Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Rapid spread of bee-killing Asian hornets halted in UK

admin — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 08:10:19 +0000

Action helps thwart advance of invasive yellow-legged hornet that can kill 50 bees a day and has devastated honeybee colonies in France and Italy

Rapid action against an invasive bee-killing hornet has stopped its spread in the UK despite suitable climate and habitat for the insect, a study has found.

Research led by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) looked at how suitable European countries were for the yellow-legged or Asian hornet to become established, and how they might have spread without action.

Ed Miliband pledges ‘most ambitious reforms to UK energy system in generations’

admin — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 05:00:39 +0000

Energy secretary to set out plan to boost renewable energy supply, such as building canopies of solar panels on outdoor car parks

Ed Miliband has pledged to bring in “the most ambitious reforms to the country’s energy system in generations” as he presses ahead with plans to accelerate the development of onshore windfarms in England.

Sam Groth quits John Pesutto’s shadow frontbench – as it happened

admin — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 19:59:07 +0000

This blog is now closed

Turbine bat deaths could fall without loss of power if wind speed triggers were raised, Victorian research finds

admin — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 14:00:20 +0000

Changing state guidelines to lift the wind speed at which turbines start spinning won’t notably affect energy generated, government consultants say

TikTok’s annual carbon footprint is likely bigger than Greece’s, study finds

admin — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 12:00:18 +0000

Average user generates greenhouse gases equal to driving an extra 123 miles in gasoline-powered car a year, data shows

TikTok’s annual carbon footprint is probably larger than that of Greece, according to a new analysis of the social media platform’s environmental impact, with the average user generating greenhouse gases equivalent to driving an extra 123 miles in a gasoline-powered car each year.

‘Forever chemical’ found in mineral water from several European countries

admin — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 12:00:16 +0000

Contamination thought to stem from the heavy application of pesticides containing TFA, a type of PFAS

Mineral water from several European nations has been found for the first time to be contaminated with TFA, a type of PFAS “forever chemical” that is a reproductive toxicant accumulating at alarming levels across the globe.

Is it clouds, shipping or a volcano? Scientists present potential reasons for record heat

admin — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 11:00:15 +0000

Climate researchers share theories behind apparent surge, though none have a full understanding yet of what has happened

Scientists are still puzzling over the reasons behind a streak of unexpected, record heat that scorched 2023 and into this year, sparking fears that the climate crisis could be moving faster than previously thought.

Is it the clouds? Or shipping? Or maybe a huge volcanic eruption?

Why birdsong matters more than you think | Natalia Zielonka and Simon Butler

admin — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 05:00:09 +0000

Our natural soundscapes are falling silent as bird populations decline. To improve our lives, we must invest in conservation

Imagine you’re walking across rolling hills that stretch for miles, with warm sunshine and the chirping of birds all around.

This peaceful and serene scene is an increasingly rare one in the modern world.

It goes to show how important nature is for humanity on so many levels and hopefully a study like this supports more investment and help in retaining as well as improving our natural soundscapes.

Housebuilders supply only half of promised nature-friendly features, survey finds

admin — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 00:01:03 +0000

Developers in England deliver 53% of features such as trees and bird boxes demanded in planning permissions, study says

Nearly half of the nature-friendly enhancements promised by developers building new homes have failed to materialise, according to a study of almost 6,000 new houses.

Developers are failing to keep legally binding pledges to boost wildlife when building new homes, according to the survey by University of Sheffield academics for Wild Justice.

Labour’s 2030 green energy goal faces ‘significant challenges’, experts warn

admin — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 00:01:03 +0000

UK Energy Research Centre says there is ‘very little room for error’ to avoid delays and protect vulnerable people

Labour’s plan to switch to a clean power system by 2030 faces “significant challenges” to avoid delays and prevent vulnerable households paying higher bills, experts have warned.