EU leaders at loggerheads over nature laws review
In a letter seen by the Guardian, European parliament president, Martin Schulz, warns EU chief, Jean Claude-Juncker, that inaction over a stalled review of the EU’s nature directives is jeopardising EU biodiversity targets An impasse in Brussels over changes to the EU’s pioneering nature laws has pitted the president of the European parliament, Martin Schulz, […]
Great Barrier Reef scores D for health for fifth year in a row
Results of annual report card based on data collected before bleaching killed a fifth of the reef’s coral, suggesting next year’s results will be even worse The Great Barrier Reef has been given a D on a report card for its overall health by the federal and Queensland governments for the fifth year in a […]
Best and worst beaches in NSW: Coogee and Botany Bay rate poorly for pollution
Four ocean beaches – Terrigal, Avoca, Coogee and Malabar – found to be ‘not always suitable for swimming’, but 83% rated good or very good Just four ocean beaches in all of New South Wales have been found to have poor water quality – but one is the very popular Coogee beach, in Sydney’s eastern […]
Endangered eastern black rhino born in Iowa zoo – video
An endangered eastern black rhino has been born at Blank Park zoo in Des Moines, Iowa. The combined captive and wild population of black rhinos is less than 1,000, making the birth very significant. The calf was standing and walking within an hour of its birth and attempted to feed within two hours, both signs […]
Cameron aide said government was ‘exposed on Heathrow’ over air quality
As Theresa May prepares for airport expansion decision, memo emerges in which former PM was told he did not ‘have an answer’ on pollution concerns David Cameron’s No 10 policy chief warned him a year ago that he was “exposed on Heathrow” because the government did not have an answer to its impact on air […]
The “Energy Internet”: Startups are bringing a new energy network to life
The United States wastes enough energy every year to power the UK for seven years. While there has been plenty of focus on the need to transition to an economy powered by renewable energy sources, rather than fossil fuels, the structural waste issues within the system itself should not be ignored. Indeed, a transition to […]
Going Dutch on recycling pays off | Letter
Michael Marks (Letters, 17 October) said that the plastic bag charge needs to be followed by one for plastic bottles in order to cut the huge number not recycled. We lived for six years in the Netherlands, where people are much more oriented towards recycling. Plastic drinks bottles had a tax on them which was […]
Chimpanzee seen smoking at North Korea's reopened zoo
Spectacle seemed to delight visitors but zoo has been criticised in the past for keeping animals in ‘woefully inadequate’ conditions Visitors to a newly reopened zoo in North Korea have been flocking to a new attraction: a smoking chimpanzee. According to officials at the Central zoo in Pyongyang, which has been criticised for animal cruelty […]
Innovative startups listed for European circular economy award
From utilising bacteria to create light, a new approach to packaging waste to apps to re-utilise food and DIY waste, six innovative European startups have been named as finalists for the third Green Alley Awards. Taken from royalty free Pixabay. The Green Alley Award is a prize that rewards business model ideas that contribute to […]
Where is climate change in the Trump v Clinton presidential debates?
While we rake over Clinton’s emails and Trump’s late-night tweets, climate has been the elephant in the room, leaving scientists and campaigners asking why there hasn’t been a single direct question about the crisis Climate change has been the elephant in the room during the past two US presidential debates. Ignoring this issue would be […]