Grant Shapps vows to ‘max out’ UK’s North Sea oil and gas reserves

Grant Shapps, energy minister, has insisted that the government will “max out” the UK’s remaining reserves of North Sea oil and gas, arguing this is compatible with Britain’s pledge to reach…Continue readingGrant Shapps vows to ‘max out’ UK’s North Sea oil and gas reserves

UK’s record heatwave will be seen as ‘cool’ by 2100, Met Office warns

The UK’s hottest year of 2022 — when temperatures rose to a record 40˚C in the summer — will be considered “average” by about 2060 if the world keeps warming, the…Continue readingUK’s record heatwave will be seen as ‘cool’ by 2100, Met Office warns

Light and noise pollution are neglected hazards

A total of 130,000 healthy years of life are lost to noise pollution in the UK each year alone, according to data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), with 40%…Continue readingLight and noise pollution are neglected hazards

France badly hit by climate change and ill-prepared

France is being badly hit by climate change, is not prepared for its effects and is failing to sufficiently reduce its emissions, an independent climate body warned. The record heat and…Continue readingFrance badly hit by climate change and ill-prepared

Opinion: We have forgotten what a ‘natural’ river even looks like

Britain’s rivers are under the spotlight because of an untreated sewage crisis, and the pendulum of floods and droughts that are the hallmark of a warming world. But hidden within these…Continue readingOpinion: We have forgotten what a ‘natural’ river even looks like

UK firm given £430m green transition loan then expanded oil and gas business

After receiving the £430m loan, Wood grew its upstream oil and gas business by 17% so that it accounted for more than $3bn (£2.4bn) in revenue in 2022, up from $2.6bn…Continue readingUK firm given £430m green transition loan then expanded oil and gas business

UK government under fire for investing overseas aid in fossil fuel firms

The UK government is under attack for investing taxpayers’ money in fossil fuel companies, a hospital in Kenya accused of imprisoning patients who couldn’t pay for treatment, and a business in…Continue readingUK government under fire for investing overseas aid in fossil fuel firms

Chemical cocktails harmful to wildlife found in 81% of English rivers and lakes

Of 1,006 river and lake sites with data, 814 were found to have these toxic mixtures, according to analysis of data collected by the government’s Environment Agency. The data analysis, by…Continue readingChemical cocktails harmful to wildlife found in 81% of English rivers and lakes

Intensive farming is biggest cause of bird decline in Europe, study says

50 researchers, 40 years, 28 countries, 550 million fewer birds.Continue readingIntensive farming is biggest cause of bird decline in Europe, study says

Look up, listen, and be very concerned. Birds are vanishing – and their crisis is our crisis

The UK has lost 40m birds since 1970 and Europe as a whole has lost 600m birds since 1980. The British figures, especially for farmland species such as skylark and lapwing,…Continue readingLook up, listen, and be very concerned. Birds are vanishing – and their crisis is our crisis

UK bird numbers continue to crash as government poised to break own targets

Data shows 48% of species declined between 2015 and 2020 with woodland birds faring worst.Continue readingUK bird numbers continue to crash as government poised to break own targets

Half the wetlands in Europe lost in past 300 years, researchers calculate

Continue readingHalf the wetlands in Europe lost in past 300 years, researchers calculate

BP slows oil and gas retreat after record $28bn profit

CEO, Looney, said BP would spend $8bn more on its “transition” businesses — biofuels, convenience, charging, renewables and hydrogen — between now and 2030 than previously planned, and $8bn more on…Continue readingBP slows oil and gas retreat after record $28bn profit

Empty nests: why UK’s winter bird numbers are in sharp decline

Fewer and fewer migrant species, which used to be seasonal fixtures, are flying to our shores as the climate crisis takes its toll on their habitat.Continue readingEmpty nests: why UK’s winter bird numbers are in sharp decline

UK’s record hot 2022 made 160 times more likely by climate crisis

Without global heating, such warm temperatures would be expected only once every five centuries, Met Office says.Continue readingUK’s record hot 2022 made 160 times more likely by climate crisis

UK government blocks release of CO₂ figures behind transport plan

DfT refuses to publish emission figures, which campaigners say could make new road projects unviable.Continue readingUK government blocks release of CO₂ figures behind transport plan

Earthworms may have declined by a third in UK, study reveals

Scientists say loss may be as significant as ‘insectaggedon’ in terms of impact on soil, birds and ecosystems.Continue readingEarthworms may have declined by a third in UK, study reveals

