Environment news

• Protecting people and planet from "invisible killer" is focus of UN health campaign to tackle air pollution

  20-10-2016 23:50 via feedproxy.google.com
  The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the Coalition for Climate and Clean Air (CCAC) and the Government of Norway has launched a global awareness campaign on the dangers of air pollution – especially ‘invisible killers’ such as black carbon, ground-level ozone and methane – for the health of individuals and the planet.Titled BreatheLife: Clean air. A healthy future, the campaign aims to mobilize cities and their inhabitants on issues
  
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• Scientists find link between tropical storms and decline of river deltas

  20-10-2016 23:36 via feedproxy.google.com
  Research by the University of Southampton shows that a change in the patterns of tropical storms is threatening the future of the Mekong River delta in Vietnam, indicating a similar risk to other deltas around the world.The study, funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and undertaken in collaboration with the universities of Exeter (UK), Hull (UK), Illinois (USA) and Aalto University (Finland), found that changes in the behaviour of cyclones mean less sediment is running in
  
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• Before the Flood review – DiCaprio's level-headed climate change doc

  20-10-2016 23:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Correctly identifying the most important issue of our time, the actor uses his clout and his carbon footprint to travel the world and ponder the incongruitiesHere is a heartfelt, decent, educational documentary about the most important issue of our time – climate change – presented by A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio, who proves his own commitment to the cause. His own interest began with an encounter with Al Gore in 2000 and has been a genuine passion with him since. DiCaprio concedes tha
  
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• New 13-year Study Tracks Impact of Changing Climate on a Key Marine Food Source

  20-10-2016 22:08 via feedproxy.google.com
  A new multiyear study from scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has shown for the first time how changes in ocean temperature affect a key species of phytoplankton. The study, published in the October 21 issue of the journal Science, tracked levels of Synechococcus—a tiny bacterium common in marine ecosystems—near the coast of Massachusetts over a 13-year period. As ocean temperatures increased during that time, annual blooms of Synechococcus&n
  
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• Move over, solar: The next big renewable energy source could be at our feet

  20-10-2016 21:56 via feedproxy.google.com
  Flooring can be made from any number of sustainable materials, making it, generally, an eco-friendly feature in homes and businesses alike.Now, however, flooring could be even more “green,” thanks to an inexpensive, simple method developed by University of Wisconsin–Madison materials engineers that allows them to convert footsteps into usable electricity.
  
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• Oil down 2 percent, strong dollar knocks U.S. crude off 15-month highs

  20-10-2016 21:52
  By Ethan Lou NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices settled down more than 2 percent on Thursday, as a resurgent dollar encouraged players to take profit on the previous day's rally that sent U.S. crude to 15-month highs. The dollar hit seven-month highs against a basket of currencies and a three-month peak versus the euro after the European Central Bank kept interest rates unchanged and U.S. data showed home resales surged in September. Benchmark Brent crude for December delivery settled down $1.29, o
  
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• Jupiter's Stripes Go Deep, and Other Surprises from Juno Probe

  20-10-2016 21:08
  
  Jupiter's stripes are more than skin deep, according to observations by NASA's Juno probe, which has revealed many new surprises about the Jovian giant. On Aug. 27, the probe made a close flyby of the planet, during which, the science team was supposed to calibrate Juno's instruments and get familiar with the intense environment around Jupiter, according to Juno principal investigator Scott Bolton. Jupiter's bold, colorful stripes are clouds, and optical light can't penetrate them to see what's
  
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• Safe new storage method could be key to future of hydrogen-powered vehicles

  20-10-2016 20:38 via feedproxy.google.com
  Hydrogen is often described as the fuel of the future, particularly when applied to hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles. One of the main obstacles facing this technology – a potential solution to future sustainable transport – has been the lack of a lightweight, safe on-board hydrogen storage material.
  
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• Quality of life v the push for fracking and airport expansion | Letters

  20-10-2016 20:38 via theguardian.com
  
  It is easy sometimes to wonder whether our governments care about anything except money; yet they refuse to put a monetary value on those aspects of life that lend enchantment (Mary Dejevsky, Quality of life has a price. The frackers should pay it, 17 October). A beautiful view is one of these; so is peace and quiet. So is the ability to keep one’s windows open at night.These blessings are disappearing at great speed, as the skies fill up, and as lorries, cars and machines are added to our
  
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• Ford drives forward with water stewardship goals

  20-10-2016 20:06
  
  Ford has reinforced its sustainability commitments with a new target to reduce its water use by nearly three-quarters since the turn of the millennium, as the US automotive firm moves towards using zero potable water for vehicle manufacturing processes.
  
