Category Archives: Environment

US issues western water cuts as drought leaves Colorado River near ‘tipping point’

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Arizona, Nevada and Mexico affected as federal government steps in after states failed to reach agreement

After western US states failed to reach agreements to reduce water use from the beleaguered Colorado River, the federal government stepped in on Tuesday, issuing cuts that will affect two states and Mexico.

Officials with the Bureau of Reclamation declared a “tier 2” shortage in the river basin as the drought continues to pummel the American west, pushing its largest reservoirs to new lows. The waning water levels, which have left dramatic bathtub rings in reservoirs and unearthed buried bodies and other artifacts, continue to threaten hydroelectric power production, drinking water, and agricultural production.

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Eastern Australia faces wet weather and flooding with 70% chance of third consecutive La Niña

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Bureau of Meteorology forecasts heavy rain in spring driven by negative Indian Ocean Dipole and warm waters in the north

Australia could be lashed with more rain and possible floods for the next three months with La Niña conditions predicted to return for a rare third consecutive year.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology raised the El Niño-Southern Oscillation La Niña outlook from “watch” to “alert” on Tuesday afternoon.

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Australia news live: Karen Andrews leads calls for Scott Morrison to resign over secret ministries as former PM defends ‘belts and braces’ approach

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Morrison issued a lengthy apology on Facebook after the former home affairs minister called his secret swearing-in to her portfolio ‘unacceptable’

The former prime minister Scott Morrison is appearing on 2GB after revelations he appointed himself to several ministries in secret while in government.

Morrison says his appointments to three cabinet roles were “safeguards” during “unprecedented” times.

All ministers know their direct powers are matter between the prime minister and them not the cabinet.

These were not issues that were subject to cabinet.

It is the secrecy that is astonishing and we must get an explanation from the former prime minister about his actions.

One could understand how the prime minister may have wished to ensure that there was a safety net, particularly around the role of the health minister. We had no vaccines for Covid at the time.

But the fact that he chose not to tell anyone about this, the fact that his cabinet – many members of his cabinet – didn’t know about this – the prime minister has a responsibility to inform the parliament, the public and to inform his cabinet. It is a most extraordinary and alarming set of circumstances, I believe.

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Emergency housing rollout across flood-hit NSW north coast a ‘dog’s breakfast’, critics say

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Government defends measures against claims of slow progress, lack of consultation and a decision to put pods in a flood zone

Fewer than 60 emergency housing pods are being occupied in northern New South Wales nearly six months after the March floods. Critics have lambasted the rollout for poor communication, a lack of transparency and one location being built in a flood zone.

Temporary housing measures for flood victims were first announced at the start of March. The NSW government promised in April to provide 2,000 temporary homes including the pods, caravans, motorhomes and accommodation at recreation camps.

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Grenadian minister Simon Stiell to be next UN climate chief

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Grenada’s environment minister faces task of getting countries back on track to meet climate goals ahead of Cop27

The next UN climate chief will be Simon Stiell, the environment minister of Grenada, a surprise appointment that will cement the importance of holding global temperature rises to 1.5C.

Stiell will face the task of putting countries back on track to meet international climate goals at a time of rising geopolitical tensions and a global energy price crisis.

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Oder river: mystery of mass die-off of fish lingers as no toxic substances found

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Polish scientists only found elevated salt levels after thousands of dead fish were found floating in the central European waterway

Mystery continues to surround the cause behind a “catastrophic” mass die-off of fish in the Oder River, after Polish scientists said laboratory tests found elevated salt levels but no other toxic substances in the central European waterway.

German municipalities have banned bathing and fishing in the Oder after thousands of dead fish were found floating in the 520 mile (840km) river, which runs from the Czech Republic to the Baltic Sea along the border between Germany and Poland.

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As drought hits, what are UK water company chief executives paid?

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Anger is growing over the huge sums handed to shareholders and executives

Britain’s biggest water companies have come under the spotlight as the nation swelters during what could become the worst drought in 500 years, with hosepipe bans introduced across much of England in an attempt to fend off shortages.

Anger is growing over the huge sums handed to their shareholders and executives, given the companies’ record on tackling leaks and pollution and their failure to build more reservoirs. Politicians and campaigners are now calling for water company bosses to have their bonuses banned until they tackle these issues.

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Calls to cut bonuses for UK water bosses until reservoirs built and leaks fixed

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Multimillion-pound payouts should be shelved until investment put in to help country recover from drought

Water company bosses should be stripped of their multimillion pound bonuses until they fix leaks and build reservoirs, politicians and campaigners have said as the country is gripped by drought.

The current drought, in which parts of England are the driest they have been since records began after five consecutive months of below average rainfall, have led to homes running out of water, rivers turning dry and farmers facing crop failures, causing many to be outraged at the companies that have failed to invest in reservoirs, fix leaks and stop sewage pollution from their pipes.

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Norway was right to put down Freya the walrus, prime minister says

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Jonas Gahr Støre speaks out after criticism from campaigners, while a zoologist says decision was inevitable

Norway’s prime minister has said it was “right” to put down Freya, a 600kg (1,300lb) female walrus euthanised on Sunday in Oslo fjord, as animal rights campaigners attacked the decision but a leading zoologist insisted it was inevitable.

“I support the decision to euthanise Freya,” Jonas Gahr Støre told the public broadcaster NRK on Monday. “It was the right decision. I am not surprised that this has led to many international reactions. Sometimes we have to make unpopular decisions.”

