Environment news

• First hydropower projects in Great Britain in 40 years given go-ahead

  26-06-2026 11:18 via theguardian.com
  Three pumped storage hydroelectric power station sites in Scotland on list of 16 long-duration electricity storage plansBusiness live – latest updatesThe energy regulator has given the provisional green light for the construction of the first new hydropower projects in more than 40 years, part of plans to reduce Great Britain’s reliance on energy imports.Ofgem has published a list of 16 long-duration electricity storage projects, facilities that can store and release electricity for
  
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• Martin Rowson on the UK’s record-breaking June temperatures – cartoon

  26-06-2026 18:34 via theguardian.com
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• Climate sceptics cheering as they melt in record temperatures? This heatwave is where satire has come to die | Jonathan Freedland

  26-06-2026 18:31 via theguardian.com
  Delegates at an ‘anti-woke’ conference disparaged Ed Miliband’s net zero policies. But even they could not ignore the sweat on their foreheadsIt was hardly a perfect film, but I keep thinking of Don’t Look Up. In its depiction of a world that stubbornly refuses to heed the warnings of an imminent planetary disaster, it was perhaps too on the nose. But these days, reality itself is too on the nose.This week served up ample evidence, on both sides of the Atlantic. In Britai
  
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• ‘We feel like the peasants’: women and low-income families bear brunt of heatwave

  26-06-2026 17:00 via theguardian.com
  As temperatures soar across Europe, cities are struggling to adapt, further exacerbating socioeconomic divisions The heatwave afflicting western Europe is the worst ever, with the combination of heat and humidity fuelled by the climate crisis making scores of cities feel unliveable. While for some the adverse impacts amount to disturbed sleep and sticky days in the home office, low-income families are often worse affected by cities’ lack of adequate adaptation measures, with women at the s
  
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• UK June heat record broken again, France postpones Pride and Poland warns of wildfires as heatwave grips Europe – live

  26-06-2026 16:45 via theguardian.com
  Estimated 150 million people in Europe could experience temperatures above 35C todayEuropean heatwave is worst ever and impossible without climate crisis, scientists sayOver in the UK, firefighters are still trying to bring a large wildfire in Derbyshire under control.The blaze, which has burned over 500 square metres of moorland and woodland on Tintwistle Moor, near Glossop, broke out on Wednesday evening, with fire crews from Manchester and Derbyshire deploying a water-dropping helicopter and
  
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• Adapting to the heat: four ideas from European cities

  26-06-2026 16:35 via theguardian.com
  From checking on older neighbours to greening spaces, some cities are stepping up efforts to keep people safeEurope live – latest updatesExtreme heat has seared Europe this week, alarming doctors as the UK smashed its top heat record for June three days in a row, and France sweltered through its hottest day and night on record.But even as fossil fuel pollution bakes the planet, making heatwaves hotter and longer, some places are adapting better than others. Continue reading...
  
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• Europe heatwave live: UK June heat record broken for third day in a row; France and Belgium cancel events

  26-06-2026 15:07 via theguardian.com
  Estimated 150 million people in Europe could experience temperatures above 35C todayEuropean heatwave is worst ever and impossible without climate crisis, scientists sayOver in the UK, firefighters are still trying to bring a large wildfire in Derbyshire under control.The blaze, which has burned over 500 square metres of moorland and woodland on Tintwistle Moor, near Glossop, broke out on Wednesday evening, with fire crews from Manchester and Derbyshire deploying a water-dropping helicopter and
  
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• Spain's military firefighters battle wildfire in Huesca province – video

  26-06-2026 14:13 via theguardian.com
  Firefighters worked to halt a wildfire near Tamarite de Litera in Huesca province, where flames have scorched at least 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres). Firefighters from the military emergency unit worked through Thursday night to contain the blaze, clearing vegetation and using hoses to prevent the fire from spreading. The Aragon regional government declared a level 2 emergency on Thursday. Hundreds of people were evacuated from three municipalities as authorities sought to protect nearby communit
  
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• ‘Make people dream’: how to build an economy for the common good

  26-06-2026 14:05 via theguardian.com
  Economist Prof Mariana Mazzucato says governments must ‘get back their mojo’ and believe they can change the world Good governments have a vision. They know what they want to achieve, can articulate why, and work out in public how to get there. They don’t just spout slogans about economic growth – because growth is meaningless unless we know what it is for. They understand that there is no trade-off between solving social problems and boosting the economy, and aim to do b
  
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• Rotisserie chickens in the trash: I worked in a supermarket and saw shocking food waste every day | Ann Larson

  26-06-2026 14:00 via theguardian.com
  Stores over-stock their shelves, then toss out what they don’t sell. Meanwhile, workers struggle to make ends meetTo most grocery shoppers, rotisserie chickens look like a mouth-watering and easy option for dinner. But whenever I pass by the rotisserie case in a supermarket, I see chicken carcasses piled up in the trash, their once glistening juices congealing into a slimy jelly.
  It all started when I was working as a cashier in a chain supermarket. One day, I was chatting with a colleague
  
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• In pictures: a San Antonio land bridge designed for wildlife and people

  26-06-2026 14:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Spanning a six-lane highway and located in a public park, this crossing is part of a larger restoration of endangered Texas prairie landThe Guardian receives support for visual climate coverage from the Outrider Foundation. The Guardian’s coverage is editorially independent Continue reading...
  
