Environment news

• ABC's Q&A panel discusses CSIRO cuts' affect on climate science – video

  14-03-2016 23:37
  
  The panel on the ABC’s science-themed Q&A episode discusses the consequences of climate science cuts at the CSIRO. Emma Johnston, a marine biologist from the University of New South Wales, says Nasa’s announcement that February was the most anomalously warm month on record showed measurement and modelling needed to be increased, not cut back. She says the science has been settled on whether climate change is occurring, ‘But what is a really active question is how climate ch
  
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• In like a lion, out like a lamb

  14-03-2016 22:30
  
  March can be a fickle month: it proverbially “comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb”. March winds often feature strongly, as do late winter cold spells, and these are often accompanied by heavy falls of snow.But just once in a while the gods smile on our little island and bring a spell of settled, fine and very warm weather, so that pavement cafes are thronged with T-shirted sunseekers, in scenes more reminiscent of summer. Continue reading...
  
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• Mars probe despatched on methane quest

  14-03-2016 22:26 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A joint European and Russian satellite is successfully launched on a path to Mars where it will study the atmosphere for life signatures.
  
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• Oil falls as worry over growing stockpile cuts short rally

  14-03-2016 21:22
  By Barani Krishnan NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices fell about 3 percent on Monday on concerns that a six-week market recovery has gone beyond fundamentals as U.S. crude stockpiles continue to build and Iran maintains little interest in joining major producers in freezing production. Crude inventories across the United States likely hit record highs for a fifth straight week last week, rising 3.3 million barrels, a Reuters poll of analysts said. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countri
  
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• VIDEO: Dinosaur find resolves T-rex mystery

  14-03-2016 21:09 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Meet the newly discovered dinosaur that could hold the evolutionary key to how T-rex became such a giant.
  
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• Dinosaur find resolves T-Rex mystery

  14-03-2016 20:57 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A newly discovered species of tyrannosaur reveals clue to T-Rex's great size, according to scientists.
  
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• Zero carbon emissions target to be enshrined in UK law

  14-03-2016 20:35
  
  Energy minister Andrea Leadsom responds to call from Ed Miliband, saying Paris climate pledge will be legally bindingThe UK will enshrine in law a long-term goal of reducing its carbon emissions to zero, as called for in last year’s historic Paris climate deal.
  Responding to former Labour leader Ed Miliband’s call to put the target into law, energy minister Andrea Leadsom told parliament on Monday: “The government believes that we will need to take the step of enshrining the Pa
  
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• Exclusive - Saudi Arabia orders 5 percent cut in contract spending

  14-03-2016 20:05
  By Marwa Rashad RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's government, its finances strained by low oil prices, is opening a fresh austerity drive by ordering ministries to cut their spending on contracts by at least 5 percent, a document seen by Reuters shows. The spending cuts could further slow economic growth in the world's top oil exporter and hurt the construction industry, where many companies are struggling with deteriorating cash flow and rising labour costs. The document, sent by the central go
  
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• Staff demand Australian National University finishes divestment from fossil fuels

  14-03-2016 20:01
  
  Academics and general staff commend university for withstanding public criticism over initial divestment and call for further share salesHundreds of academics and other staff at the Australian National University have called on the university to divest completely from fossil fuels, in an open letter addressed to the ANU council. Related: ANU fossil fuel divestment decision ‘stupid’, Tony Abbott saysContinue reading...
  
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• Last chance to enter edie's 2016 Innovation Zone Competition

  14-03-2016 19:24
  
  Entrepreneurs and SMEs that have developed green technologies, systems or business models have just a few days left to enter a new competition designed to promote and support innovation in the sustainability space.
  
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• How antibiotic resistance could wreak havoc on health, food and travel

  14-03-2016 18:00
  
  A new deal between drug companies formed at Davos aims to step up the fight against antibiotic resistance. But is it too little too late?In January, a coalition of 85 biotechnology, pharmaceutical and diagnostics companies, including Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer, came together at the World Economic Forum in Davos to form a landmark agreement to help combat antibiotic resistance. The companies have called on governments to help fund research and aid in developing a “sustainable and pred
  
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• Do giant gas bubbles explain the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle?

