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environment/2017/nov/03/more-coral-bleaching-feared-for-great-barrier-reef-in-coming-months | More coral bleaching feared for Great Barrier Reef in coming months | The Great Barrier Reef could face more bleaching in the coming months, following unprecedented mass bleaching events in 2016 and 2017, which are believed to have killed half the coral. Forecasts stretching to February are pushing the science to its limits, leaving significant uncertainty. But scientists say there is reason to be concerned, and some bleaching is very likely, although it won’t be anything like what happened during the past two years. The most recent forecasts of the Coral Watch program of the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) puts much of the reef, especially the southern parts, on “Alert Level 1” in late February. At that level, bleaching is considered likely although it is not expected to continue long enough to cause much coral to die. The head of Noaa’s Coral Watch program, Mark Eakin, said predicting the heat stress on the Great Barrier Reef in February was complicated because of the uncertain state of the El Niño/La Niña cycle. “Unfortunately, that’s four months away and at the bitter end of our forecast skill,” Eakin said. “The farther away the forecast, the lower the skill. We don’t have an El Niño and the La Niña isn’t looking very strong. That lowers skill.” He said there was reason to be concerned but not “too worried yet”. “There will probably be some bleaching in some parts of the Great Barrier Reef but so far it doesn’t look anything like the last two years. However, it’s still early and we’ll know more in a month or so.” Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, a leading coral bleaching researcher from the University of Queensland, said the results were concerning since, after the past two big bleaching events, a summer without heat stress would have given the coral the best chance of recovery. “Ideally, it would be nice to have temperatures around average because then we might see recruits coming and corals growing back,” he said. In 2016, the Great Barrier Reef suffered the worst bleaching event on record, with about 30% of the coral dying. At the start of 2017, it was hit again, losing roughly another 20%, leaving about half the coral cover dead. The damage was worst in the top third of the reef, where some parts lost as much as 90% of their coral. The southern third of the reef mostly escaped any damage. “We will be watching closely,” Hoegh-Guldberg said. “Most of us are holding our breath to a certain extent. Could this be the year in which we lose coral from the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef?” The chance for a wave of coral recovery will emerge in the coming weeks as the famous spawning events begin. But for the worst-hit parts of the reef, that event would be hampered by the previous mortality, said Selina Ward, an expert from the University of Queensland, who has conducted studies into the impact of bleaching on coral reproduction. “If you look at Lizard Island, which has been exposed to 2016 and 2017 heat events and suffered very high mortality, one of my colleagues has just been there and has not seen any reproductive colonies. And that’s where you would have expected most to be reproductive.” For the badly-hit parts of the northern Great Barrier Reef, Ward said the spawning event was likely to be so adversely affected that they would be relying on coral spawning from the Coral Triangle to bring recruits through ocean currents. Richard Leck, head of oceans at WWF-Australia, said conservation groups were also monitoring the bleaching warnings, and believed the forecasts were worrying. . “The Noaa maps predict a better than even chance of coral bleaching in the southern Great Barrier Reef – the only part that hasn’t suffered widespread bleaching in the last two years,” he said. “It is a huge cause for concern that there is a chance the Reef is facing the threat of a third consecutive mass bleaching event. “This is even more reason for Queensland to shift to a renewable energy future and away from old, polluting industries such as coal.” | ['environment/great-barrier-reef', 'australia-news/queensland', 'australia-news/australia-news', 'environment/environment', 'environment/coral', 'environment/elnino', 'environment/marine-life', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/michael-slezak', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/australia-news'] | environment/marine-life | BIODIVERSITY | 2017-11-03T02:54:59Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
environment/2018/oct/09/robotic-bees-could-pollinate-plants-in-case-of-insect-apocalypse | Robotic bees could pollinate plants in case of insect apocalypse | Intensive modern farming methods and the unravelling consequences of global climate change are said to have put the future of the common bee under threat like never before. But in Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands a group of scientists working on long-term solutions to some of the world’s thorniest problems have developed a solution that could have come straight from a sci-fi novel: robotic bees. By reproducing some of the complex wing motion patterns and aerodynamics of fruit flies, in particular, researchers in the university’s newly opened Robohouse, a hub for Dutch expertise, believe they will be able to create swarms of bee-like drones to pollinate plants when the real-life insects have died away. The wings of the robotic DelFly beat 17 times per second, to generate the lift needed to stay airborne and control its flight through small adjustments in their wing motion. The researchers asked why a fly was so difficult to swat and looked to reproduce the insect’s evasive technique. The robo-bees can hover on the spot, fly in any direction, and even flip 360 degrees around pitch or roll axes. Because the robots’ wings are made of a lightweight film made of mylar, the material used in space blankets, it is safe for people to work around them. The new drones, which can travel at up to 15mph, are also more efficient in their flight than those with helicopter-style blades, meaning their batteries can last longer. They can be fitted with spatial sensors so that they autonomously fly from plant to plant, avoiding each other and other obstacles as they go. Previous attempts to perfect the technology in Harvard and elsewhere have produced useful models, but have proven to be too fragile or unable to navigate around each other. Matěj Karásek, a researcher working on the project, said: “The use we see for this is pollination in green houses. The bee is under threat due to our farming methods and we don’t know what their future will be. This is one solution.” “We are not trying to copy flies and bees, but we are trying to learn from them,” he said. “Physics limits how small normal drones can be.” The robotic insect has a 33cm wingspan and weighs 29g, making it 55 times the size of a fruit fly. It can also only fly for six minutes, or 0.6 miles (1km) on its current battery. But the plan, the university says, is to reduce the size down to that of the insects they are trying to emulate as they develop the robot. The Netherlands is one of the world’s largest exporters of agricultural and food products in the world. Bees are responsible for pollinating 80% of the edible crops grown in the country. Yet of the 360 different species of bee in the Netherlands, about half of them are threatened. Globally, the dramatically falling numbers of pollinators in recent years has been blamed, in part, on the widespread use of pesticides. It has been recently been claimed that one popular pesticide could wipe out common bumblebee populations by preventing the formation of new colonies. The chemical, thiamethoxam, is said to dramatically reduces egg-laying by queen bumblebees. Predictions based on a mathematical model have suggested that this could result in the total collapse of local populations of the wild bees. In April the EU announced a ban would come in by the end of 2018 restricting their use to closed greenhouses. Karásek told the Guardian: “I think within five to 10 years we will have the technology to make the drones much smaller and we could see them put to use in greenhouses.” The developers are working to find a commercial partner for the project. Delft university’s Robohouse, opened six weeks ago, has been established to bring the country’s brightest engineering minds together with the private sector. | ['environment/bees', 'environment/insects', 'environment/wildlife', 'environment/environment', 'science/science', 'environment/farming', 'world/world', 'technology/technology', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/daniel-boffey', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/uknews', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-environment'] | environment/farming | BIODIVERSITY | 2018-10-09T12:15:31Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
business/2008/jun/20/oil.chavez.opec | Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez threatens European Union with oil boycott | Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has fuelled the growing rift between Opec oil-producing nations ahead of a major summit this weekend, by threatening to block supplies to European countries. Meanwhile Iran, also a major oil producer, said pumping more oil would do nothing to stop the surge in prices, after Saudi Arabia revealed that it may be increasing its production again. As angry protests broke out in China over a sharp rise in its fuel prices today, Chavez said he was enraged by new rules passed by the EU parliament on Wednesday, aimed at standardising the process by which member nations deport illegal immigrants. They contain contentious measures such as providing for long detention periods. In a televised speech, Chavez said: "Our oil shouldn't go to those countries" in Europe who apply new rules for deporting illegal immigrants. He also threatened to block European investments in his country. Venezuela sells most of its oil to the US and is a minor supplier to Europe. Last month Saudi Arabia promised to produce another 300,000 barrels a day, but other oil producers within Opec are split over the need to pump more oil. Venezuela and Iran have pointed the finger at the West for failing to act against financial speculators, and the weak US dollar. "Increased oil production does not have such an impact that it would decrease prices because enough oil exists in the global market," Iranian oil minister Gholam Hossein Nozari said today. "Just compare 300,000 barrels per day with about 86m, which the markets need. What would be the effect?" Iran has already said it would oppose any unilateral increase in production by the Saudis. And on Tuesday, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the rise in the oil price was "fake and imposed". A statement posted yesterday on the website of the Saudi embassy in London suggested the kingdom would boost its daily oil output by another 200,000 barrels. The statement was later withdrawn from the website but not officially denied. This came ahead of an unprecedented meeting of producers and users in Saudi Arabia this weekend - an attempt to find a solution to the volatile price of oil, which has more than doubled in the last year. But with little apparent consensus, Gordon Brown has already been warned the summit could propel the cost of energy higher. The oil price, which hit a new all-time high of nearly $140 a barrel this week, fell to $132 a barrel today after China suddenly slashed its subsidies, pushing up the cost of petrol and diesel by 18% in an attempt to reduce demand. The fast-growing Chinese economy has been blamed for pushing up demand for oil. Yesterday's decision to slash fuel subsidies shocked the country's drivers. According to local reports many rushed to fuel stations to fill up only to find that sales were suspended until the price rises came through. At some stations, police were drafted in to control the situation. There has also been anger in many European countries over the high cost of petrol and fuel. In the UK, lorry drivers have held several protests, while in Spain a strike held by truck drivers caused serious disruption this month. But European countries appear as divided as Opec members over the best solution. Oil was high on the agenda of a two-day meeting that began yesterday in Brussels. There appeared to be little support for French president Nicolas Sarkozy's proposal of a EU-wide cut in fuel tax. Finnish prime minster Matti Vanhanen said a tax cut would not help address the imbalance between supply and demand. Italy is planning to hit its oil companies with a windfall tax that will fund subsidies for poorer families – a move from which other countries have shrunk so far. | ['business/commodities', 'business/oil', 'business/business', 'environment/environment', 'world/world', 'world/hugo-chavez', 'world/venezuela', 'environment/oil', 'world/americas', 'type/article', 'profile/juliakollewe', 'profile/graemewearden'] | environment/oil | ENERGY | 2008-06-20T11:07:34Z | true | ENERGY |
uk-news/2022/feb/07/cornwall-village-port-isaac-doc-martin-appeals-for-sea-defence-funds | Cornish home to TV’s Doc Martin appeals for sea defence funds | A Cornish fishing village familiar to fans of gentle comedy drama is facing a crisis because part of its sea defences are crumbling and there are no longer enough working boats to fund the repairs. Householders in Port Isaac, the setting for the long-running ITV show Doc Martin, are worried that if one of the breakwaters that protect the picturesque village are not repaired, homes could be inundated when Atlantic storms sweep in. For a century, fishing boat owners have clubbed together to maintain the breakwaters, but there are only two full-time working vessels left in the harbour and they cannot afford to pay for the work. The Port Isaac harbour commissioners have launched an online appeal to try to raise £40,000 for the work. Dugald Sproull, the chair of the commissioners, said: “It’s very sad. When I was a lad the whole place was about fishing. The industry has died a death. The problem now is there are only two full-time commercial fishing boats left. We have lost half a dozen or more in the past few years, more by coincidence that anything else – people have got old or had an accident with a lobster pot or whatever. The fishing is going down the pan.” A chunk of the eastern breakwater, built in the 1920s to protect the exposed port on the rugged north coast, has collapsed. The final cost of repairs is not known yet but Sproull said it was is clear it would be “eye watering”. Sproull said homes and businesses would be at risk if the breakwater was further damaged. “The bottom of the village is really at risk,” he said. In their appeal, the commissioners say: “In recent years the commercial boats in Port Isaac have depleted from around 10 to just two. If there are no commercial boats left in the harbour, there will be no one around to look after the infrastructure, and it will be only a matter of time until the breakwaters fall in to disrepair and, with sea levels rising, the bottom of the village will be regularly flooded and become unsustainable and uninsurable.” They would also like to carry out repairs to the harbour’s 16th-century fishing cellars and a path that leads to the breakwaters. They conclude: “Your support would mean everything to this tiny corner of Cornwall and would benefit every local, holidaymaker, business owner and Port Isaac lover alike.” The commissioners do get paid by the people behind Doc Martin, which is filming this year for a new series. Some of the funds they receive for the right to film in the village are expected to go towards the cost of the breakwater. Each year tens of thousands of Doc Martin pilgrims throng to Port Isaac. There may also be help from the sea shanty and folk group Fisherman’s Friends, who are based in Port Isaac. Choirs helped raise money for the breakwaters 100 years ago, and it is a consoling thought that the group may come to the village’s aid in its hour of need now by holding charity events. The harbourmaster and fishing boat skipper Tom Brown said: “In years gone by we’d all get together to sort out the repairs, but the breakwater has been pretty badly damaged and it’s going to cost mega money to repair it.” Brown, a fifth-generation fisher, said: “If we get a 40ft or 50ft sea, without a breakwater there’s going to be big flooding problems. It’s feeling quite bleak at the moment.” | ['uk-news/cornwall', 'environment/flooding', 'environment/environment', 'uk/uk', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/stevenmorris', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/uknews', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-home-news'] | environment/flooding | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2022-02-07T12:55:46Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
environment/2013/jun/11/recycling-industry-10000-jobs-2020 | UK recycling industry has potential to create 10,000 new jobs, report finds | Pursuing recycling and more efficient resource use could lead to a UK industry with net exports of more than £20bn and 10,000 new jobs in the recycling sector by 2020, according to a new report. Businesses outside the sector could also reduce their costs by £50bn a year on savings in raw materials and energy, says the report, Going for Growth, published on Tuesday by the Environmental Services Association (ESA) and the government-funded Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap). If activities such as the research and development of new design techniques, that would minimise the need for recycling, and better ways to reuse materials are included, the opportunity could be for 50,000 new jobs and a £3bn boost to the UK's annual GDP. The findings reflect the potential opened up by a "circular economy" – one in which used material is not regarded as waste but as a resource, to be reused first, as that is the most efficient option, then recycled as necessary. As raw material prices rise owing to increasing global competition for resources, the UK could reduce its reliance on key raw materials – including rare earths, used in windfarms and electronics – by as much as one-fifth by 2020. An example of a product designed for easier reuse and recycling is the Google Nexus device. It can be easily disassembled for repair or to recover the valuable metal used in its construction, because it is screwed together, unlike the iPad, which is glued together. ESA calculates that from now to 2020, 395m tonnes of recyclable material will pass through the UKs waste management sector. But on current rates, only about 255m tonnes will be recycled. If the remaining 140m tonnes was recycled, that could mean a £1.4bn boost to the economy. Liz Goodwin, chief executive of Wrap, said a circular economy would keep resources in use for as long as possible. "Reuse makes sure we get the maximum value from materials and brings significant business benefits. It is the complete opposite of make, use, throw away, make another – the way of doing things now," she said. But this will require a rethink of how products are designed from the earliest stages, with a return to first principles. David Palmer Jones, chairman of the ESA, which represents companies in the waste and environmental sectors, said: "About 80% of the environmental impact of a product is determined at design stage. If we work together to change the way products are designed, we can avoid the current trend of a third of potentially recyclable material being lost to the economy. This is vital for resource efficiency and security, and to reduce environmental impacts including greenhouse gas emissions." One of the key areas for discussion is electronics, as between now and 2020 the UK is likely to produce about 12m tonnes of electronic waste in total, of which a quarter will be IT equipment, consumer electronics and screens, and this material alone is likely to contain precious metals with an estimated market value of £7bn at today's prices. The ESA said its members would put forward experts to advise on designing products for reuse and recycling, but also wants the government to step in, by encouraging the EU to use its powers to ensure certain products have a minimum level of "recyclability", and reducing VAT on products with a high level of recycled content. The organisation also wants separate food waste collections to become widespread, for households and businesses. Goodwin said: "Think of the growth and job opportunities for keeping our material on UK shores. We hear so much about growth, and the circular economy is a key enabler [of growth]. Growth equals job creation, opportunities for investment, and generating shareholder returns." | ['environment/recycling', 'environment/waste', 'environment/ethical-living', 'environment/green-economy', 'environment/green-jobs', 'environment/environment', 'tone/news', 'uk/uk', 'type/article', 'profile/fiona-harvey'] | environment/waste | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE | 2013-06-11T06:00:06Z | true | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE |
environment/2019/may/21/jayda-g-brings-climate-crisis-home-to-fans | 'Panic is setting in': Jayda G brings climate crisis home to fans | One of dance music’s rising stars is swapping the decks for a microphone to deliver a series of talks about the importance of environmental sciences to help tackle the climate crisis. Jayda G – real name Jayda Guy – is a Canadian DJ and music producer whose livestreamed mixes on YouTube clock up thousands of views, and now she is fusing two worlds by using her platform to expose fans to issues affecting the natural world. “These are huge issues that we should be paying attention to,” says Guy, who completed a masters in resource and environmental management after moving to Berlin in 2016 to pursue a career in music. “The public has a hard time grasping some of these concepts because there’s such a disconnect between our day-to-day lives and the natural world. I wanted to bridge the gap, and invoke empathy for the natural world.” Guy, who has just released her debut album on the British label Ninja Tune and recently completed a three-week tour of Asia, started the JMG Talks series in February while she was completing a residency at the London venue Phonox. “The best part of the talks is we’re getting people from a vast array of backgrounds – fans of my music, but also music industry people and scientists – who ask different types of questions,” she says. “I think it’s really invigorating and inspiring, and people can feel that they understand what’s going on.” At the first event she hosted Dr Lily Zeng, whose anthropological ecology work examined wildlife conservation in south-west China’s sacred forests. The second was with Dr Lindsay Veazey, an oceanographic modeller who studied how coastal development impacted marine life in Hawaii. The third talk – taking place on 22 May – is with Alex Cancelli, whose PhD work focuses on ways to reclaim contaminated water by using ecosystems such as wetlands. “We’re not just doing this to raise awareness but to also have an emotional feeling to it which isn’t just fear,” says Guy, who wants the talks to demystify cutting-edge environmental work. “There’s a real panic that is setting in around these issues but you have to approach these issues in a more constructive manner.” Guy’s environmental toxicology research focused on the effects of chemicals on Salish Sea orcas off the west coast of Canada, and her songs are often given names that reference her work, such as Orca’s Reprise, or pay homage to her environmental heroes, such as Missy Knows What’s Up, which refers to the Canadian biologist and conservationist Misty MacDuffee. “You can’t tell people what to do,” she says. “The best way is giving people as much information as possible and creating an environment where people can ask the questions they want to and not feel judged or ridiculed. That’s a big part of what I’m trying to create with these talks.” Guy acknowledges her work as a DJ is not eco-friendly, with its regular air travel, but thinks governments need to be more proactive in finding alternatives. “I’m not pretending that I am the model person in terms of my actions because, obviously, as a DJ, I have a large carbon footprint,” Guy says. “But we need to find more renewable ways to travel around. We need to be able to live in a world where we have viable options presented to us.” | ['environment/climate-crisis', 'music/dance-music', 'music/music', 'culture/culture', 'environment/activism', 'environment/environment', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/lanre-bakare', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-home-news'] | environment/activism | CLIMATE_ACTIVISM | 2019-05-21T12:11:00Z | true | CLIMATE_ACTIVISM |
uk-news/2022/feb/09/woodland-trust-joins-objection-to-kirsty-youngs-plan-for-scottish-island | Woodland Trust joins objection to Kirsty Young’s plan for Scottish island | First they were hit by claims they planned to cull wallabies on the Scottish island they are buying, triggering uproar. Now the broadcaster Kirsty Young and her husband, the Soho House founder Nick Jones, have been hit by another hurdle: a formal objection from the Woodland Trust against their plans to chop down scores of trees on Inchconnachan, an idyllic, heavily wooded island on Loch Lomond. The couple’s quest to restore Inchconnachan, owned until now by the same aristocratic Scottish family for more than 700 years, to its wild, natural beauty is under fire from a host of influential critics. Local residents, the naturalist and broadcaster Chris Packham, the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and now the Woodland Trust have raised objections, urging the pair to heavily dilute their plans to strip the island of all its non-native species. A petition opposing a cull begun by one critic, Craig Morrison, had nearly 60,000 signatures by Wednesday afternoon. More objections may follow. NatureScot, the government conservation agency, is studying the pair’s plans. The island, once home to a now extinct population of capercaillies, is covered by a number of legally binding conservation designations, particularly to preserve its ancient oak forest, which the agency enforces. In its letter of objection, the Woodland Trust argues that established non-native species such as Norway spruce have legal protection, even in an ancient woodland. It argues the couple’s building plans will also involve the unjustified loss of irreplaceable veteran trees. Jones and Young bought Inchconnachan, one of a small cluster of islands off Loch Lomond’s western edge, for £1.6m in 2020. Uninhabited for more than 20 years, the island includes a derelict and ramshackle old cottage, rusting wooden and cast iron sheds, crumbling concrete paving and a disused pier. It is also overrun by invasive rhododendron. It also boasts the world’s most northerly mob of red-necked wallabies, of unknown size. Originally introduced on to the 42-hectare island as a single pair by its then owner Fiona Bryde Gore, the then Lady Arran, in the 1940s, it was estimated the troupe’s population had surged to more than 60 by 2009. If that was accurate, that quickly dwindled. A recent heat map study suggested there were as few as seven still alive. Jones is a multimillionaire thanks to his global empire of private members clubs, while Young is the former host of Desert Island Discs. Several weeks ago they unveiled plans to build a luxury timbered holiday lodge on Inchconnachan, and install a new boathouse and an interconnecting board walk across the island, in a lengthy planning application submitted to Loch Lomond and Trossach’s national park, the area’s planning authority. “The island is a beautiful and sensitive place, well protected for its historic woodlands, habitat and natural beauty but it is in a declining poor condition and under growing pressure from an increasing number of visitors, antisocial behaviour and grazing herbivores,” their application said. “We believe a bold, high-quality, comprehensive, sustainable and committed long-term plan is required to reverse the declining condition of the woodlands and to make this island world class, both in terms of its habitat and visitor experience.” But their plans to control the marsupials, without specifying how in their application, triggered an immediate response. Buried in one of the ecologists reports submitted to the national park, there is an explicit reference to culling the wallabies, along with the fallow deer and grey squirrel that roam Inchconnachan. “Wallaby continue to contribute a negative impact on the woodland ground flora and regeneration of this island,” it said. The other reports are less specific but make clear the deer and wallabies are voracious grazing animals that ignore exotic spruce but burrow into native blaeberry bushes, creating tunnels through the undergrowth. Deer are culled by being shot but Jones and Young now say they never planned to shoot their wallabies. Last weekend, prompted by Packham’s recommendation to find non-lethal ways of removing them, the couple confirmed they would instead investigate relocating them. The SSPCA, an animal welfare charity, argues even that is unwise. The SSPCA doubts the pair will find a zoo or safari park willing to rehome them, and believes that would also be inhumane. Culling is rejected out of hand. Ch Supt Mike Flynn, the SSPCA’s senior officer, urged the couple to hire wallaby experts to properly study their impact on the island. “We could not support efforts to relocate the wallabies unless there was clear evidence they were damaging habitat on the island,” he said on Wednesday. George Anderson, a spokesperson for the Woodland Trust, added: “The location is covered by a site of special scientific interest, a special protection area and special area of conservation designations – and it is in a national park. If ancient woodland isn’t safe here then something is far wrong. We call on the planning authority to reject this application.” A spokesperson for Jones declined to comment. | ['uk/scotland', 'media/kirsty-young', 'environment/forests', 'environment/conservation', 'environment/wildlife', 'uk/uk', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/severincarrell', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/uknews', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-home-news'] | environment/forests | BIODIVERSITY | 2022-02-09T18:54:00Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
world/2011/mar/11/rescue-teams-tsunami-japan | Rescue teams readied for post-tsunami operation | Helicopters for plucking stranded survivors off rooftops and search teams with dogs to locate those who do not drown will be urgently needed in Japan's coastal communities, according to an expert on post-tsunami rescue. The torrent of churning seawater, thickened by debris and mud, will have battered and smothered those caught in its path, leaving dead bodies and only a few fortunate enough to have escaped on to tall buildings or higher ground. "It's like a mudslide," explained Anna Walton, of the UK aid agency Merlin who worked with emergency response teams in Sri Lanka after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. "It picks up rubble and mud as it forces its way inland. "It will kill and a few people will get trapped in it. You don't have many injuries in a tsunami; you have a high death rate. In earthquakes, you have lots of injured survivors; with a tsunami it can be more fatal. There's a train missing in Japan as we had in Sri Lanka, where 2,500 people were engulfed on one railway journey; they all died. In a tsunami, there's a body of water that sustains the flood. Those who survive climb trees or get up on to stable, taller buildings. "Helicopters to get people off roofs and search and rescue teams with dogs will be the immediate priorities. The waters will recede from higher areas after a while but low-lying districts will remain flooded. And then there are the fires." Offers of aid poured in from heads of state, UN bodies and aid agencies but there was no immediate request for assistance from Tokyo. Japan's emergency services are highly skilled and well prepared, but some experts feared the scale of the emergency – and the variety of disasters – may yet overwhelm them. Exposed coastlines and isolated atolls elsewhere in the Pacific could suffer severe devastation as the tsunami spreads. Many UK aid agencies were monitoring the situation on Friday, preparing but not yet dispatching emergency relief teams. Flights to Tokyo were also disrupted. At the Department for International Development (DfID), officials were liaising with the Red Cross, the UN emergency agency OCHA and the government in Tokyo. "We have been in touch with the Japanese authorities," confirmed a spokesman. "They are not requesting assistance at the moment. They are asking rescue teams to wait in their own countries. UK fire and rescue teams are at the initial stage of alert, having gathered their gear." One of the teams on standby is Rapid UK, whose CEO, Clive Hodges, said his group was waiting for the Japanese embassy to signal that help was needed before it acted. "The Japanese have tremendous capabilities of their own," he said, "and their buildings are among the best prepared against earthquakes in the world. If they don't request help, we won't go." Hannah Reichardt, an emergency adviser with Save the Children, warned that relief efforts would be needed for months and possibly years. "The basic requirement of food and water the Japanese government will be able to provide, but it's niche problems – like support for children – that their services may be too busy to help." "In a tsunami, the best you can hope for is for people to evacuate quickly. That means countries nearest the epicentre of the quake have least time to warn people. "There could be long term problems with floods. Nearly six years after Hurricane Katrina, there are people who still haven't been able to get back to their homes." | ['world/japan-earthquake-and-tsunami', 'world/japan', 'world/natural-disasters', 'world/world', 'tone/news', 'world/asia-pacific', 'world/tsunamis', 'type/article', 'profile/owenbowcott', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/topstories'] | world/tsunamis | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2011-03-11T20:54:30Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
environment/green-living-blog/2010/aug/24/racer-rosa-bicycles-bike | The bike manufacturer that aims to be greener than the rest | A new small British bike maker claims to craft ethical and environmentally friendly bicycles. But what's wrong with the rest of the manufacturers? "Just because you're green on one side of your life, that doesn't justify just ignoring another part. You should be as green as you can be," says Diego Lombardi, co-owner of new start-up cycle maker Racer Rosa Bicycles. While bicycles are undeniably a green and pleasant form of transport, their production is largely tainted. If you've bought a high-end bike from a big name manufacturer recently, then it may well have been air-freighted and its production certainly involved planet-damaging chemicals – particularly so if it was made from carbon fibre. For most cyclists, there is little ethical and environmental consideration of the manufacture of the bike itself – something Lombardi is keen to counter: "Multinational bike companies are like McDonalds. They produce disposable products for maximum profit." While an estimated 95% of bikes sold are produced in Taiwan or China, Racer Rosa prides itself on riding in the opposite direction. Lombardi assembles bikes in his Walthamstow, east London, workshop. The frames are made-to-measure from recycled Italian steel, by Italian craftsmen. Then they're shipped by sea to the UK. The entire process, from measuring you to the arrival of the assembled bike, takes six weeks. Of course, several other British bike makers build their frames in the UK. "We would love to do everything here," says Lombardi. "But we cannot find British-sourced steel or reliable frame makers." Britain's big bike tube maker, Reynolds, sources some steel from America, according to Lombardi. "The quality of the silver fillet brazing we get is also very rare." These are the joins between the steel tubes that form the frame – and certainly the bright blue, minimalist bikes dotting Racer Rosa's workshop are a study in clean lines and retro chic, with none of the lumps associated with modern welding techniques. Racer Rosa's ethos doesn't just extend to frames though. Lombardi encourages buyers to use secondhand parts – taken off their old bikes and refurbished by Lombardi, or from vintage sources of quality "warehouse leftovers" that Racer Rosa sources. New parts, where used, are picked for quality and environmental credentials – using companies who manufacture entirely in the EU. The end result is that the average Racer Rosa bike is more than 90% manufactured in Europe. "Tyres all seem to be outsourced to Taiwan, but we're trying to find alternatives," says Lombardi. The next step for the company, only running since February (Lombardi has been repairing friends' bikes for years), is sourcing greener bike consumables – chain oil, cleaning products etc. Even the office and workshop equipment is all secondhand. Racer Rosa employs freelance bike mechanics, but also an ethical researcher to further improve its credentials. Based in east London, Racer Rosa is keen to expand by "riding the wave" of the cycling fashion explosion in the area: "We want to colour east London blue," says Lombardi, referring to Racer Rosa's paint colour of choice. There is, of course, a downside to such niche, environmentally and artisan-friendly bike buying: the cost. Racer Rosa refurbishments of existing bikes start from £500, new bikes start from £1,000. To which Lombardi points out that you can pay much the same for "a custom-made bike from a niche brand and the frame would be made in Taiwan or China". "I'd rather shop at my local market, than a big supermarket," says Lombardi. "My soul is at peace when I ride a bike made by a small, family business. It's a return to an arts and crafts approach." | ['environment/bike-blog', 'lifeandstyle/cycling', 'environment/green-living-blog', 'tone/blog', 'environment/environment', 'environment/carbonfootprints', 'type/article'] | environment/carbonfootprints | EMISSIONS | 2010-08-24T06:30:02Z | true | EMISSIONS |
global-development/2012/jun/21/undp-human-sustainability-index-rio20 | UNDP reveals template for human sustainability index at Rio+20 | The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has unveiled its "conceptual framework" for a human sustainability index that would recognise rates of human development while also weighing up the cost of progress to future generations. At a high-level forum at Rio+20 on Wednesday, Khalid Malik, director of the UNDP's human development report office, outlined the work his branch of the organisation had been carrying out in an attempt to measure sustainable development. Malik said basic building blocks would be needed to come up with a suitable measure. The first would be working out how to adequately connect current choices with the choices of the next generation, who have rights that need to be protected just as much as those of the current generation, said Malik. The second would involve measuring the use of environmental resources, while the third would entail linking local and global resource use (for example, Canada may have plenty of water sources, enabling the country to live within its local limits, but those limits may exceed global ones). The challenge will lie in working out how to incorporate these points. "This is the thinking we have been doing in the office," said Malik. "We need alternative approaches to lead us in the right direction. "We need to focus on people and choices. From a policy perspective, this implies that the right to current development is fundamental, but it must be achieved without reducing the choices available to future generations." Wednesday's forum, and the work of Malik and his team, followed calls for a UN-led examination of alternatives to purely economic measurements of national and global progress, said UNDP administrator Helen Clark, who moderated the panel discussion. "It has long been argued that measuring progress is broader than GDP," said Clark. "Sustainable development measurement is complex, but [it's] fundamental to providing a better evidence base for policymaking." GDP has been used to measure development since the 1940s, and it was not until 1990 that an alternative measure was introduced. The human development index (HDI) incorporated indices on health and education, as well as income. Calls for new indicators to measure development were included in the 1992 Rio Earth summit's Article 21 document. Since then, a range of indices have been developed to measure the environment, such as green accounting, which sought to take into account the environmental cost of economic activity. The World Bank has just launched a new initiative, natural capital accounting, to factor the cost of natural resources such as ecosystems, clean water and air into decisionmaking. So far, more than 50 countries and 86 large private companies have expressed support for the scheme. Mary Barton-Dock, head of the World Bank's environment department, said the bank will begin work on this initiative on Monday. Other alternative measures have tried to incorporate consumption and production rates, or wellbeing and happiness. The UK is developing a happiness index, and Bhutan already has one. Enrico Giovannini, head of Italy's National Office of Statistics and former chief statistician for the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development, suggested references to the future should be replaced by the term "vulnerability". He argued that politicians find it difficult to make their electorates care about the future generation, and telling people a government had made changes that would support the next generation could seem unpalatable in times of crisis. "This [economic] crisis has made everyone more vulnerable and much more aware," said Giovannini. "We should use the term vulnerable rather than sustainable, so politicians can go to their peers and say: 'I slowed down growth, but also reduced our risk'." Clark said the HDI could be a "starting point for a more comprehensive measure of sustainable development", and emphasised the need for more research and consultations with governments, civil society and academic experts in the field, in collaboration with other UN agencies and multilateral institutions. However, finding appropriate measures for sustainable development is not going to be easy. The Inclusive Wealth Index (IWI), for instance, a measure introduced by the UN Environment Programme (Unep) and the UN University, has been criticised on environmental grounds and portrayed as misleading and potentially damaging. "IWI would make the world's environmental situation worse," said Georges Menahem of the National Scientific Research Institute of France. "If it is adopted and widely used, it could be very dangerous. It underestimates the depletion of natural resources and overestimates the monetised outcome of GDP, such as GDP and human capital." Menahem says the IWI measure of wealth does not include natural capital stocks that help climate regulation, flood regulation, fertile soil, biodiversity and drinking water. Fair, a French NGO, said it was extremely concerned to see that Unep had issued the index, which it described as flawed. "In our view it is grossly misleading. We hope that the UN system will quickly take corrective action and remove it from its future publications." | ['global-development/global-development', 'global-development/environmental-sustainability', 'global-development/future-of-development', 'world/unitednations', 'world/world', 'environment/rio-20-earth-summit', 'environment/sustainable-development', 'tone/news', 'type/article', 'profile/lizford', 'profile/jonathanwatts'] | environment/sustainable-development | CLIMATE_POLICY | 2012-06-21T15:32:27Z | true | CLIMATE_POLICY |
environment/2019/dec/11/dont-invest-in-brazilian-meat-warn-deforestation-campaigners | Don't invest in Brazilian meat, warn deforestation campaigners | An international group of 30 non-profit groups published an open letter on Wednesday warning investors considering buying shares in two Brazilian meat giants of their exposure to deforestation. Billions of dollars of shares held by the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) in JBS and Marfrig – two of the world’s biggest meat companies – will reportedly go on sale next year. The letter says that both companies have been linked to destruction of the Amazon forest – where deforestation soared this year while fires in August reached a nine-year record. BNDES declined to comment. Signed by Global Witness, Greenpeace Brasil and the Rainforest Action Network, amongst others, the letter follows a report on Tuesday by the Guardian, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and Réporter Brasil which showed that over the summer Amazon fires were three times more common in beef farming zones. Some 70% of cleared Amazon rainforest is estimated to have been converted to pasture, the letter said. Brazilian companies JBS and Marfrig are two of the biggest buyers of cattle in the area. “There is increasing recognition by central banks, stock exchanges, consumers and the public that climate change has become a material issue for the financial system,” the letter said. “This serves as a caution.” “There are some real gaps in the information that JBS and Marfrig are supplying on their supply chain,” said Shona Hawkes, senior policy advisor, forests at Global Witness. “Investors need to insist on that information.” Some cattle are born, raised and reared on the same farm – these are called direct suppliers, or “full cycle” farms. But many pass through numerous ranches – or “indirect suppliers” – before slaughter, with some specialising on fattening, others in rearing. This is proving to be a serious weakness for deforestation monitoring by the big Brazilian meat companies. In an email, Marfrig’s director of sustainability Paulo Pianez said the company’s efforts to meet its zero deforestation commitment include a real-time fire alert and a supplier monitoring platform. “Marfrig constantly develops technologies to mitigate risks, while permanently engaging suppliers and ensuring transparency for all stakeholders,” he said. Pianez also said only 47% of its cattle came from “full cycle” farms. Its annual report from auditors DNV.GL said: “Marfrig’s indirect suppliers are not systematically verified … Marfrig argues that the lack of a nationally implemented public traceability policy makes it difficult to implement such a verification.” JBS’s audit from the same company made a similar observation. “Regarding indirect suppliers, JBS and the industry in general does not yet have in place a verification system in these cases,” it said. The company said in an email that its Amazon monitoring system covers more than 280,000 sq miles, assesses more than 50,000 farms every day and has blocked more than 8,000 supplying farms due to non-compliance. “JBS is committed to eradicating deforestation, ensuring sustainable livestock practices and improving the livelihoods of farmers in the Amazon region,” a company spokesperson said in an email. “We urge those who share the common goal of ending deforestation to seek solutions rather than criticism.” The groups signing this letter argued that neither company has done enough. “Buying shares in these companies means running a big risk in being involved in deforestation in the Amazon,” said Christian Russau, from Germany’s Association of Ethical Shareholders. “We in Europe are also responsible.” | ['environment/series/animals-farmed', 'environment/amazon-rainforest', 'environment/deforestation', 'environment/conservation', 'environment/environment', 'environment/forests', 'environment/meat-industry', 'environment/farming', 'environment/food', 'world/americas', 'world/world', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/dom-phillips', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/global-development'] | environment/forests | BIODIVERSITY | 2019-12-11T14:02:19Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
technology/article/2024/jun/05/tiktok-hackers-target-cnn-paris-hilton-cyber-attack | TikTok hackers target Paris Hilton, CNN and other high-profile users | TikTok has said it is taking measures to tackle a cyber-attack that targeted several celebrities and brand accounts, including Paris Hilton and CNN. The social video app confirmed CNN’s feed was one of a small number of high-profile accounts that had been affected after its security team was alerted to malicious actors targeting the US news outlet. “We have been collaborating closely with CNN to restore account access and implement enhanced security measures to safeguard their account moving forward,” a TikTok spokesperson said. TikTok also revealed Hilton was targeted but the reality TV star’s account had not been compromised. The short-form video-sharing platform told the Associated Press the attack had taken place through the app’s direct messaging feature but would not give any more details. It is still investigating the what happened and working with affected account owners who are trying to get their access restored. The app, which is owned by the Chinese tech firm ByteDance, faces a ban in the US over concerns that it poses a national security threat. Joe Biden signed legislation in April that would lead to the app being prohibited across the country unless ByteDance was able to sell it to a non-Chinese entity by mid-January. TikTok, which has about 170 million users in the US, revealed last month that it was taking legal action to block the law, arguing it was unconstitutional and violated free speech. Last week it was revealed that Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for the presidency, had joined the app, despite signing an executive order when he was president in 2020 to ban it over its links to Beijing. In March, Trump told reporters that even though he considered TikTok a national security risk he no longer supported a ban. The TikTok attack is the latest in several hacks targeting social media platforms in recent years. One of the most high-profile incidents occurred in July 2020, when hackers were able to take control of the accounts of public figures and corporations on Twitter – now X – including Biden, Barack Obama, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Apple. On Tuesday, the NHS confirmed it had been affected by a cyber-attack that led to the health service declaring a “critical incident”. Seven hospitals run by two NHS trusts, including Guy’s, St Thomas’ and King’s College in London, experienced serious disruption to their services after a ransomware attack targeted a private company that analyses blood tests for them. | ['technology/tiktok', 'technology/hacking', 'technology/cybercrime', 'technology/internet', 'technology/technology', 'media/social-media', 'business/business', 'media/media', 'media/digital-media', 'media/cnn', 'lifeandstyle/paris-hilton', 'lifeandstyle/lifeandstyle', 'campaign/email/business-today', 'media/television', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/jack-simpson', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-business'] | technology/hacking | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE | 2024-06-05T07:44:25Z | true | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE |
world/2014/apr/02/chile-earthquake-sparks-tsunami-warning-and-evacuation-of-thousands | Tsunami warning and evacuation of thousands after earthquake in Chile | An earthquake of magnitude 8.2 has jolted northern Chile, triggering a tsunami alert and the evacuation of thousands of people from coastal areas. At least five people were killed and more than 300 women escaped from a coastal prison. The quake was centred under the Pacific Ocean 61 miles north-west of the city of Iquique and struck at 8.46pm as thousands of residents were arriving home from work. As sirens blared and emergency warnings urged residents to evacuate by foot to higher ground, in coastal cities traffic jams ensued as panicked residents sought to escape the coast. The first tsunami surge measured 2.5 metres (8.2ft) and flooded low-lying areas of Iquique including a medical clinic and bus terminal. While thousands of residents sought refuge in the hills, an ad-hoc security force of police and members of the Chilean armed forces searched Iquique for the estimated 329 female prisoners thought to have escaped. Initial reports from Chilean investigative police said 16 prisoners had been apprehended. Firefighters, meanwhile, battled a huge blaze in central Iquique and the lack of water and electricity added to a sense of chaos. In Santiago, a contingent of special forces police boarded a Hercules transport plane and were flown north to provide reinforcements and help prevent looting. In Iquique, police took control of service stations and provided perimeter security for supermarkets. Government officials said attempts to loot stores and abandoned homes in Iquique were rebuffed by police. Reports of damage to infrastructure and homes began filtering in during the early hours of Wednesday. Several highways were reportedly blocked by rockslides and the airport control tower in Iquique had been damaged. Strong aftershocks shook northern Chile every few minutes throughout early Wednesday, some measuring above magnitude six. Earthquake experts at the Universidad de Chile predicted the aftershocks would continue for months. The Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, called on residents to maintain calm and said a full damage estimate would be made at daybreak. Bachelet immediately announced a visit to northern Chile and confirmed that Brazil, Peru and Argentina had offered material support. Bachelet, who took office in mid-March, sought to avoid a repeat of her widely criticised reaction to a deadly earthquake during a previous stint as president. An 8.8 earthquake off the coast of Chile on 27 February 2010 killed an estimated 500 Chileans and caused a massive tsunami that government officials had told coastal residents would not happen. When the huge wave hit – measuring up to 60ft high – it destroyed large swaths of the Chilean coastline and blemished Bachelet’s previously stellar reputation. Over the past four years, the Chilean government has repeatedly held tsunami practice drills and earthquake of magnitude 6.7 on 16 March prompted the evacuation of more than 100,000 people in Iquique. Dozens of small tremors in recent weeks have kept northern Chile residents on edge. Given that three of the 10 largest earthquakes ever recorded have been in Chile, the populace is long accustomed to earthquake survival protocols. Building standards in Chile require multiple storey buildings to be capable of withstanding a 9.0 earthquake, though in rural areas many older buildings – often made of adobe – are prone to sudden and often deadly collapse. | ['world/tsunamis', 'world/earthquakes', 'world/chile', 'world/natural-disasters', 'world/americas', 'world/world', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/jonathanfranklin'] | world/tsunamis | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2014-04-02T14:01:04Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
