In pictures - the D28 iceberg breaks free

A picture of the iceberg before and after it broke free from Antartica (Image credit: Copernicus Data/Sentinel-1)

>> Why are we seeing increasing numbers of icebergs of this size? What danger might they pose to people and wildlife?

News in brief - Monday 30th September

Large iceberg breaks off Antarctica
A 315 billion tonne ice berg has broken off the Amery Ice shelf, the biggest berg to be created in 50 years; the size of the berg means that it will have to be monitored as it poses a risk to shipping, and is also of interest to climate change scientists who attribute global warming to this kind of unusual event

Girl guides call for the reduction of single use plastic
A Girlguiding campaign is calling for the reduction in the amount of single-use plastic with a five pledge 'plastic promise'; the promise includes making sure everyone has reusable water bottles, reusable cutlery, reusable coffee cups, reusable food wrapping, and a commitment to standing up and speaking out against brands who do not try to reduce their plastic use

In pictures - high tide in Mumbai

This picture is just one winner in a competition for environmental photography (Image credit: SL Shanth Kumar)

>> Take a look at more of these pictures; which one is your favourite, and why?

News in brief - Wednesday 25th September

UN oceans report warns of climate change impacts
A new report from the United Nations is showing that climate change is having devastating impacts on our seas and oceans; melting ice is causing the release of significant amounts of carbon dioxide and warming seas are leading to the mass migration of wildlife

Mont Blanc glacier in danger of collapsing
Reports that around 250,000 cubic metres of ice are at risk of breaking away from a Mont Blanc glacier have caused road closures and evacuations in the area; local people are saying the mountain is changing due to global warming and that the glacier is moving more quickly than normal

North Sea cod population falls
Recent data is showing that the numbers of cod in the north sea are declining and that fisherman may no longer be allowed to catch it; this comes two years after the fishery was given the 'blue tick' eco-label to certify sustainability 

In pictures - flash floods hit the UK

Heavy downpours caused flash flooding in many parts of the UK today (Image credit: KevinMcGPhoto)

>> Why does heavy rain cause flash flooding? What are the physical and human factors that cause floods?

News in brief - Tuesday 24th September

Oceans declared in a 'state of emergency'

A new report by scientists states that sea ice melt is causing sea level rise that puts millions of people who live in coastal communities around the world in danger; not only this, but the acidification of the oceans from increased carbon dioxide concentrations will make it harder for wildlife to exist in the water

Companies unlikely to reach carbon emissions targets

A recent analysis has shown that four out of five of the world's biggest companies are unlikely to reach their carbon emissions targets by 2050; many other companies have not disclosed their climate agreements or targets, but it looks unlikely that the 1.5 degrees of warming allowed by the Paris Agreement may be exceeded

Labour promises new wind farms

The Labour Party is promising £83 billion wind farms as part of their new campaign promise; this move towards wind farms as a source of clean energy is part of their drive towards a green industrial revolution with new jobs and a chance to boost the economy

In pictures - Pakistan earthquake

A tremor of 5.8 magnitude occurred in Pakistan, causing damage to roads and 19 deaths (Image credit: Geo.tv)

>> What might be the primary and secondary impacts of this earthquake? How can countries be more prepared for earthquakes?

News in brief - Monday 23rd September

Scientists say climate change is accelerating
Climate data from the past five years shows that 2014-2019 has been the warmest period on record; sea levels have also risen significantly, as have atmospheric carbon emissions

UK tree planting campaign
The Woodland Trust is behind a campaign to get 1 million people to plant trees by 2025; a number of sites are being prepared for the end of November and councils are being asked to give permission for people to plant trees on their land

Proposed spaceport in the Hebrides
Plans for a new spaceport on North Uist in the Hebrides has caused some controversy; the RSPB has put forward its serious concerns for the birdlife in the area as well as the significant noise pollution that would impact on this very remote island

In pictures - global school strikes for climate

A protest crowd in Sydney, Australia - one of many climate protests happening around the world on Friday (Image credit: SMH)

>> What difference do you think having these strikes will make? What are people protesting about?

