Around The Web

Ministers want to stop some councils in England charging for the disposal of materials.

Government’s proposed change to rules in England and Wales is part of measures aimed at cracking down on fly-tipping

Households in England and Wales will no longer have to pay to get rid of waste created by DIY activities under new plans set out by the government on Monday.

At the moment, some local authorities are allowed to charge for the removal of waste such as plasterboard, bath units and bricks, but the proposed changes outlined in a technical consultation would stop this.

Continue reading...

Listed contractor Decmil says delays in two major wind projects cause big revenue shortfall, as other losses lead to CEO stepping down.

The post Contractor blames wind farm delays for revenue shortfall as CEO steps down appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Only three specimens of the blue-grey mouse ever existed, and two are lost. We plunged into a search for the third, in the hope we might find the species isn’t extinct at all – just missing. Tyrone Lavery, Research fellow, Australian National University Chris Dickman, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, University of Sydney David Lindenmayer, Professor, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

You don’t need to visit a wonder of the world to show an appreciation of landscapes and wildlife

The Greek historian Herodotus is said to have made one of the earliest lists of seven wonders of the world. These were man-made structures, including the still mysterious feat of ancient horticulture known as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. More recent times saw natural alternatives to these marvels of classical architecture proposed: waterfalls, mountains, canyons, reefs. Dramatic landscapes, features and wildlife, and the pleasure and excitement they offer to visitors, are staples of tourism.

As environmental consciousness has risen in the west, attitudes to such sightseeing have changed. Yes, it is thrilling to visit remote forests or spot rare species. But travelling to far-flung destinations is carbon-intensive when flights or long road journeys are involved, and conservation can be made more difficult as well as assisted by sightseers. There is a balance to be struck, and ethical governments and businesses around the world try to maximise the benefits while minimising the harms. Colombia, for example, recently introduced laws aimed at promoting sustainable tourism.

Continue reading...

Just Stop Oil said its actions would affect fuel availability at petrol pumps across the south-east and Midlands

Clean-energy campaigners claim to have disrupted supplies from three oil terminals in the Midlands and south-east of England, as motorists complain some petrol stations are running short of petrol and diesel.

The government said only one terminal was out of action on Sunday afternoon as a result of the Just Stop Oil protests, and that local police forces are working with the industry to ensure that fuel supplies can be maintained.

Continue reading...

Survey suggests even Tory voters are unlikely to support Conservatives’ nuclear-first energy policy

More than three-quarters of the public are in favour of windfarms being built in the UK. That is the key result of an Opinium poll carried out for the Observer in the wake of publication of the government’s controversial energy security plans last week.

Ministers backed nuclear power but shunned new onshore wind plants as the main means for protecting the UK against future energy crises. But the new poll indicates Tory voters’ backing for wind turbines almost matches that of Labour and Lib Dem supporters – suggesting the move against onshore wind, a result of backbench Conservative pressure, runs counter to the views of the party’s own voters.

Continue reading...

It's on. The 2022 Federal Election campaign is officially underway. There's never been more at stake for Australia's climate and clean energy future.

The post Election 2022: Stakes for climate and energy policy have never been higher appeared first on RenewEconomy.

They have blocked major roads, obstructed traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and been denounced by Dominic Perrottet

• Download the free Guardian app; get our morning email briefing

It was the re-election of a Coalition government in May 2019 that altered the trajectory of Sam Noonan’s life and politics.

“I didn’t really care about politics until then,” Noonan says. “But then a lightbulb went off, and I kind of went, ‘Well, this is not working, we need to do something.’”

Continue reading...

The permit volume on offer for the Nova Scotia cap-and-trade auction in June marks a step down from the previous sale, according to a notice published Friday, in what could be the penultimate auction before the Canadian province switches CO2 pricing approaches.

A hidden camera has captured the first live UK footage of a wild white-tailed eagle hatching. The camera, which had been hidden in a stick three metres away from the nest to avoid disturbing the birds, captured the moment. White-tailed eagles became extinct in Scotland in 1918, but eagles from Scandinavia were reintroduced to the Isle of Rum in 1975. Fergus Cumberland, visitor experience manager for RSPB Scotland, said: 'Now to see that they've hatched their first chick is incredible. We feel so privileged to have been able to witness such a special moment'

• Hidden camera gets first live UK footage of wild white-tailed eagle hatching
  

Continue reading...

RSPB Scotland’s Abernethy nature reserve in Perthshire describes hatching as ‘such a special moment’

A hidden camera has captured the first live UK footage of a wild white-tailed eagle hatching.

Staff at RSPB Scotland’s Abernethy nature reserve in the Cairngorms, where the eaglet hatched, described it as being “such a special moment”.

Continue reading...

Several thousand XR climate crisis protesters rally in Hyde Park for the start of its latest campaign

Several thousand supporters of the protest group Extinction Rebellion were rallying near Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park on Saturday for the start of the group’s latest campaign in central London.

Hundreds of multicoloured flags bearing the “extinction” symbol of the environmental protest movement were fluttering above lawns closest to Marble Arch by 11am, while samba bands warmed up.

Continue reading...

In one of his last act before the election is called, Angus Taylor makes key board appointments at ARENA and the CEFC.

The post Taylor locks in key board seats at end of busy week trying to prop up coal appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Exclusive: Nike and H&M are among firms whose environmental scores suggest progress. But how are these calculated?

Fashion accounts for 10% of the world’s carbon emissions and is the second-most polluting industry in the world. But in an increasingly climate-conscious society, it is increasingly trying to present itself as sustainable to appeal to customers.

One big target is reducing greenhouse gas emissions and for the past two decades many brands have signed up to a scheme called the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), an independent body that awards grades for environmental performance.

Continue reading...

In 50 years, Canvey Island’s George Whatley has won five victories against oil and gas firms trying to expand operations

George Whatley is probably Britain’s most successful anti-oil campaigner, but you won’t find him at Extinction Rebellion’s latest wave of protests or the Just Stop Oil campaign which has blocked fossil fuel infrastructure recently.

At 80 years old and after a recent spell in hospital, he will be taking it easy at his bungalow on Canvey Island, Essex. But if anyone can claim a place in the annals of successful environmental protests, it is this former Bank of England security guard.

Continue reading...

A daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world.

Compliance entities came closer to holding a flat California Carbon Allowance (CCA) position this week, while speculators slightly boosted their net long, according to US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) data.

There is limited authoritative oversight of the voluntary carbon market, but both private-led initiatives and governments are beginning to show interest, according to participants at the North American Carbon World (NACW) conference in Anaheim, California.

The British government will fund a voluntary carbon offset market across four Mexican states with the aim of potentially scaling up into a compliance-based mechanism, a conference heard Friday.