The Guardian
‘Their birthright is being lost’: New Zealanders fret over polluted rivers
Dairy boom has coincided with decline in water quality, leaving two-thirds of rivers unsafe for swimming
It has been a classic summer in New Zealand: hot days, barbecues on the beach and lazy afternoon games of cricket. But dozens of beaches, rivers and lakes have been closed to the public owing to pollution from farming.
According to a recent poll, water pollution is now New Zealanders’ number one concern: 82% of respondents said they want tougher protections for waterways, ranking it as a priority above the housing crisis, the rising cost of living and child poverty.
Continue reading...Macuxi indigenous people of the Raposa reserve – in pictures
The Raposa Serra do Sol reserve in northern Brazil is home to 25,000 indigenous people, whose land has been targeted by the country’s rightwing president, Jair Bolsonaro
Continue reading...Some Great Barrier Reef coral suffering lasting effects from mass bleaching events
Several reefs have not recovered from back-to-back bleaching, surveys have found, but others remain in good condition
Coral reefs in the far north of the Great Barrier Reef are showing lasting effects from the mass bleaching of 2016 and 2017 and in some cases their health has declined further, according to fresh surveys by the Australian Institute of Marine Science.
Preliminary results of surveys by Aims scientists in January show several reefs have not recovered from the back-to-back bleaching, although the agency said some reefs they surveyed were in good condition.
Continue reading...UK's initial progress on carbon cutting starts to slow
Emissions fell for sixth year running in 2018, but reductions margins have shrunk
The government has been warned against complacency on climate change action after figures showed a slowdown in the rate of Britain’s carbon emission cuts.
Emissions dropped for the sixth year running in 2018, to 361m tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent, a level last seen in the late 19th century.
Continue reading...Most US coal plants are contaminating groundwater with toxins, analysis finds
Of 265 US power plants that monitor groundwater, 242 report unsafe levels of at least one pollutant derived from coal ash
Almost every coal-fired power plant in the US is contaminating groundwater with unsafe levels of toxic pollution, according to the first comprehensive analysis of the consequences of coal ash waste disposal.
Of the 265 US power plants that monitor groundwater, 242 have reported unsafe levels of at least one pollutant derived from coal ash, which is the remnants of coal after it is burned for energy. More than half such facilities report unsafe levels of arsenic, a carcinogen linked to multiple types of cancer, with 60% finding elevated lithium, which is associated with neurological damage.
Continue reading...Labor still 'taking advice' on including Kyoto carryover credits
Bill Shorten says Coalition relying on ‘technical loophole’ to meet emissions targets but won’t reject using it
Labor is still “taking advice” on whether its climate policies would include carryover carbon credits from the Kyoto protocol to help meet its 45% emissions reduction target by 2030 – a move seen more as an accounting trick than a real-world reduction in carbon.
Countries that exceeded the Kyoto targets are allowed to count the excess when calculating their emissions under the later Paris agreement.
Continue reading...Holy mola: huge sunfish washes up in northern waters for first time in 130 years
Beached hoodwinker sunfish, which is two metres long, baffles locals on California beach
A giant sunfish has washed up on a beach in California, the first time this particular species of the animal has been sighted in the northern hemisphere in 130 years.
The sunfish measuring 2.05 metres (6ft 8 in) and weighing several hundred kilograms, or more than 600lb, was found on the beach of the Coal Oil Point Reserve in California.
Continue reading...Out of sight, out of luck: the hidden victims of Australia’s deadly heatwaves
Extreme weather events are causing severe damage to native flora and fauna, but the casualties are slipping under the radar
Some headed for the beach while others took refuge in air-conditioned buildings to escape Australia’s unprecedented weeks-long heatwave this summer.
But for ecosystems up and down the country – languishing far from the cities and the social media glare – there was no escape.
Continue reading...Only a third of Australia's plastic packaging waste gets recycled
More than 600,000 tonnes of plastic packaging – out of 900,000 tonnes used – was not recycled last year
Only a third of Australia’s plastic packaging waste ends up being recycled, according to a new report.
The study, conducted by the University of Technology Sydney and commissioned by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), tracked different kinds of packaging waste in the 2017-18 financial year.
Continue reading...The week in wildlife – in pictures
A layer cake of waterfowl, a cheeky monkey and a much-loved baby giraffe
Continue reading...Webspinners: the UK’s first new insect for 100 years
Aposthonia ceylonica is more often found in Thailand but the bugs have migrated to Brexit Britain
Name: Webspinners.
Napalm Death’s warm-up act, right? Try again.