  14-03-2016 17:57
  
  Researchers say methane rising to the surface of the ocean could explain the sudden loss of ships in the western North Atlantic. And anywhere else, for that matterName: The Bermuda TriangleAge: 52 years. Continue reading...
  
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• OPEC sees lower 2016 demand for its oil, pointing to higher surplus

  14-03-2016 17:34
  By Alex Lawler LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC on Monday predicted global demand for its crude oil will be less than previously thought in 2016 as supply from rivals proves more resilient to low prices, increasing the excess supply on the market this year. The monthly report from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries contrasts with that of the International Energy Agency, which on Friday said producers outside OPEC were cutting production by more than it had expected. Saudi Arabia in 201
  
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• Russia eyes global deal on oil output in April, Iran seen exempt

  14-03-2016 17:15
  By Denis Pinchuk TEHRAN (Reuters) - A global deal to freeze oil production could be signed in April and exclude Iran, which has the right to boost output after years of sanctions, Russian energy minister Alexander Novak said on Monday after talks in Tehran. Oil fell around 3 percent on Monday after Iran dampened hopes of a coordinated stabilisation of production any time soon, saying it would join such discussions after its own output had reached 4 million barrels per day (bpd). Four of the worl
  
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• Developers don't get it: climate change means we need to retreat from the coast

  14-03-2016 17:12
  
  It is preposterous to build in areas that are bound to flood. So why are real estate companies still doing it?Sea-level rise may be the most predictable outcome of climate change. Expanding warmer waters and melting land ice both contribute to flooding – and scientists agree that we are locked into sea-level rise for centuries to come. The question is not if we will retreat from the coast, but when. Still, the rush to develop the coast occurs at a maddening pace. We now know that 13.1 mill
  
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• NO Brexit: edie readers throw weight behind remaining in the EU

  14-03-2016 17:02
  
  The vast majority of edie readers have revealed they will be voting to keep Britain IN the European Union (EU) when the Referendum takes place in June, with more than 80% voting in support of Britain's position as a Member State.
  
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• 13 million along US coast could see homes swamped by 2100, study finds

  14-03-2016 17:00
  
  Combination of coastal population growth and rising sea levels could drive a shift comparable to the 20th century’s Great MigrationUS coastal areas occupied by more than 13 million people will be at risk of being completely swamped by the sea under a worst-case climate change scenario, new research predicts, potentially leading to a population upheaval comparable to the Great Migration of the 20th century.Population growth in coastal areas over the course of this century, particularly in v
  
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• Pigeon patrol takes flight to tackle London's air pollution crisis

  14-03-2016 16:38
  
  Flock of racing pigeons equipped with pollution sensor and Twitter account take to the skies in bid to raise awareness of capital’s illegally dirty airThey’ve been driven from Trafalgar square for being a nuisance, derided as rats with wings and maligned as a risk to public health.But now pigeons could play a small part in helping Londoners overcome one of the capital’s biggest health problems – its illegal levels of air pollution blamed for thousands of deaths a year. Co
  
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• Pictures of the day: 14th March 2016

  14-03-2016 16:14
  
  Today: A chipmunk practicing yoga, synchronised divers and a lonely penguin
  
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• Oil back below $40 as Iran dashes hopes for quick deal on output

  14-03-2016 14:40
  By Karolin Schaps LONDON (Reuters) - Oil fell around 3 percent on Monday after Iran dashed hopes of a coordinated production freeze any time soon, returning bearish sentiment over a supply glut that has sent prices crashing. "Oil is down because Iran said they would only join the output freeze group once they reached production of 4 million barrels a day," said Tamas Varga, oil analyst at London brokerage PVM Oil Associates. Iran's oil exports are due to reach 2 million bpd in the Iranian month
  
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• Europe's first redwood forest planted at Eden Project

  14-03-2016 14:27
  
  Though there is 5,000 miles between California and Cornwall, south-west England’s warm, damp climate is expected to suit the redwoods perfectlyForty coast redwood trees were planted on Monday at the Eden Project in the south-west of England, the first time a “forest” of these big friendly giants from north America has been introduced to Europe.By the year 2050 they will soar 25m into the Cornish sky. If all goes to plan they will become a new landmark, thrilling and amazing peo
  
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• Henkel unveils new sustainability goals after surging past interim targets

  14-03-2016 13:38
  
  Persil, Schwarzkopf shampoo and Pritt Stick manufacturer Henkel has unveiled a multitude of new sustainability goals after reaching and surpassing a variety of interim targets that form the foundation of its Sustainability Strategy for 2030.
  
