Around The Web

UK sensors placed under the Greenland Ice Sheet will monitor how its glaciers slide towards the ocean.

Sydney's affluent eastern suburbs have raw and untreated sewage from 3,500 people discharged directly into the Tasman Sea. Ian Wright, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University Andrew Fischer, Senior Lecturer, University of Tasmania Boyd Dirk Blackwell, Adjunct Researcher, University of Tasmania Qurratu A'yunin Rohmana, Research Analyst, University of Tasmania Simon Toze, Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Environment Agency brings in high-volume pumps in a bid to lower water levels in Wainfleet

High-volume pumps are being used to reduce flood waters in a Lincolnshire town where nearly 600 homes have been evacuated.

Police have advised residents in around 590 properties in Wainfleet and neighbouring areas to evacuate amid concerns about flood defences along the river Steeping.

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More than 700 companies, including Amazon, Tesco and ExxonMobil, lack transparency, campaign group claims

A $10tn (£7.9tn) investor alliance has accused more than 700 companies, including Amazon, Tesco and ExxonMobil, of failing to reveal the full extent of their impact on the climate crisis, water shortages and deforestation.

The major global companies, with a combined worth ofmore than $15tn, lack transparency over their effect on the environment, according to the intervention by some of the world’s biggest financial names.

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Michael Stone on the reality of Britain’s consumption, Celia Forsyth on support for fossil fuel projects, Gemma Cantelo on making cities greener and Stephen Martin on the sustainable development goals

Theresa May is deceiving us, either deliberately or through ignorance, with regard to the goal of reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050 (May puts 2050 zero emission target into law, 12 June). This is impossible for any economy based on mass consumption.

Over decades, most British manufacturing has shifted abroad, in particular to Asia where labour is cheap. These items are usually produced with high carbon outputs, with electricity supplied through coal. For an accurate figure of Britain’s emissions, our consumption of goods produced overseas must be included. As Britain’s consumption has increased enormously over the past 30 years, this carbon addition will be substantial.

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Havana treated victims of the catastrophe for free, writes Doreen Weppler-Grogan

Millions have watched Chernobyl, the TV series about the 1986 nuclear meltdown, and your coverage has been extensive (Report, 13 June). But an important related story has not had a mention at this time of renewed interest. Following the catastrophe, the tiny island of Cuba stepped forward and cared for over 20,000 young cancer victims from 1989 to 2011, – medical care, schooling, clothing, food, accommodation, playgrounds – all free of charge. A specialised medical facility was opened to the east of Havana, and Cuban doctors travelled to the affected region to treat patients in their homeland.

No other country in the world launched such a massive programme. The Cubans responded – as “an ethical and moral”, not a political question, as it was put at the time, and the programme continued despite changing governments in the Ukraine.

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Australian contractor secures deal with Total Eren that protects its capital, if not its margins, on potential cost blow outs at the Cohuna solar farm in Victoria.

The post Enel and contractor strike deal over cost over-runs at Victoria solar farm appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Kim Willsher reported on the world’s worst nuclear disaster from the Soviet Union. HBO’s TV version only scratches the surface, she says

There is a line in the television series Chernobyl that comes as no surprise to those of us who reported on the 1986 nuclear disaster in what was the Soviet Union – but that still has the power to shock:

“The official position of the state is that global nuclear catastrophe is not possible in the Soviet Union.”

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At least 279 animals have been stranded, triple the usual figure, and 98% have died, prompting investigation

At least 279 dolphins have become stranded across much of the US Gulf Coast since the start of February, triple the usual number, and about 98% of them have died, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) said.

Scientists will investigate whether lingering effects from the 2010 BP oil spill and more immediate effects from low salinity because of freshwater flowing from high rivers and a Louisiana spillway contributed to the deaths, said Teri Rowles, coordinator for Noaa fisheries’ marine mammal health and stranding response program.

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Ocean advocate highlights lack of action over South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands

Boris Johnson did nothing to protect “the most important biodiversity hotspot on the planet,” while foreign secretary, according to the United Nations patron for the oceans.

Lewis Pugh, who in his role raises awareness about the state of the world’s oceans, has worked with three of the rivals in the Tory leadership race – Michael Gove as environment secretary and both Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson as foreign secretaries – but highlighted Johnson’s lack of action.

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

California’s Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee (IEMAC) at its Friday meeting outlined a potential metric methodology to determine the exact number of surplus allowances in the WCI-linked cap-and-trade programme, and it intends to ask state regulator ARB about the feasibility of that calculation.

A group of divers are taking beach clean ups to the next level by diving for litter under water.

A new book describes the people and concerns of the Pacific region, in the interests of better informing our foreign policy.

They were here before us and should live on long afterwards. With 12 years to avert catastrophe, we need to imagine the aeons to come and consider the creatures that outlive us

Wilbur the tortoise has, in all probability, lived more than a hundred years.

“From his size and weight and general health,” says Adam Lee, a reptile keeper at the Melbourne zoo, “we put him at about 110 but there’s no real way of telling with giant tortoises unless you have them from birth or as a hatchling.”

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We have some exciting opportunities to join some of New Zealand's hottest policy and operational teams. We are looking for Senior Analysts / Senior Policy Analysts with a wide range of experience to become part of our team in the roles below:

The Office of Climate Policy and Programs is seeking a Senior Policy Advisor. The ideal candidate has strong experience in project management and knowledge of climate policy; some experience in government, not for profit, or advocacy organizing; and is eager to learn how to leverage policy making to create opportunities and positive change for New Yorkers.

Entities should be able to continue buying voluntary carbon credits in the Paris Agreement era, though exactly how those claims will be reflected is still up for debate, a cross-stakeholder group has said.

Group defies court order against Arctic Sunrise supporting occupation of North Sea rig

Police have arrested two Greenpeace activists who had boarded a North Sea oil rig as the environmental group said it was sending its ship Arctic Sunrise to join the protest in defiance of court orders obtained by BP.

The oil firm has taken out injunctions against the ship and the Greenpeace ice-breaker, the Esperanza, forbidding them from supporting a protest on a rig in Scotland’s Cromarty Firth that is now in its sixth day.

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Addressing energy leaders, pope warns of ‘catastrophic’ effects of global heating

Pope Francis has declared a global “climate emergency”, warning of the dangers of global heating and that a failure to act urgently to reduce greenhouse gases would be “a brutal act of injustice toward the poor and future generations”.

He also endorsed the 1.5C limit on temperature rises that some countries are now aiming for, referring to warnings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of “catastrophic” effects if we crossed such a threshold. He said a “radical energy transition” would be needed to stay within that limit, and urged young people and businesses to take a leading role.

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