environment/2021/mar/16/eating-up-the-rainforest-chinas-taste-for-beef-drives-exports-from-brazil | China's taste for beef drives record exports from Brazil | Over dinner in a busy barbecue restaurant in Shenzhen, Lei Yong and Zhao Xu, two businessmen in their mid-40s, reflect on how meat consumption in China has dramatically changed in their lifetimes, particularly over the past 10 to 15 years. “Maybe 20 years ago, people in villages and smaller cities didn’t eat much meat, but those in big cities did,” says Zhao, referring to the bustling megacity in which he and Lei are raising their families. “Now people in bigger cities are more health conscious and are eating more vegetables, but those in smaller cities have more money. Now they’re really eating a lot more meat. They think that being rich means eating more meat.” Ravenous demand from China has helped Brazilian beef sales rocket to record levels – but the boom comes at a high environmental cost. Brazil’s economy has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, and more than two million people have lost their jobs. But agriculture continues to flourish, and the country is the world’s biggest beef exporter. Brazil supplied 43% of China’s meat imports in 2020, the consultancy Safras & Mercado calculated using government data, with beef exports to the country up a staggering 76% last year compared with 2019. “There has been this boom,” says Thiago de Carvalho, a professor of agribusiness at the University of São Paulo, highlighting the quality of Brazilian beef and its low price after the Brazilian currency, the real, tumbled last year. “Brazilian meat is [among] the cheapest in the world.” Sales are predicted to climb even higher this year, as China’s pork industry struggles to recover from the deadly pig disease African swine fever. “China’s need to buy meat last year was impressive,” says Fernando Iglesias, an analyst at Safras & Mercado, which translates as Harvests and Market. “Brazil is more than able to supply what the Chinese need.” Although the Chinese eat less meat per head of population than Americans, consumption has risen in recent decades as the economy grows. Traditionally, China’s favourite meat is pork, but in 2018 and 2019 more than half of the country’s 440m pigs were killed by African swine fever or slaughtered to slow its spread. Beef imports rose as China sought to replace the protein. Consumer surveys also show more Chinese turning to beef. A poll of affluent Chinese consumers by the marketing company Meat & Livestock Australia found that a third had eaten more beef during the past year. Almost 70% of China’s Brazilian meat imports came from the Cerrado, the vast tropical savanna region, and the Amazon in 2017, according to Trase (Transparency for Sustainable Economies), a European network that monitors supply chains. About half of the Cerrado and about 20% of the Brazilian Amazon have been cleared – with a devastating impact on global heating as both are important carbon sinks. “The Amazon provided about a fifth of China’s imports but is actually half of the deforestation risk,” says Erasmus zu Ermgassen, a researcher at Louvain Catholic University in Belgium and one of the authors of a study on the impact of beef exports. “Exports are expanding into the Amazon,” says Zu Ermgassen. “When you increase demand on the Brazilian agriculture system you are pushing agriculture farther into the forest.” Since 2019, China has reportedly licensed 22 Brazilian slaughterhouses for exports – 14 of them in the Amazon, while four are in the sprawling Amazon state of Pará, which has Brazil’s fifth-largest cattle herd. This had a big impact on the price of meat, says Maurício Fraga Filho, a cattle rancher and president of Pará’s ranchers’ association. Under Brazil’s far-right populist president, Jair Bolsonaro, who took office in January 2019, Amazon deforestation has surged to a 12-year high. Investors and large Brazilian companies have pressured the Brazilian government to act, and ranchers such as Fraga Filho are worried about potential boycotts. “This is a big concern,” says Fraga Filho. “The market shouldn’t bar products from the Amazon. This will be chaos.” He says more effort should be put into helping farmers resolve legal problems, such as land embargoed due to environmental offences, enabling them to supply meat companies legally. This would stop them selling to a black market that “exists and has always existed”, says Fraga Filho. “Today there is no need to deforest any more.” Brazil’s big three beef exporters – JBS, Marfrig and Minerva – handled 72% of Brazil’s beef exports from 2015-17, according to Trase. All three have spent heavily developing systems to monitor their “direct suppliers” – farmers such as Fraga Filho who sell on to slaughterhouses – for environmental offences. But they have been unable to monitor their “indirect suppliers” – farms breeding or raising cattle that supply the “direct suppliers”. Last year, JBS and Marfrig promised complete monitoring of their supply chain by 2025 and Minerva is testing a system to control its suppliers. While China has yet to show concern over the connection between Brazilian beef imports and Amazon deforestation, there are at least signs that its government wants to cut meat consumption, which would improve public health and reduce carbon emissions. Last September, President Xi Jinping surprised many when he said China would aim to become carbon neutral by 2060. But while the market for plant-based alternatives is growing, weaning people off meat – and the sense of wealth that it brings – may prove harder than he expects. Dom Phillips is a 2021 Alicia Patterson Foundation fellow Sign up for the Animals farmed monthly update to get a roundup of the best farming and food stories across the world and keep up with our investigations. You can send us your stories and thoughts at animalsfarmed@theguardian.com | ['environment/series/animals-farmed', 'environment/food', 'environment/farming', 'environment/environment', 'world/brazil', 'world/china', 'world/americas', 'world/asia-pacific', 'world/world', 'environment/deforestation', 'environment/forests', 'environment/conservation', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'profile/dom-phillips', 'profile/michael-standaert', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/global-development'] | environment/deforestation | BIODIVERSITY | 2021-03-16T07:00:18Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
world/2016/aug/08/bolivia-madidi-national-park-chefs-sustainable-ingredients | Bolivian national park serving up sustainable ingredients for fine dining | Deep in Bolivia’s Madidi national park, Kamilla Seidler – the head chef of the Gustu restaurant in La Paz – was looking at a basket of cusí, the fruit of the babassu palm. An oil processed from the seeds is already marketed as a hair and skin product, but Seidler suspected it could have culinary potential, too. “Bring me three kilos of it and in a month I can tell you all kinds of things you can do with it,” she told Agustina Aponte, who was representing a group of women from Yaguarú, one of 31 campesino and indigenous communities living within Madidi’s 1.89m hectares. While the Bolivian government is pushing to open its protected areas to oil and gas firms, the women had come to participate in an initiative to exploit the park’s natural resources in a more sustainable – and appetizing – way. Chefs from across Latin America, scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society, and staff from Bolivia’s environment ministry and the Danish International Development Agency had also travelled to the park to discuss sustainable rainforest products. The meeting was intended to prove that there is demand among leading chefs for forest produce such as wild cacao or oreja de mono mushrooms – but also to help native communities understand just how much commercial potential there is in the flora and fauna they come across on a daily basis. “The first thing we have to do is document the biodiversity. To understand what is there,” said Rob Wallace, of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), who has been exploring the protected area for the past 17 years. Wallace and his team have catalogued more plant and animal species in Madidi than any other national park in the world, identifying those that are edible with the help of native guides. Out of the forest came camu camu (a cherry-sized fruit with 30 times the vitamin C of an orange) and majo (another palm fruit that can be pressed to produce a milk, which could offer an alternative for the lactose intolerant). There was rare wild cacao and the honey from stingless bees. Some arrived in carefully labelled boxes, others in old Coca-Cola bottles. “In our experience, it’s difficult to connect with the product,” Seidler told the indigenous women. “There’s a market, but we need the connection. Together we can work on the quality.” The Peruvian chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, part of a Rainforest to Table organization that includes Seidler, spoke about ají negro, a spicy yuca reduction that he encountered in Pucaurquillo, a Bora-Huitoto village in the Peruvian Amazon. In 2015, his Lima restaurants and kitchens of two Amazon river cruise ships he runs purchased 40,000 Peruvian soles of it, completely changing the economy of the village while giving value to their culture. There is hope that a similar model could work in Madidi too. The expedition was spearheaded by the team behind Gustu, the La Paz restaurant launched in 2013 by Claus Meyer, the Danish co-founder of Noma, three times voted the best restaurant in the world. Since then, Meyer’s Melting Pot organization has grown into an engine for sustainable culinary development, helping open a dozen small cafeterias and cooking schools in impoverished neighbourhoods and creating a logistics network to connect artisanal producers with chefs and consumers. Yet connecting with Bolivia’s isolated and undeveloped Amazonian regions, which make up nearly half of the country’s territory, has been a challenge. In urban centres such as La Paz and Santa Cruz, few know native fruits such as açaí or that the world’s largest production of castañas, aka Brazil nuts, is actually in Bolivia. When Seidler first arrived in Bolivia from her native Denmark in 2012, she went to dinner at the home of Kenzo Hirose, one of the restaurant’s chefs, who comes from a jungle village on the Rio Beni. She encountered fruits and fish she had never seen. “[But] where are these products in the markets of La Paz?” she asked. The visitors’ most significant achievement has been establishing a relationship with a group of Tacana hunters who harvest caimans for three weeks each year according to quotas based on population surveys managed by the WCS. The skins are sold to Gucci, and the tail meat is sold to Gustu. Despite growing demand, bureaucracy has kept other hunters from coming forward, requiring a six-day journey to La Paz for permission, and more restaurants from obtaining licenses to sell the meat. “Formalization and consistency can often make bringing products to a market impossible,” Jacob Olander, who manages Canopy Bridge, a global network that connects suppliers and buyers of wild-harvested products, told the group. “Restaurants can offer to be an interesting intermediary.” Near the end of the trip, Seidler mentioned that for years she had heard tales of a wild vanilla from Madidi, but had never seen it. “Everyone keeps telling me it’s as big as a banana,” she said. The next day a guide from Chalalan found three pods growing near the lodge. They were as big as bananas. | ['world/bolivia', 'world/americas', 'type/article', 'environment/sustainable-development', 'environment/environment', 'environment/food', 'world/world', 'food/restaurants', 'global-development/global-development', 'tone/features', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/international', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/us-foreign'] | environment/sustainable-development | CLIMATE_POLICY | 2016-08-08T11:30:04Z | true | CLIMATE_POLICY |
us-news/2018/nov/20/california-wildfire-refugees-mudslides-ryan-zinke-environmental-radicals | California wildfires: refugee camp 'could become a mud pit' as rain looms | Wildfires that scorched more than 248,300 acres in northern and southern California are close to containment, officials say. But after firefighters spent nearly two weeks battling the flames, a lot of work – and danger – remains. Heavy rains forecast across the state this week threaten mudslides and floods in the burn areas and misery for the displaced, who are camping outside. The rain looms as agencies scramble to assist the tens of thousands left without homes, and continue search and rescue efforts. The new threats come as Ryan Zinke, the interior secretary, blamed “environmental radicals” for the destructive wildfire during a visit to the scorched town of Paradise over the weekend. Zinke told reporters that now was not the time to point fingers. He then pointed his own at activists, whom he blames for their pushback against the thinning of the forests. Speaking with Breitbart news on Sunday, Zinke said: “I will lay this on the foot of those environmental radicals that have prevented us from managing the forests for years. And you know what? This is on them.” Scientific assessments and consensus from fire officials hold that the worsening wildfires – and accompanying risk of mudslides – are fueled by climate change, yet the Trump administration has continued to blame environmentalists. The Camp fire killed at least 79, left hundreds unaccounted for and razed the town of Paradise in northern California, engulfing 12,637 homes. Now 70% contained, the fire has burned across 151,373 acres in areas that are now facing inclement weather. “It’s going to become a mud pit tomorrow and a health hazard” from human waste, a volunteer, Jennifer Morse, said of the Walmart parking lot in Chico, where almost 140 tents remain pitched, despite talk that the encampment was to be cleared this past Sunday. Morse estimated that half the campers were fire evacuees and that another half were already homeless in Chico and the Paradise area. Roadblocks around smaller communities have been removed this week, but Paradise itself remains a ghost town off-limits to the public as officials search for human remains, clear fallen power lines and take down weakened trees. The National Weather Service issued flash flood watches through the end of the week and warned of winds gusting up to 40mph that could bring down fire-damaged trees. Agencies have begun shifting resources from the firefight to fire aftermath, warning residents of the possibility of downed power lines, leaking propane, shut-down services, and embers that could reignite homes. “Time is of the essence,” the Cal Fire assistant deputy director, Matthew Reischman, said in a video posted the agency’s website, adding that structural protection and sandbags are being provided to aid in preparation. “We are going to identify those areas very rapidly, as quick as we can, and then establish emergency protective measures to put them in place, so when the rains come this winter we will be able to provide them as soon as we can.” The rain risks are lower in the southern part of the state, where the Woolsey fire tore through 96,949 acres, scorching 1,500 structures and killing three. But officials are still concerned over possible precipitation: burn areas can remain in danger of increased debris flows for years after high-intensity fires. “When you have the high-intensity burns, carbon in the soil seals the soil’s surface,” Christian Renschler, a disaster response expert and professor of geography at University at Buffalo, explained why the water isn’t absorbed into the parched earth. “And it is not only the runoff in terms of the water,” he adds. “These debris flows are so heavy and full of sediment and ash – anything that has washed off – it is almost like a cement-type of mixture that is running down the landscape.” Because of the increasing intensity and scale of the fires, the mudslides could be worse than ever before. “This is the cascading effect,” Renschler said, adding that infrastructure and roads that survived the flames could now be taken out by the mud, and toxic ash and rubble could run into reservoirs. “These fires are so large it would take some time and also a significant financial effort to prepare all the areas that would be at risk. What they need to do is set priorities for which ones are most likely endangering people.” Zinke’s comments in Paradise were not his first controversial remarks in the aftermath of a fire. In August, he took issue with scientific research that links wildfires to climate change and said: “America is better than letting these radical groups control the dialogue about climate change.” His comments followed criticism over statements from Donald Trump, who forgot the town’s name and repeated his claims that fires were caused by forest mismanagement. Over the weekend, California’s governor, Jerry Brown, struck a different tone and emphasized the climate threat. “We are in for very difficult times,” he said. “We will have problems in the years to come. Get ready – because we are always under some kind of threat.” | ['us-news/california', 'world/wildfires', 'world/natural-disasters', 'us-news/us-news', 'us-news/trump-administration', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/gabrielle-canon', 'profile/alastair-gee', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/west-coast-news'] | world/wildfires | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2018-11-21T03:26:36Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
media/2013/jan/30/malcolm-brodie-sports-journalist-dies-86 | Malcolm Brodie, renowned sports journalist, dies aged 86 | Veteran Belfast-based awarding winning sports journalist Malcolm Brodie, who covered every World Cup since 1954, has died at the age of 86. The Scots-born football writer received a string of plaudits from Fifa as well as an MBE for his services to the game for six decades. Brodie presented a documentary on the now defunct Belfast Celtic and was a respected football commentator on the international scene. Jim Gracey, the Belfast Telegraph Group's sports editor, where Brodie worked from after the second world war, said: "He was a wonderful man and a wonderful journalist who must have taught generations of sports reporters, myself included. "He had a contacts book like no other. Everybody in soccer – from Pele to Sir Alex Ferguson – knew him. The man was beyond a legend." Brodie was also a regular sports broadcaster and became a household name during Northern Ireland's travels to the World Cup, first in 1958 and later in Spain in 1982 and Mexico four years later. On duty in Mexico, Brodie was reported to have filed his opening sentence of the Northern Ireland v Brazil game, which the South Americans won 3-0, by repeating the words "Magnifico, Magnifico, Magnifco" in praise of the Brazilians performance against his adopted country. The typist taking down his copy from a crackling phone line in Mexico was reported to have shouted back to Brodie: "It's OK Malcolm, I head the word 'Magnifico' the first time you said it." • This article was amended on 31 January 2013. The original said Malcolm Brodie was an acclaimed author of a book on Belfast Celtic. This has been corrected. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediatheguardian.com or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication". • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook. | ['media/media', 'football/football', 'sport/sport', 'media/newspapers', 'media/pressandpublishing', 'media/worldcupthemedia', 'uk/northernireland', 'uk/uk', 'tone/news', 'type/article', 'profile/henrymcdonald'] | media/worldcupthemedia | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE | 2013-01-30T13:28:00Z | true | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE |
world/2013/aug/15/haiti-police-raid-plastics-ban-crackdown | Haiti police raid warehouses in plastics ban crackdown | Police in Haiti have raided three warehouses in the capital in the first clear indication that the government is serious about enforcing a ban on Styrofoam takeaway containers and plastic bags. The ban, which came into force on 1 August, is the second time that Michel Martelly's government has tried to limit the plastic rubbish that clogs drains and causes floods, litters the streets and washes up on beaches. A previous attempt last year was largely ignored, and environmental activists fear the government may not be able to enforce it this time either. But the environment minister, Jean Francois Thomas, said the raid proved "we are serious about a serious problem". The government has promised many more across the country, mainly to seize Styrofoam containers, 80% of which are imported from the neighbouring Dominican Republic. Haiti is engaged in a trade war with the DR, having banned the importation of chickens and eggs, and some DR Styrofoam manufacturers say the ban on plastics may be a political move. "We're not yet sure what we'll use instead of plastic bags," said one Port au Prince supermarket owner. "Perhaps recycled plastic? But it's more expensive." Port-au-Prince, Haiti's largest city, is awash in rubbish. When it rains, rivers of discarded Styrofoam boxes flow down the streets and plastic bags festoon trees. There is general scepticism about the government's ability to enforce its decision. "There is little reason to think the new decree will bring about any change, What is the alternative to Styrofoam and plastic? How are people going to carry food home if not in Styrofoam boxes?" asked one business owner. Thomas insists that his government is determined to wean Haitians off the "bad habit" built up over the last few years of using Styrofoam. The government says it is still in the process of talking to Haitian business owners to import biodegradable takeaway containers and bags. "We will offer a lot of help, such as lower import tariffs for biodegradable products," said Thomas. In the past, he said, "Haitians bought food and brought along their own metal containers to take it home. What's wrong with doing that again?" The question may address the doubts posed by environmental campaigners who point to Haiti's failure to follow the example of Rwanda, which launched a four-year public information campaign before it became the first country in the world to ban bags in 2007.But activists say the action is too little, too late. The government says it has more ambitious plans than mere bans. Small plastic sachets of purified water remain exempt from the ban and Thomas believes he is creating a scheme for drivers of tap taps, the privately owned public transport system, to collect discarded sachets and take them to a recycling plant. "Everyone earns a little and the streets remain clean, what could be better than that?" | ['world/haiti', 'world/americas', 'world/world', 'environment/waste', 'environment/environment', 'tone/news', 'type/article', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/international'] | environment/waste | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE | 2013-08-15T19:09:51Z | true | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE |
commentisfree/2023/nov/30/babies-in-the-global-south-are-being-poisoned-by-plastic-from-the-north-yet-they-are-missing-from-the-data | Babies in the global south are being poisoned by plastic from the north. Yet they are missing from the data | Aidan Charron | For the last 70 years, we have all been lab rats in the biggest health experiment of human history, one that none of us signed up for, least of all our children. In the run-up to attending the global plastic treaty negotiations in Nairobi, I was feeling frustrated about the coverage of microplastics and their impact on human health, so I wrote a report, Babies v Plastics. I wanted to emphasise that these tiny, insidious fragments of plastic are associated with not just one health risk, but with an entire range of health issues, from elevated miscarriage rates to early puberty. Some chemicals used in the manufacture of plastics, known as phthalates, are associated with up to 20% higher rates of childhood cancer overall. There is evidence that microplastics can interrupt maternal-foetal communication and potentially damage DNA. They have been associated with type 2 diabetes, and even conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The list goes on. However, the public are highly unlikely to know this. They would have to scour the press for every single article out there to fully understand the scale of this involuntary mass poisoning at the hands of the unaccountable plastic industry. Absorbing the research was unnerving but it gave me a new perspective. The research on this topic, while commendable and much-needed, exists within a strange vacuum that largely ignores one group: the children of the global south. The additive chemicals of microplastics are slowly poisoning everyone, but the research has failed to account for people of all socioeconomic and geographical backgrounds. That is damning when you consider that between 2.14m and as much as 4m tonnes of plastic waste are shipped south from the global north every year. When China shut its doors to plastic waste in 2017, Malaysia, Ghana, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines all saw an increase in the volume of plastic waste arriving at their shores. This fact seems especially galling given that we don’t include their children in our research on the health risks of exposure to microplastics. This is borne out by the Plastic Health Map created by the independently funded Minderoo Foundation, in Australia, which illustrated that the babies being studied are largely in the global north: in countries such as Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, UK and US. This is not only infuriating on moral grounds but it also underestimates the science. We know that people in poorer nations are the most exposed to microplastics, as an international study led by Macquarie University in Australia, concluded last year. By leaving the babies of the south largely out of the sample groups being studied, we are ignoring the most exposed demographic and probably underestimating the subsequent health risks. A study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology found that each of us could be consuming as many as 52,000 microplastic particles, and potentially inhaling another 121,000 microplastic particles, a year: the equivalent of us each swallowing a large bar of soap’s worth. It is not hard to understand how this might affect a child more than an adult, but there’s another factor, too. Babies crawl and chew on inanimate objects, which means they inhale household dust that contains microfibres, the microplastics from textiles, and they chew on plastic toys, as well as on feeding bottles. For children in the developing world there are fewer regulations on what those toys and chewable teats might contain. The plastic waste that ends up moving from north to south is mostly heading for fake recycling – it will be buried in landfills or burned, often on unregulated sites. Its chemicals leach into nearby waterways and settlements. This is especially worrying because microplastics shed from waste are known to carry bacteria and viruses into the human body, as well as heavy metals. The morally bankrupt plastic industry will claim none of this can be addressed, until we find more causal links between microplastics and health risks. Yet, lobbyists in Nairobi have just demanded that no independent science body to assess these health risks should be included in the global treaty. What we urgently need is much more research with studies that include the babies of the global south. We already have a two-tier climate crisis with the global north producing 92% of CO2 emissions. Now we have set in motion a two-tier plastic crisis – with the global north shipping ever-increasing amounts of plastic waste to the south, to poison their children. If we are going to effectively call out the plastic industry for this global lab experiment that none of us signed up for, we need all the facts, and that includes the damage being done to the babies of the global south, too. Aidan Charron is director of End Plastic Initiatives at Earthday.org in Washington DC Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. | ['global-development/global-development', 'commentisfree/commentisfree', 'environment/plastic', 'society/childrens-health', 'environment/environment', 'society/health', 'environment/pollution', 'society/children', 'global-development/global-health', 'campaign/email/global-dispatch', 'type/article', 'tone/comment', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/global-development'] | environment/plastic | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE | 2023-11-30T06:00:40Z | true | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE |
us-news/2023/jan/21/dolphins-new-york-city-bronx-river | Delight as dolphins spotted in New York’s Bronx River | Dolphins have been spotted frolicking in New York City’s Bronx River, an encouraging sign of the improving health of a waterway that was for many years befouled as a sewer for industrial waste. A pair of dolphins was seen gliding through the river’s waters on Monday, the New York City parks department confirmed, near a small park in the city’s Bronx borough. The Bronx river rises north of New York City and cuts through the Bronx before terminating in the East River, the estuary that separates the Bronx and Manhattan from the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn. “It’s true – dolphins were spotted in the Bronx River this week!,” the parks department gleefully tweeted. “This is great news – it shows that the decades-long effort to restore the river as a healthy habitat is working. We believe these dolphins naturally found their way to the river in search of fish.” Dolphins have not been seen in the river for several years, but there has been an increase in sightings of the marine mammals in the waters around New York as the industrial pollution that blighted the region has eased. Scientists previously set up underwater microphones at aquatic locations around New York to listen for the distinctive clicking noises emitted by bottlenose dolphins and found that they are particularly active in the harbor that separates New York and New Jersey. A pair of dolphins were seen in the waters off Brooklyn last year, surprising onlookers. The Bronx River suffered for many years as it became a natural dumping ground for waste running from nearby industrial plants. In recent decades, however, industrial activity near the river has declined and municipalities have agreed to not push sewage into the waterway. City authorities stock the Bronx river with fish, too, a lure to dolphins, who eat 20lbs of fish a day. “We’ve come a long way across multiple decades of environmental improvement, water quality cleaning, better environmental stewardship, better relations, all of which helps the overall environment and then leads to recovery of these systems,” said Howard Rosenbaum, a dolphin expert at the Wildlife Conservation Society. “I think it’s just great that these things are happening and hopefully the overall environmental recovery for these urban waterways continues, and we continue to see marine wildlife – their habitats, their prey – flourish.” | ['us-news/new-york', 'environment/dolphins', 'environment/wildlife', 'us-news/us-news', 'environment/environment', 'world/world', 'environment/marine-life', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/oliver-milman', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/us-news'] | environment/marine-life | BIODIVERSITY | 2023-01-21T16:21:36Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
australia-news/2015/jan/15/tasmania-plans-to-open-wilderness-world-heritage-area-to-logging-and-tourism | Tasmania plans to open wilderness world heritage area to logging and tourism | The Tasmanian government is attempting to remove the term “wilderness” from the state’s wilderness world heritage area, opening the vast ecosystem to selective logging, cruise ships and landing strips for aircraft. In a draft plan, extracts of which have been seen by Guardian Australia, the term “wilderness” is dropped because it is considered “deeply problematic for Aboriginal people” and replaced by “natural area”. The document states the current terminology “implies a landscape empty of human culture”. The plan refers to the “extraction of speciality timbers” within the wilderness area, indicating that logging may be allowed for the first time since the 1.58m-hectare area was inscribed on the world heritage list in 1982. Cruise ships berths will be considered on Lake Gordon, Macquarie harbour and Port Davey, with landing sites for planes and helicopters to be permitted in areas including Cradle mountain and the Walls of Jerusalem national park. The plan also axes wording from the area’s previous strategy document that pledged to ensure the world heritage site remained “in as good or better condition than at present”. The plan marks a significant escalation in the kind of development allowed within the world heritage area, with a shift towards “commercial tourism” rather than the status quo of highly restricted access. Tasmania’s wilderness world heritage area covers about a fifth of the state and includes tracts of largely untouched forests, lakes and mountains. It is listed internationally for both its environmental and cultural value. The Tasmanian campaign manager at the Wilderness Society, Vica Bayley, said the new plan was “atrocious”. “The rezoning of the wilderness area is highly divisive and is a backwards step in the protection of the area,” he told Guardian Australia. “Wilderness is a management tool that has underpinned the protection of the world heritage area and it has also helped the tourism industry and Tasmania’s brand. Getting rid of it is lunacy.” Bayley said the plan would “open the floodgates” to development and undermine the area’s world heritage status. “This plan will cause alarm across Tasmania, Australia and also internationally, given that it’s a world heritage site,” he said. “We will still have a world heritage site but with a very hollow commitment to protecting values. It would be a wilderness area without integrity.” The state government’s plan will be submitted to the federal environment minister, Greg Hunt, for consideration. Tasmania’s parks and heritage minister, Matthew Groom, told the Australian: “The draft plan is about achieving balanced outcomes that are genuinely respectful of cultural and natural values, while at the same time recognising that the Tasmanian wilderness WHA is an area to be used, celebrated and shared … Through the plan, the Tasmanian government is seeking to facilitate sensible and appropriate recreational experiences, including new tourism opportunities. “This recognises the important role tourism plays in contributing to the economic wellbeing of the Tasmanian community.” Bayley said the conservation movement would take “community, political and international action” against the plan. Last year, the federal government attempted to remove 74,000 hectares of forest from Tasmania’s world heritage area, only for a United Nations committee to take just eight minutes to rebuff the plan at a world heritage meeting. | ['australia-news/tasmania', 'australia-news/australia-news', 'environment/conservation', 'environment/environment', 'environment/deforestation', 'environment/forests', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/oliver-milman'] | environment/forests | BIODIVERSITY | 2015-01-14T23:47:16Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
culture/2018/dec/18/environment-jaffa-cakes-and-kylie-jenner-star-in-statistics-of-year | Environment, Jaffa Cakes and Kylie Jenner star in statistics of the year | The environment, Jaffa Cakes and the reality star Kylie Jenner all feature in 2018’s statistics of the year. Among more serious statistics relating to poverty, gender equality and climate change, the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) highlighted the power of social media and McVitie’s slashing the number of Jaffa Cakes in its Christmas tube. Highly commended in the international category was the figure of $1.3bn, the amount wiped off Snapchat’s value within a day of a Kylie Jenner tweet critical of the platform’s redesign. The judges said that while a direct causal link could not be proven, it could be “the world’s most costly tweet”. Dr Jen Rogers, RSS vice-president and a member of the judging panel, said the number showed “the power of celebrity” and, ironically given the RSS’s raison d’être, how it was “completely at odds to using data to evidence decisions”. “It’s a very, very up-to-date modern statistic that shows the effect social media has in this day and age,” she said, “how this one tweet can have such a big effect. It’s astonishing.” The quirkiest statistic to make the highly commended list was probably the 16.7% reduction in the number of Jaffa Cakes in McVitie’s Christmas tube, which Rogers said highlighted the issue of “shrinkflation”, or “not getting as much for our money”. Arguably the most surprising statistic to make the list was the percentage of British retail shopping – 82% – that is still in-store rather than online. Rogers said the figure, which was highly commended in the domestic category, shattered “the illusion that everyone shops online”. The top prizes went to two statistics that highlight humankind’s relationship with the environment and attempts to avoid further damage to it. The international winner of statistic of the year was 90.5% – the proportion of plastic waste that has never been recycled. It comes after 12 months judges said had seen “unprecedented concern about the amount of plastic in rivers and oceans”. The UK winner was a more positive figure, 27.8%, the peak percentage of all electricity produced in the UK from solar power, achieved on 30 June thanks to a heatwave and nominated after being published in the Guardian. The figure meant solar was briefly the country’s number one power source, ahead of gas. Rogers said: “It’s a reflection of what are the important things facing us as a population. We are becoming more and more aware of these issues surrounding us like climate change, the relationship we have with the environment, the things we can do to help the environment.” Reflecting the dominance of environmental issues, the judges said they considered several statistics related to the country’s unusually hot summer for the UK award. While many of the statistics make bleak reading – including those related to the gender gap, the unpunctuality of British trains and the soaring number of measles cases in Europe – the 9.5 percentage point reduction in worldwide absolute poverty over the last 10 years provided some hope. It means the proportion of people living in such hardship has more than halved since 2008. Mona Chalabi, judge and Guardian US data editor, said that while it was important not to be complacent, “the halving of absolute poverty in a single decade is a stupendous achievement. So far we’ve heard very little about it. In the west we’ve generally focused on the bleaker situation closer to home.” It is the second year of the RSS awards, intended as the numerical equivalent of Oxford Dictionaries’ word of the year. More than 200 nominations were made by members of the public from around the world. • This article was amended on 19 December 2018. An earlier version gave 28.7% as the statistic for the peak percentage of electricity produced in the UK from solar power. The correct figure is 27.8%. | ['culture/awards-and-prizes', 'uk/uk', 'environment/environment', 'environment/solarpower', 'environment/renewableenergy', 'environment/energy', 'society/poverty', 'society/society', 'business/retail', 'technology/snapchat', 'technology/technology', 'media/social-media', 'technology/twitter', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'lifeandstyle/kylie-jenner', 'profile/haroonsiddique', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/uknews', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-home-news'] | environment/renewableenergy | ENERGY | 2018-12-18T00:01:40Z | true | ENERGY |
australia-news/2022/nov/12/what-comes-comes-menindee-residents-stoic-in-face-of-looming-flood-peak | ‘What comes, comes’: Menindee residents stoic in face of looming flood peak | “It’s coming up a foot a day, which means I have about a week,” says Menindee’s Robin Eaton. “Once it gets to there, I am going to bail out,” he adds, showing the sticks he has put in the ground to mark where the Darling-Baaka River has risen on his property each day in the past week. Eaton has lifted everything off the ground in his house on Irrigation Road. He says he can evacuate in under an hour. “I’ve done it before, there are just a few odd things, but until that water comes it’s business as usual. “As you can see, I am still watering the trees.” Like Eaton, residents of low-lying parts of the far-west New South Wales community have been warned to begin evacuation preparations after Water NSW increased releases from the Menindee Lakes into the Darling-Baaka River this week. The releases are predicted to see the river reach 9.6 metres at the town gauge by early next week. At that level, up to 30 residents will lose access to their properties or potentially become stranded if they choose to stay. With up to 2,700GL expected to arrive in Wilcannia before the end of the year, the peak is likely to reach levels not seen in Menindee since the floods of 1972 and 1956, potentially leaving residents of Irrigation Road unable to return to their properties for months. “There is a varnished dressing table in there,” Eaton says. “They never shifted it, the water stained it as far as it got, that was before my time; I’ve only had this place since 1989. I think that was the ‘56 flood.” Patricia Quayle, a Barkindji elder, has been evacuated three times in the 34 years she has lived on her riverfront block in Menindee. Four weeks ago, the 81-year-old packed up her house and relocated to a temporary caravan at the highest point of her block in preparation for the flooding. “I’ve moved out the front because I don’t want to wake up in water,” she says. “I’m not nervous, what comes, comes; we got to take it and that’s what we’ve been doing the whole time I’ve lived on this block. “There’s too much water up there, it’s got to go somewhere.” It’s all part of life on an ephemeral river system for Quayle, although she says watching the river reach emergency status in recent years – while residents like herself felt unable to communicate with the people making decisions – has been devastating. It was barely three summers ago that during one of the worst droughts on record, people were putting out pans of water for kangaroo and rescuing fish from the remaining stranded pools of the river, she says. The water quality in Menindee was so bad that it burned and eventually killed all but five of Quayle’s orchids. Like the rest of Menindee, she was drinking water out of 10L boxes delivered from South Australia. Quayle is now deciding where she will stay, and readying herself to find alternative accommodation in town. David Rankine of NSW’s State Emergency Service (NSW SES) told Guardian Australia the emergency team is well equipped to respond and cater to the needs of individual residents, whatever they choose to do. “A prepare to evacuate notice has gone out to the community. Once that has been done, they can request for emergency accommodation and those sorts of things,” he says. According to Rankine, if people want to stay on their properties, NSW SES can also provide daily food drops and medicine. “We can get trucks in from Broken Hill, we’ve got a dozen volunteers that will be in Menindee until after Christmas, so we’ll have the manpower to assist with anything there.” After a town information session to prepare residents, Andrew Mensforth, a Barrier police district inspector, says that while he had witnessed some frustration in the town caused by mixed messaging, based on the data coming from WaterNSW, he believes Menindee is in a good position. “I can see here after today’s meeting that that information is not correlating or in line with the information that we are getting from Water NSW, so that is causing some angst. “There is plenty of time for the town to get prepared. “People … have lived through several flood events in this town, so we do have quite a bit of local intelligence about what is going to happen in the area.” Otis Filley is a freelance journalist and film-maker based in Broken Hill Sign up for the Rural Network email newsletter Join the Rural Network group on Facebook to be part of the community | ['australia-news/series/the-rural-network', 'campaign/email/the-rural-network', 'environment/water', 'environment/flooding', 'australia-news/new-south-wales', 'australia-news/australia-news', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'australia-news/series/rural-network', 'profile/otis-filley', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/the-rural-network'] | environment/flooding | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2022-11-11T14:00:13Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
books/2014/jul/15/science-tech-book-reviews-july | Top 10 science and tech books for July: inventions, Intel and chimpanzees | James Watt: Making the World Anew Ben Russell Russell moves beyond the steam engine to look at Watt's many other pioneering inventions. Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers and Strategies Nick Bostrom Bostrom examines how superintelligent computers could one day control human destiny, just as gorillas depend on us today. Cataloging the World: Paul Otlet and the Birth of the Information Age Alex Wright An exhumation of forgotten net pioneer Paul Otlet and his work on the first proto-internet in 1930s Belgium. Driving Honda: Inside the World's Most Innovative Car Company Jeffrey Rothfeder According to veteran business journalist Rothfeder, Honda, not Toyota, is the unsung hero of the Japanese car industry. Adventures in the Anthropocene: A Journey to the Heart of the Planet we Made Gaia Vince Science writer Vince explores how people are adapting to the challenges inherent to the age of man. The Intel Trinity: How Robert Noyce, Gordon Moore, and Andy Grove Built the World's Most Important Company Michael S Malone The first full account of Intel, based on the lives of three of its top dogs. The Solar Revolution. One World. One Solution. Providing Energy and Food for 10 Billion People. Steve McKevitt, Tony Ryan How we should tap into the solar economy to safeguard our future. The Collapse of Western Civilization: View from the Future Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway This sci-fi tale of an apocalyptic world 300 years from now is an inventive warning about the danger of climate change. Curiosity: an Inside Look at the Mars Rover Mission and the People Who Made it Happen Rob Pyle How a pioneering team of scientists harnessed technology to unlock the secrets of Mars. Among Chimpanzees: Field Notes from the Race to Save Our Endangered Relatives Nancy J Merrick A former student of Jane Goodall, Merrick reveals the plight of the primates. | ['books/scienceandnature', 'books/books', 'technology/computing', 'technology/technology', 'science/science', 'business/honda', 'technology/intel', 'environment/solarpower', 'science/curiosity-rover', 'science/mars', 'culture/culture', 'tone/reviews', 'books/computingandthenet', 'type/article', 'publication/theobserver', 'theobserver/observer-tech-monthly', 'theobserver/observer-tech-monthly/observer-tech-monthly'] | environment/solarpower | ENERGY | 2014-07-15T13:00:28Z | true | ENERGY |
australia-news/2024/jan/29/nsw-premier-says-construction-waste-recycling-regulations-review-asbestos | NSW premier says construction waste recycling rules may be reviewed as widespread compliance issues revealed | The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, says he is open to exploring changes to the laws and regulations governing the recycling of construction waste into landscaping products after widespread compliance issues were revealed by Guardian Australia. Minns met with the state’s environmental watchdog on Monday after the Guardian revealed the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has known for more than a decade that producers of a type of soil fill derived from construction and demolition waste were failing to comply with rules to limit the spread of contaminants, such as lead and asbestos, into the community. The potentially contaminated product, known as “recovered fines”, is a soil or sand substitute made from the processing of construction and demolition waste, including skip bin residue, after all large recyclable material has been removed. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup The soil fill can be applied to land for construction and landscaping purposes. Minns said it was the EPA’s duty to investigate possible breaches that could lead to toxic substances being released into the community. “I need to be satisfied that the rules that are in place are sufficiently robust enough for them to conduct these inquiries and investigations,” he said. The premier said he would look at legal and regulatory changes if they were recommended. “If there’s law changes, or potential regulatory changes that we need to explore, then we’ll look at it closely,” he told the ABC on Monday. But the Guardian understands any changes would be looked at after the EPA has completed its investigation into bonded asbestos found in the mulch at parklands in Rozelle and other government infrastructure projects throughout Sydney this month. Minns said that while the situation was “not good enough”, recycling construction waste products was “done with the best of intentions”. “We’ve got to make sure we can get it right and other cities and states and jurisdictions do it better than us, but I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater,” he said. Internal EPA documents show an investigation by the regulator in 2013 found 94% of industry had not complied with at least one aspect of the regulations for recovered fines. A follow-up investigation in 2019 found 71% of facilities had exceeded the absolute maximum concentration limit for a chemical or physical contaminant at least once over a two-year period, with the most frequent breaches identified for metals, glass and rigid plastics, pH levels and lead. The EPA also found that 57% of facilities had asbestos in their recovered fines. The regulator considered tougher regulations, warning in one document released to Guardian Australia that a business-as-usual approach would mean there was a risk that up to 658,000 tonnes of “non-compliant material” could be applied to “sensitive land” including residential sites, childcare facilities, schools and parks. But it abandoned a proposal to tighten the regulations in 2022 after pushback from industry and negative media coverage. The industry warned the proposed changes could push up the cost of landfill disposal, drive more waste into landfill and force skip bin companies out of business. The Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association told Guardian Australia recovered fines were often used as a base for roads and other construction projects, meaning they were capped with other materials reducing the risk of contact with people. NSW Greens environment spokesperson, Sue Higginson, said it was “gut-wrenching” that childcare centres and other high-risk areas may have been exposed to contaminants. “The EPA has known that these contaminated products have been returning to the environment and communities for years, but political failure and a lack of resources has meant that they couldn’t intervene,” she said. “The EPA needs to be fully resourced to address this statewide issue and the government must ensure that there is a suitable regulatory environment to stop asbestos and lead-contaminated products from being sold as clean soil.” Jeff Angel, who is the director of the Total Environment Centre, said there was a “perennial conflict” within the regulator about whether landfill diversion or stringent contamination standards should take precedence. He said this had led to policy confusion and “likely ongoing pollution”, adding that the government needed to find a resolution. “While recycling of construction and demolition waste in safely buried situations and in new, embodied construction material should continue, its role in soil and landscaping, should be banned,” he said. “This includes in situations such as parks, pedestrian areas and areas where over time, erosion can cause release of dangerous pollutants. “Community and environmental safety is paramount and we must reduce the amount of asbestos, microplastics and toxic chemicals in the environment.” The construction industry generates more than 12m tonnes of waste annually in NSW, which makes up more than half of all waste generated in the state. Mike Ritchie, the managing director of the MRA Consulting Group, an environmental consultancy with expertise in waste and resource recovery, said the EPA had to walk “a fine line between environmental protection and blowing out the amount of construction waste to landfill”. “No one would disagree with the intention to protect the environment from pollution,” Ritchie said. “But going too far will see clean useful material being sent to landfill because the costs of complying with the EPA rules means it may be just too expensive to try to recycle safe materials as well.” Do you know more? Email lisa.cox@theguardian.com | ['australia-news/new-south-wales', 'environment/pollution', 'australia-news/health', 'australia-news/australia-news', 'environment/waste', 'environment/recycling', 'environment/environment', 'business/construction', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/lisa-cox', 'profile/tamsin-rose', 'profile/catie-mcleod', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/australia-state-news'] | environment/pollution | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE | 2024-01-29T07:23:24Z | true | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE |
