Don’t blame green targets for Grenfell – insulation saves lives | Alice Bell
Rightwing papers have implicated energy-efficiency measures in the tragedy. But cold homes are dangerous and disproportionately affect poorer people’s health As the London Fire Brigade’s dogs and drones searched the ruins of Grenfell Tower in west London, Friday’s Daily Mail chose to lead its coverage with the question: “Were green targets to blame?” Reading out […]
Michael Gove returns, plastic pollution and city cycling – green news roundup
The week’s top environment news stories and green events. If you are not already receiving this roundup, sign up here to get the briefing delivered to your inbox Continue reading… Source: Guardian Climate Change
Tesco fined £8m for fuel leak at petrol station in Lancashire
Supermarket handed record fine for single incident of pollution after 23,500 litres of fuel escaped in Haslingden Tesco has been fined £8m fine after a massive fuel leak at one its petrol stations polluted a Lancashire river, killing fish and forcing those living nearby to leave their homes. It is the largest fine for a […]
Our energy policy: stupidity, economic illiteracy, or sponsored obfuscation? | Tim Buckley
The scale and pace of change in energy markets globally is staggering. So why isn’t Australia catching up with the rest of the world? As we dissect the Finkel review’s failure to give serious credence to Australia’s commitment to the Paris agreement, what is yet again missing from the debate is a discussion of the […]
13 ways Frydenberg sold 'climate policy' to coal-loving MPs
Michael Slezak examines how the environment minister tried to sell the Finkel review to hostile colleagues How do you sell a plan that is ostensibly about reducing emissions from electricity generation, to a room sprinkled with vocal pro-coal climate sceptics? Well, that was the task the environment and energy minister, Josh Frydenberg, was faced with […]
Green streets are the way to go
Green roofs and walls insulate buildings and soak up rain. And like trees and hedges, they absorb pollutants. What’s not to like? As the connected problems of climate change and air pollution from traffic make living in cities more hazardous, the health benefits of greening our streets become ever more apparent. On crowded city roads […]
How should world leaders punish Trump for pulling out of Paris accord? | Wael Hmaidan
The international community must show Trump, and any other leaders that may follow suit, that other core diplomatic goals – such as Nato funding – will depend on honouring their climate commitments World leaders’ response to Donald Trump’s announcement that he would withdraw the US from the Paris agreement was strong and unified. But did […]
Pipeline to the classroom: how big oil promotes fossil fuels to America's children
Documents show how tightly woven group of pro-industry organizations target impressionable schoolchildren and teachers desperate for resources This story was a collaboration between the Center for Public Integrity and StateImpact Oklahoma, a reporting project of NPR member stations in Oklahoma. Continue reading… Source: Guardian Climate Change
Anti-emissions squads: the volunteers cleaning up London's streets
London breached its annual air pollution limits just five days into 2017, but volunteer clean air wardens like me are challenging drivers who leave engines idling Wednesday morning, my clean air partner and I approach a coach unloading children outside the Barbican Centre in London. The driver is helping to marshal the kids across the […]
Ratty returns: hundreds of water voles released in UK's biggest reintroduction
Almost 700 of the endangered rodents, immortalised in Wind in the Willows, will be released in Northumberland – and it’s all thanks really to the otter The biggest reintroduction of water voles in the UK began this week, with 325 voles released into Kielder Forest in Northumberland, and 350 more to follow later in the […]