Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Drax needs a better policeman

admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 04:01:23 +0000

Public confidence in the UK biomass industry is low – robust checks are needed to ensure every wood pellet its power plant burns is sustainable

Even government ministers sounded embarrassed in February when they threw yet more subsidies at Drax, recipient of £6.5bn to date, to keep its wood-burning power plant open until 2031. Few people think the biomass industry can survive in the long term unless as-yet-untested carbon capture technology can be installed.

Lifesize herd of puppet animals begins climate action journey from Africa to Arctic Circle

admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 04:00:26 +0000

The Herds project from the team behind Little Amal will travel 20,000km taking its message on environmental crisis across the world

Hundreds of life-size animal puppets have begun a 20,000km (12,400 mile) journey from central Africa to the Arctic Circle as part of an ambitious project created by the team behind Little Amal, the giant puppet of a Syrian girl that travelled across the world.

Elon Musk’s xAI accused of pollution over Memphis supercomputer

admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 02:09:59 +0000

Hearing scheduled for Friday as residents receive anonymous leaflets that downplay pollution dangers

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company is stirring controversy in Memphis, Tennessee. That’s where he’s building a massive supercomputer to power his company xAI. Community residents and environmental activists say that since the supercomputer was fired up last summer it has become one of the biggest air polluters in the county. But some local officials have championed the billionaire, saying he’s investing in Memphis.

MPs question value of billions in subsidies granted to Drax power plant

admin — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 23:01:18 +0000

Spending watchdog warns £6.5bn in funding may not offer value for public money amid ongoing sustainability concerns

A government spending watchdog has questioned the value of the multi-billion pound subsidies granted to the Drax power plant in North Yorkshire – and said that plans to hand over billions more may not represent value for money.

UK spending watchdog censures water firms and regulators over sewage failings

admin — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 23:00:18 +0000

NAO finds regulatory gaps have enabled overspending on infrastructure building while not improving sewage works

Water companies have been getting away with failures to improve sewage works and overspending because of regulatory problems, a damning report by the government’s spending watchdog has found.

Only three people ever prosecuted for covering up England’s illegal sewage spills

admin — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 21:30:16 +0000

Employees of water firms who obstruct investigations into spills could face jail under new rules that come into force on Friday

Water company bosses have entirely escaped punishment for covering up illegal sewage spills, government figures show, as ministers prepare to bring in a new law threatening them with up to two years in prison for doing so.

Only three people have ever been prosecuted for obstructing the Environment Agency in its investigations into sewage spills, officials said, and none received even a fine.

Britain will accelerate push to net zero, Starmer tells energy summit

admin — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 18:22:30 +0000

Speech made clear prime minister sees renewable energy as core to UK’s future prosperity and national security

Britain will go “all out” for a low-carbon future and accelerate the push to net zero instead of slowing down as some have demanded, the prime minister said on Thursday.

Trump denies aid for Arkansas after storms that killed more than 40 people

admin — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 18:20:56 +0000

Latest denial of disaster funding comes as Trump has repeatedly stated he wants to eliminate Fema

Forestry Commission investigates felling of ancient Enfield oak

admin — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 18:05:41 +0000

Minister says incident ‘opened up a nerve in the country’ as new questions raised over ownership of land it stood on

The Forestry Commission has started an investigation into the controversial felling of an ancient oak near a Toby Carvery car park in north London amid new questions about ownership of the land on which it stood.

Green groups decry plan to list world’s biggest meatpacking company on NYSE

admin — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 15:10:13 +0000

Critics fear decision to list Brazil-based firm JBS, long linked to Amazon’s deforestation, will add to the climate crisis

Environmental groups are outraged that the world’s biggest meatpacking company, JBS, which has long been linked to Amazon’s deforestation, has received approval from US authorities to list on the New York Stock Exchange.