News in brief: 16th - 22nd November 2020

Banning petrol cars by 2030
As part of the UK's move to become more carbon neutral, the government announced that it plans to ban the sale of petrol cars by 2030 meaning that electric cars will dominate the market; this is great news for the environment but there are concerns around ensuring that there is enough infrastructure to cope with the numbers of cars and vehicles that will need regular recharging

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Oil pollution in the Arctic

New rules around shipping in the Arctic have been recently brought in to protect it from oil pollution which can threaten wildlife; it appears, however, that some of these rules don't go far enough as there are several loopholes that allow ships from Arctic coastal states to sail around which will mean that some oil will still enter the waters

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New global map of bees

Bees play a hugely important role in pollinating plants which helps to keep our ecosystems thriving; scientists have created a new map which shows the distribution of all 20,000 bee species and this will help inform further efforts to conserve bees and ensure their survival

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News in brief: 2nd November - 8th November 2020

The UK's carbon-free future

It is thought that the UK will need specific rules if it is to meet its carbon reduction targets in the future; suggestions are that households appliances will need to have strict standards in energy efficiency, all new homes should be carbon neutral, and new cars should be electric or hybrid

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Raw sewage dumped onto UK beaches

It has become apparent that water companies in the UK have been dumping raw sewage onto bathing beaches around 3,000 times a year; this occurs as a result of overflows after heavy rainfall and there are concerns about the health implications this may have on beach users and sealife

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Danish mink under threat

The Danish government has announced that all mink must be culled after it was suspected that a strain of covid has mutated and passed between cages minks; this is devastating for the mink industry in Denmark but scientists believe that if this does not happen then it will undermine the efforts to find an effective covid vaccine in the future

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The future of wind power

There has been a lot in the news this week about the future of wind power.  Britain is looking to invest more money than ever in new offshore wind farms in order to make this the main source of energy for homes and businesses.  This is a good move as it will make our energy cleaner and more sustainable, and it will reduce our reliance on importing energy and being subject to sudden changes in oil and gas prices.  

The government is proposing to spend £160 million on building turbines and updating existing facilities, and in the process will create 2,000 new jobs. This will generate more security in the green economy and should hopefully make a good base to support more green jobs in the future. 

The main benefit of investing in wind power is that it will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are pumped into our atmosphere every day.  This will help the UK reach its climate change goals for 2050 and will contribute to the global effort to minimise the impacts of climate change.  If carbon emissions were to continue at the current rate, we would start to see even more extreme weather events such as floods and wildfires, and our oceans would be at risk from increased warming.  This endangers all wildlife on land and in the sea and so it is vital that we don't let our ecosystems deteriorate any further. 

The investment in clean energy is part of what is being called the 'green recovery' from the recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic.  Making sure we 'build back greener' is essential to ensuring we meet climate targets, become independent in our energy generation, and ultimately protect our planet so that we don't interfere and damage any further the wilderness areas. 

To find out more about wind power, click on the following links:

♻ Renewable UK

♻ Energy Saving Trust

♻ BBC News

News in brief: 24th - 30th August 2020

Storm Francis causes widespread flooding

Strong winds and heavy rain brought by Storm Francis has caused widespread flooding across large parts of the UK and particularly Wales; the Met Office put out extreme weather warnings and evacuated people from some areas as wind speeds reached up to 75mph

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Poor wheat harvest pushes up bread prices

The price of bread may rise after the worst wheat harvest in the UK in 40 years; extreme weather has affected crop growth, with flooding causing problems with sowing last autumn and dry spells in the summer limiting nutrient uptake

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Protest over Mauritius oil spill

Thousands of people have gathered to march in protect about the large oil spill off the coast of Mauritius last month; it is thought that around 1,000 tonnes of oil have been spilt into a precious wildlife area, and that the government has done little to clean up the spill or prevent it from happening in the first place
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A good season for butterflies

All the warm weather over spring and summer this year has made it an excellent season for a number of butterfly species; lots of British native species have been seen in abundance although there are still several that are in decline overall
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News in brief: 17th - 23rd August 2020