world/2019/jul/21/bolsonaro-funai-indigenous-agency-xavier-da-silva | Bolsonaro pick for Funai agency horrifies indigenous leaders | Indigenous leaders and specialists working with Brazil’s nearly one million tribal people have been stunned and disconcerted by the appointment of a federal police officer with strong connections to agribusiness as the new head of the country’s indigenous agency. Marcelo Xavier da Silva’s confirmation as the new president of the Funai agency is in line with far-right president Jair Bolsonaro’s plans to develop indigenous areas which include some of the most protected reserves in the Amazon. Critics said the move effectively puts Brazil’s powerful agribusiness sector in charge of indigenous affairs. “We are worried that indigenous policies may not be properly carried out, considering the history of this president,” said Andrea Prado, president of a Funai staff association. “He is not technically prepared … he is not an indigenous specialist,” said a former Funai employee who knows Xavier da Silva, adding: “I am scared of him.” Xavier da Silva, 41, worked on a controversial Congress inquiry in 2017 that attacked Funai and government land agency Incra and recommended charges against some employees as well as anthropologists, campaigners, prosecutors, “supposed indigenous” people and a former justice minister . The inquiry concluded that Funai had become a hostage to “external interests and ideological objectives” and contended that some Brazilian NGOs were funded by international groups connected to US farming interests. During a series of land disputes in Mato Grosso do Sul state later in 2017, Xavier da Silva – then the Funai ombudsman – wrote to federal police asking them to take “persecutory measures” against indigenous groups in the region. The new Funai president “has a long history campaigning and working against indigenous people – he was always in favour of farmers”, said Dinamam Tuxá, executive-coordinator of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil. Xavier da Silva was also nominated as an aide to Nabhan Garcia, a senior agriculture ministry official and president of an agribusiness lobby, but federal police declined to cede him, BBC Brasil reported. In June, the outgoing Funai president, Gen Franklimberg de Freitas, said Garcia “froths hate” for indigenous people and sees Funai as “an obstacle to national development”. Bolsonaro has repeatedly criticised the agency, which he has described as “a nest of rats”. On Friday, the president attacked foreign media perceptions of Brazil’s indigenous people. “You want the indigenous people to carry on like prehistoric men with no access to technology, science, information and the wonders of modernity,” he told reporters. “Indigenous people want to work, they want to produce and they can’t. They live isolated in their areas like cavemen. What most of the foreign press do to Brazil and against these human beings is a crime.” Xavier da Silva’s appointment won support from leading agribusiness figures when it was announced on Friday. Nilson Leitão, the former congressman who led the congress inquiry and also led the most powerful agribusiness lobby in Congress, praised the decision. “He has expertise and vast knowledge,” he said. “I have no doubt he is fit to do a good job – provided they give him the necessary support.” | ['world/brazil', 'world/jair-bolsonaro', 'world/americas', 'world/indigenous-peoples', 'environment/amazon-rainforest', 'environment/environment', 'world/world', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/dom-phillips', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/us-foreign'] | environment/amazon-rainforest | BIODIVERSITY | 2019-07-21T07:00:05Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
environment/2018/jun/27/are-englands-trees-disappearing | 'There is no oak left': are Britain's trees disappearing? | England is running out of oak. The last of the trees planted by the Victorians are now being harvested, and in the intervening century so few have been grown – and fewer still grown in the right conditions for making timber – that imports, mostly from the US and Europe, are the only answer. “We are now using the oaks our ancestors planted, and there has been no oak coming up to replace it,” says Mike Tustin, chartered forester at John Clegg and Co, the woodland arm of estate agents Strutt and Parker. “There is no oak left in England. There just is no more.” Earlier this month, the government appointed the first “tree champion”, who will spearhead its plans to grow 11 million new trees, and conserve existing forests and urban trees. Sir William Worsley, currently chairman of the National Forest Company, has been given the task of overseeing trees in England and Wales, including England’s iconic national tree, and ensuring that trees are not felled unnecessarily. Worsley is a former chief of the Country Land and Business Association, which represents landowners and rural businesses. Trees were once fundamental to the British economy, from the days of Magna Carta, a large section of which concerned forestry rights, to the “Hearts of Oak” centuries of the empire-building Royal Navy, up to more recent times when millions of homes were needed, and the Forestry Commission was set up immediately after the first world war to grow the material to make them, while providing jobs for returning soldiers. Today, forestry is a tiny business and only about 13% of the UK is covered in forest, a vast improvement on the 5% after the first world war, but far less than the European average of more than 30%. The UK produces about 13m tonnes of timber a year, only about 20% of its needs, with the rest coming from imports, and despite tax breaks and incentives the amount of land coming under forest does not appear to be increasing. The coalition government made a marked mis-step when it proposed privatisation of the Forestry Commission, which was officially abandoned but commercial incursions on to forested land have been allowed to increase. Meanwhile, protections for existing trees are sparse, as controversies over Sheffield’s felling plans and Network Rail’s tree-cutting operations have indicated. Planting 11 million new trees, as well as 1 million in urban areas, may appear a tough target, but Tustin notes this would require just 4,400 hectares, compared with the 800 hectares currently planted annually. “It’s a drop in the ocean,” says Tustin. Timber prices have risen sharply in recent months, from about £45 a tonne last year to £65 to £70 a tonne at present. Forested land is a good investment, as owners need not pay inheritance tax or capital gains tax on commercial forests, and government grants are available to cover much of the average £3,500 per hectare cost of planting trees. However, forest owners planting native broad-leaf species for their amenity value, rather than for commercial timber, lose many of the tax benefits. Despite the government incentives, the rates of new forests being planted remain stubbornly low in England, where the high prices of land for farming and for housing development discourage tree-planting, as even the most popular commercial species such as Sitka spruce can take 30 to 50 years to reach maturity for harvesting. One of the first tasks Sir William Worsley will face is establishing the extent of the UK’s forests. John Tucker, director of outreach at the Woodland Trust, says there is little reliable information on how much land is covered by trees in the UK, and there are few protections even for ancient trees, on public or private land. “We are simply not collecting the data, we don’t know where we are,” he says. Without knowing the baseline of how many trees there are now, measuring progress will be impossible. Jeremy Barrell, director at Barrell Tree Consultancy, and a member of the Institute of Chartered Foresters, said: “There is strong anecdotal evidence and improving research evidence to confirm that urban canopy cover is declining around the world, and that is certainly my experience in Britain. Successive UK governments have failed to recognise the threat and act to reverse the adverse impact on ordinary people.” He said the appointment of a national tree champion was “the best chance there has ever been to formally recognise and introduce the importance of urban trees into mainstream built-environment management”. Worsley will also have to address the issues at Network Rail, which has been felling trees for the past decade as part of track management plans. Network Rail says it cuts down 50,000 trees a year. The Guardian has seen a leaked internal document proposing an “enhanced clearance” programme; Network Rail says the paper is just “a piece of modelling work” that was not adopted as policy. Jo Johnson, the rail minister, called a halt to all current tree felling during what is the nesting season and commissioned a review into other options than felling for the rail operator. Local authorities also face dilemmas, following protests in Sheffield over the felling of more than 6,000 trees there. Council members argued that the felling was needed as the trees posed a hazard to vehicles and pedestrians, but many local people objected. Cash-strapped councils must balance the amenity value of trees with the cost of maintaining them, and the potential insurance risks if they are found to contribute to accidents. • This article was amended on 24 August 2018 following a complaint from Network Rail. The readers’ editor substantially upheld the complaint, finding that in initial reports the status of the leaked policy options document had been overstated. | ['environment/forests', 'environment/deforestation', 'uk/wales', 'uk/uk', 'environment/conservation', 'environment/environment', 'type/article', 'tone/analysis', 'tone/features', 'profile/fiona-harvey', 'profile/sandralaville', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/uknews', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-environment'] | environment/deforestation | BIODIVERSITY | 2018-06-27T07:00:35Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
lifeandstyle/2022/jul/21/dining-across-the-divide-miles-jasper | Dining across the divide: ‘He supports a new Heathrow runway – we should invest in trains’ | Jasper, 26, London Occupation Architect Voting record Jasper, who was born and brought up in south Wales, describes himself as left-of-centre and has always voted Labour. He voted remain in the EU referendum Amuse bouche Jasper once had a pet turkey called George Bush Miles, 27, London Occupation Campaign organiser Voting record Mostly Conservative. Miles used to be the chair of his local Young Conservatives. In the EU referendum he wanted to vote leave but didn’t think it would be good for the City and foresaw problems with the Irish border Amuse bouche Miles says he once told Theresa May a joke: “I said the only problem with being a Tory is when you go on dates, you end up going home alone. She thought that was hilarious” For starters Jasper He seemed like a nice bloke. I was slightly surprised. I was expecting someone from a fee-paying school, maybe dressed in Harris tweed. He did say he considered wearing tweed. I think he was relieved I wasn’t some super-duper activist – he kept joking that I hadn’t glued myself to the table. Miles I was worried he was going to be a complete weirdo. We bonded over Wales. I’ve lived in London all my life, but my dad is from Cardiff. Jasper I thought I was middle-class in south Wales where I grew up, but when I moved to London, suddenly I wasn’t. I met a lot of quite posh people and I was the roughest person they’d met. Miles A teacher at school showed us an Ed Miliband speech and I just felt: you don’t get it, you don’t get people. One of his lines was: “Labour wants the best for Britain” and I thought: that sounds like someone who doesn’t leave north London, and someone has told him this is what people in the sticks want to hear. Jasper The current lot only have their self-interest at heart. People used to go into government because they wanted to serve their country. Now it seems they do it because they want to become multimillionaires afterwards. Or while they’re in office. The big beef Miles We should open the coalmines. Closing them permanently damaged communities; deindustrialisation in this country has made millions of people feel aimless and depressed. Opening the coalmines in the Welsh valleys isn’t going to make climate change any worse. Jasper That’s not forward-thinking if burning coal is going to be banned in 20 years. He talked about emissions in other countries, but we had the Industrial Revolution much earlier. Miles You can’t get countries like India and China to stick to targets – you can’t say they can’t grow their economies, get more people into cars, use electrical goods, etc. Jasper was in favour of flying less, changing our living habits to fight climate change. I said, “We need to focus at the top and build more nuclear power stations.” Jasper Miles supports the new Heathrow runway. Heathrow expansion is clearly a bad idea – we should be investing in trains. Sharing plate Miles We agreed on the need for proportional representation. And I agreed with him that all the levelling up is focusing on northern England, not Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales. I’m in favour of any measure that will keep the union together. Jasper We both thought austerity was a tragedy. For many people I know, it’s one of the reasons they could never vote Conservative. For afters Miles I’m in favour of putting troops on the ground in Ukraine. It’s not just about Ukraine, it’s about Europe and about Russia’s worldview. It was basically a proxy attack on us, and we should have demonstrated to Putin that we knew that. Jasper I wouldn’t go and fight there. And I don’t think world war three is the best idea. There’s a risk of turning up and then pulling out like in Afghanistan, where it is flooded with weapons from the west and no one takes responsibility. It would be saturating Europe with arms. Takeaways Miles It’s useful to listen to people who can challenge your views and make you think a bit harder. Face-to-face is definitely more intense – you have to be challenging but gentle as well. Jasper My main takeaway was shock about his idea of sending the army into Ukraine. That overshadowed most things for me as I was walking home. Additional reporting: Naomi Larsson • Jasper and Miles ate at Sohaila in London. Want to meet someone from across the divide? Find out how to take part | ['lifeandstyle/series/dining-across-the-divide', 'lifeandstyle/lifeandstyle', 'society/social-trends', 'society/society', 'politics/politics', 'uk/uk', 'environment/environment', 'politics/transport', 'environment/nuclearpower', 'uk/transport', 'environment/energy', 'world/ukraine', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'profile/samwollaston', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/saturday', 'theguardian/saturday/cuttings', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/saturday-magazine'] | environment/nuclearpower | ENERGY | 2022-07-21T11:30:30Z | true | ENERGY |
politics/2013/jun/30/spend-money-shovel-ready-schemes | Letters: Spend the money now on shovel-ready schemes | One of the justifications for the coalition's cuts is the pretence that they are needed to pay for more infrastructure projects (Editorial, 27 June). Yet the emphasis on new roads and HS2 will be cost-escalating and take money away from the kind of local infrastructure spending that would result in economic activity nationwide. This in turn could be fairly taxed and so get rid of the need for cuts, while helping rescue our flagging economy. Tens of billions spent on low-carbon infrastructure and affordable housing would generate jobs, business and investment opportunities in every city, town, village and hamlet in the UK. Making every building in the UK energy-efficient and repairing, maintaining and improving the public transport system could prioritise the use of UK manufacturers. A crackdown on tax dodgers would make billions available to pump prime such an initiative. The result would be a reduction in public debt through a programme that improves society, the environment and the economy – the very opposite of the present cuts. Colin Hines Convener, Green New Deal Group • The enterprise minister, Michael Fallon, announcing £10bn of state guarantees for the nuclear power industry, explains: "This is big-scale financing, not available in the markets" (Report, 28 June). Bit of a turnaround from when public private partnerships were introduced in the 90s with the justification that only the market had access to that scale of funding. On the other hand it's consistent with the G4S/Olympics fiasco. RE Cooper Woodbridge, Suffolk • The British Geological Survey reports that the north of England could have up to 13 trillion cubic feet of shale gas underground (Report, 28 June). This government has stated that local communities could benefit by "sharing in this wealth", but no drilling permit should be issued without a cast-iron guarantee that the revenue is predominantly invested in the north on infrastructure, industry, especially manufacturing, and education. This potential bonanza must not be diverted to the south-east, nor, as North Sea oil revenue was, squandered on keeping million on the dole. Alan Quinn Prestwich, Manchester • Having cut millions in public spending, the government has awarded the £1.4bn contract for building the rolling stock for the cross-London Thameslink rail route to Siemens, a German company, instead of keeping the work, the jobs and the money in this country (Report, 28 June). Is this a failure of joined-up thinking or is it economic, political and social suicide? David Hurry Hurstpierpoint, Sussex • By announcing a £50bn capital investment programme for 2015-16, the government has recognised that an effective and efficient transport infrastructure is key to economic growth. While big ticket projects are important, modernisation and maintenance programmes can have a more immediate impact on the economy through the creation and retention of essential jobs. During London 2012, Thales UK, in partnership with London Underground, upgraded the Jubilee line. We urge Transport for London to press ahead with the modernisation of the rest of the network. It is critical that we see a real pipeline of projects announced to put confidence back in the sector and provide investors with reassurance that "shovel-ready" schemes are going ahead. Alistair McPhee Vice-president, Thales UK Ground Transportation Systems • You report figures showing the growing risk of cycling on Britain's roads (Call for urgent action after rise in cycle deaths, 28 June). Yet that very day the Treasury announced £28bn of spending on the road network, without earmarking a single penny for cycling. The parliamentary Get Britain Cycling inquiry called for annual spending of at least £10 per person on cycling, noting that London's spending plans equate to £12.50 per person, while the Dutch spend £24. Outside London, England's spending levels still average below £2 per person. Yet cycling is good for our streets and communities, our local and global environments, our wallets and our waistlines. Can the same really be said of yet more road-building? Roger Geffen Campaigns & policy director, CTC, the national cycling charity • The announcement that the government will be committing £100bn to UK infrastructure projects is certainly a much-needed long-term boost for the construction industry. But it will not benefit the industry for at least two years. The sector needs growth now. ONS figures and the Construction Industry Training Board's own labour market intelligence report show that the UK output fell 9% last year and is unlikely, without help, to attain 2007 levels until 2022; 60,000 construction jobs were lost in 2012 with 45,000 expected to go this year. "Shovel-ready" projects in the repair and maintenance sector should be receiving similar investment. Every £100m invested in repair and maintenance takes 3,200 workers off the dole. Yes, funds are tight but better to invest for growth than spend £8.1bn maintaining these same people out of work. Judy Lowe Deputy chairman, CITB • Expenditure on infrastructure is welcome (Capital catch-up, 28 June) but there needs to be productive activity at the ends of the roads and railways. Support of innovation in advanced industries is also welcome but the country also needs basic industries that employ people with good skills . Mass production of textiles is the easiest industry for a country that needs to redevelop its manufacturing base. With wages rising in China, increasing transport costs, and benefits from production close to the fashion markets, textile production in the UK can be competitive again. Not only would this reduce imports but it could also exploit the talents of the UK's creative textile designers in an export market. John Hearle Emeritus professor of textile technology, University of Manchester | ['politics/taxandspending', 'politics/politics', 'tone/letters', 'environment/greenbuilding', 'environment/environment', 'environment/green-jobs', 'politics/transport', 'environment/fracking', 'lifeandstyle/cycling', 'world/road-transport', 'business/construction', 'business/manufacturing-sector', 'type/article', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/editorialsandreply'] | environment/fracking | ENERGY | 2013-06-30T20:00:02Z | true | ENERGY |
sport/2021/mar/15/forests-rise-around-birmingham-commonwealth-games-2022-carbon-neutral | Forests will rise around Birmingham to make Commonwealth Games 2022 carbon neutral | Thousands of acres of forest will be created in and around Birmingham under plans to make the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the city carbon neutral. In an announcement to mark 500 days to the start of the Games, organisers pledged carbon-offsetting initiatives including the creation of 2,022 acres of forest and 72 mini-forests, each the size of a tennis court, to be created in urban areas across the West Midlands. Each mini-forest will be linked to one of the nations and territories competing at the Games, to be held between 28 July and 8 August next year. It will be the first time the games are set to be carbon neutral. The 2,022 acres of forest will feature native species and will be designed to help local people connect with nature. Ian Reid, the CEO of Birmingham 2022, said: “We’re really proud to be announcing this. We have a responsibility, we’re putting on a significant international event and the eyes of the world will be on us. We’re also in one of the youngest cities in Europe, and in particular the younger generation would expect us to be doing as much as we possibly can to be sustainable.” Dame Louise Martin, the president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said the plans were “a historic moment for Commonwealth sport”, adding: “It reinforces our commitment to ensure that the Games leaves a positive social and environmental legacy for generations to come.” The event’s sustainability pledge will be delivered in conjunction with the water company Severn Trent. Reid said the primary goal was to reduce carbon where possible and offset what remains. “We’re trying to make sure this is a public transport games, so we will incentivise people to take public transport and we will make it difficult for people to take cars.” They also plan to use cleaner, more efficient generators, supply a cleaner bus fleet and develop a car fleet containing hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as reducing the use of single-use plastic water bottles. Detailed plans for when and where the forests will be created, and how long it will take for full carbon neutrality, will be published in due course, Reid said. About 4,500 athletes travel from the Commonwealth nations to the Games every four years, with next year’s event featuring 286 sessions, 19 sports and 283 medal events across 11 days, the biggest programme in the Games’ history. In January, Birmingham city council’s leader, Ian Ward, said “we can’t be certain” that the Games will go ahead next year because of the coronavirus pandemic but ongoing projects would leave “a very strong legacy” even if they could not take place. However, Reid insisted that “we’re planning for the Games to go ahead and go ahead with full stadiums”. “The government’s roadmap has crowds getting back into stadiums this summer so our full expectation is that lessons will be learned throughout that period and we will be in a very positive position come next year.” The West Midlands mayor, Andy Street, has said the event will be crucial for post-pandemic recovery in the region, where an estimated 100,000 jobs have been lost since March 2020. Reid said the Games would provide up to 30,000 jobs as well as volunteer roles. | ['sport/commonwealth-games-2022', 'environment/carbon-offset-projects', 'sport/commonwealth-games', 'uk/uk', 'environment/environment', 'uk/birmingham', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'environment/carbon-emissions', 'sport/sport', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/jessica-murray', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/topstories', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-home-news'] | environment/carbon-emissions | EMISSIONS | 2021-03-15T07:00:53Z | true | EMISSIONS |
environment/2023/sep/21/rare-seabirds-south-polar-skua-red-footed-booby-isles-of-scilly | Two rare seabirds spotted off Isles of Scilly | It has been a good autumn for seabird enthusiasts, especially those taking boat trips, known as “pelagics”, off the Isles of Scilly. Among the usual sightings, a selection of shearwaters and storm petrels, came a real rarity: a south polar skua. As its name suggests, this species breeds at the opposite end of Earth to Britain, and has been recorded here only a handful of times. Then, two weeks later, lightning struck twice. Britain’s second ever red-footed booby – a relative of the gannet – was also seen on a Scilly pelagic. Unlike most rare seabirds, which are seen only briefly as they pass through our coastal waters, this individual delighted birders by regularly roosting on Bishop Rock lighthouse, to the west of Scilly. Later that week, another member of its family, the brown booby, was seen off the coast of Fife. All good news for keen seabird enthusiasts, but is this run of unusual sightings good for the birds themselves? Red-footed boobies breed on tropical islands and oceanic atolls, and although they do wander farther afield, they are rarely seen in temperate seas. As the British Trust for Ornithology has suggested, unusually warm weather conditions – almost certainly triggered by the current El Niño event – are the likeliest explanation for a recent increase in sightings of these tropical birds. Whether this is a one-off, or an ominous sign of the climate crisis, it may be too early to tell. | ['environment/birds', 'news/series/weatherwatch', 'environment/environment', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'profile/stephenmoss1', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/weather2', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-weather'] | news/series/weatherwatch | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2023-09-21T05:00:40Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
environment/2010/aug/11/france-mystery-island-protection | Fragile habitat of French mystery island 'risks being trampled underfoot' | In the early morning of 23 January 2009, the most powerful hurricane-force storm to hit France in a decade came howling in from the Bay of Biscay. With wind speeds of up to 125mph, cyclone Klaus struck land at the point of the estuary of the river Gironde, near Bordeaux, then charged south-east to Spain and across the Mediterranean to Italy. It left 26 people dead, flattened forests and power lines and caused massive destruction of buildings and roads. But it also left behind an extraordinary creation at the very point where its devastation began, causing the townsfolk of Royan, a fishing port situated at the mouth of the Gironde, to rub their eyes in disbelief. Seven miles out to sea, along the frontier between the Atlantic Ocean and the estuary, an island had risen out of the boiling waters. It had a surface area of 11 acres above the highest sea level, and a base of some 250 acres at low tide. Locals soon called it "l'île mystérieuse" – the mysterious island – after the novel by Jules Verne. "What is so remarkable about this new island, apart from its sudden apparition, is that it has since remained intact in what is often a very violent, hostile sea environment," said Guy Estève, a retired local geomorphologist. "It could well become a permanent feature." The nature of its apparition was all the more fantastic given that it emerged close to the location of the lost island of Cordouan, once home to the Tower of the Black Prince, a legacy of English occupation during the 100 Years' war. Inhabited from Roman times until the late Middle Ages, Corduan disappeared below the waves after the erosion of its limestone rock. France's oldest lighthouse, completed in 1611 to replace Edward of Woodstock's tower, now stands at the site. Situated one mile east of the lighthouse, created amid Klaus's fury from submerged sand and sediment, the new island quickly attracted scientific interest, offering a unique opportunity to study the creation and development of its ecosystem. In the mouth of a large estuary that still retains a predominantly natural environment, surrounded by exceptionally rich marine life, the island lies along a busy migration route for birds including species of waders and terns. Within months, it was colonised by vegetation, insects and gulls. "So far, we've recorded the appearance of 12 different plant species, and some 30 invertebrates, of which about a third have a sustainable existence on the island," said Jean-Marc Thirion, an environmental scientist who heads local conservation group OBIOS. "The resident invertebrates feed off the rejections of sea gulls and on tiny flies that themselves are finding food in the clumps of sea rocket," he added. Thirion has even discovered spiders, which he deduces were windborne, and ants, probably carried on flotsam. "You would normally only get the chance to record all these developments with a volcanic creation, and I can't think of anywhere else in Europe where an opportunity like this has occurred in recent history." "It has proved a fantastic testimony to the strength and renewal of life," commented Bernard Giraud, deputy mayor of Royan and head of the town's environmental department. In February this year the region was hit by yet another and more devastating storm, cyclone Xynthia. In the aftermath, Thirion and his colleagues were delighted – and surprised – that the island largely survived the severe battering from giant waves, hurricane-force winds and exceptionally high tides, which moved it 50m eastwards and ripped some 3.5 acres from its summit. But now, 18 months after its creation, it faces a greater threat than the weather. Unlisted on any map, and without a name, the island does not officially exist. As a result, what Thirion describes as a "wonderful biological laboratory" cannot be protected from being trampled underfoot by increasing hordes of curious day-trippers, sometimes numbering several hundred, who can reach it in powered dinghies within 20 minutes of Royan. It has even been used as a target landing strip by a parachute club and as the scene for a rave party. "The weather in June turned bad and public trips to the island became impossible," said Giraud. "As a result we found that birds had nested. But in July, conditions were fine again, the day-trippers returned and the nests were abandoned." Despite intensive lobbying of government departments and the Bordeaux port authorities, Giraud and Thirion's efforts to obtain an official status for the island have so far fallen on deaf ears. "No one seems to be taking this seriously," commented Thirion. "They haven't grasped that this is an island, not a sand bank." As part of a long-planned government project, the Gironde estuary is next year due to become part of a protected maritime zone. "Our only hope now is that its existence will be charted and recognised within the zone," added Thirion. Surprisingly, neither he nor Giraud have found a name for the island. "I still just call it 'the island', but we're working on it," chuckled Giraud. | ['environment/conservation', 'environment/marine-life', 'environment/endangered-habitats', 'environment/biodiversity', 'environment/wildlife', 'environment/environment', 'world/france', 'world/world', 'science/meteorology', 'science/science', 'tone/news', 'type/article', 'profile/graham-tearse', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/international'] | environment/biodiversity | BIODIVERSITY | 2010-08-11T15:21:43Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
commentisfree/2011/dec/13/women-at-the-top-justice | The women at the top, working for justice | Anne Perkins | Some mornings it is possible to look at the news and believe that women are taking over the world. In the past few days, images from the final minutes of the Durban climate change conference have been dominated by women. Last Saturday's EU family snap revealed that Europe's most powerful politician, Angela Merkel, is only one among six of the 27 EU leaders who are women. And later that day, the Nobel prize ceremony celebrated the achievements of three women who shared the peace prize. OK, taking over the world is pushing it. But something's changing. Nobel laureates are a handy bench mark for attitudes to women in public life. Statistically this year's peace prize winners – the Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, her colleague Leymah Gbowee and the Yemeni campaigner Tawakkol Karman – are another point in the upward curve of women Nobel laureates. In the first 11 years of this century, four women have won the medicine prize against six in the whole of the previous hundred years. Three women have won the literature prize since 2000, out of 12 overall, and – including this year's three winners – five women have won the peace prize in the 21st century. A couple of years ago, the committee even broke its duck and awarded Elinor Ostrom the economics prize. Either this is a sign of a generation of women finally making it to the top – but remember Ostrom was 76 at the time of the award – or the world is beginning to have a different order of priorities that means what women do is valued differently. Take the literature laureates. Doris Lessing, of course, is pre-eminently known as a writer about the female experience. But like the Marxist feminist Elfriede Jelinek, who won in 2004, she always writes in the context of the wider political world. Herta Muller who won in 2009 chronicles – unsurprisingly for someone who has lived much of her life under a dictatorship – the tense interaction between the state and the individual. These are women who write on universal themes. And that's true, too, of the three women who shared the peace prize this year. All three are committed feminists, but they stand out not only for their women's rights campaigns but because they saw that nothing could be achieved for women without more fundamental change. The same was true in Durban. Climate change hits women hardest because in most of the world it is the women who do the farming, who fetch the water and who, however adverse the circumstances, carry on nurturing. Last week, the former Irish president, Mary Robinson, complained that while there were impressive numbers of women at the talks, the gender dimension had too low a priority. Maybe a new generation of women is doing things differently. By the middle of last week, it seemed the whole show might collapse. The history of these global summits is one of brinksmanship, last-minute arm twisting that would probably count as bullying in any normal work environment, and men in tears. Connie Hedegaard, the Danish EU climate change commissioner, scorched by the near disaster of the Copenhagen summit two years ago, had learned the importance of pre-summit alliances. Locked in a standoff with India's negotiator (who is also the only female congress MP from Tamil Nadu) Jayanthi Nataraja, the carefully wrought alliances stood her in good stead. So did the South African foreign minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who was prepared to close down debate and force votes to make sure a deal was done. Finally, overseen by another woman, the UN's Christiana Figueres, the key negotiators were, diplomatically speaking, held hostage. Imprisoned by a barrage of observers, it came down to a huddle in the middle of the conference hall. A deal was done. This is not an approach favoured by the Kyoto hero and one-time trade union negotiator John Prescott. But at a fragile moment, it worked. Women win glittering prizes because they are there to be contenders for them. And because other women are there, shaping the world in which they are judged. But, most of all, because they are working for justice – and not only for women. | ['commentisfree/commentisfree', 'lifeandstyle/women', 'politics/women', 'environment/durban-climate-change-conference-2011', 'lifeandstyle/lifeandstyle', 'world/gender', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'environment/global-climate-talks', 'politics/politics', 'environment/environment', 'world/world', 'tone/comment', 'environment/green-politics', 'type/article', 'profile/anneperkins'] | environment/global-climate-talks | CLIMATE_POLICY | 2011-12-13T11:35:35Z | true | CLIMATE_POLICY |
environment/2022/dec/16/country-diary-fog-muffles-and-confuses-the-senses | Country diary: Fog muffles and confuses the senses | Nicola Chester | I am held in the hug of a cold, white fog. A muffling, wraparound duvet of listening quiet. The weather dampens sound and vision (with a profound noise-cancelling effect), anaesthetises the landscape and heightens the senses to the small close details that are revealed almost as I am upon them. The downs have vanished, so I keep within the park pale of the Big House. Trees loom as if their ghosts have walked up to meet me: elegant chandeliers of horse chestnuts, broken, brittle ash and the wiggly limbs of oaks, squiggled by a fading marker pen on a blank white page. In response to this year’s strange weather, oak leaves, usually a dull, unburnished copper on the ground by now, swirl a marmalade orange into the fog, like watercolour bleeding on to wet cartridge paper. Butter-gold field maples diffuse a porch-light glow into the vapour. A tall Lombardy poplar appears like the shock of a narrow, high-rise building. It seems out of place: as if, with the weather pulled over our heads, there is no reason to look up, or remember the concept of height. Other treasures appear: hazelnuts jammed into the barley-twist fissures of a sweet chestnut trunk, like fat copper currency – the work of a nuthatch or woodpecker. Small birds are in their subsongs, whistling introspectively to themselves, or making confiding contact calls. Fog lends an invisibility cloak for a trespasser’s disguise, but it also muffles and confuses the senses. A short, slim man appears, with what seems to be a pheasant tail feather in his cap. It’s not a gamekeeper I know. I begin to speak, but the “man” falls towards me, alarmingly. I yelp as he materialises into a roe deer stood on its hind legs, feeding. It comes down with a startled bark. The “pheasant tail feather” is a single antler, the other having already been cast. We have frightened the life out of each other. The deer turns and fades instantly, leaving a nibbled, lichened twig rebounding in its wake. My heart hammering, grinning to myself, I pull the intimacy of the fog around me again and walk into a pearly, mistletoe light. • Country Diary is on Twitter at @gdncountrydiary | ['environment/series/country-diary', 'lifeandstyle/walking', 'environment/environment', 'uk/ruralaffairs', 'uk/uk', 'environment/winter', 'environment/forests', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'profile/nicola-chester', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/journal', 'theguardian/journal/letters', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-letters-and-leader-writers'] | environment/forests | BIODIVERSITY | 2022-12-16T05:30:42Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
environment/2015/may/29/great-barrier-reef-shouldnt-be-on-in-danger-list-for-now-says-unesco | Great Barrier Reef shouldn't be on 'in danger' list for now, says Unesco | A draft UN ruling has recommended against listing the Great Barrier Reef as “in danger” but indicated the natural icon remains on its watchlist. Environmental groups have warned Australian governments that a draft decision by UNESCO not to place the Great Barrier Reef on the World Heritage “in danger” list shouldn’t be seen as a reprieve. The preliminary decision by Unesco’s world heritage committee, which will inform a final ruling in Germany next month, welcomed Australia’s moves to tackle water pollution, limit new port development and ban the dumping of dredge spoil from those ports in reef waters. But Unesco has asked Australia to submit a progress report on its conservation plan by December next year, with any sign of benchmarks not being met triggering a further referral to the world heritage committee. An “in danger” listing for the world’s largest coral reef would have triggered a new era of international scrutiny and been a major embarrassment for the Australian government. While Australia will likely celebrate the ruling as an endorsement of its conservation efforts, Unesco’s requirement that it reports back next year is not the clean bill of health it was seeking. The committee noted “with concern” the ongoing decline in the health of the reef shown in the last comprehensive scientific survey of the reef in 2014, due to climate change, water pollution and coastal development. But it welcomed Australia’s 2050 long-term sustainability plan for the reef, which includes an 80% cut in water pollution by 2025 and an extra $200m (AUD) to accelerate that progress in the next five years. The committee called on Australia to “rigorously implement all of its commitments” in the plan, including through legislation, and to halt the evident deterioration in the reef, which has lost more than half of its coral cover in the last 30 years. It also called on Australia to act on its promise to set up a long term “investment framework” for its plan this year as “a matter of priority”. Australia’s 2050 plan committed to five yearly evaluations of its plan and progress towards reversing the reef’s decline through outlook reports generated by its own scientific agencies. A joint statement by the federal environment minister, Greg Hunt, his Queensland counterpart, Steven Miles, and Queensland’s deputy premier, Jackie Trad, noted that in the draft decision “all references to ‘in danger’ have been dropped and Australia and Queensland’s efforts have been praised”. “We have listened intently and responded directly to the concerns from the Australian community, the World Heritage Committee and their technical advisers,” they said. Environmental groups consider the reef – regardless of the Unesco ruling – technically in danger, particularly in the face of state and federal government support of proposals to develop massive coal mines in Galilee basin in central Queensland. Those mines would increase shipping traffic through reef waters, lead to more maintenance dredging for coal ports, and create the estimated equivalent of more than 174% of Australia’s annual carbon emissions through the coal burned. Leading coral reef researcher Terry Hughes, of James Cook University, has warned that development of the Galilee basin – which would feed coal through Abbot Point – is incompatible with protecting the reef. The risks to the reef from climate change are manifold, with higher sea temperatures leading to increased coral bleaching and spawning of crown of thorns starfish predators, as well as more frequent and severe cyclones. The reef has suffered damage from six category five cyclones in the last decade, compared to none in the previous 35 years. Australian marine conservation society campaigner Felicity Wishart said the draft ruling had “affirmed that the science is very clear, that the reef is deteriorating and have asked for the Australian government to report back in 2016 and again in 2019”. “So they’ve essentially said they’ve very concerned and keeping Australia on a watchlist for the next five years,” she said. “I don’t think you can interpret that in any way other than a lot more needs to be done and Australia needs to lift their game and get serious about protecting the reef so we don’t have a listing either in 2017 or 2019.” Greenpeace Australia reef campaigner Shani Tager said: “The Australian government can’t talk about protecting the reef while aggressively supporting the licensing of mega-mine and expansion of coal ports along the Great Barrier Reef coast,” she said. Tager said while the Australian government had “relentlessly lobbied” Unesco, eminent scientists had warned of the threat of coal mines, ports and climate change. “This decision has been described by some as a reprieve for the reef. It is not a reprieve – it is a big, red flag from Unesco,” she said. World Wildlife Fund spokesman Rick Leck said the draft ruling had put Australian governments “on probation”. “We’re not out of treacherous waters yet,” he said. Leck said water quality commitments by both levels of government fell $500m(AUD) short of what was required over the next five years alone. The chief of the Queensland tourism industry council, Daniel Gschwind, said an “in danger” listing would have been “catastrophic” for the industry, with the reef contributing $6bn a year to the economy. Gschwind said the decision to spare a listing this time around was “the right move” but Australia had to “do more” to safeguard the “jewel in Australia’s tourism crown”. “If the Unesco draft decision is accepted it will give us a chance to demonstrate our long-term commitment to address the significant issues that affect the future of the reef,” he said. “It’s clear that the world is watching how we manage the Great Barrier Reef and this should inspire our efforts to ensure it remains a natural wonder that will inspire and delight generations well into the future.” | ['environment/great-barrier-reef', 'environment/environment', 'world/unesco', 'australia-news/australia-news', 'environment/conservation', 'environment/endangered-habitats', 'world/world', 'environment/coral', 'environment/marine-life', 'world/unitednations', 'environment/wildlife', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/joshua-robertson', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/international'] | environment/great-barrier-reef | BIODIVERSITY | 2015-05-29T12:34:42Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
world/2005/sep/21/hurricanes2005.hurricanekatrina | Gulf Coast on alert as Rita roars in | As Hurricane Rita lashed the Florida Keys yesterday with strong winds and driving rain, inhabitants along the already-battered Gulf coast began to flee the storm. Rita became a Category 1 hurricane yesterday morning with a top wind speed of 85mph, dumping up to 20cm (8in) of water on the low-lying Florida Keys island chain. Seawater splashed across US1, the road linking the islands, and wind hurled debris across roads, with forecasters warning of a two-metre (6ft) storm surge. To the south, Cuba evacuated 58,000 people from low-lying areas on its northern coast, including more than 6,000 in Havana. Rita was thought likely to gain strength as it crossed the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Forecasts predicted it could turn into another major hurricane that would most likely make landfall in Texas. In Galveston, an island city off the coast of Texas wiped out by a hurricane 105 years ago with the loss of some 8,000 people, officials yesterday called for a voluntary evacuation. "Today is boarding up and decision day for Galvestonians," a city spokeswoman, Mary Jo Naschke, said. Buses were laid on for people unable to leave on their own, taking them to shelters 100 miles north in Huntsville. Residents in New Orleans also continued to eye the storm warily, after the city mayor, Ray Nagin, suspended his plan to start taking residents back to the city on Monday after warnings that Rita could follow Hurricane Katrina's course into the gulf and rupture the weakened levees. Rick Perry, the Texas governor, yesterday recalled all emergency personnel helping with recovery from Katrina to prepare for Rita, including almost 1,200 Texas national guard members. "We're preparing for potential inland flooding and tornadoes by pre-positioning water rescue teams," a governor's office spokeswoman, Kathy Walt, said yesterday. But authorities stressed that those fleeing the coastal area should bypass Houston after its mayor, Bill White, noted that it could lose power and was prone to flooding, and instead drive on to Dallas, San Antonio or Austin. Meanwhile, a Harris county judge, Robert Eckels, warned that the Houston Astrodome, which temporarily sheltered tens of thousands of Katrina refugees, could not be used in a storm because of its glass roof. Katrina refugees still in shelters around Houston were to be flown to Arkansas, using private airlines, starting yesterday afternoon. Many evacuees have moved from shelters to private housing. "We could potentially be looking at taking an enormous amount of people from Houston," said Mike Huckabee, the Arkansas governor. "We're going to have to prepare in the event. It would tax us if we had to, but we would do it." Arkansas already plays host to some 50,000 Katrina evacuees, most of them staying with friends and relatives. | ['world/world', 'world/hurricanes', 'us-news/hurricane-katrina', 'us-news/us-news', 'world/natural-disasters', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'environment/environment', 'type/article', 'profile/jamiewilson', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/international1'] | world/hurricanes | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2005-09-21T14:03:33Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
