Christian Earth Day lessons: worship by protectiong creation | Paul Douglas
Climate change is a global pro-life issue Readers of this column know that I tend to focus on breaking science in the climate and energy areas. Sometimes, I stray into politics and other times, I venture further afield. Today, on Earth Day, I was reflecting on best ways to move real action forward and it […]
The ice stupas of Ladakh: solving water crisis in the high desert of Himalaya
An ingenious idea to build artificial glaciers at lower altitudes using pipes, gravity and night temperatures could transform an arid landscape into an oasis The idea crystallised in his mind one morning as Sonam Wangchuk was crossing a bridge in the Indian Himalayas. The engineer from Ladakh, in the Jammu region of north India, was […]
Chris Packham: ‘Sometimes the best way to make a change is to make trouble’
The TV presenter accused of assaulting hunters killing migratory birds in Malta says it’s time for committed environmental activism We decided to go to Malta because we were fed up with the inactivity from NGOs about the endless trapping and killing of migratory birds there. We first went four years ago, then started to go […]
Tory failure to deliver pollution action plan angers environmentalists
Ministers submit court application to delay tackling illegal levels of toxic fumes, deemed by MPs to be a public health emergency The government has made a last-minute application to the high court to delay the publication of its plan to tackle the air pollution crisis. Ministers were under a court direction to produce tougher draft […]
'Uber for bikes' comes to Cambridge – if you can find it
China’s popular dockless cycle share schemes allow riders to drop their bike wherever they want. Ofo is the first to launch in the UK – but what will our rider make of it? Ofo, one of a host of Chinese start-ups hoping to do for bikes what Uber did for taxis, has chosen Cambridge for […]
Circulate on Fridays: how to convince Republicans about renewables and much more
Welcome to this week’s Circulate on Fridays, where we share four circular economy nuggets we’ve been enjoying this week – there’s something to watch, something to listen to, and a few bits to read for good measure. The excellent Freakonomics podcast has a new mini series out, called ‘Earth 2.0’. Stephen Dubner and his team ask […]
What would it mean if Apple stopped mining for iPhone materials?
Apple hopes that it’ll eventually be able to manufacture iPhones, iPads, Macbooks, and other products using exclusively recycled materials, rather than relying upon mining finite resources. Released as part of the company’s annual environmental report, the announcement has understandably garnered significant media attention, but perhaps more importantly it offers a clear lens to think about the question, what […]
Reactor goes here … the £18bn Hinkley Point C starts to take shape
Adam Vaughan visits the nuclear site in Somerset, where EDF is pushing ahead despite challenges from unions and Brexit Surrounded by a sea of broken rock and mounds of earth on the Somerset coast stands a small, unassuming sign that states simply “R2”. It is here that the second of two nuclear reactors will switch […]
Environmental charities allowed to challenge changes to court cost rules
High court judge has agreed to limit RSPB, ClientEarth and FoE’s costs liabilities to £10,000 in their action against the Ministry of Justice’s changes to costs cap Three environmental charities have been given permission to challenge court regulations which they say make it too financially risky to bring cases over air pollution standards or the […]
Britain set for first coal-free day since Industrial Revolution
National Grid expects the UK to reach coal energy ‘watershed’ on Friday in what will also be the country’s first 24-hour coal-free period The UK is set to have its first ever working day without coal power generation since the Industrial Revolution, according to the National Grid. The control room tweeted the predicted milestone on […]