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Wildfires in Europe burn area equivalent to one-fifth of Belgium

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Experts say drought and extreme high temperatures likely to make it a record year for destruction by fires

Across Europe, an area equivalent to one-fifth of Belgium has been ravaged by flames as successive searing heatwaves and a historic drought propel the continent towards what experts say is likely to be a record year for wildfire destruction.

According to data from the European Forest Fire Information System (Effis), 659,541 hectares (1.6m acres) of land burned across the continent between January and mid-August, the most at this time of year since records began in 2006.

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Scott Morrison used self-appointed powers to override minister on unpopular Pep11 gas-drilling permit

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Government sources say Morrison took control of Keith Pitt’s portfolio to reject exploration licence in lead-up to election

Scott Morrison used his extraordinary ministerial powers to overrule the resources minister, Keith Pitt, on the controversial Pep11 gas project, without revealing he had appointed himself responsible for the portfolio.

As details emerge about the former prime minister’s takeover of at least three additional portfolios, government sources say Morrison took control of the resources portfolio to reject the offshore gas exploration permit in the lead-up to the election.

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England ‘failing to invest in water networks to avoid future droughts’

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Government policy amounts to ‘keeping fingers crossed’ rather than acting to adapt to changing climate, says infrastructure chief

England is failing to invest in the water networks needed to avoid a future of recurrent serious droughts, with current policies amounting to the government “keeping [its] fingers crossed”, the UK’s infrastructure chief has warned.

The current drought was a warning that water systems could not cope with the changing climate, with more hot dry spells interspersed with heavier rainfall, said Sir John Armitt, chair of the National Infrastructure Commission.

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Greens propose shutting down all Victorian coal-fired power plants by 2030

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Exclusive: New bill also increases the state’s legislated renewable energy target to 100% by decade’s end

Victoria’s three remaining coal-fired power plants would be progressively shut down over the next eight years, under a Greens bill to be introduced to parliament this week.

The Energy Legislation Amendment (Transition from Coal) Bill 2022, is the Greens final piece of legislation to be debated before the state goes to the polls in November, and is set to form a central pillar of the party’s climate policy.

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Freya the walrus euthanised after troubling crowds in Oslo fjord

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Young 600kg female had been basking in waters of Norway’s capital and attracting crowds who disturbed her rest

A walrus nicknamed Freya that attracted crowds while basking in the sun in the Oslo fjord has been euthanised.

“The decision to euthanise was taken on the basis of a global evaluation of the persistent threat to human security,” the head of Norway’s fisheries directorate, Frank Bakke-Jensen, said in a statement.

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Shipwreck of Captain Cook’s Endeavour being eaten by ‘termites of the ocean’, expert says

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Shipworms and crustaceans called gribbles have infiltrated the wood of the vessel off Rhode Island

There are fears the wreck of Captain James Cook’s Endeavour is being destroyed by shipworms, the “termites of the ocean”.

In February the Australian Maritime Museum announced that the shipwreck, in waters off the coast of Rhode Island in the US, was “the final resting place” of that famous historical ship.

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Build an ark and ditch the pots: how to save your garden in a drought

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As official drought is declared in parts of England, here are some measures to preserve and future-proof gardens

With British gardens facing record temperatures, drought and hosepipe bans, it’s time for emergency measures. It’s particularly important because during drought, additional mains water is drawn from wild sources, affecting struggling wildlife. Here are some of the things you can do.

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UK weather: extreme heat warning in place for England and Wales as near 500% increase in wildfires reported – as it happened

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This live blog has now closed.

London Fire Brigade has called on people to avoid barbecues during the extreme weather, following a grass fire in Hayes, west London, yesterday.

It tweeted:

Firefighters tackled another grass fire in #Hayes which damaged around 400sqm of grass and shrubland, along with some boundary fencing, a chicken coop & a shed.

Remember - don’t barbecue in parks, dispose of cigarettes properly & clear away rubbish & glass.

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Brexit threatening endangered species as red tape hits zoo breeding programmes

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Transferring critically endangered species within Europe to broaden the gene pool is more difficult with Britain outside the EU

Breeding programmes designed to save critically endangered species are being jeopardised by Brexit, with zoos warning they are being prevented from transferring animals such as rhinos and giraffes by red tape created by the UK’s departure from the EU.

The animal health regulation was passed in 2016 before the EU referendum, but came into force in April 2021. There have been no reports that the UK dissented from the regulation.

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Europe’s rivers run dry as scientists warn drought could be worst in 500 years

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Crops, power plants, barge traffic, industry and fish populations devastated by parched waterways

In places, the Loire can now be crossed on foot; France’s longest river has never flowed so slowly. The Rhine is fast becoming impassable to barge traffic. In Italy, the Po is 2 metres lower than normal, crippling crops. Serbia is dredging the Danube.

Across Europe, drought is reducing once-mighty rivers to trickles, with potentially dramatic consequences for industry, freight, energy and food production – just as supply shortages and price rises due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine bite.

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At least 89 Covid deaths; Littleproud tells Nationals he’ll bring pragmatic policies to jobs summit – as it happened

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Nationals leader outlines vision for party at federal council meeting. This blog is now closed

White whale calf seen off NSW coast

There’s one newborn hogging all the attention off the NSW coast – a southern right whale calf born whiter than usual, AAP reports:

Southern right whales are mostly very dark, although some have splashes of white called a blaze.

Its white areas will darken to grey as it ages. It’s one of around one-in-30 southern right whale calves born with brindle colouring.

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