More than 200 million face more intense and frequent floods due to plastic pollution blocking drainage systems, report finds
A devastating 2005 flood that killed 1,000 people in the Indian city of Mumbai was blamed on a tragically simple problem: plastic bags had blocked storm drains, stopping monsoon flood water from draining out of the city.
Now a new report, attempting to quantify this problem, estimates that 218 million of the world’s poorest people are at risk from more severe and frequent flooding caused by plastic waste.
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Breaking Waves: Ocean News
05/24/2023 - 05:59
05/24/2023 - 05:51
Raids targeting members of Letzte Generation are carried out at 15 properties in seven German states
Nationwide raids against members of the German climate protest group Letzte Generation (Last Generation) have been carried out at the behest of authorities in Munich investigating charges that the group is a criminal organisation.
Launched at 7am local time on Wednesday, 170 police officers took part in the raids, which targeted 15 properties in seven German states, including Bavaria and Berlin.
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05/24/2023 - 05:36
Investor payout comes as company posts small profit increase and forecasts strong earnings growth
which the company said was in line with its policy of increasing dividends by at least CPIH inflation”?Severn Trent has increased its dividend to more than £260m, despite growing public anger over payments made by water suppliers to their shareholders and executives, as companies come under increasing pressure to tackle leaks and sewage pollution of rivers and seas.
The rise in the water company’s investor payout came as it reported a small increase in profit for the past year and forecast strong earnings growth for the coming year.
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05/24/2023 - 03:00
Exclusive: investigation finds energy giant’s efforts to offset its huge emissions rely on schemes with little impact
A new investigation into Chevron’s climate pledge has found the fossil-fuel company relies on “junk” carbon offsets and “unviable” technologies, which do little to offset its vast greenhouse gas emissions and in some cases may actually be causing communities harm.
Chevron, which reported $35.5bn in profits last year, is the US’s second-largest fossil fuel company with operations stretching from Canada and Brazil to the UK, Nigeria and Australia.
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05/24/2023 - 01:00
Decline worse in Britain than other countries, as conservationists blame agriculture and global heating
Butterfly populations that live on grasslands across Europe have declined by more than a third in the past decade, according to a study.
Seventeen species that were once commonly found in pastures and meadows across 22 countries, including the small copper, common blue and meadow brown, declined by 36% on average between 2011 and 2020.
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05/24/2023 - 00:00
Science-Based Targets Network says new schema will ‘get nature into the boardroom’ in the same way as climate footprints
Businesses can now assess their impacts on nature loss using science-based targets as part of a move to “get nature into the boardroom”.
Research shows that the biodiversity crisis is as serious as the climate crisis, yet there is less information about how companies drive nature loss, because this data is not being disclosed. The Science-Based Targets Network (SBTN) is providing the first framework for companies to report their impacts on nature as part a new frontier of corporate environmental reporting.
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05/23/2023 - 23:01
Campaign group says plastics are incompatible with circular economy as countries prepare for treaty talks
Recycling plastic can make it more toxic and should not be considered a solution to the pollution crisis, Greenpeace has warned before the latest round of negotiations for an international plastics treaty.
“Plastics are inherently incompatible with a circular economy,” the global environmental network said in a report that brings together research showing recycled plastics are more toxic than their virgin constituents.
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05/23/2023 - 22:11
Tech firm founded by Australians Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar says net zero must be achieved by cutting emissions by 90% and only offsetting the remainder
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As corporate reports go, the title of Aussie tech firm Atlassian’s guide for other companies to cut their greenhouse gas emissions is as direct and flavoursome as they come: “Don’t F&*! The Planet.”
The firm, founded by Australians Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar, says it is already running its operations on 100% renewable electricity and has a “science-based target” to reach net zero emissions no later than 2040.
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05/23/2023 - 20:00
In this episode, host Tamara Kahn sits down with communication specialist and University of California Climate Stewards Academic Coordinator Sarah Mae Nelson. Sarah Mae has been communicating science since an early age and was recognized by President Obama for her commitment to effectively communicating climate change and solutions. Now she and her colleagues at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources are using communication science to find new ways of helping people understand climate disruption – a term that she and others hope conveys the phenomenon more clearly. Listen to hear how innovation depends on solid communication. Plus, startup founders can pick up a few insightful tips about communicating their business to those who matter to them most.
05/23/2023 - 17:10
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ABC rejects claims it was ‘swamped’ by complaints about King Charles III coronation coverage
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Cricket builds friendship between Australia and India, says Albanese
Narendra Modi described the Australia-India relationship last night as the three Cs – commonwealth, cricket and curry, the three Ds – diaspora, democracy and dosti (Bollywood film series and friendship) and the 3Es – economy, energy and education.
There is always a discussion about cricket when Australians and Indians gather and I did get the experience of being day one of the fourth test for a brief time with Prime Minister Modi. It was quite an experience in the world’s biggest stadium there in March and Australians and Indians are very passionate about their cricket but it is part of the way that we build our friendship between our two nations.
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