Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Competition aimed at encouraging Gotland residents to save water is being copied elsewhere Dry, brown grass is no longer a source of shame on one Swedish island where residents have been competing over the “ugliest lawn” in an attempt to save water – and it seems the trend is spreading. “It was the easiest competition to win, I didn’t have to do anything,” said this year’s winner Stina Östman, a resident of Sweden’s largest island of Gotland, who has mixed feelings about her victory. “It’s always nice to win, even if you are the worst,” she said. Continue reading...

Robert Macfarlane says tree’s felling was part of hostile culture and calls for forest to be planted in its honour The felling of the Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian’s Wall symbolises a wider attack on nature in the UK, according to an award-winning landscape writer and poet. Robert Macfarlane said the sight of the downed 300-year-old tree made him and many others feel sick. “I just see this as part of a piece with a much broader hostile environment towards the living world in this country,” he told the BBC. Continue reading...

Cape Town mayor declares major incident as roads closed and 80,000 people left without electricity Extreme rain and strong winds across South Africa’s Western Cape province have caused flooding, torn off roofs, destroyed crops and damaged roads this week. It is estimated that the 48-hour rainfall totals between Sunday and Monday were between 100mm to 200mm (4-8in) in this region. According to the Cape Town Disaster Risk Management Centre, 12,000 people were affected, but a further 80,000 people were left without electricity, according to the national power utility. The mayor of Cape Town signed a major incident declaration for additional resources and relief measures as 80 roads have been closed, 200 farm workers have been stranded and rail services have been suspended in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces. Continue reading...

In today’s newsletter: A stunning new report lays bare the threats to British wildlife’s biodiversity, however all is not lost • Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First Edition Good morning. Sorry to bring you more bad news, but with this one there is – hopefully – something we can collectively do to make it less bad. A frankly alarming 16% (or one in six) of all the 10,000 wildlife species in Great Britain are at risk of extinction, according to a report by 60 research and conservation organisations. Among those at risk are some of the country’s most well known and loved birds, animals and plants, including turtle doves, water voles, lady’s slipper orchids, hazel dormice and European eels. The future is particularly bleak for birds, with about 43% of species facing the risk of extinction. Tax | UK households are facing an average tax rise of £3,500 a year by the next election, the country’s leading economics thinktank has said – the biggest increase over a parliament on records dating back more than 70 years. Conservatives | Rishi Sunak is to set out his “plan for motorists” that will limit the number of 20mph speed restrictions and favour drivers over bus passengers – setting ministers on a collision course with local authorities. Prison | Growing numbers of criminals in England and Wales are being spared jail sentences because of overcrowding, the Guardian has revealed. UK news | The victim of a stabbing on a busy street in south London during morning rush hour has been named by police as 15-year-old Elianne Andam, who was described by family as the “light of our lives”. Environment | A 16-year-old boy was been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage in connection with the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree in the north of England, police said. Continue reading...