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• Millions in England face red heat warning while police order Paris events to be cancelled as heatwave grips Europe – live

  26-06-2026 13:17 via theguardian.com
  Estimated 150 million people in Europe could experience temperatures above 35C todayEuropean heatwave is worst ever and impossible without climate crisis, scientists sayOver in the UK, firefighters are still trying to bring a large wildfire in Derbyshire under control.The blaze, which has burned over 500 square metres of moorland and woodland on Tintwistle Moor, near Glossop, broke out on Wednesday evening, with fire crews from Manchester and Derbyshire deploying a water-dropping helicopter and
  
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• ‘Chock full of incredible animals’: marine expedition uncovers 31 new species in two weeks

  26-06-2026 13:06 via theguardian.com
  Experts worked in ocean midwater off Brazil at near-record speeds thanks to cutting-edge techA marine biology expedition in international waters off the coast of Brazil has discovered 31 new species in just two weeks.The researchers believe the speed at which the species were found and identified may be a record, in part because of the cutting-edge technology designed and built by the science and engineering team. For the first time on board a ship, the researchers were able to observe the livin
  
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• Red heat warning for south-east England; 150 million Europeans to experience temperatures above 35C today – Europe heatwave live

  26-06-2026 12:32 via theguardian.com
  Paris to ban drinking alcohol in public as city’s Pride march postponed; First time red warnings issued in UK for three consecutive daysEuropean heatwave is worst ever and impossible without climate crisis, scientists sayParis to ban drinking alcohol in public as hospitals hit heatwave breaking pointOver in the UK, firefighters are still trying to bring a large wildfire in Derbyshire under control.The blaze, which has burned over 500 square metres of moorland and woodland on Tintwistle Moo
  
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• First major hydropower projects in Great Britain in 40 years given go-ahead

  26-06-2026 11:18 via theguardian.com
  Three pumped storage hydroelectric power station sites in Scotland on list of 16 long-duration electricity storage plansBusiness live – latest updatesGreat Britain’s first new major hydropower projects in more than 40 years are expected to move ahead after the energy regulator gave a provisional green light to three proposals as part of a plan to reduce the country’s reliance on energy imports.All three of the new pumped storage hydroelectric power station projects are due to b
  
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• Red warning for south-east England after record June heat; 150 million Europeans to experience temperatures above 35C today – Europe heatwave live

  26-06-2026 10:42 via theguardian.com
  Paris to ban drinking alcohol in public as police ask organisers to cancel city’s Pride march; First time red warnings issued in UK for three consecutive daysEuropean heatwave is worst ever and impossible without climate crisis, scientists sayParis to ban drinking alcohol in public as hospitals hit heatwave breaking pointAt least 150 million Europeans will experience temperatures above 35C today, much higher than in the previous two days (94 million on Wednesday and 101 million yesterday),
  
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• Week in wildlife: paddling deer, a spring-loaded penguin and a rare sand cat

  26-06-2026 09:00 via theguardian.com
  This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world Continue reading...
  
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• ‘Slough is like an experiment’: Europe’s largest datacentre hub leaves town sweltering

  26-06-2026 09:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Emerging research suggests datacentres create a heat island effect, pushing up temperatures in the immediate vicinity by as much as 9C The community living next to the largest datacentre park in Europe say the scorching summer heat has grown unbearable.On days like Wednesday, said Nabeel Nawaz, the store manager of a Chaiiwala franchise in the centre of Slough, the heat is like something “pinching your body and burning your skin”. Continue reading...
  
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• Rain stopped play? Biggest worry now in British sport is extreme heat | Emma John

  26-06-2026 09:00 via theguardian.com
  Climate crisis is on show every day when sportspeople do their thing and the rest of us sweat on the sofaNothing sharpens the distinction between professional athletes and the rest of us like a week of truly hot weather. While we’re apologetically crying off long-in-the-diary engagements – so sorry, just can’t face it in this weather – elite sportspeople are blinking the rivulets of sweat out of their eyes while squinting under a hot and heavy helmet, then doing 22-yard s
  
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• Hot stuff: players and fans have to adjust to sport’s new normal and sweat it out | Emma John

  26-06-2026 09:00 via theguardian.com
  Climate crisis is on show every day when sportspeople do their thing and the rest of us suffer on the sofa or in the standsNothing sharpens the distinction between professional athletes and the rest of us like a week of truly hot weather. While we’re apologetically crying off long‑in‑the-diary engagements – so sorry, just can’t face it in this weather – elite sportspeople are blinking the rivulets of sweat out of their eyes while squinting under a hot and heav
  
