Environment news

• Florida mosquitoes: 750 million genetically modified insects to be released

  20-08-2020 21:50 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The aim is to reduce insect-borne diseases but environmental groups warn of unforeseen consequences.
  
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• Greenland's melting ice sheet – in pictures

  20-08-2020 19:48
  
  New research has found Greenland lost more than a million tonnes of ice every minute in 2019, a trend which could result in a catastrophic sea level riseGreenland ice sheet lost a record 1m tonnes of ice per minute in 2019Continue reading...
  
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• Dixons Carphone to convert to electric and alternative fuel fleet by 2030

  20-08-2020 17:25
  
  Dixons Carphone has signed up to the Climate Group's EV100 initiative, pledging to switch its commercial fleet to electric and alternative fuel vehicles by 2030 and to transition more than half of its medium duty vehicles.
  
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• Ancient Egypt: Mummified animals 'digitally unwrapped' in 3D scans

  20-08-2020 17:05 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The snake, bird and cat, from Swansea University's collection, are at least 2,000 years old.
  
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• Climate change: 'Unprecedented' ice loss as Greenland breaks record

  20-08-2020 17:01 via bbc.co.uk
  
  In a record breaking 2019, Greenland lost enough ice to cover the UK with over 2m of melt water.
  
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• Greenland ice sheet lost a record 1m tonnes of ice per minute in 2019

  20-08-2020 17:00
  
  Climate-driven loss is likely to be the worst for centuries, and is pushing up sea levels The Greenland ice sheet lost a record amount of ice in 2019, equivalent to a million tonnes per minute across the year, satellite data shows.The climate crisis is heating the Arctic at double the rate in lower latitudes, and the ice cap is the biggest single contributor to sea level rise, which already imperils coasts around the world. The ice sheet shrank by 532bn tonnes last year as its surface melted and
  
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• 'A journey around the world': Kew Gardens offers visitors an escape

  20-08-2020 15:36
  
  Travel the World at Kew series will showcases plants from 10 countries across six continentsThose unable to satisfy their wanderlust in these uncertain days of lockdown and travel quarantine are invited to immerse themselves in the sights, smells and spirit of faraway places – in a botanical sense at least – here in the UK.From colossal Californian redwoods, those imposing ancient giants of the plant kingdom, to the balmy fragrance of Mediterranean rosemary and lavender, visitors to
  
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• 'They're owned by all Alaskans': salmon free-for-all draws throngs

  20-08-2020 15:31
  
  Once a year every resident of the state armed with a net has the right to a haul of the fish as they swim upriver to spawnHundreds of fishermen stood chest deep in the brisk Alaskan river. Each held a five-foot net attached to a long metal pole. The only sounds were the quacks of seabirds and occasionally a new angler plodding into the water and asking, “have you caught anything yet?”Down the beach, someone shouted, “They’re running!” As she and others began draggin
  
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• 'Mummified' plants give glimpse of Earth's future

  20-08-2020 15:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Fossilised leaves suggest some plants may adapt to grow more quickly as CO2 levels rise.
  
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• ‘Bored’ ravens straying from Tower of London as tourist numbers fall

  20-08-2020 13:28
  
  Legend warns monarchy and building will crumble if resident birds flee fortressCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA lack of tourists is driving the ravens at the Tower of London to boredom and causing them to fly away.Legend has it the monarchy and the Tower of London will fall if its six resident ravens leave the fortress. Continue reading...
  
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• Dounreay site available for reuse in the year 2333

  20-08-2020 13:02 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority says the Dounreay facility will be ready for redevelopment by 2333.
  
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• Electric vehicle market to surpass 320 million sales by 2040

  20-08-2020 12:08
  
  Electric vehicle (EV) sales are expected to reach 45 million unit sales a year by 2040, growing 35 times its current size, with the globe's EV stock set to surpass 320 million, according to new research from Wood Mackenzie.
  
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• Flint water crisis: Michigan 'agrees to pay $600m'

  20-08-2020 11:34 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The crisis left at least 12 dead and exposed tens of thousands of children to lead poisoning.
  
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• Revealed: how the gas industry is waging war against climate action

  20-08-2020 11:00
  
  In a nationwide blitz, gas companies and their allies fight climate efforts that they consider an existential threat to their business When progressive Seattle decided last year to wipe out its climate pollution within the decade, the city council vote in favor was unsurprisingly unanimous, and the easiest first step on that path was clear.About one-third of the city’s climate footprint comes from buildings, in large part from burning “natural” gas for heating and cooking. Gas
  
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• Energy retailer IGS commits to net-zero by 2040

  20-08-2020 10:22
  
  One of the US's largest energy retailer,s, IGS, has announced a new commitment to reach net-zero emissions for its operations and the services it provides to its domestic and business customers by 2040, pledging to provide 100% renewable electricity and carbon-neutral gas.
  
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• UK's CCS deployment lacking 'comprehensive' planning on non-cluster sites

  20-08-2020 09:13
  
  The UK's net-zero transition is lacking a "comprehensive regulatory framework" to overcome challenges to "dispersed" sites that would be suitable for carbon capture technology (CCS) but that aren't located in industrial clusters.
  
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• ‘Cancer of the industry’: Beirut's blast proves lethal risk of abandoning ships

  20-08-2020 09:00
  
  Cargo from the MV Rhosus caused the explosion in Lebanon’s main port – its crew say they were stranded aboard for a year
  The problems began the moment Captain Boris Prokoshev set sail aboard the MV Rhosus in 2013.He discovered that the ageing Russian-owned cargo ship, bound for Mozambique, was in “terrible” condition, including having a defunct generator. Then he learned that the previous crew had mutinied over unpaid wages. So it was no surprise when the owner told Proko
  
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• Country diary: a visit to the little haven of Pleasure Piece

  20-08-2020 06:30
  
  Hingston Down, Tamar valley: Open heath like this was popular for picnics and excursions in Edwardian days Afternoon sun dapples rabbit-burrowed earth beside the steep sunken lane leading to the stream that used to power Barret’s corn mill and other mills, down towards the Tamar at Cotehele. Northwards is old mining country, rising to the summit of Hingston Down, with its ancient tumuli, disused mine workings and brickworks. On lower slopes, overlooked by Kit Hill, an arsenic stack protrud
  
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• Mott MacDonald signs World Green Building Council's net-zero commitment

  20-08-2020 02:02
  
  Five major companies including Mott MacDonald have signed up to the World Green Building Council's (WorldGBC) net-zero carbon commitment, which binds signatories to reach carbon neutral operations by 2030.
  
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• Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: The animals at risk from Alaska oil drilling

  20-08-2020 01:05 via bbc.co.uk
  
  As Donald Trump pushes forward with plans for drilling in the Alaskan wilderness, what is at stake?
  
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