Europe's offshore wind industry booming as costs fall
The European Union’s push away from fossil fuels toward renewables, along with falling costs, has seen offshore wind thrive with turbines being installed from the Irish to the Baltic Seas, reports Environment 360 On a sunny October morning, our boat passes the run-down relicts of Liverpool’s maritime past and heads down the river Mersey and […]
Nigerian president leads tributes to oil activist Ken Wiwa
The Ogoni leader and son of renowned Niger delta environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa has died from a stroke in London, aged 47 The president of Nigeria has joined politicians, environmental activists and others to pay tribute to Ken Wiwa, the Ogoni leader and critic of Shell and other western oil companies in the Niger delta, […]
Park ranger murdered while trying to protect Congo's rare gorillas
Munganga Nzonga Jacques died in a region of Kahuzi Biega national park previously believed to be safe for the gorillas, Mongabay reports On October 4, a park ranger was killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kahuzi Biega national park while trying to protect the park’s rare Grauer’s gorillas. The ranger, Munganga Nzonga Jacques, died […]
Global wine production falls by 5% due to 'climatic events'
South America, particularly Argentina and Chile, sees biggest decline, a potential worry for fans of wines such as malbec Global wine production has fallen by 5% because of “climatic events” causing steep drops in production in most of the southern hemisphere, particularly Chile and Argentina. While the amount of wine produced this year should meet […]
The UK public love wind power and they don't even know it
A new poll suggests British people grossly underestimate public support for new energy technologies – is negative news reporting to blame? Back in 2014, David Cameron told the House of Commons Liaison Committee that people are “basically fed up” with wind farms. In 2015, his government then went on to not only cut subsidies for […]
Air pollution more deadly in Africa than malnutrition or dirty water, study warns
Annual human and economic cost of tainted air runs to 712,000 lost lives and £364bn, finds Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Africa’s air pollution is causing more premature deaths than unsafe water or childhood malnutrition, and could develop into a health and climate crisis reminiscent of those seen in China and India, a study […]
Japan to face criticism at international summit for flouting whaling ruling
Japanese fleets have killed more than 300 minke whales in the Southern Ocean despite a court ruling and three-decade-old ban Japan is likely to face international criticism at a whaling summit this week for killing whales in the Southern Ocean in defiance of a court ruling. Japanese fleets killed more than 300 minke whales, many […]
Onshore windfarms more popular than thought, UK poll finds
Some 73% of the British public polled by ComRes support onshore windfarms in contrast with government decisions to block them Public support for onshore windfarms is far higher than widely believed, according to a new opinion poll, even in rural areas. Wind turbines are also far more popular than fracking or nuclear power, contrasting with […]
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 […]