Feed aggregator

Nicaragua wants a tougher deal, writes Helen Yuill; and Dorothy Starr wants her president’s state visit to the UK called off

We welcome your excellent coverage of President Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement (Anger at US as Trump rejects climate accord, 2 June). However, there are references to the US joining Syria and Nicaragua in rejecting the agreement. Presented out of context, this comparison is flawed. Syria didn’t sign because of the catastrophic civil war. Nicaragua refused to sign because it believes the agreement is too weak to address the enormity of the consequences of climate change, particularly in vulnerable developing countries.

Paul Oquist, Nicaraguan representative to the Paris talks, pointed out that the Paris carbon reduction targets are non-binding and even if fully met would lead to a catastrophic three-degree temperature rise. Oquist also highlighted the lack of political will and ambition on the part of the largest polluters, their failure to accept historical responsibility for global warming, and the lack of financial resources for technological transfer, adaptation, and compensation for losses and damages. He went on to say: “The Paris Agreement will not solve global warming problems but merely postpone them.”

Continue reading...

Guarani-Kaiowá leader Ladio Veron is seeking international support to end violence against indigenous people and environmental destruction under the Temer administration, reports Mongabay

Ladio Veron, leader of Brazil’s indigenous Guarani-Kaiowá people, is touring Europe and making a desperate international appeal to halt attacks and killings, land theft and environmental destruction that his people say have become a hallmark of Brazil’s Temer administration.

The Guarani-Kaiowá is fighting for recognition of their indigenous land rights in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul in southwest Brazil, bordering Paraguay. After decades of violent territorial disputes with cattle ranchers, soy and sugar cane farmers, Veron hopes to galvanize support and build an international network of allies that will put pressure on Temer and the agribusiness lobby-dominated National Congress back home.

Continue reading...

Researchers show that it might be possible to develop an alternative to antibiotics for treating diseases in pigs and humans

The biological trick that allows a female mandarin duck to become a male.

Local and international efforts might be enough to limit the damage Trump’s scorched Earth approach

I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris

So said Donald Trump in a speech justifying his irrational, historically irresponsible decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris international climate treaty. Of course, 75% of Pittsburgh residents voted for Hillary Clinton, and many city residents have since written about the outdatedness and absurdity of Trump’s invocation of Pittsburgh, which aims to be 100% powered by renewable energy by 2035. In fact, Pittsburgh joined 210 other “climate cities” representing 54 million Americans (17% of the national population), pledging:

Continue reading...

Rich Thomson was surfing off Bantham beach in south Devon when a metre-long shark bit his hand

It won’t go down as a great tale of derring-do on the high seas and it is very unlikely that a film or book deal will follow. But a teacher from Devon has a salty story to tell after an episode in which a “small shark” drew blood while he was surfing in south-west England.

Rich Thomson, 30, a chemistry teacher at Kingsbridge community college, was off Bantham beach in south Devon when he said he felt something grab him by the leg.

Continue reading...

Does it really matter that the US President has announced that they will be pulling out of the Paris climate accord? Ross McKitrick discusses the options.

Neil deGrasse Tyson challenges the treatment of science in the Trump administration

The National Grid says alternative fuel generated more electricity than coal and gas in the UK on Wednesday.

After a decade of political stalemate, the Australian Industry Group says a bipartisan approach to energy policy is now essential.

Leaked details of the Chief Scientist's report into the national energy market show it recommends a clean energy target, as well as more gas and storage in the system.

The Department has published the National Waste Report 2016. Prepared by Blue Environment, the Report provides information on waste generation, recovery and fate for the different waste streams and material categories, by jurisdiction and per...

The Department has published the National Waste Report 2016. Prepared by Blue Environment, the Report provides information on waste generation, recovery and fate for the different waste streams and material categories, by jurisdiction and per...

The Department has published the National Waste Report 2016. Prepared by Blue Environment, the Report provides information on waste generation, recovery and fate for the different waste streams and material categories, by jurisdiction and per...

Large-scale installations across Aarhus city depict nature, and man’s relationship with it, in three categories: the past, present and future – from a structure highlighting bee decline to a reflection on light pollution

• ARoS Art Museum’s triennial The Garden – End of Times, Beginning of Times runs until 30 July; The Past section runs until 10 Sept

Continue reading...

EINSTEIN'S IMPOSSIBLE HOPE: Astronomers have used the gravitational warping of light, predicted by Einstein nearly a century ago, to measure the mass of a distant star for the first time.

Plastic bags are an infamous problem in Nairobi. They clog its waterways and litter its streets. The Kenyan government is attempting to ban their use from August – with implications for businesses from supermarkets to recyclers.

Continue reading...

Genex Power has mandated Grant Samuel as its financial adviser for the 270MW Kidston Solar Phase II project.

With the release of his review, Dr Finkel is expected to advocate a “low emissions target” . But what is a LET, and why is it better than an EIS?

Dubai auction attracts $95/MWh offer for solar tower and storage, a record low.