The Guardian

An expedition to the forests of Louisiana say extinction of bird, last definitively seen in 1944, has been exaggerated

In terms of elusiveness, it is the Bigfoot or Loch Ness monster of the bird world, so rare and undetectable that the US government declared it extinct last year. But the ivory-bill woodpecker is, in fact, still alive and pecking in the forests of Louisiana, a team of researchers has claimed.

A series of grainy pictures and observations of the bird, which had its last widely accepted sighting in 1944, show that the scrupulously furtive woodpecker is still holding on in the swampy forests of the US south, according to the team’s new research, which is yet to be peer-reviewed.

Fast fashion is being replaced by ultra-fast fashion and many sustainability efforts do little to confront the sector’s consumption

If things don’t change fast, the fashion industry could use a quarter of the world’s remaining global carbon budget to keep warming under 2 by 2050, and use 35% more land to produce fibres by 2030.

While this seems incredible, it’s not. Over the past 15 years, clothing production has doubled while the length of time we actually wear these clothes has fallen by nearly 40%. In the EU, falling prices have seen people buying more clothing than ever before while spending less money in the process.

Economic viability of eight major fossil fuel projects in doubt amid predicted gas demand fall, investor group analysis reveals

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Australia’s new gas export developments are likely to struggle economically after 2030 if the world lives up to commitments to combat the climate crisis, according to a warning to major investors.

It suggests Australia’s liquified natural gas (LNG) exports could fall slightly this decade before dropping sharply to less than 20% of current levels by 2050 if the world attempts to limit global heating to 1.5C, as agreed under last year’s Glasgow climate pact.

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Few British waterways are in decent condition, with thousands of tonnes of sewage discharged into the environment. It is high time we demanded more from our leaders

There are certain phrases that deserve a nod of recognition when they prove to be literally true: anyone who’s ever dug such a big hole that they hit the rock bottom will know what I’m talking about. Or if you’ve ever stood at a ferry terminal realising that you have, in fact, missed the boat. Perhaps this Easter you will unpack your shopping, covered in a slimy, clear film, and understand the error of putting all your eggs in one basket. Personally, I have found myself swimming through actual shit.

Not just once, either. Not by a long chalk. Over the past 37 years, I have probably swum through enough sewage to fill a river. Because, you see, it does fill our rivers. And seas. And lakes. And the little streams that snake behind housing estates, and the pools that have the audacity to sit beside poorly maintained pipes. Such is the problem that you would be hard pressed to find any body of water in Britain that a privatised water company hasn’t flushed with turds now and again in the quest for ever-greater profits.

Osmund, only male of four chicks that became internet hit in spring 2020, is spotted over 100 miles away

A young male peregrine falcon that hatched at Salisbury Cathedral two years ago and became an internet star during the early days of the first Covid lockdown has spread his wings and reached the island of Guernsey, more than 100 miles away.

Osmund, the only male of four chicks raised on the cathedral tower in spring 2020, was spotted on the coast of the Channel island and identified by his blue ring bearing the initials YK.

Extinction Rebellion close Lloyd’s of London as activist groups continue their direct action

Anti-fossil fuel activists have vowed to continue blockading oil terminals until they are jailed, as they approached 1,000 arrests for their actions so far.

“Ministers have a choice: they can arrest and imprison Just Stop Oil supporters or agree to no new oil and gas,” Just Stop Oil said on Tuesday morning. “While Just Stop Oil supporters have their liberty the disruption will continue.”

Protesters from Just Stop Oil may be breaking the law and yet still be morally right in the face of future disaster

This week, climate activists disrupted the UK’s oil supply, because they believe they face a desperate choice. Nonviolent resistance now, or the unthinkable violence of climate change later.

“There is a need to break the law,” says Just Stop Oil’s Melissa Carrington, “so we are not guilty of greater crime.” But is she right?

Elizabeth Cripps is a writer and moral philosopher, and the author of What Climate Justice Means and Why We Should Care

UV filters absorbed by Posidonia oceanica may have damaging effects on ecosystems, warn scientists

Chemicals found in sunscreen lotions are accumulating in Mediterranean seagrass, a study has found.

Scientists discovered ultraviolet filters in the stems of Posidonia oceanica, a seagrass species found on the coast of Mallorca and endemic to the Mediterranean Sea.

Rare Breeds Survival Trust annual watchlist shows ‘low-input species’ benefit from changing nature of farming

While hundreds of Hackney horses once elegantly clip-clopped around London pulling carriages, the breed is now dying out because that mode of transport is no longer used.

The Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) annual watchlist has highlighted the breed as at risk because there are just 31 breeding females left in the UK.

Surf Wood for Good aims to tackle waste caused by polystyrene bodyboards by lending beachgoers UK-made wooden boards

A new initiative is offering free bellyboard hire across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to discourage the use of polluting plastic boards.

Surf Wood for Good aims to tackle the waste caused by polystyrene bodyboards, which are usually imported and single-use, by lending beachgoers British-made wooden boards.

