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The environmental harm caused by this shapeshifting, underregulated industry must be tackled

Local pushback against cruise ships in the world’s top tourist destinations is nothing new. More than three years ago, these vast vessels were barred from Venice’s lagoon on grounds of the risk they posed to the city’s historic buildings. This summer, cruise ships in Amsterdam and Barcelona were targeted by protesters, on grounds of chemical pollution but also as part of a wider movement against overtourism (as the negative impacts of huge influxes of visitors have become known). But – as revealed this week in a series of Guardian articles, The real cost of cruises – the environmental and social impact of this fast-growing industry goes way beyond individual cities, and requires action on a global scale.

The carbon emissions of a cruise are roughly double that of the equivalent flights plus a hotel stay. The industry is also responsible for a vast quantity of waste discharged directly into the sea, as well as high levels of toxic air pollution in the ports where ships are docked – usually with their engines running. Once seen as the exclusive pursuit of a minority of wealthy retired people, these holidays are now mainstream, with vast floating resorts designed and marketed for families and young adults. The largest ships have up to 20 floors and room for several thousand people.

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A new study finds attitudes to biodiversity changing down on the farm, but there are still perceived barriers to planting what could be productive land in natives. Elizabeth Elliot Noe, Postdoctoral Fellow in Biodiversity, Lincoln University, New Zealand Anita Wreford, Professor of Applied Economics, Lincoln University, New Zealand Ottilie Stolte, Senior Lecturer in Social Science, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Greens in the European Parliament decided by a slim majority to approve the new team of EU commissioners led by Ursula von der Leyen during a confirmation vote scheduled on Wednesday, paving the way for the new European Commission to take office on Dec. 1 for a five-year mandate.

Most of the greenhouse gas emissions from distribution system operators (DSOs) across Europe come from indirect and preventable sources, according to a study published Tuesday.

Welsh first minister to ask UK government for more money to make coal tips safe after Cwmtillery landslip

More than 500 homes and businesses were flooded across Wales and England during Storm Bert, it has emerged, as forecasters issued another severe weather warning for rain in parts of southern Britain.

In Wales, the first minister, Eluned Morgan, said 400 homes had been damaged as well as businesses and infrastructure, and reviews were being done to find out why some householders appeared not to have received warnings in time.

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Verra has allowed anonymous allegations of human right abuses at two REDD carbon projects in Cambodia to be posted during a public consultation, sparking a furious response and rebuttal from the developer, who says the claims are groundless.

Scheme to fund activities such as hedge-planting paused owing to budget constraints, sources say

Grants promised to farmers in England for planting hedges and cleaning up waterways have been frozen by the government.

The capital grants scheme, which was opened by the government to allow farmers to invest in infrastructure such as slurry storage so animal excrement does not go into rivers, has been abruptly paused. Farmers have said this will make it difficult for them to run their businesses in an environmentally friendly way.

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A satellite set to launch early next year will measure forest biomass more accurately than before, with the ability to precisely understand the carbon emissions arising from land-use change globally – feeding into a more accurate global carbon budget.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) are considering implementing a compliance carbon scheme similar to the EU ETS, as well as an emissions levy, according to sources familiar with the matter, as reported by Bloomberg.

Ofwat CEO says rules must be changed so that customers left without water get compensation automatically

Water companies in England are using loopholes in order to not pay people who are left for days without running water, the CEO of the regulator has said.

Tens of thousands of homes across the country have been left without water for days this year as ageing pipes burst.

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There is no business case for voluntarily investing in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) given current prices for CORSIA-eligible credits, the head of sustainability at a major European airline group told an industry conference on Monday.

The UK government has launched a new taskforce to deliver aviation sector decarbonisation, including a focus on carbon removals.

The Kenyan government has appointed Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) to the taskforce responsible for building the country’s carbon market framework.

Denmark's incoming carbon tax for agriculture, combined with other risks from low-carbon transition, will result in higher impairment charges for some lenders, but most will see only limited impact, according to the country's central bank.

Nearly all of the world’s largest companies have adopted sustainability reporting, with 96% of the largest 250 companies (G250) now publishing ESG data as they prepare for tighter regulations like the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), according to a new report.

European carbon prices fell back on Tuesday morning amid bouts of sustained selling that temporarily interrupted carbon's correlation to natural gas, with persistent weak fundamentals continuing to undermine the market.

It is only a matter of time before a mountainside is brought down. We need climate adaptation help – and we need it now

• Aaron Thierry is an Earth-system scientist and environmental campaigner

It’s “raining old ladies and sticks” is the Welsh equivalent of cats and dogs, and boy did those old ladies mean business when Storm Bert poured out nearly a month’s worth of rain on the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) over Saturday night. By Sunday, the deluge was surging into the River Taff and through the Welsh valleys, forcing the Taff to burst its banks, bringing misery to communities along its length – including mine in Taff’s Well.

Neighbours, who had been devastated by Storm Dennis in February 2020, were shocked to find that everything they had done to rebuild was undone. Replastered front rooms were submerged yet again. New cars were bobbing once more in the streets.

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River water quality distinctly worse than that of coastal bathing sites, results from tests for harmful bacteria found

Water quality has been designated as poor in a record number of bathing areas this year after 16 rivers were included in summer testing for harmful bacteria, figures reveal.

The push to clean up England’s rivers has led to an increase in demand for bathing water status at river locations across the country. Rivers suffer from water company sewage pollution and agricultural pollution, and the results show river water quality is distinctly worse than that of coastal bathing sites. The results come after sewage pollution into rivers by water companies reached record levels last year.

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Europe’s largest steelmaker, ArcelorMittal, announced on Tuesday it had frozen final investment decisions over its ongoing decarbonisation projects on the continent until the company has “full visibility” on the EU policy environment.

The government blames the water companies and says tougher regulation is on the way