Environment news

• 'Big, bad wolf' image flawed - scientists

  16-10-2017 22:35 via bbc.co.uk
  New research casts doubt on the idea that dogs are naturally more tolerant and friendly than wolves.
  
  Read more

• Harvey runoff menaces Texas' coral reefs

  16-10-2017 22:32 via feedproxy.google.com
  Saline levels dropped 10 percent in one day over parts of Flower Garden Banks
  
  Read more

• Whales and dolphins lead 'human-like lives' thanks to big brains, says study

  16-10-2017 20:02 via theguardian.com
  The cultural brain hypothesis of human development could also explain cetaceans forming friendships – and even gossipingLife is not so different beneath the ocean waves. Bottlenose dolphins use simple tools, orcas call each other by name, and sperm whales talk in local dialects. Many cetaceans live in tight-knit groups and spend a good deal of time at play.That much scientists know. But in a new study, researchers compiled a list of the rich behaviours spotted in 90 different species of do
  
  Read more

• We can do without plastic packaging and supermarkets | Letters

  16-10-2017 19:16 via theguardian.com
  Instead shop in markets and smaller shops, which are less packaging obsessed and often use paper bags, says Rachel MeredithThe idea of increasing the use of aluminium and steel packaging, as proposed by Andy Clarke (Bring in plastic packaging ban, former Asda boss tells stores, 13 October), is not a sustainable solution. Both materials rely on finite substances and intensive energy to produce them, and there is no guarantee that they will be recycled and will avoid ending up in the sea as well.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Coalition balks on Finkel target but will unveil energy and emissions policy

  16-10-2017 19:00 via theguardian.com
  Guardian Essential poll finds 65% support for doomed target recommended by the chief scientist Alan FinkelThe Turnbull government is poised to unveil a new energy investment framework that will impose obligations on the electricity sector to reduce emissions consistent with the Paris agreement. It will also create new reliability obligations to ensure there’s enough dispatchable power in the system.
  Cabinet, and the government’s backbench committee on environment and energy, consider
  
  Read more

• World petrol demand 'likely to peak by 2030 as electric car sales rise'

  16-10-2017 18:04 via theguardian.com
  Wood Mackenzie predicts global oil growth will plateau about 2035 – earlier than some previous forecastsWorld petrol demand will peak within 13 years thanks to the impact of electric cars and more efficient engines, energy experts have predicted.UK-based Wood Mackenzie said it expected the take-up of electric vehicles to cut gasoline demand significantly, particularly beyond 2025 as the battery-powered cars go mainstream. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Neutron stars: Sound of collision recorded for first time

  16-10-2017 17:44 via bbc.co.uk
  It's the first time this noise has ever been detected.
  
  Read more

• Neutron stars: 'Hear' the mighty cosmic collision

  16-10-2017 17:44 via bbc.co.uk
  Scientists convert the gravitational wave signal from merging neutron stars into sound.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Indigenous rights "serious obstacle" to Kinder Morgan pipeline, report says

  16-10-2017 17:22 via theguardian.com
  Pipeline company downplaying major legal and financial risks of crossing unceded First Nations territory in British ColumbiaThe controversial expansion of a pipeline that would carry tar sands crude from Alberta to British Columbia’s coast will be doomed by the rising power of Indigenous land rights.That’s the message that Kanahus Manuel, an Indigenous activist from the Secwepemc Nation in central BC, plans to deliver to banks financing the project as she travels through Europe this
  
  Read more

• 'Hungry bear' crisis leaves two people dead in Russia's far east

  16-10-2017 17:02 via theguardian.com
  Overfishing and fewer food sources making bears more aggressive, say officials, who have killed 83 on Sakhalin Island this yearTwo people have been killed by bears in Russia’s far east as increasingly large numbers of the animals are approaching humans due to a lack of food sources. Authorities on Sakhalin Island last week said 83 bears had to be shot dead because they were hostile. That figure is nearly three times higher than last year. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Are flatulent shellfish really contributing to climate change?

  16-10-2017 16:24 via theguardian.com
  Scientists investigating marine life in the Baltic Sea have found mussels, oysters and clams are emitting greenhouse gases – but cows still trump themSwedish scientists have found that flatulent shellfish are creating vast amounts of greenhouse gases, leading to a predictable slew of comments about farting cockles and clams. But beneath the schoolboy humour, there is a serious point. The two gases in question – methane and nitrous oxide – are potent agents of climate change, wi
  
  Read more

• Einstein’s waves detected in star smash

  16-10-2017 16:20 via bbc.co.uk
  Scientists detect the warping of space generated by the collision of two neutron stars.
  
