Environment news

• Party’s over: the end of helium balloons

  14-06-2016 15:49
  
  Worcester city council is about to become the latest authority to ban the release of helium balloons – but what are the alternatives? Potentially deflating news from Worcester city council – it is about to ban the release of helium balloons, and will fine anyone letting one go for littering. The ban will only cover council-owned land, such as parks and open spaces. “In your back garden or private land, we’re not looking to introduce a ban on that – it would be compl
  
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• Too hot for work: why extreme heat is a threat to Europe’s productivity

  26-06-2026 07:00
  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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• Tarmac playgrounds and windows that don’t open: why hot spells turn our schools into heat traps | Harry Paticas

  25-06-2026 19:09
  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
  
  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
  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
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• Extreme heat grips Europe as UK hits new June record, France shuts down nuclear reactors and deaths rise across continent – live

  25-06-2026 16:04
  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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• Extreme heat grips Europe as UK extends warnings and Italy, Spain and France report rise in deaths – live

  25-06-2026 15:09
  The highest UK temperatures are expected across the east and southeastern England while heatwave-related deaths climbed across EuropeFarryn 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 d
  
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• Polanski and unions warn Burnham against backsliding on climate action

  25-06-2026 14:44
  Debate in Labour and union movement over climate commitments as many call for Burnham not to allow drilling in North SeaAnalysis: ‘Act on the evidence outside the window’: Andy Burnham urged to stick to net zero targets if he becomes PMBacksliding on climate action would drive the Labour party into political obscurity, Zack Polanski has warned, as trade union leaders said more drilling in the North Sea would not help UK workers.The Green party leader, speaking to the Guardian as sear
  
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• ‘Act on the evidence outside the window’: Andy Burnham urged to stick to net zero targets if he becomes PM

  25-06-2026 14:26
  Burnham is coming under pressure from some to ditch net zero targets but this could be highly damaging on many levelsUK politics live – latest updatesBritain’s net zero economy is booming. The sector is worth £100bn a year to the UK, has outpaced other sectors, and supports higher-paying jobs than the average.For a union leader to suggest that the man who has overseen this impressive record – the energy secretary, Ed Miliband – would be a “noose around the nec
  
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• UK Met Office extends red heat warning into Friday night as extreme heat grips Europe – live

  25-06-2026 13:22
  The highest UK temperatures are expected across the east and southeastern England while heatwave-related deaths climbed across EuropeFarryn 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 d
  
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• ‘People shouldn’t expect there will be water in their taps every day’: why is St Lucia running out of water?

  25-06-2026 13:00
  Despite millions of dollars of investment, crumbling infrastructure and erratic rainfall are pushing the Caribbean island to the brinkWhen St Lucia’s rainy season began in May, Madeleine Solomon, 55, breathed a sigh of relief. For months, she had been feeling the squeeze of an intermittent water supply that disrupted normal hygiene and food preparation, forcing families like hers to rely on water tanks, rainwater harvesting and bottled water bought from private companies.“I’m t
  
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• Datacentres facing increase in global climate-related legal cases, report finds

  25-06-2026 12:03
  
  LSE analysis highlights litigation linked to energy sources, water consumption and air pollutionThe proliferation of datacentres and AI is increasingly at the forefront of environmental litigation around the world from Chile to Ireland, a report has found.In an analysis of about 3,600 climate-related lawsuits filed since 2015, the latest annual review of climate litigation by the London School of Economics (LSE) found a growing number of cases challenging the energy sources, water consumption an
  
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• Datacentres are growing target of global climate-related legal cases, report finds

  25-06-2026 12:03
  
  LSE analysis highlights litigation linked to energy sources, water consumption and air pollutionThe proliferation of datacentres and AI is increasingly at the forefront of environmental litigation around the world, from the US and UK to Chile to Ireland, a report has found.In an analysis of about 3,600 climate-related lawsuits filed since 2015, the latest annual review of climate litigation by the London School of Economics (LSE) found a growing number of cases challenging the energy sources, wa
  
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• Has Cornwall’s housing crisis created a van life generation?