commentisfree/2015/jan/18/view-from-aberdeen-oil-industry-jobs-lost-high-life-goes-on | Aberdeen: in Scotland’s oil capital the party’s not yet over | It has been a strange old week in the self-proclaimed oil capital of Europe. According to some members of Aberdeen’s energy sector, a group with a code of silence that would trump any Trappist throng, the North Sea is a busted flush, a dead zone of drilled-out fields with a long-term future to match. There will certainly be some transient pain in the industry; BP has confirmed 300 job losses and other subsidiaries will view the plummeting price of oil as a wonderful opportunity to trim any perceived excess fat. But if there is any panic in Aberdeen over the end of the gravy train, it is being well concealed. One executive told me on Friday: “Times are tough. And they might get tougher.” But nobody believes the party’s over. That’s probably because most employees are older than 40 and have golden handshakes on a Midas scale. I walked along Aberdeen’s Union Street last week and one particular image struck me. It’s a once-glorious, now-dowdy thoroughfare with a few refulgent granite buildings surrounded by an excess of eyesores. On one side of the street, the Pound Shop announced that it was closing; on the other, the staff at the recently opened Eclectic Fizz champagne bar were preparing to welcome their steady stream of customers. At another location just outside the city on Thursday evening, a few hours after the BP news had broken, a group of four senior oil officials awaited their trip to the airport in Dyce. After a few minutes, four separate cabs arrived to pick them up: it didn’t matter the quartet were all travelling to the same destination. It may be a recession, Jim. But in Aberdeen, not as we usually know it. Oiling the future There are plenty of young bloggers with big dreams about becoming the next JK Rowling. In cyberspace, everybody can hear you screaming about your latest blockbuster. But, oblivious to that fact, Estelle Maskame, a 17-year-old author from Peterhead, who does part-time shifts in her local Asda, has just signed a three-book deal with the leading Scottish publishers Black & White. The teenager has been writing hundreds of thousands of words since she was 13 and has more than 125,000 followers on Twitter, who are voracious followers of her trilogy of her DIMILY novels. That stands for: “Did I mention I love you?” I met Estelle recently and, as you might expect, she is thrilled by the realisation her books will be on sale throughout the world by the end of the year. But this is no dewy-eyed ingénue. “I love writing and I know what I like,” she said. “So, if it appeals to me, I think other people my age will feel the same way.” It’s a safe bet the films will be out by 2017. Oiling the past Talking of movies, Jon S Baird, the man responsible for adapting and directing the acclaimed film version of Irvine Welsh’s Filth, is working on a new project. Baird, a full-blooded Aberdeen FC fan, who can recall the days when Alex Ferguson fine-tuned his hair-drying techniques at Pittodrie, is in the process of casting for his new biopic of…Laurel and Hardy. Baird has grown fascinated with the duo who produced so many short gems. “It’s a fascinating story, one I never knew until I started looking into it,” said Baird. “Stan always played this slightly simple-minded person in the films, but off screen, he was one of the sharpest, shrewdest people you could ever imagine.” The question merely remains: who will play the couple in question? Baird still doesn’t know, but he’s talking to some A-list stars. “Put it this way, it’s not Cannon and Ball!” Fuel problems Scotland brought the world the deep-fried Mars Bar, so it has a fine tradition to uphold as we approach the annual Burns Supper season. Still, one wonders about the latest product from Inverurie firm JG Ross. It has just unveiled its “Haggis Roll”, which, according to spokesperson Dianne Smith, consists of “haggis, neeps and potatoes in a puff pastry case”. They’ll probably have sold out in Aberdeen by the time you read this. Neil Drysdale is a feature writer for STV in Aberdeen | ['commentisfree/commentisfree', 'uk/aberdeen', 'uk/uk', 'business/oil', 'business/commodities', 'cities/cities', 'business/business', 'environment/oil', 'environment/energy', 'tone/comment', 'type/article', 'profile/neildrysdale', 'publication/theobserver', 'theobserver/news', 'theobserver/news/comment'] | environment/oil | ENERGY | 2015-01-18T05:03:05Z | true | ENERGY |
environment/green-living-blog/2010/jul/27/moneyless-man-party-for-free | Green, fun and free: How to dance and make merry without spending a penny | There's got to be more to life than carbon footprints, climate change and peak oil. The new design for society many of us want shouldn't just be better for the environment, it should be a shedload more fun into the bargain. As Emma Goldman, a hugely influential early 20th-century political philosopher and activist, once said: "If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution." If life doesn't inspire me to get up and do a little Irish jig every morning before breakfast, what the hell is the point of it? Living without money and having a great time are by no means mutually exclusive. If anything, it wasn't until I gave up using money in November 2008 that I started to really enjoy life, not just two-sevenths of it. In hindsight, my old Groundhog Weekend was incredibly boring – mundanely going for a few drinks to the pub, a nice restaurant or to see a movie at the cinema. Worse still, spending 3.8 hours of each precious day – or an entire 11 years of my time on this planet – watching TV. Where's the adventure in any of that? Necessity really is the mother of invention. Instead of going for a pint, why not make your own booze? Organise a day out with friends foraging wild apples for cider – any variety will do – but the sweeter the better (Jonagolds and Red Delicious are perfect). Ideally find some windfalls, as these have natural yeasts already on them, meaning that apples are the only ingredient you'll need. If you see any neighbours with unused apple trees, don't be afraid to ask if you can do the work for them; you can always surprise them with a share once its made. Alternatively, grow your own hops, check out some recipes on Self-sufficientish, and forage your own flavourings (such as yarrow) before brewing your own beer. Now you've got your alcohol supply, you're going to want to party. Anyone can organise a house party, but these often just end up pissing off the neighbours. Getting them involved is a much better idea, and instead of making sworn enemies you'll make a load of friends. One of my favourite organisations for this are Streetsalive, who will guide you through the process of organising the mother of all street parties, and can often even help you to get your council to agree to close your road for the day. Being moneyless in the winter can seem really unappealing to most people, I admit, but you'd have to be bonkers to at least not try it – even for a week – in the summer. Long evenings walking in the woods, camping by the beach at the weekend, cooking food al fresco that you've grown and picked yourself, cycling, playing – or listening to – acoustic music by a camp fire, wandering in the wilds foraging berries and nuts, skinny-dipping in the lake and sleeping under the stars. If you like art, there are always free exhibitions in and around big towns and cities. Some even have a free bar – this doesn't fit in with the philosophy of the Freeconomy community, however, so go easy on it. If movies are more your thing, there really is no need to go to the cinema (except to watch mindless Hollywood crap). I live near Bristol and there are constantly free films night showing online movies such as Money as Debt or Earthlings. If they aren't happening where you live, why not organise one yourself? They're a great way of sharing information and getting like-minded people together. Music is my thing, so I often go along to free open-mic nights at a local venue. These events are not just great entertainment but a wonderful way to support new local talent playing acoustic music. If you are even slightly musically-gifted, work up the courage and get on stage yourself. And instead of watching the TV, turn off the light, stick on a few beeswax candles (from local bees, of course, who haven't been fed sugar), and fritter the hours away making love. It increases your health, will strengthen your relationship and is infinitely more pleasurable than EastEnders. If you're single, abandon fear and ask the one you've got your eye on to come out for a wild food forage. Who cares if you don't know your ramsons from your rosehips, you'll have them exactly where you want them: in the bush. So if you were thinking of doing something nice and comfortable this weekend, shame on you. Put your credit card away (better still, cut it up), dust off your tent, get on your bike and go and put the adventure back in your life. • Mark Boyle is the founder of the Freeconomy Community and has lived moneyless for the last 19 months. His book, The Moneyless Man, is out now, published by Oneworld – sales from the book will go to a charitable trust for the Freeconomy Community. | ['environment/series/moneyless-man', 'environment/ethical-living', 'environment/carbonfootprints', 'environment/green-living-blog', 'environment/environment', 'tone/blog', 'money/money', 'money/saving-money', 'money/consumer-affairs', 'food/food', 'lifeandstyle/lifeandstyle', 'type/article', 'profile/mark-boyle'] | environment/carbonfootprints | EMISSIONS | 2010-07-27T12:01:51Z | true | EMISSIONS |
world/2020/apr/18/the-flowers-dont-know-were-in-lockdown-farm-donates-blooms-to-key-workers | 'The flowers don't know we're in lockdown': farm donates blooms to key workers | The Electric Daisy Flower Farm’s business relied on selling its blooms grown near Bath at a newly opened shop in Hampstead, north London. But, as the managing director, Fiona Haser Bizony, says: “The flowers don’t know we’re in a lockdown.” The shop – only open since February – closed on 17 March with an abundance of unsold flowers. “And they keep on growing,” Bizony says. “On the day we closed the shop, all the spring flowers that were delivered from our farm to London, I decided to give away to anyone who happened to pass by.” After Bizony saw an article about how a Dutch market was dealing with the same problem, she decided to donate bouquets of flowers to key workers at the Royal United hospital in Bath, and others to the care home where her mother lives. Other key workers are also receiving them and they have been donated to funerals. “The RUH was the first drop-off, and then we went to doctors’ practices and care homes, and anyone we could find who needed flowers,” she says. Dr Benjamin Clayton, from one of the Covid wards at the RUH, says the flowers “really helped to lift our spirits, and I’m incredibly grateful”. Bizony, who has been growing flowers for six years, has also delivered a bunch to Alexandra Knaggs after her recent home birth. “We gave her a huge bouquet of spring flowers,” she says. “Tulips and anemone and ranunculus. It was bright and colourful and very scented.” Knaggs says she and her newborn daughter appreciated the “wonderful luxury” of the gift. Despite the future being unclear, Bizony hopes to send more bouquets to frontline staff. “The bulbs have been planted and we have just put manure on to the rose beds because we’ll need the roses in time for June,” she says. But she is unsure of what will happen to the shop in the future. “We have to see what the government says. Horticulture is quite a difficult thing anyway, it’s like snakes and ladders. “You have just gone up a ladder and feel really pleased with yourself, and then end up coming back down a snake.” | ['world/coronavirus-outbreak', 'uk/uk', 'environment/farming', 'business/retail', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'profile/gregory-robinson', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/uknews', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-home-news'] | environment/farming | BIODIVERSITY | 2020-04-18T05:00:04Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
environment/2022/dec/13/eels-facing-population-collapse-conservation-groups-warn | Eels facing population collapse, conservation groups warn | Eels are facing population collapse, conservation groups have warned, after annual fishing negotiations for key EU waters ended in the setting of quotas above those scientists have recommended. Eels are critically endangered, and conservation groups and scientists have argued that all EU eel fisheries should be closed, to allow populations space to recover. However, in the annual negotiations over EU waters including the north-east Atlantic, which ended in the early hours of Tuesday morning, the European Commission agreed only to extend the closure of eel fisheries at sea from the current three-month closure to six months, to cover juvenile eel migration and mature eels swimming between the sea and rivers. Negotiations between the EU and the UK, and between the EU and Norway, over shared fishing areas covering key fish species such as cod, whiting and haddock are still ongoing. The UK’s catch levels for 2023 are likely to be set later this week, with a decision expected before the end of Thursday. The EU’s decision to allow eel fishing to continue, and to set catch limits for some other species that have concerned conservationists, comes as the bloc strives to portray itself as a champion for wildlife conservation at the UN Cop15 biodiversity summit, currently taking place in Montreal. Jenni Grossmann, fisheries science and policy adviser at ClientEarth, warned that eels were on the brink. “[The EU’s] science-defying reluctance to close all eel fisheries might well turn out to be the final nail in the coffin of this critically endangered species,” she said. The mysterious lifecycle of eels – including the autumn migration to the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic to spawn – is still only partially understood. But they are now under threat from overfishing, the obstruction of waterways and pollution. They play a vital role in marine and freshwater ecosystems, where they are prey for many other fish species and birds. Fishing quotas were also set for cod, plaice and Norway lobster that the European Commission said were at the lower end of scientific advice. But for hake, anglerfish, megrim and horse mackerel in some waters there was a substantial increase in quota. The EU said the agreement for stocks in the north-east Atlantic and Skagerrak fishing areas was worth about €3.5bn (£3bn) and for the first time could lead to “a very substantial increase in landings” in the Atlantic and North Sea in 2023, worth about an extra €81m, compared with 2022. Virginijus Sinkevičius, EU commissioner for the environment, oceans and fisheries, said: “Today’s decisions show that the EU is at the forefront of sustainable fisheries management. “By agreeing to set fishing opportunities in line with the scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), we continue our efforts to manage our stocks at healthy levels. There is still some room for improvement, however, in particular regarding precautionary advice stocks.” The annual EU negotiations over fishing rights were supposed to be consigned to history, under reforms started nearly a decade ago which should have set multi-year targets based on scientific advice known as the “maximum sustainable yield”. But the wrangling continues each December as member states have failed to settle on long-term targets and are under pressure from fishing fleets to allow higher catches. Grossmann said: “Every year, fisheries ministers ignore increasingly dire warnings, set excessive quotas, experts react with dismay, and the cycle begins again next December. “The longer they do this, the more stocks will end up classed as vulnerable, endangered or worse – it’s not rocket science. This year, the timing is particularly poignant: all this flies in the face of leaders’ proclaimed ambitions to protect biodiversity at Cop15 this week.” | ['environment/fishing', 'environment/marine-life', 'environment/fish', 'environment/conservation', 'food/fish', 'environment/biodiversity', 'environment/environment', 'world/eu', 'environment/cop15', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/fiona-harvey', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-environment'] | environment/marine-life | BIODIVERSITY | 2022-12-13T19:44:04Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
uk-news/2022/feb/20/london-flooding-poses-significant-risk-unless-immediate-action-taken | London flooding poses ‘significant risk’ unless immediate action taken | There is now a significant risk of people drowning in London as the threat of major flash floods increases in the city because of climate change. According to a report by a London Councils taskforce published this month, the danger is particularly severe because there is no overall plan or authority to tackle the increasing threat of flooding in the city. In its analysis of the citywide disruption that struck last July, when torrential rain swept across London on several occasions, the group says that more than a month’s average rain fell on the city in an hour on several different days. For example 48.5mm of rain fell on Shepherd’s Bush in an hour on 12 July while its average rainfall for that month is 46.8mm. Across London, tube stations were flooded, hospitals closed, and more than 1,000 homes inundated. As deluges become more frequent as global warming takes hold, there is now a real risk that London could see far greater increases in devastation from surface water flooding. The taskforce presented its report earlier to the London Councils, a cross-party group that represents the capital’s 32 boroughs and the City of London. It showed that the worst effects of the flooding were seen in the north and east of the city, adding that it was not clear “that residents in risk areas understand the level of risk that they now face and how to respond”. This point was highlighted by Bob Ward, deputy chair of the London Climate Change Partnership. “There is now a real risk of people drowning, particularly in basement flats if a major flash flood occurred in the middle of the night,” he told the Observer. “The problem is particularly worrying because we have no idea how many people live in basement properties in London.” The report also warned that “London has an increasing area of impermeable surfacing and still essentially relies on a Victorian drainage system that was not designed to cope with the city’s current and predicted future populations.” It highlighted the fact there was no single organisation in charge of tackling surface water flooding in London; there was insufficient funding to manage the risk, and a lack of understanding of the risks posed by surface water flooding. Major improvements in all these areas were urgently needed if the city is to cope with future serious inundations. The danger facing the city is highlighted as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scientists prepare the final draft of a report outlining how nations must adapt to avoid the worst consequences of changes in storm frequencies and weather patterns that will occur in coming years. Last month the government published its third five-yearly assessment of the risks that Britain faces from the changing climate, and painted a future of drastic disruption and costly impacts. It indicated that the climate crisis was likely to wipe at least 1% a year off the UK’s economy by 2045 if global temperatures were allowed to rise by 2C (3.6F). Disruption to food production, and infrastructure were likely to cost more than £1bn a year each, the report warned. In all, at least eight areas of risk were judged likely to cost more than £1bn a year by 2050. Environment groups reacted to the government report by warning that it showed that ministers needed to take more urgent action to defend the country against the effects of climate change. “This report makes clear that even modest increases in global temperature will have profound impacts across every aspect of our lives,” Doug Parr, policy director at Greenpeace UK said. “Adaptation can no longer be an afterthought. Action on climate change of all kinds needs to be right at the heart of government policy and programmes.” | ['uk/uk', 'environment/flooding', 'uk/london', 'environment/environment', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/robinmckie', 'publication/theobserver', 'theobserver/news', 'theobserver/news/uknews', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/observer-main'] | environment/flooding | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2022-02-20T06:45:02Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
environment/damian-carrington-blog/2011/apr/08/oil-spills-bp-oil-spill | Oil spill clean-up idea: swarms of sailing drones | Damian Carrington | For big problems, you need big ideas, even if they seem crazily ambitious. And with the anniversary of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill on 20 April, a swarm of robot oil-slick clearing boats is a timely big idea. The concept of the sailing drone is being developed by a project called Protei, which is notable in that all the technology and software is open source - no patents, no copyright. So, if it works, anyone can use it. The idea, explained to me by project co-ordinator Cesar Harada, is as follows. In marine oil spills, the oil is blown downwind, so boats designed to sail upwind while dragging absorbent booms behind can soak up the oil. As the boats have no crew, no-one's health is endangered by oil or dispersants and the boats can go out in all weather (they are designed to be self-righting - a "torpedo with a sail", says Harada). "There are oil spills all the time," Harada says when I ask him why he started the project, for example in the Niger delta. "And using the same natural force that is pushing the oil to clean it up makes sense." But sailing upwind, dragging a large load, is not easy. So the team have developed a hull that flexes like the backbone of a fish, which they say make sailing upwind easier. Harada, now based in New Orleans, is ex-MIT and a TED fellow and many of the team are based in academic engineering departments. They have tested six small scale prototypes - see the video below - but aim to launch a full scale boat, 8m long with a 20m boom-tail, from Rotterdam in September. "We know the idea works, but not how well it works," says Harada. Protei have raised enough to keep the project afloat for a while, but are seeking more, in particular for sensors to monitor the tests. The drones would be deployed in swarms, which would avoid each other either by using a decentralised swarm algorithm or by being controlled remotely from the shore. "Since I got to New Orleans, we have really changed the project so that local fishermen will be able to build and control the boats," says Harada. "When I first came they told me I was crazy and would steal all their jobs with an robot sailing boat." Harada also sees long term applications of the sailing drones in clearing up the plastic and other pollutants concentrated in the great Pacific garbage patch and in towing scientific payloads around the oceans. The nearest existing equivalent appears to be the patented Waveglider, which uses wave power to travel the oceans. But they are slow, claims Harada, doing about 2 knots. He says Protei's sailing drones will be much cheaper and faster. Of course, we've also had Kevin Costner's centrifuge-based oil clean up technology. That is also patented and does not appear to have been deployed in a major operation yet. So, Protei seems to me to be useful, simple and backed by smart people. Crucially, by virtue of being open source, the profit motive can't compromise the search for the best technical solution. But I'd be keen to hear what you all think, especially if you have knowledge of relevant areas. | ['environment/damian-carrington-blog', 'environment/oil-spills', 'environment/environment', 'tone/blog', 'environment/bp-oil-spill', 'environment/oil', 'technology/robots', 'technology/technology', 'science/science', 'type/article', 'profile/damiancarrington'] | environment/oil | ENERGY | 2011-04-08T09:41:00Z | true | ENERGY |
world/2005/sep/13/hurricanekatrina.usa | Race not an issue in Katrina disaster, says Bush | The director of the much-criticised federal emergency management agency, Michael Brown, resigned yesterday. The news of his resignation came as George Bush, on his first visit to New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina, rejected suggestions that race had played a role in the slow government response to the flooding of the city. Insisting it had been his decision to step down, Mr Brown said he had resigned to give the beleaguered agency a chance to refocus on the rescue and recovery effort. "As I told the president, it is important that I leave now to avoid further distraction from the ongoing mission of Fema," Mr Brown said in a statement. Speaking in New Orleans, Mr Bush attempted to duck questions about the resignation. "I have been working," he told reporters. "I can't comment on something that you may know more about than I do." On his first trip to the region after the hurricane, Mr Bush had told Mr Brown, "Brownie, you're dong a heck of a job." But on Friday, Mr Brown was abruptly called back to Washington DC and operations in the Gulf coast were handed to Vice-Admiral Thad Allen. A Fema official, R David Paulison, the head of the fire administration, was chosen to succeed Mr Brown. Pressure had increased on Mr Brown as discrepancies in his CV and his lack of experience in disaster management began to emerge. In New Orleans Mr Bush, on the defensive after the relief debacle brought his popularity to new lows, toured the city on the back of a military lorry. He said it was "preposterous" to suggest the US military presence in Iraq had hindered the immediate federal reaction to the storm. "We've got plenty of troops to do both," he said. He was most animated on the question of race. Standing alongside Ray Nagin, the city's black mayor who had on occasion heaped derision on Washington's role, he said: "The storm didn't discriminate and neither will the recovery effort. When those coastguard choppers ... were pulling people off roofs, they didn't check the colour of a person's skin." His tour had taken him through the empty streets of the historic French Quarter which escaped serious damage, and into some of the worst-hit neighbourhoods. But for many the president's first close-up look at the city's devastation was too late. "I think it looks bad, he should have been down on the streets sooner," said Matt Cushman, 35, a paramedic from Raytown near Kansas City. VL Sanders, 55, who works at the Royal Sonesta hotel on Bourbon Street, said: "Just to turn up here for a photo op seems pointless." The official death toll for Katrina has passed 400. One million people have been uprooted. A court overturned a Fema order yesterday banning journalists from following the rescue operations in New Orleans, after a legal challenge from CNN. | ['world/world', 'us-news/hurricane-katrina', 'us-news/us-news', 'type/article', 'profile/danglaister', 'profile/jamiewilson', 'profile/julianborger', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/international1'] | us-news/hurricane-katrina | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2005-09-13T01:08:13Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
environment/2016/dec/31/humpback-whale-new-york-city-east-river | Whale spotted in New York's East river thought to be a humpback | A large whale, believed to be a humpback, was spotted in the East river in New York City on Saturday. The New York police department’s special operations division posted a photo of the sighting on its Twitter account, with the message that “even the wildlife want to ring in” the new year in New York. US coast guard petty officer Frank Iannazzo-Simmons told the Associated Press those in his office had not seen the whale, but said that based on the photos it appeared to be a humpback. The whale was seen swimming along the shores of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, close to Gracie Mansion, the official residence of Mayor Bill de Blasio. Paul Sieswerda, a retired marine biologist who leads the New York-based volunteer marine wildlife tracking group Gotham Whale, told the Guardian: “It’s uncommon for whales to be around this late in the season, and even more unusual for them to be in the harbor. “Humpbacks would normally be heading for the warm waters of the Dominican Republic.” This has been an exceptional year for whale sightings in the harbor and in the waters off Long Island, Sieswerda said. The first sighting in the river came in April, and a humpback whale was spotted in the East river last month. Another humpack took up residence in the Hudson river and was seen above the George Washington bridge, which connects New York and New Jersey at the north-west tip of Manhattan. That whale became known as “0055” or “Gotham”. “We followed that whale for a number of days,” said Sieswerda, 74, who was previously a curator at the New England and New York aquariums. “It was last seen in early December in the ocean. We’re quite sure that it was lunge-feeding on the menhaden.” There is no reason to think the New Years Eve whale is disorientated, Sieswerda said, as the population of menhaden, a bait fish, has been in increasing in recent years, bringing more whales into the area. Gotham Whale has documented 20 individual whales in the city this year, bring the number documented since 2011 to 50. “We know that the menhaden population has increased and we think that’s because the total allowable catch has been restricted,” said Sieswerda. “We’re working hard to convince the authorities to maintain that limit. We’re encouraging people to support current limits on the menhaden catch.” Whale sightings in and around New York trigger an automatic advisory from the US coast guard and a National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) warning for local boat traffic to slow down. Such a restriction was issued after the Gracie Mansion sighting, with Iannazzo-Simmons saying river users should “let the whale be the whale”. Noaa whale-watching guidelines say no large whale should be intentionally approached within 100ft. By law, endangered North Atlantic right whales cannot be approached within 1,500ft. “It is illegal to interrupt any marine mammal’s natural behavior,” the guidelines say. “If your behavior changes their behavior, back away!” The East river where the likely humpback was spotted has shorelines in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx. It is in fact not a river but a tidal salt estuary, connecting Upper New York Bay to the Long Island Sound. Like the Hudson, it has become considerably cleaner in recent years, as the polluting effects of New York’s industrial and maritime heyday have receded. Two years ago, Sieswerda discussed with the Guardian increased sightings around New York City of whales and other large marine creatures, including seals and great white sharks. “The river used to bring nothing but pollution but in the last five years or so there is cleaner water, more nutrients and less garbage,” he said, adding: “My boat captain says New York is the new Cape Cod.” | ['environment/whales', 'environment/cetaceans', 'environment/environment', 'environment/marine-life', 'environment/wildlife', 'us-news/new-york', 'us-news/us-news', 'world/world', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/edwardhelmore', 'profile/martin-pengelly', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/us-news'] | environment/cetaceans | BIODIVERSITY | 2016-12-31T19:49:20Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
world/2005/sep/04/hurricanekatrina.usa7 | You're on your own, Britain's victims told | British families trapped in New Orleans last night claimed that US authorities had refused to evacuate them as Hurricane Katrina approached the city. Although assistance was offered to US residents, British nationals were told they would have to fend for themselves. According to those who remain stranded in the stricken city, police had visited hotels and guest houses on the eve of the hurricane offering to evacuate Americans, but not Britons. The order meant UK holidaymakers without cars were left helpless in the face of the hurricane. Some have been trapped in hotels and guest houses since the hurricane struck at 7am local time last Monday. One family from Liverpool, trapped in a flooded section of the city, told relatives yesterday of their bewilderment when they realised US citizens would be offered preferential treatment. Gerrard Scott, 35, spoke to his brother Peter from the Ramada Hotel in New Orleans where he has been stranded without assistance with wife, Sandra, 38, and seven-year-old son Ronan for the past six days. 'Those that didn't fit their criteria were told to help themselves. The police said they were evacuating Americans, and took away the majority. 'The British who were left all thought the police would come back, but nobody has. They have just been left,' said Peter Scott last night. Among the 30 or so people still inside the Ramada Hotel is a woman recovering from breast cancer who had been confined to a hotel room by herself because of fears over her immune system. Last night Peter Scott described how the family survived by locking themselves inside a tiny windowless bathroom on the fifth floor of the Ramada. 'They were lucky that it was a substantial hotel and that they were quite high up,' said Scott. Other Britons are, apparently, stranded in the hotel. However, contact with the outside world remains haphazard. There is a payphone in the hotel lobby, but US operators have been refusing to accept collect calls from stranded Britons. 'Some of them are just hanging up even after they have explained they are trapped in New Orleans. It's like - what emergency?' said Scott. He added that conditions in the lobby were described as atrocious, with sewage up to knee level last night. Most of those inside have not dared to venture downstairs for fear looters will spot them and ransack the hotel. Last night victims trapped inside the Ramada were making plans to escape after food and water supplies neared exhaustion. Scott explained how they earlier ransacked the hotel kitchens for food, while water was found in its storage tank. For the Scott family, the arrival of Katrina was particularly cruel. The trip to Louisiana was a family treat after years of economising to enable Sandra to attend the University of Liverpool to study modern languages. Throughout the week, Gerrard and Sandra had kept their son's spirits up by convincing Ronan that their predicament was in fact an adventure. His father had, in turn, kept himself upbeat by asking his brother how England were performing in the cricket. 'Overall the mood among those trapped is good,' said Scott. 'It's a real league of nations, but they have all bonded.' | ['world/world', 'us-news/hurricane-katrina', 'us-news/us-news', 'world/hurricanes', 'type/article', 'profile/marktownsend'] | us-news/hurricane-katrina | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2005-09-04T00:27:42Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
australia-news/2024/feb/02/australia-should-develop-solar-pv-sector-to-avoid-dependence-on-china-report-finds | Australia should develop solar PV sector to avoid dependence on China, report finds | Australia should develop its own solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing sector to avoid over-reliance on China for supply and tap into an industry with great potential, a report backed by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) has found. The decades-long expansion of the industry in China had driven the cost of solar panels down by more than two-thirds since 2016 alone. Chinese companies now dominate the global market and supply more than 90% of solar modules sold in Australia. “Setting up viable, relevant and timely solar PV manufacturing in Australia can build resilience to future supply chain shocks, secure access to solar PV modules critical to meet Australia’s decarbonisation targets, and ensure implementation of more sustainable manufacturing practices,” the Silicon to Solar study said. Creating a supply chain of 1 gigawatt PV yearly capacity – covering all steps from the polysilicon material to wafers, cells and then modules – would cost $3.2bn in subsidies over 10 years. A 5GW-sized industry roughly meeting existing Australian demand would cost $7.8bn in support over that period. The report said a domestic solar industry would also create 4,000 well-paid jobs, reverse the drain of talent and intellectual property abroad and lure $2.9bn in upfront investment. Renate Egan, the executive director for the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics and one of the report’s authors, said one impetus was that “the geopolitics is changing”, as tensions rise between China and the US. Australia’s own emissions goals also pointed to the need for Australia’s solar installations to at least quadruple. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup “We can imagine a 20-gigawatt-a-year market,” Egan said. “If we were manufacturing for our market, that’s enough [size] to get the economies of scale.” Australia’s current solar module production capacity is presently limited to just one firm, South Australia-based Tindo solar, at 160MW a year. Tindo, one of the backers of the report, said last month it had plans to expand to 1GW at the cost of $90m to $100m but it would need support to do so. Other ventures that governments have chosen to make national priorities include the Aukus nuclear submarines, which are predicted to cost $368bn out to the mid-2050s, while the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project will cost at least $12bn excluding $5bn-plus for transmission links. China almost tripled its annual PV capacity in three years, reaching 817GW by the end of 2022, Bloomberg reported in January. Output of solar cells jumped 54% last year to 541GW but not enough to soak up excess capacity, while falling panel prices squeezed already-thin profit margins. Egan said Australia must take a longer-term view. “Only 5% of world energy comes from solar at the moment and we need that to grow tenfold,” Egan said. “So there is still a big opportunity ahead of it.” Of the stages of production, the report found the highest industry interest was in the refining of silicon and module manufacturing. “The lowest cost, fastest entry is in module assembly, which is what Tindo do,” she said. “The next best place that Australia could and should play is in the silicon processing space.” Australia’s world-leading solar research, centred at the University of New South Wales and the Australian National University, provided a “good working relationship with China”. Some of China’s biggest PV firms were led by people trained in Australia. “We have open working relationships with nearly all of the big manufacturers so there’s a level of trust,” Egan said, adding Chinese companies may well be among investors in an expanding local sector. The report noted other nations were boosting solar investments but those wouldn’t guarantee supplies for Australia. “While major global economies such as the US, EU and India are beginning to expand their manufacturing capability, it is improbable that their production will meet their domestic demand and, even less probable, become available for export to Australia,” it said. Guardian Australian approached the federal energy minister, Chris Bowen, for comment. | ['australia-news/energy-australia', 'australia-news/australia-news', 'environment/solarpower', 'environment/renewableenergy', 'environment/environment', 'environment/energy', 'campaign/email/afternoon-update', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/peter-hannam', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/australia-news'] | environment/energy | ENERGY | 2024-02-01T14:00:21Z | true | ENERGY |
news/2013/may/31/weatherwatch-tornadoes-twisters-oklahoma | Weatherwatch: Seeking early warning signs of a deadly twister | Spring is the most likely time for tornadoes to spin up in the United States; a fact that the people of Oklahoma know only too well. Two weeks ago a devastating tornado swept through Moore, a suburb of Oklahoma, taking twenty-four lives, injuring hundreds, and flattening more than 12,000 homes. Residents had just over thirty minutes warning to try and take shelter from the deadly twister. In tornado terms that was generous: the average lead time is just thirteen minutes. However, an ambitious project, known as VORTEX2, hopes to make major improvements. In the United States, tornado forecasters have to keep an eye on the 100,000 thunderstorms that form each year. Just 1000 of these (one per cent) form tornadoes, and of those 1000 only one is likely to reach the intensity of the tornado that struck Moore in Oklahoma. Meteorologists have to rely on radar to identify which storms are spinning, but radar images can't show whether a tornado has reached the ground. During 2009 and 2010, VORTEX2 scientists chased tornadoes across the US, measuring them with an array of mobile radars and weather stations, from every direction. Now the scientists are analysing this data and trying to establish what a twister's early warning signs might be. With this greater understanding they expect to be able to reduce false alarms from around one in four to less than one in two, and increase the average warning time to more than 20 minutes – vital extra minutes that will save lives. | ['news/series/weatherwatch', 'uk/weather', 'world/tornadoes', 'uk/uk', 'tone/features', 'type/article', 'profile/kate-ravilious', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/weather2'] | world/tornadoes | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2013-05-31T20:30:01Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
technology/shortcuts/2017/nov/19/brexit-vacuum-cleaner-james-dyson | How Brexity is your vacuum cleaner? | As well as vacuum cleaners, Dyson is famous for gadgets that blow hot air, from fans to hairdryers. These days, that list also includes the company’s billionaire founder James Dyson, who regularly blasts unsuspecting Britons with his gung-ho view on Brexit. Most recently, the outspoken British inventor argued we should walk away from talks with the EU. Walk away and “they will come to us”, argues Dyson. So, if you are in the market for a new dust buster, is there a Brexit angle to consider alongside price, ability to suction pet hair and whether it fits under your stairs? Or is the appliance market a political vacuum, so to speak? Which? magazine is usually the first stop for the discerning domestic-appliance buyer and brands in the top tier of its Best Buy table include Dyson, Miele, Vax, Henry and Bosch. So we know these vacuums will do the job, but what do they stand for? These days, James Dyson is as much of a household name for his politics as his inventions. Dyson employs 3,500 people at its R&D base in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, but manufactures in Singapore and exports around the world from there. It banked record sales and profits in 2016 despite having to pay World Trade Organisation tariffs on its products. Miele appliances are the hallmark of a middle-class kitchen. Jointly owned by the Miele and Zinkann families, this steady German company remains anchored in Gütersloh, the North Rhine-Westphalia city, where it started out making butter churns in 1899. Its bagless Blizzard will set you back the price of a mini-break, but you can feel good about the purchase given Miele’s goal of being the industry’s “most sustainable” company. The history of Vax sounds a little bit Alan Partridge – or rather Alan Brazier. The late Midlands entrepreneur built the prototype after winning a contract to clean Newport Pagnell service station and finding nothing was up to the job of cleaning its greasy carpets. In 1999, Vax was sold to TTI Group, which also makes Hoovers and Dirt Devils, and is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. So what of Henry, or indeed Hetty’s, politics? The smiley vacs – Hetty is pink with eyelashes – are all made by British company Numatic International in Chard, Somerset. It was founded nearly 50 years ago by Chris Duncan who still runs the company today. He rarely speaks to the press but told one interviewer the British company had “no fears of returning to a degree of national independence”. Bosch, the German multinational, took the Brexit vote to heart, describing the outcome as disappointing. Founded by Robert Bosch in Stuttgart in 1886, the company has been in the UK for more than a century, employing more than 5,000 people working across 41 sites. Which?’s favourite vacuum is Bosch’s Power Animal 2, but you need to look out for its vorsprung durch technik. “If you have thick carpets ... on its highest setting it is very difficult, almost impossible to push,” it warns. If you are still undecided on which of these vacuums is worth the investment, you could always just buy on on Black Friday like everyone else. | ['technology/gadgets', 'news/shortcuts', 'politics/eu-referendum', 'money/consumer-affairs', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'profile/zoewood', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/g2', 'theguardian/g2/features', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-g2-features'] | technology/gadgets | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE | 2017-11-19T15:00:03Z | true | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE |
uk/2009/may/06/briton-wins-best-job-australia | Briton lands 'world's best job' as caretaker of Australian island | A British charity worker today landed what has been described as the "best job in the world" when he was awarded a A$150,000 (£73,000) contract to serve as the caretaker of a tropical Australian island. Ben Southall, 34, staved off competition from almost 35,000 worldwide applicants to secure the post. He now has the chance to swim, explore and relax on Hamilton island, in the Great Barrier Reef, for six months while writing a blog to promote the area. Southall won the six-month job after spending three days swimming, snorkelling, diving and lounging with 15 other finalists under the close scrutiny of Queensland Tourism officials who psychometrically tested the candidates. The finalists also had to demonstrate their blogging abilities and take swimming tests. "I hope I can sell the reef as much as everybody is expecting,'' said Southall today before being whisked away for dozens of interviews with local and international media. In his 60-second video application Southall was seen riding an ostrich, running a marathon, trekking through Africa and kissing a giraffe. He described himself as "the adventurous, crazy energetic one". But today Queensland Tourism's executive director, Steve McRoberts, balked at the description. "I think crazy is a bit heavy," McRoberts said, adding that Southall's self-motivation was one of his most impressive qualities. "He's a level-headed, well-grounded bloke," McRoberts said of Southall, who told the Guardian in March, when he was chosen as a finalist, that he planned to win by just being himself. But he appeared stunned by his own success. "Wow ... to all of the candidates that stand behind me - every one there is an absolute winner," he said. The job is part of a A$1.7m tourism campaign to publicise north-eastern Queensland. With Queensland Tourism claiming to generate about A$100m in publicity with the competition so far, the state's premier, Anna Bligh, flew to Hamilton island to make the announcement. It was the "most successful tourism marketing campaign in history", Bligh said. He presented Southall with a dive suit and flippers and urged him to wear them every day while the 15 other candidates, who included students, journalists, TV presenters, photographers, a receptionist, radio DJ, teacher, and an actor, hugged him and cheered. When Southall begins the job, he will travel throughout the Great Barrier Reef, writing blogs and being interviewed by the media. The rest of the time he will relax in a three-bedroom luxury villa and drive a buggy to explore the island. The contest for the dream job attracted some controversy after being announced in January. Its website crashed due to a deluge of visitors, angering many hopefuls who could not lodge their video applications. One finalist was ousted after it was revealed she had connections to the adult entertainment industry, and a prankster identifying himself as Osama bin Laden posted a YouTube video saying why he was the best man for the job. Southall plans to bring his Canadian girlfriend with him to the island, when he starts work on July1. | ['australia-news/australia-news', 'travel/australia', 'travel/greatbarrierreef', 'world/world', 'uk/uk', 'tone/news', 'world/asia-pacific', 'environment/great-barrier-reef', 'type/article', 'profile/toni-o-loughlin'] | environment/great-barrier-reef | BIODIVERSITY | 2009-05-06T06:06:25Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
world/2018/may/28/new-zealand-cull-cow-mycoplasma-disease | New Zealand to cull more than 100,000 cows to eradicate Mycoplasma disease | New Zealand will become the first country in the world to try to eradicate the cow disease Mycoplasma bovis, culling tens of thousands of cows in the largest mass animal slaughter in the country’s history. Government and farming sector leaders have agreed to cull 126,000 cows and spend more than NZ$800m ($560m) over 10 years in an attempt to save the national dairy herd and protect the long-term productivity of the farming sector, which is New Zealand’s second biggest export earner. Mycoplasma bovis was first detected in New Zealand in July last year, and manifests in mastitis in cows, severe pneumonia, ear infections and other symptoms. Since it was first discovered, 26,000 cows have been culled, and the disease is classified as “active” on 37 properties. Despite initially being contained to farms in the South Island, the disease has continued to spread and reached the North Island earlier this year. New Zealand police have launched a combined investigation with the Ministry of Primary Industries into how the disease made its way to New Zealand, and leapt between the two islands. Prime minister Jacinda Ardern said: “This is a tough call – no one ever wants to see mass culls. But the alternative is to risk the spread of the disease across our national herd. We have a real chance of eradication to protect our more than 20,000 dairy and beef farms, but only if we act now. “Speaking with affected farmers in recent weeks it is obvious that this has taken a toll, but standing back and allowing the disease to spread would simply create more anxiety for all farmers.” Ardern said total eradication of the disease was possible as it was not yet widespread and had presented in only one strain. New Zealand is the world’s largest exporter of dairy, producing 3% of all the world’s milk. It has 6.6m dairy cows. Government forecasts estimate if the disease was allowed to spread unchecked, it would cost the industry NZ$1.3bn in lost production in 10 years. This month’s budget was described as “conservative” by the finance minister, who said he was keeping money in the kitty to deal with adverse events. The Mycoplasma bovis outbreak was the “rainy day” the government was planning for, Ardern said. | ['world/newzealand', 'environment/farming', 'world/asia-pacific', 'environment/environment', 'world/world', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/eleanor-de-jong', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/australia-foreign'] | environment/farming | BIODIVERSITY | 2018-05-28T06:08:28Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
commentisfree/2017/may/06/observer-view-on-curbing-air-pollution-diesel-car-scrappage-health | The Observer view on curbing air pollution | Observer editorial | Pollution has long blighted the air that we breathe. Complaints about fumes generated by coal-burning in London were recorded as early at the 13th century. The heavy smogs that descended on the capital in the 1950s killed thousands. Governments have long attempted to regulate the pollution of our cities: in 1273, authorities introduced a prohibition on burning coal in London due to it being “prejudicial to health”. In recent years, air pollution has become less visible, but no less deadly. The noxious oxides and particulates that are linked to higher incidence of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and cancer may not create the pea soup of industrial times, but they are estimated to be responsible for 40,000 premature deaths a year, a public health crisis on the scale of smoking or obesity. London breached legal annual pollution limits in just the first five days of 2017. But this is not just a problem affecting the capital: almost nine out of 10 urban areas have had levels of nitrogen dioxide above legal limits since 2010. While no one is immune, pollution particularly affects children, whose lungs are still developing. Key culprits are diesel vehicles, followed by gas combustion from boilers and cookers. Air pollution shares none of the intractable characteristics of problems such as climate change and microbial resistance. Unlike the latter, air pollution, on the whole, respects international borders and does not require the international treaties and agreements that can take years to hammer out. Local action to tackle air pollution can immeasurably improve air quality: the thinktank Policy Exchange has estimated that properly investing in reducing air pollution in London would increase life expectancy for its residents by an astounding six months. As the problem has become less detectable to the naked eye, so, it seems, has been the willingness of successive governments to do anything about it. In fact, government policy over the last 15 years has, on balance, made air pollution worse, not better. The car tax regime was rebalanced to favour diesel over petrol, because diesel vehicles used to emit lower levels of greenhouse gases and policymakers believed manufacturers would deliver cleaner diesel cars. The market share of diesel cars rocketed as consumers responded to incentives: nearly half of the new cars sold in the UK now have diesel engines. But thanks to lax standards in European emission standard testing, the vast majority of diesel cars continue to belch out poisonous fumes far in excess of the legal limit. There is now evidence that diesel cars may even emit more carbon than petrol engines. With hindsight, incentivising consumers to buy diesel cars must surely count among one of the most counterproductive environmental policies. Cleaning up our air is eminently achievable with the right package of measures. We need a mix of clean air zones that include charging owners of diesel vehicles to drive into densely populated urban areas, a scrappage scheme for diesel cars, a tax system that discourages owners from buying diesel and much tougher European testing. Despite the dreadful death toll, the government has dragged its feet for seven years. It ignored the legally binding European targets on air pollution that the UK was obliged to meet by 2010 and only produced a plan when it was forced to do so after a lengthy court battle instigated by the environmental campaign group Client Earth. The plan it produced under duress was so thin that the supreme court ruled it had to produce a better one by the end of last month. Still, the government tried to delay further, arguing that it was prevented from publishing a plan under the purdah convention that the government makes no new policy announcements before a general election. The high court ruled against the government last month. The document it finally published last Friday was rightly condemned as utterly inadequate to the task, lacking any specific proposals for tax changes or a diesel scrappage scheme. It kicks the issue into the long grass at the expense of people’s health. The government is clearly concerned about proposing any measures that would hit diesel drivers a few weeks before the general election. Yet Thursday’s local election results show it has nothing to fear: barring an electoral earthquake, it is on course for a decisive victory. Votes before lives: that’s Theresa May’s telling choice. | ['commentisfree/commentisfree', 'environment/pollution', 'tone/editorials', 'uk/uk', 'environment/environment', 'politics/transport', 'uk/transport', 'politics/politics', 'business/automotive-industry', 'business/business', 'business/car-scrappage', 'society/health', 'type/article', 'environment/air-pollution', 'profile/observer-editorials', 'publication/theobserver', 'theobserver/news', 'theobserver/news/comment', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/observer-comment'] | environment/air-pollution | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE | 2017-05-06T23:14:16Z | true | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE |
politics/2014/nov/01/greens-target-students-young-people-2015-general-election | Green party targets students for 2015 election breakthrough | The flourishing Green party is to target the student vote in the runup to next May’s general election, in an attempt to further strengthen its position in the polls and inflict more damage on the Liberal Democrats. The Green leader, Natalie Bennett, said students and young people were already flocking to the party, which last week overtook the Lib Dems in two polls. Bennett said young people would be absolutely critical to making a big breakthrough in the general election. The strategy has strong echoes of Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg’s policy of targeting students just before the last election, when the short-lived burst of “Cleggmania” was fuelled by a rush of excitement on campuses about what the Lib Dems were offering. Bennett said the Greens had high hopes for several seats in university towns, including Norwich and Bristol. “I think there are probably very few Liberal Democrat voters in universities,” she said. “And that’s true of lecturers and staff as well as students. “What we’re offering young people is hope: the idea of a future that works for the common good, that doesn’t see the bankers being allowed to get away with endless fraud, mismanagement and risk-taking at the expense of the rest of us.” In nine months the Young Greens have recorded a 165% increase in membership, going from 1,700 to more than 4,500, with 65 groups nationally, including many societies on university campuses. While the Greens attract young voters on the left and liberal wings, Ukip is equally keen to attract young people on the Eurosceptic right. Students defecting from the Tories are fuelling the rise of Ukip’s youth group, Young Independence, which established Ukip Students in August, headed by Joe Jenkins, 21. Ukip Students has 18 societies in universities and 2,600 members. Bennett attributed the rise in enthusiasm for the Greens among young people to “profound disillusionment” among younger voters with the bigger parties, and anger with the Lib Dems after their U-turn on tuition fees and support for a Tory-led government. “I think young people being involved in the process of democracy is crucial. It’s critically important that we reach voters at the first chance,” she said. The Greens are targeting 12 seats in England, including Holborn and St Pancras in London, where Bennett is standing. She said: “We’re seeing Young Green groups, particularly in universities, grow very strongly. I was at Sheffield freshers’ fair. I walked across this hall and it was heaving with a couple of thousand people in it and I was having problems getting across, but only because I was being stopped for so many selfies.” | ['politics/green-party', 'politics/general-election-2015', 'politics/politics', 'environment/green-politics', 'environment/environment', 'politics/nickclegg', 'uk/uk', 'society/youngpeople', 'tone/news', 'type/article', 'profile/ashley-cowburn', 'publication/theobserver', 'theobserver/news', 'theobserver/news/uknews'] | environment/green-politics | CLIMATE_POLICY | 2014-11-01T12:27:49Z | true | CLIMATE_POLICY |
technology/askjack/2010/dec/30/capturing-video-online-youtube-iplayer | Capturing or downloading YouTube and other videos | Ask Jack | What's the best way to record streamed content including, for example, video services such as iPlayer and YouTube? Anonymous YouTube and BBC iPlayer videos are actually digital video files, so generally it's better to download them rather than capture them. With YouTube videos, the whole file is usually held in the browser's cache folder – Temporary Internet Files, in the case of Microsoft's Internet Explorer. You can copy the file out of there and rename it, but the folder is hidden and you would have to ignore Windows' security warnings. However, it's probably better to use a download site such as Keepvid.com. This allows you to download a higher-resolution MP4 movie rather than the Adobe Flash video (flv) usually used for streaming. There are lots of YouTube downloaders, and most online options require you to run a Java applet. These websites are not restricted to YouTube videos. For example, Keepvid can also download videos from Facebook, Google Video, Vimeo, Metacafe, Dailymotion, TED and other sites. The iPlayer is a trickier proposition because the BBC usually protects its content. Until recently, there was a get-out due to the intentionally-crippled video capabilities of the Apple iPhone, which is unable to play videos in very widely used formats such as Adobe Flash and Windows Media Video. People with different operating systems could therefore use a program such as iPlayer Downloader (ipdl) and pretend to be an iPhone to download an MP4 video file. However, earlier this month, the BBC changed its servers and it now requires the device to provide an Apple-signed digital certificate before it will connect. At the moment, it's not clear how many of the iPlayer download programs will continue to work or will find workarounds: you can tell us about working systems in the comments section. However, it's still very easy to record the broadcast versions of TV programmes and upload the resulting files to file-sharing sites. People did this before the iPlayer arrived, and they'll still be doing it after its demise. With a "live stream" such as a webcast, there is no file to download, just a continuous stream of bits. When they arrive, these bits are written to a (hidden) buffer area on the PC's hard drive, to smooth out variations in the internet's speed. The trick is to save the streamed data as a file, using a program such as StreamTransport or Streambox VCR. Videohelp has a list of stream recorders that you can try. Stream recorders need to capture the actual stream, which will often be from an RTSP (Real-Time Streaming Protocol) or MMS (Microsoft Media Services) or similar address, which is not the same as the web page's address. If you can't find the stream's source address, URL Snooper, a free (donationware) program for Windows, will usually do the job. Some companies are now using DRM (digital rights management) encryption and making it harder to capture streams. With Microsoft Silverlight, for example, you can stream the video separately from the audio, and use bitstreams that vary dynamically in response to internet conditions. Silverlight also closes and re-opens streams to really mess up your stream recorder. On the other hand, Microsoft's Windows Media Encoder 9 and similar programs can be used to record anything that happens on a PC's screen, and most are very easy to use: see Getting Started with Screen Capture Using Windows Media Encoder. Ultimately, anything that can be displayed on a PC screen can be captured in one way or another, even if it's by taking a "TV out" signal to an external video recorder. You might not get the full original quality, but most people only care about the content. | ['technology/askjack', 'technology/technology', 'technology/blog', 'tone/blog', 'technology/digitalvideo', 'technology/youtube', 'media/iplayer', 'technology/internet', 'type/article', 'profile/jackschofield'] | technology/digitalvideo | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE | 2010-12-30T16:11:03Z | true | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE |
commentisfree/2015/feb/19/businesses-dont-live-in-fear-of-animal-rights-activists-why-charge-them-as-terrorists | Businesses don't live in fear of animal rights activists. Why charge them as terrorists? | When freeing 2,000 minks from a mink farm, and painting “Liberation is love” on a barn are considered forms of terrorism, one has to stop and wonder what is going on. On Thursday, animal rights activists Kevin Johnson and Tyler Lang went on trial in federal court. Charged with violating the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, they could receive up to 5 years in jail and be fined up to $250,000 for each charge. The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA), punishes whoever “intentionally damages or causes the loss of any real or personal property used by an animal enterprise” or “conspires to do so.” It also punishes those who create a “reasonable fear of death or of serious bodily injury” for people involved in an animal enterprise. If the economic damage exceeds $100,000, or results in substantial bodily injury of another individual, the perpetrator can be jailed for up to 10 years; if it exceeds $1m, or results in the death of another individual, for up to 20 years. The law, and its earlier form, The American Enterprise Protection Act, represents an industry response to the rapid growth of the animal rights movement in the past 40 years. The animal rights movement has drawn public attention to the inhumane treatment of animals on factory and fur farms and in slaughterhouses by employing a wide range of tactics, including hidden cameras, anti-fur demonstrations, animal releases and arson. While the AETA punishes activists for violence (or instilling the fear of it), even the movement’s most extreme wing, the Animal Liberation Front, rejects violence against people as well as animals - while being committed to causing economic damages to businesses which profit from the abuse of animals. I have found no evidence to contradict journalist Will Potter’s claim that “not a single human being has been harmed” by animal rights activism. I do not want to argue here that the animal rights activists who break the law by stealing or destroying property should never be prosecuted. They are engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience, and part of civil disobedience involves disobeying the law to protest or stop injustice. But the branding of such actions as terrorism, and the aggressive sentencing that accompanies this, are of grave concern. Let us remember, animal rights activists are not attacking and hurting people; they are trying to protect animals. The AETA intimidates and discourages animal rights activists of any ilk, even those with no intention of breaking the law – first, by painting them as terrorists, public enemy number one, and second, by the lack of clear protection for animal-rights-related free speech. Animal rights activist Sarahjane Blum unsuccessfully challenged the constitutionality of the AETA with a federal lawsuit in 2011. She writes that, because the law punishes those who cause economic damage to animal enterprise, “I have spent years living in fear that the more persuasively I tell the truth about the animal suffering that underpins so much of our daily lives, the more likely I am to get thrown in jail”. The AETA, she contends, “rebrands constitutionally protected behavior as terrorism ... By rebranding activism as terrorism, corporate interests have made it far too easy for some of our bravest activists to be locked away for years”. This use of the terrorism brand to muzzle free speech is even more explicit in the “ag gag laws” being proposed around the US by the American Legislative Action Council (ALEC), the business-funded group that brought us the stand-your-ground law that Trayvon Martin’s parents believed emboldened George Zimmerman to shoot their son. These ag-gag laws criminalize whistleblowing, underground investigations, and journalists who expose cruelty to animals, according to Will Potter’s GreenIsTheNewRed blog. It is crucial that we do not allow ourselves to be manipulated by this kind of intimidation and doublethink. We must not take the bait and start believing that the mink-liberators were, as federal prosecutors claimed, “a danger to the community.” They are part of a courageous, nonviolent movement of people who are striving to bring ethics into animal enterprise. We have the right to know how companies are treating animals, and the right to whistle-blow, speak-up, boycott, and protest if we disagree with this treatment, without being silenced by charges of terrorism. | ['commentisfree/commentisfree', 'world/freedom-of-speech', 'world/protest', 'environment/activism', 'type/article', 'tone/comment', 'profile/julie-matthaei'] | environment/activism | CLIMATE_ACTIVISM | 2015-02-19T18:15:00Z | true | CLIMATE_ACTIVISM |
business/2017/oct/07/how-green-is-britains-low-carbon-energy-supply | How green is Britain’s record on renewable energy supply? | As one of the UK’s renewable energy chiefs has pointed out, electric cars won’t tackle climate change if they run off fossil fuels. Matthew Wright, managing director of Dong Energy UK, said that although plug-in cars could cut local air pollution, it would be a “pyrrhic victory” if they increased greenhouse gases from coal and gas power stations. “The fit between renewable energy and electric is a natural [one],” he argued. E.ON, one of the big-six energy suppliers, agrees: its dedicated new electric car tariff is supplied with 100% renewable power. Put simply, the greener the electricity mix, the greener your electric car. Today, around half of power generated in the UK comes from low-carbon sources. Here’s how that breaks down, and how it might look in the future. Wind Nearly a third of the UK’s electricity between April and June was generated from renewable sources – a new record, and up a quarter on the same period last year. The milestone was driven in large part by the growing number of windfarms on land and around the UK’s coast. It also helped that wind speeds were relatively high and overall electricity generation was lower than normal. The records have continued into autumn. Last Sunday night was the perfect time to plug in a car, as the carbon emissions from power generation were at their lowest level ever, because of windfarms. Offshore windfarms have been making headlines as well as power, securing record low levels of state support in a government auction last month. Three major offshore farms will be built in the early 2020s for a subsidy price well below nuclear, and half what the technology cost just a few years ago. The UK has more offshore wind power capacity than any other country in the world, and is helping set records in Europe too. Last Monday, Europe generated a new high of 263 gigawatt hours of power from offshore turbines, 95GWh of which came from the UK. Some industry-watchers think that offshore windfarms, where larger and more efficient turbines are driving costs down fast, could become so cheap that they eventually outcompete their onshore counterparts in Britain, too. But for now, those on land still provide 50% more power than those at sea. Solar The number of solar panels in the UK grew at a dizzying rate between 2011 and 2016, and now provide a significant source of power in the middle of the day. Solar is a large reason the national grid went without coal power for 24 hours in April, the first time the UK had done without the dirty fuel for a day since the industrial revolution. For one brief period on a Friday in May, solar even eclipsed the UK’s eight nuclear power stations for electricity generation. However, the outlook for the next five years is cloudier. Experts forecast the amount of solar installed will be a fifth of the capacity fitted in the past five years. Nuclear Nuclear power stations usually provide between a fifth and a quarter of the UK’s power, taking a 23.6% share during April and June. EDF, which is building Britain’s first new nuclear station in decades at Hinkley Point in Somerset, thinks that by 2035, nuclear’s share should grow to around a third of UK power supply. In the French state-owned firm’s vision of the future, another third will come from renewables and the last third from gas. Together, EDF sees the three as the best way of achieving reliable, affordable and low-carbon power. But seven of the UK’s eight existing nuclear power stations, which began generating electricity in the 1970s and 1980s, are expected to come off the grid late next decade. That means for atomic power to supply a third of the UK’s needs, Hinkley Point C will need to be finished on time, and three more plants of a similar size will need to be built. One of those could be by EDF itself, at Sizewell in Suffolk, if it can build the reactors for a subsidy price low enough that the government would agree it. EDF is also supporting a Chinese nuclear company, CGN, which is at the start of a four-year process to get regulatory approval for a plant at Bradwell, in Essex. Other international consortia are hoping to build a plant at Wylfa in Wales and Moorside in Cumbria. Biomass Although environmentalists dispute the idea that wood-burning is green at all, it is still officially considered low-carbon by the UK and EU. The UK’s biggest power station, Drax in North Yorkshire, has already converted three of its six units from coal to biomass, and is exploring switching a fourth. Later this year, an old coal power plant at Lynemouth in Northumberland is also slated to reopen as a biomass power station. | ['business/energy-industry', 'business/business', 'environment/renewableenergy', 'environment/windpower', 'environment/solarpower', 'environment/nuclearpower', 'environment/biomass-and-bioenergy', 'environment/energy', 'tone/features', 'environment/environment', 'uk/uk', 'type/article', 'profile/adam-vaughan', 'publication/theobserver', 'theobserver/news', 'theobserver/news/business', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-business'] | environment/windpower | ENERGY | 2017-10-07T15:19:47Z | true | ENERGY |
us-news/2023/sep/02/ron-desantis-snubs-joe-biden-hurricane-idalia | DeSantis snubs Biden as president tours Hurricane Idalia damage in Florida | Ron DeSantis will not meet Joe Biden on the president’s tour of Hurricane Idalia damage on Saturday, the Florida governor’s office has said, adding that he thought Biden’s visit would disrupt recovery efforts. “We don’t have any plans for the governor to meet with the president” DeSantis’s spokesperson, Jeremy Redfern, told CNN in a statement. “In these rural communities, and so soon after impact, the security preparations alone that would go into setting up such a meeting would shut down ongoing recovery efforts,” he added. The rightwing DeSantis has made slamming Biden at the heart of his bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination – a race in which he lags far behind frontrunner Donald Trump. Usually presidential visits to disaster zones are a rare source of bipartisan cooperation in America’s fractured political landscape and DeSantis’s stance earned him some condemnation. “By refusing to meet with President Biden, he’s proving again what we’ve known for years – Ron will always put politics over people,” the Florida Democratic party chair, Nikki Fried, posted. The White House announced on Friday that the president, the first lady, Jill Biden, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) administrator, Deanne Criswell, would still be travelling to Florida on Saturday. A statement said that the visit was “planned in close coordination with Fema as well as state and local leaders to ensure there is no impact on response operations”. The timing of the visit, days after the hurricane passed through, comes after Biden was criticized for taking almost two weeks to visit the devastated Hawaii town of Lahaina after it was destroyed on 8 August. The DeSantis administration’s criticism of the timing of Bidens’ visit comes only a day after it was indicated that the state and national leaders would meet to jointly survey Hurricane Idalia’s damage. A White House official told Politico that when Biden told the Florida governor and Republican presidential contender on Friday that he would be flying down DeSantis “did not express concerns” about the visit. But DeSantis said he had expressed doubts to the president that the planned trip could be “very disruptive” to communities hardest hit by Idalia because the “whole security apparatus” of the White House could clog roadways. A day earlier, on Thursday, Biden said the pair had been speaking so frequently about the storm that “there should be a direct dial, the two of us – Governor DeSantis and I.” DeSantis welcomed Biden to Florida when he traveled there after Hurricane Ian last year, before the governor had formally announced his White House ambitions. | ['us-news/ron-desantis', 'us-news/joebiden', 'us-news/florida', 'us-news/hurricane-idalia', 'us-news/us-news', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/edwardhelmore', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/us-news'] | us-news/hurricane-idalia | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2023-09-02T15:09:55Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
australia-news/2023/nov/24/killing-kangaroos-could-be-banned-in-metro-melbourne-in-plan-hailed-as-step-in-the-right-direction | Killing kangaroos could be banned in metro Melbourne in plan hailed as ‘step in the right direction’ | Hunters would be banned from killing kangaroos in all Melbourne metropolitan areas from 2025, under a proposed overhaul of Victoria’s commercial culling program. A plan by the state’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action for kangaroo harvesting between 2024 and 2028 proposes excluding 10 council areas across the urban ring of Melbourne due to reduced kangaroo populations and urban sprawl. The proposal was first reported by the Herald Sun. Commercial harvesting of kangaroos is used for human and animal consumption. Under the plan the 10 councils to be excluded are Brimbank, Cardinia, Casey, Hobsons Bay, Hume, Melton, Mornington Peninsula, Nillumbik, Whittlesea and Wyndham. Mornington, Nillumbik and Mount Alexander Shire councils had lobbied the state to be excluded from the culling regions. But Mount Alexandra would still be included under the proposal. Lisa Palma, the chief executive of Wildlife Victoria, said the practice was “deeply unpopular with the public”. “Nobody wants people shooting our wildlife in their back yard. Concerned community members often contact us very distressed about it,” she told Guardian Australia. Palma said since the kangaroo harvesting program began in 2019, Wildlife Victoria had reported 55% increase in eastern grey kangaroos called into its emergency response services. “They’ve suffered horrific gunshot wounds and a lot of them are still alive,” she said. “It’s incredibly distressing for our volunteers and vets being confronted with the horrifically injured kangaroos and having to end their lives.” Wildlife Victoria has also reported a 500% increase in orphaned joeys, which Palma said were “considered a byproduct of the industry”. “We’re very concerned about the kangaroo management program from a wildlife welfare perspective,” Palma said. She said kangaroos, which are soft-footed, also play an important role in propagating native grasses and supporting soil health. Under the plan, commercial hunting will remain permitted in 47 regional councils in northern and western Victoria. The annual quota for commercial hunting in 2023 is 166,750 eastern and western grey kangaroos. Quotas must be less than 10% of the state’s estimated grey kangaroo population, combined with estimated numbers permitted to be killed by landowners to control wildlife on their property. The exclusions do not impact on authorisation to control wildlife, where a property owner can apply for permission to kill wildlife if it poses a threat to human safety or could damage property, farmland or the environment. The kangaroo harvesting program is designed to ensure the sustainability of the native animal’s population, help landholders reduce issues caused by kangaroos on farms, make use of carcasses and provide an income for trained harvesters. ‘Distressing and nonsensical’ The upper house Victorian Greens MP Aiv Puglielli, whose electorate includes Nillumbik, pushed for the area to be excluded from kangaroo culling. He said the proposal was a “step in the right direction”. “We already see so many kangaroos and joeys being killed by cars. We already see such loss of life on our roads to wildlife. So the idea that we would be commercially killing these kangaroos, often in quite brutal ways, out in the communities is, to many, quite distressing and nonsensical.” Puglielli called for the commercial killing of kangaroos to be banned across Victoria. Earlier this year, the Kangaroo Industries Associations of Australia defended the practice amid debates in the US to ban products from the native animal. At the time, its executive officer, Dennis King, criticised activists for spreading false narratives. “There’s a lot of misinformation being put out … about the way we treat the animals,” King told the ABC in February. Two years earlier, amid protests of the killing of kangaroos in the Mornington Peninsula, the KIAA’s president Ray Borda told the Age: “No one likes the idea of killing an animal.” “But when they investigate, they will see kangaroos live a long life, they are in their natural habitat when they are killed and they are in abundance. We have nothing to hide.” A spokesperson for the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action said kangaroo populations can have “significant effects on Victoria’s environment”. “It is necessary to control their population in a sustainable and humane way,” the spokesperson said. “The Kangaroo Harvesting Management Plan sets the objectives and requirements for kangaroo harvesting in Victoria’s seven harvest zones. Harvesting must be ecologically sustainable, humane, and only undertaken by authorised people. “Victoria takes a conservative approach when setting maximum kangaroo control levels at no more than 10% of the population each year – we will continue to carefully consider the research and population modelling to determine future levels.” The department’s proposed kangaroo harvest management plan is open for submissions until 4 December. | ['australia-news/victoria', 'environment/wildlife', 'australia-news/australia-news', 'australia-news/victorian-politics', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/adeshola-ore', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/australia-state-news'] | environment/wildlife | BIODIVERSITY | 2023-11-24T08:47:10Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
global-development-professionals-network/2015/oct/27/cambodia-peaceful-direct-action-has-saved-one-of-our-most-beautiful-forests | Cambodia: peaceful direct action has saved one of our most beautiful forests | It was 2013 and I was swimming down a peaceful river in the Areng Valley in Cambodia, where many siamese crocodiles live. Further down the river young activists, who had earlier that year been shot at by the police during political protests, filmed me as I talked in Khmer about the natural beauty of the area – and all that stood to be lost by building a hydropower dam there. Days later this video went viral in the country and kickstarted our campaign to save the Areng Valley from destruction. At this point there was little environmental activism in Cambodia. Prominent anti-logging activist Chut Wutty had been murdered one year earlier and the big international environmental NGOs were really inactive. Brave, effective civil society in Cambodia was either dead, in jail or didn’t dare move. Our organisation, Mother Nature, was born out of desperation. I had been working as an interpreter and human rights monitor in Cambodian prisons and had no experience of forestry or activism. But I became interested in human rights violations in the country and how they interlinked with the state-sponsored pillage of the country’s natural resources. And then I heard about the plan to build a dam right through the majestic Areng Valley, part of the Central Cardamom mountains, one of south-east Asia’s largest and most incredible forests. To destroy an area home to over 30 rare species of wildlife, and to forcibly displace one of Cambodia’s oldest ethnic groups, the Chong people, seemed criminal. Even more so as the project had already been rejected twice by Chinese energy companies for not being “economically feasible”. My friend and I started going from house to house in the Areng Valley area and telling people what their rights were. People had been lied to – they were told they had no choice but to leave their homes. Those who wanted to stay could but their houses and ancestral lands would be flooded and they would drown. We started making more videos and putting them on Facebook. Even locals who didn’t have internet at home were somehow finding the videos and interest started picking up among people from all walks of life across the country. A few months later we were able to see what this growing body of resistance could achieve when the government decided to send in engineers to do studies on the feasibility of the dam. For many locals the area is deeply sacred, and full of spirits, so the engineers’ presence was going to be like a “virus” infecting the body of the forest. So, around 250 locals and activists from other parts of the country got together and we started a road block, aimed at stopping Sinohydro, one of the world’s largest hydro-dam companies, from entering the valley. The few engineers who had managed to sneak in the night before disguised as tourists, found themselves surrounded by locals, who simply picked up their equipment and walked it out of the valley. On one particularly memorable occasion, a group of old ladies, who were from a different area and just visiting for a religious ceremony, actually chased the engineers out of the forest, blaming them for wanting to destroy the nation’s last major forest. Before then I thought we were going to lose the battle; after that I felt like we had the entire nation behind us. We knew that our strategy of resistance had to be peaceful, innovative and direct to be effective – we have learned from experience that nothing else works in Cambodia, not engaging the media nor writing to parliament. Young people from across the country started to come to the valley as tourists and visitors – that was really important, to have people be witness to the crimes. Another tactic was to invite monks in to the area to do tree blessing ceremonies. I had been inspired by seeing this happen in Thailand – the monks arrive, ordain the trees and declare the trees to be monks. The idea of cutting down these trees then becomes really shocking, almost sinful. We managed to ordain over 100 of these huge trees (some 14m in diameter) and attracted wide media attention. The campaign was ultimately successful – the plans for the dam have been stalled and we have now directed our attention to a new campaign to prevent illegal sand-dredging along the awesome mangrove forests of the coastal province of Koh Kong. But environmental activism is still a rollercoaster in Cambodia and full of dangers. Currently four of our 10-strong team are in jail, after being arrested for their inspirational and effective activism. I am currently in Spain – away from Cambodia, which I have come to consider my home. After 13 years living in the country, the Cambodian government refused to renew my visa in February and has forcibly removed me from the country. What will happen next is unclear, for me and for our movement. But what is certain is that the seeds of a true environmental movement have been planted in Cambodia. The people who have been committing environmental crimes for years have been sent a powerful message; local people won’t be cheated anymore, they are ready to peacefully, and effectively, resist. As told to Holly Young Join our community of development professionals and humanitarians. Follow@GuardianGDP on Twitter. Join the conversation with the hashtag#EnergyAccess. | ['global-development-professionals-network/transforming-institutions', 'working-in-development/working-in-development', 'world/cambodia', 'environment/activism', 'environment/environment', 'type/article'] | environment/activism | CLIMATE_ACTIVISM | 2015-10-27T08:00:07Z | true | CLIMATE_ACTIVISM |
technology/2019/nov/27/twitter-announces-clearout-inactive-accounts-usernames | Twitter to clear out inactive accounts and free up usernames | Twitter has announced it is to clear out inactive accounts, freeing up dormant usernames and reducing the risk of old accounts being hacked. But the company is facing criticism for the way it has handled the announcement, with many concerned that the accounts of people who have died over the past decade will be removed with no way of saving their Twitter legacies. In an email to users, Twitter revealed that it would be deleting older accounts that had not been logged into in the past six months, unless users logged in before 11 December. The move would free up usernames that had been registered years ago but are not in use, including potentially desirable handles, such as @hern. In a statement, Twitter said: “As part of our commitment to serve the public conversation, we’re working to clean up inactive accounts to present more accurate, credible information people can trust across Twitter. “Part of this effort is encouraging people to actively log in and use Twitter when they register an account, as stated in our inactive accounts policy. We have begun proactive outreach to many accounts who have not logged into Twitter in over six months to inform them that their accounts may be permanently removed due to prolonged inactivity.” But the move has alarmed many for whom dormant Twitter accounts are a treasured legacy of someone who has died. Unlike Facebook, Twitter has no process for memorialising the accounts of dead users and the site initially suggested it would be unable to distinguish between a dormant account and a legacy account. “It seems very shortsighted and not particularly considered,” said Elaine O’Neill, whose partner died in 2013. “As well as erasing history and furthering the idea that all our work in the internet age is increasingly temporal, it’s going to mean the loss of the accounts of friends, family members, partners, who we’ve loved and lost. “When so much of our communication and self-expression is online, these accounts and our conversations with them can be some of the few remaining ties we have to them, and Twitter is going to remove them without chance of preservation. “Being able to [access freed-up usernames] is not worth having my late partner taken from me again, no longer being able to look at their account when I miss them, no longer being able to send them tweets that help me feel like they’re still there. It’s going to be traumatic for so many people.” A Twitter insider said the company was aware of the possible problem and that it was thinking about ways to introduce memorialisation for accounts. In the meantime, Jason Scott, an archivist at the Internet Archive, has led an effort to archive accounts off-site. Users can fill in a form to preserve the digital memories of their loved ones. | ['technology/twitter', 'media/blogging', 'media/digital-media', 'technology/internet', 'media/media', 'technology/technology', 'media/social-media', 'technology/data-computer-security', 'technology/hacking', 'world/privacy', 'world/world', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/alex-hern', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/uknews', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-technology'] | technology/hacking | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE | 2019-11-27T14:34:31Z | true | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE |
lifeandstyle/2020/jun/01/tree-of-the-week-i-have-been-friends-with-it-all-my-life | Tree of the week: 'I have been friends with this beech tree all my life' | When Liz Dixon-Spain got married in 1967, there was only one place where she wanted to celebrate – in her parent’s garden with this beautiful beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) overlooking the festivities. She planted daffodils around it just for the occasion. “It felt wonderful having the tree in the background,” says the 73-year-old from South Holland, Lincolnshire. “I have been friends with it all my life.” Holding wedding receptions in the garden has become something of a family tradition, with her two sisters also celebrating their nuptials next to the tree in 1974 and then 1977. The beech has been a constant presence in her family’s lives. “It is part of all of our family memories because they all happened around the tree,” Liz says. When she was a child, Liz often played around the tree with her siblings and enjoyed watching it come to life as a “home to generations of wildlife”. “There were tawny owls, as well as all the usual garden birds, with pheasants also roosting in its branches. Hedgehogs, squirrels, rabbits, muntjac deer, dormice, frogs and toads have all sheltered in the plants growing under this tree.” After her marriage ended, she moved back to her childhood home, an old vicarage, where she has been living ever since. “We think our lovely tree is at least 130 years old – around the same age as the house.” Before the coronavirus pandemic, she would open up the garden to the public as part of the national garden scheme. Visitors were just as impressed when they first caught a glimpse of the tree. “The house is three storeys and on a hill, so you can see just how big the tree is,” says Liz. “Looking at it from inside the house is fantastic, but to stand right underneath feels extraordinary. It’s in the middle of the garden and it’s so large, it’s almost trying to get into the house.” The tree has also become a major part of her children and grandchildren’s lives too. Liz has four grownup sons, who spent their childhood playing tennis marathons on the grass in front of the tree. Her children and eight grandchildren live across the UK, in London, Scotland, Southport and Stamford. “They come here to meet up. The tree brings us together.” One of her grandchildren, Frank, 10, lives in Hackney, east London, but visits Liz often. The beech tree inspired him to write the following poem, which begins: “Through the pebble filled driveway, through the old wooden gate, lay a paradise for nature.” Liz is happy that everything is coming full circle. “The memories that me, my sisters and my children have are carrying on in our grandchildren, who use the area for camps, ‘kick the can’ football and wheelbarrow races. The tree has become a hub for our family.” • Tell us about your favourite tree by filling in this form. | ['lifeandstyle/series/tree-of-the-week', 'environment/forests', 'lifeandstyle/lifeandstyle', 'environment/environment', 'lifeandstyle/family', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'profile/gregory-robinson', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/g2', 'theguardian/g2/features', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-g2-features'] | environment/forests | BIODIVERSITY | 2020-06-01T06:00:34Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
commentisfree/2007/jul/02/oilingthewheels | Oiling the wheels | When the chips are down: recycled cooking oil will now power McDonalds' vehicle fleet. Photograph: Polfoto/AP. The fast-food chain McDonalds says today that it will convert its 155 vehicles to run on vegetable oil, including the waste oil generated from its restaurants. Seems like a good idea - or is it? Well, apart from anything else, it is a sign of the times. The ever more crowded bandwagon of going low carbon has a variety of players on board, some serious and making real efforts, others looking for easy PR to help prop up brands that are vulnerable to public condemnation because of their impact on the planet. So what does this all mean from McDonalds? The firm says that using the old chip fat to run its vehicles will save about 1,650 tonnes of carbon per year. Chip fat is at the good end of a decidedly worrying spectrum of possible sources for biofuels, and is an emissions saving that is worth having. But what they didn't do today, as far as I am aware, was to publish a long-term reduction target that matches the latest science. Is the firm still planning to grow, and if so, what will that mean for overall emissions into the future? If this worthwhile but modest cut is set against an increase linked to expansion of the business, then we could be no better-off, even though the firm has got some greener PR gloss on its brand. Businesses like McDonalds, Tesco and Shell are geared up for endless expansion, and the green statements which they and others now regularly make need to be viewed in that context. This is not to say that individual positive actions are unwelcome. Of course, steps toward greener business are vital and help set the scene for greener consumers, but the issue that we must not lose sight of is how much we need to cut emissions and by when. And this, I think, is the real danger. We become mesmerised by the PR and the stories that spin off from each of the latest eye-catching green initiatives while losing sight of the bigger and more important picture that relates to our general direction of travel. As we take our attention from where we are going, and, instead, look at the scenery (and this is a bit more of it today), then the chances of us finishing up the right place could actually diminish. The fact is that we need to put in place measures now that will quickly get us on a path to cut emissions by at least 80% by 2050. How all the latest low-carbon initiatives from business will deliver on that is most unclear - and yet it is that clarity that is now urgently needed if we are to avoid the worst effects of global warming. So from where can that clear view of future action come? I have reached the conclusion that it is only governments that can set the scene for long-term, sustained action that will deliver the goods. Chip fat-powered vans can be a part of that solution, but will not do what is needed on their own. Neither will any other single step. Instead, the individual actions need to be arranged on a path going in the right direction and at the right speed. At the moment, we have neither the path nor the speed set out. McDonalds says it is "delighted" to be putting its chip fat to this use, and I welcome it as a positive step. It is not, however, a solution to the most pressing challenge facing our world. If we are going to take action in time, we need signals, rules and incentives put in place by governments. I wonder if McDonalds would like to advocate that approach too? A letter to Gordon Brown calling for the new climate change bill to be turned into a strong, science-based law would be a great first step. I look forward to seeing their press release on that in due course. I wonder, moreover, if they would like to advocate a similar approach back home in the US, and to tell George Bush about the limitations of many of the sources of biofuel that he is pushing. | ['commentisfree/commentisfree', 'tone/comment', 'business/mcdonalds', 'us-news/george-bush', 'business/oil', 'environment/biofuels', 'environment/recycling', 'type/article', 'profile/tonyjuniper'] | environment/recycling | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE | 2007-07-02T20:00:00Z | true | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE |
us-news/article/2024/jul/10/heat-us-cities-study | Urban heat island effect making temperatures 8F hotter in 65 US cities – study | Almost 34 million people in 65 major US cities, or 15% of the country’s population, are experiencing temperatures that are 8F higher than their surrounding areas, according to a new analysis from Climate Central, a non-profit research group. That is largely due to built environments like parking lots and asphalt sidewalks, and a lack of trees, that contribute to what’s known as the urban heat island effect. The research found the urban heat island effect was strongest in New York City, where the built environment can push temperatures more than 9F higher than nearby areas. The study, which comes as extreme heat is blistering through the US, putting more than 146 million people under advisories, illustrates how many are enduring even higher temperatures due to the way their cities were built. “Brick, a lot of pavement, taller buildings that obstruct air flow and population density is going to bring heat into the city,” said Jen Brady, senior data analyst at Climate Central who authored the report. Throughout the day, these hard surfaces retain solar radiation instead of expelling it. As a result, extreme heat becomes so much more concentrated in cities compared with rural surrounding areas. “As outside air cools down, that very dense material that’s absorbed the heat starts to re-release that heat into the ambient environment,” said Vivek Shandas, professor of climate adaptation at Portland State University. “Those heat islands actually end up staying hotter for longer periods of time in the city.” Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, San Diego, Dallas and Los Angeles are home to at least 1 million people who experience 8F of additional heat, with New York City having the highest disparity of 9.65F. That means that, on average, a 90F day in New York City could have been only 80F if the built environment didn’t have heat-amplifying characteristics. “We built a lot of these older cities to keep us warm. But now we’re dealing with heat, and that’s the challenge,” Brady said. “In the cities, you have more surface to retain all this heat and hold on to it.” For some 145,000 people who live in the most severe urban heat islands, built infrastructure can elevate temperatures by 12F or more. These disparities can be felt from one part of the city to another, with people of color and low-income residents bearing the brunt of heat. In the 1930’s, a federal policy known as “redlining” delineated neighborhoods where people of color lived as “too risky”. “Those areas really got forgotten by a lot of the planners, and as their land values went down, big developments like the freeways or big box stores would go to those areas,” said Shandas. “What we end up seeing is this vicious cycle of how a federally codified policy from the 1930s has a long legacy effect to what we’re seeing today. The communities that live around these areas are the ones who face it worst when a heatwave comes through.” Some of the ways to reduce the impact of heat include planting trees and shrubs along streets and roadways. Converting asphalt-heavy infrastructure like parking lots into parks and green spaces can be essential in creating additional shade, while allowing the sun’s radiation to dissipate more quickly. “What we’re finding is that a neighborhood that has a larger amount of trees tends to be about 15 degrees cooler than a neighborhood that doesn’t have that same tree canopy,” Shandas said. Painting roadways and rooftops a lighter color can also help with absorbing less heat. | ['us-news/series/americas-dirty-divide', 'environment/extreme-heat', 'environment/environment', 'us-news/new-york', 'us-news/us-news', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/aliya-uteuova', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/us-news'] | environment/extreme-heat | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2024-07-10T10:00:55Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
environment/2015/jun/03/developing-countries-could-leapfrog-west-with-clean-energy-says-hollande | Developing countries could leapfrog west with clean energy, says Hollande | Developing countries have the opportunity to leapfrog the west in economic development, if they go straight to clean technology while rich countries struggle to wean themselves off fossil fuels, president Francois Hollande of France said on Wednesday. “They are going to be skipping the stage where industrialised countries were stopped fro a long time, for many decades,” he said. “We were dependent on fossil fuel, which means we now have to concentrate on the transition in the medium to long term of abandoning fossil fuels. But they have the chance to move immediately to the new technologies.” He said clean technologies such as renewable energy were “dropping in price and will continue to drop”, while industrialised countries faced costs in having to scrap old infrastructure and rebuild it anew in a low-carbon fashion. Developing countries, many of which are constructing scores of new cities to house their burgeoning populations, would be able to build them in a low-carbon way, with better energy efficiency, he told the annual meeting of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, in Paris. “In the old world, we are proud of our old cities, but [they are very inefficient],” he said. “But countries starting on the path of industrialisation can immediately go to new building [technology].” He compared the opportunity with the mobile phone revolution in Africa, whereby as mobile phone technology dropped in price and became widely available all over the continent, there was little incentive to build conventional fixed line phones. “The digital revolution and the energy revolution will go hand in hand as in a sense we are talking about the same revolution,” he said. Hollande looked ahead to the UN conference in Paris this December, at which governments are expected to forge a new global agreement on the climate, with commitments from all to limit greenhouse gas emissions after 2020, when current commitments come to an end. He said countries had still not done enough to reach an agreement. “We know everything [about climate change] - we do not need another report, we do not need more experts. We know a lot about this, and we know the cost of inaction.” He called for a price on carbon as this would encourage businesses to invest in low-carbon technology and to change their practices. “Set a price for carbon then businesses will change the way they invest and perform,” he said, echoing the six oil companies which earlier this week called for such a price. He also called for more transparency from businesses, and said France was leading the way by putting in place regulations that would require banks and investors to disclose their exposure to high-carbon assets. “We need to introduce rules that will channel investments,” he said. | ['environment/cop-21-un-climate-change-conference-paris', 'environment/environment', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'environment/global-climate-talks', 'world/france', 'world/world', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/fiona-harvey'] | environment/cop-21-un-climate-change-conference-paris | CLIMATE_POLICY | 2015-06-03T17:34:34Z | true | CLIMATE_POLICY |
