Scientists warn that similar event to collapse of volcano on Cape Verdean island of Fogo 73,000 years ago poses major threat to nearby islands

The sudden collapse of a volcano caused a tsunami that created waves up to 240 metres (800ft) high 73,000 years ago, scientists have discovered.

The mega-tsunami took place near the Cape Verde islands off west Africa when the slopes of the volcano gave way – a process known as a “flank collapse” – and some experts fear a similar collapse could present a real threat today, especially around volcanic islands.

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Source: Guardian Environment

Survey of 440 sustainability workers around the world finds companies are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprints

More companies are making climate change one of their top sustainability priorities, according to a survey released this week by nonprofit Business for Social Responsibility, which counts big brands like consumer goods giant Unilever and food and beverage maker Coca-Cola among its members.

The annual survey, which polled 440 sustainability workers from nearly 200 companies around the world, aims to provide a snapshot of what environmental and social issues are important to businesses over the coming year.

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Source: Guardian Environment

Head of Acea manufacturers’ group calls plan to cap nitrogen oxide emissions for new cars by September 2018 unrealistic in letter seen by the Guardian

European carmakers have lobbied behind the scenes in Brussels for a one-year delay to the introduction of planned EU limits on nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, despite public uproar at the VW rigging scandal.

NOx pollution, particularly from nitrogen dioxide, is responsible for 23,500 premature deaths in the UK every year and the EU wants to introduce an 80mg per km emissions limit for all new cars and vans from 1 September 2018.

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Source: Guardian Environment

Police, fire crews and a specialist animal management team rescue the bird but are clueless as to how it ended up in North Boarhunt

A rhea has been rescued by police, fire crews and a specialist animal management team after a householder in Hampshire found the large bird in his garden.

Police were called at 12.30pm on Thursday when the man found the rhea in the front garden of his home in North Boarhunt.

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Source: Guardian Environment

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

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Source: Guardian Environment

Newspaper did not breach press code in report about Prof Peter Wadhams’s claims that British Arctic scientists had been assassinated, regulator says

The Times did not misrepresent one of the world’s leading Arctic experts in a report on his claim that three British scientists investigating ice thickness may have been assassinated two years ago, the UK’s press regulator has ruled.

Peter Wadhams, professor of ocean physics at the university of Cambridge, complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) that he had been inaccurately quoted in an article by the paper’s environment editor, Ben Webster. He said the piece had damaged his scientific reputation.

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Source: Guardian Environment

Transport secretary calms fears that owners of cars caught cheating emissions tests might be forced to pay higher vehicle excise duty linked to pollution

Volkswagen drivers in Britain whose vehicle was fitted with a device to cheat emissions tests will not have to pay higher taxes to reflect the extra pollution their car causes, the government has pledged.

VW has recalled almost 1.2m diesel cars in the UK and halted the sale of 4,000 vehicles because they possess an illegal defeat device which lowers nitrogen oxide emissions in test conditions but allows high emissions on the open road.

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Source: Guardian Environment

When more water is being found on Mars than in California, you know the drought is bad. Comedian Jason Saenz created and posted his own signs about the drought around Los Angeles

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Source: Guardian Environment

India’s announcement means all the world’s biggest economies are now publicly in favour of a deal, but there are still challenges ahead

With India’s plan for curbing carbon emissions now in, most of the major developing economies have responded to the UN’s requests for the commitments on climate change that will form the keystone of an agreement to be signed in Paris this December.

Those commitments – to make absolute cuts in future emissions levels, in the case of developed countries; to curb future emissions growth, in the case of less industrialised nations – will not add up to the cuts that scientists say are needed to avoid more than 2C of warming above pre-industrial levels. This is significant, because the 2C threshold is regarded as the limit of safety, beyond which the changes in the climate are likely to become catastrophic and irreversible.

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Source: Guardian Environment