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• Desert cactus purifies contaminated water for aquaculture, drinking and more

  14-03-2016 13:27 via feedproxy.google.com
  Farm-grown fish are an important source of food with significant and worldwide societal and economic benefits, but the fish that come from these recirculating systems can have unpleasant tastes and odors. To clean contaminated water for farmed fish, drinking and other uses, scientists are now turning to an unlikely source -- the mucilage or inner "guts" of cacti.
  
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• The Californian craft beer brewed from waste water

  14-03-2016 13:24
  
  A San Francisco brewery is using Nasa technology to make beer with water from sinks and showers, while other brewers are finding new ways to go greenIn autumn of 2014 – three years into California’s devastating drought– architect Russ Drinker became fixated on brewing beer from recycled greywater (that is, water that’s been treated after use in sinks, showers and washing clothes).
  He was increasingly frustrated that the media paid little attention to water recycling. &ldq
  
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• Manchester United seeks to build brand in Asia with Gulf Oil tie-up

  14-03-2016 13:06
  Manchester United said on Monday it had cut a three-year partnership deal with Gulf Oil International, showing the club's appeal as a global brand bears no sign of waning despite a relatively poor season. The club, is struggling on the pitch and in danger of missing out on the lucrative Champions League for the second time in three seasons, said the deal would help increase the club's brand in Asia, where it says it has 325 million followers. Gulf Oil International is part of India's Hinduja Gro
  
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• Tesco rolls out 'FoodCloud' waste donation scheme

  14-03-2016 12:29
  
  Tesco has commenced a national roll-out of a comprehensive and innovative online 'FoodCloud' platform that redirects surplus food from stores to provide millions of meals to local charities and community groups across the country.
  
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• EU green transport target 'may have increased greenhouse gas emissions'

  14-03-2016 11:57
  
  Renewable transport goal has encouraged biofuels including those from palm oil and soybean, which are found to be worse than diesel oil for emissionsEuropean Union renewable energy targets may have increased greenhouse gas emissions because the dirtiest biofuels produce three times the emissions of diesel oil, according to the most complete EU analysis yet carried out.Biodiesel made from palm oil emits more than three times as much and soybean oil around twice as much, when the crops’ effe
  
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• VIDEO: Blast off for Europe Russia Mars mission

  14-03-2016 11:03 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Europe and Russia have launched a joint mission to the Red Planet.
  
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• Sanders, Clinton, Rubio, and Kasich answer climate debate questions | Dana Nuccitelli

  14-03-2016 11:00
  
  CNN moderators ask climate questions in the Democratic and Republican presidential debates in Florida Last week, the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates participated in debates in Florida. A bipartisan group of 21 Florida mayors wrote to the debate moderators to argue it would be “unconscionable for these issues of grave concern for the people of Florida [climate change and sea level rise] to not be addressed.” The moderators of both debates listened, and asked the can
  
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• The Florida jail that is also an animal shelter

  14-03-2016 10:42 via feedproxy.google.com
  Usually the word “jail” brings some harsh imagery to mind: barbed wire fences, orange jumpsuits and tall concrete walls. That’s not the case in the Key West, though. Ask a local about the jail, and the most likely image is Mo, an adorable and charismatic sloth who’s become the unofficial mascot of the Stock Island Detention Center, which doubles as a sanctuary for unwanted animals.“All the animals here are either abandoned, abused, confiscated or
  
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• Oil prices fall as oversupply lingers, economic growth prospects darken