  25-06-2026 11:17
  Cornwall's housing crisis is forcing young people to live in vans. As second homes and short-term holiday lets drive up house prices, a growing number are turning to van life to stay in the place they love. The Guardian meets young people who say their van brings them freedom but also uncertainty, as they struggle to find water, safe places to park and secure a future​’It can flip quickly from being idyllic’: the reality of life in Cornwall for young van dwellers priced out of
  
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• Europe braced for another day of extreme heat as warnings issued across UK, France and Italy – live

  25-06-2026 10:47
  UK June heat record could be broken for the second consecutive dayA heatwave that has gripped much of Europe and seen temperature records tumble is linkable with 212 deaths in Spain between Sunday and Wednesday, estimated from a public institute showed, AFP reported.The MoMo monitoring system compiles daily death statistics in Spain and calculates the difference in mortality by comparing them with the levels foreseeable based on historical records. Continue reading...
  
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• Hot Mess and Acid’s Reign: the romcom and queer cabaret spotlighting climate crisis

  25-06-2026 10:02
  A blooming new wave of musical theatre is exploring the plight of the planet with a playful and hopeful approachEarth is a single woman with a lot to give; Humanity is a charismatic bad boy who turns out to be an inveterate taker. Their toxic relationship is told in Hot Mess, a musical created by Jack Godfrey and Ellie Coote, which works both as an eccentric romcom with broad commercial appeal and a serious analogy for our abuse of the once fecund, now depleted planet. A hot ticket at the Edinbu
  
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• ’It can flip quickly from being idyllic’: the reality of life for young van dwellers priced out of Cornwall’s housing market

  25-06-2026 07:00
  
  With tourists buying up property and landlords opting for lucrative Airbnb rentals, young Cornish people are turning to old campervans to provide a roof over their headsSkye has a thick duvet in the van she calls home in Cornwall. In winter, the 25-year-old goes to bed in several layers of clothes and is grateful for the extra warmth of her cat. She parks up late, often in car parks well away from beaches, and never stays more than one night in case local people get angry and bang on her windows
  
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• Country diary: Bright and bohemian, this moth could be a David Hockney | Paul Evans

  25-06-2026 06:30
  The Marches, Shropshire: Scarlet tiger moths are on the wing at our allotment, taking advantage of the sunny days – and our human activityThe jackdaw takes three hops and is airborne, swinging into a warm dry wind, back over the fence to the northern side of the plateau. Jackdaws and rooks lift from careful stepping into the wind to fly and call, mingling with singing voices from the school nearby. The corvids are shadowing the sheep, Soay/Hebridean cross breeds that graze the Ol
  
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• UK records its hottest June day and France its hottest day ever as heatwave sweeps Europe

  24-06-2026 20:03
  Temperature of 36.1C (97F) recorded in Hampshire, while two-thirds of Europe’s population experience temperatures above 30CThe UK has broken its all-time temperature record for June and France has recorded its hottest day ever for the second day running, as a heatwave affecting more than 90 million people sweeps across swathes of Europe.As the UK and France registered record-breaking temperatures, the World Health Organization warned that the extreme temperatures are “putting lives a
  
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• Farmers criticise government plan to counter threats to UK food security

  24-06-2026 19:47
  Plan warns climate crisis will lead to food price shocks and shortages but farmers say it fails to adequately fund responseThe climate crisis will lead to food price shocks and shortages, the government has warned in its new plan for British farming.But farmers criticised the plan, which outlines for the first time the government’s vision for the long-term direction of farming, for failing to adequately fund a response to this threat to the UK’s food security. Continue reading...
  