Activist footage appearing to show severe overcrowding and dead birds differs from KFC film by YouTube influencer

KFC has been accused of a “misleading” portrayal of chicken farming after activists revisited a farm recently highlighted in a film by a YouTube influencer.

The Behind the Bucket film published last December saw YouTuber Niko Omilana visit a farm operated by meat company Moy Park, one of Europe’s leading poultry producers, which sells chicken to KFC.

Rivers that supply Santiago with water are running low, forcing rotating cuts to different parts of the city

As a punishing, record-breaking drought enters its 13th year, Chile has announced an unprecedented plan to ration water for the capital of Santiago, a city of nearly 6 million.

“A city can’t live without water,” Claudio Orrego, the governor of the Santiago metropolitan region, said in a press conference. “And we’re in an unprecedented situation in Santiago’s 491-year history where we have to prepare for there to not be enough water for everyone who lives here.”

Shortages at filling stations reported as campaign obstructs deliveries from fuel terminals in England

Downing Street has condemned the “guerrilla tactics” of protesters who have blockaded fuel distribution terminals, as reports of shortages at petrol station forecourts spread and figures showed a fall in fuel deliveries.

Supporters of the Just Stop Oil campaign have taken action at 11 different fuel terminals in England since the start of the month, blockading and trespassing on sites to stop tankers entering, filling up or leaving to deliver fuel.

Founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s proposal comes as energy prices soar and ‘with so much gas under our feet’

The chemicals and energy company Ineos has offered to drill a shale gas test site in the UK to demonstrate that fracking can be done safely, as the country wrestles with high energy prices.

It comes after the government published its energy strategy, which focuses on securing UK energy supplies, as western countries consider how to reduce reliance on Russian oil and gas.

Government’s proposed change to rules in England and Wales is part of measures aimed at cracking down on fly-tipping

Households in England and Wales will no longer have to pay to get rid of waste created by DIY activities under new plans set out by the government on Monday.

At the moment, some local authorities are allowed to charge for the removal of waste such as plasterboard, bath units and bricks, but the proposed changes outlined in a technical consultation would stop this.

You don’t need to visit a wonder of the world to show an appreciation of landscapes and wildlife

The Greek historian Herodotus is said to have made one of the earliest lists of seven wonders of the world. These were man-made structures, including the still mysterious feat of ancient horticulture known as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. More recent times saw natural alternatives to these marvels of classical architecture proposed: waterfalls, mountains, canyons, reefs. Dramatic landscapes, features and wildlife, and the pleasure and excitement they offer to visitors, are staples of tourism.

As environmental consciousness has risen in the west, attitudes to such sightseeing have changed. Yes, it is thrilling to visit remote forests or spot rare species. But travelling to far-flung destinations is carbon-intensive when flights or long road journeys are involved, and conservation can be made more difficult as well as assisted by sightseers. There is a balance to be struck, and ethical governments and businesses around the world try to maximise the benefits while minimising the harms. Colombia, for example, recently introduced laws aimed at promoting sustainable tourism.

Just Stop Oil said its actions would affect fuel availability at petrol pumps across the south-east and Midlands

Clean-energy campaigners claim to have disrupted supplies from three oil terminals in the Midlands and south-east of England, as motorists complain some petrol stations are running short of petrol and diesel.

The government said only one terminal was out of action on Sunday afternoon as a result of the Just Stop Oil protests, and that local police forces are working with the industry to ensure that fuel supplies can be maintained.

Survey suggests even Tory voters are unlikely to support Conservatives’ nuclear-first energy policy

More than three-quarters of the public are in favour of windfarms being built in the UK. That is the key result of an Opinium poll carried out for the Observer in the wake of publication of the government’s controversial energy security plans last week.

Ministers backed nuclear power but shunned new onshore wind plants as the main means for protecting the UK against future energy crises. But the new poll indicates Tory voters’ backing for wind turbines almost matches that of Labour and Lib Dem supporters – suggesting the move against onshore wind, a result of backbench Conservative pressure, runs counter to the views of the party’s own voters.

They have blocked major roads, obstructed traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and been denounced by Dominic Perrottet

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It was the re-election of a Coalition government in May 2019 that altered the trajectory of Sam Noonan’s life and politics.

“I didn’t really care about politics until then,” Noonan says. “But then a lightbulb went off, and I kind of went, ‘Well, this is not working, we need to do something.’”

A hidden camera has captured the first live UK footage of a wild white-tailed eagle hatching. The camera, which had been hidden in a stick three metres away from the nest to avoid disturbing the birds, captured the moment. White-tailed eagles became extinct in Scotland in 1918, but eagles from Scandinavia were reintroduced to the Isle of Rum in 1975. Fergus Cumberland, visitor experience manager for RSPB Scotland, said: 'Now to see that they've hatched their first chick is incredible. We feel so privileged to have been able to witness such a special moment'

• Hidden camera gets first live UK footage of wild white-tailed eagle hatching