News in brief - Friday 20th September

Climate protests across the world
Millions of people around the world are joining Greta Thunberg in striking to raise awareness of the issue of climate change; around 100,000 people marched in protest in London, with thousands more joining them in other countries such as Australia, India, Germany and the US

Red Cross reports millions in need of aid every week
A report by the Red Cross says that 2 million people a week are in need of humanitarian aid due to problems caused by climate change; it is thought that $20 billion a year will be needed to help people suffering from damage caused by floods, fires, storms and droughts

Children to be given opportunity to spend night under stars
An independent review has suggested that all school children should be given the opportunity to spend a night under the stars in one of England's national parks; the idea is that it would help children understand about the environment and appreciate its natural beauty

In pictures - North American bird species in decline

Reports are showing that North America has suffered a severe decline in bird life over the last 50 years (Image credit: BBC)

>> What impact could this have on the rest of the ecosystem that the bird lives in? How will it affect predator/prey balance?

News in brief - Thursday 19th September

Alarming loss of global bird species
Two new studies have found that bird species across Asia and the US have experienced severe loss in compared to 50 years ago; North America has witnessed a 29% loss of birds, and it is reported that in Indonesia there are now more birds living in cages that in the wild

Greta Thunberg calls for natural solutions to climate change
Climate activist Greta Thunberg has made a film highlighting the importance of using nature to help restore our planet and combat climate change; in the film, she describes how using forests and planting mangroves and seagrass meadows can significantly boost natural storage of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere

Burger King announces plans to remove plastic toys from meals
The fast-food chain Burger King has been one of the first companies to remove all plastic toys given away to children as part of a meal deal; there has been increasing pressure on corporations such as Burger King and McDonalds to remove this unwanted and un-recycleable plastic from its products as the toys often end up in landfill sites

In pictures - tiger abuse at a Thai temple

Nearly half the tigers rescued from a Thai temple have died from health complications  (Image credit: Getty Images)

>> Why are tigers abused like this in some parts of the world? What kind of environment do tigers normally live in?

News in brief - Monday 16th September

Ozone layer repairing
The hole in the ozone layer is the thinnest it has been for three decades; the ozone layer is important in protecting the earth from the sun's harmful radiation and had grown thinner as a result of the use of substances containing chlorofluorocarbons which are now banned

US not expected to attend climate summit
President Trump is expected to give the UN Climate Change summit a miss on Monday 23rd September; it is thought that the US is not intending to commit to any climate change reduction targets as they already pulled out of the Paris Agreement in 2016

Smog pollution across south-east Asia
Every year, around this time in September, the skies of south-east Asia are full of smog and pollution; this is due to farmers who use a slash-and-burn clearance method to burn forests and make space for new palm oil and paper plantations

In pictures - storm season continues in the Atlantic

Another storm system develops again just off the coast of the Bahamas (Image credit: AFP)

>>Why is another storm system developing in this area? How do you think the survivors of Hurricane Dorian might be preparing for this one?

News in brief - Friday 13th September

A good summer for butterflies
The warm summer weather has helped to boost butterfly populations across the UK; the number of painted lady butterflies recorded exceeded half a million

Pollution in the English Channel harming dolphins
A sample of bottlenose dolphins have been found to have very high levels of toxic chemicals and mercury in them just off the French coast; scientists say that more needs to be done to eradicate these invisible toxins which can be passed from mother to calf

Tree planting telethon begins in Denmark
A TV fundraising event in Denmark is calling for people to donate money to help plant forests in and around Denmark to help fight climate change; 600 ha of land has been identified on the edges of Danish cities and tree planting will happen at official events beginning this Autumn and continuing into next spring, with around 1 million trees expected to be planted

In pictures - bushfires break out across Australia

Satellite images show the movement of smoke from bushfires are they slow spread through New South Wales (Image credit: Sentinel/Copernicus)

>> What might the impacts of these fires be? Why are we seeing more fires breaking out?