world/2018/sep/12/trump-puerto-rico-maria-hurricane-claim-fact-check-reality | Trump calls Puerto Rico hurricane effort an 'unsung success' – here's the reality | Donald Trump’s definition of an “unsung success” was immediately questioned on Tuesday when he used those words to describe the federal government’s response to Hurricane Maria. His comments, made as Hurricane Florence churns toward the US, ignored the stark reality that the US government was slow to respond when the devastating storm hit Puerto Rico, and a crisis still lingers on the island nearly a year after the category 4 hurricane made landfall on 20 Sep 2017. A look at the destruction Maria left on the island of 3.3 million Americans and how the government responded: The government’s official death toll from Maria is now 2,975 people, after initially being listed as just 64. Officials said last month that of the nearly 1.4 million people who lost electricity in the island-wide outage after the hurricane, 25 still did not have power as of 7 August. Blackouts are common, including an island-wide outage in April. The day before Maria hit Puerto Rico, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) had delivered four generators to the island, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report published this month. The day Hurricane Harvey hit Texas the previous month, 35 generators had been delivered. Fema has repeatedly contested comparisons between the storms because the agency was already stretched when Maria became the third hurricane to hit US territory in a month, and because Maria devastated an entire island. After Maria made landfall, 80% of water customers did not have service and some residents remain skeptical about the safety of the island’s water supply. Fema did not have enough bilingual employees deployed to Spanish-speaking Puerto Rico to assist with communication and translate aid documents, according to the GAO report. Nine days after Maria, Fema had approved $6.2m in assistance for its victims, compared to $141.8m to victims of Harvey nine days after it struck. There was also less food, water and tarpaulins delivered to Puerto Rico and 20,000 fewer people deployed in the Maria response in the same time period compared to Harvey, according to Politico. From November 2017 through January 2018, the island’s suicide hotline, Línea PAS, saw a 246% increase in calls from people who said they had attempted suicide compared with the same period a year earlier. The long-term disruption to daily life has exacerbated feelings of despair, anxiety and hopelessness, provoking a mental health crisis across the island. | ['world/hurricane-maria', 'us-news/puerto-rico', 'us-news/donaldtrump', 'world/hurricanes', 'world/natural-disasters', 'world/americas', 'us-news/us-news', 'type/article', 'tone/explainers', 'profile/amanda-holpuch', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/us-news'] | world/hurricanes | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2018-09-12T16:36:48Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
environment/2021/nov/13/mung-beans-bunnies-and-the-muppets-pms-green-rhetoric-insulting-and-divisive | Mung beans, bunnies and the Muppets: PM’s green rhetoric ‘insulting and divisive’ | Boris Johnson took the stage at Glasgow as the Cop26 summit neared its conclusion last Wednesday, aiming to galvanise the conference into a deal that would stave off climate breakdown. Instead, confronting the world’s media immediately afterwards, he faced a barrage of questions about Tory sleaze, the global problems of the climate crisis eclipsed by a sordid Westminster scandal. Even as the prime minister was forced to deny that the UK was a corrupt country, unknown to him or his closest aides, the real international statesmanship was going on in windowless rooms barely 100 metres away in the windswept conference centre. John Kerry, the US climate envoy, and Xie Zhenhua, China’s head of delegation, were putting the finishing touches to a statement by the world’s two superpowers that would set the tone for a Glasgow climate deal. Xie and Kerry laid out the details of their pact on Wednesday evening in the same press conference room where Johnson had sweated under close questioning a little over an hour beforehand. Downing Street was blindsided, having played no part in the announcement, hailed as “game-changing” by observers. For some of those following the talks, it was just the latest in a long series of prime ministerial misses, absences and gaffes. Most of the past year has been marked by Johnson’s long silences on climate issues, punctuated by a few set-piece occasions. “Johnson has been largely a bystander,” says Tom Burke, veteran climate adviser to governments and co-founder of the E3G green thinktank. “He has not imposed his stamp on this issue. He has not put in the hours. He has not been spending the time he needed to, meeting his peers in other countries, which you have to so that you build up those key relationships.” Johnson chaired no meetings on the climate even as the UK was preparing to host the talks, from the end of the previous Cop in Madrid in 2019 to the launch of the UK’s presidency in February 2020. He participated in a joint UK-UN-French celebration of the five-year anniversary of the Paris agreement in December 2020, then was largely silent for months until a White House climate summit in April. After that, while the UK cabinet minister and Cop26 president Alok Sharma conducted a hectic round of diplomacy from 9 Downing Street, almost nothing was heard on the climate from No 10 until Johnson hosted the G7 in Cornwall in July, a meeting dominated by rows over Brexit and sausages. Along the way, there have been scandals that angered green experts far more than any rows over MPs’ second jobs. The protracted decision, still ongoing, over a potential new coalmine in Cumbria outraged climate scientists early this year; new licences for oil and gasfields in the North Sea gave a poor signal to other countries, whatever the government said about allowing them only if there was a “climate test”; the decision to slash overseas aid looked ill-judged, coming as the UK was exhorting other countries to offer billions to developing nations in climate finance. Downing Street appeared not to realise how damaging these gaffes were. “Johnson was not paying enough attention,” says Burke. Seen from abroad, the UK has performed well on the organisational aspects of Cop26 and on climate diplomacy, but Johnson himself has been a puzzle. His rhetorical flights of fancy involving “mung-bean munching” and “bunny-hugging” – references to the supposed activities of environmentalists – were judged “divisive and insulting” by green experts in the UK, while many outside the country struggled to follow. “It is easy to be green,” he told the UN general assembly, a Muppets quip that left his fellow world leaders nonplussed. “The messaging was confusing – mung beans, Kermit the Frog, that this was an environment agenda rather than a [global] safety and health and survival agenda,” says Rachel Kyte, formerly a top climate official at the World Bank, now dean of the Fletcher School at Tufts University in the US. “Saying he gave [Cop26] a six out of 10 chance of success as he arrived at the UN general assembly was odd.” Paul Bledsoe, a former Clinton-era White House climate adviser, now with the Progressive Policy Institute thinktank in Washington DC, says the UK performed well logistically and diplomatically, but that Johnson’s role was always going to be limited by the realities of geopolitics. “Realistically, Johnson himself was never going to be the key negotiator or creator of innovative diplomatic or technical breakthroughs. The US, China, India, Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and a few others – these are the nations where policy positions have played the largest roles, as usual.” But he gives Johnson credit for being a Conservative politician who has seen the importance of the climate agenda when some on the right have sought to deny or obfuscate it. “Johnson’s genuine climate advocacy as a leader of a centre-right political party has been important to setting an atmosphere of ambition on urgency. The question is, will he continue to push China, Russia and other climate laggards, and also double down on UK domestic commitments after the television crews have left Glasgow?” Although Cop26 has ended, under the UN rules, the UK will remain Cop president for the next year, until Egypt takes over at Cop27 next autumn. That gives Johnson a year in which to press ahead with this agenda and secure a global legacy of climate action to ensure the outcome of the summit is carried through into policies and measures around the world. Shaun Spiers, of the Green Alliance thinktank, says: “This is an opportunity to present Global Britain to the world. But the last two weeks have shown that climate diplomacy requires sustained attention. This must be a whole government effort.” | ['environment/cop26-glasgow-climate-change-conference-2021', 'politics/boris-johnson', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'environment/environment', 'politics/politics', 'uk/uk', 'uk/glasgow', 'uk/scotland', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'profile/fiona-harvey', 'publication/theobserver', 'theobserver/news', 'theobserver/news/uknews', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/observer-main'] | environment/cop26-glasgow-climate-change-conference-2021 | CLIMATE_POLICY | 2021-11-13T22:00:15Z | true | CLIMATE_POLICY |
sustainable-business/2017/jan/31/tesla-battery-farm-california-energy-elon-musk | Tesla moves beyond electric cars with new California battery farm | From the road, the close to 400 white industrial boxes packed into 1.5 acres of barren land in Ontario, California, a little more than 40 miles from downtown Los Angeles, look like standard electrical equipment. They’re surrounded by a metal fence, stand on concrete pads and sit under long electrical lines. But take a closer look and you’ll notice the bright red coloring and gray logo of electric car company Tesla on the sides. And inside the boxes are thousands of battery cells – the same ones that are used in Tesla’s electric cars – made by the company in its massive $5bn Tesla Gigafactory outside of Reno, Nevada. This spot, located at the Mira Loma substation of Southern California Edison, hosts the biggest battery farm Tesla has built for a power company. Southern California Edison will use the battery farm, which has been operating since December and is one of the biggest in the world, to store energy and meet spikes in demand – like on hot summer afternoons when buildings start to crank up the air conditioning. Tesla’s project has a capacity of 20 megawatts and is designed to discharge 80-megawatt hours of electricity in four-hour periods. It contains enough batteries to run about 1,000 Tesla cars, and the equivalent energy to supply power to 15,000 homes for four hours. The company declined to disclose the project’s cost. The project marks an important point in Tesla’s strategy to expand beyond the electric car business. Developing battery packs is a core expertise for the company, which is designing packs for homes, businesses and utilities. It markets them partly as a way to store solar electricity for use after sundown, a pitch that works well for states with a booming solar energy market such as California. Battery systems built for power companies can serve more than one purpose. A utility can avoid blackouts by charging them up when its natural gas power plants, or solar and wind farms, produce more electricity than needed, and draw from them when the power plants aren’t able to keep up with demand. Edison and other California utilities hired Tesla and a few other battery farm builders after an important natural gas reservoir near Los Angeles, called Aliso Canyon, closed following a huge leak and massive environmental disaster in late 2015. The leak forced thousands of people in nearby neighborhoods to evacuate. It also left utilities worried about how they’d meet the peak electricity demands of coming summers if they weren’t able to dip into the natural gas storage whenever they need fuel to produce power. They couldn’t always get natural gas shipment from other suppliers quick enough to meet a sharp rise in electricity consumption. As a result, the California Public Utilities Commission approved 100 megawatts of energy storage projects for both Southern California Edison and also San Diego Gas & Electric. The commission also asked for the projects to be built quickly, before the end of 2016. Other energy storage projects that have been built since include a 37.5-megawatt project in San Diego County by AES Energy Storage, which used lithium-ion batteries from Samsung. AES has completed the project, which is going through the commissioning phase. AES also plans to build a 100-megawatt project for Southern California Edison in Long Beach in 2020. Even before the Aliso Canyon disaster, the commission had already recognized the benefit of using energy storage to manage supply and demand and expected it to become an important component in the state’s plan to replace fossil fuel energy with renewables. The commission, which requires the state’s three big utilities to add more wind and solar energy to their supplies over time, also set a statement energy storage target of 1,325 megawatts by 2020. Surrounded by rows of batteries at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the project on Monday, Southern California Edison’s CEO Kevin Payne said the Tesla project is important because “it validates that energy storage can be part of the energy mix now” and is “a great reminder of how fast technology is changing the electric power industry”. This latest crop of energy storage projects use a new generation of lithium-ion batteries. Historically, batteries were too expensive for energy storage, but their prices have dropped dramatically in recent years, thanks to their mass production by companies such as Panasonic, Tesla and Samsung. Companies that buy lithium-ion batteries have been reporting drops in prices of 70% over the past two years. Tesla has said it plans to lower its battery prices by 30% by expanding production inside its Gigafactory. At the event on Monday, Tesla’s co-founder and chief technology officer JB Straubel said: “Storage has been missing on the grid since it was invented.” Tesla is counting on the energy storage market as an important source of revenue and built its giant factory with that in mind. The company believes its expertise in engineering and building electric cars sets itself apart from other battery farm developers. Tesla has been developing battery packs for a decade and improved the technology that manages the batteries temperatures, which can be high enough to pose a fire risk. Overheating is a well known problem for lithium-ion batteries, which require insulating materials and software to keep them running cool. A battery farm built next to a wind farm in Hawaii by a now-bankrupt company caught fire in 2012 and temporarily put a dampener on the energy storage market. Tesla has been building another battery farm on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, and has projects in Connecticut, North Carolina, New Zealand and the UK. The company is looking for opportunities to build battery farms outside of California, including the East Coast and countries such as Germany, Australia and Japan. Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk has said in the past that the company’s energy storage business could one day be bigger than its car business. | ['sustainable-business/sustainable-business', 'sustainable-business/series/the-new-bottom-line', 'business/energy-industry', 'business/business', 'technology/tesla', 'environment/energy-storage', 'environment/energy', 'environment/environment', 'environment/renewableenergy', 'us-news/us-news', 'technology/elon-musk', 'us-news/california', 'technology/technology', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'profile/katie-fehrenbacher', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/us-sponsored-content'] | environment/renewableenergy | ENERGY | 2017-01-31T19:18:50Z | true | ENERGY |
world/2021/dec/18/scientists-watch-giant-doomsday-glacier-in-antarctica-with-concern | Scientists watch giant ‘doomsday’ glacier in Antarctica with concern | Twenty years ago, an area of ice thought to weigh almost 500bn tonnes dramatically broke off the Antarctic continent and shattered into thousands of icebergs into the Weddell Sea. The 1,255-sq-mile (3,250-sq-km) Larsen B ice shelf was known to be melting fast but no one had predicted that it would take just one month for the 200-metre-thick behemoth to completely disintegrate. Glaciologists were shocked as much by the speed as by the scale of the collapse. “This is staggering. It’s just broken apart. It fell over like a wall and has broken as if into hundreds of thousands of bricks”, said one. This week, ice scientists meeting in New Orleans warned that something even more alarming was brewing on the West Antarctic ice sheet – a vast basin of ice on the Antarctic peninsula. Years of research by teams of British and American researchers showed that great cracks and fissures had opened up both on top of and underneath the Thwaites glacier, one of the biggest in the world, and it was feared that parts of it, too, may fracture and collapse possibly within five years or less. Thwaites makes Larsen B look like an icicle. It is roughly 100 times larger, about the size of Britain, and contains enough water on its own to raise sea levels worldwide by more than half a metre. It contributes about 4% of annual global sea level rise and has been called the most important glacier in the world, even the “doomsday” glacier. Satellite studies show it is melting far faster than it did in the 1990s. Thwaites is worrisome, but there are many other great glaciers in Antarctica also retreating, thinning and melting as the Southern Ocean warms. Many are being held back because Thwaites acts like a cork, blocking their exit to the sea. Should Thwaites fall apart, scientists believe the others would speed up, leading to the collapse of the whole ice sheet and catastrophic global sea level rises of several metres. Whether and how quickly they may collapse are some of the most important questions of the age. Sea levels are rising fast: the annual rate of increase more than doubling from 1.4mm to 3.6mm between 2006 and 2015, and accelerating. A few millimetres a year does not sound much but the loss of even a small part of Thwaites would not just help to speed this up further but would likely increase the severity of storm surges. Should all West Antarctica’s glaciers ever collapse, there is no coastal city in the world that would not, over time, be swamped at ruinous cost to life and economies. The consensus of glaciologists used to be that it would take centuries of global heating before glaciers the size of Thwaites shattered and collapsed, but so rapid and unexpected has been the loss of sea ice at the opposite end of the earth in the Arctic, and so sudden was the loss of Larsen B that it is now considered possible it could happen rapidly in Antarctica, too. Ice loss in the Arctic barely affects sea levels because it mostly forms at sea. Antarctic ice, however, is mostly on land so any melting adds to sea levels. The tipping point for the Larsen B ice shelf came suddenly. How Thwaites and other glaciers respond to global heating is still not known but these big global physical processes are under way and can be addressed only by global action. Yet just one month after Cop26 ended in Glasgow, the warning that the 300-metre thick, 50-mile wide Thwaites glacier has started to crack up has been met with silence from governments preoccupied by Covid-19 and the return of normal politics. The danger is that the many actions pledged in November to address global heating will be shelved for another year, to become just one more risk in an increasingly dangerous world. Thwaites underlines that global heating and glaciers do not wait for politicians, and every year action to reduce climate emissions is delayed only accelerates global disaster. | ['world/antarctica', 'environment/glaciers', 'environment/ice', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'environment/environment', 'environment/poles', 'world/world', 'environment/sea-level', 'environment/oceans', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/johnvidal', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-environment'] | environment/poles | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2021-12-18T08:00:52Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
environment/2022/apr/05/anti-onshore-wind-campaigner-colin-davie-lincolnshire-county-council-green-masterplan | Anti-onshore wind campaigner put in charge of council’s ‘green masterplan’ | A trustee of a group that campaigns against onshore renewable energy has been put in charge of a county council’s “green masterplan”, the Guardian can reveal. Colin Davie, who is the executive councillor for economic development, environment and planning at Lincolnshire county council, is also one of three trustees of the Renewable Energy Foundation (REF). He has recently vowed to “restart old fights” and oppose new onshore wind. The REF, once chaired by the TV presenter Noel Edmonds, has for years argued against onshore wind, receiving much coverage in the rightwing press. It was founded in 2004 to fight against what it described as the “grotesque political push” for wind energy in the UK. They secured victories during previous Conservative governments, culminating when David Cameron banned onshore wind subsidies in 2016. Now it appears its members are readying for a fierce fight as new onshore renewables become a possibility again. In Lincolnshire the “green masterplan” drafted by Davie, a Conservative councillor, has been criticised as “unimaginative”, as it keeps the 2050 carbon neutral goal but contains minimal measures such as switching to LED streetlights and reducing paper use. There are no mentions of large-scale renewable energy. The prospect of new large-scale onshore renewables has been raised due to the energy crisis, with the government looking at allowing schemes as part of its imminent energy plan. The Guardian understands that local approval would probably be needed before any onshore scheme is greenlit. In Lincolnshire the people deciding on whether a scheme would have “local approval” include Davie. Last week, Davie was invited on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme to give his views on windfarms. He vowed onshore wind would not come to Lincolnshire, saying: “Onshore wind is not the answer.” He added: “We will not be changing our view on that, we have a resolution of the council and that I suspect is not going to be changed by anything the government might want to do. We need a new balanced energy policy that takes into account the intermittence of renewables.” Two trustees of the REF, Michael Kelly and John Constable, in February wrote to the Financial Times to complain about Tory MPs who were calling for more floating wind power. The REF says it is impartial and relies on “superb data” for its views on wind and solar farms. But it has strong links to a group accused of climate science scepticism, the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF), started by the former Tory chancellor Nigel Lawson. Members of the GWPF, including Lawson, have denied global heating is a problem. Kelly has a position on the board of the GWPF. Constable has been quoted as a REF spokesperson and was previously its director of policy and research. Constable answered the Guardian’s questions for this article on behalf of the REF. Alethea Warrington, a campaigner at the climate charity Possible, said: “Homegrown onshore wind is our cheapest energy source, clean, and could be built tomorrow. Dragging heels now means only one thing – more reliance on dirty, volatile fossil fuels and unpalatable regimes. With eight in 10 people supporting it, it’s past time the government ended its onshore wind ban to allow communities to benefit from low-cost, secure and reliable energy.” Residents have raised their concerns about the lack of ambition in Lincolnshire’s climate plans – and the fact it was drafted by someone who opposes onshore renewable energy. Anna Marie Roos, a professor of the history of science and medicine at the University of Lincoln, has written to the local MP Victoria Atkins and lodged a complaint with the council. Roos said: “Tellingly, there is no mention of any plans to promote large-scale renewable energy [in the green masterplan], such as through offshore windfarms, or large solar arrays. The Lincolnite article reveals that Mr Davie is actively against windfarms, a stance that the REF promotes. This does not seem to be an impartial exercise of his responsibilities in the interests of local community or the avoidance of a conflict of interest, particularly when that interest is not clear due to the misleading nature of the name of the REF for whom Mr Davie is a trustee.” Davie told the Guardian he was “proud” of his role at the charity, which he noted was a registered interest, and added that he had been supportive of offshore wind locally. He said: “All forms of renewables, however, suffer from significant technical defects making them inherently expensive as a means of reducing emissions. They also have significant local environmental downsides. It is not easy to hide 150-metre high turbines in the flat, open and big sky landscapes which drive our visitors’ and residents’ love for Lincolnshire. All developments should be assessed on a case by case basis and the community should have maintained their right to say no to a development that affects them. “Lincolnshire is well on course with its carbon reduction agenda and with our wider leadership role on this issue. However, this is our place, we should be allowed to determine how we meet our goals and the wider ambitions of government without forcing communities to take things they do not want.” Constable, on behalf of the REF, said the group had no direct relationship with Lincolnshire county council. He said the REF’s policies were evidence-based and they had no blanket policy on renewables, adding: “The emissions abatement cost of renewables generally, and wind and solar in particular, is very high. This is especially true when system management costs are taken into account. Indeed, these renewables abatement costs exceed by a large margin the central estimates of the social cost of carbon, indicating that the harm to human welfare from achieving abatement via renewables exceeds that of climate change, which would be irrational. This suggests that the role of large-scale renewable schemes in any net zero delivery plan will be limited.” | ['environment/windpower', 'environment/renewableenergy', 'environment/environment', 'environment/energy', 'society/localgovernment', 'uk/uk', 'society/society', 'politics/politics', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/helena-horton', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-environment'] | environment/energy | ENERGY | 2022-04-05T12:03:38Z | true | ENERGY |
environment/2024/nov/18/plan-to-dispose-of-nuclear-waste-from-aukus-submarines-unanimously-rejected-by-adelaide-council | Plan to dispose of nuclear waste from Aukus submarines unanimously rejected by Adelaide council | Plans to dispose of low-level nuclear waste from Aukus submarines at an Adelaide naval facility have been unanimously opposed by the local council for the area, who say they weren’t consulted. The Osborne naval shipyard, 25km north of Adelaide CBD, and HMAS Stirling at Garden Island 50km south of Perth in Western Australia, have both been designated as “radioactive waste management facilities” for nuclear waste from Aukus submarines under the Australian naval nuclear power safety bill, which passed parliament in October. Last week, the City of Port Adelaide Enfield – responsible for the area surrounding the Osborne shipyard – voted to unanimously oppose the storage and disposal of radioactive waste at the site. Its mayor, Claire Boan, said council had been briefed on aspects of the Aukus project but it had not received any correspondence or communication about management and disposal of nuclear waste at the site. “While the decision-making regarding this is out of the control of the council, we will continue to advocate for our community and lobby for community consultation throughout the process,” she said. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Rex Patrick, a former independent senator for South Australia, said the situation highlighted the lack of consultation and transparency regarding Aukus nuclear waste. “Albanese called for Dutton to disclose where he was going to put his nuclear power reactors, and yet there’s been complete secrecy around the entire process associated with where they’ll put the high-level waste from naval reactors,” he said. No public announcements have been made about the site selection or consultation process for dealing with the high-level nuclear waste associated with the Aukus submarines, which the government agreed Australia would dispose of in March last year. While the type of radioactive waste to be managed at the Osborne shipyard was not detailed in the legislation, the health minister, Mark Butler, the Labor member for Port Adelaide and Hindmarsh, told the ABC that it would be low-level material. A spokesperson for the deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, said submarine construction, test and commissioning activities planned for Osborne would generate “small amounts” of low-level waste like gloves, wipes or personal protective equipment that would need to be managed and temporarily stored at the site. “No intermediate-level or high-level radioactive waste (spent nuclear fuel) will be managed or stored at HMAS Stirling or the Osborne Submarine Construction Yard facilities,” the spokesperson said. Nigel Marks, an associate professor and nuclear scientist at Curtin University, said low-level nuclear waste was “radioactive, but not dangerous”. There wasn’t usually consultation for managing low-level material at other facilities like hospitals or in industry, he said, noting “you’d never get away with an intermediate or high-level waste repository without hardcore community engagement”. The uncertainty surrounding the storage of intermediate and higher-level nuclear waste from the Aukus submarines didn’t help, he said. He said the government could get on the front foot by explaining the site selection pathway and consultation process for dealing with the high-level nuclear waste from Aukus. “That’d be smart politics, good science,” he said. “It’ll take a little while to do that, but there’s definitely precedent in Finland or Sweden for how you should manage it.” Guardian Australia approached City of Rockingham, in Western Australia, for comment. | ['environment/series/australian-climate-and-environment-in-focus', 'environment/nuclear-waste', 'world/aukus', 'australia-news/nuclear-power', 'australia-news/australia-news', 'environment/nuclearpower', 'campaign/email/breaking-news-australia', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/petra-stock', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/australia-news'] | environment/nuclearpower | ENERGY | 2024-11-18T06:40:13Z | true | ENERGY |
global-development/2015/jul/23/ethiopia-powers-up-ambitions-for-green-industry-economy-climate-resilient | Ethiopia powers up ambitions for green industry | William Davison | The hulking waste-to-energy power plant taking shape on the edge of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, symbolises ambitions to convert the agrarian Horn of Africa country into an eco-friendly industrial powerhouse. The government’s $120m (£76.8m) Reppie project, being built to EU emissions standards, will incinerate the city’s rubbish to generate 50MW of electricity. A computer-generated image on display at the site shows the future factory shrouded by a tree-filled park. In about a year, green, cutting-edge Reppie will replace a vast rubbish dump picked over by hundreds of scavengers. Currently, toxic effluent from the landfill seeps into nearby rivers when it rains and methane perpetually drifts into the atmosphere. The power plant is just one facet of Ethiopia’s four-year-old climate resilient green economy (CRGE) strategy, which aims for the nation to become middle-income by 2025 while limiting its carbon footprint to less than 2010 levels by 2030. “In doing this we ensure our development is sustainable, and another thing is we ensure we contribute positively to the global interest,” said the minister of environment and forest, Belete Tafere. Successful implementation of the plan, formally presented to the UN last month, would mean a reversal of existing trends in a nation that regularly suffers droughts and floods. Ethiopia’s deforested, intensively cultivated highlands are degraded and eroded. The capital has ageing vehicles spewing fumes and a dearth of green public spaces, while its rivers are choked with garbage. The CRGE initiative has four pillars: renewable energy, modernising agriculture, reforestation and adopting energy-efficient technology. Ethiopia’s hydropower possibilities, in the government’s eyes, resolve the inherent tension in industrialising while trying to curb emissions. Although Ethiopia produces only 2,300MW of power for 96 million people – compared with the UK’s 110,000MW for a population of 64 million – mountainous terrain and nine river basins give it the potential for 45,000MW from hydropower. Developing dams, while also investing in wind, solar and geothermal energy, should create the ability to power a manufacturing boom without burning fossil fuels. “We are absolutely going to depend on the renewable resources for our energy development,” Belete said. “Industries are going to use only energy from the grid that is renewable.” An initial plank of the CRGE is slotting into place with the imminent completion of the 1,870MW Gibe III hydropower station. Despite Ethiopia’s dire need for power, western pressure groups such as International Rivers are up in arms over the $1.8bn project. They claim it will facilitate large-scale irrigation that will have a devastating impact on up to 500,000 people by drying out Lake Turkana. The government ramped up its hydropower programme in 2011 by beginning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile. The 6,000MW capacity will make it Africa’s largest power plant. Tapping into this clean energy, along with factories, will be public transport – including a 5,000km electrified rail network. The government has already used Chinese loans and contractors to build a track to Djibouti’s port from Addis Ababa, as well as a light rail system in the city. One obvious barrier to achieving all the CRGE goals in a growing but still poor economy is finding the required $150bn investment, Belete admits. A study by the UK’s Overseas Development Institute (ODI) estimated the government’s annual resources to be $440m when $7.5bn a year is needed. The 2014 ODI study also noted that “considerable investments” are required to ensure the local governments responsible implement the CRGE. The upside is that Ethiopia’s semi-authoritarian system is ideally set up for mobilising communities to engage in activities such as tree planting, as well as water-harvesting projects and constructing terracing to prevent soil erosion. The finance ministry has set up a CRGE facility to pool donor climate-finance funds, but the level of contributions will depend on how much victims of climate change such as Ethiopia are compensated by the industrialised nations that have caused it. Full implementation of the plan is “contingent upon an ambitious multilateral agreement being reached among parties that enables Ethiopia to get international support and that stimulates investments”, the government said of forthcoming climate change talks in its UN submission. High-level negotiations resume in Paris in December. While that process continues, Ethiopia is exploring all options, including private investment. Ken Montler and his US companies Pangea and Global Electric Transport (GET) see commercial opportunity in Ethiopia’s eco-friendly vision. Following a successful venture in the Philippines, Pangea plans to assemble electric buses in the country that will be used in a GET-managed public transport system. Montler says the Nile megadam and technological leapfrogging to electric trains and vehicles gives Ethiopia a chance of being carbon-neutral in the next decade. “You really have to be electric to hit those kind of numbers,” he said. Critical for success is the trajectory of agriculture, with livestock emissions of methane and nitrous oxide responsible for 42% of the total in 2010. However, the approach to the sector that employs 80% of Ethiopians lacks the coherence of the renewable energy plan. It hinges partly on boosting productivity by methods such as mechanisation, higher yielding seeds, irrigation, using organic fertilisers and “efficiency improvement to the livestock value chain” – strategies that aren’t a marked departure from decades-old attempts to modernise a sector dominated by subsistence farming on dwindling highland plots and pastoralism in semi-arid areas. The plan also rests on an assumption that agriculture’s importance will reduce as Ethiopia follows a well-trodden path to prosperity via industrialisation and urbanisation, Belete said. “As the country is moving for transformation, people could have an interest in depending on different livelihoods. Now, they don’t have any other options.” | ['global-development/environmental-sustainability', 'global-development/series/millennium-development-goals-the-final-countdown', 'global-development/millennium-development-goals', 'global-development/sustainable-development-goals', 'world/ethiopia', 'world/africa', 'environment/environment', 'global-development/global-development', 'environment/sustainable-development', 'environment/hydropower', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'profile/william-davison'] | environment/sustainable-development | CLIMATE_POLICY | 2015-07-23T06:00:01Z | true | CLIMATE_POLICY |
commentisfree/2007/apr/25/politics.homeaffairs | James Randerson: Don't punish the scientists | It is the stuff of conspiracy theorists' dreams - a top-secret nuclear plant storing organs from its dead workers so that scientists could use them for covert scientific experiments. And it all happened apparently without the knowledge or permission of the workers' families. When it emerged last week that the Sellafield nuclear plant had retained organs from 65 people between 1962 and 1991, the story brought back distasteful memories of the Alder Hey scandal in 1999 - in which children's body parts were kept in a hospital basement without their parents' knowledge. Inevitably, the events have a similar ghoulish ring to them, and many families of Sellafield workers are understandably distressed and upset that their loved ones' organs may have been taken without their knowledge. The inquiry announced by the government last week must put people's minds at rest by getting to the bottom of what happened. But on the evidence that has emerged so far, there are crucial differences between Alder Hey and Sellafield. And if the current scandal adds to the lingering public mistrust of, and even revulsion with, medical research that followed Alder Hey, it would be a tragedy for public health that would ultimately endanger us all. Those events led to a big fall in the number of autopsies carried out in hospitals because some people would no longer agree to them and - more important - doctors were reluctant to ask. This matters because post-mortems are the gold standard that allows doctors to find out whether they made the right calls with their patient. Was their diagnosis correct? Did they miss a potentially life-threatening infection? Without autopsies, doctors can't learn from their mistakes. Tissue samples are also vital for research into understanding and eventually treating diseases. And student doctors need examples of diseased tissue if they are to know what to look for in their own patients. None of this is ghoulish or disrespectful to the dead. It is important scientific work that improves our knowledge of disease and the expertise of the medical profession. From the information we have so far, it seems the work at Sellafield was very closely tied to monitoring and protecting the health of workers and understanding the effects of the plant on local people. This was not a top-secret, blue-skies research project, but a set of studies that were written up and published in the scientific literature. Two of Sellafield's chief medical officers in the 1980s - Geoff Schofield and his successor, Adam Lawson, both now dead - were building up a store of information about plutonium levels in the bodies of workers that they could compare with levels measured in urine samples taken routinely from the deceased workers when they were still alive. Without a solid bank of data to calibrate the urine samples, it was hard to know what the levels of plutonium they found in urine actually meant in terms of the exposure of living workers to radioactivity. It is not clear yet exactly how they got hold of organs, but it seems likely there was an ad hoc arrangement with pathologists at the local hospital who - if they were performing an autopsy on an ex Sellafield worker - would send over tissue samples for testing at the plant. Other research, by scientists at the National Radiological Protection Board (now part of the Health Protection Agency), involved comparing levels of plutonium in organs from workers with those from residents nearby and people in the rest of the country. This research, which was published in scientific literature and also picked up by the popular science magazine New Scientist in August 1986, found that former workers had concentrations of plutonium in their bodies hundreds or thousands of times higher than in the general population - a conclusion with great significance for public health. The magazine also reported that the researchers could not get hold of enough tissue for their work and this was severely hampering research. Clearly, there was no free-for-all on the use of organs. Since Alder Hey there has been a transformation in the way that postmortem samples for scientific research are dealt with. Unlike the ambiguities of the past, the Human Tissue Act 2004 now makes it a criminal offence to take tissue without consent and specifically sets out what permission is necessary. Scientists 20 years ago were working to standards very different from today's. They do not deserve to be criticised for research that benefited workers and their families, as well as the wider public. · James Randerson is a Guardian science correspondent james.randerson@theguardian.com | ['commentisfree/commentisfree', 'politics/politics', 'tone/comment', 'science/science', 'society/health', 'environment/nuclearpower', 'world/world', 'society/society', 'uk/uk', 'science/medical-research', 'uk/immigration', 'type/article', 'profile/jamesranderson', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/commentanddebate'] | environment/nuclearpower | ENERGY | 2007-04-24T23:06:24Z | true | ENERGY |
commentisfree/2021/oct/11/advertising-industry-fuelling-climate-disaster-consumption | The advertising industry is fuelling climate disaster, and it’s getting away with it | Andrew Simms | To confront the climate emergency, the amount we consume needs to drop dramatically. Yet every day we’re told to consume more. We all know about air pollution – but there’s a kind of “brain pollution” produced by advertising that, uncontrolled, fuels overconsumption. And the problem is getting worse. Advertising is everywhere, so prevalent as to be invisible but with an effect no less insidious than air pollution. A few years ago, an individual in the US was estimated to be exposed to between 4,000 and 10,000 adverts daily. UK spending on advertising almost doubled between 2010 and 2019 and, after a pandemic dip, the £23bn spend for 2020 is expected to rise by 15% in 2021. It’s woven into our personal communications whenever we use social media platforms. In public spaces, where we have little choice over where we look, adverts are invasive, appearing without our consent. And the trend towards digital billboards only exposes us ever more. Some big companies even boast about how “unmissable” digital screens are on busy roads, “captivating audiences” when drivers would be better off watching the road. Such roadside “out of home” advertising is set to grow by 25%, in 2021 and evolving advertising technologies that could use facial detection and tracking capabilities only heighten the sense of our privacy being invaded. Advertising works by getting under your radar, introducing new ideas without bothering your conscious mind. Extensive scientific research shows that, when exposed to advertising, people “buy into” the materialistic values and goals it encourages. Consequently, they report lower levels of personal wellbeing, experience conflict in relationships, engage in fewer positive social behaviours, and experience detrimental effects on study and work. Critically, the more that people prioritise materialistic values and goals, the less they embrace positive attitudes towards the environment – and the more likely they are to behave in damaging ways. Even worse, findings from neuroscience reveal that advertising goes as far as lodging itself in the brain, rewiring it by forming physical structures and causing permanent change. Brands that have been made familiar through advertising have a strong influence on the choices people make. Under MRI scans, the logos of recognisable car brands are shown to activate a single, particular region of the brain in the medial prefrontal cortex. Brands and logos have also been shown to generate strong preferences between virtually identical products, such as fizzy drinks – preferences that disappear in blind tests. Researchers looking to assess the power of advertised brands concluded that, “there are visual images and marketing messages that have insinuated themselves into the nervous systems of humans.” Indeed, some of the earliest work in this area concluded, “Scary as it may sound, if an ad does not modify the brains of the intended audience, then it has not worked.” Yet this is little known more widely. Through a combination of experience and ad exposure connected to emotional responses, brands and their logos become more “mentally available”. This happens through the development of new neural pathways reinforced by repeated encounters. Still other research demonstrates how exposure to different brands can influence behaviour, for example making them behave less honestly, or creatively. Customisable tools for neural profiling are now available to test the effectiveness of brands and logos on consumers, giving rise to what has become known as “neuromarketing”. That’s bad enough for adults, but children are now at the mercy of so-called “surveillance advertising”. It is estimated that by the time a child turns 13, ad-tech firms would have gathered 72m data points on them. The more data collected from an early age, the easier it is for advertisers to turn young children into consumer targets. Overconsumption in general, encouraged by advertising, has a climate and ecological impact. But advertising heavily polluting products and services, such as for fossil fuels, aviation and petrol-engined cars, is particularly damaging. It’s like the days when tobacco adverts were allowed. In 2018 the car sector is estimated to have spent more than $35.5bn on advertising in key markets globally, roughly equal to the annual income of a country like Bolivia. And, in recent years, advertising has pushed a major shift to people buying larger, more polluting SUVs. Regulators are very far behind the curve on these issues. The Competition and Markets Authority recently launched a public consultation to investigate misleading green claims. The advertising regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority, belatedly followed suit with a pledge to develop a code on greenwashing. But the ASA is a weak body with a narrow focus, paid for by the industry, which is effectively marking its own homework. Only 22% of adverts complained about are investigated by the ASA, and then only 2% of complaints are upheld, by which time the advertising campaign is usually over. Tackling “brain pollution” requires action equivalent to the campaign to end tobacco advertising. New checks and balances need to accommodate the natural concerns of councils and residents around climate, air pollution, environmental light pollution, the “attention economy”, mental health and the dominance of non-consensual adverts in public spaces. Advertising, the business of attention-seeking, has ironically avoided scrutiny so far. But as the climate crisis bites, its role is set to rise up the agenda. Campaigners are calling for legislation against high-carbon advertising, focusing on fossil fuel companies, petrol- and diesel-engined cars and aviation; at municipal level, places like Norwich, Liverpool and north Somerset are introducing measures to end high-carbon advertising; and an EU-wide campaign is now following a ban on the Amsterdam metro. Tackling brain pollution won’t just make us feel better, but help clear the air too. • Andrew Simms is an author and campaigner | ['commentisfree/commentisfree', 'media/advertising', 'media/media', 'science/scienceofclimatechange', 'environment/carbon-emissions', 'business/automotive-industry', 'environment/environment', 'uk/uk', 'type/article', 'tone/comment', 'profile/andrewsimms', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/special-supplement', 'theguardian/special-supplement/special-supplement', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-opinion'] | environment/carbon-emissions | EMISSIONS | 2021-10-11T12:53:55Z | true | EMISSIONS |
environment/2018/sep/12/tell-network-rail-to-stop-tree-felling-says-woodland-trust | Public must tell Network Rail to stop tree felling, says charity | The Woodland Trust is calling on the public to raise its voice over the management of the trees along Network Rail lines to stop thousands being cut down without good reason. Dr Nick Atkinson, senior conservation advisor for the trust, says the rail company must be held to account for the way it manages the millions of trees along its routes and that concerns had been raised by the public about how many were being felled. “We need the public to raise their voice,” he said. “By explaining how they want lineside trees cared for in the public survey, we hope that we can influence Network Rail’s plans moving forward. We understand there are concerns for public safety, but trees are important and deserve to be managed carefully – not cut down in their thousands for no good reason.” There are 13 million trees within falling distance of their railways, according to Network Rail. The Guardian recently highlighted a Network Rail policy option which proposed a five-year “enhanced clearance” programme to fell all leaf fall species within falling distance of the tracks, but the company says it has not adopted this as policy, that it cuts down around 1000 trees a week, and that it has no plans to change this. The Government set up a review of the scale of tree felling by Network Rail after the Guardian’s report and the Woodland Trust is encouraging members of the public to give their views to the review team by 14 September. Chaired by John Varley, director of Clinton Estates in Devon, the review will examine the extent of any recent or proposed changes to the scale of the tree felling programme being carried out, whether Network Rail can monitor and account for the number of trees it has felled, whether rail staff need more training to identify alternative approaches to tree felling and the rationale and evidence base of the company’s tree management and felling. Currently Network Rail had no biodiversity targets – unlike, for example, the Highways Agency. Atkinson said: “Network Rail should be required to have a biodiversity action plan that includes measures relating to maintaining and enhancing the wildlife value of their estate’s trees and woodland. Their performance should in turn be monitored by the Office of Rail and Road.” Network Rail said: “We continue to engage fully with the government’s review. We see this review as an opportunity to explore how we can better apply our own examples of good practice across the country and find new and improved ways of managing our lineside environment while ensuring the continued safe and reliable operation of the railway.” | ['environment/forests', 'environment/conservation', 'business/network-rail', 'environment/environment', 'uk/uk', 'uk/transport', 'business/business', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/sandralaville', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-environment'] | environment/forests | BIODIVERSITY | 2018-09-12T07:00:08Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