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• Europe heatwave live: UK breaks temperature record for June as parts of France hit 40C – as it happened

  24-06-2026 18:51
  West Sussex reports temperature of 35.8C, beating previous record from 1976; red weather alert extended to 72 of France’s 96 mainland departmentsGrahame Madge, a Met Office spokesperson, said the agency is forecasting 39C as a headline maximum temperature on Thursday in the UK, most likely for somewhere in London or the south-east.“It is possible we could see temperatures higher than the 39C if the final values are at the upper end of our narrow range,” he said, according to th
  
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• Europe heatwave live: UK breaks temperature record for June as parts of France hit 40C

  24-06-2026 17:02
  Surrey reports temperature of 35.7C, beating previous record from 1976; red weather alert extended to 72 of France’s 96 mainland departmentsTell us: how is the heatwave in the UK and across Europe affecting you?Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesperson, said the agency is forecasting 39C as a headline maximum temperature on Thursday in the UK, most likely for somewhere in London or the south-east.“It is possible we could see temperatures higher than the 39C if the final values are at
  
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• ‘Instant connection to the past’: how the Major oak affected those who saw it

  24-06-2026 16:47
  Readers remember the Sherwood Forest tree that has failed to produce leaves for the first time in 1,000 years Continue reading...
  
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• Europe heatwave live: estimated 94 million people to experience temperatures above 35C today

  24-06-2026 16:09
  UK issues rare red heat alert as 68,000 households lose electricity in northern France and Italy puts warnings in place for 16 citiesTell us: how is the heatwave in the UK and across Europe affecting you?Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesperson, said the agency is forecasting 39C as a headline maximum temperature on Thursday in the UK, most likely for somewhere in London or the south-east.“It is possible we could see temperatures higher than the 39C if the final values are at the upper end
  
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• Europe heatwave live: 94 million people to experience temperatures above 35C today

  24-06-2026 13:05
  UK issues rare red heat alert as 68,000 households lose electricity in northern France and Italy puts warnings in place for 16 citiesFrance records hottest day ever as 40 people drown across countryTell us: how is the heatwave in the UK and across Europe affecting you?Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesperson, said the agency is forecasting 39C as a headline maximum temperature on Thursday in the UK, most likely for somewhere in London or the south-east.“It is possible we could see temperat
  
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• ‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist

  24-06-2026 13:00
  Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touchWhen wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir uploaded 18 seconds of footage to YouTube, he thought little more about the small, pale cat seen digging a hollow in the sand in the remote dunes of south-west Libya.The video, however, posted in 2017, turned out to be the first material evidence that the sand cat (Felis margarita), the world’s only felid adapted to true desert condi
  
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• ‘Carspreading’ could lead to extra 400 crash deaths a year by 2040, study finds

  24-06-2026 12:11
  
  Analysis shows cars in Europe have grown longer, taller and wider every year since 2000Cars have grown 1.2cm longer, 0.5cm taller and 0.5cm wider each year on average since 2000, analysis of new vehicles sold in Europe has found, in what green groups call “relentless carspreading”.The increase in size, which leaves people more likely to be killed in a crash and increases emissions that hurt lungs and heat the planet, has progressed at a roughly steady rate for two and half decades ev
  
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• ‘Carspreading’ could lead to extra 2,600 crash deaths a year by 2040, study finds

  24-06-2026 12:11
  Analysis shows cars in Europe have grown longer, taller and wider every year since 2000Cars have grown 1.2cm longer, 0.5cm taller and 0.5cm wider each year on average since 2000, analysis of new vehicles sold in Europe has found, in what green groups call “relentless carspreading”.The increase in size, which leaves people more likely to be killed in a crash and increases emissions that hurt lungs and heat the planet, has progressed at a roughly steady rate for two and half decades ev
  
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• Europe heatwave live: UK issues rare red heat warning as record-breaking temperatures in France bring power outages

  24-06-2026 11:18
  Temperatures expected to hit 40C in parts of the UK, as extreme heatwave spreads slowly eastwards, sparking warnings in Italy and the NetherlandsFrance records hottest day ever as 40 people drown across countryTell us: how is the heatwave in the UK and across Europe affecting you?Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesperson, said the agency is forecasting 39C as a headline maximum temperature on Thursday in the UK, most likely for somewhere in London or the south-east.“It is possible we could
  
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