Majority of potential UK fracking sites are rich in important wildlife
Almost two-thirds of proposed areas have higher biodiversity, valuable for functions such as pollination and pest control, analysis shows Many of the areas that have been recently marked as potential sites for fracking are rich in wildlife that perform crucial functions from pollination to decomposition, researchers have found. Scientists say that almost two-thirds of the […]
'It's our global addiction': Scottish oil drama Crude drills down to reality
Profit, pollution, civil unrest and contact lenses: oil seeps its way into the lives of millions. It’s a big issue – so big that Grid Iron theatre’s new theatre work is set in a dockside warehouse It’s not a velvet curtain that rises on Grid Iron’s Crude, but a great roll of corrugated iron. It […]
Heathrow airport expansion backed by George Osborne
Former chancellor says there is ‘overwhelming economic case’ for extra runway at Britain’s largest airport The expansion of Heathrow airport has received its most explicit endorsement from a major Westminster political figure since the Airports Commission reported in 2015, after the former chancellor George Osborne said the economic case to build at the west London […]
Winter electricity blackouts risk recedes, says National Grid
Extra power will mean lights will not go out this winter, says firm that operates UK’s electricity transmission network The risk of electricity blackouts in Britain this winter has diminished, after the National Grid and the government spent more than £140m on tools designed to guarantee the lights stay on. The Grid’s capacity margin, the […]
Climate scientists published a paper debunking Ted Cruz | John Abraham
Earth’s atmosphere is warming faster and more in line with models than Ted Cruz and his witnesses argued A new study has just appeared in the Journal of Climate which deals with an issue commonly raised by those who deny that human-caused climate change is a serious risk. As I have written many times, we […]
Great white smashes through shark cage during diving trip – video
Footage uploaded to YouTube shows the moment a great white shark breaches the side of a cage during a diving trip to Guadalupe Island, off the west coast of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. According to YouTuber Gabe and Garrett, ‘this shark lunged at the bait, accidentally hit the side of the cage, was most likely […]
Coal price rally raises Australian hopes – but it won't last, say economists
High prices for exports such as coking coal will boost the country’s terms of trade but global coal production has peaked and prices are unlikely to stay high The rally in the price of key exports such as coal and iron ore that has promised a multibillion-dollar windfall for Australia’s treasurer, Scott Morrison, could be […]
Unions write to Labour MPs urging them to back Heathrow expansion
Campaign for a third runway puts unions at odds with senior party figures, including Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell Trade unions are preparing to ramp up their efforts to persuade Labour MPs to back expansion at Heathrow airport, putting them at odds with senior party figures including Jeremy Corbyn. Community, the union that represents iron […]
We should be putting the brake on the Carmichael coalmine, not hitting the accelerator | Graham Readfearn
The Paris climate deal should be a signal to cut fossil fuel use, rather than an excuse to mine more coal The Queensland government is now slamming its foot down on the accelerator to help a private company build the biggest coalmine Australia has ever seen. “We can see the end of the tunnel and […]
Shark nets don't enclose swimmers – they catch and kill sharks | Leah Gibbs
The suggestion that nets prevent bites is an oversimplification of a complex story, a misrepresentation of technology and data Mike Baird has this week announced a plan for a six-month trial of shark nets off the beaches of northern New South Wales. This would extend the state’s shark net program from the 51 beaches now […]