  Read more

• Report: Preservation policies could hamper Clean Growth Strategy's household efficiency plans

  16-10-2017 14:29
  Preservation policies for listed buildings and homes in conservation areas could scupper the measures to improve domestic energy efficiency as set out in the newly-released Clean Growth Strategy.
  
  Read more

• How this camel ended up in Norway

  16-10-2017 13:57 via bbc.co.uk
  The Saetereng family are trying to live a sustainable lifestyle in Akkarfjord, northern Norway.
  
  Read more

• The Salvation Army: Labour exploitation in England and Wales on the rise

  16-10-2017 13:56
  More than 600 people required support from The Salvation Army for labour exploitation in 2016, as a new report from the organisation reveals that there has been a more than 300% increase in modern slavery victim referrals over the last six years.
  
  Read more

• Report: Building preservation policies could hamper Clean Growth Strategy's household efficiency plans

  16-10-2017 13:56
  Preservation policies for listed buildings and homes in conservation areas could scupper the measures to improve domestic energy efficiency as set out in the newly-released Clean Growth Strategy.
  
  Read more

• This is what America's eco city of the future looks like

  16-10-2017 13:49 via theguardian.com
  Georgetown mayor Dale Ross is ‘a good little Republican’ – but ever since his city weaned itself off fossil fuels, he has become a hero to environmentalistsWhen the caller said he worked for Harry Reid and the former Senate majority leader wanted a word, Dale Ross assumed it was a joke. “OK, which of my buddies are messing with me today?” he wondered.He shouldn’t have been so surprised. Ross is the mayor of Georgetown, population 65,000, and he has become a mi
  
  Read more

• Lloyd's of London first insurer to back kWh guarantee for solar installations

  16-10-2017 13:09
  Businesses can now receive a kWh performance guarantee for solar fittings after PV manufacturer Autarco launched a new assurance for its PV systems.
  
  Read more

• Pret A Manger trials plastic bottle alternatives across select stores

  16-10-2017 12:33
  Pret A Manger is looking to reduce the number of plastic bottles sold at its outlets and on the high streets, by offering free filtered water and reusable glass bottles at its three Veggie Pret shops.
  
  Read more

• The war on coal is over. Coal lost | Dana Nuccitelli

  16-10-2017 12:00 via theguardian.com
  Coal can’t compete with cheaper clean energy. The Trump administration can’t save expensive, dirty energy.Last week, Trump’s EPA administrator Scott Pruitt announced, “the war on coal is over.” If there ever was a war on coal, the coal industry has lost. According to a new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists, many old American coal power plants are being retired or converted to natural gas, and new coal power plants aren’t being built because they&rs
  
  Read more

• Photographers against wildlife crime – in pictures

  16-10-2017 11:00 via theguardian.com
  In a new project, an international group of photographers have joined forces to use their powerful images to raise awareness and funds to help stop the illegal wildlife trade Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• 1,000mph 'Bloodhound' rocket car fires up

  16-10-2017 10:36 via bbc.co.uk
  World Land Speed record holder Andy Green describes the sensation of starting up the Bloodhound supersonic car for the first time.
  
  Read more

• Raw sewage 'flowing into rivers across England and Wales'

  16-10-2017 09:21 via theguardian.com
  WWF analysis reports that 40% of rivers are polluted with sewage that can harm wildlife and put human health at riskRaw sewage is flowing into rivers at thousands of sites across England and Wales, a report has warned, harming wildlife and putting human health at risk.The total amount of raw sewage intentionally being put into rivers is unknown, which is a “huge concern”, according to conservation group WWF, which produced the analysis. The available data suggests that more than half
  
  Read more

• Investors urged to engage with Sustainable Development Goals

  16-10-2017 09:15
  Investors have been urged to support the "world's most pressing environmental, social and economic issues" by using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a capital allocation guide.
  
