Arctic stronghold of world’s seeds flooded after permafrost melts
No seeds were lost but the ability of the rock vault to provide failsafe protection against all disasters is now threatened by climate change It was designed as an impregnable deep-freeze to protect the world’s most precious seeds from any global disaster and ensure humanity’s food supply forever. But the Global Seed Vault, buried in […]
Live Q&A: What impact is human development having on the world’s elephant populations?
The conflict between humans and elephants for space and resources is driving the rapid decline of elephant populations. Join us on Wednesday 24 May from 1-2.30pm BST to discuss how elephants and humans can live together This week an elderly man was killed by a wild elephant in central India as he picked tendu leaves […]
Circulate on Fridays: Ellen MacArthur, HRH The Prince of Wales & Paul Polman on the new plastics economy
Circulate on Fridays is back for another weekly roundup. If packaging isn’t your thing, skip to the end where we’ve snuck in a few other circular economy nuggets to diversify your diet. It’s been a big week for plastics, and more specifically the New Plastics Economy initiative from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Last night saw the […]
Study: inspiring action on climate change is more complex than you might think | John Abraham
People have to grasp how climate change impacts them, and we need to value environmentally sound behavior We know humans are causing climate change. That is a fact that has been known for well over 100 years. We also know that there will be significant social and economic costs from the effects. In fact, the […]
Electricity trial to pay users to cut power during high demand or natural disasters
Arena and Aemo to trial program that would pay South Australian and Victorian customers to reduce their use South Australian and Victorian electricity users will be paid to voluntarily forego power use during times of extreme stress on the power grid under a trial program announced by national energy regulators. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency […]
Dirty diesel: why ships are the worst offenders
Ships belch out most of their sulphurous toxins far from land, but they could still be responsible for 60,000 deaths each year In all the controversy over toxic air pollution from diesel cars, little is heard of a worse source of pollution – shipping. Large ocean-going ships tend to use bunker fuel, the world’s dirtiest […]
Cylindrical space for a crab to call home | Brief letters
Brown hares and hunting | Water in Bagno Vignoni | 35mm film canisters | Letter from the Tories | Granny Seaside and Granny Cat A repeal of the 2004 Hunting Act would accelerate the demise of our iconic brown hares, already listed in 2011 for potential extinction by 2050 (May pledges free vote on hunting, […]
Sea level rise will double coastal flood risk worldwide
Small but unstoppable increases will double frequency of extreme water levels with dire consequences, say scientists Small but inevitable rises in sea level will double the frequency of severe coastal flooding in most of the world with dire consequences for major cities that sit on coastlines, according to scientists. The research takes in to account […]
$2 million Innovation Prize launched to help keep plastics out the ocean
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, together with the Prince of Wales’ International Sustainability Unit, is launching a $2 million Innovation Prize to change the way we make and use plastic so that it continues to provide value and is kept out of the ocean. The Prize is funded by Wendy Schmidt as part of the New Plastics […]
Tree clearing may have killed 180 koalas in Queensland in two years, says wildlife group
World Wildlife Fund calls for public pressure on the Palaszczuk government to reduce habitat destruction Tree clearing may have killed as many as 180 koalas in south-east Queensland in the two years after the former state government relaxed vegetation protection laws, according to an analysis by the World Wildlife Fund. The environmental group says a […]