California wildfires at critical level

Wildfires have been sweeping across the state of California as a result of a heatwave and lower than average rainfall; President Trump has now declared the area as a major disaster zone with nearly 1 million acres of land now burnt

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Record-breaking ice loss in Greenland
Greenland lost an unprecedented amount of ice by melting in 2019; changing weather systems have meant that it has experienced longer periods of high air pressure which increases melt rates and contributes to sea level rise

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Dams limit sea level rise

It is now though that large scale dams have helped to limit sea level rise in some areas over recent decades; despite increased overland flow from melting glaciers and river floods, the amount of water reaching the sea is about 12% lower than it might have been because of the dams

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Drilling for Arctic oil

Many parts of the Arctic have been drilled for oil over recent decades. The rock beneath the ice and snow holds a wealth of natural fossil fuels which various governments and corporations have sought to exploit in order to benefit from the profits and industrial development that such a resource brings.

This week, it has come to light that the US government is now going to allow a new plan to go ahead to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.  This is an area in north-east Alaska which is home to many different animals including reindeer and polar bears and many other mammals and birds. It sits above millions of barrels of oil which can be extracted by drilling deep down into the ground.

The government say that drilling for oil will provide jobs for hundreds of Alaskan people and generate large amounts of income for the area.  However, we have already seen from other projects like this that the environment is usually destroyed to the point of no return and animals have to migrate elsewhere which disrupts the balance of the ecosystem.  

Many people also feel (now more strongly than ever) that there is no room for these kinds of projects with the current impacts of climate change hitting almost every corner of the globe.  They believe money should be being invested into green alternative energies, and not finite fossil fuels whose reserves will quickly be used up. There is no need that is great enough to risk having the oil spills, habitat destruction, noise pollution, and the increased greenhouse gas emissions that would result from another oil refinery.  

Arctic areas are seeing the impacts of global warming more than ever, with ice melting at an increasing rate and more and more risk to polar bears who rely on the ice for fishing and migrating.  It seems, illogical, therefore, to go ahead with such an outdated and dirty fossil fuel extraction project in an area that it trying to cling on to its status as a pristine wilderness. 

To find out more, click here:

BBC News

National Geographic 

Greenpeace

News in brief: 10 - 16 August 2020

Mauritius oil spill worsens
The Japanese bulk carrier that began spilling oil last week has now broken into two pieces; hundreds of tonnes of oil have spilt into the area since the end of July and large numbers of volunteers have now stepped up to help with the clean up effort

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Plans for renewable heat networks

Two projects have been given extra funding to supply buildings in south Wales with waste heat generated from industrial sites; a system of underground pipes will transfer the heat from the site to the buildings, and this will help to save both carbon emissions and costs of heating

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Arctic ice shelves breaking up

New satellite photos from the Plant-Earth observation company have shown a worrying break in the Milne Ice Shelf in the Arctic; this is one in a series of many break-up events over the last 15-20 years and as such is yet more evidence of the rapidly warming climate

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News in brief: 3 - 9 August 2020

Oil spill in the Indian Ocean
A ship has begun leaking fuel off the coast of Mauritius after running aground on a coral reef; Mauritius has now declared a state of emergency with thousands of sealife at risk which may affect both the animal and human populations in the area

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Beavers in England

A group of beavers have been allowed to remain on the River Otter in east Devon after a five-year reintroduction trial; beavers are a great help to the environment as they build dams which helps to slow flooding and they can also boost local wildlife populations

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Rising risk of extreme droughts 

Climate change is increasing the risk of extreme droughts across central Europe which will have a significant impact on crop production; central Euope suffered the biggest droughts in 2018 and 2019 which caused rivers to dry up, crops to be ruined and more frequent wildfires than normal

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Climate change affecting UK's weather

The UK is seeing an increasing number of warm spells with temperatures now regularly reaching above 30 degrees.  Last week, the UK recorded its third warmest day ever and another wave of high air pressure is set to bring soaring temperatures again next weekend.  This is all part of a pattern of increasing extreme weather that the UK is seeing, with more flooding events and warmer winters than ever before.

Scientists believe that these weather patterns are a direct result of climate change, and if actions are not taken then we will continue to see increasingly unpredictable weather events.  This not only causes problems for people living in flood risk areas, but it also puts farming livelihoods at risk which could make food production a problem.  Ecology and local ecosystems could become unbalanced with wildlife struggling to adapt to the changes.  