  14-03-2016 09:04
  By Henning Gloystein SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Monday, weighed down by global oversupply and slowing economic growth prospects, although the prospects of falling production lent crude some support. Morgan Stanley said on Monday that "hedging plus storage" were capping U.S. crude prices, meaning that traders were selling futures to hedge forward production and storage which will pressure prices. While Morgan Stanley said oil prices had likely bottomed out, it warned that a slowing
  
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• Satellite Eye on Earth: February 2016 - in pictures

  14-03-2016 08:00
  
  Dust plumes, plankton blooms and convective clouds were among the images captured by European Space Agency and Nasa satellites last monthAnalysis of data collected by several Landsat satellites suggests that northern Argentina’s Chaco forests face one of the fastest tropical deforestation rates in the world. Continue reading...
  
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• Hinkley Point is a costly mistake, but only France can pull the plug | Simon Taylor

  14-03-2016 08:00
  
  Britain is powerless: its reputation would be in tatters if it cancelled this folly. So now it must look in hope to EDFVincent de Rivaz, chief executive of EDF Energy, once boasted that British customers would be cooking their Christmas turkeys in 2017 with electricity from the proposed new Hinkley Point nuclear power station his firm is contracted to build. That was a time of optimism, and a grandiose claim in keeping with the £18bn grandiosity of the project itself; equivalent in cost to
  
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• Chancellor urged to invest public money in renewable energy

  14-03-2016 07:30
  
  Analysis by Green Alliance finds subsidies for fossil fuel generation more costly than simplified system favouring renewablesBuilding more renewable energy capacity with public money would cost less than the current subsidy regime in the UK, a new analysis has found, despite government claims that subsidies are too expensive.Ministers have justified the slashing of some incentives to install solar panels, and ending support for onshore wind, on the basis that subsidising the construction of gree
  
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• Severe coral bleaching worsens in most pristine parts of Great Barrier Reef

  14-03-2016 06:36
  
  Expert blames global warming, as coral bleaches when water temperatures go above a certain threshold for an extended period of timeDamage to parts of the Great Barrier Reef has worsened, leading authorities to raise the alert to the second-highest level, indicating severe local coral bleaching. Related: Devastating global coral bleaching event could hit Great Barrier Reef nextContinue reading...
  
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• Back on the bus to Grasmere

  14-03-2016 06:29
  
  Thirlmere, Lake District Since the storm destroyed the A591, there has been no direct road between north and southI board the 28-seater shuttle bus to Grasmere armed with trekking pole. Kids in the priority seats give the thumbs-up as I say: “Stay put. I’m not really disabled.” Though still recovering from a three-year-old hip revision procedure I can’t officially be so classified as I can still walk unaided. We climb Chestnut Hill above Keswick, every seat taken, everyon
  
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• February breaks global temperature records by 'shocking' amount

  14-03-2016 05:32
  
  Warnings of climate emergency after surface temperatures 1.35C warmer than average temperature for the monthGlobal temperatures in February smashed previous monthly records by an unprecedented amount, according to Nasa data, sparking warnings of a climate emergency.The result was “a true shocker, and yet another reminder of the incessant long-term rise in global temperature resulting from human-produced greenhouse gases”, wrote Jeff Masters and Bob Henson in a blog on the Weather Und
  
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• Oil prices dip as oversupply lingers, economic growth seen slowing

  14-03-2016 02:59
  By Henning Gloystein SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices dipped on Monday, with global oversupply and slowing economic growth weighing on markets. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were trading at $38.26 per barrel at 0146 GMT, down 24 cents from their last settlement. While Morgan Stanley said that oil prices had likely bottomed out, the bank warned that a slowdown in economic growth and high production would prevent sharp rises.
  
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• VIDEO: Meet Bruno, the Mars mission rover

  14-03-2016 01:14 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC News has a look at the European Space Agency rover that will explore the red planet and look for signs of life
  
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• Businesses warned over supply chains as Edinburgh University goes conflict mineral free

  14-03-2016 01:01
  
  The University of Edinburgh has put pressure on its electronic suppliers, after it became the first higher education institution in the UK to ban the purchasing of supplies that contain controversial 'conflict minerals'.
  
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