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• Bristol zoo's caesarean-born gorilla meets troop members for first time

  20-10-2016 19:51 via theguardian.com
  
  Afia has been introduced to Romina, the zoo’s 36-year-old female, after being hand-reared since her birth eight months agoA baby gorilla born by caesarean section eight months ago has begun meeting others in her troop at Bristol zoo.Afia, a western lowland gorilla, was born in February and has now met the zoo’s 36-year-old female, Romina, while her keepers watched on. The pair are getting on well and are now spending 24 hours a day together. Continue reading...
  
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• Giant dinosaurs 'crossed continents'

  20-10-2016 19:49 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Some of the giants of the dinosaur family may have arisen in South America and crossed over Antarctica to Australia about 100 million years ago, new fossil evidence suggests.
  
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• Two workers die in fire at Saudi Aramco plant

  20-10-2016 19:39
  Saudi Aramco said on Thursday that two workers died of injuries sustained in a fire that broke out at its Wasea crude oil plant in central Saudi Arabia. "We sadly announce the tragic loss of two workers and 16 injured from a fire" at the plant, it said on Thursday on its official twitter page.
  
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• Global wine production expected to fall by 5% due to 'climatic events'

  20-10-2016 18:20 via theguardian.com
  
  South America, particularly Argentina and Chile, sees biggest decline, a potential worry for fans of wines such as malbecGlobal wine production is expected to fall by 5% in 2016 because of “climatic events” causing steep drops in production in most of the southern hemisphere, particularly Chile and Argentina.The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) estimates that output will reach 259.5m hectolitres (mhl) this year, making 2016 among the lowest production years in the pa
  
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• Europe's offshore wind industry booming as costs fall

  20-10-2016 17:29 via theguardian.com
  
  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 360On a sunny October morning, our boat passes the run-down relicts of Liverpool’s maritime past and heads down the river Mersey and into the Irish Sea. As we steam offshore, I see in the distance a cluster of tall structures that soon reveal themselves to be towers of a wind tu
  
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• Nigerian president leads tributes to oil activist Ken Wiwa

  20-10-2016 17:21 via theguardian.com
  
  The Ogoni leader and son of renowned Niger delta environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa has died from a stroke in London, aged 47The 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, who has died from a stroke in London.
  Wiwa, the eldest son of Nigerian author Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was executed in 1995 after leading a peaceful uprising by the Ogoni people
  
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• Oil down 2 percent on profit-taking, dollar rise

  20-10-2016 17:14
  By Ethan Lou NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil markets fell more than 2 percent on Thursday, wiping out the previous day's gains on profit-taking and after a run-up in the dollar, which weighed on prices of commodities denominated in the greenback. The dollar index hit seven-month highs against basket of currencies and a three-month peak versus the euro after the European Central Bank kept interest rates unchanged. "After the big run, I think it is very reasonable", Kyle Cooper, analyst at ION Energy in
  
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• Park ranger murdered while trying to protect Congo's rare gorillas

  20-10-2016 16:43 via theguardian.com
  
  Munganga Nzonga Jacques died in a region of Kahuzi Biega national park previously believed to be safe for the gorillas, Mongabay reportsOn 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 at the age of 26. He was killed in the Tshivanga region of the park — an area that was previously believed to be safe for the gorillas,
  
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• Strange purple sea creatures found in deep ocean trenches

  20-10-2016 16:40 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Scores of spectacular and rare undersea species have been found on expeditions to some of the deepest trenches in the Pacific Ocean.
  
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• Kumbuka the London zoo gorilla's story – video report

  20-10-2016 15:59 via theguardian.com
  
  Kumbuka, an endangered Lowland gorilla, escaped from his enclosure in London zoo on 13 October. It was later discovered he drank five litres of undiluted blackcurrant squash before being returned to his space. The zoo says Kumbuka was never a threat to visitors London Zoo gorilla drank five litres of blackcurrant juice after escaping enclosure
  Continue reading...
  
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• Duterte aligns Philippines with China, says U.S. 'has lost'

  20-10-2016 15:37
  By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced his "separation" from the United States on Thursday, declaring he had realigned with China as the two agreed to resolve their South China Sea dispute through talks. Duterte made his comments in Beijing, where he is visiting with at least 200 business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance as relations with longtime ally Washington deteriorate. "In this venue, your honours, in this venu
  
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• Global wine production falls by 5% due to 'climatic events'

  20-10-2016 15:25 via theguardian.com
  
  South America, particularly Argentina and Chile, sees biggest decline, a potential worry for fans of wines such as malbecGlobal 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 estimated consumer demand, the figures from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), which show that 2016 was among the lowes
  
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• Investigation begins for pioneering salt cavern hydrogen storage projects

  20-10-2016 15:00
  
  Engineering company Atkins has been selected by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) to examine the potential for British salt caverns to store hydrogen to be used in power generation.
  