News in brief - Wednesday 11th September

Student climate strikes
Students around the world are planning to strike on 20th September in protest of the lack of action taken by world leaders to address climate change; the Trades Union Congress and Amnesty International have spoken of their support and are encouraging workers to stop working for a time in the day to mark their protest

The fight against malaria
Experts are suggesting that it may be possible to rid the world of the mosquito-bourns disease malaria by 2050; it would be an ambitious task and cost a lot of money (around $6 bn), but it would mean that half a million people (mainly children) each year who die from malaria will now live healthier and malaria-free lives

Many still missing after Hurricane Dorian 
Around 2,500 people have been registered as missing after Hurricane Dorian swept through the Bahamas last week; 50 people are known to have died, but many more are feared dead or may possibly still be hiding in shelters in remote parts of the island complex

In pictures - radioactive waters fill up the Fukushima power plant

The Fukushima nuclear power plant fills up with radioactive water after it was shut down in 2011 (Image credit: Reuters)

>> What do you think could happen if the radioactive waters are released into the ocean? 

News in brief - Tuesday 10th September

UN 2020 Climate Change Summit to take place in Glasgow 

Glasgow will be hosting the Conference of Parties climate change summit (COP26) at the end of next year; the event will last for two weeks and over 200 world leaders will attend to discuss ways forward in tackling causes of climate change

Making beef production carbon neutral

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has stated that it is possible to make beef production carbon neutral by 2040 without cutting back on the amount produced; their plan is to offset their carbon emissions by growing crops for biofuels and using carbon capture technology to store carbon emissions in the ground

Radiation still remains at Fukushima

Since the tsunami struck the nuclear power plant in Fukushima (Japan) in 2011, sea water has been accumulating inside the plant that is now highly radioactive; the storage tanks will run out of space by 2022 and there may be no other options expect to release it slowly into the Pacific Ocean and dilute it

In pictures - badgers face increasing threats from culling

The number of badgers culled will double this year in the fight to stop the spread of TB (Image credit: Getty Images)

>> Why is it so important to protect cattle? What might happen to rural ecosystems if badgers are removed?

News in brief - Monday 9th September

Controversial badger culling
The government has been allowing the culling of badgers in certain zones within the UK to help try and stop the spread of TB (tuberculosis) in cattle; it is predicted that up to 50,000 badgers may be killed this year, which would be double the amount of the previous year

Solar panel complaints
Thousands of people who installed solar panels have had to complain about the lack of money they have made from generating power; many customers who installed these solar panels took out loans to cover the initial costs, hoping to make the money back from the electricity they made by selling it back to the grid

UK failing to do enough to stop climate change
The UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has concluded that the UK has some of the best resources and knowledge in the world to deal with climate change, but it is failing to utilise them; Baroness Brown who chairs the committee has said that the UK should be leading the world by example and not let itself be underprepared and have to deal with disrupted train services and threats of dams bursting

In pictures - the threatened Tongass Forest region, Alaska

While the Amazon burns, Trump threatens to approve logging of one of the world's largest intact forests (Image credit: American Forests)

>> Why do you think people could be interested in development of this area? What harm might this cause?

News in brief - Friday 6th September

Increasing numbers of whales stranded around the UK
Records are showing that more animals were washed up on British shores in 2017 than in any other year; scientists believe this is due to disease, fishing activities, and plastic pollution

Plastic rubbish swamps remote Australian beach
Seven tonnes of marine plastic rubbish (some several decades old) has been picked up from a 2km stretch of beach in Arhem Land, Northern Territory; most of the plastic was made up of water bottles, cigarette lighter, shoes, toys and toothbrushes, and is thought to have come from south-east Asia

Major energy companies still looking for oil
Some of the world's largest oil and gas companies are still spending vast amounts of money exploring and developing deepwater oil fields and tar sands; this goes against efforts to create a more low-carbon world and reach climate change targets by 2030

Featured article - Grow your own forest

This week's Guardian article explain how you can make a small difference by planting trees

In pictures - UK's heather moors disappear

Spot the difference: the UK's heather moorlands from one year to the next (Image credit: National Trust)

>> What will happen to the other species that live in and around the heather if it disappears?

