A new law allows councils to impose on-the-spot fines for emitting smoke
People who live on narrowboats and barges – many on low incomes – say they may struggle to stay warm this winter because an increasing number of councils are planning to fine people burning wood on moored vessels.
Under the Environment Act, which came into force in 2021, council enforcement officers can issue on-the-spot fines of up to £300 to boat dwellers emitting visible smoke from wood burners. Only Sandwell council, in the West Midlands, has so far approved plans to enforce smoke controls along its 41 miles of canals. But three other councils – Liverpool, Newham and Cannock Chase – are planning to start fining houseboats.
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Breaking Waves: Ocean News
09/23/2023 - 09:10
09/22/2023 - 23:00
Six Portuguese young people claim inadequate policies to tackle global heating breach their human rights
Europe live – latest updates
A key plank of the UK government’s defence against the biggest climate legal action in the world next week has fallen away as a result of the U-turn by the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, on green policies.
The UK is one of 32 countries being taken to the European court of human rights on Wednesday by a group of Portuguese young people. They will argue in the grand chamber of the Strasbourg court that the nations’ policies to tackle global heating are inadequate and in breach of their human rights obligations.
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‘Climate villain’: scientists say Rupert Murdoch wielded his media empire to sow confusion and doubt
09/22/2023 - 22:58
The tycoon, who is stepping down from News Corp and Fox, has used his outlets to promote denial and delay action, experts say
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Scientists have described the media tycoon Rupert Murdoch as a “climate villain” who has used his television and newspaper empire to promote climate science denial and delay action.
Murdoch’s outlets, including Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and The Australian, have long been known to promote doubts about the cause and consequences of the climate crisis. Scientists said this had caused lasting damage.
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09/22/2023 - 20:00
Tune into this special episode of the Sea Change Podcast to celebrate the autumn equinox with Jenna, Portland Poets Society, and a sea of poetry! A special thanks to the contributors from the Portland Poets Society community and beyond for sharing their wisdom and art with us.
09/22/2023 - 18:01
Exclusive: Poll finds fewer than a quarter of people trust PM to tackle climate crisis after policy U-turn
Only 22% of people trust Rishi Sunak to tackle the climate crisis after his announcement that he will weaken the UK’s net zero policies.
An exclusive poll for the Guardian found that fewer than a quarter of people trust the prime minister to take on the challenge. A total of 53% said they did not trust him, while 19% said they did not know.
This article was corrected on 23 September 2023 to clarify that the name of the polling company is WeThink.
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09/22/2023 - 13:00
World faces ‘malaria emergency’ from resistance to insecticides, waning efficacy of drugs, funding shortfalls and climate change
African leaders have warned that the world is facing the “biggest malaria emergency” of the past two decades.
Heads of state and experts came together in a show of unity to call for urgent action on malaria at the UN general assembly on Friday, saying progress on eradicating the disease faced serious setbacks from mosquitoes’ growing resistance to insecticides, and the decreased effectiveness of antimalarial drugs and diagnostic tests.
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09/22/2023 - 11:59
Farmers found guilty of crimes against environment for tapping aqueduct feeding Unesco-listed Donana national park
Five siblings have been jailed for more than three years for illegally extracting water from an aqueduct feeding a Unesco-listed Spanish nature reserve that is threatened by desertification, a court ruling showed.
The farmers – four men and a woman – were found guilty of crimes against the environment and causing damage through the “systematic and extensive extraction” of water supplying Donana national park, according to the ruling dated 18 September that was seen by Agence France-Presse on Friday.
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09/22/2023 - 11:17
Scientists ask PM to cease ‘politicising’ government’s independent advisers after his remarks and Tory letter to journalists
Scientists have written to Rishi Sunak asking him to stop “politicising” and attacking the Climate Change Committee (CCC), an independent body that exists to advise the government on five-year “carbon budgets” necessary to meet its 2050 target.
This week Sunak spoke about his plans to weaken his government’s environmental policies. When asked about comments from Chris Stark, the chief executive of the CCC, saying that the government would not hit the carbon budget with its current plans, Sunak replied: “I am very happy to get opinions and advice from everybody, and everyone’s entitled to their view.”
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09/22/2023 - 10:14
Potential health risks of high salt concentrations for those who rely on Mississippi River lead mayor to sign declaration
The New Orleans mayor, LaToya Cantrell, signed an emergency declaration for the city on Friday amid concerns about saltwater from the the Gulf of Mexico that has been creeping up the drought-hit Mississippi River in Louisiana.
The declaration came amid concerns the saltwater, which is impacting the river because it is at such low levels, could impact the drinking water of thousands of residents in the next few weeks
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09/22/2023 - 10:00
Exclusive: two PR professionals from national oil firm listed as providing ‘support’ to team running UN climate summit
Senior executives from the UAE’s national oil company are working with the Cop28 team as the country ramps up its PR campaign ahead of the major UN climate summit later this year, leaked internal records show.
Two PR professionals from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) are identified as providing “additional support” to the team running the summit, according to a Cop28 communications strategy document obtained by the Centre for Climate Reporting (CCR) and the Guardian. It adds to growing evidence of blurred lines between the UAE’s Cop28 team and its fossil fuel industry.
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