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• Investigation begins for pioneering salt cavern CCS projects

  20-10-2016 15:00
  
  Engineering company Atkins has been selected by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) to examine the potential for British salt caverns to store hyrodrogen to be used in power generation.
  
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• Schiaparelli Mars probe's parachute 'jettisoned too early'

  20-10-2016 14:22 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Europe's Schiaparelli lander did not behave as expected as it headed down to the surface of Mars on Wednesday, data shows.
  
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• Monthly record-warm streak ends, September 2nd warmest on record for globe

  20-10-2016 14:12 via feedproxy.google.com
  August's warmth spread into September, contributing to the warmest year to date for the globe, but not enough to continue the recent 16-month streak of record warmth. Even so, September 2016 ranked as the second warmest September on record.  
  
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• Britain loves onshore wind, contrary to popular belief

  20-10-2016 14:08
  
  Three-quarters of the British public back onshore wind power - more than double the level of support for fracking - but there remains a clear difference between perception and reality when it comes to assessing this support, a new survey has revealed.
  
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• Consistent procurement critical to achieve circular construction, report claims

  20-10-2016 13:39
  
  A collective, industry-led approach to procurement in the development of major infrastructure projects across the UK would help achieve a circular economy in the construction sector, a new report from a cross-sector group has found.
  
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• Palm oil in Liberia: hope and anger in one of Africa's poorest countries – video

  20-10-2016 13:32 via theguardian.com
  
  Bacchus Wilson Panyonnoh, a 35-year-old palm oil worker, and Lee Sworh, a community activist, live in the remote forests of south-east Liberia. Both have been affected by the arrival of Golden Veroleum Liberia to build one of the country’s largest palm oil plantations. For Panyonnoh, it offers the chance of a better life but Sworh wants it off the landLiberia: the growth of a new palm oil frontierContinue reading...
  
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• Duterte says U.S. has lost, aligns Philippines with China

  20-10-2016 13:27
  By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced his "separation" from the United States on Thursday, declaring that it had "lost" and he had realigned with China as the two agreed to resolve their South China Sea dispute through talks. Duterte made his comments in China, where he is visiting with at least 200 business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance as relations with longtime ally the United States deteriorate.
  
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• Droughts don’t have to spell disaster. El Niño countries, take note

  20-10-2016 13:22 via theguardian.com
  
  We know that drought is a perennial development challenge for southern Africa, but effective resilience strategies must be led by countries, not donors We all know that the ultimate success story when it comes to development is when a once struggling country goes from being dependent on aid from around the world to being an example of self-sufficiency and resilience when disaster strikes. However, how often do we see such a big transformation? One country that is demonstrating resilience is Bots
  
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• Oil slips as profits taken from strong rally

  20-10-2016 13:11
  By Sabina Zawadzki LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Thursday on profit-taking, after markets rallied the previous day on another unseasonal draw in U.S. crude oil stocks helping bullish sentiment from an expectation of an OPEC-led cut in production. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures were at $51.03 per barrel at 1100 GMT, down 57 cents from their last close. "Today we are drifting lower with WTI crude oil finding resistance at $52.
  
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• The UK public love wind power and they don't even know it

  20-10-2016 12:05 via theguardian.com
  
  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 onshore wind, but also make it harder and harder to get planning permission. But politicians are wrong to think wind power is unpopular. Again and again, polls
  
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• Saab owner prepares to roll out 250,000 EVs

  20-10-2016 12:05
  
  Saab's successor company National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) has formed a new partnership with technology firm Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to help bring more than 250,000 electric vehicles (EVs) to the global automotive market. market
  
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• How our brains become 'disembodied'

  20-10-2016 11:10 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Scientists in Italy have discovered how our brains can be tricked into feeling disembodied from our own limbs.
  
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• Oil slips after strong rally, but bullish sentiment remains

  20-10-2016 10:47
  By Sabina Zawadzki LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Thursday on profit-taking after markets rallied the previous day due to a draw in U.S. stocks and an expectation of an OPEC-led cut in production. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures were trading at $51.10 per barrel at 0840 GMT, down 50 cents from their last close. International Brent crude futures were trading at $52.20 per barrel, down 47 cents.
  