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• A little bird told her: scientist wins $100,000 prize for decoding birdsong

  26-06-2026 08:53 via theguardian.com
  Julie Elie worked out how zebra finches announce who they are, what they are doing and use individual signaturesA scientist who decoded the dictionary that a bird uses to communicate has won a $100,000 prize for making progress towards a world in which humans can talk to the animals – without being met with a blank response.Dr Julie Elie at the University of California, Berkeley, was awarded the 2026 Coller-Dolittle prize for two-way interspecies communication after working out the 11 core
  
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• Shark bites are down globally – so why are they going up in Australia? It’s complicated

  26-06-2026 08:00 via theguardian.com
  In this week’s newsletter: Opinions are divided on how to mitigate risk, and whether it’s sharks or humans themselves who are the problem. Plus, Europe breaks heat records• Don’t get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereShark bites are traumatic and can spark fear and anger alongside tragedy. Around the world, the trend is flat. But in Australia, shark bites are going up.A recent number of bites, especially around Sydney’s famous beaches, has surfers, s
  
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• Too hot for work: why extreme heat is a threat to Europe’s productivity

  26-06-2026 07:00 via theguardian.com
  High temperatures make some workplaces dangerous, with economists warning disruption will dent growthMonique Mosley is used to sweltering conditions at the food factory in Yorkshire where she works, but June’s record-breaking heatwave has made conditions unbearable. “We make hot filled food products and it’s common that we see temperatures in the high 30s,” she said. “Thanks to our union, our employer is offering extra breaks, but not every workplace is the same.&rd
  
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• Migrating swifts loyally return every year to nests in buildings, study finds

  26-06-2026 07:00 via theguardian.com
  Conservationists emphasise importance of protecting nesting sites used by ‘strongly faithful’ red-listed speciesMigratory swifts loyally return every year to their nests in buildings, according to a study, underlining the importance of providing the endangered birds with hollow nesting bricks if traditional nest sites are lost to renovations.The swift, which is on the red list of conservation concern, is one of Britain’s most threatened species, having declined in number by 70%
  
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• Fossil fuel price surges can lead to worse air quality, study finds

  26-06-2026 07:00 via theguardian.com
  Researchers find increases in toxic chemical in the air in some areas as people switch to cheaper wood burningNew research shows that the unreliability of fossil fuel supply chains and consequential price surges can lead to deterioration in air quality as people change their consumption behaviour.The conflict in Ukraine has had well-documented impacts on the immediate environment. Fires from destroyed buildings and industry, movement of military vehicles and extensive wildfires have added to air
  
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• Country diary: Even in a heatwave, haymaking is a race against time | Nicola Chester

  26-06-2026 06:30 via theguardian.com
  Inkpen, Berkshire: Mow, tedder, rake and bale – it all has to be done before the next rainfall, which is increasingly hard to predictWith the weather set fair and a heatwave under way, all around are literally making hay while the sun shines. Last year’s drought produced very little grass to make hay with, resulting in high prices and scarcity over winter. This year, the grass has received good amounts of both sun and rain – the ideal conditions.Foxglove Farm and Manor Farm are
  
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• Tarmac playgrounds and windows that don’t open: why hot spells turn our schools into heat traps | Harry Paticas

  25-06-2026 19:09 via theguardian.com
  Our schools are a dated mix of single glazing, dodgy pipes and atriums like Kew hothouses. They urgently need retrofitting for a changing climateThis week’s soaring summer temperatures have put a spotlight on our schools and their ability to cope, with one in Hertfordshire telling me that it recorded temperatures of more than 40C. So why are our schools struggling?Modern schools often have too much glass, and not enough shading or ventilation to keep out the sun’s heat. During the 19
  
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• Extreme heat grips Europe as UK hits new June record, France shuts down nuclear reactors and deaths rise across continent – as it happened

  25-06-2026 19:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Heatwave-related deaths climb in Spain, Italy and France as continent battles another day of extreme temperaturesFarryn StockOver in the UK, South East Water has announced a temporary hosepipe ban in Kent amid growing strain from the ongoing heatwave (31C today, 33C tomorrow).“To safeguard that shared supply and prevent any homes from facing a sudden loss of water, we sadly need to ask our communities to not use their hosepipes immediately. We are deeply sorry for the disruption this cause
  
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• ‘Infection control becomes almost impossible’: four doctors on the NHS heatwave crisis

  25-06-2026 18:57 via theguardian.com
  Frontline medics describe extreme heat conditions they feel are unsafe and lacking in dignity for patientsHospitals in England declare critical incidents as machines and IT fail in heatHospitals in England are declaring critical incidents with radiotherapy machines, MRI scanners, cooling units and IT systems failing owing to the extreme heat.Here four doctors describe their experiences on the frontline that they say feels unsafe and dangerous for patients amid the worst NHS heatwave crisis in ye
  
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• Ben Jennings on a new idea for ‘carbon capture’ – cartoon

  25-06-2026 18:54 via theguardian.com
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