Nearly three-quarters of butterfly species which breed
in the UK have seen their numbers decline over a decade, according
to the biggest ever survey of the colourful insects.
Butterfly boom for Borders as English
species flutter north
The Scottish Borders are becoming
a hotbed of butterflies as a number of species head north because
of climate change, according to a report out today.
Bittern in booming good health in England's quarries
and wetlands
Britain's loudest bird, the bittern, is enjoying its
best year since records began, thanks partly to a new penchant for
nesting in disused and working quarries.
To most of us, one seal seems much like another. But
a new study shows they have varied personalities that lead to distinctive
approaches to parenting.
River Wear fish protected from birds by 'hedgehogs'
Devices called hedgehogs are coming to the rescue of
fish in the River Wear in the first project of its kind in an English
river, according to the Environment Agency.
The Forestry Commission and The Conservation Foundation
join forces to reinstate Elm Trees
The Forestry Commission in the West Midlands is taking
part in the Great British Elm Experiment, run by the Conservation
Foundation, which aims to reinstate Elm Trees into our countryside.
New study accelerates the recovery of hungry wildlife
A new study by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust
and Conservation Grade has identified that by growing a specific mix
of flowers and grasses farmers could accelerate the recovery of declining
farmland birds and bees.
Donald Trump's representatives yesterday held a secret
meeting with the companies behind plans for a £200 million
offshore wind farm near his golf resort.
The UK cannot meet its targets to slash greenhouse
gases by mid century without using energy from plant sources such
as wood, the Government's climate advisers have said.
Forestry sell-off plan overlooked benefits, panel
says
The benefits of England's publicly owned forests
were "greatly undervalued" by the planned state sell-off,
a government-appointed panel will say on Thursday in a report that
deals a new blow to the coalition's green credentials.
Frog pools and fish highways in Midlands' biggest
reedbed creation
Tens of thousands of swirling starlings, iridescent
ducks and majestic swans heading to the East Midlands from Scandinavia
and Arctic Circle this winter will get a unique bird’s eye
view of one of the UK’s most innovative landscape-conservation
projects ...
Several organic projects in the Western Isles have
been given a cash boost thanks to the latest round of Rural Priorities
funding from the Scottish Government.
Impoverished Laos is poised to erect the first dam
across the Mekong River's mainstream as it pursues its goal of being
Asia's battery despite intense opposition from downstream countries
and environmental groups.
Japan's whaling fleet has left its home port for another
turbulent season in the Southern Ocean, this year courtesy of extra
money from the nation's earthquake recovery fund.
Wildlife authorities in one of Africa's most popular
national parks will no longer tell visitors where to find its rhinoceroses
after an upsurge in poaching in recent months.
South Africans wait for swallows amid global warming
fears
Wetlands — critical for the health of South Africa's
coasts and river systems — already have been degraded or seriously
altered by human activity, and experts fear global warming threatens
them further.
AMIGA «Assessing and Monitoring the Impacts
of Genetically modified plants on Agro-ecosystems» is a
newly started EU project, funded by the FP7, aiming at producing scientific
data related to the possible environmental and economic impacts of
cultivation of GMPs, relevant to European environments.
Hungry goats improve habitat for rare native species
in Iowa project
At the Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt in Polk County,
researchers have developed a novel tool for restoring biodiversity
to a landscape choked by invasive species: Set loose a herd of hungry
goats.
The Japanese whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru has
left port today in what Sea Shepherd believes is the departure of
the whaling fleet for the Antarctic.
“Indigenous knowledge must to protect biodiversity”
Biodiversity plays a major role in bringing basic necessities
to the people but as it has been taken for granted, finding an economic
value to it has become a necessity, said Balakrishna Pisupati, Chairman,
National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), on Sunday.
Spain ... to designate 41 marine Special Protection
Areas
On 18 October, the Spanish Ministry of the Environment
and Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM), published a proposal designating
41 marine Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Spain.
EU signals flexibility on demand for climate treaty
deadline
The European Union signaled it may be open to a different
deadline for a new global warming treaty yet to be negotiated, widening
the scope for an agreement at United Nations climate talks this
week.
U.S. climate stance is ‘blowing negotiations
apart,’ envoy declares
The U.S. view that no new global climate deal is
possible before 2020 is derailing negotiations aimed at slashing
the world’s oil and coal emissions, according to an envoy
at the talks.
Australia, New Zealand say no Kyoto
extension without larger climate deal
Australia and New Zealand, which
sponsor the most developed carbon markets outside Europe, say they
won’t agree to remain part of the Kyoto treaty unless other
countries bolster efforts to curb emissions.
U.N. Climate Conference close to deal on Green Fund
Negotiators are close to agreeing the shape of a
Green Climate Fund, which is designed to help poor nations tackle
global warming and nudge them towards a new global effort to fight
climate change.
Pacific islands can expect more extremely hot and
wet days, saltier oceans killing off coral reefs and rising sea
levels, a new report on climate change reveals.
Sweden, UK and Germany rank most active on climate
Sweden, the UK and Germany are doing the most to
tackle global warming, according to this year's Climate Performance
Index. Brazil has lost top honors and no nation is doing enough
to avoid 'dangerous' warming.
The European Union's highest court is expected to
give its final ruling on Dec. 21 on a European law that would force
all airlines to pay for their carbon emissions, an EU source said
yesterday.
Britain urgently needs to develop carbon capture
and storage (CCS) technology if it is to achieve its climate targets,
and failure to do so would require unforeseen technology breakthroughs
and behaviour changes instead, a report said on Wednesday.
It is "extremely likely" that human activities
are "by far the dominant cause of warming" in Earth's
climate since 1950, according to a study published this weekend
in the journal Nature Geoscience.
