Environment news

• Fire chiefs warn UK is not prepared for climate crisis impacts

  02-02-2025 16:16 via theguardian.com
  
  National Fire Chiefs Council says ability of firefighters to respond is at risk as it calls for urgent preventive actionThe UK is not prepared for the impact of climate breakdown, fire chiefs have warned, as they called on the government to take urgent action to protect communities.The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said the ability of fire services to tackle weather-related emergencies was at risk, despite often being the primary frontline response to major weather events including floodin
  
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• ‘Heartbreaking’: Iceland’s pioneering female fishing guides fear for wild salmon

  02-02-2025 10:33 via theguardian.com
  First women working as fishing guides on Laxá River, featured in new film, call for action after farmed fish escapeFor seven generations, Andrea Ósk Hermóðsdóttir’s family have been fishing on the Laxá River in Aðaldalur. Iceland has a reputation as a world leader on feminism, but until recently women have not been able to work as guides to wild salmon fishing for visiting anglers – a job that has traditionally been the preserve of men.The 2
  
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• Airport expansion puts the government on the flight path to years of trouble and strife

  02-02-2025 08:30 via theguardian.com
  
  On top of the added levels of noise and air pollution, there’s the non-trivial matter of demolishing hundreds of homes, diverting several waterways and rerouting a long stretch of the M25Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has illuminated the “fasten seat belts” sign. Not only have Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves run into severe turbulence over Heathrow, the flight deck deliberately steered the Labour plane into storm clouds. That’s an interesting choice for a government
  
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• Tax on UK incinerators may push councils to send more waste to landfill

  02-02-2025 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Government scheme to penalise pollution from burning rubbish won’t ensure more is recycled, consultants warnCouncils may be forced to send more rubbish to landfill or export it overseas because of a new pollution tax set to be imposed on the UK’s network of waste incinerators.There are already more than 60 energy-from-waste incinerators across the UK and the Observer revealed in December that as many as 40 new plants are in the pipeline. Many local councils have supported the policy
  
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• How can a new runway at Heathrow be good for the planet? | Observer letters

  02-02-2025 07:00 via theguardian.com
  A West End play reveals the way in which powerful vested interests brought about the demise of the climate protocolIn his review of the play Kyoto (“The Kyoto climate treaty is hailed on stage, but reality tells a different story”, Focus), Robin McKie rightly points out that the world is failing dismally to effectively get a grip on the climate crisis.Richer countries that were part of the Kyoto bloc – mostly European nations – put in place extensive policies to implement
  
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• Nasa needs saving from itself – but is this billionaire right for that job?

  02-02-2025 01:04 via bbc.com
  
  The success of SpaceX and other private-sector space firms is throwing up hard questions about America's "great national treasure".
  
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