Environment news

• Jean Hedley obituary

  23-08-2018 18:19
  
  My mother, Jean Hedley, who has died aged 80, was a headteacher who used her creative and organisational talents to inspire young pupils and colleagues alike. In retirement she was appointed MBE for services to nature conservation.Born in Goudhurst, Kent, Jean was the youngest of three daughters of Jess (nee MacDonald) and William Hartnell, who were in service as a lady’s maid and chauffeur. During the second world war the family moved to Glasgow, where William became an engineer with Roll
  
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• Nearly 40,000 giraffe parts have been imported to the US in last 10 years

  23-08-2018 17:36
  Researchers from the Humane Society found 52 US locations in which giraffe products continue to be soldThe giraffe population has fallen by around 40% since 1990. There are now fewer than 100,000 giraffes alive in the world, and there are now fewer giraffes than elephants in Africa.Yet in America, trade in giraffe parts is booming. A report by the Humane Society of the United States, released on Thursday, found that nearly 40,000 giraffe parts have been imported to the US over the past decade, t
  
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• Tropical disease outbreaks are growing threat in Europe as temperatures rise

  23-08-2018 16:48
  After West Nile virus kills 22 people in heatwave, experts warn of more mosquito and tick-borne diseases due to climate changeEurope is facing a growing threat of tropical disease outbreaks, as rising temperatures linked to climate change cause illnesses brought by travellers to spread more easily, health experts warned.This summer has seen a sharp spike in West Nile virus infections in Europe, following soaring temperatures, compared with the past four years. Until the middle of August, 400 cas
  
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• Ban diesel cars from cities, say half of UK drivers in poll

  23-08-2018 15:46
  Almost three-quarters of motorists also think toxic air in their area is damaging their healthMore than half of UK motorists think diesel cars should be banned from urban areas due to air pollution concerns, according to a new opinion poll.The proportion backing a ban rose to 80% when drivers were asked if diesel cars should be excluded areas around schools and hospitals. Nearly a third said diesels should be banned from all roads. Continue reading...
  
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• 'They are taking out a generation of tuna': overfishing causes crisis in Philippines

  23-08-2018 14:01
  Men like Raul Gomez have been catching tuna for 40 years, but as fisheries in the region edge closer to collapse, he spends longer at sea to catch ever smaller tuna Raul Gomez is an old man who fishes with five crew on a clipper in the coral triangle, and he has spent two months now without taking enough to feed his family.Riding out storms and searing heat in western Pacific waters, the burly, sun-inked Filipino uses a pole and line to reel in yellowfin tuna the size of an adult human.Continue
  
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• Report: Global green finance levels insufficient to underpin SDGs

  23-08-2018 12:43
  Despite strong growth in the green finance market in recent times, the current global economic system will not be able to underpin the level of public and private financing needed to meet the United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  
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• UK Power Networks puts forward 'flexibility first' vision

  23-08-2018 11:57
  The UK's largest electricity distributor has proposed adopting a "flexibility first" approach to the delivery of extra grid capacity, in a move that could bring renewable energy onto the network at a lower cost.
  
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• Survival of the slackest: now that’s what I call an evolved theory | Larry Ryan

  23-08-2018 10:10
  Fellow captains of indolence, rejoice. A study of molluscs holds out hope for those of us of the laid-back persuasionBack when I was at university in Dublin, I once gave blood at a nearby donation clinic. They gave you a free sandwich beforehand to prevent blood-depleted fainting so it was a good deal in straitened, student times (I had the chicken). Post-lunch, a nurse hooked up my arm to get the blood; after a while a doctor came over to observe, and asked how it was going. “There’
  
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• Colombian activists face 'extermination' by criminal gangs

  23-08-2018 09:00
  Nearly two years after the signing of a historic peace agreement, violence in the country continuesEnrique Fernández cannot remember the last night he slept peacefully.He is tall and heavyset, and does not look like someone who scares easily, but as he sits in his humble rented home in western Colombia, his eyes dart nervously from left to right, scanning for any threat. Continue reading...
  
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• Aeolus: How a satellite will measure wind across Earth

  23-08-2018 07:02 via bbc.co.uk
  Meteorologists are hopeful Aeolus will have a big impact on the quality of medium-range weather forecasts.
  
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• Europe to ban halogen lightbulbs

  23-08-2018 07:00
  After nearly 60 years of lighting homes halogens will be replaced with more energy efficient LEDsAfter nearly 60 years of brightening our homes and streets, halogen lightbulbs will finally be banned across Europe on 1 September.The lights will dim gradually for halogen. Remaining stocks may still be sold, and capsules, linear and low voltage incandescents used in oven lights will be exempted. But a continent-wide switchover to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is underway that will slash emissions an
  
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