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• China's Xi says he hopes Duterte visit can "fully improve" Philippine ties

  20-10-2016 09:15
  By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that he hoped Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's "milestone" visit to China could help "fully improve" ties, which have suffered from to a territorial dispute in the South China Sea. Duterte arrived in Beijing on Tuesday with at least 200 top business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance, as relations with longtime ally the United States deteriorate. On Wednesday, to the cheers of
  
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• Stop obsessing about planes and trains, and start using roads better | Simon Jenkins

  20-10-2016 09:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Ministers are dazzled by the idea of a third Heathrow runway and HS2. If only they were as excited about car travelInfrastructure is the new kale. It is the latest fad on the block. Every politician wants more of it. To Labour and Tory, TUC and CBI, infrastructure is the acceptable face of borrowing and spending. All will be well if we just pour billions into concrete. But for what? Related: HS2: the zombie train that refuses to die | Simon JenkinsContinue reading...
  
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• Oil prices fall after strong rally, but sentiment remains confident

  20-10-2016 08:53
  By Henning Gloystein SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Thursday on profit-taking after markets rallied the previous day due to a draw in U.S. stocks and an expectation of an OPEC-led cut in production. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures were trading at $51.26 per barrel at 0648 GMT, down 34 cents from their last close. International Brent crude futures were trading at $52.41 per barrel, down 26 cents.
  
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• Senior warns on 2016 performance due to heavy truck drag

  20-10-2016 08:31
  British engineering firm Senior Plc warned its annual profit would come in below expectations due to lower demand for parts used in heavy truck production and oil and gas markets. Senior said in a statement on Thursday that its 2016 performance would be "lower than previously anticipated".
  
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• Onshore windfarms more popular than thought, UK poll finds

  20-10-2016 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  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 the UK government’s decision to block onshore windfarms but back shale gas exploration and new nuclear power plants. Continue reading...
  
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• Japan to face criticism at international summit for flouting whaling ruling

  20-10-2016 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Japanese fleets have killed more than 300 minke whales in the Southern Ocean despite a court ruling and three-decade-old banJapan 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 of them pregnant, when they resumed so-called scientific whaling in 2015-16 after a hiatus the year before because the international court of justice decided the hunts wer
  
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• Japan to face criticism at international summit for flouting whaling ban

  20-10-2016 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Japanese fleets have killed more than 300 minke whales in the Southern Ocean despite a court ruling and three-decade-old banJapan 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 and a three-decade-old ban.Japanese fleets killed more than 300 minke whales, many of them pregnant, when they resumed so-called scientific whaling in 2015-16 after a hiatus the year before because the international court of ju
  
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• EU leaders at loggerheads over nature laws review

  20-10-2016 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  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 targetsAn impasse in Brussels over changes to the EU’s pioneering nature laws has pitted the president of the European parliament, Martin Schulz, against the bloc’s chief, Jean Claude-Juncker, in private correspondence seen by the Guardian.More than a thousand animal
  
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• Delayed review of Europe's pioneering nature laws divides EU leaders

  20-10-2016 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  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 targetsAn impasse in Brussels over changes to the EU’s pioneering nature laws has pitted the president of the European parliament, Martin Schulz, against the bloc’s chief, Jean Claude-Juncker, in private correspondence seen by the Guardian.More than a thousand animal
  
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• Air pollution more deadly in Africa than malnutrition or dirty water, study warns

  20-10-2016 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Annual human and economic cost of tainted air runs to 712,000 lost lives and £364bn, finds Organisation for Economic Co-operation and DevelopmentAfrica’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 by a global policy forum has found.The first major attempt to calculate both the human and financial cost of the continent’s pollut
  
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• China's Xi says hopes Duterte's visit can improve ties with Philippines

  20-10-2016 07:11
  By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that he hoped Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's "milestone" visit to China could help "fully improve" ties between the two countries, which have suffered over disputes in the South China Sea. Duterte arrived in Beijing on Tuesday with at least 200 top business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance, amid deteriorating relations with longtime ally the United States. The effort to en
  
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• Great Barrier Reef scores D for health for fifth year in a row

  20-10-2016 07:07 via theguardian.com
  
  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 worseThe 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 row.
  The results of the annual report card were based on data collected before this year’s climate change-induced bleaching event that killed about a fifth of the reef’s co
  
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• Brazilians hit by fatal dam disaster to protest at BHP Billiton AGM

  20-10-2016 07:01 via theguardian.com
  
  World’s largest mining firm to be presented with demands of local communities affected by collapse of Samarco dam last NovemberBrazilians affected by the collapse of BHP Billiton’s Samarco dam are to stage a protest almost a year on from the fatal disaster at the company’s annual meeting in London.The world’s largest mining firm will be presented on Thursday with a list of demands from representatives of the local community in Minas Gerais region, as well as from people a
  
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