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More than 100 scientists from 28 countries have called for global action to protect seagrass meadows, which provide food and shelter for fish, marine mammals and birds.

Ben Damh, Wester Ross Each stag is ready to fight to the death for his chance to mate – and he only has only a short window to take his opportunity

Ben Damh means “hill of the stag” in Gaelic. You can see why. In the season of the rut the hill is alive with the sight, sound and smell of red deer. Even before we reach the ridge we can hear roaring, like the sound of a distant lawnmower. As we stalk down onto the western slopes above Loch Damh, past musky puddles of peat where the stags will wallow, we are entering the centre of an unfolding drama with enough sex and violence to rival Game of Thrones.

Each stag is ready to fight to the death for his chance to mate – and he only has only a short window to take his opportunity. On such poor ground as this, the hinds are in oestrus for just four short weeks around the beginning of October. They gather on the high greens to graze while the feeding is good, and the males soon follow.

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Annual Big Butterfly Count records lowest ever number of usually prolific species despite the relatively warm, dry summer

If you think you saw fewer butterflies than ever this British summer, you are probably correct: the Big Butterfly Count has recorded its lowest number of common species since records began.

Normally ubiquitous butterflies such as the gatekeeper, comma and small copper experienced their worst summers in the history of the count, which is run by Butterfly Conservation and began in 2010.

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Bloomberg New Energy Finance says Turnbull intervention into energy debate is a "worrying sign" and suggests Coalition could be using South Australia to weaken confidence in renewable energy investment.

Researchers at NREL claim breakthrough in development of perovskite solar PV that tops 10% efficiency and could also fast-track commercialisation of the technology.

Green groups say latest Queensland govt move to fast-track Carmichael coal mine development “indefensible” and “reckless.”

India’s power minister again calls on power generators to cease coal imports if the nation is to come good on “One Nation, One Grid, One Price” energy goal.

Australian solar installs in September reached their highest levels in more than a year, boosted by commercial uptake in South Australia.

The conservation organisation Great Barrier Reef Legacy is raising funds to operate the reef’s only independent research vessel and it wants Leonardo DiCaprio’s help. The actor, a well-known environmentalist and activist for action against global warming, has spoken about the reef’s plight and the need to protect it

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Charles Sturt University and Pangolin Associates join the Carbon Neutral Network.

Charles Sturt University and Pangolin Associates join the Carbon Neutral Network.

Charles Sturt University and Pangolin Associates join the Carbon Neutral Network.

Charles Sturt University and Pangolin Associates join the Carbon Neutral Network.

Government of Alberta posts request for information to explore the possibility of using solar energy to meet half of its energy needs.

Large-scale battery storage could have a significant role to play to ensure the stability of Australia’s electricity grid.

Peak demand, carbon budgets, innovation, resilience, new governance standards, and stranded assets will help redefine the way the world supplies energy.

Redflow Ltd has verified that the ES Series Inverter from GoodWe Power Supply Technology Co. Ltd. works with its new ZCell battery, allowing for easy deployment into Australian homes.

Forget South Australia, the market is more focused on Hazelwood brown coal generator, and its likely closure. Plus: why it's nearly economical for households to export solar back into grid.

China's State Grid envisages a world energy market powered 80% by wind and solar. Does this help explain why its bid for Ausgrid was rejected?

Originally published in the Manchester Guardian on 13 October 1916

The appearance of the American grey squirrel in a Withington garden might well cause surprise, but the lady who reports it evidently knows this animal, which is rather larger than our familiar red squirrel, is grey in colour, and lacks ear-tufts. She wonders if it had escaped from confinement. I do not expect so; it is more likely that it has been intentionally released in one of the Manchester parks, or possibly at Belle Vue. Many of these engaging little squirrels are turned down in different parts of the country; I have seen them in woods near Torquay, and, locally, in Dunham Park.

The first successful introduction that I know of was more or less accidental. A large number of grey squirrels were placed in the marmots’ enclosure in the London Zoological Gardens, but the authorities did not calculate upon their excellent jumping powers, and several escaped. These ran free in the Gardens and in Regent’s Park for some time, getting very friendly with the visitors, even taking food from their hands. The result was that a number were pocketed by people who thought that they would make nice pets. Since then others have been put in the enclosure and allowed to escape; and the species has also been turned loose in other London parks. It appears to be more ready to make friends than our British squirrel, but possibly it has not the same hereditary recollection of stone-throwing boys.

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