You will save the Earth by sharing and/or tweeting (corny right?)
The natural world is an incredible wonder that inspires us all, but despite our love of wildlife and wild places, there is no doubt that it is facing catastrophic decline, here and abroad. George Monbiot (The UK government wants to put a price on nature – but that will destroy it, 15 May) suggests that in efforts to save the natural world there are grave dangers in putting a “price on nature”.
Yet one reason we are failing to do what is necessary is because nature is still seen as “nice to have”, rather than essential in sustaining our health, wealth and security. Many companies, economists and governments regard environmental destruction as a regrettable but inevitable consequence of economic growth – the “price of progress”. If we don’t change this mindset, then there will be little prospect for the revolution in ideas that is needed to avoid a mass extinction event and disastrous climatic changes.
Continue reading...Three undergraduates are embarking on the direct action as part of an ongoing campaign to stop the university investing in fossil fuels
Three students at the Cambridge University have gone on hunger strike as part of an increasingly bitter campaign to stop the university investing in fossil fuel companies.
The move by the three undergraduates is part of an ongoing divestment campaign at the university that has been supported by hundreds of academics and scientists – including Sir David King, until recently the UK’s permanent special representative for climate change, Thomas Blundell, the former president of the UK Science Council and the author Robert Macfarlane.
Continue reading...Industry insiders and local environmentalists fear agricultural development has become untenable, threatening the valley’s future
The rise of Napa began with an upset. Warren Winiarski would know – his wine, a cabernet sauvignon, was a firm underdog at a legendary 1976 blind tasting in Paris, which pitted the best of France against the little-known California region.His winery, Stag’s Leap, shocked the wine world by taking top honors. “It broke the glass ceiling that France had imposed on everyone,” he recalls. “People’s aspirations were liberated.”Today Winiarski, 89, is speaking not of liberation, but of limits. A growing coalition of industry veterans and longtime residents fear that Napa has become a victim of its own success, pointing to the ecological transformation of the valley floor from dense oak woodland to a sea of vine-wrapped trellises. And they are posing a thorny question: has a unique agricultural region reached a tipping point at which agriculture itself becomes the threat?
Related: Stolen succulents: California hipster plants at center of smuggling crisis
Related: Has wine gone bad?
Continue reading...Mo Brooks rejects notion that global warming is causing sea levels to increase, and says: ‘What about the White Cliffs of Dover?’
A member of Congress has suggested that the White Cliffs of Dover tumbling into the English Channel was causing rising sea levels.
Related: Everglades under threat as Florida's mangroves face death by rising sea level
Continue reading...Threat is not a possible future one but one endangering Australia now, parliament told
Sign up to receive the top stories in Australia every day at noon
Climate change is a “current and existential national security risk” to Australia, a Senate inquiry has told parliament, one that could inflame regional conflicts over food, water and land, and even imperil life on Earth.
The Senate committee inquiry into the implications of climate change for Australia’s national security recommended an increase in foreign aid to be dedicated to climate change mitigation and adaptation in the region, as well as a government white paper on climate security, Department of Defence emissions targets and a dedicated climate security post within the Department of Home Affairs.
Related: It's no surprise emissions keep going up. There's no price on carbon | Greg Jericho
Continue reading...Insects are vital to ecosystems but will lose almost half their habitat under current climate projections
Global warming is on track to cause a major wipeout of insects, compounding already severe losses, according to a new analysis.
Insects are vital to most ecosystems and a widespread collapse would cause extremely far-reaching disruption to life on Earth, the scientists warn. Their research shows that, even with all the carbon cuts already pledged by nations so far, climate change would make almost half of insect habitat unsuitable by the end of the century, with pollinators like bees particularly affected.
Related: Warning of 'ecological Armageddon' after dramatic plunge in insect numbers
Related: Insect declines: new alarm over mayfly is ‘tip of iceberg’, warn experts
Continue reading...I inherited a better world than my parents did. Our kids can’t say the same in an era of Trump, terrorism and climate deniers
The car is where I’ve discovered most about my parenting.
There was that time when I, a very young father, oh-so-briefly and absentmindedly left Number One Daughter in her baby capsule on the roof of the clapped-out Morris. It all turned out fine. So much so that she is now about to have her own child.
Related: It's 50 years since climate change was first seen. Now time is running out | Richard Wiles
Continue reading...Influential committee says collapse in low-carbon investment is endangering jobs and threatening climate commitments
Investment in the UK’s low-carbon economy has fallen dramatically, endangering jobs and putting in doubt the government’s commitments on climate change, an influential committee of MPs has warned.
Funds going into renewable energy, the mainstay of the low-carbon economy, fell more than 50% in 2017, having dropped by 10% in 2016, bringing annual investment in the sector to its lowest since the financial crisis in 2008.
Continue reading...Garrett Fisher spent much of his summer in 2015 flying over places like Yellowstone taking stunning pictures of retreating glaciers
After hearing that the glaciers of the Rocky Mountains are rapidly vanishing, financial consultant Garrett Fisher took a novel course of action – he flew a light aircraft, built in 1949, low and alone over the mountains in order to photograph them.
Fisher spent much of his summer in 2015 flying over places such as Yellowstone, Glacier National Park and Grand Teton National Park, taking stunning pictures of retreating glaciers for a new book.
Continue reading...The only thing close to climate change policy is the national energy guarantee. It’s not enough
Late last Friday, the government quietly released the latest data on greenhouse gas emissions and, as has been the case since the ending of the carbon price, they show emissions are increasing. But the figures also highlight that the government’s current plan to focus almost exclusively on electricity, through its national energy guarantee , means Australia will be unable to meet its commitment to reduce economy-wide emissions by 28% below 2005 levels by 2030.
The government is never all that excited about releasing the quarterly update on greenhouse gas emissions. In December it released them the week before Christmas, and this time it released it late Friday afternoon – the end of budget week.
Related: Gas boom fuels Australia's third straight year of rising emissions
Continue reading...Now everyone can fight climate change. Together our small changes will have a huge impact. Join our community today and get free updates on how you can fight climate change everyday!
Empowering you to fight climate change! Our focus is on helping people understand how climate change is being caused and encouraging them to take action everyday.
This site is powered by renewable energy | 2020 What's Your Impact, a registered non-profit organization.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.