Flying insect numbers plunge 64% since 2004, UK survey finds

Scientists behind car number plate study say ‘potentially catastrophic’ decline must be reversed.Continue readingFlying insect numbers plunge 64% since 2004, UK survey finds

First UK coal mine in 30 years gets government go-ahead

The first coal mine in Britain for 30 years has been given the go-ahead by the government. Michael Gove, the levelling-up secretary, granted approval for the mine in Whitehaven in Cumbria.…Continue readingFirst UK coal mine in 30 years gets government go-ahead

Equinor submits PDO for $1.5 billion Irpa gas project in Norwegian Sea

Equinor has submitted a plan for development and operation (PDO) for the NOK 14.8 billion ($1.46 billion) Irpa gas project in the Norwegian Sea to the Norwegian Petroleum and Energy Minister…Continue readingEquinor submits PDO for $1.5 billion Irpa gas project in Norwegian Sea

Why scientists are using the word scary over the climate crisis

More and more scientists are now admitting publicly that they are scared by the recent climate extremes, such as the floods in Pakistan and west Africa, the droughts and heatwaves in…Continue readingWhy scientists are using the word scary over the climate crisis

Disease ravages UK’s fragile woodlands

“We are getting hotter, drier summers and wetter winters and that is making trees more susceptible to disease. Climate change is already having some really significant effects”, said Rob Stoneman, director…Continue readingDisease ravages UK’s fragile woodlands

UK fracking and oil drilling good for environment, claims climate minister

Fracking and drilling for new oil and gas in the North Sea is green and good for the environment, Liz Truss’s new climate minister said on Wednesday. Graham Stuart insisted that…Continue readingUK fracking and oil drilling good for environment, claims climate minister

Image: UK heat wave

This summer, heat waves struck Europe, North Africa, the U.S. and Asia with temperatures reaching over 40°C in places—breaking many long-standing records. Images from the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission show the scale…Continue readingImage: UK heat wave

European countries invest in Qatar gas

France’s TotalEnergies has signed a new investment deal in Qatar’s natural gas production expansion. Speaking alongside TotalEnergies chief executive Patrick Pouyanne on Saturday, Qatar Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi announced the…Continue readingEuropean countries invest in Qatar gas

Many countries continue to invest in coal

To understand why it is proving so hard to break up with coal, we worked with an international team of around 35 researchers to investigate the political economy drivers of its…Continue readingMany countries continue to invest in coal

Britain’s freakish heat demolished records

The maximum temperature reached Tuesday in Coningsby, England — 130 miles (209km) north of London — was unlike anything the village had ever observed. It was an outlier in the truest…Continue readingBritain’s freakish heat demolished records

Met Office issues first ever red warning for extreme heat in England

The Met Office has issued its first ever extreme heat weather red warning for next week across much of England as temperatures hit levels during which “illness and death may occur…Continue readingMet Office issues first ever red warning for extreme heat in England

Sea level rise in England will force 200,000 to abandon homes

Sea level rise will force the abandonment of about 200,000 coastal properties in England within 30 years, new data suggests, as the climate crisis takes hold. These are the homes that…Continue readingSea level rise in England will force 200,000 to abandon homes

The Tories are going all out to shut down protest. Just Stop Oil activists like me will not be deterred

If your house was burning down and the emergency services were not answering your call, what would you do? Would you try to put out the fire yourself? This is what…Continue readingThe Tories are going all out to shut down protest. Just Stop Oil activists like me will not be deterred

The number of flying insects in Great Britain has plunged by almost 60% since 2004

The number of flying insects in Great Britain has plunged by almost 60% since 2004, according to a survey that counted splats on car registration plates. The results from many thousands…Continue readingThe number of flying insects in Great Britain has plunged by almost 60% since 2004

Britain wildlife is in freefall with 70 of 245 bird species now seriously at risk

The red list of Britain’s most endangered birds has increased to 70 species. Birds are placed on the red list either because their populations have severely declined in Britain, or because…Continue readingBritain wildlife is in freefall with 70 of 245 bird species now seriously at risk

Humans kill off 1 in 6 birds in the EU and UK

One of every six birds – a net loss of 600 million breeding birds in total – have disappeared over less than four decades. The study by scientists from the RSPB,…Continue readingHumans kill off 1 in 6 birds in the EU and UK

Nearly half of Britain’s biodiversity has gone since industrial revolution

Almost half of Britain’s natural biodiversity has disappeared over the centuries, with farming and urban spread triggered by the industrial and agricultural revolutions being blamed as major factors for this loss.…Continue readingNearly half of Britain’s biodiversity has gone since industrial revolution