant rays and turtles.
Continue reading...The secret life of whales
Catching fly-tippers in the act
Calling all carnivores and vegetarians: Would you eat meat grown in a lab?
Can cutting down trees actually benefit the environment?
Flies more germ-laden than suspected
Illegal logging, Autumn budget key points, and consumer waste – green news roundup
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
Continue reading...The week in wildlife – in pictures
Brown bears, grey seals and an errant crocodile are among this week’s pick of images from the natural world
Continue reading...Amazon tribe saves plant lore with ‘healing forests’ and encyclopedia
In a bid to safeguard knowledge the Matsés in Peru have been planting “medicinal agroforestry” plots and written a 1,044-page two-volume book.
The seven indigenous Matsés elders were slowly meandering through the forest. They were explaining how different trees and plants are used for medicinal purposes, exchanging stories about how they had acquired their extraordinary knowledge and put it to good use. There were memories of an encounter with a jaguar and someone’s father struck by some kind of pain in the eye - “not conjunctivitis!” - while claims were made for successfully treating women haemorrhaging, snake-bite, a swollen leg and constipation.
The forest we were in was actually more of a garden - or “healing forest” or “medicinal agroforestry” plot - planted late last year by six young Matsés men under the expert guidance of elder Arturo Tumi Nëcca Potsad. “There are all types [of trees and plants] here,” Arturo told the Guardian, holding a spear made of peach palm and looking about him. “About 100 types, 3,000 plants.”
Continue reading...