Lidl makes 'fruit and veg pledge' to back British farmers
German discounter joins rival Aldi in signing up to farmers’ union-backed code that aims to boost profitability of suppliers Lidl has become only the second grocer to sign up to a 12-month-old scheme to back British farmers by promising to buy more of their produce and offer long-term supply deals. The German discounter joins its […]
China to generate a quarter of electricity from wind power by 2030
Report says figures could rise to nearly one-third with power sector reforms, making it the world wind energy leader by a large margin China is on track to generate more than a quarter of its electricity from wind power by 2030, and the figure could rise to nearly a third with power sector reforms, a […]
German prosecutors investigate ex-VW chief over emissions scandal
Braunschweig prosecutor’s office looking into Martin Winterkorn and another senior figure over suspected market manipulation German prosecutors are investigating the former Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn and another senior executive over suspected market manipulation in relation to the diesel emissions scandal. In a statement on Monday, the Braunschweig prosecutor’s office said the investigation centred on […]
Saiga antelope numbers rise after mass die-off
A recent aerial survey has revealed that the numbers of all three saiga populations in Kazakhstan are going up, Mongabay reports Last year, catastrophe hit saiga antelopes in Kazakhstan. About 200,000 of these critically endangered antelopes died in Betpak-Dala in May, deeply worrying conservationists. The deaths, scientists eventually found, were most likely caused by bacterial […]
Three environmental activists killed each week in 2015
Global Witness figures show last year was the deadliest for environment and land campaigners since 2002 Three environmental activists were killed per week last year, murdered defending land rights and the environment from mining, dam projects and logging, a campaign group said on Monday. In 16 countries surveyed in a report by Global Witness, 185 […]
Solar Impulse 2 begins transatlantic stretch of global journey
Solar-powered plane sets off from JFK airport on the transatlantic leg of its record-breaking flight to promote renewable energy The sun-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft set off from New York’s JFK airport early on Monday, embarking on the transatlantic leg of its record-breaking flight around the world to promote renewable energy. The flight, piloted by […]
New methods are improving ocean and climate measurements | John Abraham
Improvements to ocean temperature measurements are making good measurements great I have often said that global warming is really ocean warming. As humans add more heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere, it causes the Earth to gain energy. Almost all of that energy ends up in the oceans. So, if you want to know how fast […]
A scorpion that breathes through its bum
Saxlingham Nethergate, Norfolk Known as “toe-biters”, the water scorpion will pinch unsuspecting paddlers, while preferring small fish, tadpoles and other pond insects I reach into the tepid, brackish pond, right up to my shoulder. My daughter crouches next to me, hoping I will find her a pond snail shell. Eventually, in the squishy mud, I […]
Does the Great Barrier Reef's death haunt the dreams of coal's company directors? | David Ritter
The Business Council and Minerals Council of Australia have been silent about the bleaching of the reef but not all miners have to take the same path As the scale of the recent catastrophe on the Great Barrier Reef has become widely known, a clamor has occurred across Australia. People are grieving and furious about […]
Cambridge University rejects calls to divest from fossil fuels
Working group on investment responsibility argues it is better to keep investments in oil and gas companies, rather than divest £5.9bn endowment The University of Cambridge has rejected calls to divest its £5.9bn endowment from fossil fuels, as students, academics and the former archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams have called for. In a report on […]