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In 2019, the UK committed in law to reducing its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. Now the political climate has changed.

The world’s first direct air capture (DAC) plant that captures CO2 from the atmosphere and uses it to create a building material has begun operations in the UK.

Sandeels are a vital source of food for seabirds that live along the UK coastline.

Creatures make up the bulk of seabirds’ diet but are fished for commercial pig food

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A ban on fishing for sand eels in UK waters will remain in place despite a legal challenge from the EU.

The small, silvery eels make up the bulk of the diet of seabirds, but they are fished for commercial pig food. A lack of sand eels means seabirds such as puffins can starve to death.

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The UK holds great promise for scaling carbon removals provided the sector can access CO2 transport and storage infrastructure, adequate subsidies, and can overcome feedstock issues, wrote a think tank in a report this week, which gave several recommendations for how the government should support the fledgling industry.

The World Bank has approved two International Development Association (IDA) financings totalling more than $180 million to support Benin's efforts in improving land tenure security and enhancing forest management, including for the generation of carbon credits.

Shell posted a sharp drop in first-quarter net profits as the company was hit by weaker oil prices, but the fossil fuel producer still pushed ahead with its policy to boost the share price with buybacks after the renewables and energy solutions segment lost money.

EU carbon allowances surged to a one-month high amid sustained mid-morning buying that took the market through key technical resistance levels, as natural gas prices continued to recover after dropping to a nine-month low earlier in the week.

Environmentalists worry that the post-Brexit legislation will allow the destruction of rare and fragile ecosystems

Walk along the gin-clear River Itchen in Hampshire and you might see otters, salmon, kingfishers and clouds of mayflies, all supported by the unique ecosystem of the chalk stream.

The UK has no tropical rainforests or tigers; its wildlife is arguably more modest in appearance. But its chalk streams are some of the rarest habitats in the world – there are only 200, and England boasts 85% of them. If you look properly, they are as biodiverse and beautiful as any rainforest.

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The West Australian government said Friday a study it had undertaken with two European partners added more evidential heft to its long running plans to turn a port several hundred kilometres north of capital Perth into a green hydrogen and ammonia export super hub.

Biodiversity credits could contribute to achieving global biodiversity targets, provided that prices are increased through improved credit accounting methods, according to a study released this week.

Switching from traditional air cooling to liquid-based systems can slash carbon emissions by as much as 21% across a data centre’s lifecycle, a study by tech giant Microsoft has found.

A major Asian airline is set to begin adding carbon pricing to flights this year to meet the cost of sourcing necessary offset credits to meet its mandated decarbonisation goals.

Verified carbon removal credits from wastewater alkalinity enhancement (WAE) have been issued this week by a removals registry, marking the first delivery under the developer's multi-million dollar agreement with a removals buyer club.

Warm weather means strawberries, aubergines and tomatoes have come weeks earlier than expected

A glut of early strawberries, aubergines and tomatoes has hit Britain with the dry, warm weather eliminating the usual “hungry gap”, growers say.

It has been a sunny, very dry spring, with the warmest start to May on record and temperatures predicted to reach up to 30C at the earliest point on record, forecasters have said.

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When CO2 is captured and put back in the industrial value chain – whether to grow tomatoes or to burn as a fuel – the awkward question inevitably comes up: who should pick up the bill for the related CO2 under the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)?

Met Service issues red warning amid deepening low pressure as Europe sees above average temperatures

Strong winds and flooding spread across New Zealand last week, with a state of emergency declared in Christchurch, as the country was battered by a destructive area of low pressure this week. A red warning, the highest warning level, was issued by the MetService (the national meteorological service). The area of low pressure quickly deepened in the Tasman Sea off the west coast of New Zealand and then travelled eastwards across the country, with the centre of the low pressure moving across the northern island and creating very strong winds, particularly through the Cook Strait, the body of water that separates the two islands. This was because the wind direction was a south-easterly to southerly which caused the winds to strengthen as they were funnelled between the island.

The capital of New Zealand, Wellington, recorded some of the strongest winds, with gusts exceeding 90mph. Flooding was also an issue, especially for the southern island as the winds brought in moist air from the sea, which rapidly rose over the Southern Alps mountain range producing heavy rain. More than 100mm of rain fell in under 12 hours across some eastern areas and the local government called a state of emergency in Christchurch, the largest city in the southern island, as rivers burst their banks and roads closed. Across mountainous areas snow warnings were also issued, with some parts seeing over 50cm of snow in just 24 hours. Large swell was produced by the area of low pressure, with waves of almost 6 metres through the Cook strait.

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I saw the world’s tallest moss and camped beneath a 500-year-old myrtle tree

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The New Zealand government has confirmed its farm-to-forestry conversion ban will take effect as of December last year, as an agriculture lobby group has attempted to narrow exemptions to the restrictions.

The best of this week’s wildlife photographs from around the world

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