  Read more

• Our cities need fewer cars, not cleaner cars

  16-10-2017 08:30 via theguardian.com
  Electric cars won’t eradicate gridlocks and air pollution, but carbon footprints could be cut by favouring pedestrians, cyclists and mass transitThe spectre of our cities choking with unhealthy air has prompted numerous governments to mandate a transition to electric cars. Their concerns are well founded, even if their proposals fall short of what is needed.Over the past four decades, cars have become far less polluting. Their fuel efficiency has practically doubled and their tailpipe emis
  
  Read more

• Cabinet meets to discuss Coalition energy plan – as it happened

  16-10-2017 08:11 via theguardian.com
  The government prepares to release its energy security policy but faces further opposition from Labor and gets more bad news in the polls. Join us as we update you through the day 7.09am BSTThe parliament is winding down and so am I, so let’s take a quick look at what we learnt, what we have ahead of us, and what we know as we wrap up the day. 6.41am BSTPopping back into the Senate and Pauline Hanson is annoyed there is even a debate about raising the voting age – and that she is get
  
  Read more

• Cabinet meets to discuss Coalition energy plan – politics live

  16-10-2017 08:09 via theguardian.com
  The government prepares to release its energy security policy but faces further opposition from Labor and gets more bad news in the polls. Join us as we update you through the day 7.09am BSTThe parliament is winding down and so am I, so let’s take a quick look at what we learnt, what we have ahead of us, and what we know as we wrap up the day. 6.41am BSTPopping back into the Senate and Pauline Hanson is annoyed there is even a debate about raising the voting age – and that she is get
  
  Read more

• The Texas town where all the energy is green

  16-10-2017 08:00 via theguardian.com
  Georgetown mayor Dale Ross is ‘a good little Republican’ – but ever since his city weaned itself off fossil fuels, he has become a hero to environmentalistsWhen the caller said he worked for Harry Reid and the former Senate majority leader wanted a word, Dale Ross assumed it was a joke. “OK, which of my buddies are messing with me today?” he wondered.He shouldn’t have been so surprised. Ross is the mayor of Georgetown, population 65,000, and he has become a mi
  
  Read more

• High-street outlets move to ditch plastic amid environmental concerns

  16-10-2017 07:00 via theguardian.com
  Pret A Manger becomes the latest to act by offering free filtered water and selling empty glass bottles
  A growing number of outlets selling food and drink in the UK are taking action to ditch plastic amid deepening concern about its effect on the environment, with drinking straws and bottles among items being phased out.Pret A Manger has become the latest to take action, announcing that it has installed taps dispensing free filtered water and started selling empty glass bottles in its three vege
  
  Read more

• From white deer to loved-up puffins: 10 of the UK’s most stunning wildlife sights

  16-10-2017 06:30 via theguardian.com
  Images of salmon hurling themselves upriver, or a sea eagle diving for fish may be commonplace on TV documentaries, but it is possible to see such incredible sights for yourself, and in the UK Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Ed Husic decries Trump travel ban as parliament debates US relationship – politics live

  16-10-2017 04:01 via theguardian.com
  The government prepares to release its energy security policy but faces further opposition from Labor and gets more bad news in the polls. Join us as we update you through the day 3.00am BSTScott Morrison addressed Citigroup in New York late last week and has promised there are “better days ahead” for the economy.My speech to global investors in NY about Australia's solid economic growth story. Full text here: https://t.co/gKMFmOBLyI pic.twitter.com/3NCg5ryJ6b 2.44am BSTIt’s a
  
  Read more

• The world is going slow on coal, but misinformation is distorting the facts

  16-10-2017 01:38 via theguardian.com
  A recent story on 621 plants being built globally was played up in various media – but the figure is way off the markThis is a story about how misinformation can take hold. It’s not always down to dishonesty. Sometimes it’s just a lack of time, a headline and the multiplying power of ideological certainty.Last week, China announced it was stopping or postponing work on 151 coal plants that were either under, or earmarked for, construction. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Parliament dominated by energy with one eye on the high court – politics live

  16-10-2017 00:19 via theguardian.com
  The government prepares to release its energy security policy but faces further opposition from Labor and gets more bad news in the polls. Join us as we update you through the day 11.16pm BSTJulie Bishop is speaking at the Australian Institute of International Affairs National Conference. We only caught the beginning of it, before Sky News diverted to something else, but she opened the speech by saying there was a chance in the foreseeable future that Australia could sit outside the worlds 20 bi
  
  Read more

Follow @UK_Environment on Twitter!