sustainable-business/2014/nov/03/8-ways-rethink-resources-nappies-benches-food-waste-biogas | 8 ways to rethink resources: nappies to benches and food waste to biogas | Conscious consumers know not to use disposable plastic bottles, or single-use plastic bags, and try to use as little packaging as possible in order to save the planet. A growing number of companies are also developing innovative ways to give waste a second lease of life. 1. Nappies to roof tiles and railway sleepers Every parent knows that disposable nappies generate enormous amounts of waste. And with the average baby using the equivalent of 150kg of wood, nappies waste a lot of resources, too. To remedy this, two years ago Scotland – with a total of 450,000 used nappies per day – pioneered a nappies-to-roof tiles scheme. Nappies are collected in recycling bins and sent to treatment plants, where they’re sterilised and the human waste removed. The plastics and celluloid contained in the nappies are then converted to everyday products such as park benches, railway sleepers and road signage. In Mexico, consumer product giant P&G now turns rejected Charmin nappies into roof tiles, while scraps from its American Pampers nappies are reused as upholstery filling. Fifty P&G plants now produce zero manufacturing waste, and it claims that repurposing the waste has created an additional value of $1bn for the company. Elsewhere, a growing number of parents are turning to GNappies. The British company makes nappies in two parts: covers that can be reused, and inserts that can be composted or even flushed down the toilet with human waste. 2. Paper to reduce food waste Rarely does one blank piece of paper make a big difference. But FreshPaper, an organic and biodegradable sheet added to fruit and vegetables, keeps the produce fresh for two-four days longer, thereby eliminating countless tonnes of wasted food. As world demand for food keeps rising, eliminating food waste will become even more important. Today FreshPaper, first sold at farmer’s markets in America, is available in shops in several dozen countries. 3. Sustainable construction materials San Diego-based Ecor takes cellulose fibres, a material found in wood, cardboard and even forest and agricultural waste, and turns it into new construction material. The process is surprisingly simple: the waste is mixed with water, heated, pressurised and made into sturdy panels that can be used in a variety of functions: as wall panels, tables, bowls, building walls, even glasses frames. Best of all, the products contain no toxic additives and can themselves be recycled at the end of their life-span. 4. Clothes from old water bottles If you really need to buy soft drinks or even bottled water, make sure to recycle the bottles; they can be used for yarn. Bionic Yarn turns used PET bottles into fibres that can be used in clothes. This is how it works: the bottles are cut into chips, which are in turn shred into fibres. The fibres are mixed with polyester and spun into yarn. The end product, reports Bionic Yarn, contains 40% recycled plastic bottles, including ones from the large colonies of plastic bottles floating on the world’s oceans. 5. Agri-waste into plastic bottles Bio-on provides an excellent reason to choose your plastics carefully. The Bologna-based company has developed a pioneering process that allows it to turn agricultural waste into biodegradable plastics. Using a fermentation process involving sugar beet, Bio-on manufactures plastics that can be used for anything from food packaging to electronics. Better yet, the process requires no chemical additives, and the end products are biodegradable, dissolving upon prolonged contact with bacteria. 6. Worms as fertiliser Repurposing waste can be as simple as it is ingenious. In Guatelamala, Byoearth uses red worms to transform food and other biodegradable waste into organic fertiliser. Doing so, of course, reduces waste but also results in higher-quality soil. 7. Food waste to biogas Got food waste, need energy? BioTrans Nordic has got just the thing for you, especially if you work in a restaurant, canteen or other large kitchen. The Danish company’s BioTrans tank stores food waste, where it turns into biomass. The biomass is collected by a truck for delivery to biogas plants and delivery to local customers. 8. Recycling polyester Japanese firm Teijin didn’t set out to repurpose clothe; it’s a chemical company. But, almost as a by-product of its R&D, Teijin discovered a way of recreating polyester from itself. Because reusing clothes’ fibres has long been considered near-to impossible, Teijin’s discovery was a considered a breakthrough. It has already saved tonnes of clothes from landfill, and earlier this year, Swedish firm Re:newcell unveiled a similar process for cotton. For several years now, retailer Patagonia has sold clothes made from Teijin-recycled fabric. Today you can wear new clothes made from old clothes and old plastic bottles, while eating food enhanced by old food – and stored in plastic containers made from agricultural waste – in a restaurant powered by food-waste energy and decorated by agricultural-waste wood panels with nappy-based roof tiles. Not too shabby. Read more like this: Five countries moving ahead of the pack on circular economy legislation Brought to you by Veolia: Circular economy in action: mining metals from street sweepings and making plastic from sewage The rethinking resources series is funded by Veolia. All content is editorially independent except for pieces labelled advertisement feature. Find out more here. Join the community of sustainability professionals and experts. Become a GSB member to get more stories like this direct to your inbox | ['sustainable-business/series/rethinking-resources', 'environment/waste', 'environment/environment', 'business/ethicalbusiness', 'environment/recycling', 'business/business', 'environment/ethical-living', 'sustainable-business/sustainable-business', 'type/article', 'tone/blog', 'profile/elisabeth-braw'] | environment/waste | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE | 2014-11-03T12:30:04Z | true | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE |
australia-news/2021/nov/18/nsw-floods-forbes-residents-return-home-as-waters-peak-but-more-rain-is-forecast | NSW floods: Forbes residents return home as waters peak but more rain is forecast | Residents of the central-western town of Forbes began returning to their homes and businesses tried to reopen their doors on Wednesday after officials said floodwaters from the Lachlan River had peaked. Dave Rankine, a spokesperson for the state emergency service, said the floodwaters had reached 10.52 metres and had stayed at that level since 3am. “Whilst we haven’t seen a drop in the river, [that] probably suggests it’s plateaued.” The threat of rising floodwaters remains though, with more rainfall forecast. “We had planned for the worst-case scenario which was 10.65 metres and would have seen water right the way through town – it hasn’t eventuated – whilst it’s been a small inconvenience for local businesses who’ve had to shut for a few days,” Rankine said. More than 300 SES volunteers from across the state travelled to Forbes and 30,000 sandbags were filled and distributed throughout the community, as well as downstream at Bidgerabong. Some businesses in lower-lying Forbes had premises inundated in the early hours of Thursday morning, as Lake Forbes was fed from another tributary and slower to rise than the river. Peter Maher, the owner of a shearing services firm, had to move merchandise and his business will be closed until the floodwaters recede. Sonia, the manager at Nicholson Petroleum, said she received a call at 5.30am that the service station had been flooded. “We’ve had four bowsers out the front; we’ve had to unbolt them all and take them up, had the electrician in to unhook all the electricity, three pumps down the back had to be taken up, and the electricity turned off.” She said she didn’t know when she would be able to get the petrol station running again as more rain was predicted. Shelly Clark, a registered nurse at Grenfell hospital, hasn’t been able to go to work for three days due to rising floodwaters and doesn’t know when she’ll be able to return. “I don’t know. It rose so slowly, I don’t know how long it’s going to take for it to get away. I could get to work but it would take me an hour and 40 minutes and I’d have to cross floodwaters, so it’s not worth the risk.” Clark said it had been “surreal” because the floodwaters had risen so slowly. “You think, is it really going to happen? Is it really happening?” Clark said. “Last night when I went to bed all these roads were still open, then waking up this morning and they’re all gone.” The premier, Dominic Perrottet, the deputy premier Paul Toole and minister for police and emergency services David Elliott visited the flood zone on Thursday. Perrottet thanked the SES volunteers for their work. “That is the spirit that gets our state through these difficult times.” He also commended locals who in the past four years have endured floods, drought, bushfires, a mouse plague and the pandemic, only to be hit with more floods. “They’re a very resilient community here and they are going to get through this difficult time as well,” Perrottet said. Toole said the flooding had caused widespread damage across the state and delivered a cruel blow to farmers who were preparing to harvest a bumper crop. “We won’t know the extent of that damage until the waters have actually receded,” he said. The Forbes mayor, Phyllis Miller, said water began sweeping through town on Wednesday afternoon. “It has come through the town and made its way to the lake system but it’s nothing we can’t handle,” she told Sydney radio 2GB on Thursday. With Australian Associated Press | ['australia-news/new-south-wales', 'environment/flooding', 'australia-news/australia-news', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/natasha-may', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/australia-news'] | environment/flooding | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2021-11-18T02:43:41Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
lifeandstyle/2019/nov/12/trees-best-combating-carbon-emissions-notes-queries | Which trees are best for combating carbon emissions? | When planting trees to combat CO2 emissions, is it better to plant fast-growing evergreens rather than slow-growing native trees? And what about planting bamboo, which is evergreen and grows really fast? Which is the most effective “absorber”? Michael Mellers Post your answers – and new questions – below or email them to nq@theguardian.com | ['lifeandstyle/series/notes-and-queries', 'environment/forests', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'lifeandstyle/lifeandstyle', 'environment/environment', 'tone/features', 'type/article', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/g2', 'theguardian/g2/features', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-g2-features'] | environment/forests | BIODIVERSITY | 2019-11-12T15:00:43Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
environment/2021/aug/20/brazil-amazon-deforestation-report-bolsonaro-climate | Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon hits highest annual level in a decade | Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has hit the highest annual level in a decade, a new report has shown, despite increasing global concern over the accelerating devastation since President Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019. Between August 2020 and July 2021, the rainforest lost 10,476 square kilometers – an area nearly seven times bigger than greater London and 13 times the size of New York City, according to data released by Imazon, a Brazilian research institute that has been tracking the Amazon deforestation since 2008. The figure is 57% higher than in the previous year and is the worst since 2012. “Deforestation is still out of control,” Carlos Souza, a researcher at Imazon said. “Brazil is going against the global climate agenda that is seeking to urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Souza called for the urgent resumption of government actions to stop the destruction, including the enforcement of illegal agriculture-led deforestation in the region, which has been impaired by budget cuts for the environment ministry and environmental protection agencies. Even as he faces accusations of systematically dismantling environmental protections, Bolsonaro has deployed thousands of soldiers to combat illegal deforestation and fires. But the policy has proved ineffective, said Marcio Astrini, the executive-secretary of the organisation Climate Observatory. “The data shows that it didn’t work,” said Astrini. “No army operation will be able to mask or reverse the attacks of the federal government against the forest.” Astrini said that the deforestation rates in 2021 are expected to be almost 50% higher than in 2018, before Bolsonaro took office. In June, then-environment minister Ricardo Salles resigned amid a criminal investigation over allegations that a police investigation into illegal Amazon logging was blocked. But the ministry’s leadership “hasn’t shown any progress,” Astrini said. “The measures that benefit the export of illegal timber – the reason why Salles had to leave office – are still in place,” he said. The new figures were released as lawmakers held a public hearing to push for changes in Brazil’s environmental policies. “We are going through a very tough moment in Brazilian history. There’s a lot of denialism, and many attempts to weaken our environmental policy,” senator Eliziane Gama told the hearing. • This article was amended on 22 August 2021 to correct an instance where the figure for rainforest loss was rendered as 10.476 square kilometers. The correct figure, as set out in the subheading, is 10,476 square kilometers. | ['environment/amazon-rainforest', 'world/brazil', 'world/americas', 'environment/deforestation', 'environment/environment', 'environment/forests', 'world/world', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/flavia-milhorance', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/us-foreign'] | environment/amazon-rainforest | BIODIVERSITY | 2021-08-20T18:19:51Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
environment/2021/sep/15/pollution-is-damaging-uk-rivers-more-than-public-thinks-report-says | Pollution is damaging UK rivers more than public thinks, report says | Rivers, streams and freshwater marshes across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are being devastated by diffuse agricultural pollution and sewage, according to a new report. Despite only 14% of English rivers meeting the criteria for “good” ecological status, 43% of people questioned in a new survey believe that Britain’s freshwater systems are in good condition. However, the Troubled Waters report for a coalition of charities, including the RSPB, the National Trust and the Rivers Trust, reveals how even wildlife-rich protected wetlands and rivers are threatened by pollution, while restoring water quality is hampered by a lack of effective monitoring and enforcement. Fewer than half of Welsh rivers are of good ecological status, and 28 out of 45 monitored areas on the River Wye are failing to meet targets to control phosphorus levels caused by diffuse agricultural pollution. Nevertheless, planning approval continues to be given to intensive poultry farms, with an estimated 20 million chickens now being reared every year in the River Wye’s catchment. Only 31% of water bodies in Northern Ireland are of good or high quality, with 76% of the lakes in the Upper Lough Erne area classified as less than good, largely as a result of fertilisers washing from farmland into rivers and streams. In some places, sewage also imperils wildlife-rich sites, with Leighton Moss, the largest reedbed in north-west England and a site of special scientific interest, also home to 30 properties that are reliant on septic tanks and are judged a threat to springs that feed the marshes. According to a YouGov poll in the report, 88% of people agreed that Britain’s lakes, rivers and streams were a “national treasure” but just 10% identified agricultural pollution as the biggest issue for water quality. Jenna Hegarty, deputy director of policy for the RSPB, said: “It is no surprise so many people think of our waterways as a national treasure and revel in the magical sight of otters playing in our streams, dragonflies hovering like jewels above our lakes and the vibrant flash of kingfishers in flight. “But nature is in crisis and the incredible freshwater wildlife people marvelled at as they explored our countryside this summer is a fraction of what should be there. It is disturbing how it has become so normal for our waterways to be polluted and contaminated, and that many people do not realise there is something wrong.” The report calls for the end to sewage discharge into rivers and tougher fines for polluting water companies, but said there must also be “systemic change” to the planning system and legally binding targets for biodiversity and freshwater systems. In addition, enforcement agencies need much better resources to monitor sites, according to the report. In England, spending on monitoring protected sites, including freshwater, fell from about £2m in 2010 to £700,000 in 2019. Until recently, the report says, the average farm in England could expect a visit by an Environment Agency Officer once every 263 years. It has been estimated that the cost of effective enforcement in England would be £10m a year. | ['environment/rivers', 'environment/pollution', 'uk/uk', 'uk-news/england', 'uk/wales', 'uk/northernireland', 'environment/water', 'environment/environment', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/patrickbarkham', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/uknews', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-environment'] | environment/pollution | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE | 2021-09-14T23:01:30Z | true | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE |
world/2019/sep/08/bahamas-hurricane-dorian-security-personnel-relief | Bahamas sends 900 security personnel to hurricane-hit islands | The government of the Bahamas has sent 900 police and military personnel to the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama, hardest hit by Hurricane Dorian, while taking action to stave off any profiteering by private-sector rescue missions amid signs of chaos in some of the aid operations. The destruction caused by the hurricane was still unfolding, a week after it landed in the northern reaches of the Bahamas as a category 5 storm. The government has said at least 43 people have died, but authorities are still trying to reach some areas that were cut off by flooding and debris. There are reports of several thousand people still missing and also of acute health, hygiene and security concerns fast developing in the Bahamas’ northern islands. The Bahamian government said 120 Jamaican security personnel arrived on Saturday evening and 100 troops from Trinidad and Tobago were to arrive on Sunday as part of the aid effort. “Large numbers of security forces” from Britain and the United States are involved in search, rescue and recovery operations, authorities said. About 250 people who lost their homes in the storm arrived in the Bahamian capital Nassau on Saturday after a 13-hour trip on a government-chartered ferry, joining hundreds of other people from the Abaco and Grand Bahama islands who were desperate to escape harsh conditions there. Carlen Merizier, 23, said she and her two-year-old son were lucky to be alive. She said “a lot of people died” and that she started praying when her home collapsed in the hurricane. Other survivors, some with no more than the clothes they left in, also arrived in Florida at the weekend on a cruise ship that went to the islands’ assistance. Meanwhile, emergency officials in the Bahamas said they have had to “clamp down” on aircraft demanding payment for evacuating displaced people from some of the areas devastated by Hurricane Dorian. The Bahamian government’s National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) said aviation authorities are aware of reports of “commercial activity” and would revoke flight permission for any aircraft charging fees. The agency said in a statement on Sunday that no flights are permitted to bill the authorities for evacuations and that consumer protection officials are investigating “incidences of price-gouging”. A website started by a member of the public in the Bahamas for people unofficially to log missing persons has at least 6,500 names on it and, as of Sunday afternoon, while many have the status “known” recorded next to the name, more names have “unknown” written next to them. Civil aviation authorities said they were restricting air space over the Abaco islands and Grand Bahama to prevent accidents and ensure only approved aircraft that are providing aid can fly there. Officials have authorized 200 private planes in the area and say “saturated airspace was creating a volatile situation”. Phillip Smith, the executive director of the Bahamas Feeding Network, a non-profit organisation, was organising the delivery of 20,000 meals to those most in need in Freeport, on Grand Bahama. “Just going into the communities here is tough. Seeing kids who haven’t had a drink of water in quite a while, it’s a confronting thing,” he said. There are fears that patchy remaining water supplies in the damaged areas will be contaminated and survivors are at risk from disease, also with dead bodies yet to be recovered. The government is scrambling to find shelter for tens of thousands left homeless. “It’s going to get crazy soon,” Serge Simon, a 39-year-old ice truck driver, told the Associated Press in Freeport on Friday as he waited with his wife and two sons, five months old and four. “There’s no food, no water. There are bodies in the water. People are going to start getting sick.” | ['world/hurricane-dorian', 'world/bahamas', 'world/world', 'world/natural-disasters', 'world/extreme-weather', 'world/americas', 'world/hurricanes', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/laughland-oliver', 'profile/joannawalters', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/international', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/us-news'] | world/hurricanes | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2019-09-08T18:36:56Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
global-development/2023/apr/05/water-ban-in-drought-stricken-tunisia-adds-to-growing-crisis | Water ban in drought-stricken Tunisia adds to growing crisis | Tunisia has introduced water rationing as the country suffers its fourth year of severe drought. The state water distribution company, Sonede, has already begun cutting mains water supplies every night between 9pm and 4am. The agriculture ministry has now banned the use of water for irrigation, watering green spaces and other public areas, and for washing cars. “I’ve been experiencing water cuts overnight for the last two or three weeks,” said Haythem Hazel, an English teacher in the capital, Tunis. “It’s alarming. It shows we really have a water crisis in Tunisia. It’s difficult to stay without water for even two hours.”. Reservoirs across the country are said to be about 30% short of capacity. Levels at the Sidi Salem reservoir, which serves the north of the country, including Tunis, are only about 16% full. Tunisia has always relied heavily on capturing surface water for its supplies, leaving it especially vulnerable to shortages of rainfall driven by the climate crisis. In the past four years, the Mediterranean region has had blistering summers, mild winters and relatively little rain. It is estimated that temperatures across Tunisia will increase by up to 3.8C (6.8F) by 2050, while rainfall will decrease by at least 4% over the same period. A network of ageing pipes is making the problem worse. According to project workers from the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Tunis, leaks account for the loss of about 30% of the country’s water before it reaches a tap. “Much of the infrastructure is very old, dating back to the 1950s,” said Imen Rais, WWF’s freshwater programme manager, “and it hasn’t really been maintained since the [2011] revolution.” Poor enforcement of planning regulations since the revolution has also affected both availability of water and quality. Unsanctioned housing and lack of infrastructure in poorer districts has led to the siphoning of groundwater through illegally dug wells and wastewater flowing directly into the water supply. “This is as bad as we’ve seen,” said Jamel Jrijer, director for WWF North Africa. “This was predicted as far back as the 1970s but we’ve never really seen any action. Matters deteriorated after the revolution, where successive governments promised everything but did nothing.” While water shortages will directly affect householders, the water ban for farmers, who account for about 75% of Tunisia’s water consumption, will be especially significant. The drought will prove “disastrous”, a farmers union official, Mohamed Rjaibia, told Reuters last week, when rationing was announced. This year’s grain crop is already predicted to be only a third of last year’s, at 200,000-250,000 tonnes compared with 750,000 tonnes in 2022. The agriculture sector contributes about 10% of the country’s annual GDP. The government is considering digging wells, desalinating seawater and recycling wastewater, but there is little chance of escaping the worst of the crisis before the summer. Tunisia is already reeling from a weak economy, high unemployment and rising living costs, and there are fears the water cuts could further stoke social unrest. In February, demonstrators took to the streets after President Kais Saied accused undocumented migrants of a plot to dilute Tunisia’s Arab identity. The comments were widely viewed as an attempt by Saied to distract attention from the country’s economic woes. The government is still negotiating a bailout plan with the International Monetary Fund, which is understood to include curtailing the country’s entrenched subsidy system, which manages the prices of household staples, such as coffee, bread and grains. | ['global-development/global-development', 'global-development/access-to-water', 'world/tunisia', 'world/middleeast', 'world/world', 'world/africa', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'environment/environment', 'environment/drought', 'environment/water', 'world/extreme-weather', 'business/imf', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/simon-cordall', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/global-development'] | environment/drought | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2023-04-05T05:30:25Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
business/2010/aug/24/vedanta-mine-plan-halted-indian-government | Vedanta mine plan halted by Indian government | Controversial plans to develop a bauxite mine on sacred tribal land in India have been scuppered as India's environment ministry has rejected a proposal by Vedanta Resources to mine the aluminium ore in the eastern state of Orissa. Campaigners, who have been backed in their fight against the mining giant's plans by Joanna Lumley and Michael Palin, described the move as a "stunning victory". Monty Python star turned professional traveller Palin expressed "absolute delight" in the news adding: "I hope it will send a signal to the big corporations that they can never assume that might is right. It's a big victory for the little people." The project had been thrown into doubt last week when a government inquiry said that mining would destroy the way of life of the area's "endangered" and "primitive" people, the Kutia and Dongria Kondh tribes. The four-person committee also accused a local subsidiary of Vedanta of violating forest conservation and environment protection regulations. Jairam Ramesh, the minister for environment and forests, said today that the government will issue what is termed a show-cause notice and take action against Vedanta. The news sent shares in the company down almost 6% in early trading, making it the biggest loser in the FTSE 100 index and wiping almost £300m off the value of the business. "There are very serious violations of environment act and forest right act," Ramesh told Bloomberg. "There is no emotion, no politics, no prejudice in the decision. It is purely based on a legal approach." Campaigners, whose supporters also include the activist Bianca Jagger, have fought long and hard to prevent the mining of bauxite in the Niyamgiri Hills. Vedanta, which can appeal against the decision, had wanted to expand its existing refinery in the area, generating a sixfold increase in capacity, and had gained approval from the local state government. Amnesty International published a report last year claiming that a Vedanta refinery in the same area had polluted local rivers, damaged crops and disrupted the lives of the local tribe. The project has been delayed by four years because of intense opposition from environmental and tribal rights group. At Vedanta's annual meeting in London last month its board of directors faced criticism from shareholders, celebrity activists and charities all protesting about the company's human rights and environmental record. Meredith Alexander, head of trade and corporates at ActionAid, said: "Today the Kondh people are celebrating a massive victory in the campaign to safeguard their very existence. "The mine would destroy the mountain they worship as a god and end their way of life forever. Vedanta could appeal this decision, but the Kondh are asking the company to respect the government's decision and their clearly expressed opposition to the mine." Survival International, whose supporters sent more than 10,000 protest letters to the Indian government, described the decision as a "stunning victory" and "a crushing defeat for billionaire Anil Agarwal, Vedanta's majority owner and founder". Survival campaigner Dr Jo Woodman said: "This is a victory nobody would have believed possible. The Dongria's campaign became a litmus test of whether a small, marginalised tribe could stand up to a massive multinational company with an army of lobbyists and PR firms and the ear of government. "Incredibly, the Dongria's courage and tenacity, allied with the support of many people in India, and Survival's supporters around the world, have triumphed." Survival's director, Stephen Corry, added: "The era when mining companies could get away with destroying those in their path with impunity is thankfully drawing to a close. "The concerned public must remain vigilant about these so-called development projects – companies simply cannot be trusted voluntarily to abide by human rights standards, particularly when dealing with tribal peoples who can't know what they're up against." | ['business/vedantaresources', 'business/mining', 'business/business', 'environment/mining', 'environment/environment', 'world/india', 'world/world', 'tone/news', 'type/article', 'profile/richardwray'] | environment/mining | ENERGY | 2010-08-24T08:52:44Z | true | ENERGY |
environment/2018/jun/30/wood-pellets-biomass-environmental-impact | The dirty little secret behind 'clean energy' wood pellets | It is touted as a smart way for Europe to reach its renewable energy goals. But try telling Lisa Sanchez thousands of miles away in America that burning wood chips is a form of clean energy. The bucolic charm of her rural home in the Piney Woods forest region of east Texas is undercut by the big German Pellets manufacturing plant just beyond the bottom of her garden. The German-owned plant is capable of producing 578,000 tons of wood pellets a year, which are destined to cross the Atlantic to satisfy a vibrant market for the product there. Sanchez moved to the eight-acre property in Woodville, a hundred miles north-east of Houston, in 2014. As she sat by her pool on a sunny evening last week, two horses grazing in her field, it was easy to understand why she and her husband Tony swallowed their doubts about the location. “The plant wasn’t loud, it was more peaceful than I thought it was going to be,” she said. But within a year, “I started having a lot of respiratory problems, I was getting sick all the time.” From being in excellent health, she added, “I have emergency inhalers, I was on all kinds of things. I have asthma now.” Opening her windows and doors to let in the breeze was an unwise move, she said: the air felt more sooty than fresh. Burning forest biomass – essentially, wood – has been promoted by industry as a cleaner, more renewable energy alternative to coal and gas. American companies such as Enviva have developed a growing export industry for trees diced into wood pellets, with export volumes increasing from almost nothing in the early 2000s to 4.6m tons of pellets in 2015 – almost all of which goes to Europe to displace coal in power plants there. The wood pellets industry claims that it uses tree branches and waste wood, but environmental groups say there is strong evidence that vast swaths of valuable, untouched forest have been felled in states including North Carolina and Florida to feed the growing sector. UK-based researchers found last year that burning wood is a “disaster” for climate change because older trees release large amounts of carbon when they are burned and aren’t always replaced with replanted forests. Even when trees are replaced, it can take up to 100 years to cultivate a wooded area that soaks up as much carbon as was previously released. And the fuel burned in shipping wood pellets to Europe is also a significant source of emissions. “Philosophically it looks good but practically it looks pretty bad in many cases,” said William Schlesinger, a biogeochemist and member of the US Environmental Protection Agency advisory board. “When you cut down existing trees and burn them, you immediately put carbon dioxide in the air. None of the companies can guarantee they can regrow untouched forest to capture the same amount of carbon released. The whole renewable forest industry is kind of a hoax in terms of its benefit as climate mitigation.” Schlesinger added, however, that burning wood can result in lower emissions than coal if managed and certified properly and could be used as a “bridge fuel” as solar and wind energy continues to expand. Scott Pruitt, the administrator of the EPA , recently announced that wood pellets will be classified as renewable energy similar to solar or wind power. This has caused alarm among some experts, including those on the EPA’s own scientific board, which is still working on its own advice on the environmental impact of burning wood to generate energy. “Pruitt announcing that before we weighed in was appalling – frankly it was insulting to our existence,” said Schlesinger. “If you burn young trees and regrow them, it might not be too bad. If you venture into older trees or forests that have never been cut before, that can be very bad.” Some communities living near wood pellet mills have also protested about the fumes that waft over their homes. Woodville, though, with fewer than 3,000 residents – about a quarter below the poverty line – values jobs. Sanchez once went to a local environmental meeting and was the only person who showed up. “It’s like they’re saying ‘it’s closed, why worry about it?’” the 57-year-old said, the facility’s shiny metal silos just visible above a row of trees behind her. The plant’s bright red walls stand out from the main road, along with the company’s slogan on a giant sign: “Energy that grows back”. All was quiet: operations at the plant, which started production in 2013, are currently suspended. German Pellets filed for insolvency in 2016 but environmental campaigners fear their Texas plants will reopen soon despite a string of safety problems. Last year a fire in a silo and a separate fatal accident at a German Pellets Texas storage facility prompted lawsuits. There was an explosion and fire at the Woodville plant in 2014. And the Sierra Club environmental group accuses the facility of far exceeding permitted levels of emissions, with regulators willing to raise pollution limits. The Texas commission on environmental quality and German Pellets did not respond to requests for comment, but a TCEQ spokeswoman told the Texas Observer that it ensures violations are corrected. An analysis by the Environmental Integrity Project found that at least eight of the 15 largest US wood pellet facilities have had fires or explosions since 2014, while 21 mills exporting to Europe emit excessive greenhouse gases and pollutants. The Sierra Club describes the Texas facilities as a “monument to Europe’s climate sins”. Back in her garden, Sanchez is not anti-industry but believes that regulations need to be tightened. She cannot prove the plant made her sick but thinks it is no coincidence that her health is much improved since it ceased production. “I feel much better, I breathe a lot better, even the air doesn’t seem to be as heavy to me,” she said. | ['environment/biomass-and-bioenergy', 'us-news/texas', 'environment/environment', 'environment/energy', 'us-news/us-news', 'environment/biofuels', 'environment/renewableenergy', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'profile/tom-dart', 'profile/oliver-milman', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/us-news'] | environment/renewableenergy | ENERGY | 2018-06-30T10:00:08Z | true | ENERGY |
environment/damian-carrington-blog/2013/sep/26/maldives-test-case-climate-change-action | The Maldives is the extreme test case for climate change action | Damian Carrington | Like rays of burning sunlight concentrated through a magnifying glass, almost all the world's environmental problems come into sharp focus in the Maldives. The 1,000km-long archipelago is the extreme test case. The lowest lying country in the world is not even built on sand, but on the planet's most endangered ecosystem, coral reefs, the smashed fragments of which comprise every stunning white beach. And not only is the tide of sea level lapping at the shallow islands, but sea temperatures are rising as is the acidity of the ocean: both kill the corals. The news from the world's climate scientists in their landmark report on Friday will be that the threat of global warming is worse and more imminent than in their 2007 analysis. But what is being done? The beating sunlight in the Maldives should at least deliver plentiful solar power. But in a grim irony, the 400,000 islanders, whose overall contribution to planet-warming carbon emissions is negligible, are entirely hooked on diesel for the generators that keep their lights on. The nation, which is close to broke, spends over a quarter of its GDP on the fuel and pays colossal subsidies to keep energy bills affordable. Solar power would be a just quarter of the cost on most islands, Mohamed Arjwad at the Maldives energy authority told me, making it a no-brainer - in theory. But there's no capital or expertise to deliver it, he says. Instead international investors are piling into tourism, the mainstay of the economy. Despite the doubts about whether the Maldives will keep its head above water and the $1.5m per room cost of developing luxury resorts, the existing 110 resort islands are set to be joined by 50-60 more, each posing dangers to the fragile coral environment. "That is too many if they are not implemented well, and they are not," says Armando Kraenzlin, regional vice-president for the Four Seasons resorts in the Maldives, which spends hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on marine scientists in an attempt to protect its own natural coral and sealife assets. Stark contradictions also exist in the Maldives' second biggest industry, fishing. Traditional pole-and-line caught tuna is as sustainable as tuna fishing can be, yet the groupers and snappers which form a cornerstone of the coral ecosystem which underpin the islands are being fished out. Sea cucumbers, fat as marrows, are going the same way and the use of the lagoon-nurseries where sharks and rays breed their young for sea cucumber farms is growing, along with the risks of pollution. "The Chinese pay a hell of a lot of money for these: that is good for us and also bad for us," Dr Shiham Adam, head of the Marine Research Centre, tells me. The tension is summed up by anecdotes of the increasingly numerous and rich Chinese tourists who are attracted by the extraordinary sea life and then eat it. Add to all these challenges the vast and growing rubbish mountains - the only hills in the Maldives, locals joke – and the growing freshwater crisis and it's clear the Maldives is on the environmental front line. Many of these problems could be solved. Many of the solutions, like solar power, are cheaper in the Maldives than the status quo, but incur an upfront cost. The inevitable tension between raising incomes in a relatively poor nation and over-exploiting the natural source of the wealth is creating a paradox in paradise. But perhaps the biggest challenge of all is apathy. For most Maldivians, the problems are out of sight and out of mind. Travel in the vast archipelago is expensive and most Maldivians will see only two or three of the 1,200 islands. Many, especially women, cannot swim and so do not see the riches below the sea's turquoise surface, such as the orange and white clownfish snuggling into the waving mauve and green-tipped tentacles of their anemone homes. Mohamed Aslam, a former environment minister, accepts the short term nature of politics and the focus of voters in the current presidential campaign on housing, health and welfare benefits. "There is a mismatch in timescale. Climate change is decade-long or more but political timescales are four to five years," he says. "But you need to survive to enjoy those benefits. Just because you are not dead now doesn't mean you are not dying." With the new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on Friday, the threat to the Maldives will be clearer than ever. The solutions are also clear, both globally and locally, and the investments required are perfectly sound. But if the extreme case of the Maldives is not being dealt with, and it is not, can the will and the ways really be found to tackle the global problem? The IPCC report will sound the alarm louder than ever, but will it be heard? Mohamed Nasheed, whose advocacy as president put the Maldives on the climate change map, is uncertain. Asked for the odds of his grandchildren inheriting an inhabitable Maldives, he says: "50-50." | ['environment/damian-carrington-blog', 'environment/environment', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'environment/coral', 'tone/blog', 'world/maldives', 'environment/sea-level', 'environment/oceans', 'type/article', 'profile/damiancarrington'] | environment/sea-level | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2013-09-26T14:01:00Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
news/2019/aug/23/weatherwatch-forecasts-accurate-17-days-future | Weatherwatch: will forecasts be accurate to 17 days in the future? | Much as we might mock our weather forecasts, meteorologists are now pretty darn accurate. Today’s three-day weather forecasts are on average more reliable than a one-day forecast was in the 1980s, and even a seven-day forecast is respectable. So will we be tuning in to the 17-day forecast by 2050? To try to answer this question, Falko Judt, from the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, used a supercomputer to run two nearly identical weather simulation models over a 20-day period. The first began with the actual weather observations from 19 October 2012; the second model tweaked the starting conditions by a tiny fraction – about one-thousandth of a degree. The findings, which were published in the Journal of Atmospheric Sciences, found that the two simulations produced very similar forecasts for the first six days, but thereafter they began to diverge until after 17 days they had nothing in common. Multiple small scale events, such as thunderstorms, drove regional atmospheric patterns off in random directions after a week or so. This suggests that with perfect weather observations forecasters can produce near-perfect six- to seven-day forecasts, but forecasting accurately beyond this isn’t likely to be realistic any time soon. | ['news/series/weatherwatch', 'science/meteorology', 'uk/weather', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'profile/kate-ravilious', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/weather2', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-weather'] | news/series/weatherwatch | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2019-08-23T20:30:20Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
technology/2014/apr/18/smart-headphones-could-be-the-smartglasses-for-the-rest-of-us | Smart headphones could be the smartglasses for the rest of us | What if your headphones were smart enough to know where you are, which direction you are facing and could play 3D sounds capable of giving you directions – without the need for a screen or glasses strapped to your face? The Intelligent Headset from Danish audio specialists GN can do just that using built-in sensors that relay information to a smartphone or tablet and allow the headset to know where and what you are facing at any time. “It took us under two years to develop the headphones, which are based on our sister company Jabra’s Bluetooth headphones, upgraded with a gyroscope, GPS and compass integrated into the top band,” said Lars Johansen, one of the developers of the Intelligent Headset. Wearable technology, hidden in plain sight The headphones do not obviously look like a piece of wearable smart technology, unlike smartglasses like Google Glass. The only sign that they are more than Bluetooth headphones is a small lump in the headband that contains the extra sensors and electronics. “They connect via Bluetooth to a smartphone or tablet and allow us to use 3D positional audio to give the wearer real-time audio feedback on their actions or location – they’re like an audio version of Google Glass,” explained Johansen. Like Google Glass, the Intelligent Headset has a lot of potential for all sorts of innovative uses in audio and gaming, but also in navigation and support for blind people. Gaming, walking, touring and talking While GN has opened up the Headset to developers, and is currently seeking “killer apps”, its in-house developers like Johansen have already come up with some very interesting applications. Johansen has developed an iPhone game called Zombie X, which uses 3D-spatial audio to simulate an immersive zombie attack in a 360-degree space around the wearer. Players have to pinpoint the direction of the attack using audio alone. As the player rotates, the direction of the audio source changes, and once the zombie is right in front of them hitting a button will fire a gun and take the beast down. Other applications being demonstrated included an audio tour of a museum, which explained to the wearer what they were looking at with the touch of a button. Some exhibits emitted sounds associated with their function, like the sounds of water pouring for a fountain or the puffs of steam for an engine, allowing the wearer to pinpoint the attraction’s location by the direction the sound source. GN’s 3D-audio technology also allows immersive music listening experiences. Wearers can walk through an orchestra, for instance, and hear the individual instruments pass them by. The headset could also recreate a concert, where it sounds like the user is standing in the middle of the crowd. 'Something smaller, more discrete' Besides entertainment, GN sees applications for helping blind or partially sighted people with navigation, using directional audio cues to indicate which way they need to move or where a building is, like an audio version of satellite navigation. The headset is still in development, but pre-orders are available now costing $420 and shipping in July this year. • Google Glass – wearable tech, but would you actually wear it? | ['technology/smartphones', 'technology/iphone', 'technology/technology', 'technology/gadgets', 'technology/wearable-technology', 'technology/digital-music-and-audio', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/samuel-gibbs'] | technology/gadgets | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE | 2014-04-18T06:00:57Z | true | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE |
environment/2020/nov/04/tiny-air-pollution-rise-linked-to-11-more-covid-19-deaths-study | Tiny air pollution rise linked to 11% more Covid-19 deaths – study | A small rise in people’s long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with an 11% increase in deaths from Covid-19, research has found. Another recent study suggests that 15% of all Covid-19 deaths around the world are attributable to dirty air. The available data only allows correlations to be established and further work is needed to confirm the connections, but the researchers said the evidence was now strong enough that levels of dirty air must be considered a key factor in handling coronavirus outbreaks. The new analysis is based on research reported by the Guardian in April, which has now been reviewed by independent scientists and published in a prominent journal. The consideration of additional data and more factors that may also influence Covid-19 death rates refined the rise in deaths from 15% down to 11%. Most scientists think it is very likely that air pollution increases the number and severity of Covid-19 cases. Breathing dirty air over years is already known to cause heart and lung disease, and these illnesses make coronavirus infections worse. Short-term exposure is also known to increase the risk of acute lung infections. The gold-standard method for confirming the link between air pollution and Covid-19 would be to assess a large number of coronavirus patients on an individual level, so their age, smoking history and other details can be taken into account. Such data, however, is not yet available so given the urgency of the pandemic researchers have used data on groups of people. This can be strongly indicative of a link, but may hide important individual factors. There are now hundreds of group-level studies, although most have yet to be reviewed, said Prof Francesca Dominici at Harvard University, who led the new analysis. She said there was enough evidence to act immediately: “Absolutely. We already have an overwhelming amount of evidence of the adverse health effects of fine particle pollution, so even without Covid, we should implement more stringent regulation. But the amount of [Covid-related] evidence is also big enough now that there is absolutely nothing to lose, and only benefits, to prioritise some of the more vulnerable areas.” This could include cutting pollution and increasing healthcare and PPE availability in the most polluted places, she said: “That’s something that should happen and must happen. There is a lot of scientific evidence that makes us think that a virus that attacks our lungs, and kills you with viral pneumonia, might become more deadly if your lungs are compromised because you’re breathing air pollution.” The new research is published in the journal Science Advances. It considered the impact of a single-unit rise in average particle pollution over 16 years before the pandemic on Covid-19 deaths in 3,089 US counties, covering 98% of the population. It included the 116,747 deaths that occurred up to 18 June, when the study was submitted for review, and took account of more than 20 other factors, including population densities, state-level stay-at-home orders, hospital bed provision, and social and economic status. “It is striking that only small differences in [pollution] levels are linked to significantly higher levels of Covid-19,” said Mark Miller, an expert on the health impacts of air pollution at the University of Edinburgh, who was not involved in the analysis. “While this study was carried out in the US, there is no reason to believe that a similar situation wouldn’t occur in the UK, or anywhere else in the world. Overall, these findings highlight a link that urgently needs further study.” An editorial in Science Advances said the group-level method was valuable during a pandemic: “The amount of time required for rigorous, extensive studies conflicts with the swift nature of the Covid-19 pandemic. Addressing the potential impact of air pollution on Covid-19 mortality requires a more nimble approach to environmental policy decision-making.” The second study, published in the journal Cardiovascular Research, used global air pollution data and studies including the Harvard work to estimate the proportion of Covid-19 deaths attributable to long-term exposure to fine particles. They concluded 15% of worldwide deaths may have resulted from the damage dirty air causes to the heart and lungs. This would equate to more than 180,000 deaths, given the current total of 1.2 million coronavirus deaths. The team also made estimates for countries, suggesting 27% of coronavirus deaths in China are attributable to air pollution, 26% in Germany, 18% in the US and 14% in the UK. They said studies were needed on individuals to confirm the results, but that they “may appear too late to guide decision-making”. Prof Anna Hansell, at the University of Leicester, said: “While it is extremely likely that there is a link between air pollution and Covid-19 mortality, it is premature to attempt to precisely quantify it, given the current state of the evidence. “However, there are plenty of other good reasons to act now to reduce air pollution, which the WHO already links to 7 million deaths worldwide per year.” | ['environment/air-pollution', 'environment/pollution', 'world/coronavirus-outbreak', 'environment/environment', 'world/world', 'science/science', 'campaign/callout/callout-coronavirus', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/damiancarrington', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-environment'] | environment/pollution | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE | 2020-11-04T18:00:23Z | true | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE |
world/2018/apr/24/toronto-shocked-silence-van-fatalities | 'This lady died in front of me': Toronto shocked into silence after van fatalities | It is rare to hear birds chirping along Yonge Street, a bustling six-lane thoroughfare that divides Canada’s largest city into east and west. But on Monday, as Saman Tabasinejad carried bouquets of flowers to the site where pedestrians were hit by a van in Toronto, she heard them. As evening fell, the road was empty, save for a two-kilometre stretch barricaded by police cars and officers. Most of the bars and patios – usually bustling as the work day wound down – were shuttered. The white rental van, with a crumpled front, was surrounded by at least nine police vehicles. The neighbourhood was now a crime scene, following the death of at least 10 people. Tabasinejad, 25, had spent much of the morning canvassing the area for the upcoming provincial election in Ontario – as a candidate for the New Democratic party – and was having more luck than expected: following a balmy weekend, a number of residents had taken the day off. “It was such a beautiful day. People just wanted to be out on the street,” she said. But as she left a sushi restaurant at about lunchtime, she saw swarms of firetrucks. She first worried there might have been an incident at the seniors centre across the street, until she noticed the debris: shoes, a mailbox and a fire hydrant scattered along the street. As she walked further north, she came upon three bodies covered in bright orange tarps. It wasn’t until just before 8pm – almost seven hours after the incident – that firefighters began to remove the bodies from the road. They formed a ring holding thick yellow tarpaulin around the deceased victims to shield them from gathering onlookers. ‘It could’ve been anybody’ Residents and passersby huddled at an impromptu memorial set up across the street from where the first victim – a young woman – was struck. They lit candles and signed messages of remembrance to memorialize the 10 lives lost. “It could’ve been anybody,” said Konstantin Goulich, who has lived across the street for 15 years and had purchased paper and markers from a craft store for the memorial. “We live in a unified society. And people support each other. The outpouring of grief here is evidence of this.” Tabasinejad planted a number of roses alongside the signed posters. “Each life had so much love. I just want to honour them.” Mehrsa Marjani broke down at the sight of the memorial and was comforted by her husband, Farzad. She had been at a cafe when the van struck its first victim at the intersection of Finch and Yonge streets. “This lady died in front of me,” she said. “People tried so hard to rescue her. They kept trying. But they couldn’t.” Messages of support were written in at least four languages, reflective of the diverse neighbourhood. The northern suburb of Toronto is home to large Chinese, Korean and Iranian populations – as well as a hub for new arrivals to Canada. More than eight hours after the attack, bewilderment hung heavily over the neighbourhood as residents who commute to other areas of the city returned home. “People were calling me at work, asking me if I was OK. I didn’t understand what they were talking about,” said Cristina Cibotaru as she surveyed the long lines of yellow tape. “This is such a safe place. I walk this road everyday.” A number of residents commented they’d never seen the street like this before. “The sun was setting, it should have been a beautiful moment,” said Tabasinejad “But the silence is deafening. It’s a little too quiet.” | ['world/toronto-van-incident', 'world/canada', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'tone/features', 'profile/leyland-cecco', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/australia-foreign'] | world/toronto-van-incident | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE | 2018-04-24T03:46:48Z | true | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE |
us-news/2024/oct/10/hurricane-milton-what-to-know | Tornadoes, mass outages and deaths: what to know about Hurricane Milton’s impact | Hurricane Milton has killed at least nine people and left extensive property damage across Florida, hitting some areas previously affected by Hurricane Helene last month. Here are the key takeaways from what we know about its impact and what experts are saying about a hurricane that it had been feared could be one of the worst in the state’s history. What was Hurricane Milton’s impact? Milton stunned meteorologists by accelerating at record pace across the Gulf of Mexico to a huge category 5 hurricane, raising fears of catastrophe as it surged towards the heart of the heavily populated Tampa Bay area. Ultimately, the storm made landfall at Siesta Key, Florida, just south of Tampa, on Wednesday night as a category 3 event. Homes were damaged, trees uprooted and millions lost power, and there are already reports of several deaths, but utter devastation was avoided. “The storm was significant, but thankfully this was not the worst-case scenario,” said Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor. “The storm weakened before landfall, and the storm surge has not been as significant overall as what was observed for Hurricane Helene.” The death toll from Helene was at least 230 people. One of the most dramatic images in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton is the shredded roof of the Tampa Bay Rays’ Tropicana field. How bad was the storm surge? A major risk posed by Milton was that its winds would push huge volumes of seawater from Tampa Bay into the city itself. When the storm did arrive, the worst of this storm surge occurred in Sarasota county, where it was 8-10ft (2.5 to 3 meters)– lower than the worst of Helene two weeks ago. But flooding in places has been significant – just inland from Tampa, Plant City received more than 13in (33cm) of rain, inundating neighborhoods. “We have flooding in places and to levels that I’ve never seen, and I’ve lived in this community for my entire life,” Bill McDaniel, the city manager, said in a video posted online on Thursday morning. What has been the impact of tornadoes? The sudden changes in winds when a hurricane lands can spawn tornadoes but the number and ferocity of twisters triggered by Milton were unusually high, experts say. There were more than 140 tornado warnings across Florida on Wednesday before Milton even arrived, with some causing major damage. In St Lucie county, on the east coast of Florida, there have been four confirmed deaths from a tornado that smashed into a retirement home. Florida sees more tornadoes per square mile than any other state but they are usually quite weak. The tornadoes triggered by Milton were of the strength often seen on the US Great Plains. What are the biggest threats now? Milton has now torn across Florida and is heading out in the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Bahamas. It has left behind 3 million people without power, impassable roads, wrecked bridges and surging rivers from a huge amount of rainfall. An estimated 11 million people are at risk from flooding as this rainwater flushes through swollen rivers, with officials warning people that the danger is far from over. Joe Biden, who had warned that Milton could be the “storm of the century”, echoed local officials in urging people to stay indoors and off the roads. “Downed power lines, debris, and road washouts are creating dangerous conditions,” Biden posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday. “Help is on the way, but until it arrives, shelter in place until your local officials say it’s safe to go out.” What are the long-term consequences of the past couple of weeks? Within the span of just two weeks, the US has been ravaged by two enormous hurricanes, Helene and Milton, causing hundreds of deaths and billions of dollars of damage over six states. Many places, such as in North Carolina, are still without electricity or running water from the first storm, and people in Florida, hit by both hurricanes, face a similarly lengthy recovery period that could take months or even years. Biden has ordered federal aid to affected states, garnering praise from Republican governors but criticism from Donald Trump, who has claimed the response has been slow and has spread falsehoods and conspiracy theories that have slowed the effort to help people, according to the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Scientists have already determined that the climate crisis, caused by the burning of fossil fuels, made Helene far more likely by heating the air and water that gives hurricanes their strength. It’s likely that Milton was also turbocharged by a Gulf of Mexico that has been at record hot temperatures since this summer. | ['us-news/hurricane-milton', 'us-news/florida', 'us-news/hurricane-helene', 'world/hurricanes', 'world/extreme-weather', 'science/meteorology', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'us-news/us-news', 'environment/environment', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'tone/explainers', 'profile/oliver-milman', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/topstories', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/us-news'] | world/hurricanes | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2024-10-10T16:52:23Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
uk-news/2021/jan/31/met-office-warns-of-ice-flooding-and-snow-in-next-few-days-across-uk | Met Office warns of ice, flooding and snow in next few days across UK | Wild weather over the weekend that brought sub-zero temperatures, storms, flooding and widespread icy conditions looks set to continue into the early part of the week in some areas of the UK. By Sunday evening there were 80 flood warnings in place for England and six flood alerts across Wales. The Met Office issued a yellow warning for ice and snow in Orkney and Shetland, while much of Wales saw ice and snow. Wet and snowy weather is forecast for much of the country into the middle of the week. The warnings come as new government proposals could entitle homeowners in flood-hit areas to discounted insurance premiums if they install flood protection measures. Plans under consultation could also allow insured householders able to claim money to cover the damage and make their homes more resilient. On Saturday, Chesil Beach on the Isle of Portland in Dorset was hit by storms that breached sea defences, leading the Environment Agency to issue a flood warning for the area and warn people to take care along beaches and coastal footpaths. In Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, a children’s playground was partly submerged, while in Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, water rose up the tow path along the river. This week, more snow is likely across northern England, parts of Wales and Scotland with up to 5cm of snow likely at lower levels and up to 10cm on higher ground. After a cold but settled day on Monday, the Met Office is predicting a heavier band of rain to arrive overnight on Monday across a swathe of the UK from the south and west, said Met Office meteorologist Luke Miall. “From Monday night into Tuesday, we’ve got a weather system coming up from the Atlantic, bringing heavy rain to southern and western parts of the UK,” he said. “As it bumps into that cold air for Northern Ireland, Scotland, northern England, and perhaps north Wales, these are the areas that are likely to see that rain turning quickly to snow.” Travel across a large part of England and Wales north of the M4 corridor could be disrupted by snow and ice, including on trans-Pennine routes. On Wednesday, the wintry weather is expected to move up the country, with the risk of snow across Scotland and northern England, he said. “Some areas could actually see a couple of days of snow falling, not necessarily all the time,” he said. | ['uk/weather', 'uk/uk', 'uk/scotland', 'uk/northernireland', 'uk/wales', 'environment/flooding', 'world/snow', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/alexandratopping', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/uknews', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-home-news'] | environment/flooding | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2021-01-31T17:23:50Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
environment/2024/apr/10/uk-farmers-how-has-the-weather-affected-food-production | UK farmers: how has the weather affected food production? | The amount of food being produced by British farmers has been badly hit by the record-breaking rainfall, it has been reported. Farming groups say that both livestock and crops have been affected by the “exceptionally wet” past 18 months, meaning the UK will be reliant on imports for wheat in the coming year and potentially beyond. According to the Met Office, 1,695.9mm of rain fell from October 2022 to March 2024, the highest amount for any 18-month period in England since records began. We want to know from those working in the UK agriculture sector if your production has been affected by the weather? What is the impact on crops and yields? How are you dealing with fields that have become waterlogged? | ['environment/farming', 'type/article', 'campaign/callout/uk-callout-uk-farmers-on-food-production', 'science/agriculture', 'uk/weather', 'business/business', 'tone/callout', 'profile/guardian-community-team', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-communities-and-social'] | environment/farming | BIODIVERSITY | 2024-04-10T15:28:35Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
business-to-business/2018/jan/18/check-me-out-the-library-where-you-can-borrow-clothes-instead-of-books | Check me out: the library where you can borrow clothes instead of books | Would a golden leather jacket give you a dose of daily joy, or €575 (£510) of regret on a hanger? One Dutch company believes there’s a simple answer: borrow it for a week and see. Lena fashion library is a store and web shop, set up by three sisters and a friend, that wants to ditch the idea of fast fashion and encourage people to borrow clothes instead. The store, on a busy shopping street in central Amsterdam, feels like an ultra-cool boutique, with its stripped-back walls, fridge of green juices, hip sofas and Eminem’s music playing in the background. I’m greeted by beautiful clothes everywhere, from an extravagant, royal-blue fake fur MSCH Copenhagen coat or that Alexandra Frida €575 gold leather jacket, to interesting vintage dresses, simple tops and vegan handbags. Although it stocks vintage clothes, bought wholesale, Lena also has new stock from local designers such as Alexandra Frida, Filippa K and studio JUX. The idea is that subscribers typically pay €25 (£22) a month, for which they are given points that they can use to borrow items of clothing: a €25 subscription will get you 100 points, while a bump up to the highest subscription rate of €50 (£44) yields 300 points. To give some idea of what that transfers to, a simple T-shirt is 25 points, while a coat is 100. Swapping at the flagship Westerstraat store is unlimited, or people can use points from partner stores once a month – six stores in Amsterdam and a further four in other Dutch cities that are participating in the service. There is no maximum loan time. “Our ambition is that borrowing is normal for everyone,” explains co-founder Elisa Jansen. “Our dream isn’t to have 1,000 Lenas. We’d like to facilitate a whole borrowing system for other companies, in fashion, toys, tools – it doesn’t matter. “There is some awareness of how wasteful fashion has become, but a lot of people don’t know what to do – there are sustainable brands, but they are kind of expensive, and what if you’re not sure about their style and end up throwing it, is it really sustainable? It’s hard for a consumer. We thought this would be a fun way of being sustainable.” In recent years, more attention has been given to the waste and pollution involved in the clothing industry. An Ellen MacArthur Foundation report, launched with Stella McCartney last November as part of the Circular Fibres Initiative, claims that “an estimated $500bn value is lost every year due to clothing that’s barely worn and rarely recycled.” So, while big companies ponder their next move, small innovators such as Lena are testing out alternative business models: offering clothes on a rental or subscription basis, for example. In the spirit of not turning anyone away, they do also give customers the option to purchase outright. After running a successful secondhand store called Doortje Vintage while studying fashion, sisters Angela, Diana and Elisa Jansen got together with Suzanne Smulders and launched Lena in Amsterdam at the end of 2014. They won a Dutch best startup award in 2015, and Elisa says they are now “almost at break-even” point. “The biggest problem is keeping subscriptions,” she says. “It’s not that hard to get new subscribers, but keeping them is hard. When people borrow something, it’s really nice, [they] wear it at home but then comes the point they have to return it and choose something else – in the beginning people are enthusiastic, but they are so busy. We are still working on optimising this.” The business, which has had €150,000 (£133,000) of investment, is now looking for more cash and is taking part in an Impact Hub Amsterdam accelerator programme – “because if you don’t make money, if people don’t borrow, you don’t make impact,” Elisa adds. Gwen Cunningham, who leads Dutch social enterprise Circle Economy’s drive for a less wasteful clothing industry, is one keen customer. “I live in a tiny apartment in Amsterdam, and don’t need to have so many clothes,” she says. “It has changed the way I view fashion, as there’s more experimentation. You also start to feel like you are part of a community, when you walk down the street and see someone in a jacket you were wearing three months ago.” There can be hiccups when clothes are irreparably damaged or simply not returned, but even so, Rob Opsomer of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation believes borrowing could be better than buying. “For customers desiring frequent style changes, subscription-based models can offer an attractive alternative,” he comments. “Subscription models are already disrupting the market, with brands such as Le Tote, Gwynnie Bee, and Kleiderei. The American start-up Rent the Runway had revenues of over $100m in 2016 [and] YCloset in China secured $20m investment to scale up in March 2017.” Back at Lena, a volunteer comes in to help with repairs, followed by a stream of tourists – and the next time I look, the gold leather jacket is still glittering on its hanger, but the fake fur blue coat is out walking Amsterdam. Sign up to the regular Guardian B2B email here for more insight and advice direct to your inbox. | ['business-to-business/business-to-business', 'small-business-network/series/the-disruptors', 'fashion/fashion-industry', 'small-business-network/small-business-network', 'fashion/fashion', 'environment/waste', 'business/small-business', 'business/entrepreneurs', 'environment/ethical-living', 'lifeandstyle/lifeandstyle', 'environment/environment', 'business/business', 'technology/sharing-economy', 'type/article', 'tone/features', 'profile/senay-boztas', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-b2b'] | environment/waste | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE | 2018-01-18T10:05:11Z | true | POLLUTION_AND_WASTE |
environment/2007/jul/27/activists.travelandtransport | Climate activists fight injunction | The power-crazed aviation giant, BAA, is trying to bully over five million people who are critical of their plans to massively increase their output of greenhouse gases on a scale that will ruin any chance we have of avoiding catastrophic climate change. It is desperate to put the brakes on the emerging and diverse grassroots movement tackling the root sources of damaging emissions, a movement that has pledged to establish a Greenham-esque camp at Heathrow this August. While BAA is planning to stamp on peaceful protest this summer, the police is citing security fears to protect BAA's corporate interests from the upcoming Camp for Climate Action, which the BAA application for an injunction says is organised by Plane Stupid. Touched as we are by this claim, the climate camp is about much more than us. There is no single organiser. Instead, hundreds of people have been openly meeting each month to plan everything from compost toilets to wind energy for the camp site in an inclusive and pioneering project in direct democracy. In this painstaking and often lengthy process, everyone gets an equal voice over everything to do with all aspects from climate policy, to where to put cooking areas. Over the last couple of years, a big tent of individuals and organisations have come together under the banner of AirportWatch. Together with national environment groups, such as the RSPB, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, and local residents groups such as HACAN and Stop Stansted, the coalition has now broadened to include the World Development Movement who articulate most clearly how millions will die from BAA's plans. Now, Christian Aid too are getting involved. In fact, it is planning to send a delegation from its 'Cut the Carbon' march to visit the summer's camp. But if BAA gets its way on Wednesday at the High Court, there could be no camp. Everyone who supports the camp - from AirportWatch, to the locals threatened with losing their homes for a third runway - everyone's voice of opposition would be legally silenced at the whim of a single company. By employing Tim Lawson-Cruttenden, a lawyer notorious for representing arms firms and GM crop companies, to misuse laws designed to protect women from stalkers, BAA will seek to literally gag millions of people. It wants us to be ordered from "creating, forming or establishing protest camps and/or setting up tents on Heathrow Airport or in the vicinity of Heathrow Airport." In BAA's view we should also be legally prevented from "carrying…balloons [and] kites" or using, "any megaphone, claxon, siren, whistle, drum or any noise amplification device or other appliance used or capable of being used to generate noise." A tad ironic from the company responsible for disrupting thousands of residents sleep! BAA is right to be worried by the climate camp – not for security reasons, we're talking about several thousand people armed only with peer-reviewed science detailing the very great danger the company's business model poses to all our lives. No, BAA should be worried because normal people with normal lives are about to gather in numbers outside Heathrow to shine a light on our nation's single biggest polluter. The company wants to scare the British people into ignoring us. Nice try, but that bird just won't fly. | ['environment/climate-camp', 'environment/activism', 'environment/environment', 'environment/travel-and-transport', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'environment/kingsnorth', 'uk/transport', 'uk/uk', 'law/injunctions', 'type/article'] | environment/climate-camp | CLIMATE_ACTIVISM | 2007-07-27T10:58:24Z | true | CLIMATE_ACTIVISM |
environment/2013/oct/15/campaign-uk-consumers-buy-wood | Campaign urges UK consumers to buy homegrown wood products | A new campaign is aiming to encourage consumers to buy wood products – from furniture to fuel – that were grown and processed in the UK. Grown in Britain, launched on Tuesday, will label products from British woodlands and encourage the growth of indigenous industries such as sawmills, forestry and wood treatment. The UK's forestry industry has suffered a series of upsets in recent years, with the government's planned sell-off of the nationally owned woods halted at the last minute. The first recorded cases of ash dieback disease have also raised fears for the health of Britain's woodlands. But the national resource that the forests represent has not been fully exploited, according to Peter Bonfield, chief executive of the BRE Group, who is spearheading the Grown in Britain campaign. Growing wood in Britain and processing it here can yield economic and environmental benefits, generating new jobs and absorbing carbon dioxide from the air as the trees grow. "This is about bringing people together and getting them involved," said Bonfield. The label will bring together the whole supply chain, from tree growers to artisan furniture workshops to retailers. "We want to send a message that everyone who deals with wood can benefit from this." Sir Harry Studholme, chairman of the Forestry Commission, said British-grown wood now made up more than 40% of the timber used in the UK. That is a massive difference from a few decades ago, when timber was the country's third biggest import and at least 90% of wood used here had been grown overseas. "That is already a great achievement, and we are moving forward in finding new markets," he told the Guardian. "Wood is a very important natural resource." The Grown in Britain campaign - which has the support of Owen Paterson, secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs - will include wood workers of all sorts, such as foresters, sawmills and wood treatment plants, as well as joiners, carpenters and furniture makers. Paterson said the aim of the initiative was to create a new "wood culture" that would draw together all of the different forms of wood workers around the country. He said: "Community and conservation groups are working to increase the value we all place on our woodlands and forests. This is helping to make woodland creation and management a more attractive, local investment for those companies keen to put something back into the environment on which their businesses depend." He said English woodlands were "overstocked" and needed more outlets for wood products. He said the Grown in Britain campaign should be "a showase of the first steps towards a resilient forestry sector". Many investors are attracted to buying woodlands because the land of the favourable tax treatment for such land, which makes it cheaper to buy and sell on than residential property and other land. | ['environment/forests', 'environment/environment', 'money/consumer-affairs', 'money/money', 'business/business', 'business/retail', 'uk/uk', 'type/article', 'profile/fiona-harvey'] | environment/forests | BIODIVERSITY | 2013-10-15T05:30:00Z | true | BIODIVERSITY |
environment/2014/feb/21/sinkholes-uk-wet-winter | Sinkholes on the increase after UK's wet winter | As if flooded homes and disrupted power supplies have not created enough misery, Britain's wettest winter on record has created perfect conditions for sinkholes, 10 of which have been reported this month. Cars, roads and bits of homes have tumbled into the voids created after the ground collapses into subterranean cavities. Sinkholes have occurred at between five and 10 times the normal rate in February, said Tony Waltham, an expert on the phenomenon. He said the increase was unsurprising after three unusually wet months. "It is exactly as extraordinary as this being the wettest winter on record. It is a direct correlation with rainfall," he said. Too much water can cause soluble rocks such as gypsum and chalk to dissolve and erode, creating underground shafts. But too little water can also be a cause. If ground water is removed through abstraction or prolonged drought, underground rocks can crumble under the pressure from above. Sinkholes can occur slowly or suddenly, depending on the material that coats the surface. Sand will subside along with the material beneath, meaning a gradual sinking. But a more robust material such as clay can hold together for much longer, leaving a chasm beneath. This month the Met Office predicted that climate change would manifest in Britain as larger, wetter and more frequent storms. Geologists say that would lead to more sinkholes. "What climate change is likely to do is to increase the extremities of the weather," said Waltham. "You get more big storms, you get more big sinkholes." Alan Cripps, from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, said assessing properties for underground cavities was prohibitively expensive for most homeowners and not a common surveying practice. Tony Cooper, from the British Geological Survey, said sinkholes were still very rare and predicting them was futile. "It is impossible to comment on where a sinkhole will appear next, it will most likely depend on where the next heavy rain events occur. "To put them in perspective, just consider how many houses recently have been affected by sinkholes, how many have been flooded and how many have been storm-damaged. You will see that sinkholes are not the big problem that has to be dealt with, but they are more unusual." Nigel Cassidy, a geologist at Keele University, said recent flooding showed that the UK's infrastructure was not coping with the runoff from storms. "We don't manage our storm drainage properly, from a flooding point of view. One of the implications of not having that is the higher risk of sinkholes in urban areas." He said government deregulation of development could exacerbate the problem. About 15% of the UK's bedrock is soluble limestone, found mostly in the south-east where the majority of the recent sinkholes have occurred. Underground hollows can be created naturally by the erosion of rock over thousands of years. Large holes in Hemel Hempstead and Croxley Green in Hertfordshire were probably the result of this type of erosion or a historic chalk mineshaft. Highly soluble gypsum also occurs in small pockets, including beneath Ripon in North Yorkshire where a sinkhole destroyed a house this week. The erosion of gypsum takes place on a timescale of tens of years, as opposed to thousands of years for limestone. | ['environment/flooding', 'world/sinkholes', 'environment/environment', 'uk/weather', 'uk/uk', 'tone/news', 'tone/analysis', 'type/article', 'profile/karl-mathiesen', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/uknews'] | environment/flooding | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2014-02-21T16:58:00Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
technology/2018/jan/22/cyber-attack-on-uk-matter-of-when-not-if-says-security-chief-ciaran-martin | Major cyber-attack on UK a matter of 'when, not if' – security chief | The head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre has warned that a major cyber-attack on the UK is a matter of “when, not if”, raising the prospect of devastating disruption to British elections and critical infrastructure. In remarks underlining newly released figures showing the number of cyber-attacks on the UK in the last 15 months, Ciaran Martin said the UK had been fortunate to avoid a so-called category one (C1) attack, broadly defined as an attack that might cripple infrastructure such as energy supplies and the financial services sector. The US, France and other parts of Europe have already faced such attacks. Interference in elections would also constitute a C1 attack, as would a deliberately provocative move by a hostile state. During an hour-long interview with the Guardian, Martin said he anticipated such an attack in the next two years. “I think it is a matter of when, not if and we will be fortunate to come to the end of the decade without having to trigger a category one attack,” he said. He admitted total protection was impossible. “Some attacks will get through. What you need to do [at that point] is cauterise the damage,” he said. Martin was speaking last week before a speech on Monday by the chief of the general staff, Sir Nick Carter, in which he highlighted the growing threat posed from cyber-attacks, in particular from Russia, both on the battlefield and on civilian services. The NCSC, which is the front window for the government surveillance agency GCHQ, has been gradually building defences and is due to publish shortly a 60-plus page dossier outlining what has worked and what has not since it opened for operations in October 2016. The most serious cyber-attack on the UK so far was the WannaCry ransomware attack in May last year that disrupted hospitals. In spite of its impact, the attack was classified as only C2 rather than C1, partly because there was no risk to life. Figures for cyber-attacks since the NCSC opened through to December last year underline the pressure building on the UK from hackers. The NCSC recorded 34 C2 attacks, with WannaCry the most disruptive of these, and 762 slightly less serious C3 ones. “Most comparable western countries have experienced what we would consider a category one attack so we have been fortunate in avoiding that to date,” said Martin, who is chief executive officer at the NCSC and former director general for cyber-security at GCHQ. Among serious breaches elsewhere are the hacking of the US Democratic party in the run-up to the 2016 White House election and an attack on a French television station in 2015, both blamed on Russia. The NCSC, as part of its preparations against similar attacks, has been advising key departments and companies on vulnerabilities while intelligence agencies monitor potential hackers. There is also an emergency response team on constant standby. Martin said one of the biggest lessons from 2017 was to fear reckless as much as controlled attacks. He considered WannaCry, which was blamed on North Korea, as an example of an attack in which the perpetrator loses control. “What we have seen over the past year or so is a shift in North Korean attack motivation from what you might call statecraft – disrupting infrastructure – through to trying to get money through attacks on banks but also the deployment of ransomware, albeit in a way that didn’t pan out in the way the attackers wanted to.” As well as North Korea, intrusions have been blamed on Russia, China and Iran. Some of these, Martin said, were espionage-based, scouting out vulnerabilities in infrastructure for potential future disruption. Although the UK signed a treaty with China in 2015 not to engage in cyber-attacks for commercial gain, espionage was left out of the treaty. “What we have seen from Russia thus far against the UK is a series of intrusions for espionage and possible pre-positioning into key sectors but in a more controlled form of attack from others,” he said. The UK has publicly acknowledged its growing cyber-offensive capabilities. Martin, while saying it was a matter not for him but GCHQ and the Ministry of Defence, said: “Offensive cyber will be an increasing part of the UK’s security toolkit.” But he cautioned against assuming a cyber-attack from another state would trigger a retaliatory cyber-attack, saying there were a range of responses from diplomatic pressure through to sanctions and indictments. The Trump administration has raised the prospect of using nuclear weapons in response to a major cyber-attack. Martin said he had not seen any successful attempt to interfere in the UK democratic process. The political parties had originally been suspicious about taking advice from an organisation linked to the intelligence agencies when the NCSC first opened. When Theresa May called the UK general election in April, much of that reticence disappeared, Martin said, possibly because of the experience in the US and France. “The main parties in the House of Commons did ask for and did receive guidance on the sort of threats they were likely to face and we worked with each of them,” Martin said. Cyber-attacks appear to have made electronic voting less likely in the near future. “With the current state of high alert around elections, I think it make sense that there are not any current plans to move to electronic voting,” Martin said. Electoral security is one of the areas in which the the NCSC is working closely with European Union counterparts. In spite of reports of concerns over security cooperation post-Brexit, Martin insisted: “There is significant momentum in Europe to get the European cybersecurity across the whole continent on a stronger footing and that is great.” Among challenges facing Martin, he identified encouraging more girls to consider engineering and computing as a career. Of the NCSC’s 700-strong workforce, only 32% are female, though half of the roughly 20 senior management posts are held by women. | ['technology/cyberwar', 'technology/cybercrime', 'world/espionage', 'technology/hacking', 'technology/internet', 'technology/technology', 'world/world', 'uk/uk', 'politics/defence', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/ewenmacaskill', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/topstories', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-home-news'] | technology/hacking | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE | 2018-01-23T06:56:13Z | true | UNRELATED_TO_CLIMATE |
science/political-science/2013/aug/09/science-greens | Science v Greens? We're all greens now | James Murray | I'm not sure whether it is wise to start a science blog with a reference to The Big Bang Theory, what with its depiction of scientists as socially illiterate uber-nerds, but here goes. The debate on "Science vs the Greens" that has played out over the past few days reminds me of the episode where Dr Sheldon Cooper tries to teach Penny "a little physics", starting with the question "What is physics?". To paraphrase Dr Cooper, if we are to debate science and the greens first we have to ask ourselves what is "science" and who or what are "the greens". You could write a book on what constitutes "science", but let's assume most people understand the term as referring to knowledge gained through observation, experimentation, and systematic rational study. However, the term "greens" is more problematic. The majority of contributors to this series have defined "greens" narrowly as a deep green constituency embodied by the views of Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the Green Party as well-meaning but naive eco-warriors. This is understandable. There is a tendency to regard the green movement as the preserve of a hippy idealists – personally I blame Swampy. But if scientists occasionally resent the stereotype of comedic awkwardness embodied by The Big Bang crowd, then many greens similarly reject the suggestion their movement is ruled more by anti-science utopian ideology than scientifically credible pragmatism. The implication that there is serious tension between the scientific and green communities is flawed on at least two grounds. First, as Alice Bell and Anne Chapman have noted, the opposition of some green groups to nuclear power and GM crops is often based more on economic considerations than a misreading of the science. There have undoubtedly been some green campaigners guilty of using junk science to scaremonger on these issues, but the majority of criticism aimed at these technologies is now based on concerns about the high cost of nuclear power and the extent to which GM innovations pose unknown risks and hand immense power to the corporations that control the technology. Second, even if the traditional green community were "anti-science" (and it's not) limiting the discussion of the movement's relationship with science to the deep greens locks out the expanding ranks of New Environmentalists who are fully signed up to green principles even if they hold more flexible positions on touchstone issues such as nuclear and GM. The implication that the only greens are members of Greenpeace is like arguing you can only be a feminist if you write for Spare Rib. Traditional green groups are not the sole representatives of the "greens", nor would they want to be regarded as such. Some questions: Is the boss of Sainsbury's, Justin King, a green with his plan to invest £1bn in sustainability measures by 2020? What about IKEA top dog Mikael Ohlsson and his plan to ensure the company generates all its own energy by the end of the decade? Barack Obama, Xi Jinping, David Cameron, and Angela Merkel may be the subject of entirely deserved criticism from the green community, but they are all pursuing policies designed to build a greener economy – do they qualify? Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, Richard Branson, and Larry Page may not have much in common with the director of Greenpeace, but they have mobilised billions of dollars in clean tech investment. Are they part of the green community? More broadly, a recent Ipsos MORI poll of over 2,400 people found 74% of people are very or fairly concerned about climate change, 85% want to see more solar power, 75% are in favour of wind power, and 81% want to curb their energy use – could they be classified as green? Perhaps not, but they share many of the goals and aspirations of traditional greens. With the exception of those protecting the pollutocrat status quo, large numbers of people and businesses are, to varying degrees, New Environmentalists. We may not regard the environment as a top priority given the state of the economy, but we are concerned about environmental impacts and are keen to see environmental challenges addressed. In this regard at least, we're all greens now. Sadly, the greens may have won several important battles in securing support for a greener economy, but they are a long way from winning the war – emissions are still rising. It is this ongoing challenge that means there is little conflict between New Environmentalists and the scientific community. The growing consensus across the green community, including significant numbers of deep greens, is that a technology-led response to climate change is the last best hope of avoiding potentially catastrophic impacts during the second half of this century. For that we must work with scientists to urgently develop sources of clean energy, sustainable food and water supplies, and climate adaptation measures. As David King and Richard Layard argued last week in the FT we need a new Apollo Project focused on clean energy, and we need it now. Perhaps the next series of the Big Bang Theory will see Dr Cooper and co turn their attention to the global need for low cost solar power – many of their real-life counterparts are already doing so. And as they continue with this vital work, the growing ranks of New Environmentalists wish them well. James Murray is editor of BusinessGreen. You can follow him on Twitter @james_BG. This piece follows a series on science and the green movement on the blog last week, inspired by a session at the 2013 Science in Public conference at which James spoke | ['science/political-science', 'science/science-policy', 'science/science', 'tone/blog', 'politics/green-party', 'environment/green-politics', 'environment/environment', 'politics/politics', 'science/series/science-blog-network', 'type/article', 'profile/james-s-murray'] | environment/green-politics | CLIMATE_POLICY | 2013-08-09T13:57:00Z | true | CLIMATE_POLICY |
world/2022/nov/09/france-to-require-all-large-car-parks-to-be-covered-by-solar-panels | France to require all large car parks to be covered by solar panels | All large car parks in France will be covered by solar panels under new legislation approved as part of president Emmanuel Macron’s renewable energy drive. Legislation approved by the French Senate this week requires existing and new car parks with space for at least 80 vehicles to be covered by solar panels. The owners of car parks with between 80 and 400 spaces have five years to comply with the measures, while operators of those with more than 400 will have just three years. At least half of the area of the larger sites must be covered by solar panels. The French government believes the measure could generate up to 11 gigawatts of power. Politicians had originally applied the bill to car parks larger than 2,500 sq metres before deciding to opt for car parking spaces. French politicians are also examining proposals to build large solar farms on empty land by motorways and railways as well as on farmland. The former UK prime minister Liz Truss considered blocking solar farms being built on agricultural land. The sight of parked cars under the shade of solar panels is not unfamiliar in France. Renewables Infrastructure Group, one of the UK’s largest specialist green energy investors, has invested in a large solar car park in Borgo on Corsica. Macron has thrown his weight behind nuclear energy over the past year and in September announced plans to boost France’s renewable energy industry. He visited the country’s first offshore windfarm off the port of Saint-Nazaire off the west coast and hopes to speed up the build times of windfarms and solar parks. The move comes as European nations examine their domestic energy supplies in the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Technical problems and maintenance on the powerhouse French nuclear fleet has exacerbated the problem while the national operator EDF was forced to cut its output in the summer when French rivers became too warm. The government has also launched a communication campaign, “Every gesture counts”, encouraging individuals and industry to cut their energy usage, and the Eiffel Tower lights are being turned off more than an hour earlier. The French government plans to spend €45bn shielding households and businesses from energy price shocks. Separately on Wednesday, ScottishPower announced it would increase its five-year investment target by £400m to £10.4bn by 2025. The UK solar and windfarm developer hopes to generate 1,000 jobs in the next 12 months. | ['world/france', 'environment/solarpower', 'world/europe-news', 'world/world', 'environment/energy', 'environment/renewableenergy', 'environment/environment', 'environment/energyefficiency', 'world/emmanuel-macron', 'environment/windpower', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/alex-lawson', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-environment'] | environment/solarpower | ENERGY | 2022-11-09T18:08:43Z | true | ENERGY |
environment/2020/feb/13/what-are-tasks-facing-alok-sharma-new-cop26-president | What are the tasks facing Alok Sharma as new Cop26 president? | Alok Sharma, the new president of the Cop26 climate conference to be held in Glasgow in November, has experience of working closely with developing countries on the climate crisis in his former role as secretary for international development. This may be valuable in helping him forge the “grand coalition” that experts say is needed to break the deadlock on international climate action. The last round of UN climate talks, in Madrid last December, showed the massive task that Britain will face as host this year in trying to build consensus on the issue. While more than half a million protesters from around the world lined the streets of the Spanish capital, inside the conference centre government officials squinted at semicolons in a dense text on how countries can buy and sell carbon. Two weeks of talks produced little more than a tetchy agreement to gather again this year for Cop26 (the 26th conference of the parties), with proposals for strengthening national plans to reduce emissions. Even that, in the context of the disasters that had threatened the talks, was better than some had feared. Since the Paris agreement was signed in 2015, the willingness of governments to tackle the climate crisis has waned. Donald Trump’s election as US president was the biggest factor – he has called climate science a “hoax” and begun the process of withdrawing the US from the agreement. That withdrawal will not take legal effect until 4 November, the day after the next US election. Emboldened by Trump, other countries have also started to backslide. Jair Bolsonaro, the president of Brazil, has embarked on a programme of exploitation of the Amazon, and in Madrid his officials worked hard to scupper any climate deal. They fought over details of an obscure clause of the Paris agreement governing carbon trading, which will now have to be resolved in Glasgow. Other countries were less vocal but no less inimical to progress. Saudi Arabia tried to hold up consensus, and Russia is also hostile to Paris. India, by siding with Brazil on carbon trading, bolstered the wreckers, but in other forums called for more urgent action under Paris. China’s stance was viewed as encouraging by Paris supporters, but it had little new to say. The EU made the boldest announcement, of a European green deal to transform the economy and reach net zero emissions by mid-century, but the details of its commitments are still subject to wrangling by member states. Patricia Espinosa, the UN’s top climate official, showed some frustration in her assessment. “We need to be clear that the conference did not result in agreement on the guidelines for a much-needed carbon market, an essential part of the toolkit to raise ambition. Developed countries have to fully address the calls from developed countries for finance, technology and capacity building, without which they cannot green their economies. High-emitting countries did not send a clear enough signal that they are ready to ramp up ambition.” All of this leaves the UK with a diplomatic mess to sort out. At Cop26, countries are supposed to come forward with new plans for stringent emissions cuts, in line with the science. Time is running out for those new plans to take effect, and without strong signals from governments the required changes will not be made. Arguably, the task facing Sharma is even harder than negotiating the 2015 Paris accord – at least the French government could rely on Barack Obama’s support, and a US-China agreement was fundamental to the success of Paris. In the four years since Paris was signed, while governments have dithered, businesses have carried on investing in fossil fuels and emissions have risen by a further 4%. Climate science, meanwhile, has grown stronger: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the body of the world’s leading experts, said in 2018 that catastrophic climate breakdown would become inevitable within this decade unless the world changed course and started to bring global emissions down dramatically. “We need to really get across the point that this is not some minor adjustment that is required,” said Mary Robinson, the chair of the Elders, a campaigning group of senior world figures, and a former UN climate envoy. “The reality is that we need every company, every city, every country to be carbon neutral by 2050. If we can get that, then Cop26 really will be a game-changer.” | ['environment/cop26-glasgow-climate-change-conference-2021', 'environment/global-climate-talks', 'politics/alok-sharma', 'environment/climate-crisis', 'environment/environment', 'politics/politics', 'uk/uk', 'type/article', 'tone/analysis', 'tone/news', 'profile/fiona-harvey', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-environment'] | environment/global-climate-talks | CLIMATE_POLICY | 2020-02-13T14:19:05Z | true | CLIMATE_POLICY |
environment/2011/mar/18/feed-in-tariff-u-turn | Letters: Feed-in tariff U-turn | As the founder of an organisation that played a key role in persuading the UK to introduce feed-in tariffs, I am shocked by the government's attempts to block their success. Contrary to your report (15 March), feed-in tariffs do not entail any government subsidies. They simply ensure consumers pay the real costs of energy production, instead of being subsidised by cheap fossil fuels at the expense of our climate and future. The purpose of such tariffs is to speed up renewable energy production, so as no longer to waste potential solar and wind energy. It is absurd for ministers to complain about the success of a law they introduced and to restrict its use. The same government that claims to want the market to invest in green energy now complains about City "hot money" entering the solar market. You could not make it up! Despite all the green talk, the government is again showing itself stuck in the pocket of the fossil-fuel lobby. Jakob von Uexkull World Future Council | ['environment/feed-in-tariffs', 'environment/solarpower', 'environment/windpower', 'environment/renewableenergy', 'environment/energy', 'environment/environment', 'money/energy', 'money/money', 'type/article', 'publication/theguardian', 'theguardian/mainsection', 'theguardian/mainsection/editorialsandreply'] | environment/solarpower | ENERGY | 2011-03-18T00:05:10Z | true | ENERGY |
us-news/2018/nov/09/california-wildfire-paradise-chico-camp-fire | 'Everything is gone': California town of Paradise mourns wildfire devastation | The day after the Camp Fire tore through Paradise, forcing the evacuation of the nearly 30,000 in the small community in California’s Sierra Foothills, Randy Stump was still at home, just miles from the massive blaze. Isolated and without cellphone service, he hadn’t realized how dire things had become. He heard the air tankers and saw the smoke, but like so many in the area, he didn’t know it was time to go until he saw the flames. As he sped away with his brother and his dog, Ginger, he got a firsthand look at the destruction wrought by the fire, which has damaged Magalia and completely destroyed Paradise, leaving burned shells of schools, grocery stores and restaurants in its wake. “It looked like Iraq,” he said, wiping tears from his eyes. “Everything is gone. It’s just a nightmare.” The small communities, surrounded by forest, are popular among retirees, many of whom struggled to evacuate on Tuesday as thousands became stuck in gridlocked traffic. Wildfires are nothing new for the area – in 2008 nearly 10,000 were forced to leave – but the Camp Fire razed Paradise, killing at least nine people, the Butte county sheriff, Kory Honea, confirmed. About 6,500 structures have been destroyed, mostly homes. Three bodies were found outside their homes, one inside a home and several in cars, Honea said. He expects that number will grow. “The wind pushed it downhill,” the Cal Fire spokeswoman Cheryl Buliavac said. “In 24 hours, it went to 70,000 acres – that paints a picture. We know there is a lot of devastation and destruction.” Winds decreased on Friday, allowing firefighters to begin to focus on containing the fire rather than just helping people evacuate, Buliavac said. But they expected winds to pick up again on Saturday and have issued evacuations for other nearby communities. Of the thousands forced to evacuate Paradise and Magalia, some have found a bed at Red Cross shelters in Chico and Orland, including Antonio Sanchez, his girlfriend Amanda and their daughter, December. They fled their Paradise home after family called to warn them of the fire, taking nothing but Christmas presents and toys for their young daughter. Sanchez lived through the fires in 2008, but those were nothing like this, he said. His house is gone, as are those of his mother, cousins and aunt. After living there for more than two decades, he doesn’t plan to return. “We’re going to move, just because we don’t have anything left.” It’s unclear what will happen when residents are allowed to return, or what they will find waiting for them. Those who fled reported seeing grocery stores, fast-food chains, schools and city buildings on fire. Carol Nixon, who evacuated with her elderly parents, said that a beloved restaurant that had just reopened last month after a kitchen fire, burned down. “What jobs will people be coming back to?” she said. | ['us-news/california', 'us-news/us-news', 'world/wildfires', 'world/natural-disasters', 'type/article', 'tone/news', 'profile/dani-anguiano', 'tracking/commissioningdesk/west-coast-news'] | world/wildfires | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS | 2018-11-10T02:35:09Z | true | EXTREME_CLIMATE_IMPACTS |
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