Feed aggregator

Duvalius djokovici named after tennis champion for qualities including speed and strength, says researcher

Serbian scientists have named a new species of beetle after the tennis player Novak Djokovic, Serbian media has reported.

The insect, which belongs to the Duvalius genus of ground beetles that are present in Europe, was discovered several years ago in an underground pit in western Serbia.

Continue reading...

A quarter of our clothes haven't been worn for a year but we are keeping garments for longer.

Supporters of Just Stop Oil displayed banners and glued themselves to roads leading to Vauxhall Bridge

Two dozen environmental protesters have blocked central London roads for a seventh day, continuing a week of disruptive action that has led to at least 150 arrests.

Just after 10am on Friday, several groups of supporters of the Just Stop Oil campaign blocked roads leading to Vauxhall Bridge. They glued themselves to the road and displayed banners.

Continue reading...

The EU’s grand plan to establish a carbon border tax on CO2-intensive goods, once at the core of the global trade debate, is set to enter choppy waters as the bloc strives to secure critical raw materials and energy supply amid a much-shakier geopolitical landscape and enhanced dependency on the US.

Large area destroyed in September, as environmental criminals raced to wreck the region before possible change of president

Amazon deforestation has soared ahead of Brazil’s environmentally vital presidential election, with an area almost the size of Greater London lost last month alone.

Government satellites show a 1,455-sq km area of rainforest was destroyed in September, as environmental criminals raced to wreck the region before a possible change of president brought Jair Bolsonaro’s era of destruction to an end.

Continue reading...

European carbon prices moved sideways on Friday morning and were poised for weekly gains of more than €2, as traders await clarity from ongoing REPowerEU talks as to how many allowances may be diverted to fund winter energy measures and energy markets eased to offer some support.

Reliance on desalination comes with a big environmental cost for the region’s marine environment

As the World Cup approaches, the host Qatar is going to need at least 10,000 litres of water every day for each of its stadium pitches. Based in a region with virtually no access to freshwater, it is going to rely on desalination – the practice of debrining saltwater so it is drinkable.

It seems like an elegant solution – but the problem is that desalination, which is projected to boom by 37% across the Gulf region in the next five years, has huge environmental costs, in terms of the fossils fuels used to carry out the process, and the marine environment. But without it, how can the region possibly quench its thirst?

Continue reading...

India will not impose a full ban on the export of carbon credits and expects “huge quantities” to be available for purchase by foreign investors, Energy Minister RK Singh has told reporters in New Delhi.

‘Screamingly high’ levels of PFOS, one of the most dangerous PFAS compounds, found in six out of 10 insecticides tested

Toxic PFAS chemicals have been detected in seven out of 10 insecticides tested in the US, according to new research. Six contained what the study’s lead author characterized as “screamingly high” levels of PFOS, one of the most dangerous PFAS compounds.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has known about the findings for more than 18 months but appears to have not yet investigated the products or taken any action against the manufacturer.

Continue reading...

A carbon advisory group believes fears that the Australian government will muck up its overhaul of the Safeguard Mechanism are overstated.  

Observers say cabinet rows and PM’s comments so far could undermine global consensus forged at Glasgow

The UK is in danger of ending its presidency of the UN climate talks next month in disunity and disarray, amid cabinet rifts on green policy, and confusion over who will attend the Cop27 summit.

Rows over climate policy threaten to hamper the UK’s ability to hold together the fragile coalition of developed and developing countries it built at the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow last year. Failure to do so will not only cast a pall over the UK’s achievements there, but will add further tensions to already troubled global climate talks.

Continue reading...

Cemex, the world’s fifth-largest cement manufacturer, has been working with the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to validate its 2030 climate targets and its 2050 net zero emissions roadmap to align with a 1.5C pathway, the Mexican-headquartered construction materials company announced.

The best of this week’s wildlife pictures, including a swimming sea cucumber, flying flamingoes and magpies hitching a ride

Continue reading...

We have green, cheap alternatives ready and waiting – but first we have to commit to keeping fossil fuels in the ground

• Support urgent, independent climate journalism today

Hurricane Ian has just swept across the Caribbean and the US east coast. It’s likely to become the deadliest hurricane in Florida’s history. The entirety of Cuba lost power for several days; homes have been flattened; and repairing the devastation could cost billions.

Hurricanes are a natural meteorological phenomenon, but one study has already found that the climate emergency directly added 10% more rainfall to Hurricane Ian. Arguably, we are already in the eye of an even bigger, global storm – and with every fraction of a degree of global heating, the damage escalates.

Continue reading...

Indonesia will cut its carbon emissions by more than 232 million tonnes of CO2e over the next three years, according to local media reports, while the finalised regulations governing its domestic carbon market scheme is expected to be released in time for COP27 and the G20 next month.

"Yet another poor decision," says Grok Ventures as AGL advises shareholders to vote against Kerry Scott and two other Grok board candidates at upcoming AGM.

The post Cannon-Brookes and AGL spar over board candidates ahead of AGM appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Demonstrations from Falmouth to Whitstable to demand water firms do more to reduce pollution

Protests against sewage discharges blighting English beaches will take place across the country this weekend to highlight what demonstrators say is the failure of water companies to reduce pollution.

From Falmouth in Cornwall, where bathers, lifeguards and synchronised swimmers are demonstrating, to Whitstable in Kent, where protesters will turn a beach into a crime scene, activists say the problem of sewage discharges by water companies has not improved.

Continue reading...

We must heed lessons from past storms and plan ahead, as climate change will only exacerbate future coastal disasters. Javier Leon, Senior lecturer, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We all worry!

• Sign up here to get an email whenever First Dog cartoons are published
• Get all your needs met at the First Dog shop if what you need is First Dog merchandise and prints

Continue reading...

Proposed expansion would cover about 4,000 hectares and involve clearing of habitat for the koala, greater glider and other threatened species

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• ​​Get our free news app, morning email briefing and daily news podcast

Activists say a proposal from BHP to extend a metallurgical coalmine in Queensland by up to 93 years is “delusional”.

The company has applied to expand its Peak Downs mine in the Bowen basin, which it operates in a joint venture with Mitsubishi.

Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning

Continue reading...