Peru’s Castillo decrees major oil spill an environmental emergency

Peruvian President Pedro Castillo declared an environmental emergency on Thursday as clean-up teams struggled to contain a huge oil spill at the country’s biggest refinery, after rogue waves rocked a ship unloading crude there. The spill, blamed on unusual swells caused by a volcanic eruption… Read More

Germany’s climate movement

In late November 2021, Germany’s new coalition government announced its aim to phase out coal power across the country by 2030, eight years ahead of schedule. Earlier that month, the government of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where activists have been protesting against coal mining,… Read More

Water crisis looms for tsunami-hit Tonga; New Zealand help on the way

Two New Zealand navy vessels will arrive in Tonga on Friday carrying critical water supplies for the Pacific island nation reeling from a volcanic eruption and tsunami and largely cut off from the outside world. Hundreds of homes in Tonga’s smaller outer islands have been destroyed, and at least three people… Read More

Hidden cost of our obsession with fish oil pills

Scanning the shelves and internet for fish oil is a dizzying task. There are dozens of brands available and, although the typical consideration for the popular supplement is that quality matters most, it is not the only factor. These prized products travel a long way… Read More

California’s fires threaten to ravage mighty sequoia forests

California’s giant sequoias are symbols of permanence – with some living for thousands of years. But the fierce wildfires ravaging the state threaten even these mighty trees, which are among the longest-lived organisms on Earth. There is something primeval about giant sequoias. Their weird, broccoli-like… Read More

Alaska ‘Icemageddon’ warning follows heat record

The coldest US state of Alaska has recorded its hottest-ever December day, amid an unusual winter warm spell. Temperatures soared to a record 19.4C (67F) on the island of Kodiak on Sunday – almost seven degrees warmer than the state’s previous high. But elsewhere in… Read More

CLIMATE CHANGE COP 26 UPDATE

What is COP26 and what was agreed at Glasgow climate conference? The UK is hosting the COP26 summit in Glasgow – aimed at bringing climate change under control. A number of pledges have already been made, which could change our everyday lives. What is COP26… Read More

COP26: UN chief Guterres says global warming target on life support

UN chief Antonio Guterres has told the Associated Press news agency that the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C is on “life support”.  He said the COP26 summit would probably not see governments make the pledges needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by enough. … Read More