Continue reading...Youth climate strikers: 'We are going to change the fate of humanity'
Exclusive: Students issue an open letter ahead of global day of action on 15 March, when young people are expected to strike across 50 nations
• Read the climate strikers’ letter
The students striking from schools around the world to demand action on climate change have issued an uncompromising open letter stating: “We are going to change the fate of humanity, whether you like it or not.”
The letter, published by the Guardian, says: “United we will rise on 15 March and many times after until we see climate justice. We demand the world’s decision makers take responsibility and solve this crisis. You have failed us in the past. [But] the youth of this world has started to move and we will not rest again.”
Continue reading...Climate crisis and a betrayed generation
Activists behind recent youth-led climate protests say their views are being ignored in the debate about global warming
We, the young, are deeply concerned about our future. Humanity is currently causing the sixth mass extinction of species and the global climate system is at the brink of a catastrophic crisis. Its devastating impacts are already felt by millions of people around the globe. Yet we are far from reaching the goals of the Paris agreement.
Young people make up more than half of the global population. Our generation grew up with the climate crisis and we will have to deal with it for the rest of our lives. Despite that fact, most of us are not included in the local and global decision-making process. We are the voiceless future of humanity.
Continue reading...New York's canners: the people who survive off a city's discarded cans
‘It’s honest dollars,’ says one canner, but it’s not easy work – canners plan meticulous routes and often work long hours
“It’s good for the environment,” says Anthony Pemberton, arranging the recyclable empty bottles and cans in his shopping cart. “And I’m a conservationist. You do also get 5¢ per can, which is a motivator.”
Continue reading...Trump's interior chief accused of using new role to benefit old client
A complaint from a non-partisan group accuses David Bernhardt of weakening protections for endangered fish to favor farmers
Several years before becoming acting US interior secretary, David Bernhardt was a lobbyist for one of California’s largest water districts, where he sought to win more water for farmers, even if it came at the expense of imperiled fish that also needed it.
But despite joining the interior department in 2017, a new complaint alleges, he has continued to pursue policies that favor his old clients. According to the non-partisan Campaign Legal Center, he has taken steps to weaken protections for endangered fish, such as the diminutive delta smelt, in California and make more irrigation water available for prominent agricultural interests in the state.
Continue reading...Fish stocks continuing to fall as oceans warm, study finds
Losses in North Sea are among the world’s biggest, according to US analysis
Fish catches have declined markedly and are likely to fall further, a study has found, with warming oceans to blame.
Around the world, fish populations have fallen over the past 80 years, although some species have shown greater resilience than others. Overall, catches of commercially important fish have fallen by just over 4%, but in some regions catches have plunged by about a third since early in the last century.
Continue reading...Climate change and the next generation | Letters
When I see young people all over the world standing up for what they believe in, for the future of the planet and for themselves, it moves me deeply (School pupils call for radical climate action in UK-wide strike, 15 February). The empowerment of young people, particularly in regard to climate change and civic engagement, is at the heart of the YMCA’s raison d’etre. So while it’s a grave topic, the only consoling factor for me is the clear demonstration of these young people’s passion, courage and tenacity. The greatest hope for a better future lies in this kind of attitude from our youth – when they fully engage in civic issues that affect them and their communities we will start to see real change.
I hope the success they have already achieved in gaining the world’s attention will motivate them to stick with these issues and work towards their goals. I feel uplifted because they are realising their power and potential to make a difference. This is how the leaders of tomorrow will be shaped, and they will do better than the leaders of today.
Continue reading...Out on its own: Australia the only country to use climate funding to upgrade coal-fired plants
Green finance experts say Australia is out of step with World Bank, Europe and the US, which are using funding to combat global warming
Australia is the only developed country that allows climate change funding to be used to upgrade coal-fired power plants, green finance experts say.
Experts say allowing Vales Point coal-fired power station to register with the Morrison government’s emissions reduction fund, rebadged this week as a “climate solutions” policy, puts Australia out of step with the World Bank, Europe and the US, which have all rejected using climate financing for coal power retrofits.
Continue reading...Heathrow expansion plan involves planes over Richmond Park
Opponents say noise and pollution will be disastrous for wildlife and local residents
For hundreds of years, Richmond Park has been known for its rich wildlife and tranquil landscape. But the controversial expansion of Heathrow airport will see hundreds of aircraft flying at low altitude over the royal park, according to consultation documents issued by the airport.
Maps of the new flight paths released as part of the consultation process for a third runway reveal the alarming extent of proposed air traffic over the parkland. Aircraft, some at 1,000ft, will be flying over for the first time. Current flight paths to Heathrow do not fly directly over the park.
Continue reading...Outdoor Photographer of the Year 2018 – in pictures
Our selection of winning and shortlisted photographs from the 2018 competition
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