News in brief - Thursday 5th September

Hurricane Dorian moves north up the US coast
As Hurricane Dorian leaves the Bahamas behind, it heads for the US East coast bringing with it the risk of dangerous storm surges and flooding; the storm is set to move through the Carolinas bringing heavy rainfall and waters that could rise up to 2.4m above the ground

Heather crisis in the UK
A loss of heather is turning the UK's hillsides from beautiful purple shades into a muddy landscape; climate change is thought to be to blame for the higher temperatures and lower rainfall that make it hard for heather to thrive

Food producers are failing to take responsibility for global warming
Researchers are saying that the world's producers of meat, fish and dairy need to take more responsibility for the impact their industry is having on the environment; they suggest it is down to big retailers such as Walmart to monitor their demand and try to offset any carbon emissions produced 

In pictures - Greenland's ice sheet melting

Greenland's ice sheet is melting at a record rate (Image credit: BBC)

>> What are the impacts of this both for: 1) Greenland's wildlife and 2) people and the environment around the world?

News in brief - Wednesday 4th September

Plastic leaving its geological mark 
Plastic remnants are collecting in the sediment deposited at the bottom of our oceans and could become part of future fossil records; it is thought that this age could become known as the 'plastic age'  similar to how the iron ages and bronzes ages were known for their use of certain materials

Response to Hurricane Dorian intensifies
Rescuers are beginning to reach the northern areas of the Bahamas which was one of the worst hit regions by the record-breaking hurricane; seven people have been confirmed dead but this number is expected to rise, and looting has broken out as people are desperate for food and clean water

Greenland's melting ice sheet
Scientists are reporting that Greenland's ice sheet has melted by a record amount this year, thinning by about 100m; this has worrying implications for future sea level rise and will put low lying countries and states such as Bangladesh and Florida under threat

In pictures - starfish in Spain destroying valuable mussels, cockles & clams

Starfish off the coast of Spain are devouring the region's abundance of shellfish  (Image credit: Ben James)

>> What impacts do you think this will have on the livelihoods of local fishermen?

News in brief - Tuesday 3rd September

Devastation in the trail of Hurricane Dorian
Hurricane Dorian has taken around 24 hours to move over the islands of the Bahamas, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake; 5 people are known to have died, with many further casualties feared as help is slow to reach those affected

Unblock rivers to save UK fish
Scientists are advising that increasing numbers of weirs, sluices and dams in UK rivers are harming wildlife by creating barriers; species such as salmon are unable to migrate upstream and become isolated and weakened as a result

The impact of climate change on bananas
Research has shown that changes in global temperatures and rainfall patterns may affect the success of dessert banana crops in the future; countries like Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia and India may see a significant drop in production after 2050

In pictures - Hurricane Dorian

The strongest Atlantic hurricane on record moves over The Bahamas and towards Florida (Image Credit:  NY Post)

>> What will be the primary and secondary impacts of this storm? What primary responses are we seeing?

News in brief - Monday 2nd September

Hurricane Dorian makes landfall in the Bahamas
The strongest ever Atlantic hurricane on record has caused devastation across the Bahamian islands in the Caribbean; the category 5 storm had wind speeds of near 150mph and 13,000 homes are feared damaged or destroyed

Global warming causing geese to migrate 
Global heating has been found to shift the migration patterns of barnacle geese; these birds would normally have stopped for feeding further south of Norway but they are now stopping further north as places are too warm which is decreasing the availability of food

More funding for climate change crisis requested
Environmental groups have written to the government to request that more money be put towards finding solutions to the climate change crisis; they suggest the money could be spent on improving public transport, low-carbon technologies, sustainability schemes, and re-wilding areas of nature