We are seeing efforts made towards becoming more carbon neutral.  The UK is now hardly dependent on coal as a fuel source, with most coal power stations now shut down.  However, more needs to be done both at government level and individual level to reduce the amount of carbon emissions we produce. 

Read this government report to find out what the UK is doing to build a green and healthy future. 

News in brief: 17 February - 23 February 2020

Flooding worries continue
The UK is not experiencing any let up in flooding concerns as heavy rain and wind continues to sweep across the country; heavy overnight rain has meant that residents of towns in the Yorkshire Dales had to be evacuated from their homes overnight

Controversy over domestic fuels
The UK is introducing a ban on coal and wet wood (wood that has not been seasoned or dried for 1-2 years) being used in homes for domestic fires; the trend for log burners in homes is leading to a reduction in air quality and it is thought by controlling the type of fuel used it may make it more environmentally friendly

Rise in blue whale population
The number of blue whales spotted near Antarctica has risen dramatically according to recent observations; a 23-day survey carried out recorded seeing 55 animals, an amazing number considering the area was an epicentre for whaling in the early 20th century

Greta Thunberg to visit Bristol
The Swedish environmental activist is to visit Bristol next week for a youth climate protest; Bristol has previously received an award for being a European Green Capital in 2015 and has backed a commitment to being carbon neutral by 2030

Is spring arriving early?
Weather watchers and nature lovers are noticing that spring has arrived incredibly early this year with daffodils and snowdrops flowering as early as the end of January; in some places, flowers are coming out all at once instead of being staggered throughout the spring

News in brief - Monday 21st October

Acidification of the oceans will cause mass extinction
A new report has shown that acidification of the oceans from carbon dioxide absorption will significantly reduce the amount of wildlife that can be sustained within it; scientists are warning of an 'ecological collapse' which could occur if species such as coral and phytoplankton were to die out

Promising future of solar power
Growth in the use of solar power could mean that the solar power industry will grow by 50% in the next 25 years; this would bring an end to the rise in use of fossil fuels such as coal and oil

News in brief - Tuesday 15th October

New government environmental bill
The UK government has published a new list of environmental priorities which include improving air and water quality, reducing plastic pollution, restoring wildlife and targeting the causes of climate change; an independent watchdog is set to monitor these targets and make sure the government is held accountable

Promising future of renewables
Rapid progress in renewable energy innovation may bring an end to fossil fuels earlier than previously thought; in the last year, the UK saw greater energy production from renewable sources than ever before

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 - 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

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

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

In pictures - the last of the UK coal fired power stations

Ratcliffe on Soar coal fired power station (Image credit: Carbon Brief)

>> Where will most of our energy come from in the future? What will happen to these old power stations?

News in brief - Friday 30th August

The UK's use of coal falls
The amount of coal being used by UK power stations has fallen by two thirds; this is part of a move towards becoming a zero-emissions economy and a focus on renewables sources of energy to help us meet our climate change goals

Extinction Rebellion protest in Manchester
The climate change activist group 'Extinction Rebellion' is holding a protest in Manchester to highlight the issue of the city's proposed airport expansion; the protest is expected to last several days

Future looks poor for Great Barrier Reef
The outlook for Australia's Great Barrier Reef has been officially downgraded from poor to very poor due to rising sea temperatures which bleach the coral; Australia pledged A$500 million last year to protect the reef but bigger steps to halt climate change are also needed

News in brief - Thursday 29th August

Banning fires in the Amazon
Brazil has now banned the use of fires as a land clearance technique in a move to minimise any further damage caused by the spreading wildfires across the rainforest; there will be meetings next week to discuss what further actions may be taken

Birds of prey persecuted
The RSPB has reported 87 confirmed incidents of bird crime last year, with only one successful conviction; birds of prey such as buzzards, red kites and owls are sometimes poisoned, shot, trapped or illegally killed

Fracking controversy
A large tremor near a fracking site in Preston has raised tensions again over the controversial practice; the 2.9 magnitude tremor is the largest ever recorded in the UK due to fracking